Injustice For All by Robin Caroll

Summary: 
(taken from goodreads)
A federal judge lies bleeding on his office floor, betrayed by a most unlikely source- people who helped him bring criminals to justice. Now, why would someone working for the FBI need to disappear after witnessing this crime? 
When Remington Wyatt sees her godfather's murder, she recognizes the killers and knows it's only a matter of time before they come to silence her. She must do the only thing possible to stay alive...run. 
FBI agent Rafe Baxter is serious about his career, and solving a cold case involving a federal judge's death puts him in line for a promotion he so desires. But the case leads him to the small town of Hopewell, Louisiana, where some secrets seem inextricably hidden deep within the bayou. 

PLOT: 

It kept along at a pretty steady pace. It was fresh, intriguing. It didn't blow me away with it's "wow" factor, but I genuinely enjoyed it. 

VIOLENCE: 

Suspense fiction whatnot. Hand to hand combat, gunshot wounds, the judge is murdered at the beginning. Just expect the usual action/suspense/murder mystery type violence. 

SEXUAL CONTENT: 

There's mention of a few affairs, nothing explicit. Characters falling in love, that kind of thing. 

CONS: (what I didn't like) 

1) The religious content felt kinda stiff, uptight and scripted.

2) The phrase 'oh-my-stars' was overused to the extreme. I don't who'd say 'oh-my-stars' in their head if they found someone murdered in their house. And using it upwards of 20-30 times throughout the book, is annoying. But...perhaps things in the deep south are...different? 

3) I didn't understand why the MC puts a rather large emphasis on how much she enjoyed the feeling of being doped up after she's injured and in the hospital. It just didn't make sense, when the book has nothing to do with drugs or drug users, and the character thinks to herself that she would basically do anything to stay feeling 'high'. It seemed an unnecessary addition to the book, especially given the very conservative nature of the characters & author. 

4) Speaking of which, there were a few plot strains that were added to the book, that never got resolved or finished. Thus, that leaves me, as a reader, thinking all they were, were plot "fillers" and not actually needed. 

5) I found it a tad bit confusing, the "Day 1" or "Day 27" sections where the MC is telling the story in the first person. Especially because the timing is jumping back and forth (to all the other parts that are either in the future or the past, comparatively speaking, and are described in the third person), and then they don't even continue throughout the rest of the book. There's three or four or so, and then they just up and go poof. That was just plain tacky, in my opinion. 

CONCLUSION: 

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the characters, especially Hayden. Remington I found a little hard to connect with, and I really was hoping for a little more connecting (getting to know you) time with Rafe, but- I enjoyed this read, even with the above mentioned 'Cons' section. Of course, I would've enjoyed the book more if the mentioned cons weren't in the book, but...it is what it is. 

So I'll give it 3 Stars & I'd recommend this book for readers aged 16+ (it is adult fiction, but some teens may enjoy this read) 

Firewall by DiAnn Mills

The synopsis intrigued me immediately with this book...when catastrophe strikes a newlywed (mainly, an airport terminal blowing up enroute to their honeymoon) woman, and her husband may not be who is claimed to be...honestly- this it brought me in immediately. Right from the first chapter- action, intrigue- questions!!! So awesome. 

Forgive the fact that I don't have a nice photo of this book- I read it on my phone, so I grabbed an image off of google! 

PLOT:

Started intense straight from chapter 1, and always kept a good pace and flow throughout the book. This plot was multilayered and COMPLEX, people. There were so many plot strains and levels going on...as each one was presented and uncovered, I was like, whet?!! So impressed. People. This plot was GOLDEN. 

SEXUAL CONTENT: 

Some kissing, attraction, falling in love- that kinda stuff. This book is a romance! As our MC is a newlywed, the first chapter beginning the morning after Taryn and Shep are married, she remembers how passionate their wedding night was, etc etc. but nothing is explained or expanded on. Mentions made to Shep always wondering why she waited for marriage...that kinda thing. 

VIOLENCE: 

There's an explosion in an airport terminal. Lot's of people end up dead, or injured. Hand to hand combat. Someone is taken out via a long distance sniper shot, shot at close range, drugged, etc. A character finds someone murdered in their house, their throat having been slashed and a pool of blood surrounding them. 

CONCLUSION: 

I loved this book. The suspense kept me turning the pages in rapid fire, waiting to see what would happen next, how everything would work itself out- it was marvellous. So many plot twists. So many turns and unexpected events. I enjoyed the characters, the slight romance, the plot, everything. I loved this book, and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the suspense genre. 

5 Stars & recommend this book for ages 17+. Again, some 16 year olds would dig this one, but for some, 18 would be better. It's different for every reader. 

Talon by Ronie Kendig

Book 2 in the Breed Apart series (read review for book one- Trinity, here) follows Aspen Courtland, reeling from the loss of her twin brother, who went MIA overseas. The Marine Corps says he's dead, but Aspen can't accept it as fact. With her brother's traumatized war dog, and a more than mysterious soldier who says he was with her brother the day he 'died', they set out for answers....answers people will kill for. 

PLOT:

Brilliant. Fresh. Action packed. Complex. Everything that should be in an action, suspense, romance book. 

SEXUAL CONTENT: 

Characters fall in love. There's more of an underlying sensual pull between Dane & Aspen, moreso than with most of Ronie's other books, but that suited me fine. Their romance was tastefully written, sweet, kinda tragic and passionate. They kiss a few times. For a cover during an opp, they are married in name only, but nothing happens in regards to bedroom scenes or anything of that nature. A few soldiers make reference to their having made the marriage legitimate, but it's a case of hearsay. 

A soldier's gaze rakes over Aspen, and the context says that he "raped her with his gaze" or something like that. 

