Showing posts with label Terri Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terri Review. Show all posts

Monday, August 7, 2017

Review: The Vessel Trilogy

Purchase information, Excerpts, and more on this series can be found in the Spotlight below.

Book One: 3 Shimmering Stars
Who doesn't love a chick who can fight and a hot protector and if that doesn't sound great throw in an ancient prophecy between good and evil? That's a good start for a series and for an urban fantasy reader like me that is Nirvana. However, I would like to see a new twist on this trope. This series did not do that. The author even starts the story in a dance club, just like a lot of books. The author has a great idea for this book and the rest of the trilogy, but I just felt like the story lacked depth. Everything seemed to flow without too many hitches and the conflicts that did arise ended too fast. I would like to have seen a little more inner turmoil with Genevieve as she struggles with her new powers and destiny.  

I finished this book because I agreed to review it. The story and characters were ok and I liked it enough to read the next story. The author created enough groundwork for the rest of this trilogy that I am curious enough to see what happens next.

Book Two: 3 Shimmering Stars
I'm glad I continued reading this series because book two was better than book one and I would rate it a 3.5 if I could. In this book, the characters seem to have a little more depth and the plot is driven by the characters and not the need to just tell the story. It is easier to see the inner conflict that I did not see in book one, but the author still relies more on cliches instead of creating a new story. The prophecy still drives Genevieve to develop her powers as a vessel and Jude continues to protect her and oversee her development. The ultimate battle is coming soon and sides will be chosen by all. I do like the connections the author makes to mythology and literature through the names of her characters and settings. 

This one was easier to read than the first one and I think the author did an even better job with the cliffhanger at the end.   

Book Three: 4 Mystical Stars (one minor spoiler)
The biggest issue I have had with this series is the lack of character depth. I think because so much of the focus is on Genevieve in this book, it is easier to really see who she is and how she has developed throughout this series. This is my favorite of the three books. I also think because Gen and Jude were not so focused on sex they had the chance to develop a deeper relationship we saw a stronger connection between them. 

The biggest issue I've had with this series is the lack of elaboration is some of the scenes. Things just always seem to go in Gen's favor without much effort. The final battle is a good example. It just seemed to happen and yes, Gen was attacked but there wasn't much of a fight to win and I think the twist at the end would have been better if the author alluded to it before just throwing it out there. 

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Review: Way Down Below

Way Down Below by Nicole Thorn & Sarah Hall
Published November 2, 2016 by CHBB
Review by Terri
4 Stalking Stars


Synopsis:

Ever since Luc Bishop’s brother died, he and his sisters have been hunting his killer. The last thing Luc expected was to meet Shiloh. 

Shiloh Whittaker has spent her entire life trapped by her family’s religious beliefs. When she meets Luc, her entire world is turned upside down. For the last couple of years, Shiloh and her best friend, Faith, have been pulling away from their structured upbringing. 

Then they meet the Bishops, three of many children Lucifer has sired. Shiloh wants nothing to do with them, but finds herself caught up in their lives when their brother’s killer comes back to play. With the killer circling, and Shiloh torn between two desires, she feels more caged than ever. (Goodreads)


Review: 

This was a fun book to read. For the most part, the characters read like they were supposed to; meaning they acted, talked, and lived like new adults do in real life. They weren't looking for any real deep meaning in life. There was no intense save-the-world-prophecy they needed to fulfill. They were just kids, acting like kids. This book is like any YA/NA book with kids who must stand up to oppressive adults, however, these authors added a fun twist by creating three of the characters to be the children of Satan and two of the characters to be daughters of ultra-conservative religious families. I think the authors did a good job presenting the battle of church vs. evil without banging it over the reader's head.

The fast paced plot drew me in from the beginning and pushed me to see how it ended. I liked the dialog and character development of all the characters, both major and minor. If I had any complaints about the book it would be the final battle ended way too fast.

Review by Terri

Monday, July 24, 2017

Review: Secrets of the Slain

Secrets of the Slain by Lindsey Goddard
Published June 14, 2017 by Burning Willow Press
5 Bloodcurling Screams!

Synopsis:

A collection of poetry and short stories created to tantalize your senses and wreak havoc on your mind, each tale further challenging your perception of what reality is and what it is not. Be prepared to see inside of the soul of Lindsey Goddard and share in her “Secrets of the Slain” (Goodreads)







Review:

So many things to like about this book, it is hard to know where to begin. The author hooks me in from the introduction. Perhaps it's because I can relate when she mentions how busy her life is and she has to fit in writing when she can. I love her attitude. She writes short stories and poems because this is easier to feed her muse. Her short stories are strong and vivid, but her poetry is even more so. The emotions she uses to drive her stories are ones all readers can relate to. Two of the stories, "The Running" and "Old Man Stump" appear in this book for the first time anywhere. "The Running" is my favorite of the short stories. It presents a crazy other worldly situation, but the author presents in a great believable way. I felt what her characters felt when I read this story. If I had to pick another story I liked, it would be "Red Mask". It's an emotional heart-wrenching story with a dash of freaky sprinkled in for good measure.  I think "Freak" has the makings of a good series. I finished this in a little over an hour not just because it was shorter than most of the books I read, but because I HAD to keep reading to see how all the other stories ended.

Review by Terri
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...