Book Labyrinth: three star

Showing posts with label three star. Show all posts

April 14, 2015

Rivals in the City by Y.S. Lee

Rivals in the City by Y.S. Lee
Release Date: March 10, 2015
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 304
Series: The Agency #4
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

In a tale steeped in action, romance, and the gaslit intrigue of Victorian London, Mary Quinn’s detective skills are pitted against a cunning and desperate opponent.

Mary Quinn has a lot on her mind. James Easton, her longtime love interest, wants to marry her; but despite her feelings, independent-minded Mary hesitates. Meanwhile, the Agency has asked Mary to take on a dangerous case: convicted fraudster Henry Thorold is dying in prison, and Mary must watch for the return of his estranged wife, an accomplished criminal herself who has a potentially deadly grudge against James. Finally, a Chinese prizefighter has arrived in town, and Mary can’t shake a feeling that he is somehow familiar. With the stakes higher than ever, can Mary balance family secrets, conflicting loyalties, and professional expertise to bring a criminal to justice and find her own happiness?

My Thoughts:
Reading this book was like coming back to an old friend: it was so good to hear from Mary again. I love James/Mary and how they interacted in this book. I would have loved even more of them together, but I like how the circumstances allowed us to hear a bit from James' POV for the first time. Rivals in the City is about the return of a familiar villain, which brings Mary back into the Agency's fold.

This is much less a mystery than the previous books in the series, as it’s about catching a specific person they already know has committed a crime. The plot allows for some interesting involvement of Mary's heritage and getting some answers about her father's missing years. The book is also about Mary facing her past and considering her future with James. Considering the book description I expected this to be a bigger conflict, but it really only came up a few times.

One thing I found missing in the book was Octavius Jones. I so expected this character to make a return, and I was very disappointed when he didn’t have a presence in the book. I also found the ending to be a little bit abrupt, though it was still a good one.

I was a little disappointed in this book, probably only because I had such high expectations for it after the long wait and after I loved Book 3, The Traitor in the Tunnel, so much. Nevertheless it was still a very decent read, and I think fans of the series will find something to enjoy in it. Mary is an amazing character, and overall I highly recommend this series. It offers a different side of Victorian London than we see in a lot of books, and stars an incredibly intelligent and tough POC lead.

The Cover:
Gorgeous!

Rating:

January 16, 2015

The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall

The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall
Release Date: January 13, 2015
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 336
Series: Untitled Series #1
Review Source: ARC for review from Razorbill Canada

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

A fast-paced international escapade, laced with adrenaline, glamour, and romance--perfect for fans of Ally Carter

Avery West's newfound family can shut down Prada when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war. Part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle, they believe Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Some want to use her as a pawn. Some want her dead.

To unravel the mystery putting her life in danger, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the monuments of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul with two boys who work for the Circle—beautiful, volatile Stellan and mysterious, magnetic Jack. But as the clues expose a stunning conspiracy that might plunge the world into World War 3, she discovers that both boys are hiding secrets of their own. Now she will have to choose not only between freedom and family--but between the boy who might help her save the world, and the one she's falling in love with.

My Thoughts:
I really liked this book for the most part, but I didn't truly love it. The plot was exciting, but the background to it was hard to believe in some instances. Saying that one family caused World War I and World War II? Saying that the problems in the Middle East are because of a family causing trouble that goes into larger society? These statements are highly simplistic, and a bit offensive.

There was a lot about The Conspiracy of Us that I did like, though. The running around Europe part was exciting and fun, even if I did wonder why a girl would run off to France with someone she doesn't know without calling her mom first. The action scenes were especially well done. I could picture those parts like a movie, which isn’t always the case, so I think the author deserves major props for how cinematic the writing was there. I also liked that despite what the book description says, there isn’t really what I would consider a love triangle. There are two guys vying for Avery’s attention in their own way, and it’s a complicated situation -- that is going to get even more complicated in the next book -- but it’s definitely not typical love triangle drama.

The Conspiracy of Us is a great Gallagher Girls read-alike, and I think it will appeal to a lot of people. It’s the first book in a new trilogy, which means there's not a whole lot of resolution. The end is a bit of a cliffhanger, and it opens up a lot of questions for the next volume. Overall I recommend this one.

The Cover:
I loveeeeee it!!

Rating:

December 5, 2014

No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown

No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown
Release Date: December 9, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 368
Series: n/a
Review Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

Amber Vaughn is a good girl. She sings solos at church, babysits her nephew after school, and spends every Friday night hanging out at her best friend Devon’s house. It’s only when Amber goes exploring in the woods near her home, singing camp songs with the hikers she meets on the Appalachian Trail, that she feels free—and when the bigger world feels just a little bit more in reach.

