Review: Playing For Keeps by Jill Shalvis

Title: Playing For Keeps

Series: Heartbreaker Bay

Author: Jill Shalvis

Release date: January 22, 2019 

Cliffhanger: No

Rating: 5 stars

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Synopsis:

If you’re planning on falling in love…
When it comes to the confident, charismatic Caleb Parker, Sadie Lane feels the spark—the kind that comes from rubbing each other the wrong way. She’s a tattoo artist, he’s a straight-laced mogul. But after they accidentally co-rescue an abandoned dog from a storm, Sadie sees a vulnerable side to the seemingly invincible hottie.

you’d better be sure…

Caleb doesn’t do emotions. Growing up the underdog, he’s learned the hard way to build up an impenetrable wall. Perfect for business. Disastrous for relationships. He’s never worried about it before—not until he finally gets behind Sadie’s armor and begins to fall.

… someone is there to catch you.

Both guarded and vulnerable, Sadie and Caleb are complete opposites. Or are they? Shocked at their undeniable connection, can they ever admit to wanting more? That all depends on what they’re each willing to risk.

PURCHASE LINKS

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental.

Look for Jill's latest, LOST AND FOUND SISTERS on shelves and e-readers now, and get all her bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold.

Visit Jill's website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

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REVIEW

Playing for Keeps by Jill Shalvis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Release date: January 22, 2019
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: contemporary romance

Accidentally on Purpose was my first read in this series, and Elle and Archer have remained my favorite couple since then. I officially have a new leading couple because Caleb and Sadie unexpectedly swept me off my feet. I adore Jill Shalvis' humor in her books. You can always depend on her to deliver belly laughs and chuckles galore. Playing for Keeps didn't skimp on the humor, but there was an added depth of emotion in this book because of Sadie's history. I know some readers said that it took them some time to warm up to her because of her standoffish attitude, but that wasn't the case for me. Even though it took some time to soften her sharp edges, I could always identify with where she was coming from and feel for her.

After the previous book, I was really looking forward to seeing these two characters who've been in the background trading snark finally connect. On the surface they seem to be the epitome of two opposites attracting, but as we got to know them better we discover their similarities as well. Sadie is a tattoo/permanent makeup artist with two jobs, struggling hard to make ends meet. She's tattooed, has brightly dyed hair, and doesn't let very many people get close to her. She has trust issues a mile wide, especially when it comes to men.

    Yes, he was fun, flirty, and charming, but she was highly suspicious of all those things. Her idea of fun, flirty, and charming meant being as sarcastic as possible. It’d done the trick too, scaring men off for years.

Sarcasm is her weapon of choice in deterring any unwanted attention. A previous boyfriend caused her to slip into old unhealthy habits, and that experience scared her away from romantic relationships. But when she faces off against Caleb, he gives back every bit as good as he gets. In fact, not only was he charming, but he seemed to be charmed by her attempts to scare him off. It wasn't until a three legged dog named Lollipop came into the equation that they actually began getting to know one another better. Jill Shalvis is an animal lover, and it really comes through in her writing. She often includes pets in her stories, but this dog was almost like another main character. When Caleb rescues Lollipop off the street, they decide to share "joint custody" so to speak and become doggy parents together. As much as she tried to keep her distance, she was upfront and bluntly honest with him from the very beginning. Which is one of her personality quirks that probably drew him in even more because he has some trust issues of his own.

    “I’m sorry. For hanging up on you.” “But not for the judging?” Dammit. “Maybe a little for the judging. But I’m not going to lie,” she said. “I’m probably not done judging you. I mean I’ll try to work on it, but it’ll be a process.” His mouth quirked. “Fair enough.”

Sadie has always been the black sheep of the family, out of place and misunderstood by everyone. Because of their huge difference in personalities, her mother failed to understand her, and was completely insensitive to her needs. She didn't listen, she nagged her to find a man, and made her feel as if she was never good enough. I couldn't stand how she treated her from the very beginning. Caleb had his own family issues with his extremely overprotective sisters. While their hearts were in the right place, and their actions came from a place of love, they often crossed boundaries they shouldn't have. This causes some friction between the couple at one point, but Caleb doesn't hesitate to set his family straight and make amends.

