The Blurb:

The Greek gods never actually existed. Did they? Sophie Darrow finds she was wrong about that assumption when she’s pulled into the spirit realm, complete with an Underworld, on her first day at college. Adrian, the mysterious young man who brought her there, simply wants her to taste a pomegranate.

Soon, though she returns to her regular life, her mind begins exploding with dreams and memories of ancient times; of a love between two Greeks named Persephone and Hades. But lethal danger has always surrounded the immortals, and now that she’s tainted with the Underworld’s magic, that danger is drawing closer to Sophie.

My Thoughts: I actually really liked this book! When I first realized that this was one of those “Persephone reincarnated into the modern day” things I have to admit, I was nervous. I’ve read a lot of versions of Persephone (though I waited until my first book was completely drafted and in queries until I did, just to be safe with the exception of L.J Smith’s Forbidden Games that was my favorite book when I was twelve, seriously, read it.), and I’ve seen that done several times without it ever actually seeming to work (for me, lots of people love them and there’s nothing wrong with that). Either Hades is always still Hades, but Persephone is somehow being reborn every so often, which feels really weird to me, or they’re both not exactly reincarnations, but two people with similar powers who just so happen to repeat a similar story for no real, concrete reason.

This book succeeded where those books failed. Yes, the characters were reincarnations of Hades and Persephone, but they both were and they were also 100% themselves. Sophie was a character in her own right as well as being Persephone who managed to be a completely developed, independent character of her own that complimented Sophie in such a way that it felt natural that they were also the same person.

Ringle captures the complexities of the whole reincarnation thing without resorting to “Oh, we like, loved each other in another life, so we’re in insta-love now” trope. Each lifetime felt like it happened, and it mattered, and that it happened independently of their prior lives. Sophie didn’t like Adrian at first, it took her a long time to warm up to him, and when she did the pacing felt natural, not like she was forced into it by her prior lives.

I’m sure I’m babbling, but this is seriously the only time I’ve seen reincarnated souls that actually had enough depth to be believable. It kind of reminded me of Soul Mates by L.J Smith, but for a more mature audience.

I also really enjoyed Ringle’s vision of the Greek gods of being essentially gifted humans who happened to be immortal. They don’t have limitless power, and they were kind of figuring everything out as they went along. I thought the whole Thanatos cult against the immortals thing was pretty interesting and kept the tension high, butt honestly I didn’t even need conflict. I was so wrapped up in watching this world and all the lifetimes within it unfold that the conflict and tension was bonus. This was a beautiful story, and I’m really excited to see how it unfolds in future installments of the series.

I’m going to skip the blurb for now and just include the first page, which might be the best story beginning I’ve heard in a long time. It reminded me of those choose your own adventure books, and definitely caught m attention.

We only have a few hours, so listen carefully. If you’re hearing this story, you’re already in danger. Sadie and I might be your only chance.

Go to the school. Find the locker. I won’t tell you which school or which locker, because if you’re the right person, you’ll find it. The combination is 13/32/33. By the time you finish listening, you’ll know what those numbers mean. Just remember the story we’re about to tell you isn’t complete yet. How it ends will depend on you.

The most important thing: when you open the package and find what’s inside, don’t keep it longer than a week. Sure, it’ll be tempting. I mean, it will grant you almost unlimited power. But if you possess it too long, it will consume you. Learn its secrets quickly and pass it on. Hide it for the next person, the way Sadie and I did for you. Then be prepared for your life to get very interesting.

Okay, Sadie is telling me to stop stalling and get on with the story. Fine. I guess it started in London, the night our dad blew up the British Museum.

Interested? Now here’s the blurb:

Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a “research experiment” at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them–Set–has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe — a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

My thoughts:

I really enjoyed the first page of this book, and the second half of this book. The first half was just overwhelming. I couldn’t connect with the characters at first because there was so much going on, and so many characters and settings, and world building stuff thrown at me that I just didn’t care all that much.

