Honestly, I liked the ending. It was extremely far-fetched but it is what it is.
My main issue is the writing is extremely juvenile and simplistic and Honestly, I liked the ending. It was extremely far-fetched but it is what it is.
My main issue is the writing is extremely juvenile and simplistic and while it makes for a quick read, I just can't. I decided to give this author another chance after hating The Inmate but I'm officially calling it quits....more
I've never read anything by Gena Showalter before, but I've heard good things about her books. I decided to read the prequel first before jumping into I've never read anything by Gena Showalter before, but I've heard good things about her books. I decided to read the prequel first before jumping into the rest of the series.
This was a really short story and didn't take me long at all to read. The premise was interesting, but I didn't quite understand why a Goddess was assigned to protect the wall of the Underworld that prevented demons from being unleashed to the world. But regardless, she falls in love with the other Guardian of the wall who was transformed from a man to a monster when he sells his soul to save his wife (at the time). For a short story it wasn't bad, but it wasn't my favorite paranormal romance I've read. Will still read the actually series sometime though.
Merged review:
I've never read anything by Gena Showalter before, but I've heard good things about her books. I decided to read the prequel first before jumping into the rest of the series.
This was a really short story and didn't take me long at all to read. The premise was interesting, but I didn't quite understand why a Goddess was assigned to protect the wall of the Underworld that prevented demons from being unleashed to the world. But regardless, she falls in love with the other Guardian of the wall who was transformed from a man to a monster when he sells his soul to save his wife (at the time). For a short story it wasn't bad, but it wasn't my favorite paranormal romance I've read. Will still read the actually series sometime though.
2.5 stars Nine years ago Arlen Fieldstone was convicted of murdering the wife of Senator Juan Raimez. Today, he’s been exonerated of all charges and is now a free man. Lauren becomes so distraught over her role in putting away an innocent man and taking away 9 years of his life, she travels down to Virginia to apologize to him.
“Lauren had thought she’d wanted to give something to Arlen: her apology. Her willingness to step up and take some responsibility for what had happened to him.”
This was a novel about forgiveness and second chances, but I didn’t relate with the characters which made their actions hard to understand.
The one section of the story that I would like to point out is a letter to the editor that Lauren’s brother actually wrote and submitted: ”Dear Editor: Everyone is pointing at Lauren Matthews for Arlen Fieldstone’s wrongful conviction. But here’s the truth: She’s not a cop, so she didn’t gather evidence. All she could do was interpret it for the jury. If you want to blame someone for Arlen’s mistreatment, blame the jury that convicted him. Blame the cops who botched the evidence. Blame a weak defense. But don’t blame Lauren Matthews for doing her job.”
Despite the fact that this was a biased statement, as the writer was her own brother, it still has a ring of truth: in the long run it really wasn’t her fault. She was presented the evidence from the police and it was her job as a prosecutor to convince the jury that the defendant should be convicted. I understand this and I especially think that anyone who has studied law would feel the same.
Will’s quick infatuation with Lauren seemed ill-placed with the rest of the story. This is supposed to be a woman that he can’t stand because in his eyes she’s the sole reason for why his best friend was put away for 9 years for a crime he didn’t commit. Yet by their second time around each other he’s already considering how good looking she is and by the fourth he’s imagining her in bed. Just seemed like a wrong piece in the puzzle that shouldn’t have been included.
Essentially, I enjoyed the story; however, I really had a hard time understanding the main characters guilt over the conviction of an innocent man. It happens, it will continue to happen, but you learn from it and you move on. You don’t let a single case from 9 years ago cause you so much grief that you develop heart problems and you feel the need to travel across several states in order to apologize to the man. A side story regarding her brother played a part in the reasoning for her guilt, but I still had a hard time accepting it.
The ending was quite predictable and everyone lived happily ever after. My main issue was that I didn’t connect with any of the characters and that made me lose major interest in this novel as a whole.
Merged review:
Expected Publication Date: January 3rd 2012
A Promise of Safekeeping was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Penguin Group (USA).
2.5 stars Nine years ago Arlen Fieldstone was convicted of murdering the wife of Senator Juan Raimez. Today, he’s been exonerated of all charges and is now a free man. Lauren becomes so distraught over her role in putting away an innocent man and taking away 9 years of his life, she travels down to Virginia to apologize to him.