Mention is made to someone's father having a mistress (said character is a result of their father having the mistress), and him calling her a whore. 

There may be more references, but as I always say- my point isn't to catch every single one and list it here, it's just to give you a feel as to how each type of content is in the book- and if that is or isn't your jam. 

VIOLENCE:

Typical military/spy/suspense book type stuff. Hand to hand combat, blood, people getting shot- some at close range- people dying etc. There's mention to a character getting beaten as a child, being starved, having no heat or blankets in their room to serve as punishment. Another sub-character is pushed out of a window and falls to their death. 

CONCLUSION:

This book has everything that makes a book a goodie, in my mind. Action, emotion, romance, mystery, emotionally deep characters, a gripping plot- gah! It has it all, people. 

This book would give the Bourne movies a run for their money- but seriously, it would make a fantastic film. 

If you like suspense fiction, or spy type stories...pick this book up and READ IT. NOW. Today! 

5 Stars & I'd recommend it for ages 18+ 

Like watching reviews in video format? You're in luck, I filmed a video review of Talon!

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Lifestyle & Writing: @ToAshleyNikole

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Trinity by Ronie Kendig

Book 1 in the A Breed Apart series (read review for book 2 - Talon, here), Trinity follows the story of Heath Daniels, a once Green Beret, and Darci Kintz, a Military Intelligence Officer. Taking place mostly in Afghanistan- things get  all kinds of crazy when Darci is abducted by some super baddies in the Chinese Military, while Heath and his war dog are sent to find Darci and bring her home alive.

PLOT:

Fast paced. Complex. Just when you think you know what is going on- boom! Plot twist. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, even reading it through a second time.

SEXUAL CONTENT:

Falling in love- attraction type whatnot. While trying to escape a rogue Chinese Military camp, Darci knows if she doesn't escape, they'd kill her, after a brutal gang rape. Thankfully, that doesn't take place, but it's a reality present. It's implied that on a mission, Darci slept with the enemy- both literally and figuratively, to gain information. 

VIOLENCE:

Military combat stuff. People get beaten, shot- some at close range- their guts, brains or blood splattering the people around them, killed, tortured. With the torture, it's mostly electroshock, some roughhousing, nail removal (although the character only finds their nails are gone when they come to, they don't remember it happening). Not low on the violence content. It's a military book. But it's not over the top, make your stomach revolt on you type of explicit grossness. 

CONCLUSION:

Plot, romance, danger, characters, suspense, ON FLEEK! All of it. I loved this book, even reading it the second time through, I was glued to the pages. It has all the needed elements to be fabulous, high gear, intense military suspense read. 

5 Stars

Age Recommendation: 18-19+
If you're looking for the video review, here it is. 

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Lifestyle: @ToAshleyNikole

Book Reviews & Inspo: @BooksSheLoves

Season Of Glory by Lisa T. Bergren (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Book 3 in 'The Remnants' (not to be confused with The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson) comes out March 8th! 

PLOT:

I finished reading book 2 - Season Of Fire, last Summer, and have been eagerly awaiting the series' conclusion until now! I devoured this book in a day- cause the suspense of wanting to know what happens to everything, was just eating me. So...in I went! 

The plot was slower than the first two books I'd say. It built steadily, with little mini-attacks and battles here and there, picking up speed around chapter 24. 

It didn't feel as grounded as I think I would have liked- but to each his own! 

SEXUAL CONTENT:

There are references to consummating a marriage- bedding one's wife or husband, etc, etc. Brief kisses between Dri & Ronan, one or two more passionate ones. There's a fairly passionate kissing scene with Dri & Keallach, where they end up laying on top of each other in the street, kissing in the rain- Keallach compelled Dri's body in cooperating. Yes, she cooperated a smidge- but most of it was his controlling her into it. They get interrupted before anything else happens. 

As in book 2, there's an underlying sensual pull between Dri & Keallach, even though they don't spend very much time together alone in this book. 

VIOLENCE:

War type gore. Decapitations. Hand-to-hand combat. People get stabbed, shot, sliced, blown up, cut down. Someone cauterizes a wound with a sword, searing the flesh together to keep the person from bleeding out. A character is beheaded with a sword during battle, in front of Dri. There's the sound of bones breaking, possibly the head hitting the floor and spraying her with blood. 

CONCLUSION:

I had pretty high hopes for this book. Unfortunately most of them weren't met with trumpet's blaring or glory music playing.
It won't be like that for every reader- a lot of it is due to my own personal taste in how plot's flow, and how character's are made and played out.
The plot- to me- felt like it stalled a fair bit, subsequently accomplished too much (but at the same time, not enough) in the last ten pages of the book. I think I was just hoping for a different sort of climax to occur at the 3/4 mark. Oh well. My heart will go on.
I did, however, enjoy the supernatural component to the story...how Dri as an empath worked, how the healer did, how the Remnants prayed over the sick and injured, etc. That was pretty neat. Besides several ideology moments that turned my crank the wrong way, I enjoyed most of the discerning, prayer, healing type content.
There were certain moments in the plot where I had some pretty good 'aha!' moments and I liked where it was going. There were a few scenes where the interactions between characters were touching...but honestly, if I'm going to fully enjoy a book, there have to be more than a few parts here and there that I enjoyed. I need more emotional & romantic connection between the two characters that are in love (Ronan & Dri), not just between characters that are totally forbidden to be together (Keallach & Dri)- and have the most romantic- er- sexual scene nearly being a rape...without any positive romantic/sexual content. That felt a little odd to me.