I absolutely loved this hero and his sensitivity in giving Sadie time to open up to him. He was wonderfully patient and you could tell that he accepted every part of her, even her broken pieces. She's a complicated woman who doesn't easily let people past her barriers, but somehow they were able to find more common ground than either could have anticipated. Maybe because no one cared to take the time to unravel Sadie and really listen to her before. And when he needed someone to carry his burdens, she stepped right up. Their differences and similarities complimented each other beautifully.

His one flaw was probably being too pushy in trying to help her and not understanding her need to take care of herself. At the same time, when you care about someone, it's understandable that you don't want them to have to struggle when there's something you can do about it. With open communication and honesty between them, any issues they had were resolved pretty quickly.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had everything I look for in a romance novel in one witty, romantic, feel-good package. It's one of those stories that leaves you with a warm glow of happiness after turning the last page. I highly recommend this one to everyone, even new readers to the series. It's a must read!

    “I knew the day I met you,” he said. “Which was just under a year ago now.” “Knew what?” she whispered. “That I was going to fall for you and never recover.”

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Release Day Blitz: The Fallback by Mariah Dietz

Today we are celebrating the release of THE FALLBACK, a standalone, contemporary romance title by Mariah Dietz! It is the book many readers and bloggers are calling Mariah's best work to date. It's FREE with KindleUnlimited.

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THE FALLBACK by Mariah Dietz

Available now in KindleUnlimited

Blurb:

Breaking up is hard to do.

It's even harder when you're not expecting it. Brooke Jensen is a planner. Not only in her personal life but also professionally as one of the most sought after event planners in Chicago. But, when the ideal life she built for herself, complete with handsome, long-term boyfriend and perfect apartment crumbles, she realizes there are some things you just can’t plan for. While trying to start anew from her best friend's guest room and discovering the best doughnuts in the city, an idea sparks to life when she meets Levi. He's intriguing, funny, and shockingly good-looking, and what had been a few stray thoughts becomes a new passion for Brooke, a blog detailing learning how to be single. The project introduces Brooke to new people and experiences, and keeps returning her back to Levi. But, Brooke learns kismet may have been wrong when she learns Levi is the last person she should be interested in. Falling for the wrong guy once has Brooke hesitant to start a new relationship, but Levi is quickly proving that The Fallback might be even better.

GET YOUR COPY NOW

Available to read for FREE in KindleUnlimited

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:   

 

Mariah Dietz lives with her husband and three sons, who are the axis of her crazy and wonderful world in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Mariah grew up in a tiny town outside of Portland, Oregon, where she spent most of her time immersed in the pages of books that she both read and created.

She has a love for all things that include her family, good coffee, books, traveling, and dark chocolate. She’s also obsessed with Christmas ornaments and all things Disney.

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Review: The Binding by Bridget Collins

Title: The Binding

Series: Standalone

Author: Bridget Collins

Genre: historical fiction, fantasy

Rating: 2 stars

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Synopsis:

Imagine you could erase grief.

Imagine you could remove pain.
Imagine you could hide the darkest, most horrifying secret.
Forever.

Young Emmett Farmer is working in the fields when a strange letter arrives summoning him away from his family. He is to begin an apprenticeship as a Bookbinder—a vocation that arouses fear, superstition, and prejudice among their small community but one neither he nor his parents can afford to refuse.

For as long as he can recall, Emmett has been drawn to books, even though they are strictly forbidden. Bookbinding is a sacred calling, Seredith informs her new apprentice, and he is a binder born. Under the old woman’s watchful eye, Emmett learns to hand-craft the elegant leather-bound volumes. Within each one they will capture something unique and extraordinary: a memory. If there’s something you want to forget, a binder can help. If there’s something you need to erase, they can assist. Within the pages of the books they create, secrets are concealed and the past is locked away. In a vault under his mentor’s workshop, rows upon rows of books are meticulously stored.

But while Seredith is an artisan, there are others of their kind, avaricious and amoral tradesman who use their talents for dark ends—and just as Emmett begins to settle into his new circumstances, he makes an astonishing discovery: one of the books has his name on it. Soon, everything he thought he understood about his life will be dramatically rewritten.

