Jess Peters's Blog, page 32

Anyone? By Angela Scott

This book is the first book of the series.

The end of the world? That’s the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters and deep philosophical exercises in school. No need to sweat it. So when sixteen-year-old Tess’s doomsday-dad builds a bomb shelter in their suburban backyard, everyone thinks he’s gone crazy….

…Until fire rains down from the sky, sinking whole cities into colossal craters and setting much of the world ablaze.

Tess’s dad gives her a few short minutes to gather her emergency bag and her freaked-out kitten, then leads her outside and into the underground shelter. Terrified, the last thing she expects is for him to leave her there all alone, but he has no choice—he must find her missing brother.

Before leaving, he makes Tess promise to keep the hatch door shut, not to open it for anyone but him, and to stay put until he returns.

But he forgot to tell her one thing: What is she supposed to do if he never comes back?

I really enjoyed this book and actually felt quite emotionally invested in it. The storyline was great, the plot moved at a good pace, it was exciting and the characters were good.

Callie the cat was probably my favourite thing in this book, probably because I’m a cat owner myself. Tess’s interactions with her kitten and the descriptions of such, were spot on. If I was in a similar situation, I’d be taking my own cats with me.

Tess was a great character even though she lacked everything a main character should have. She wasn’t strong, she wasn’t particularly brave and lacked the survival instinct needed to make it through the book. She was however  very likeable and relatable which made her a good character. Let’s face it, she wouldn’t have survived without Cole. Cole was brilliant. The interactions between them both were entertaining to read and I liked seeing their relationship towards eachother develop.

The apocalyptic world happening around them was a good setting. We see everything from Tess’s point of view, and so miss the worst of it. We also only what she does, and so, never find out the full extent of what has actually happened. I quite like this aspect of the book. It leaves your imagination to kick in.

This book however, does end quite abruptly. What is Tess’s fate? It certainly leaves me wanting to read the next book in the series, which is what I plan to do.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.

My rating: 5/5*

Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell by Bella Forrest

This is the 5th book in the Harley Merlin series.

Harley is a ticking time bomb, ready to detonate with uncontrollable magic. The only solution? Find the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, make some risky deals, and balance the Light and Darkness within her—before she’s torn apart, atom by atom.

If only she didn’t have a million other problems standing in her way.

The new Director of the San Diego Coven isn’t exactly friendly, and Katherine has already gained untold power. More than ever, Harley needs answers about the rituals Katherine plans to perform to become like Eris, goddess of discord and destruction.

Wade knows that Harley is strong enough to win this battle—not to mention stubborn, overconfident, and wildly reckless. True to his proud family lineage, he’s always played by the rules. But for one girl, he’s willing to bend those rules, to lie, to give his life. Because love can make a person do crazy thing.

This book was absolutely fantastic to read. It moved at a good, exciting pace with plenty of action, the storyline developed brilliantly and the characters continued to be great.

Harley Merlin is simply great. She is so determined and strong, yet also down to earth. She cares about her friends and she wants to help those around her, even if she doesn’t know them. This book saw a massive change for her and I’m looking forward to seeing how this progresses in the next book.

This book had Wade having a point of view which I absolutely loved and was indeed, waiting for. It was brilliant to finally get a look into his thoughts. His feelings towards Harley were well and truly confirmed, and their relationship finally took a step forward. It’s great to read.

The plot of this book developed well and the story keeps getting more and more exciting. The descriptions are good and I can really picture the events playing out in my mind.

I’m thoroughly enjoying reading this series and cannot wait for the next book to come out. It’s become one of my favourite book series and I would recommend it to everyone.

My rating: 5/5*

Through Dragon Eyes by Catherine Milos

Dragon Mountain faces the wrath of King Warrick, a man who won’t rest until every last dragon is gone.

Half elf and half human, Zoe happens to be the future Wise One’s scaler, but Earthana’s lessons in the ways of the Wise One have left Zoe without the proper training in dragon and scaler magic. Not to mention she knows nothing of where she comes from.

Zoe’s friends – Soran the elf, her human brother Caden, Lily the blacksmith’s finisher, and a merman named Nymen – help her search for the missing Gauntlet of the Realms, the only hope to save the dragons and those who love them. But betrayal, fear, and prejudice threatens to divide them as the coming war approaches.

Can Zoe and her friends find the gauntlet and save dragon kind?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a great storyline, the characters were great, the aspect with the dragons was great and the plot developed nicely.

The insight to the dragons was good and well written. I could picture them in my head and saw the story playing out.

The different people – elves, merpeople, was great to read. We were introduced to the different lives and worlds in a good way, yet, when doing so, it added to the overall plot as well.

Zoe was the main character within the story and was great to follow. We followed her whilst she learnt about dragon magic and the different realms. Her family history turned out to be more complex than even she knew.