When Amber learns about an audition at the North Carolina School of the Arts, she decides that her dream—to sing on bigger stages—could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon’s older (and unavailable) brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out for the hypercompetitive arts school. But the more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes . . . and Amber starts to wonder if she’s such a good girl, after all.

Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family’s world—and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between “right” and “wrong,” there’s a whole world of possibilities.

My Thoughts:
I completely loved the idea of this book -- it sounded like a total “me” book -- but unfortunately I failed to really connect with the characters or the story. The voice of the main character is very “rural teen”, a completely different world than I’m used to. I guess that sounds silly, because reading about a warrior or some character in a fantasy world is something outside my reality too, but there was something different about this. I love that books are getting published from different types of characters, ones outside the norm, but in this case it just wasn’t for me.

I definitely didn’t dislike No Place to Fall, but I didn’t find it very memorable either. The main character, Amber, was a very confusing character, I think because she was at a stage where she wanted to test boundaries. She does things that are more than slightly insane, and I had a hard time relating to that. Probably a lot of other people might connect with this type of character, but, again, I just didn’t. On the romance end of things, the supposed love interest was kind of an idiot. I was really hoping there would be someone better for Amber.

What I liked most about this book was Amber’s love of music and how that was presented. I love when there is an aspect of a character which is so clear to them. Amber may have been a mess overall, but when it came to music she absolutely knew who she was.

So, overall, this was a hit and a miss for me. It’s not bad, but it didn’t enthrall me, either. Be sure to check out other reviews, because I’m sure many others connected to it in a way that I didn’t.

The Cover:
Love!! So cute.

Rating:

November 27, 2014

Foreign Exchange by Denise Jaden

Foreign Exchange by Denise Jaden
Release Date: October 10, 2014
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Pages: 326
Series: n/a
Review Source: eBook from author for review

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

Jamie Monroe has always played it safe. That is, until her live-for-the-moment best friend, Tristan, jets off to Italy on a student exchange program. Left alone with her part-time mother and her disabled brother, Jamie discovers that she is quite capable of taking her own risks, starting with her best friend’s hotter-than-hot older brother, Sawyer. Sawyer and Tristan have been neighbors for years, but as Jamie grows closer to the family she thought she knew, she discovers some pretty big secrets.

As she sinks deeper into their web of pretense, she suspects that her best friend may not be on a safe exchange program at all. Jamie sets off to Europe on a class trip with plans to meet up with Tristan, but when Tristan stops all communication, suddenly no one seems trustworthy, least of all the one person she was starting to trust—Sawyer.

My Thoughts:
Probably my favourite thing about this book is the characters and how they interacted. I thought Denise Jaden did a good job of creating layered characters who had shades of grey to them, just like real people. Our main character is Jamie, an all around girl next door type. However Jamie has had a pretty tough life, having to look after her little brother constantly and having a mom who doesn’t make it easy on her.

The secondary characters in Foreign Exchange were also very interesting. I liked that Sawyer had hidden depths and he wasn't what people thought he was. There’s this idea we have, both in fiction and real life, that if you're a Popular Beautiful Person then you must automatically be a completely horrible person too. Of course this isn’t true, and this stereotype is completely proven false by his character. Tristan, Jamie’s best friend and Sawyer’s sister, is definitely capital-T Trouble. She’s a total control freak and is seemingly a compulsive liar, something which Jamie is just figuring out. Things are never what you think they are with Tristan, and it makes for an interesting mystery to unravel.

This book has a lot of good elements, but I think what I enjoyed most was seeing Jamie coming into her own and out of Tristan's shadow, making her own decisions and getting away from that toxic friendship. Jamie does make some pretty sketchy decisions, but I didn’t find them entirely unbelievable. I could see someone who's a little desperate and naive going along that same path. On the romance side of things, I definitely dug Jamie/Sawyer. Romance isn’t the primary focus of the story, but it does make up a nice part of it. I liked seeing these two truly get to know one another.

Overall I definitely liked this book. I didn’t completely fall into the story, but it did provide an enjoyable reading experience, and I’d recommend it.

The Cover:
Not my favourite.

Rating:

[Strong 3/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble

October 30, 2014

Scratch by Rhonda Helms

Scratch by Rhonda Helms
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Publisher: Kensington
Pages: 240
Series: n/a
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

The most painful scars are the ones you never see.