From Harper Collins:

In the tradition of Sarah Waters, Helene Wecker, and Jessie Burton, an atmospheric and mystery-laden historical novel set within a magical world where books are not stories but the repository of individual lives.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | B&N | Google Books | iBooks 

REVIEW

The Binding by Bridget Collins
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Series: Standalone
Release date: January 7, 2019
Genre: historical fiction, fantasy

I had such high hopes for this book and I'm so disappointed that I didn't love it. When I read the synopsis it sounded like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind which is a favorite film of mine. It's about a couple who have broken up and erase each other from their memories to forget the heartbreak they suffer from. The twist on that concept is that the memories being erased are being bound inside books. Books! I loved the concept and I couldn't wait to explore it more. This was quite a bit darker than I expected. A lot more. In fact there could be triggers for readers in this book, and I don't think the synopsis properly conveys what to expect in this one on several levels.

The Binding is set in a world sometime in the late 1700s, early 1800s, 60 years after "The Crusades." There are a lot of references to it, but obviously not the real life holy/political war that ended in the 1200s. This war which persecuted book binders as witches establishes the society as a puritanical one, painted as intolerant and prejudiced against the unknown. Emmett Farmer has always had a curiosity for books, but his parents were scandalized when they saw him reading one as a child. He was sharply struck and forbidden to ever have one in his possession again. However, one day they receive a summons from a local binder who wants him as her apprentice and they ship him off to her remote home out of fear. Emmett has no wish to leave his family, but his mental "illness" has been a burden on his family and he believes it may be for the best.

    I couldn’t remember getting sick; if I tried, all I saw was a mess of nightmare-scorched fragments. Even my memories of my life before that—last spring, last winter—were tinged with the same gangrenous shadow, as if nothing was healthy anymore.

Once at the Binder's, Emmett soon learns that books are not just simple stories recorded for the reader's enjoyment as he previously believed. He never understood the stigma attached to them, but suddenly it's all becoming more clear. The people who arrive in the middle of the night, wracked with mental anguish leave in a calm stupor. Numb ghosts of themselves, they're ushered out as if starting a new chapter in their lives. The previous pages stricken out of existence, like a big red pen crossing through mistakes better left out of the final version.

The books Seredith creates are secreted away and protected at all costs, but not all Binders have her integrity. The irony here is that she is virtually the only binder who was shown to the reader who wasn't corrupted by greed and malice. Yet she was the one who was scorned the most by everyone for her old-fashioned, so-called useless practices in binding. Those whom the world should fear the most were the devil sitting next to you at a dinner party.

Collins constructed the Binding process that's mired in darkness, so much so that I wasn't able to detect any benefit from it all. Seredith claimed it was serving people, "doctoring their souls" so they could find peace. But I saw no evidence that there was anything good about this magic bestowed on them. You don't doctor a soul by trying to erase pain from existence. Through our worst mistakes and trials in life we are taught vital lessons that help us grow.

As we see in the book, the people who are bound are tormented by nightmares that creep in. Sleep and wake bring them foggy feelings of disquiet that could be triggered at any time. There's no healing in an artificial erasing of pain. It's bottled up inside, silently trapping you in your subconscious. The problem for me was that though the hero struggled with his conscience over being "called" to binding, in the end he would continue to seek out work in the practice. Even after seeing the dark underbelly of the beast and how it wreaked havoc on his own life.

As the storyline wears on, you discover characters who use binders to hide their sins so they may continue to do harm. And the binders who serve them regularly can't be bothered to care about the consequences of their actions on the victims. They weave through the upper class in the finest silks, garments paid for with the suffering of those not worth a second thought. Classism is a strong theme in the book. The poorer "peasants" are forced to sell their memories out of desperation, and their struggles to survive are far removed from the elite whose money buys silence and respect.

One aspect to The Binding I thought was kind of funny was the author's tongue in cheek shot at fiction books. There were "fakes" (otherwise known as novels) that were mocked as useless and silly. Because after all, who would want to read made up stories about heartbreaking things?

    You can copy them, you see. Use the same story over and over, and as long as you’re careful how you sell them, you can get away with it. It makes one wonder who would write them. People who enjoy imagining misery, I suppose. People who have no scruples about dishonesty. People who can spend days writing a long sad lie without going insane.”

I quite enjoyed the fantasy aspects of the book and the exploration of the morality and dynamics of it all. The writing style of Collins was especially flowery and descriptive. I typically enjoy this style, so it didn't slow down my reading pace at all. But I did find that after a few chapters in I saw patterns in the descriptions that because extremely repetitive. For example, until I read this book I had no idea that there were SO MANY ways to describe light. I'm not exaggerating when I say that every time a scene changed, someone looked out a window, woke up, went to sleep, walked into a room...anything. They observed a patch of light and how it appeared. How it illuminated someone, how it moved, faded, sparkled, consumed shadows.

