Avalon Reads Books

344: That's the number of books I currently own that I need to read. 150: That's the amount of books I plan to read this year. For every book I read I'll be posting a review. Frequent Spoilers. Love Feedback. REALLY love getting book recommendations!

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Review

Avalon’s Book of the Month – January Edition

Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay

By J.K. Rowling

Book Format: Hardcover

Time to Finish: Less than an hour

✨✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

When Magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in New York, he intends his stay to be just a brief stopover. However, when his magical case is misplaced and some of Newt's fantastic beasts escape, it spells trouble for everyone…

Well, I've got to say, J.K Rolwing has done it again. I think I may love Newt more than Harry Potter. Sacrilege, I know. And with the sequel to this movie finally being out I figure I've held onto my review a bit too long. Also Jude Law as Dumbledore? EXCITING! I always knew that Dumbledore was hot when he was young.

The screen play definitely made it easier for me to get through this book, but it would have been so much more entertaining if it were an actual novel instead. I love the casual Albus name drops and all the animals that we were introduced to. They were all so distinct and interesting.

But there were some things that upset me, like they couldn't save the child (apparently there's an end scene in the movie that negates this, but it wasn't in the book and that was distressing to me) and Newt doesn't get the girl? He better in the sequel. I got little annoyed with the American wizarding slang. I'm so used to Muggle that when they busted out that first "No-Maj" I was not liking and it never grew on me. And the political bullshit was worse now that the characters are full adult and they knew better.

But I did adore this little bit of magic and once I had it in my hands I could not put it down. I can't wait to see the sequel and to meet more great creatures.

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Perfect Couple Review

Perfect Couple (Superlatives #2)

By Jennifer Echols

Book Format: Paperback

Time to Finish: 4 days

✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

I would recommend you check out my review on the first book: Biggest Flirts before reading this one

As yearbook photographer, Harper is responsible for those candid moments that make high school memorable. But her own life is anything but picture perfect. Her parents’ bitter divorce left her wondering what a loving relationship looks like. And ever since the senior class voted her and star quarterback Brody “Perfect Couple That Never Was,” her friends have been pushing her to ask Brody out.

Brody doesn’t lack female admirers, but Harper can't see herself with him. He’s confused about the match too. Yet they find themselves drawn together—first by curiosity about why the class paired them, then by an undeniable bond.

The trouble is, though they’re attracted to each other, they have a hard time getting along or even communicating well. If they’re the perfect couple, this shouldn’t be so difficult! Soon it becomes clear their class was wrong, and they throw in the towel. But they feel so changed from making the effort, they can’t forget each other. What if this match made in hell is the perfect couple after all?

This story was adorable, it was a cute and easy read that mostly put a smile on my face. It was a cute continuation, but much like the first book I had problems with the main characters, and the male lead wasn't amazing enough to make it better for me.

I was promised a strong character, but Harper was weak. She was easily manipulated by everyone around her and by what other people thought. Body was the typical jock who thought with his dick and didn't want to be tied down. Girls have had enough of that, thank you very much.

As per the last review, the ending was rather rushed in this book too. But then again, their whole relationship felt rushed. And with all their stupid decisions involving other people and themselves it was hard to believe they were made for each other, or the perfect couple at all. But I will say that I felt that it rang true to what a high school disaster relationship looks like, with the up and down dramas, the rumours and guilt trips using other people's affection and rushing through everything.

I'm still excited for the next book.

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Losing It Review

Losing It (Losing It #1)

By Cora Carmack

Book Format: Paperback

Time to Finish: 2 days

✨✨✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, Bliss Edwards decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible - a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She'd left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

Losing it was advertised to me as the most cringe worthy romance a girl could read, and it more than delivered. Bliss was the most awkward, most stupid female lead I've ever met. But at least that's what she was supposed to be. Half the time I was going "awwww," but most of the time I was so frustrated with her I wanted to throw the book.

Edward was a saint to be putting up with her. He was such a dashing amazing lead. I felt bad for him at every turn, every stupid mistake, every second she over thought everything and at every over reaction. I half hoped he'd give up and walk away, but of course I was happy that he stuck things through and that they got their happily ever after in the end.

