Book Review: Followers by Megan Angelo

Followers

by Megan Angelo
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

An electrifying story of two ambitious friends, the dark choices they make and the profound moment that changes the meaning of privacy forever…

Followers traces the paths of 3 women as they wind through time toward each other, and toward a cataclysmic event that sends America into lasting upheaval. At turns wry and tender, bleak and hopeful, this darkly funny story reminds us that even if we obsess over famous people we’ll never meet, what we really crave is genuine human connection. 

Review:

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not sure where to start with this one. I liked this book very much although it did throw some hurdles my way. I initially passed this book over twice when requesting titles from NetGalley. The cover art didn't entice me; after just one glance, I had already decided that the book was women's literature -- not my favorite. The cover's saving grace, and what drew me in, was the Austin Powers - fembot flair I felt pulsing from it. Once I waded through the pink and purple and read the description, I knew that I had to read this book. Much to my surprise, it was an okay balance of women's literature meets science fiction (light).

There were moments where I felt I had to "chew" through certain passages. Some sections were very verbose, consistent with classic chick-lit. As I became rooted in the story, it was very easy to get over the random bits of wordiness. The details served to build a rich environment and didn't slow down the storyline. The book hosts a group of well-developed characters that you love and love to hate - not mutually exclusive. We encounter three very different women (Orla, Floss, and Marlow) who struggle very publicly with some intensely intimate issues during a technological catastrophe/breakdown/takeover. Orla and Marlow act as narrators for the story, each retelling their experiences set in drastically different times. Incidentally, Ms. Angelo does a great job at separating and defining each timeline; happily, there were no continuity mishaps.

Book Review: Ruins by Joshua Winning

Ruins

by Joshua Winning
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

We join 15-year old Nicholas Hallow on his race to save the world. Although battered by his previous encounter with the forces of evil, the shadowy leader of the Sentinel forces assigns Nicholas with the task of finding the other half of his prophecy before a dark scheme comes to fruition. Untrained and afraid, Nicholas sets out with his (badass) aged guardian and a strange cat to find a girl who's expert at not being found.

Review:

I received this book as an ARC from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I discovered this book on NetGalley back in 2015; although the cover featured both my favorite color and animal, blue + kitty! It was the quote that got my attention. It reminded me of a classic that I read in HS, and the feelings of nostalgia led me to request the book. I read it almost immediately, but I refrained from posting the review as I felt that something was missing.

Book Review: The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

The Okay Witch

by Emma Steinkellner
My rating: 5 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

When an awkward 13-year-old, Moth Hush, discovers that she is descended from a long line of powerful witches; life becomes anything but average. With the help of her mom and a bevy of zany characters; she goes on an awesome adventure to reclaim her heritage.

Review:

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I initially requested this graphic novel from NetGalley for my 13 yo daughter. While perusing a list of new releases for middle schoolers, she was drawn to this one both by the cover art and the synopsis (which she claims to "relate to"). She asked about it nonstop and inspired me to read along.

Book Review: Tangled Threat by Heather Graham

Tangled Threat

by Heather Graham
My rating: 3 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

Twelve years after a horrific murder, a killer reemerges on the secluded grounds of a vacation resort. Strangely enough, all the same payers are back in town, including Maura Antrim and Brock McGovern. A teenaged couple when the original murder happened, Maura (a renown videographer) and Brock (an FBI agent), are thrown back to together to with this new rash of crimes. They quickly find that all the denied emotions of the past have not faded. In a race to find two missing women and solve this decade long mystery, they reconnect to face the evil forces that initially tore their relationship apart.

Review:

I received this book as an ARC from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I selected this book as soon as I read through the synopsis. I recently finished my first book of this genre (romantic thriller), and I've been dying to find another. The cover also played a small part in this selection. I've always enjoyed a good serial killer or a police procedural crime novel. Therefore, both the police tape and the color scheme of the book cover drew me in. I was also dying to find out what incendiary mystery the handsome central figure had in his past. Maybe I'm the only one who would find a smoking secret in a red-yellow gradient; but hey! Where there are flames, there's fire… or something thereabouts.

Book Review: Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym Martineau

Kingdom of Exiles

by Maxym M. Martineau
My rating: 3 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

Leena, a young beast master, is exiled from her native homelands because of a grand "misunderstanding" planned and spearheaded by her ex-fiancé (Wynn). She is forced to do many abhorrent things to survive. After years of skirting the line and accruing quite a bit of negative karma; we encounter Leena being targeted by a group of nefarious assassins (the Cruor). She quickly proves herself to be pretty daring by attempting to barter for her life with sed group of assassins. The book then follows Leena as she and the leader of the Cruor (Noc) spiral into a world filled with cruel truths and longing for each other.

Review:

I received this book as an ARC from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I liked this book, although I think that I wanted to like it a bit more than I did. Being a cover art geek, I found the cover to be very enticing. If you've ever read a review by me, you'll soon realize that I'm a sucker for a blue and purple scheme. That coupled with the badass looking central female figure AND the beast silhouette in the background had me clamoring for the book. It seemed that the story would be full of mystery, magic, and some epic magically infused battle scenes. I learned, yet again, that my imagination sometimes sets me up for disappointment.

Book Review: Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan

Every Last Breath

by Juno Rushdan
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

Maddox Kinkade is an expert at managing the impossible. Tasked with neutralizing a lethal bioweapon, she turns to the one person capable of helping her stop the threat of pandemic in time. Recruiting Cole to save millions of lives may be harder than resisting the attraction still burning between them, but Maddox will do whatever it takes… even if it destroys her. Soon, the two former lovers find themselves working side-by-side in a breakneck race to stop a world-class killer with a secret that could end everything.
From: https://junorushdan.com/book/every-last-breath

Review:

I received this book as an ARC from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I knew that I would fall in love with this book as soon as I saw the cover. Although I wasn't familiar with the romantic thriller genre; the fleeing figures enshrouded in a hazy mist of red and blue immediately intrigued me. What could they be running from… or to? A quick read of the first chapter and I was all in. The action-filled pages engulfed me. I left every reading session reluctantly as I wanted to consume the book whole.

Book Review: Devil's Own

Devil's Own

by K.A. Fox
My rating: 3 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

Delaney Murphy has always known she's the Devil’s daughter. And although the title itself is a burden, she never expects to inherit all her father's infernal abilities. When her newfound magic begins to poison the people closest to her, Laney must make a choice. To protect the world from the worst she can do, she leaves everyone she loves behind and builds a new life for herself, alone, in a place where she can control the urge to give in to the magic living within her.

Review:

I received this book as an ARC from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. When I saw this listing on NetGalley, I immediately wanted to read it. I'll often select a new book based on a combination review of both the cover and the story synopsis. This time, the cover drew me in before I had even read the synopsis. I'm generally a sucker for anything blue, and this was no exception. The combination of the hazy, almost gloomy, blue background and the super strong female central figure intrigued me. The defiant, "crazy-eyed" expression on her face just added fuel to the fire. Upon reviewing the synopsis, I figured that this story was completely in my wheel-house. Serial Killer + Demons = Awesome. Right? Well, mostly.