But I persisted because I remember having the same problem with the first Percy Jackson book, and now I love that series. Riordan is a fantastic writer, but beginnings that engage me don’t seem to be his strong suit. It’s hard to get invested in a character or their world when you don’t understand it. Granted, his characters don’t get his worlds either at first, but I don’t know them well enough to be good agents into the story. I’m glad I stuck with it because the second half of the book was amazing. The protagonists, siblings Sadie and Carter Kane did grow on me and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

The Blurb: Following her most successful book to date, Kathy Reichs — international number one bestselling author, forensic anthropologist, and producer of the Fox television hit “Bones” — returns to Charlotte, North Carolina, where Temperance Brennan encounters a deadly mix of voodoo, Santeria, and devil worship in her quest to identify two young victims.In a house under renovation, a plumber uncovers a cellar no one knew about, and makes a rather grisly discovery — a decapitated chicken, animal bones, and cauldrons containing beads, feathers, and other relics of religious ceremonies. In the center of the shrine, there is the skull of a teenage girl. Meanwhile, on a nearby lakeshore, the headless body of a teenage boy is found by a man walking his dog.

Nothing is clear — neither when the deaths occurred, nor where. Was the skull brought to the cellar or was the girl murdered there? Why is the boy’s body remarkably well preserved? Led by a preacher turned politician, citizen vigilantes blame devil worshippers and Wiccans. They begin a witch hunt, intent on seeking revenge.

Forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan — “five-five, feisty, and forty-plus” — is called in to investigate, and a complex and gripping tale unfolds in this, Kathy Reichs’s eleventh taut, always surprising, scientifically fascinating mystery.

With a popular series on Fox — now in its third season and in full syndication — Kathy Reichs has established herself as the dominant talent in forensic mystery writing. “Devil Bones” features Reichs’s signature blend of forensic descriptions that “chill to the bone” (“Entertainment Weekly”) and the surprising plot twists that have made her books phenomenal bestsellers in the United States and around the world.(

My thoughts:
Okay, so I’m officially moving on from free books picked up at book exchanges and sticking with books in genres I know I like. But the thing is, I thought I would like this one. I like mysteries, I like medical thrillers. This book seemed like it would be an awesome combination of both. It’s not that it’s not enough like the show Bones, it may not be, but I don’t watch that show so the disappointment couldn’t stem from that.

I just didn’t like the writing style. Entire conversations passed like this.

He asked me how it went. I told him. He said that’s too bad. I said I know.

Not “how did it go?”
“Meh, not so great,” I said bringing it up to speed.
“Too bad.” He shook his head and gave me a sympathetic look.

Nope, entire conversations told in summary that included what the characters said verbatim. Why? That doesn’t shorten anything. And it wasn’t just when she was catching up people on events. This happened to.

I picked up the phone and said hello. He sounded upset when he said hello. I asked what was wrong. He told me xyz had happened on the station. Oh, I responded. That is upsetting. We talked for a few more minutes before he said goodbye. I hung up the phone.

Arg! She has an eleven book contract (at least) in PRINT and a TV show. What?!

Every single chapter ended with a “If I’d only paid attention to xyz, I could have prevented so much pain.”

Seriously! That kind of “foreshadowing” is just lazy.

There was tons of “intro to xyz” info dumps. Whether it be aspects of forensics or the tenants of religions. Then the protagonist would have a conversation where she reiterated every single fact from the pages of info dumping. I would have rather just had the conversations. I’m glad she researched stuff, but I really didn’t feel the need for a wikipedia type entry on every single thing she looked up down to random bands. I also felt like it was hitting me over the head with morals. You know, I never considered Wiccan’s to be satanists before this book, but thanks for repeatedly assuming I’m a bigot. I would say that she trying to teach another character or make some self-discovery, but the protagonist never really seemed to think there was a link between Satan and wicca either and it was exposition not dialogue so who else could the writer be trying to convince. To see THAT type of mini-moral packed into a story well, I recommend reading Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong.

Apparently this was book 11 in the series, so I guess one good thing is that I was able to pick up the book and make sense of it without the rest of the series. But I won’t be reading anymore by this author.

I won this trilogy at a conference in February, and am SO glad I read them. Here’s the blurb to book 1.

Brandon Sanderson, fantasy’s newest master tale spinner, author of the acclaimed debut Elantris, dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails? What kind of world results when the Dark Lord is in charge? The answer will be found in the Mistborn Trilogy, a saga of surprises and magical martial-arts action that begins in Mistborn.

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the “Sliver of Infinity,” reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler’s most hellish prison. Kelsier “snapped” and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.

Kelsier recruited the underworld’s elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.