If you're looking for a cute, steamy, cringy read that will make you go "aww" and "OH MY GOD!" in the same breath then this is the book for you.

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Royally Screwed Book Review

Avalon’s Book of the Month – April Edition

Royally Screwed (Royally #1)

By Emma Chase

Book Format: Paperback

Time to Finish: less than a day

✨✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

Nicholas Arthur Frederick Edward Pembrook, Crowned Prince of Wessco, aka His Royal Hotness, is wickedly charming, devastatingly handsome, and unabashedly arrogant; hard not to be when people are constantly bowing down to you.

Then, one snowy night in Manhattan, the prince meets a dark haired beauty who doesn't bow down. Instead, she throws a pie in his face.

Nicholas wants to find out if she tastes as good as her pie, and this heir apparent is used to getting what he wants.

Dating a prince isn't what waitress Olivia Hammond ever imagined it would be.

There's a disapproving queen, a wildly inappropriate spare heir, relentless paparazzi, and brutal public scrutiny. While they've traded in horse drawn carriages for Rolls Royces, and haven't chopped anyone's head off lately, the royals are far from accepting of this commoner.

But to Olivia, Nicholas is worth it.

Nicholas grew up with the whole world watching, and now Marriage Watch is in full force. In the end, Nicholas has to decide who he is and, more importantly, who he wants to be: a King... or the man who gets to love Olivia forever.

I loved this book. It was the cutest story, with the cutest ending. The couple was adorable (or at least they were by the end) and I even enjoyed the secondary characters. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it. I loved our Male lead, he was a complete and utter douche, but his character development was absolutely stunner. And Olivia, she was hilarious. I loved that she didn't bow down to him, and that pie to the face was the best part of the book, Nicholas definitely deserved it.

But that didn't mean I wasn't frustrated. Frustrated with every single one of Olivia's choices. Every single time Nicholas second guessed her motives. I also didn't like how weak Olivia was. I was promised a strong character what I got as a girl who threw her standards out the window. She was panting and begging for all the debauchery that Nicholas had awaiting her and sure, fine, but don’t bitch about it afterwards.

But while this book made me so angry at times I shook it violently, it was still adorable. I was desperate for Nicholas and Olivia to figure their shit out. I was fully invested in everything that was happening in this novel. Olivia may have been weak0willed and a desperate sex fiend but I wanted her to be happy, specifically with Nicholas. I was unable to put this book down and I think anyone else who like saucy romances will like this book too.

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Homecoming Book Review

Homecoming (Winterspell #1.5)

By Claire Legrand

Book Format: ebook

Time to Finish: less than an hour

✨✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

I would recommend you check out my review on the first book: Winterspell before reading this one

This epilogue to Winterspell picks up about a year after the events in the first book and is about how Clara returns to Cane and to Nicholas.

Of course I adored this little epilogue. It had everything I was missing. Granted Clara still found a way to ruin things and be awkward with Nicholas just by dithering about whether or not she should stay or whether or not she liked the attention she got. And of course she had waited a while to go to him and time runs differently in Cane so he aged while she didn’t. So we have her at her same immaturity and he older and wiser, and of course, hotter. She doesn’t know why he wants her (I don’t know either, but whatever) or why the people are worshipping her (Again, me either, cause she wasn’t all that helpful), or how to be a queen/ruler, but she’s gonna figure it out because Nicholas is hot and you don’t pass that kind of thing up.

It basically took that “Whhhaaatt?” feeling I had at the end of the series and turned it into a warm “awwww” type feeling which I think ends this series quite nicely.

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P.S. I Still Love You Book Review

P.S. I Still Love you (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before #1)

By Jenny Han

Book Format: Hardcover

Time to Finish: 1 day

✨✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

I would recommend you check out my review on the first book To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before before reading this one.

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter. She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever. When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

Well, Jenny Han’s done it to me again. I said I wouldn’t by anymore books and then this book came out and there I am, buying more books. This one was worth it though. The character development was spot on for a set of high schoolers and the writing was absolutely sublime.

I was, however, a little distressed by the harassment and the drama that did happen in the book. I understood that she was confused about Peter, worried that he might still think this a game, even though he said over and over that he wasn’t. I understood that him hanging out with that Bitch Genevieve did not help things. And with the added pressure of Johnny showing up again out of the blue, being ridiculously handsome and charming to boot, and of course, interested in our dear Lara Jean it just made everything a complete and utter mess.