As I mentioned, there were several elements that did not make this series my favourite. Which is strange- because I really have enjoyed most of Bergen's work...as you know, the River Of Time series is my favourite series to date.
This particular series however, was not my jam. And that's okay. That doesn't mean her writing is bad or anything like that- it's just that this series was not written for me to enjoy. It was written for another person, who will be absolutely crazy about it. And that is awesome!
Bergren writes like a boss, is an incredibly gifted author- but that doesn't mean that every single book she writes, will make me go dancing down the road doing a jig. And that's perfectly normal. I'm still a die-hard Lisa Bergren fan, and I will continue to buy, read and support her career as as author- because I have faith in her and LOVE her reading, even if a book here or there is just not my jam. Ya know?

This time through, I'll give Season Of Glory 3 stars and recommend it for ages 16+ (except maybe that scene with Keallach and Dri- it depends on the reader. If parents are looking for the exact page number- at least in my ARC, it was page 304-307)

If you've been a big fan of the first two books, Season Of Glory hits stores March 8th! Yeehaw! Lemme know how you like it when you get your hands on the conclusion to this series!

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Post Script...

Character Chit-Chat & Confusion:

This book didn't float my boat- for a few reasons. 

#1- I'm not a huge fan of dystopian fiction

#2 - This didn't feel like it was dystopian even...it more felt like it was fantasy, or just slightly askance historical fiction with some elements of fantasy

#3- The relationship between Ronan and Dri was not compelling to me. There was one scene in book 1 that alerted me to their attraction to each other, but if I didn't know better, I would definitely have thought their relationship was strictly brother/sister style. I mean, I would've been okay if it had, but if they're going to be a romantic couple- even a forbidden romantic couple, I just wanted a bit more...substance to their relationship. 

#4- The plot didn't feel overly grounded, to me, personally. To another reader, it could be totally different. It seemed rather...compartmentalized, not like each event flowed well and built into the next. 

#5- There were many elements in this series that just felt...off to me. I don't know why. Not to say that is how it will be for everyone, but to me, if there's this underlying weirdness that I can't quite put my finger on...I don't enjoy the experience as fully as I might. 

Also, I feel like as a reader, I wanted to see more complex characters. Keallach was a fairly in-depth character, as was Niero & most of Keallach's counsel. But honestly, I was wanting to root for Ronan, for more reasons than that he was Dri's sworn protector. Ya know?
And honestly, I couldn't tell whether Keallach was coming or going. It was just plain weird- probably contributing to that weirdness I couldn't quite put my finger on? Yeah, it's probably all Keallach's doing. I mean, I knew there was going to be a certain amount of waffling, but in the end, I didn't even end up liking him- and I thought, at the beginning of the series that Kapriel was going to be focused on more heavily. Even though he's the older twin, he was more of a sub-character.

Bourne & Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Slowly but surely, moving towards having the entire River Of Time series reviewed. You can find the review's for...

Book 1 - Waterfall

Book 2 - Cascade

Book 3 - Torrent 
Book 5 - Deluge
River Of Time series Book Banter video

But today, we are going over the two novella's, Bourne & Tributary. These books pick up where Torrent left off, where the ladies are waiting for Luca, Marcello & Rodolfo to come back from the battle we saw begin at the end of Torrent. 

Today I'll be doing the breakdown separately (First Bourne, then following with Tributary), but in the same blog post, since I got the two novella's combined in one book. I'm not certain if you can get them bound separately as novella's instead of combined...but anywho, let's get started, shall we? 

|| BOURNE ||

PLOT: 

Steady & fast paced throughout. As this is a novella (135 pages), it's shorter and the plot a bit more mini in scale, but no less riveting. It follows our band of Forelli/Greco/Betarrini peeps as the Fiorentini launch an attack against the secret brotherhood with the triangle tattoos. Essentially, they're trying to discover who they are, so they can decimate them, their land, and their families. 

VIOLENCE: 

Battle type stuff. People getting stabbed, pierced with arrows. At one point we come across a Forelli knight who was strung up in a tree, eyes bulging, his tongue sticking out *cue the ew* 

While the assassins go about trying to discover the brotherhood and murder them all, a castello is burned, some of its occupants inside. The rest of the castello (women, children and soldiers) were cut down in the courtyard. The assassins left triangular cuts on their ankles, and for some of their victims, possibly on their necks? I'm not entirely certain. 

People are beaten in combat and in attempting to extract information, but nothing floats toward torture-land. 

SEXUAL CONTENT: 

Soldiers capture Lia and threaten to do some nasty business if she doesn't give them the information they want. One soldier begins moving his hands up her leg, but that's as far as he goes. 

Between characters there are kisses- some short, some longer, more passionate. 

When Marcello is ill with a fever, Gabi (they are married) climbs into bed with him with little on (a shift or thin nightgown or something like that), pressing her thigh against his and wrapping her arms around his chest- or just on top of. When he wakes, he says, "Wait until I tell the men how you healed me...climbing into bed with none but that on..." 

Later on, Marcello pulls Gabi into their room and they share a passionate kiss. 

"'Shouldn't you return to bed, m'lord?' 

'Undoubtedly,' he said, moving to kiss my lips, parting them with his own. He wrapped his arm around my back and puled me close, grunting in pain but refusing to release me. I settled in, kissing him back with equal passion." 

Later on... "But my husband decided my course of action for me. He opened the door a crack. Finding me alone, he took my hand and pulled me through, back inside. Then he latched and locked the door, lifted my hands to the wall above me, and began to kiss me like he never, ever intended to let me go again." pp. 60-61 

Again, I've not covered ALL the sexual content in this book- there is bound to be stuff I haven't caught in this review- but that wasn't really my intention in the first place. I just include the bulk of the information, to give you a feel of what is present. Cool peas :-P

CONCLUSION:

The only sad thing about this book is that it was so dang short! I was ramping up for the crazy stuff, really enjoying it, and then- boom! It was finished and I was into Tributary. But even in its short form it was delightful. Fast paced. 