But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel’s plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she’s a half-Skaa orphan, but she’s lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

Readers of Elantris thought they’d discovered someone special in Brandon Sanderson. Mistborn proves they were right.(

My thoughts:
Brandon Sanderson created an entirely unique fantasy world that uses metals and allomancy instead of sword and sorcery. A reviewer on goodreads summarized allomancy better than I can (I ramble) here goes:
“Speaking of the magic that was probably the most intriguing part of the book for those who have read a lot of fantasy and get the same magic systems over and over. Magic is fueled by trace minerals that are ingested by those with the power. A Misted can only ingest one type of metal but a Mistborn can take as many trace minerals as desired (there are a standard 8 with some surprises). Mistborn are rare even in the nobility and as a result are highly prized by the powerful”

The plot had so many twists and turns that I felt out of breath when I finished. I took a LONG break between book two and three because I knew once I picked book three up, I wouldn’t be able to put it down.

I loved the people in his world, and the ending was perfect. I could almost hear Kelsier saying “there’s always another secret” as I turned the last page. Even little inconsistencies I’d picked up on through the series (how would super enhanced eye sight help you see through mist exactly?) were answered. I will admit that I saw the end coming for books two and three, but knowing it was coming only made me more anxious to get there. It was great anticipation. I really enjoyed these books, and I think most of my readers would really enjoy it too.

Hollywood movie star Lawton Fletcher has come to tiny Warrendale, Georgia, with plans to buy the entire town. Instead, when attorney Tammi Randall and her friend Mitch Griffeth arrive to keep an appointment with Fletcher, they find him shot to death. To the police, the obvious culprit is Freddy Meadows, a local man known to be violent. Tammi is less than impressed by the unappealing Meadows, but believing he is innocent, she agrees to represent him on behalf of the Legal Aid Society. Investigating Fletcher’s background for other possible suspects, Tammi travels to the fleshpots of Los Angeles and New Orleans, but the clues she finds lead her back to Georgia. There, the young lawyer and her friends uncover corruption among government officials and an ever-widening list of suspects, including Warrendale’s police chief, the sheriff, the county commissioner, a Dixie Mafia king-pin, a Satan-worshiping teenager, and a migrant worker. Is the handsome young Warrendale heir among them? She very much hopes not. Tammi desperately needs to find the one among them who actually killed Lawton Fletcher–and learn whether it’s the same person making death threats to her.

My thoughts:

A very entertaining read with a mystery that kept me guessing. The book was also unexpectedly funny. I’m not used to so much humor popping up in mysteries, but it really worked. I found myself laughing out loud in a lot of places. There was a character who did impressions that, handled by any other author, would have been too much, but Wyrick made it work. The title had me worrying there would be major religious overtones (nothing against religious overtones, just started more than one book that had a great plot devolve into a long sermon) but that really wasn’t a factor. Great read.

When it happens to you, you will be surprised. That thing they say about how you knew all the time, but just weren’t facing it? That might be the case, but nevertheless, there you will be.

Molly Ringwald mines the complexities of modern relationships in this gripping and nuanced collection of interlinked stories. Writing with a deep compassion for human imperfection, Ringwald follows a Los Angeles family and their friends and neighbors while they negotiate the hazardous terrain of everyday life–revealing the deceptions, heartbreak, and vulnerability familiar to us all.

In “The Harvest Moon,” a stay-at-home mom grapples with age, infertility, and an increasingly distant husband. In “Ursa Minor,” a former children’s television star tries to rebuild his life after being hospitalized for “exhaustion.” An elderly woman mourns the loss of her husband and her estranged relationship with her daughter in “The Little One.” In “My Olivia,” a single mother finds untapped reserves of strength to protect her flamboyant six-year-old son who wishes only to wear dresses and be addressed as Olivia. And in the devastating title story, a betrayed wife chronicles her pain and alienation, leading to an eviscerating denouement.

My review:

As the lives of these characters converge and diverge in unexpected ways, Ringwald reveals a startling eye for the universality of loss, love, and the search for connection. An unflinching yet poignant examination of the intricacies of the human heart, When It Happens to You is an auspicious literary debut.