I supposed what upset me the most was everything with Genevieve. He was saying how much he wanted to be with Lara Jean but spent all of his time with Genevieve, letting her manipulate him, letting her make things worse with Lara Jean. I guess that he’s trying to be a nice person, but when someone is that much of a snake you don’t choose them over your girlfriend.

Still I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed seeing where the story went and how things got settled. It answered the questions left open in the first book and opened up more questions for the third book. And I’d still recommend this series to anyone who wants a sweet and easy read.

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The Ice Child Book Review

The Ice Child (Fjällbacka #9)

By Camilla Lackberg

Book Format: Hardcover

Time to Finish: 1 day

✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

I would recommend you check out my review on the previous book: Fallen Angels before reading this one.

SEE NO EVIL

It’s January in the peaceful seaside resort of Fjällbacka. A semi-naked girl wanders through the woods in freezing cold weather. When she finally reaches the road, a car comes out of nowhere. It doesn’t manage to stop.

HEAR NO EVIL

The victim, a girl who went missing four months ago, has been subjected to unimaginably brutal treatment – and Detective Patrik Hedström suspects this is just the start.

SPEAK NO EVIL

The police soon discover that three other girls are missing from nearby towns, but there are no fresh leads. And when Patrik’s wife stumbles across a link to an old murder case, the detective is forced to see his investigation in a whole new light

Well I'm back. And I'm here under duress. As per usual, I'm doing the Pop Sugar 2018 challenge and one of the challenges was to read a Nordic Noir. So… kinda got punished here. I figured if I was going to read one of these horrible novels I'd pick a novel that I was at least familiar with. And Bam, here's me punishing myself with this series again.

If Popsugar could stop giving the Nordic Noir challenge anymore I'd be forever grateful.

I will say that Erika was a lot less whiney in this novel, which was a miracles upon miracles. But the rest of the characters, they were all sorts of fucked up. I don't think (other than our main cast) that I liked a single one of them.

The mystery was what kept me going. I wanted to know what happened… kind of… I was mostly dreading it to be honest. The twist at the end made no sense to me. The twist that came after it was even worse. The mystery left me empty, I had no idea what to think, but I know the answers that were given weren't enough. Punishment should have been given and I'm not even sure what happened with the Father-in-law who started it all.

This particular novel was filled with nasty things. Worms and maggots disguised as words that made my skin crawl. And if that's what the author intended then by all means, she did a great job. But for right now I'll pray that I never have to read another one of these books ever again.

*Not related to the book but….* I saw the Author picture on the back flap and DAMN Camilla Lackberg is hot! I'm not sure what I was expecting but that was not it! Good for you Mrs. Lackberg!

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Dan and Phil Go Outside Book Review

Dan & Phil Go Outside

By Daniel Howell & Phil Lester

Book Format: Hard cover

Time to Finish: Less than an hour

✨✨✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

Dan Howell and Phil Lester, avoiders of human contact and direct sunlight, actually went outside. Travelling around the world on their Amazing Tour is not on Fire (which will henceforth be known as TATINOF), they have collected hundreds of exclusive, intimate and funny photos, as well as revealing and captivating side notes, to show the behind-the-scenes story of their adventure.

You know when YouTuber's start putting out books and the people not in their fanbase (or the ones that are in their fanbase but can't afford any of their merch) complain that they're just money grabbing? Well this can definitely be considered a money-grab but do I care? Hell no.

So this book was everything I didn't know I needed until it came out. It gave me more of an excuse to stare at Dan's face and really, who doesn't want that? And who doesn't like reading those witty #bants between our two favourite British YouTubers? Since reading this book the first time, I have re-read it at least twenty times, in which I just stared at all the cuteness and wondered how exactly it was that Dan managed to take the exact same selfie, in the exact same pose, in every venue they performed at. And it only got boring at some points when I couldn't have cared less what they were talking about and just wanted to see more pictures of Dan's face or Phil's cuteness.