✒︎A wedge of lamplight was shining through a gap in the kitchen curtains...
✒︎Behind her the light from a lamp crossed the upper window as someone went to bed.
✒︎...red gold blaze of the last sunlight was reflected in the windows.
✒︎The light lay on the floorboards in a silvery lattice.
✒︎...there was a hint of light, a crack between the clouds and the horizon

After a while when you read so many repetitious variations, it just makes you want to skim past it.

Sadly, my biggest grievances with the story was the romance and the ending. The romance was love triangle with the hero's sister as the third party. It was a forbidden romance where feelings were kept quiet in the hopes that they would go away. A major problem for me was that his sister was innocent of veiled intentions and misconceptions, and inevitably she was a victim when truths were revealed. The two main characters snuck around in secret and their actions were a major betrayal of trust. In the second half of the book the love interest became a snobby, cowardly, and unlikable person. I understood that circumstances and home life caused this, but their bitterness and anger made them hard to root for. At one point, they knowingly caused a man's murder by his own careless words and couldn't bring themselves to try to help him. The story sank deeper and deeper into desperation and gloom and I sped on waiting for a resolution to it all.

The ending I give one star. It was pitifully abrupt and so unsatisfying. I wanted the villain of the book to get his comeuppance and instead we saw absolutely nothing happen. It was as if the ending was hacked off right in the middle of a scene leaving you with a feeling of deprivation. I found some things about the story to be compelling, but the execution overall wasn't for me. However, I'm sure many will love the intriguing concept, so I urge you to read it and judge for yourself.

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Excerpt Reveal: The Hail Mary by Ginger Scott

Are you ready for a peek inside The Hail Mary by Ginger Scott??? One-Click the first two books in this amazing series today and preorder your copy now! The Hail Mary releases January 18th!

The Hail Mary by Ginger Scott

Adult Contemporary Romance
Release day: January 18, 2019
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2E0rz80
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M6B3TW8
iBooks: https://apple.co/2LHwAnU
Nook: http://bit.ly/2R48cT8
Google: http://bit.ly/2s5Q7Fj
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2s31Vsf

Blurb:

The Hail Mary

Waiting Series Book 3

Adult Contemporary Romance, Coming of Age Trilogy

Sixteen years is a long time. In a marriage, it’s a milestone. On the gridiron, it’s a miracle. Reed Johnson wants more time for everything, but time is funny that way.

It can be cruel.

With a body that can’t quite take the hits it used to and a heart tired of being torn in two different directions, Reed is faced with a reality he’s not quite ready for—life without the game. He became a man under Friday night game lights and in college stadium tunnels, and without the grit and the glory that’s earned ten yards at a time, he’s afraid of what kind of man he’ll be.

But there’s more than a game at stake now.

Reed’s wife, Nolan, is afraid too. She’s seen what can happen when the love of her life pushes himself too hard, and she can’t escape the nightmares she relives after almost losing her entire world to one single play on the field.

There is no compromise when it comes to football. Same goes for the heart. You’re either all in, or you get crushed. For Reed and Nolan, the clock is ticking down. Time…it does that. One way or another, they’re going to have to make a choice.

This is their hail Mary.

This is win or lose.

(The Hail Mary is book 3 in The Waiting Series, which follows high school sweethearts Reed Johnson and Nolan Lennox through football, life, love and everything messy that goes along with it. The series begins with Waiting on the Sidelines and Going Long.)

Excerpt:

Behind us, my brother’s voice bellows over some touchdown I’m sure he’ll tell me about the minute I step inside. For as much as I love this game and it gives me life, I really hate talking about it like a fan. It’s like seeing behind the scenes at Disneyland—magic gets lost. 

I know Nolan won’t want to talk about the Sunday games.

“You wanna go for a walk?” I say without giving my brain a chance to stop my mouth from asking. 

Nolan laughs at first, but when she sees I’m serious, she glances over her shoulder then looks back to me. 

“Alright,” she smirks. 