These two books shift their focus more to Lia & Luca, and Rodolfo. Except for a few romantic scenes between Marcello and Gabi, it doesn't focus on them as much. Which was okay. They weren't omitted from the books, but the focus shifted a lot to Lia & Luca's romance, and I really enjoyed their relationship and the new-ness of being able to get to know them as an almost couple. 

|| TRIBUTARY ||

PLOT: 

Tributary takes off, I think it's a year after Bourne ends. This one focuses again, on Lia & Luca's budding romance, and also heavily focuses on Rodolfo and a young woman named Alessandra. It was faced paced and I enjoyed reading it- I wish there was a whole book dedicated to Rodolfo Greco and his story. But alas...

VIOLENCE:

Battle type stuff. Arrows shot into people, taking people out with swords. That kinda stuff. Alessandra gets beaten up by a Fiorentini Lord, kicked, slapped and punched. 

SEXUAL CONTENT: 

While in captivity, Alessandra is nearly raped. The head dude leaves her with one of his knights, instructing him to rape her. The knight grabs her, she starts screaming and crying, but he tells her he is her friend and he intends to help her escape. He plays up the facade, yelling for her to come to him, to give in and to stop complaining, then instructs her to scream and shakes her. She does, making it sound as though he's raped her, to anyone listening. He then killed the knight on watch and stripped him of his clothes. When he told her to take off her dress, she thought he was going to take advantage of her, but he turned his back and tossed her the guard's clothes to change into.  

Rodolfo and Alessandra share a kiss at the end of the book. Nothing really steamy, but it wasn't a quick peck on the cheek either. 

CONCLUSION:

Finishing Tributary left me feeling like I'd just finished an appetizer, and was ready for the main course. Unfortunately, the book had finished, and I was like...dude, now I need to read Deluge- which I told myself I'd never do again. But alas...I'm gonna go and do it again. Whoops. #cantstopwontstop 

Anywho, I really enjoyed these books. They were shorter and didn't take as long to work out or resolve, but I enjoyed them just as much. 

As I said in the conclusion above, I really enjoyed getting to watch Lia & Luca fall in love, and also follow Rodolfo's story a bit closer. That was pretty much awesome. 

5 stars and I'd recommend these two books for 16+...just depending on how each person can handle the gory, massacre-type violence and the lightly steamy kissing scene with Marcello & Gabi. 

Have you read Bourne & Tribuary? What were your thoughts? 

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Hands down, I LOVED this book. I read it for the first time, early 2015, and the time came for me to read the glory again. Now that I've finished reading it the second, or maybe third time, I thought I'd add a bit more to this review & make it a tad more in depth.

PLOT: 

It drew me in immediately after the time travel took place, which is about halfway through the first chapter. I found it hard to get through the prologue and first half of the chapter, quite honestly- but I stuck to it, knowing the time travel had to happen SOME time...well it did & pretty much the story got its groove on and nothing lagged after that point. It took a chapter & a bit of initial dedication to some backstory. After the beginning, there was one thing or another that always kept the plot in motion. Suspense, danger, intrigue or romance were tastefully woven throughout the plot, making it a keeper in my books. Also, the men were emotionally present (props L. Bergren) & proved to be everything a knight 'in shining armour' is supposed to be. 
Some would call a lot of stuff in this book idealistic, but then again, people like that should not be reading fiction in general :S

SEXUAL CONTENT:

The romance was sweet & passionate without really going overboard. There are several kissing scenes, none very long. Gabi is, as a 17 year-old from the 21st century, a little boy crazy- especially given the fact that boys don't pay her any attention the 2000's. In Medieval Italy, that's another story entirely. So, with that being said, there is plenty of falling in love type content. This is a Young Adult, Medieval Romance- not just Young Adult, Medieval. 

A near rape occurs...after fighting & losing against a group of soldiers, the girl's dress is pinned to the ground, her bound hands pinned above her head and her captor begins untying his trousers, but they get interrupted. 

VIOLENCE: 

A medieval book, with knights, in a country that is semi-at-war, is full of fighting & people getting hurt as a result. Someone is slashed with a sword, they almost bleed out and die, but another character sews them up- we don't see that part firsthand, however. 

Soldiers are stabbed, (blood gushes as a result sometimes) sliced, shot with arrows- some soldiers from the opposite side are caught (after burning a man's house to the ground with his wife and child inside, then killing the man) spreadeagled on the ground, and their information extractor shoots one or both men, in the leg with multiple arrows. They scream. 

A woman is trapped in a dungeon, with threats- explained threats of how her captors plan on torturing her. Someone is poisoned. 

CONCLUSION:

The emotional connections between characters really brought them to life & off the page, and had me finishing this book in a day. 

I would recommend this book to teens 15-16+.

5 Stars
Read Waterfall? Share your thoughts below! 

Read the full review's for...

Book 2- Cascade

Book 3- Torrent

Book 4- Bourne & Tributary 

Book 5- Deluge 

The Heart Of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Book 2 in 'The Remnant Chronicles', The Heart Of Betrayal, picks up right where Kiss Of Deception left off. The intricately woven suspense, ample danger and sparks of romance, had me devouring this book in no time flat. 

PLOT: 

As I mentioned above, it began where book 1 left off, and it never lagged for a moment. There were always nuggets of information being shared, little by little, or dangerous suspenseful moments where it was near impossible to put this one down once I began. The plot was masterminded, and while I knew it was complex in book 1, I was able to more fully comprehend and appreciate how intricate it really was. As the dots were connecting, there were so many "aha!" lightbulb moments. I personally love those. 