This was a book club book from my Mom’s group, so it wasn’t my typical read. I enjoyed it enough. My favorite story was “My Olivia.” I’ve found I really enjoy reading about children or young adults struggling with gender identity. Ringwald handles the story with sympathy and tact, I didn’t feel like she was pushing an agenda but exploring the life of a very three dimensional set of characters. Another great read along the same lines is

Jack
by Adrienne Wilder. Fantastic book. This was an interesting read but I don’t see myself reading it again and again.

The team-spirit sign by the side of the highway seems a good omen to loner Morgan Walsh, as he drives to what could be the most important visit of his life — a chance to join the North American Pack. Then he wakes naked in the woods, surrounded by wolf tracks and a ring of suspicious cops. The situation only gets worse when he’s bailed out by Alpha-elect Elena Michaels and Clayton Danvers, her terrifying enforcer and mate.

Disappointed that such a promising young werewolf risked exposing them, Elena isn’t expecting anything from the pesky retrieval job except some much-needed alone time with Clay. Instead, she finds a different kind of evil stalking the streets and forests of Westwood, New York. Trapped in town by a snowstorm and sabotage, Elena, Clay and Morgan must find the mysterious threat before it sets its sights on them.

Cute follow up to the lives of our favorite werewolves. I liked the mystery, it was intriguing. Though the revelation was just a little bit…. gruesome. I was happy to see more of Morgan, his character was really interesting in Frost Bitten so this was good follow up. I also love hearing more about the twins. I will read everything Kelley Armstrong ever writes. This was short, sweet, and interesting. I was so sad when the Otherworld series ended, but I’ll be happy if we still get some snippets here and there.

Tessa Gray should be happy – aren’t all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa’s heart, will do anything to save her.

Fantastic ending to a fantastic series. I really enjoyed the direction Cassandra Clare took in this series. If you can’t tell by the way I handled the love triangle in my book, I kind of hate them, but this on was handled very well. I loved the ending. LOVED the ending. So much happens in this book and I can’t really explain it without adding a ton of spoilers but I can say the pacing was great!

I’m never terribly invested in Clare’s characters. No reflection of her or her writing, she’s fantastic, but I’m much more interested in the world than the people. I think maybe that’s because her world building is so different, and the events are always so big and important. The stakes are always high. I can’t wait to see what she publishes next!

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

My Review: This book made me feel like I was driving past a train wreck. I felt bad but couldn’t stop looking. You know this book is going to be sad but you won’t be able to put it down. And oh.my.gosh when you get to the end….

It’s a beautiful story, the descriptions are like nothing I’ve ever read before. The characters are SO real and they grow so much. The narrator is just creepy enough but still maintains kind of an interesting innocence. I REALLY enjoyed this book.

So I promise I will review individual books again, but I just read the last book in this series and it was SO good. Rachel Vincent also writes modern twists on mythology/urban fantasy, but she went in a completely original direction.

Kayleigh is a Banshee. When people die, she screams for their souls. She has no idea what she is when the series starts so when she starts screaming, she’s institutionalized. Then she meets Nash, a male version on a Banshee who has a brother that’s a reaper, an ex that’s a nightmare (literally) and they all discover their high school is on a hell mouth. Okay, not exactly, but the demons concentrating around the high school make me think of Buffy in a good way.

This is a fantastic series, and the characters are so well developed. They grow so much and so realistically throughout he series. It’s absolutely a worthwhile read, and I promise, the last book does not disappoint. You can buy books 1-2 plus a prequel short story in a single kindle edition, books 3 and 4 plus an amazingly heart wrenching short story in a single kindle edition, 5 and 6 plus a short story in a single edition and seven alone. Go shopping, seriously, it’s worth it.

Here’s the blurb for the first 3.

It starts with a scream….
New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent’s compelling Soul Screamers series keeps getting better—here, for the first time, the original stories are compiled into one special volume….

My Soul to Lose

—The prequel: never before in print!—

Kaylee is just your average girl shopping at the mall with friends—until a terrified scream bursts from her that cannot be stopped. Taken to a hospital ward, will she be able to save her mind—and her life?

My Soul to Take

She doesn’t see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who’ll be next.

My Soul to Save

Going on dates with her boyfriend is still new to Kaylee. But when the singer of the band they’re seeing dies onstage and Kaylee doesn’t scream, she knows something crazy is going on. Soon she discovers souls can indeed be sold….