“Lauren had thought she’d wanted to give something to Arlen: her apology. Her willingness to step up and take some responsibility for what had happened to him.”
This was a novel about forgiveness and second chances, but I didn’t relate with the characters which made their actions hard to understand.
The one section of the story that I would like to point out is a letter to the editor that Lauren’s brother actually wrote and submitted: ”Dear Editor: Everyone is pointing at Lauren Matthews for Arlen Fieldstone’s wrongful conviction. But here’s the truth: She’s not a cop, so she didn’t gather evidence. All she could do was interpret it for the jury. If you want to blame someone for Arlen’s mistreatment, blame the jury that convicted him. Blame the cops who botched the evidence. Blame a weak defense. But don’t blame Lauren Matthews for doing her job.”
Despite the fact that this was a biased statement, as the writer was her own brother, it still has a ring of truth: in the long run it really wasn’t her fault. She was presented the evidence from the police and it was her job as a prosecutor to convince the jury that the defendant should be convicted. I understand this and I especially think that anyone who has studied law would feel the same.
Will’s quick infatuation with Lauren seemed ill-placed with the rest of the story. This is supposed to be a woman that he can’t stand because in his eyes she’s the sole reason for why his best friend was put away for 9 years for a crime he didn’t commit. Yet by their second time around each other he’s already considering how good looking she is and by the fourth he’s imagining her in bed. Just seemed like a wrong piece in the puzzle that shouldn’t have been included.
Essentially, I enjoyed the story; however, I really had a hard time understanding the main characters guilt over the conviction of an innocent man. It happens, it will continue to happen, but you learn from it and you move on. You don’t let a single case from 9 years ago cause you so much grief that you develop heart problems and you feel the need to travel across several states in order to apologize to the man. A side story regarding her brother played a part in the reasoning for her guilt, but I still had a hard time accepting it.
The ending was quite predictable and everyone lived happily ever after. My main issue was that I didn’t connect with any of the characters and that made me lose major interest in this novel as a whole....more
“There was a man, back in 1861. He came to be known as Skinflint Jack, the Jack My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
*spoilers from the first two installments*
“There was a man, back in 1861. He came to be known as Skinflint Jack, the Jack of Harts.”
Petra Dee may be accustomed to the magical happenings in Temperance, Wyoming, but after the re-appearance of a man who was transformed through alchemy into a formidable creature in the 1800s, she knows she’s the only one that would be capable of overcoming him. Destroying an 18th century monster isn’t the only thing troubling Petra these days though. Gabe is trying to both acclimate to being mortal once again and staying under the radar of the local authorities after Sal’s disappearance, Sal’s cousin being the sheriff and all. Petra is dealing with some health issues of her own which has her adjusting plans for her future. But when the wolves of Yellowstone are viciously attacked and Petra’s work colleague is left hospitalized after going to investigate, she knows that no one will have much of a future if this danger is left to roam.
“We all have our dark sides, I guess,” Gabe said, taking a swig of his beer. “Yeah. And sometimes, the darkness finds us.”
Combining both ordinary and mystical mysteries, life is never dull for Petra Dee. I thoroughly enjoyed the complexity of the mystery behind the Luneria, the alchemical tree of life, but after its destruction in Mercury Retrograde it seemed as if that storyline had finished. I was pleased to see it reintroduced in this installment, albeit in an extremely unsettling way. The death of Sal didn’t mean the end of the mysterious Rutherford family either. Temperance, Wyoming is, suffice it to say, a most enigmatic and peculiar town.
I’ve seen Nine of Stars marketed as both a brand new series and the third of the continued Dark Alchemy series. While I can see it working as a brand new start, the “prequel” novels as they’re being referred to, I feel, are an integral part of giving you the necessary context behind these characters. Whether you start here or with Dark Alchemy, Bickle still manages to properly introduce you to a world of magic and mystery which also incorporates Native American folklore that will appeal to any fantasy fan. There are no supernatural creatures in these stories, just by-products of alchemical experiments, the “magical process of transformation, creation, or combination,” a subject that has clearly been researched extensively by the author. Nine of Stars possessed an ending that was extremely abrupt that felt more like a chapter end than a story end but I am still eager for more Petra Dee.
I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Merged review:
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
*spoilers from the first two installments*
“There was a man, back in 1861. He came to be known as Skinflint Jack, the Jack of Harts.”