Overall, this book was great to read. It was written very well and the descriptions were good enough that you could picture the story playing out.

I would definitely recommend it.

My rating: 5/5*

Outliers (Transient book 2) by K. M. Hill

This is the second book in the Transient series.

As her impending Date of Death looms large, Rae start to question her and Apollo’s actions in the wake of their experience at OBK.

Still, they resolve to fight back and prove to the world that the Cryptograph is a lie.

But what if the algorithm turns out to be right all along …?

I enjoyed this book. It had a good storyline which developed nicely and it generally moved at a good pace.

I say it generally moves at a good pace because I struggled to get into it properly to begin with. The beginning was a little bit slow. Once the plot started to develop and things progressed, it got my attention more and then I really enjoyed reading it.

I liked the characters. Rae is smart and brave. She’s a good main character. Apollo is also a good character although he does get abit frustrating at times with his rash decision making. Peter was a great addition in this book, especially with the little plot twist which occurs.

I’d definitely recommend this series. The storyline is great with an interesting concept. The characters are good and it’s interesting to read.

I have dropped a star only because the beginning of this book took a while to grab my full attention and interest. The majority of the book was great though and definitely worth a read.

My rating: 4/5*

Ghost Towns (The Child Thief #5) by Bella Forrest

This is the 5th book in The Child Thief series.

Now that Robin has discovered a lead on her daughter, all she can think about is tracking her down. And her birth parents—whom Robin never dreamed she’d have the opportunity to meet.

But when Robin and Jace return to the outside world, after gaining permission from Nathan, there have been worrying developments. Townships housing the poor are being emptied at an alarming rate, seemingly faster than ever before, and they have no idea why, or where the residents are being taken.

A personal mission quickly turns into something much greater as Robin and Jace follow the clues… leading to answers neither of them is prepared for.

This book was absolutely brilliant. I found that it has been the best of the series so far. It was full of action and drama. It moved at a good fast pace and the characters continued to be brilliant.

Robin is a fantastic lead character. She is strong willed, but still has the vulnerability to make her relatable. She might be carrying out these missions well, but she is still scared about the situations in which she finds herself in. Jace is also great, as are all the other characters.

I found myself getting excited reading this book. The storyline has been great and it developed well. The overall plot of the series keeps thickening. The ending had me feeling pretty tense, on edge waiting to see what happened next.

It ended on a cliffhanger, as do most of Bella Forrest’s books which I’ve read, but this one was almost frustrating after the final revelation on the book. It definitely has me excited to read the next one of the series when it comes out.

Overall, this book was simply brilliant. I would definitely recommend reading this series.

My rating: 5/5*

The Exception (The Advent Trilogy book 3) by Terry Schott

This book is the conclusion to The Advent Trilogy.

It began in the Ward and continued in the Source. Now see how it all ends in the Exception.

Will Alex and Gudrun succeed, or has centuries of planning, scheming and manipulation been for nothing?

I enjoyed reading this book. It is written in typical Terry Schott style.

It moved at a good pace, the plot developed well, it was exciting and the characters were great.

The idea behind all the different simulations and wards was great. You can see the similarities to Terry Schott’s, The Game is Life series, but yet, the storyline is very different and unique.

New plot twists amd questions just kept coming up as the series progressed, and by the end, they were mostly answered. The Epilogue at the end threw a whole different twist in the mix though. It was a good way to end it. Unexpected and exciting.

I would definitely recommend this series. It definitely needs to be read in order though. It has a brilliant storyline and great characters. The plot is clever and well thought out.

My rating: 5/5*

The Storm Girl’s Secret (Paradigm Trilogy Book 3) by Ceri A. Lowe

This is the 3rd book in the Paradigm Trilogy.

The existence of 15-year-old Alice Davenport is Paradigm Industries’ biggest secret.

Decades ago, after fierce storms ravaged the earth, Alice was one of the first to help establish Paradigm Industries’ new world order: in which no one can leave the Barricades, and every trace of the past was destroyed. The whole Community believes she died an Industry hero.

But Alice refused to live under Paradigm’s cruel laws.

Alice was punished. And Alice is alive.

Sentenced to permanent cryonic sleep in the Catacombs, Alice has been frozen for years… until now. With the Industry wanting her dead, Alice is on the run – helped by Carter Warren, Industry loyalist turned secret rebel. But as they make their escape, they uncover a shocking secret.

Paradigm Industries have devastating plans for the future, which threaten to tear the world apart. Those living outside the Barricades will be permanently destroyed. With Alice and Carter the only hope for humanity, can they find the strength to finally defeat the Industry?

This conclusion to the trilogy was brilliant. It was fast paced, exciting and a great book to read. The plot developed well and moves towards a satisfying ending with the great characters.