I nod toward the driveway, and we both step at the same time. As much as the area has grown, our family’s place is still set off from most of the rest of town. That won’t be the case when we sell off the back acreage, but it’s the right developer and the right time. Still—I’m going to miss the lonely feeling of our main road one day. Lonely isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes, it clears your head. 

“Please say this wasn’t the tattoo boy that made her go to the desert party,” I say, feeling my fist tighten in my pocket just at the mention of him. 

Nolan laughs lightly.

“No, Reed. You’ll be glad to know that this boy is a quarterback,” she says.

“Ah hell.” I roll my eyes and look up at karma. 

“Yep. He’s fifteen. Sophomore.”

I want to finish her sentence with “and he’s dead,” but that’s just my daddy blood boiling. 

“She’s a freshman. And she’s not allowed to date,” I say instead, knowing that’s not true and won’t be enforced. Nolan lets my rant go without acknowledgement, so we walk a little longer in silence, our legs turning on instinct to head into town. 

“Is he good at least?” I grumble my question, and when she doesn’t answer me right away, I glance to my right to catch her grin. 

“What?” 

“Nothing,” she says, teasingly. “It’s just…he might have broken your freshman record for passing yards. And he maybe wears your number. And his name might be Ryan.”

I stop walking and she takes a few more steps away from me before turning and walking backward to face me. 

“I’m kidding…” She points at me and laughs. All I can do is shake my head. My relief is short, though, because she’s only kidding about that last part. 

“His name’s Bryce. He’s a nice kid. Just a little…misguided.” Her eyes dance on mine with that word, the same one her mom used to say about me when we were in high school. 

“I’m going to hate him,” I say, catching back up to her stride.

“Nah…” she says. 

“I disagree.” I’m firm about it. I don’t care if the kid ends up winning state. I won’t like him. Wait…

“How’d they do at state last year?” I ask.

She doesn’t say it out loud. It’s in the expression she wears, mouth higher on one side and eyes lifted. My daughter is dating a mini me. Damnit all to hell. 

The sun is getting higher, and I know Nolan’s starting to feel the heat on our walk, so I offer to turn around, but she insists we keep going. I don’t fight her on it because these roads have a healing power to them. It’s why Nolan wouldn’t let my dad sell everything and move into a care place, why she moved in and why her and I both agreed this was where we wanted Peyton to go to high school. We can afford for my dad to be anywhere, which means we can also afford to bring therapists and doctors to us. This little piece of our history is too important. 

The press box comes into view and the scent of barbecue hits my nose at the same time, making me salivate. 

“Fundraiser?” I ask.

“It’s homecoming week.” Noles flits her gaze to me for a few seconds, and a thousand memories flood in. I’d give anything to get a redo on some of our school dances. On homecoming, especially. 

That’s why she was alright with the heat. She knew this destination would scratch at my soul. It does the job. 

“Come here,” I say, slowing down my walk as she gets a few paces ahead. She turns to face me and I reach out my hand. 

Bashful eyes haven’t aged a day, I swear to God. Her mouth curves in suspicion—as it should. I curl my fingers, gesturing for her to take my hand, and my head tilts to the side.

“Come on, I won’t bite,” I say, and her head turns a fraction to the right as her eyes dim. 

We stay in this standoff for a few seconds, eyes locked and every chase in our past flowing through our minds. I don’t mask it well, and when I reach for her she squeals and takes off in a sprint toward the field. 

“You know I’m going to catch you!” I call after her as she rounds the fence and swings the gate closed behind her in an effort to slow me down. 

I grab the top and swing my legs over in a jump, a little impressed with myself when I don’t biff the landing or get hurt. Noles glances over her shoulder, her long hair a twisted mess that covers most of her eyes, but she still sees me. Her laughter gets wild, this giggle that’s so damned reminiscent of the school girl I fell for two decades ago. 

We make it to the track and she slows up, giving in for my arms to lift her up over my shoulder and walk her the rest of the way into the end zone. I spin her a few times until I’m dizzy and then I let her body slide back down to the damp grass, my arms still around her. 

This feels good.

It won’t last. 

Read the first two books in the series today!

 

Start with Waiting on the Sidelines here-https://amzn.to/2pU4JXy
Going Long is book 2, and find it here -https://amzn.to/2yk3lSC

About the Author:

Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling and Goodreads Choice Award-nominated author of several young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, The Girl I Was Before, Wild Reckless, Wicked Restless, In Your Dreams, The Hard Count, Hold My Breath, and A Boy Like You.

A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher, point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.

When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils).

Social Media Links:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GingerScottAuthor
Twitter: @TheGingerScott
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/thegingerscott/
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Google: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GingerScottAuthor/posts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/GingerScott
Website: http://www.littlemisswrite.com

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Review: Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Title: Echo North

Series: Standalone

Author: Joanna Ruth Meyer

Release date: January 15, 2019 

Cliffhanger: No

Rating: 5 stars

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Synopsis:

Echo Alkaev’s safe and carefully structured world falls apart after her father leaves for the city and mysteriously disappears. Believing he is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf—the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an offer: for her to come and live with him for a year. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.

In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, Echo discovers centuries-old secrets, a magical library full of books-turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf’s enchantment before her time is up—otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.

Praise for Echo North:

"Epic and engrossing. Magic pulsates through every page.” —Kirkus, starred review

"...a compelling, satisfying romantic adventure with metafictional undertones.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A marvelous, enchanting tale about the power of love and stories.”
—Rosamund Hodge, New York Times bestselling author of Cruel Beauty

"...beautifully written retelling..." - School Library Journal

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | B&N | Google Books 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanna Ruth Meyer hails from Mesa, Arizona, where she lives with her dear family, a rascally feline, and an enormous grand piano. When she’s not writing, she’s trying to convince her students that Bach is actually awesome, or plotting her escape from the desert. She loves good music, thick books, looseleaf tea, rainstorms, and staring out of windows. One day, she aspires to own an old Victorian house with creaky wooden floors and a tower (for writing in, of course!)

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REVIEW

Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I went into this book thinking it was going to be a simple fairy tale retelling, a fresh spin on something I've heard a million times. Beauty and the Beast is a beloved fairy tale and known to many, but I guarantee nothing about this will feel stale or uninspired. This book is more of a mash up of several fairy tales with the author's imagination stamped in the fine details. Meyer held me spellbound and captive to her words, there's no other way to describe it. One minute you're strolling through her world, naively thinking you'll coast on comfortably 'til the end. The next, the force of the story slaps you in the back with unexpected momentum. And you're careening through its twisted, thorny path so fast you're breathless with wonder.

    They were fairies, I think, or something like fairies: wispy creatures as tall as trees that seemed to be made of rain, or flowers; willowy spiders with laughing hair; bears with long fingers and masques instead of faces; hundreds of others harder to describe. They all danced together in the center of the clearing, a mass of strangeness and swirling color. In their midst sat a woman on a writhing throne, her hair the same shade as the starlight.

I'm sitting here trying to form coherent, linear thoughts to write down. But my mind is still dizzy with the adventure I reluctantly returned from. I'm in the enchanted house under the mountain where nothing is as it seems. Your smallest wish is granted, and the nightmare you never knew existed waits for time to slip through your fingers. The answers to this enigmatic puzzle are as ephemeral as a dream you can't quite remember when you wake. Teasing the edge of your consciousness. Echo must have the cunning to solve the mystery, and the courage fight an ancient adversary with immeasurable power. You will agonize every step of the way with her. One wrong move will have all hope for the future folding in on itself like a house of cards.

Echo Alkaev was disfigured by a mysterious white wolf in the woods as a child. Once she led a normal life, now she's reviled and feared because of the scars mapping one side of her face. Her father and brother have always given her unconditional love, but her confidence has been shattered by small minded people who cannot see past her surface imperfections.

    I learned very early that in the old tales of magic the wicked were always ugly and scarred, the good beautiful; I was not beautiful, but I wanted to be good, and after a while I couldn’t bear to read those stories anymore.

Growing up in her father's book shop has garnered a passion for reading, and a thirst for knowledge. Yet nothing outweighs the loyalty and love she has for her family. So when her father disappears one winter after a journey into the woods, she sets off alone. Desperate to find him. Stumbling upon his half frozen and unconscious body, she's frantic to get him home. The white wolf from her past appears, and offers a bargain. One year of her life in exchange for her father's safe return.