My only problem? Well, not going to lie, it made me feel a bit like a stalker. Or that I should have moved to England to official stalk them or find a way to marry Dan. And as much as I love the things they put out, it's not fun realizing you're a major creep with celebrity-crush-delusions. (Dan Howell is a celebrity to me, don't anyone try to convince me otherwise.) But is any of this going to stop me from buying any other merch/books that they put out? HELL NO!

P.S.

Please send me money, Dan put out a new line of merch and I want EVERYTHING.

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Storm Front Book Review

Storm Front (Derrick Storm #4)

By Richard Castle

Book Format: Paperback

Time to Finish: 3 days

✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

With the help of a beautiful and mysterious foreign agent--with whom Storm is becoming romantically and professionally entangled--he discovers that Volkov's treachery has embroiled a wealthy hedge-fund manager and a U.S. senator.

In a heated race against time, Storm chases Volkov's shadow from Paris, to the lair of a computer genius in Iowa, to the streets of Manhattan, then through a bullet-riddled car chase on the New Jersey Turnpike. In the process, Storm uncovers a plot that could destroy the global economy--unleashing untold chaos--which only he can stop.

Do you want to know how much I like Richard Castle and the whole Castle Series? I bought this damn book. Was it worth it? Not really.

For starters, I've never liked spy books, why I thought I'd like this one was beyond me, but I was curious so I figured I'd give it a shot. Secondly, I made the big blunder of buying book #4 in the series and not #1. Did I miss a lot of plot devices? Hell yeah cause I only understood half of what was happening in his personal life and the other half was about finance, so this book basically went over my head.

The other problem was the writing. While it wasn't terribly bad, and it felt like it was being written like Richard Castle, it felt ACTUALLY like it was a written by a soap opera character. Not to mention that weird cross over with the characters from Nikki heat was annoying as well. In the TV show the Derrick Storm series was done, Derrick had been killed off, so what the hell? Also it felt super campy that Rook and Derrick hit it off, of course they would they're both based off of Castle for godsake. And then Volkov being a villain in both this book and the TV show, come on now!

I think from now on I'll stick to the Nikki Heat series, that's more my style.

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These Broken Stars Book Review

Avalon’s Book of the Month - March Edition

These Broken Stars (Starbound #1)

By Amie Kaufman

Book Format: Softcover

Time to Finish: a week

✨✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive – alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth.

This book shook me.

At the beginning I thought this was going to be another book I didn't like. The first couple of chapters dragged on. I didn't like Lilac, I had mixed feelings about Tarver (though I eventually fell super hard for him). By the middle of the book I was hooked. Those plot twists though. I expected one of them, but that second twist. That second twist is what did me in. I didn't see it coming and it wrenched my heart out so completely that I was left staring at the page wondering what the hell I just read and how it could be possibly that an author though it was okay to do that to her readers.

Now I'm left wanting more. I want more of Lilac standing up for herself. More of Tarver softening to her, becoming vulnerable, trusting her, and protecting her. One book wasn't enough but I've read the description of the other books in the series and Tarver and Lilac don't seem to be the main focus. I need another book about them. I need to see this through. They need their happy ending and I need to read it.

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Fallen Too Far Book Review

Fallen Too Far (Rosemary Beach #1)

By Abbi Glines

Book Format: Paperback

Time to Finish: 2 weeks

✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

The last thing Blaire Wynn wants is to move in with her father’s new family in Rosemary Beach, Florida. She has no choice. Blaire’s mother has passed away after a long illness, leaving behind a mountain of medical debts and no way for Blaire to keep their small Alabama farmhouse.

Driving into the wealthy resort town in a pickup truck with a pistol under her seat, Blaire knows she'll never fit in. She’s even more disappointed to discover that her father has left for Paris, leaving her with her new stepbrother, Rush Finlay. The cynical, condescending, and unapologetic son of an infamous rock star, Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous—and he immediately gets under Blaire’s skin.

But as the summer goes by, Blaire begins to see a side of Rush she never expected, and the chemistry between them becomes impossible to ignore. Unknown to her, Rush has a secret that could destroy Blaire’s entire world. Will she find out what he’s hiding before she falls too far?

I wanted to like this book, but like others in her series, I was promised a powerhouse woman and got a simpering blonde bimbo with a flood in her panties the second she meets a hot guy. On top of that they had an insta-love connection which was pretty weird considering they were step siblings and then just super obnoxious because they were very stupid about it.