Alice and Carter’s stories came together and they worked together in this book. It was enjoyable to read their relationship develop. Both are strong characters.

The storyline was just brilliant. Throughout the series  various secrets had arisen at various times, and in this book, it all finally came together. This was particularly true for the big villain in this book.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this series. It has been a brilliant journey from the very first book. The storyline is great, the background of the world is great, the characters are great and the ending is satisfying.

My rating: 5/5*

Advanced (Tainted Earth Book 4) By Susanne Valenti

This is the 4th book in the Tainted Earth series. I have read all the previous books and really enjoyed them all.

This series is essentially a prequel to Susanne Valenti’s Cage of Lies series, but can also be read as a standalone series.

The world is poisoned. Anything that survives the contamination will have to adapt.

Including one cheerleader and the boy who lives next door. Lucky for Kaitlyn Lewis, the guy she’s had a crush on her whole lifehappens to be a Marine. And he came back to town right on time forthe apocalypse.

Animals are learning to fight back, plants are growing beyond control. Andsome people are turning violent, feral, crazed.

This book continues on from book 3.

The world is evolving faster than anyone could have predicted and time is running out to stop the clock and make sure that no one else loses their humanity. With a choice between fighting back and finding a way to survive in this cold new world, Kaitlyn and Lincoln have to face a choice. Save themselves or risk it all to try and save everyone. Nothing is as it used to be and the world cannot be trusted. The only thing they can truly be sure of now is each other.

Kaitlyn is a brilliant character. She lacks the strength that Lincoln does, but she is determined to prove herself and learn from him. I feel like she lacks the confidence in her skills and her ability to cope in the situations she faces. Because of this, she is very relatable.

I enjoyed the different point of views from the other characters such as Reese and Demi. They are both strong characters and their points of view add value to the story.

I enjoyed how this books storyline developed and it moved at a good pace with plenty of action. I’m looking forward to the next book and seeing where the story will head next.

I would definitely recommend this series. It is very enjoyable and set in a well thought out dystopian world. The characters are all great, as is the plot.

My rating: 5/5*

 

Harley Merlin and the First Ritual by Bella Forrest

This book is the 4th in the Harley Merlin series.

Five rituals to control Chaos. That’s all it takes.

Now that Harley knows her enemy’s grand plan—to become a godlike Child of Chaos and punish those deemed “unworthy”—she’s got to figure out what the heck to do about it. Many of the missing magicals are still out there, and Katherine has vowed to kill everyone Harley cares about and make her watch.

Just when it seems like things can’t get much worse, one of the most precious monsters of the Bestiary escapes, and Harley is sure that Katherine has her dirty hands involved. But that crazy witch had better be ready because Harley has finally figured out a way to unleash her powers—although the cost might not be worth it.

Astrid, a human living amongst magicals, is just as determined to thwart Katherine’s schemes. At the same time, her budding romance with the Coven’s trademark bad boy has earned her father’s disapproval, and it seems like betrayal is lurking around the corner.

I absolutely love this series and this book was just as good as the others. It moved at a good pace, the characters continued to be great and engaging and the plot developed well.

I still love Harley. She is becoming a force to be reckoned with. She’s strong in personality as well as her powers. I like Wade as well. I was glad to see their relationship make progress in this book, even if it was only a small bit of progress.

Astrid having a point of view in this book was brilliant to read. So much was learnt from her. She’s a brilliant character and I really grew to like and value her. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next, especially with what happened at the end.

Overall, this book was great. It added to the previous books well and was just as exciting to read as the others. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series.

I’d definitely recommend this series with its brilliant characters and great storyline.

My rating: 5/5*

Little Lies (The Child Thief #4) by Bella Forrest

This is the 4th book in The Child Thief series.

It follows on from book 3, and follows Robin, Jace and the rest of the group from OH+. They learn more about Little John and Nathan’s plans.

I absolutely love this series. I find it quite unique in it’s premise and story concept of children being practically stolen from the poor and sold on to the rich. It moves at a fast pace with plenty on action and excitement.

The plot moved and developed well as the story progressed. We are learning more and more with each book in the series. Robin and Jace’s worlds are growing far more complex.

I love the characters. Robin is turning in to a leader. She’s continuing to be a strong and fierce character, but is still having plenty of character development with each mission she is experiencing and with each situation they find themselves in. I also like all the other characters. Each one adds to the story and we are also learning more about them and the plot develops.

This is the first book in which we learn more about Nathan and who he really is. The connection to Little John also becomes more clear. It was great to read and find out about.

Overall, this book was great to read and added to the series brilliantly. It moves at a great pace, the characters and great and I love the storyline.

I would definitely recommend reading this series.

My rating: 5/5*