CHARACTERS: 

In book 2, they become more vibrant and complex than in book 1. These characters really did jump off the page, and didn't feel even for a moment like they were any less real than if they were standing in the room with me. 

I have come by few authors who create such lifelike paper people, and Pearson did so, quite superbly in this series. 

SEXUAL CONTENT:

Plenty of kisses, all fairly descriptive. Rafe & Lia kiss, hold each other, etc. Lia shoves her hands up Rafe's shirt, feeling & caressing his back. Nothing becomes overly steamy, but it is clear their relationship is physical & passionate, even fuelled by the desperation of their situation. 

Lia & Kaden kiss a few times. 

Lia & the Komizar kiss several times. 

There is mentions made to Lia sleeping with Kaden, and the Komizar, but nothing happens in that department. 

LANGUAGE: 

Several uses of da**it, as*, bi**, bast***. If there are more, they've slipped my memory. 

VIOLENCE: 

Definitely more graphic than book 1. 

There are beheadings- more than one. The Komizar beheads a man after becoming enraged he didn't follow his orders expressly, spraying Lia's horse with the blood. Later, the Komizar stabs a child in the chest, killing her, for Lia's disobedience to him. 

We read of plenty of heads impaled on spikes for example of punishment in Venda, rotting and vultures eating at them. 

We happen upon some children with stubbed fingers (the end of a finger is taken as punishment for stealing food). 

Lia stabs a man and kills him. Several people receive sword, arrow & knife wounds. 

Blood & death are fairly common topics within the pages of this book. 

Before every meal, a tray of dried bones is passed around (each person takes one & attaches it to their belt) and a prayer like verse is said, acknowledging the sacrifice others give, to allow those present to eat. 

Regiments of other kingdoms are slaughtered while out on patrol, and the booty is brought back to Vendan's, to take part in as the spoils of war. 

I know I haven't remembered everything that took place in this book that was violent, so please forgive if I cannot give entirely full disclosure- I'm sure you've gotten an idea of the type of violence present. 

SPIRITUALITY: 

Most of the spirituality just did not float my boat, but that aside- most of the spiritual content in this book, apart from mentioning their gods a fair bit, was surrounding the gift Lia possessed and was trying to grow. The gift was of foresight, having glimpses into the future, and also of what was taking place in other kingdoms. Venda (the woman from long ago- dead- that the city was named after) appeared to Lia several times & spoke to her. 

CONCLUSION:

Guys, this book got me good. I was hooked, lost in the world of Venda & Lia's plight in attempting escape. While some of the spirituality didn't float my boat, and some of the violence was a tad gory (I just cringe at medieval type violence & punishment systems, they are barbaric and so gross my skin crawls just reading about them), this book was a total masterpiece. It had everything that makes a book come alive to me- multilayered plot, danger, passionate romance, emotionally intact characters (including the dudes), and a glorious quest to fulfill against all odds. I don't know what I'm gonna do with myself until July, when book 3, 'The Beauty Of Darkness' comes out. Arg! 

Rating: 5 Stars

Age: 17+ (again, this is roughly based- it might be too intense for certain 17 yr-olds, but certain 16 yr-olds might be ready for it. It's different for each person) 

Also, if you read this book and happen to be a big fan of Lisa T. Bergen's work, did this book feel like the River Of Time series, mixed with the her YA Dystopian series, 'Remants'? 

Read the full review for...

Book 1- The Kiss Of Deception
Book 3- The Beauty Of Darkness (Coming Summer 2016!)

2015 - Flops & Faves

Thanks to Goodreads, I discovered how many books I'd read in 2015. 
Guess how many...*drumroll*...
70. 
BOOM! 
If you want a full list of all the books I read, you can check this link out for the deets :)
 2015 | Books | Year In Review

I'd toyed with the idea of creating a book reviewing blog for...quite some time, but this Summer I finally made the decision to do it, and in the Fall- Books She Loves was born!

With reading 70 books, I've read nearly every fiction genre I can imagine (except horror or vampires- not my jam), a good dose of YA Fiction, some Dystopian, several Historical Fiction (my first- and forever love), Fantasy, Contemporary Thrillers, & Military Suspense.
I re-read some of my favourite authors, and also discovered some rad new ones. (Um...hello Ronie Kendig & Lisa T. Bergren) I read some gems, and some...not so fabulous ones. In honour of the closing of 2015, I'll share some of the highlights from each star category.

// 5 Stars \\                            // 4 Stars \\

Waterfall                                             Fatal Exchange

by Lisa T. Bergren                                                                  by Lisa Harris 

Torrent                                                Lethal Legacy 

by Lisa T. Bergren                                                                  by Irene Hannon

Talon                                                   The Messenger 

by Ronie Kendig                                                                     by Siri Mitchell 

Maire

by Linda Windsor

// 3 Stars \\                           // 2 Stars \\

Shattered                                               Dauntless 

by Dani Pettrey                                                                  by Dina L. Sleiman

Dangerous Passage                 The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest 

by Lisa Harris                                                            by Melanie Dickerson 

The Captain's Bride                              Taken

by Lisa T. Bergren                                                        by Dee Henderson

Beyond All Dreams                              Emissary 

by Elizabeth Camden                                                   by Thomas Locke

                                                     Along Came Jones 
                                                         by Linda Windsor 

// 1 Star \\

Esther: Royal Beauty

by Angela Hunt

Petticoat Detective 

by Margaret Brownley 

Pompeii: City On Fire

by T.L. Higley 

An Uncertain Choice 

by Jody Hedlund 

It was a good reading year- and I'm so glad I've finally started a blog, to chronicle all these books! Which ones have you read?
Any recommends for 2016?