It was hard because I don’t really have any characters that I was rooting for. I was constantly annoyed with Rush and Blaire, I hated Nan’s mother with a passion, Nan herself was a completely, insufferable bitch, and all the secondary characters were two-dimensional and flat in every way.

That scene at the end between Nan, her horrible mother and Blaire was absolutely heart wrenching. I’m not sure how shell get over it or trust Rush again, even though I know there are three more books centering around these two characters so obviously she does. That end scene with Rush and Blaire didn’t come off as heart felt, but instead completely stupid on her end.

The writing was Abbi’s standard—just enough description to tide me over but enough to make me think about it. The sex scenes—and be believe there were a lot of them—were her usual steamy but they got annoying as well. But that might have been because I thought these characters were just annoying. I’ve got the rest of the series so I will be reading them, so I hope they get less annoying in the next few books.

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Whatever Happened to Janie Book Review

Whatever Happened to Janie (Janie Johnson #2)

By Caroline B Cooney

Book Format: Paperback

Time to Finish: 1 day

✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

I would recommend you check out my review on the first book: The Face on the Milk Carton before reading this one.

As Janie Johnson glanced at the face of the ordinary little girl on the milk carton, she was overcome with shock. She recognized that little girl? It was she. How can it possibly be true? But it is.

With the mystery of her kidnapping now unraveled, Janie's story continues, and the nightmare is not over. No one can bring back or relive the 12 years gone by. The Spring family wants justice, but who is really to blame? The Johnsons know that they must abide by the court decisions made, but it's difficult to figure out what's best for everyone.

Janie Johnson or Jenny Spring? Who is she? Certainly there's enough love for everyone, but how can the two separate families live happily ever after?

This was an emotional rollercoaster of raw emotion and pain. In the second book of this series, Janie must live with her actions, both when she was three and when she decided to call the Spring's to inform them she was alive. It is in this book that we get a whole new perspective. It isn't just the Johnsons we see, but the springs. From the eyes of her older sister Jodie we see just how much the loos of her sister affect her parents, her older brother and Jodie herself. And just how Janie's decisions now are affecting them as well.

I wanted to sympathize with the Spring family and I understood their desire to have their daughter back. But I still thought they were quite selfish about the situation. The Johnsons were all Janie knew, her life, her friends and her school they were all states away. It was unfair and cruel to upend her whole life, try to force her to remember them and love them and then get mad when she just wanted to go back to the only home she remembered. I also didn't like how they made it about money, that she liked that other family more because the Johnsons were rich and the Spring's were not as well off. That was not the problem and they knew it.

But Janie was also hard to stomach as well. All she did was complain. I understood her trepidation but what did she think would happen? It wouldn't have killed her to try—either to fit in with the Spring's or just go home to where she felt she belonged. It was hard to listen to her dither—they were both good people and good families—they didn't deserve the pain she put them through.

I still maintain that if the Spring's had just give her time to adjust none of this would have happened.

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No Going Back Book Review

No Going Back

By Jayne Ann Krentz

Book Format: Paperback

Time to Finish: a week

✨✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

This is a compilation of two novels.

Soft Focus:

Elizabeth Cabot is all business. She knows how to maximize her investments and cut her losses - in both her career and her personal life.

So when she discovers that Jack Fairfax has deceived her, she's determined to end their relationship. Putting a stop to their budding romance is easy, but breaking up their business deal will be more difficult. Despite all her efforts, she has no luck disentangling herself from Jack's client company, Excalibur. But the situation becomes even more strained when a lethal act of sabotage threatens to put both their companies out of business for good.

Elizabeth is no fool. If she can help Jack save Excalibur, she'll recoup her substantial investment plus millions in profits. Putting her emotions aside, she insists on helping him search for the scientist who's disappeared with a valuable new crystal that could revolutionize their high-tech industry. She'll go in, solve the problem, and get out.