Petra Dee may be accustomed to the magical happenings in Temperance, Wyoming, but after the re-appearance of a man who was transformed through alchemy into a formidable creature in the 1800s, she knows she’s the only one that would be capable of overcoming him. Destroying an 18th century monster isn’t the only thing troubling Petra these days though. Gabe is trying to both acclimate to being mortal once again and staying under the radar of the local authorities after Sal’s disappearance, Sal’s cousin being the sheriff and all. Petra is dealing with some health issues of her own which has her adjusting plans for her future. But when the wolves of Yellowstone are viciously attacked and Petra’s work colleague is left hospitalized after going to investigate, she knows that no one will have much of a future if this danger is left to roam.
“We all have our dark sides, I guess,” Gabe said, taking a swig of his beer. “Yeah. And sometimes, the darkness finds us.”
Combining both ordinary and mystical mysteries, life is never dull for Petra Dee. I thoroughly enjoyed the complexity of the mystery behind the Luneria, the alchemical tree of life, but after its destruction in Mercury Retrograde it seemed as if that storyline had finished. I was pleased to see it reintroduced in this installment, albeit in an extremely unsettling way. The death of Sal didn’t mean the end of the mysterious Rutherford family either. Temperance, Wyoming is, suffice it to say, a most enigmatic and peculiar town.
I’ve seen Nine of Stars marketed as both a brand new series and the third of the continued Dark Alchemy series. While I can see it working as a brand new start, the “prequel” novels as they’re being referred to, I feel, are an integral part of giving you the necessary context behind these characters. Whether you start here or with Dark Alchemy, Bickle still manages to properly introduce you to a world of magic and mystery which also incorporates Native American folklore that will appeal to any fantasy fan. There are no supernatural creatures in these stories, just by-products of alchemical experiments, the “magical process of transformation, creation, or combination,” a subject that has clearly been researched extensively by the author. Nine of Stars possessed an ending that was extremely abrupt that felt more like a chapter end than a story end but I am still eager for more Petra Dee.
I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
Second Guessing Fate was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Carina Press.
2.5 stars
Second Guessing Fate is the story of Gemma. Gemma visits a fortuSecond Guessing Fate was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Carina Press.
2.5 stars
Second Guessing Fate is the story of Gemma. Gemma visits a fortune teller, Madam Hooch, and she tells Gemma “Eez a bad, bad time. Eet is – how you say – big achy heart.”
But Madam Hooch continues spouting her magical knowledge. “Eez a big love and the man, ah, he eez dark and so handsome, but eez no good for you. He break your heart. First the big breaky heart and then you find soul mate. How you say – tears before happy, no? Time eez up. Goodbye.”
That woman is quite obviously full of brilliance and I can totally understand why Gemma took every single word she said to heart. Madam Hooch is described as being ancient with snow white hair… kinda like this!
[image][image]
Not saying she was giving out poison apples or anything… but then again, who knows.
So Gemma starts dating Nick after they’re both involved in a car accident. Which I guess Madam Hooch predicted… I don’t know, I think I missed that part. Nick asks Gemma out and they go to dinner. After Date #1 she starts to have a ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’ moment because he took 2 days to call her after their first date, because he asks her to dates on Monday rather than the weekend, and oh noes! He keeps making out with her but has yet to sleep with her by date 5; however, she continues accepting his requests for another date… because Madam Hooch told her to. Because the next guy she dated was supposed to break her heart and she has to let that happen in order to meet her soul mate! Gemma wants to dump him but her friend Helen convinces her not to:
“You can’t be the one to say cheers. He has to dump you—otherwise you may corrupt the fate-line. Changing the order of events could split your destiny path and even block the branch to your soul mate.”
Yes. The FATE-LINE. Dun-dun-dun.
I could’ve done without the fortune teller stuff or it could’ve at least been done differently. I actually really liked Nick; he was my favorite character because he seemed the most real and down to earth. Here’s this guy that’s trying really hard to get back into a relationship but he’s continually scared he’s going to screw it all up… again. I really felt for the guy.