That year is a two-sided paradox of euphoria and despair, like a coin flipped and suspended in the air holding her fate in the balance. Even as she swears to uncover the wolf's past and set him free, the house's magic dazzles her with distractions. It's a visceral feast on your senses. Who wouldn't be enthralled with a library that allows you to enter its mirror-books, silver spiders spinning webs that can bind collapsing rooms, and a venomous garden with poison roses and vines? At night the house cracks and moans, cackling in evil delight. Echo doesn't know what forces threaten outside her locked bedroom door, but she doesn't truly know who's locked inside with her either.

    "What happens at midnight?""The magic ceases to function, and the house is unbound."Did that mean he would become unbound too?

This book had so many dualities to explore. Layered characters with secrets and muddled intentions. Jaw clenching, white knuckled suspense where time ceases to exist. Just when you think you've reached the pinnacle of the adventure, you're steered on a harrowing voyage that seems doomed to end in failure. But this is where Echo's heart is exposed the most. She's a true heroine that may get knocked down, but she dusts herself off and runs fiercely towards the challenge again. Her courage never fails her, even on her darkest days.

I was nothing short of frenzied this morning when I woke up and immediately dove right back into the book. I blew through 300 pages without pause, refusing to put it down until the conclusion. That's how good it was, I didn't have any choice in the matter. The lush, dark landscape was constantly shifting, the characters along with it. I loved not only this author's writing, but her finesse in storytelling. I'm an instant fan and cannot wait to read more from her in the future. I'm not sure why this book hasn't gotten more notice, but boy am I glad I found it. Do not hesitate!! If I could heft a huge a neon sign up that blinks, "READ ECHO NORTH" I would. I want everyone to experience this exhilarating, fantastical tale.

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Review: Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet

A delicious new heart-pounding romantic adventure from USA Today bestseller Amanda Bouchet!

Title: Nightchaser

Series: Endeavor #1

Author: Amanda Bouchet

Release date: January 1, 2019 

Cliffhanger: Yes

Rating: 3.5 stars

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Synopsis:

Captain Tess Bailey and her crew of Robin Hood-like thieves are desperate and on the run. Pursued by a vicious military general who wants them dead or alive, Tess has to decide if she can trust Shade Ganavan, a tall, dark and arrogant stranger with ambiguous motivations.

Shade Ganavan had oodles of arrogance, oodles of charm, and oodles of something that made me want to kick him in the nuts.

What Tess and Shade don’t know about each other might get them killed…unless they can set aside their differences and learn to trust each other—while ignoring their off-the-charts chemistry.


Praise for Nightchaser:

"Amanda Bouchet blasts off with a series that's full of heart, humor, romance, and action." - JENNIFER ESTEP, New York Times bestseller

"Rogue hero, rebel heroine, and a solid sci-fi backbone to make this Battlestar Galactica and Dark Matter fan grin. Amanda Bouchet has nailed it. Sexy sci-fi perfection!" - Chelsea Mueller, acclaimed author of Borrowed Souls

"Bouchet (the Kingmaker Chronicles series) artfully weaves romance through this delightful space opera comedy-drama." - Publishers Weekly
"Breathtakingly hot. What Bouchet did for fantasy romance with the Kingmaker Chronicles, she does here for space romance." - Booklist STARRED Review

"Bouchet, who took the romance world by storm with The Kingmaker Chronicles, launches a sci-fi series that is chock full of intrigue, heroism, conflict, and sexual tension, with hints of spiritualism and magic. Bouchet's masterful writing and storytelling meet science-fiction romance, in hyperdrive." - Kirkus STARRED Review

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Indigo | Apple

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amanda Bouchet grew up in New England where she spent much of her time tromping around in the woods and making up grand adventures in her head. It was inevitable that one day she would start writing them down. Drawing on her Greek heritage for the setting and on her love of all things daring and romantic for the rest, her debut trilogy, The Kingmaker Chronicles, took form. She writes what she loves to read: epic exploits, steamy romance, and characters that make you laugh and cry.

A French master’s graduate and former English teacher, Amanda lives in Paris, France. She met her husband while studying abroad, and the family now includes two bilingual children who will soon be correcting her French.

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REVIEW

Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is the first installment in the Endeavor series and a little bit of a departure from what I typically read. I enjoyed the first in the Kingmaker Chronicles a lot, so I was curious what Bouchet would have to offer in the sci-fi genre. I figured if things went well, reading a wider variety under the speculative fiction umbrella could be in my future.