The trail leads Elizabeth and Jack to a fringe film festival, but their goal is as elusive as the shadowy black-and-white images from the classic noir films. Life starts to imitate art, and double-dealing seems to be the name of the game. For these business adversaries turned reluctant partners, keeping an eye on each other - and the lid on their sizzling attraction - seems the only insurance against further treachery. But with millions at stake, trust can turn to betrayal in the blink of an eye

After Dark:

Life is tough these days for Lydia Smith, licensed para-archaeologist. Seriously stressed-out from a nasty incident in an alien tomb, she is obliged to work part-time in Shrimpton’s House of Ancient Horrors, a very low-budget museum. She has a plan to get her career back on track, but it isn’t going well. Stuff keeps happening.

Take the dead body that she discovered in one of the sarcophagus exhibits. Who needed that? Finding out that her new client, Emmett London, is one of the most dangerous men in the city isn’t helping matters either. And that’s just today’s list of setbacks. Here in the shadows of the Dead City of Old Cadence, things don’t really heat up until After Dark.

I don't really have much to say about this collection. I've always loved Jayne Ann Krentz. I love her the most as Amanda Quick but I'll take this one. I picked up this book because I've been following the Ghost Hunter's series and it has the first of this series in it. I just happened to get a secondary book thrown in.

Now, while I love Jayne Ann Krentz, I can't read too many of her books at the same time. Why? Because they have the exact same plot line. Different twists, different locations, different names, but essentially they all follow the same flow. You know?

That didn't stop me from enjoying the stories. From loving the characters, even when the badass women were being annoying and the dark and mysterious men were being purposely obtuse. The sex scenes are beyond sexy, the stories are intriguing, so if you're looking for a quick, easy and steamy read this is the book for you.

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Tiger’s Quest Book Review

Tiger's Quest (Tiger Saga #2)

By Colleen Houck

Book Format: Softcover

Time to Finish: a month

✨✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

I would recommend you check out my review on the first book: Tiger's Curse before reading this one.

Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. Kelsey Hayes's eighteenth summer was crazy. The kind of crazy nobody would ever believe.

Aside From battling immortal sea monkeys and trekking the jungles of India, she fell in love with Ren, a 300-year-old prince.

When danger suddenly forces Kelsey on another Indian quest, with Ren's bad-boy brother, Kishan, the unlikely duo begins to question their true destiny. Ren's life hangs in the balance--so does the truth within Kelsey's heart.

Well… I'm not sure how to review this book.

On the one hand, the romance got better between Ren and Kelsey, but there was barely any action. You know what I did get? A girl dating 3 guys at once, with none of the guys—who all want her exclusively—complaining about it. I got an adventure that doesn't start for 200 pages and when it does it's overshadowed by a love triangle. I had an empty headed bimbo who was so focused on her two man toys that she met a goddess and barely batted an eyelash.

I wanted to like the romance between Ren and Kelsey but it was still so disgustingly sweet. I mean it got better in the sense that she admitted she wanted him and let him be her boyfriend, but other then that it still made me want to throw up. She just wouldn't stop going on about how handsome he was and how romantic he could be. And it got a little ridiculous when she was dating other people and still complaining about all of that.

A lot of things started happening just to be annoying. Like 150 pages of "I love Ren so much, I'll never get over him," and then a month in the jungle later she's saying the exact same thing about his brother. Bitch the fuck? And that villain. What the hell is wrong with their villain? He sounds like a bad guy off the Disney Channel.

It was all so aggravating that I could barely enjoy learning more about the mythical gods and creatures and all their stories.

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The Exceptions Book Review

The Exceptions (Melody Grace McCartney #2)

By David Cristofano

Book Format: Hardcover

Time to Finish: 3 days

✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

No loose ends. It's the Bovaro family motto. As part of the Bovaro clan, one of the most powerful and respected families in organized crime, Jonathan knows what he must do: take out Melody Grace McCartney, the woman whose testimony can lock up his father and disgrace his entire family. The only problem: he can't bring himself to do it.

Had Jonathan kept his silence, Melody and her parents would never have been identified and lured into the Witness Protection Program, able to run but never to hide. So he keeps her safe the only way he knows how-by vowing to clean up his own mess while acting as her shield.

But as he watches her take on another new identity in yet another new town, becoming a beautiful but broken woman, Jonathan can't get her out of his mind . . . or his heart. From the streets of Little Italy to a refuge that promises a fresh start, Jonathan will be forced to choose between the life he's always known, the destiny his family has carved out for him, and a future unlike anything he's ever imagined.