In her DJ booth at a Cleveland dance club, Casey feels a sense of connection that's the closest she ever gets to normal. On her college campus, she's reserved, practical-all too aware of the disaster that can result when you trust the wrong person. But inexplicably, Daniel refuses to pay attention to the walls she's put up. Like Casey, he's a senior. In every other way, he's her opposite.

Sexy, open, effortlessly charming, Daniel is willing to take chances and show his feelings. For some reason Casey can't fathom, he's intent on drawing her out of her bubble and back into a world that's messy and unpredictable. He doesn't know about the deep scars that pucker her stomach - or the deeper secret behind them. Since the violent night when everything changed, Casey has never let anyone get close enough to hurt her again. Now, she might be tempted to try.

My Thoughts:
Scratch is a book I enjoyed mostly because of the characters and their journeys. I liked that our main character, Casey, went through a gradual process of opening up to people and changing her mindset. With our hero, Daniel, I liked how he was sweet and patient, but that he didn't let himself get walked all over. Daniel was willing to wait on sexual matters and never ever pressed Casey, but when it came to matters of trust he was willing to stand up for himself and what he was worth.

In terms of plot you get hints of what happened to Casey, and then you can basically figure out what happened to her before it’s all spelled out. I’m not sure it had to be such a secret until that reveal, but it didn’t detract too much from the story. One of my favourite parts of the book was Casey’s relationship with her grandparents and how her understanding of them evolved. Casey has the realization that they’ve also been hurting because of what happened, and that they’ve had to deal with the same situation, just from another perspective.

Overall this is a good read. I love nice guy love interests and strong female friendships, both of which Scratch features in great ways. Not a favourite, but definitely still recommended.

The Cover:
I like it.

Rating:

October 27, 2014

The Collectors' Society by Heather Lyons (Tour Review + Giveaway)

The Collectors' Society by Heather Lyons
Release Date: October 23, 2014
Publisher: Cerulean Books/Self-Published
Pages: 355
Series: The Collectors' Society #1
Review Source: eARC for review through InkSlinger PR

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

From the author of the Fate series and The Deep End of the Sea comes a fantastical romantic adventure that has Alice tumbling down the strangest rabbit hole yet.

After years in Wonderland, Alice has returned to England as an adult, desperate to reclaim sanity and control over her life. An enigmatic gentleman with an intriguing job offer too tempting to resist changes her plans for a calm existence, though. Soon, she’s whisked to New York and initiated into the Collectors’ Society, a secret organization whose members confirm that famous stories are anything but straightforward and that what she knows about the world is only a fraction of the truth.

It’s there she discovers villains are afoot—ones who want to shelve the lives of countless beings. Assigned to work with the mysterious and alluring Finn, Alice and the rest of the Collectors’ Society race against a doomsday clock in order to prevent further destruction . . . but will they make it before all their endings are erased?

My Thoughts:
I have to admit that I had a hard time with the first 20% or so of this book. It has a bit of a slow start and then it becomes very info dumpy. The thing is, it’s an info dump for Alice -- she comes into the Society with no knowledge of it and she wants to be informed. In that way, I can understand why the author wrote it that way, but it still isn’t my favourite way to be introduced to a new world. I also thought Alice was quite accepting of the Society in a little too short a time period, but I can also understand that once you've been in Wonderland perhaps anything that seems impossible is easy to accept.

After the first quarter or so of the book I found myself much more engaged in the story and in the characters. I felt like I had a stake in the story once I met the members of the Collectors' Society, getting to know them and connecting them with their stories in classic literature. There are a lot of fun references, but I think even if you don’t know the original stories the characters come from you’ll enjoy the book, because the author has made the characters her own.

I liked this completely kick butt version of Alice. She was similar to the Alice from the short-lived TV series Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. I loved how Heather presented the Alice and the Wonderland we’d expect, but that she also put a very different spin on things. I found the different aspects to be very fun and imaginative.

On the romance end of things (because yes, there’s definitely a romance), I really liked Finn and I really liked Finn/Alice. I don’t think it’s too spoilery to name them as a couple, because there’s a definite chemistry there from the beginning. What happened between Finn and Alice happened quickly, but it felt right at the same time, so I wasn't too bothered by the fast pace.

The Collectors’ Society is a great book because it offers an awesome start to a new series, but it also works well as a standalone. It fulfills some aspects of the plot, giving you resolution, while still leaving some larger things open ended. I enjoyed this book and I definitely can’t wait to read about more of Alice’s adventures.

The Cover:
Like!!

Rating:

[3.5/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

About Heather:
Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—she’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Where to find Heather:
Website | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads