BOOK REVIEW: "GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE"

SPOILERS (AND RANT) BELOW:⁣

⁣

So I loved the writing style of this story, and I could totally envision the lovely surroundings. I really wanted to love this book, but I had issues...⁣

⁣

The MC Lei had so much potential to actually be the courageous heroine we need, but fell way short. Now Wren, on the other hand, was everything I want in a heroine: self-sacrificing, determined, and purposeful. ⁣

⁣

Lei was characterized as "brave" for "standing up to the King" when all she did was run away from him because she was scared. The other girls were scared too, but because they knew that disobedience would harm their families, they BRAVELY and selflessly suffered. Lei had no plan, she just gave in to blind fear, which was justified of course, but I wouldn't characterize her as brave and the others as not.⁣

⁣

Also, she never did analyze her situation trying to make a plan for escape, and she was actually angry when Wren revealed that she had one!!🙄 Lei was sooo reactionary. And she demanded that everyone trust her, yet she almost blew the secret at least twice because she couldn't control her emotions!⁣

⁣

And their relationship was so Insta-lovey!😣 I have no idea why they were attracted to each other, other than looks. I would have wanted more depth to the other girls too.⁣

⁣

Anyway, I wish that Wren had been the MC. Lei had me so frustrated that I really didn't connect with her at all.⁣

⁣

I don't know if coming fresh off the Nevernight Chronicles affected my perception, but it is what it is.⁣

BOOK REVIEW: "The Weaver"

I really like the concept of an author's characters coming to life, then coming after her in order to change their story.

It started off with lots of action and an interesting relationship between the 2 main characters. But then nothing really happened except that they attended college, engaging in juvenile high school level drama clique stuff (jocks & popular girls vs smart nerds) and went to lacrosse games and dances.

At 40% of the book, the paranormal aspect becomes the focus, and the action picks up. But I felt it was rushed, and the explanations lacked depth, like it needed to be fleshed out more but the author had to hurry and end the book. I still don't really have a good sense of the recluse club members. And the ease with which everyone just accepts the paranormal phenomena , without any questions, was unbelievable.

I also found myself rereading sections that didn't make sense, like right after the MC runs terrified out of the dark woods after hearing someone chasing her, she stops to check her mail before going into her dorm and safety.  And in some action sequences the detail was minimal and I lost track of where some of the characters were spatially, so it was hard to envision the scene.

I really liked the concept, but I was pulled out of the story with too many questions while I was reading, so it didn't really suck me in and keep me there. I wish the author would have spent less time on the beginning YA drama (and sorry, but a 19-year old is not a "man"), and had focused more on that great Weaver premise.

This book was released in August, and is the first in a trilogy. ⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: "Fireborne"

I really enjoyed this book!

The plot seems pretty straightforward at first, with a child of a murdered family seeking revenge, but it is so much more than that! The characters have situations they must really think through, as they are steeped in morality and have far-reaching consequences. I liked the growth in their complex relationships.

There are a lot of political machinations mixed in with the action of dragon riding, so although it's not non-stop action, the pace moves the story along nicely.

I ended up staying awake until past 2am reading the last 3/4 of this book because I couldn't wait to see what happened next!

Fireborne will be published on October 15.

Thanks to NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: "Heaven's Silhouette"

This story sounded so interesting, and the idea of a winged race of warriors called Iyarri hiding in the lore of angels was intriguing.

The story is told from the point of view of the main character, Aurelia (Lia), and focuses on her constant struggles. It's hard to describe, but there was really no focus in this book, no characters to like, and no real resolution to anything. 

Spoiler alert:  

The entire thing is basically Aurelia bumbling around and being injured, exhausted, unconscious, confused and scared, her fate controlled by others. Inexplicably, she even continues to feel empathy for those who injure and harm her the most.

Granted, she endures a lot of violence, but she does not demonstrate any growth or gain strength from those encounters.  She ultimately overcomes quite a bit, but she gains no confidence from it. I kept waiting for her to get angry and fight back and make her own decisions, but she didn't and she felt like a constant victim.

The other characters are pretty one-dimensional, and continue to act the same and hold the same beliefs regardless of what they see or encounter. The little bit of romance was insta-love. Aurelia's father has no redeeming qualities when it comes to how he treats and feels about his daughter. And it was so frustrating that Lia continued to believe her proven-to-be-a-liar betrayer, even after he tried to kill her.  

I really wanted to like the Iyarri, but I couldn't due to their blind hate of humans and halfbloods, which did not change. There was no tension in the story, just a string of things just happening to Lia. The book ended with Lia sobbing (as per usual) and some events yet to come, but not exactly a cliffhanger.  

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. 

⭐⭐💫

Thanks to NetGalley for this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for my review.

BOOK REVIEW: "The Absinthe Earl"

This book has all the things I love! It's set in Ireland in the 1880's with an intelligent and independent, (but not annoying) heroine, a secretly tormented gorgeous humble nobleman (strong and vulnerable), lots of paranormal faerie, and mystery to unravel! Not to mention that beautiful cover!

The story is very smart and intriguing and the author does a great job detailing ancient Irish folklore, and weaves it expertly through the story. The characters' dialogue stays true to the period, and flowed naturally. Of course it got very steamy, but that aspect was not relied upon as the driver of the main story, which ended up being much larger in scope than first anticipated. 

The action is plentiful and quickly-paced, and I unwittingly stayed up till 2am the night I started! The writing was easy to read, and I found that I was sad to leave this world and the characters when the book ended. I can't wait to read the next in this series!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publish date: October 15, 2019

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: "The Art of Dying"

This story definitely delivered on the bad guys: psychologically disturbing torture and gore as well as the predicably violent mobster gangs.  On the law enforcement side, it also had the stereotypical hard-nosed lieutenant, politically-hamstrung police chief, inept FBI agents, and the aging chauvinistic partner. And of course, our brash, young hero Detective Ray who follows the case leads, regardless of the danger and in spite of procedure or dept policy.

The story moved along, but I just didn't feel connected with the characters (and there were a lot!), especially Ray after what he did halfway through the book. I can see the author wanting to blur the lines of good/bad, but I had no character to really like and so was not emotionally invested.

The horror was okay, but felt a little forced for shock value, and the killer's motives weren't very imaginative.

Overall, it was entertaining, but it wasn't a very compelling psychological thriller.

⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: "The Hidden Lives of Jack the Ripper's Victims"

I was so glad to see this book, as it focuses on the victims of the crimes as opposed to the perpetrator.  It was a well-written reporting of facts told as a story for each victim in the order of her death.

Even without dramatic flair, the abject poverty in which these, and other East Londoners lived is made tragically clear. The trajectory of these women's lives could have been so different if not for, as the author states, "the fickleness of fate - unemployment, abandonment, homelessness, or the death of a parent, husband or child".

The book is meticulously researched and there are pictures and documentation of the places referenced. Pictures of the victims post-mortem are also included. The historical backdrop of the political and social climate of London at the time is really brought to life.

I highly recommend this book as a commemoration to those poor women who had the misfortune to cross paths with a killer. Their lives were important, and these are their stories.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to Net Galley and Pen & Sword Publishers for an ARC in exchange for my review.