I'm sorry, but this book was just not for me. It just made me so angry.

firstly this novel was about nothing but betrayal and stalking—none of which is the basis for a good or healthy relationship. Which was what we were told he and Melody had. It was a Twilight-esque type romance where the guy did a series of creepy things that were later categorized as romantic, despite the fact that there were completely sane characters trying to offer a real relationship and advice.

Secondly, The strong male character I was promised was nothing but a Mafioso grown-in-the-business baby who was too easily manipulated to be a "strong" character. The secondary strong female character that was promised was just was weak. Melody was nothing more than a simpering, flighty, should-have-been-blonde bimbo who fell for the man who was the tattletale responsible for all the death in her life. Good job. The FBI handler she had was just a bastard. So there were no characters for me to root for, nothing for me to look for, and no outcome that I could have cared for.

So this book left me with barely any plot, except for 200 pages of stalking, and another 100 pages of making kidnapping look romantic, no character for me to like, and nothing to look forward to. I wish I could get the three days I spent trying to wade through this mess back, but I can't and now I'm doubly angry.

[avalonreadsbooks]

The Raven Book Review

The Raven (The Florentine #1)

By Sylvain Reynard

Book Format: Softcover

Time to Finish: 3 days

✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

Raven Wood spends her days at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery restoring fine works of Renaissance art. But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley. Raven is only semi-conscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attacker’s screams. Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her…

Cassita vulneratus.

When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed. She returns to the Uffizi, but no one recognizes her and more disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week. With no recollection of the events leading up to her disappearance, Raven also learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history – the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the baffled police force identifies her as its prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth about her disappearance. Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets…

I have this habit of picking up books simply because my name is in it somehow. In this case not only is my name the title, but it's the main character's name too. That didn't make me like this book though.

I wanted to like this main character. She had flaws and she was lovely with them. And then she got some vampire blood in her and became a non-deformed bombshell and then the only flaw she had was her completely and utter lack of common sense. And despite her complete and utter transformation people still recognized her.

She honestly made terrible decisions all the time. I don't know why she thought they were a good idea, or how she didn't just die three chapters in, but here we are, a full 400 pages later and we've ended on a cliffhanger. A cliffhanger I'm assured that no one wanted. No answers are given, more questions are posed and I'm left pissed off. Not to mention, even with the introduction of action and steamy sex, the pace of the book still didn't pick up. It felt like I was slogging through the words trying to stifle my yawning.

This book felt a lot like Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code just with vampires and some dumb bitch making an dumb choices. So if that's the kind of book you like, then this book is for you.

[avalonreadsbooks]

The Locket Book Review

The Locket (The Locket #1)

By K. J. Bell

Book Format: Kindle ebook

Time to Finish: a week

✨✨ handfuls of Fairy dust

Some things are just mean to be…

For seventeen year old Claire Blake, life never stood still long enough to make friends or fall in love. But all of that was about to change.

Maybe it’s the rumors her house is haunted or her parents are crazy that have Claire feeling like an outcast on her first day of school. Regardless, it’s obvious to Claire she’s not welcomed.

After meeting Brent Cassidy, she is drawn to him with irrefutable force, though they both adamantly attempt to deny it.

A series of supernatural events lead her to question her purpose in life. She’ll discover, love, friendship, and one’s importance is likely predetermined and undeniable.

I tried to like this book. I did. I mean, it was free, it promised me a cute romance, and while it was written beautifully the only thing it really had going for it was that it didn't end on a cliffhanger.

The main characters were terribly annoying. Their insta-love and constant professing of it was puke worthy. It didn't matter what decision it was, best believe Claire was going to fuck it up. And, of course, like typical high schoolers, Claire and Brent over reacted over everything that happened, but not in a good way.

There was an attempt at a plot twist that didn't go well, it just didn't make any sense. Out of nowhere every high school kid they had ever interacted with was magical and sent to help them? Even the guy who was labelled the bad guy for half of the book, who hated her? Okay? And then there was that supernatural/magic undercurrent that really made no sense and had a million plot holes and raised more questions than answered them. This was a rough book to read. Not going to lie.