Come say hello on Instagram- @bookssheloves for my reviewing account, and @ToAshleyNikole for my lifestyle one. Well, 2015, we bid you ado. Welcome 2016. 

The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson (Review by Ashley Nikole)

This young adult, historical fiction book is amaze-beans. Melanie Dickerson (for me personally) is a bit of a hit & miss. Some books I like, others...not so much- but this one I loved for multiple reasons...

The PLOT... 

wasn't mind blowing in it's uniqueness, but it flowed well & was pleasant. The twist about Lord Hamlin's betrothed was pretty cool, and while I wouldn't say this book was fast paced- it didn't lag either. It flowed pretty smooth & consistently throughout. 

The Characters... 

were unique and I felt as though their personal struggles were relatable & not the usual surface level stuff one normally reads about in YA Fiction. 

The Spiritual Content... 

was not your average for YA Christian Fiction, with sprinkles of God's name here or there, or a bullet prayer. There was some pretty heavy demonic crap floating around with the bad dude (closer to the end of the book)- Moncore (who's a sorcerer). At one point he puts curse on someone, proclaiming that they will be tormented by demons forever & essentially end up insane from it. So, that aspect makes this book heavier overall from the bad stuff present...& for that reason I'd more recommend it for readers 16+ 

But I appreciated the angle about spiritual warfare against evil, and prayer etc. that the character's used to combat Moncore's curses & power. Spiritual warfare is not something I've read a lot of in Christian fiction, but I enjoyed seeing Dickerson displaying the power of prayer & warfare.

The Sexual Content...

There's character's falling in love...some creepy dudes who don't have good intentions toward Rose and the like. At one point someone asks Rose to become his mistress.

Conclusion...

Very much enjoyed this read. It was more mature than most YA books, just given how the characters dug deeper and had a stronger sense of sacrifice & duty than most characters I've read about in other YA fiction. 

The witchcraft in the last portion of the book definitely had me feeling heavy and a tad disturbed afterwards (just since I know how real the dynamics of spiritual warfare are in real life)- but at the same time I appreciated the light shed upon the spiritual warfare aspect of things. So it was heavy, but I appreciated, and thoroughly enjoyed this book. 

4 Stars & I would recommend this one for ages 16+ 

Love Unexpected by Jody Hedlund

Beacons of Hope - Book 1

Setting: 1859 - Presque Isle, Michigan

This is the classic, marriage of convenience, quickly turns into the husband & wife falling in love type story, with a hint of mystery.

It is mostly a romance, with a few other subplots, but I'd say the main focus is our two MC's being married (only in name) and their process of falling in love & overcoming the hurdles of beginning their relationship out of necessity, and wanting to continue it as a married couple. If those kinds of stories aren't your jam, or you are under 18, I'd give this book a pass.

The plot flowed well and consistently. Since this book has hints of danger, but it isn't a thriller or suspense book, naturally it is going to be "slower", but in my opinion, it carried along nicely and didn't lag anywhere.

As for the romantic/sexual content involved...our two MC's are married, so their relationship has more allowance for them to be contemplating being physically intimate, since they are married. There are a few pretty steamy & passionate kissing scenes, and a good deal of contemplation as to whether their spouse finds them attractive...how to let their spouse know they desire them in a way a married couple would, vs. just a man & wife married in name only, etc etc.
In the end...
-----SPOILERS--------
Patrick & Emma leave the room 
to (it is eluded) be physically 
intimate, but the only thing we 
witness is the husband (Patrick) 
carrying his wife (Emma) out 
of the room. Their time together
is implied only. 

So as you've read, the theme is mature. The MC's process of falling in love isn't dirty & sinful- it is good & beautiful (& designed by God)...but depending on the reader's age, and the season of life they're in, it may or may not be what they need to read. That decision needs to be made by each person, based on where they're at.

I loved both Emma & Patrick as individual character's, and I loved watching them fall in love and their relationship as a couple. It was awkward and funny & real, and that's what I enjoyed about it.

Jody's writing style carried well and beautifully depicted the character's, but also the history of that time.

4 Stars & I'd recommend this book for ages 18-19 +

Falcon by Ronie Kendig (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Book 3 in the 'Quiet Professionals' series belongs to Falcon. This book is, by far my favourite of the series. See review's for book 1 (Raptor 6) & book 2 (Hawk) 

PLOT:

It begins immediately following where Hawk left off, and jumps right into an explosion/action sequence. As where book 1 & 2 in this series (Raptor 6 & Hawk) took a while to build & get going, simply due to the military strategies and lingo involved, Falcon started off in high gear, and the plot pretty much stayed that way throughout the entire book.
So plot wise, this book flowed swiftly. All that waiting you did in book 1 & 2, you don't do in book 3.  Everything you were waiting for, IT ALL HAPPENS.

Another thing I like about this book is how many subplots there are. SO MANY. Kiew & Cassie, Kiew & Daniel, Takkar Corp, Candyman & Takkar, Cassie & Sal, General Burnett...Eamon Straider- & a bunch of others. I loved every minute of how diverse this novel's storyline is.

The MC's in Falcon were my favourite. Salvatore (eerbody calls him Sal) "Falcon" Russo was passionate, real, and a total hardheaded idiot at times, but I loved him anyway. It was his flawed realness that made me identify with his struggle & journey.
Cassandra...I loved watching her character through this book...especially given that hardly anyone trusts her (her plight is real & terrible), and Sal is on a serious hate rampage to cover his feelings that yes...he still has for her.