And what was up with Gemma constantly wondering when he’s going to take her to bed? I don’t know it was just off for me… Gemma didn’t even seem to like him and that made me feel bad for him. It totally made me think of ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 days.’ Here’s Gemma who’s already expecting to get dumped by this guy (because Madam Hooch told her) and she’s basically trying to speed up the process so she can get on to meeting her soul mate (because Madam Hooch told her). But she’s also trying frantically to get him to sleep with her. So Gemma was kind of an oxy-moron to me.
All in all, this story just fell flat for me. I was bummed because it sounded like this super cute romance novel that I was completely in the mood for but it ended up missing the mark for me.
Second Guessing Fate was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Carina Press.
2.5 stars
Second Guessing Fate is the story of Gemma. Gemma visits a fortune teller, Madam Hooch, and she tells Gemma “Eez a bad, bad time. Eet is – how you say – big achy heart.”
But Madam Hooch continues spouting her magical knowledge. “Eez a big love and the man, ah, he eez dark and so handsome, but eez no good for you. He break your heart. First the big breaky heart and then you find soul mate. How you say – tears before happy, no? Time eez up. Goodbye.”
That woman is quite obviously full of brilliance and I can totally understand why Gemma took every single word she said to heart. Madam Hooch is described as being ancient with snow white hair… kinda like this!
[image][image]
Not saying she was giving out poison apples or anything… but then again, who knows.
So Gemma starts dating Nick after they’re both involved in a car accident. Which I guess Madam Hooch predicted… I don’t know, I think I missed that part. Nick asks Gemma out and they go to dinner. After Date #1 she starts to have a ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’ moment because he took 2 days to call her after their first date, because he asks her to dates on Monday rather than the weekend, and oh noes! He keeps making out with her but has yet to sleep with her by date 5; however, she continues accepting his requests for another date… because Madam Hooch told her to. Because the next guy she dated was supposed to break her heart and she has to let that happen in order to meet her soul mate! Gemma wants to dump him but her friend Helen convinces her not to:
“You can’t be the one to say cheers. He has to dump you—otherwise you may corrupt the fate-line. Changing the order of events could split your destiny path and even block the branch to your soul mate.”
Yes. The FATE-LINE. Dun-dun-dun.
I could’ve done without the fortune teller stuff or it could’ve at least been done differently. I actually really liked Nick; he was my favorite character because he seemed the most real and down to earth. Here’s this guy that’s trying really hard to get back into a relationship but he’s continually scared he’s going to screw it all up… again. I really felt for the guy.
And what was up with Gemma constantly wondering when he’s going to take her to bed? I don’t know it was just off for me… Gemma didn’t even seem to like him and that made me feel bad for him. It totally made me think of ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 days.’ Here’s Gemma who’s already expecting to get dumped by this guy (because Madam Hooch told her) and she’s basically trying to speed up the process so she can get on to meeting her soul mate (because Madam Hooch told her). But she’s also trying frantically to get him to sleep with her. So Gemma was kind of an oxy-moron to me.
All in all, this story just fell flat for me. I was bummed because it sounded like this super cute romance novel that I was completely in the mood for but it ended up missing the mark for me.
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!...more
Short Summary: Petra Dee won’t let a little thing like cancer stop her from finding her husband who she fears is lost to the darkness that lies under Short Summary: Petra Dee won’t let a little thing like cancer stop her from finding her husband who she fears is lost to the darkness that lies under her town, but the Tree of Life is growing strong again and the power behind it won’t be stopped.
Thoughts: Petra’s perseverance to find her husband was admirable, but quitting chemo halfway through to go in search of him was fairly asinine and this installment, the weakest so far, could and should have been more about her search for Gabriel.
Verdict: I love this magical series and despite this weak installment, the cliffhanger means there are more installments to come and I’m still definitely on board for more Petra (and 100% more of her coyote side-kick Sig.)
I received this book free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Merged review:
Short Summary: Petra Dee won’t let a little thing like cancer stop her from finding her husband who she fears is lost to the darkness that lies under her town, but the Tree of Life is growing strong again and the power behind it won’t be stopped.
Thoughts: Petra’s perseverance to find her husband was admirable, but quitting chemo halfway through to go in search of him was fairly asinine and this installment, the weakest so far, could and should have been more about her search for Gabriel.
Verdict: I love this magical series and despite this weak installment, the cliffhanger means there are more installments to come and I’m still definitely on board for more Petra (and 100% more of her coyote side-kick Sig.)
I received this book free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
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