One of the things I remembered about this author's writing is that she excels in creating secondary characters with real depth and emotion. Her Beta Team were standouts in their own rights that are bursting with potential to be fully fleshed out in their own stories. Once again, we see a fascinating interplay of friendships that tug on your heartstrings in Tess's ragtag rebel crew.

Jax and Fiona in particular had some really emotionally charged scenes with Tess that were brilliantly done. Jax had a heartbreaking history that he still battled to recover from. He held his new family close to his chest with a fierce protectiveness towards the group. Particularly Tess, whom he'd been partnered with in prison on Hourglass Mile. The relationship of the entire crew was a bond closer to family, strengthened by mutual respect and trust.

    When I gave an order, they obeyed, but that was because loyalty and trust had been earned, not imposed in any way. If one day I asked them to do something they didn’t want to do, they wouldn’t. And I would respect that choice.

Nightchaser begins in a high-octane moment that effortlessly slipped me into the futuristic world. As the captain of the ship, Tess is faced with either surrendering to the galactic military who are demanding to board, or a suicide flight into a black hole. My first impression of the book was a very Star Wars-esque feel which couldn't have made me happier. Tess is like a mash up of Han Solo and Robin Hood, both rebel smuggler and thief who steals for the poor and downtrodden. Who wouldn't love that?

Besides the obvious heroic attributes, I liked Tess for her love of books and reading. She doesn't put value on monetary wealth, instead giving what she steals to the kids in the orphanage where she grew up. The things that are important to her are freedom. Creativity. Imagination. All of the things that had been stripped away from humanity through Galactic Overseer Novalight’s reign. She shares opinions freely that many are scared to voice.

The dictatorship government was an interesting theme. You step inside what it would be like to be ruled by a regime that runs on fear and total oppression. To always be at risk of going to jail or being killed for simple things like owning a "contraband" book or speaking out against inhumane treatment. Tess uses her time while grounded to repair their ship and savor her feet being on solid ground for a short while. She's so used to floating out in the deep darkness of space that she's missed many simple joys in life. Ocean waves crashing over her bare feet on the beach, sunlight on her skin, and just...breathing.

My excitement started to wane in the middle of the book because the lagging time they spent on Albion 5 was just too long. I'm always up for romance in my books, no matter what sub-genre. But in this case, unfortunately the romance portion was underwhelming. Both Tess and Shade are hiding a lot from each other, things that are vital to understanding who they are as a person. I couldn't really connect much to them as a couple. Shade is downright deceptive the entire time, though he is at war with his conscience about it. Which to be honest became a little repetitive for me. He yo-yo'd back and forth with determination to betray her and his unrest because of his growing admiration. Which of course would send mixed signals when he'd retreat, giving her a sudden cold shoulder in an attempt to keep his distance emotionally.

I didn't really understand why Tess would ignore his standoffish attitude that flicked on and off. It was like a school girl crush controlled her, and she was always pursuing him and giving him trust when he hadn't earned it. I think knowing the entire time that their relationship was based on lies and deception had me just waiting for the fall out. The movement of their feelings towards love was too rushed, especially when the narrator kept repeating that Tess was slow to trust because of her past. That certainly wasn't the case here, and he didn't go out of his way to prove she could. His charisma and charm were enough to disperse her aversion to romantic entanglements. She wasn't a consistent character that was tough, guarded, and exuded leadership traits. At times she was anxious and unsure, reckless rather than brave.

Her one past relationship with Gabe kept being mentioned and pondered but with no real purpose. It had been seven years since she'd seen him, I didn't see the point in his insertion in the story.

    We'd been in love. There was no doubt. My heart still sometimes gave a hard thump when I thought about him. Every now and then, I felt a phantom touch, and my belly clenched.

Issues aside with the pace and the romance, the last 30-35% or so really picked up and delivered on the suspense. Overall, it wasn't too bad of a read, and I am curious what she will uncover about the anomaly in her blood. Will the effect of the serum be catastrophic in the long run? Maybe I expected too much action upfront because that was such a strong element in the Kingmaker Chronicles. Bouchet's skill in creating and expressing those scenes are flawless and I wanted to see it shine at the front of the story more. This first installment could be a stepping stone into a higher density of space battles. But more importantly, clashes with the evil Overlord are guaranteed after the continuation.

Book two in the Endeavor series is titled Starbreaker, and is scheduled for publication April 28, 2020.

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