VIOLENCE:

As with all war books, the violence is higher- comes with the territory. There is torture, bombs, shooting, attacks, & people die. Plenty of blood (not grotesquely explained, but we don't see it from a mile away, either) & gun wounds. A soldier does cutting on his arms in the shower a few times.
An Afghanistan mother kills one of her children and nearly does in the second with a knife (we don't see her doing it, but happen upon the aftermath of her young daughter's body & tunic being slashed and blood everywhere)

SEXUAL CONTENT / ROMANCE

There are mentions of a relationship filled with unbridled 'passion' that took place in Cassandra & Sal's past as lovers.

---------SPOILERS---------

After splitting, Cassandra finds out
she is pregnant with Sal's child
but she doesn't tell him until midway 
through the book. 

They share several passionate kisses.
Eamon falls in love with someone. Dean has a fairly off-screen relationship with Zahrah, but she appears here and there.

CONCLUSION:

This book has everything a good military suspense novel should have. Action, sacrifice, overcoming, some romance & a killer plot. Ronie's writing is nothing mediocre, or even good. It is phenomenal. It captivates you. It brings you right into the story like I've not witnessed many author's accomplish. This lady has a way with words that is incredible.

I give this book 5 stars and would recommend it for ages 17+

Hawk by Ronie Kendig (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Hawk is slotted as book 2 in the 'Quiet Professionals' series by Ronie Kendig, set in (current day) war-torn Afghanistan with a group of Special Forces soldiers dealing with a hacker accessing and wreaking-havoc on their military computer database. So in other words, missions get corrupted, they receive phoney orders from upstream and trust is not something easily come by.

Check out my review for book 1, Raptor 6 here & review for Falcon (book 3), here.

With this series, each book builds on the last, and they are not (in my opinion) books that should be read out of order, or with a hope that the evil forces will be defeated until the end of book 3. This series is something you have to be dedicated to over the long-haul, if you want to see things resolved- so stay committed!

Comparatively speaking, I feel Hawk is lighter than Raptor 6. Yes, there is war violence, people die and there is evil, but it is overall less intense than book 1. Yet even this book has it's moment's of total craziness & it get's pretty tense. I mean...let's be real...this is a military book, and the violence is naturally going to be higher than in other books. It comes with the territory.

The plot took a bit to get going (I know, the opening scene was all guns blazing & our MC got knocked out, but I'm talking overall plot)
As I mentioned in my review of Raptor 6, because there is a lot of military lingo & computer hacking tech-talk, it takes focused brain power to comprehend what's going on and get through this book. It isn't an 'easy' read, or mindless AT ALL. You have to be functioning on all your mental burners in order to keep up with this plot, otherwise you won't have a clue what's going on.
If I was tired and read sections of this book...I was LOST.
This novel requires absolute attention & concentration, because it is a plot powerhouse. I don't know how Ronie does it, but she keeps creating mind-blowing content where her plots are concerned. #authorrespect
The attention paid to detail makes you feel as though you're watching a movie, rather than reading a book. Ronie's writing has a definite cinematic vibe to it- and without fail you are thrown into the story as if you were witnessing it unfold in person. Not many writer's can do this well as she can.

The romance was not the main plot- it was an undercurrent that popped up here and there. A few passionate kisses that were interrupted...falling in love attraction and the like, but it wasn't a 'romance' novel.

As far as the character's went...I enjoyed Brian's frank and open personality. It was refreshing, until his going banana's all the time left me like...'whet?' although certainly believable. I have met many a dude with un-hinged anger issues. Closer to the end I enjoyed his character more.
Fekiria wasn't my favourite...it was simply a personality clash, but she was well written & came off the page. She just wasn't my personal fave, but that is no fault of the author's.

The setting of Hawk, being that it was in the middle of winter (with blizzards aplenty) kinda just set me off the wrong way.
Again, just a personal preference, but somehow I couldn't 'get into' the story, given the overload of snow- now I live in the Great White North, so snow is no stranger in my world, but for some reason, I've never been a fan of books or movies set in the dead of winter. They seem depressing & bleak, and aren't my cup of tea. Anyone else feel this way?

CONCLUSION:

Amazing book- not quite my cup of tea, and simply due to personal preference. If you enjoy books set in the winter, & brainy techy type plots where you have to concentrate hard & be in for the long haul, this may be right up your alley.

For how good, well written & thought out the book is, I'd give it 5 stars. For how much I personally enjoyed it, I'd say about 2-3 stars.

Book 3 (review coming soon) is my favourite in the series...so I can't wait to share it with you peeps.

Lethal Legacy by Irene Hannon (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Normally crime fiction and me aren't the best of friends. Simply because, more often than not the villains are major psychotic creep's who do things that make your insides churn...
Some people like that, but I'm not the type of person who gets an adrenaline rush from being sickly disturbed by the evil dudes-that-be. However, I do like myself a good suspense, cat & mouse type novel with law enforcement, so long as nothing gets super creepy and grotesque. This is not to say that this book is not without it's creepy moments. I mean, it is a crime fiction suspense book. There's nasty, grisly stuff that comes along with the criminal world & those who seek to enforce the law & keep others safe. It isn't as gruesome as some crime fiction I've read, but it isn't a tip-toe through the tulips. You've been forewarned ;)

I loved Lethal Legacy. The plot felt fresh and unexplored (unlike the ones that have seemingly been done over & over), and a good pace was kept throughout. 

I was drawn to the character's- they were unique & compelling.

The romance was steady throughout the storyline & real without tripping over into anything steamy. 

I loved the elements including the Taylor family's sibling dynamic- it made everything feel that much more real.  

I was on the edge of my seat until the end of the story. This is the sort of book that would make for a great crime/suspense movie. 

4 Stars, and would recommend this book for anyone 17+. 

Along Came Jones by Linda Windsor (Review by Ashley Nikole)

First time I read this book was during my mid-teen years, and I loved it. So, for the love of going back & reminiscing about a good book (which seems rare to find- I am decidedly a media snob and I'm not even sorry about it), several years later, I picked it up & started reading again. 

The first few chapters were great- I felt the plot & character's had a good deal of potential. There were some laughs along the way with a few moments of suspense that could have lead to something amazing, but...it didn't make the cut for me this time round. 

Why? 
I couldn't identify with the character's- maybe Shep (the dude) a small handful of times, but not often. I was not compelled by Diana, her situation, or virtually anything about her. 
The plot lagged & seemed to build up, go *poof* & then kinda smack you in the face when you weren't expecting it, but not in a good way. The plot didn't feel grounded. It just...floated. 

The romance was this awkward 'I don't know you but there's all this sizzling heat when I'm around you' type of thing, but there was no real friendship to back up their unexplained feelings for each other. 
If there is going to be a romantic, or even sexual pull for two character's, I need for there to be something more than the physical side of things backing it up. So, for the MC's (main character's) to have a pull between them, but they fight a bunch, don't trust each other & won't become friends, but they are falling in love...that seems like a recipe for disaster, and it just didn't make me want to root for their relationship. It was more annoying than anything else. 

I wanted to like this book, especially when the first time I read it, I was doing a happy dance cause I thought it was so adorable and sweet. Clearly my taste's in fiction have changed and the bar has been set higher. I'm okay with that. 
If this book floats your boat, great. For me, it didn't. This is not to say that I don't like Linda Windsor's writing. On the contrary, I've read several of her books and I love them- just not this one. 

The one thing I did enjoy about this book was Shep's old-fashioned gentlemanly cowboy behaviour. When the rest of the plot wasn't irking me, I must admit, it was sweet. Apart from that, this book was just a no-go all round. 

1.5 Stars. 

Have you read this book? What was your take on it? 

Raptor 6 by Ronie Kendig (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Before we get into things, I just have to point out how awesome the cover is...not only because it looks L-E-G-I-T, but because the model on the cover is actually a military veteran. Say what? I think that is so rad. (the men on the two other cover's of the 'Quiet Professional's' series are also veterans) 

Well written book filled with action, intrigue and sacrifice. The first half was a little slow, just getting into the groove, I think just because there was a lot of heady information (due to the fact that the villain(s) are combined military & computer hacker brains) and a back story had to be built, in order to get to where it could essentially "explode".

The last quarter of the book was quite intense (comparatively speaking with most of Kendig's work, I'd say the last quarter of this book was the most intense I've seen her writing get...just with the brutality stuff), with a good deal of torture and the also rape...so it was, like I said- quite intense. 

Since this is a three part series, the villain didn't end up getting defeated, so it was a bit of a momentary let down...simply because the characters went through so much, and the pay off seemed fairly non-existent (apart from getting out alive, which is a big plus, of course). 
However, with this series, it is definitely the kind where you need to read all three books (Hawk & Falcon- reviews coming for these soon!) to get the overarching problems solved. Whereas in some series, there is an individual problem for each book and it gets resolved at the ending of said book, this series has a collective villain that all three books work towards defeating, and yes, it takes all three books to uncover the crazy force they are up against. 
So definitely, stick to the end and read all three books- don't give up on the first simply because it looks like there isn't a lot of resolution that takes place in book 1. 

PLOT: 
Like I said above, it was a bit slower unless you could plow through a lot of technical military & hacker wordage and complex plot buildup. It wasn't that it lacked something going on- there was a LOT going on, it was just quite large and took a bit more brain power to comprehend. Kendig is a literal plot genius- and it takes a fully engaged mind to understand and track what is going on, in all the different plot/subplot strains.
The last quarter was quite intense- when everything went crazy, it went full throttle.

VIOLENCE: 
With a book set in Afghanistan about the military, you just know there's gonna be some nasty violence. Innocent people (including a child- though we don't see them when it happens) die from Taliban (I think it was Taliban, I'll have to check back on that) attacks and the ravages of a country torn apart by war. A soldier has flashbacks about getting tortured in the past, and also is captured & tortured again. Also including a scene of physiological warfare, where (when in captivity) captors turn out the lights and blast screamo-heavy metal music, to essentially wear down the mind & create terror.

SEXUAL CONTENT: (SPOILERS) 
Apart from the regular and pretty low profile romance between the main characters, Zahrah (lady main character) is raped. As reader's we aren't in the same room when it happens, but we can hear her screaming in the other room.

CONCLUSION:

Since this is a three part series, the villain didn't end up getting defeated, so it was a bit of a momentary let down...simply because the characters went through so much, and the pay off seemed fairly non-existent (apart from getting out alive). 
However, with this series, it is definitely the kind where you need to read all three books (Hawk & Falcon- click the titles for a link to their respective reviews) to get the overarching problems solved. 
So, stick to the end and read all three books- don't give up on the first simply because it looks like there isn't a lot of resolution that takes place in book 1. 

This is definitely a heavier read. With the reality of war and the atrocities that come along with it, it shook me up since I was so invested in the character's and storyline, and they were hurt deeply physically, emotionally and mentally. Despite the heaviness that the reality brings, it remains an amazing book- but, depending on what you're looking for in a read, it may or may not be up your alley. 

3.5 stars. (the dock in stars is resulting from the fact that it was more intense than I prefer (regarding torture & rape) but that is merely a personal preference, and in no way should reflect anything but amazing writing, character & plot creation by Ronie Kendig) I would recommend this book for ages 19+ 

Have you read Raptor 6? What were your thoughts?