Review: The Siren

The Siren by Kiera Cass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I didn't realize this was her first novel. I went in wanting The Selection and was left disappointed. If you go in knowing this was her first unpublished novel, I think you will enjoy it more.

The story is ok. Sirens. Fantasy. Mythology. All interesting things. But the characters are not fleshed out enough for me, and it felt like a first attempt too often. Which is unfair, because it was her first attempt. The dialogue was off somehow. Amateurish and it pulled me away from the story. But the part that really bugged me was Akinli's name. The spelling, the oddness of it. Every time I saw his name my brain made me stop and sound it out to remind me how to say it. Hey, weird names do that to me. I feel like she would have made a different choice now that her writing has matured, but maybe not.

The story was fine and there is the HEA you would expect. 2.5 stars.

View all my reviews

Review: Curse of the Pharaohs

Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

More adventures with my favorite couple, Peabody and Emerson. If my husband and I were Egyptologists in the late 1800s, we would be them. I love their bickering and unabashed love.

They have returned to Luxor, leaving young Ramses in the care of Emerson's brother and his wife. Not necessarily a call I would have made, but hey, it was a different time. Plus, this is fiction. Superstition, murder, and grave plundering abound, as you might expect if you read the first book. If you didn't, stop reading this review and read book 1 instead.

A fun series! 3.5 stars.

View all my reviews

Shadows (The Rephaim #1)

Shadows by Paula Weston

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


So, I went on a blind date with Rafa, and I really enjoyed myself. Hellions and all.

Gaby has lost her brother and most of her memories, and is trying to put her life back together in Australia. But you can't run from your past, as she quickly finds out. Too bad she can't remember anything about it.

Angels, demons, sexy guys, and fight scenes. I liked it. I especially liked Rafa. Jason was ok, don't get me wrong, but Rafa hit all of the right notes for me. What can I say, I like my relationships with a little sass. Now to track down book 2.



View all my reviews

Storming the Castle (Fairy Tales #1.5)

Storming the Castle by Eloisa James

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


"And they all lived happily ever after." Just like I like my romances. I'm a sap. Don't judge.

Cute follow up to A Kiss at Midnight--this time starring Wick. We have a slightly modern woman in Phillipa Damson, running from a marriage looming in her future to make her own way. She runs right into the nearby castle to assist the princess with her ailing infant. Luckily for everyone, Phillipa's uncle is a skilled, if unconventional, physician, and she uses what she's learned from him to save the baby. Wick, like everyone, is impressed by this undercover lady posing as a nanny. Misunderstandings and flirtations abound, and we come to the conclusion we knew was coming and hoped for. Like all fairy tales, they all seem to live happily ever after.



View all my reviews

Fallen (Fallen #1)

Fallen by Lauren Kate

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Well, I find myself a bit underwhelmed by the kick off to this series. Color me disappointed.

It's not necessarily the characters. I liked Luce, I liked Daniel, and I loved Penn. It wasn't the setting. The boarding school was interesting and colorful. And I didn't hate the writing style. I can't put my finger on what was lacking, but I find myself torn about continuing to book 2. Maybe it was the whole over-the-topness of the good vs.evil, maybe it was because I wanted more backstory. Anyway, lukewarm for me at best. 2 1/2 stars for the gorgeous cover.



View all my reviews

Valkyrie Rising (Valkyrie #1)

Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Elsa, Warrior Princess, finds herself in Norway. Who doesn't love a Norse mythology book? Apparently me.

You are looking at an average teen drama. Romance, eye-rolling dialogue, angst and self-doubt. Elsa is spending the summer with her kick-ass grandmother in Norway. Conveniently, her crush is tagging along by way of her big brother. Can you feel the tension? I know I could. When she arrives she begins to discover the power within her. Elsa is a Valkyrie, and a pretty powerful one, just like her grandmother. When the town is in trouble, she and her grandmother team up to save the world. Lots of potential here to tell an interesting story but it got lost in the teen angst. A pity, because I saw glimpses of a good story along the way. But Ellie's character was too whiny and meek for me, and her transformation fell flat. Loki and her grandmother were interesting, but the rest just missed the mark.

In the end, it was just ok. 2 stars.



View all my reviews

The Crossing Places (Ruth Galloway #1)

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I picked up this book because I thought it would be a fantastic book. Archaeology? Check. Mystery? Check. Series? Check. I wanted to love it. I just like it.

Ruth is a forensic archaeologist, which is fascinating to me. I'm a bit jealous, actually. But this series hasn't crossed into "favorite series" territory for me, at least not yet. My nitpicks: Ruth constantly complains about her weight and is jealous of basically all other women in the world because of it, despite having men hitting on her all of the time. She has a real beef with her parents because they are Born Again Christians. You are nearly 40, Ruth. Be an adult, accept that they hold different beliefs than you, and move on. Or cut ties. And I have a real issue with violence against animals and children, and extra-marital affairs. This book hits all of my hot buttons. But I bought the first four books before reading any of them, so I will at least read through those before giving up on Ruth and company.

(And the mystery did keep me guessing--it had a lot of twists and red herrings, so that's nice.)



View all my reviews

The Queen of Attolia (The Queen's Thief #2)

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I was told by many people that book 2 in the series is stronger than book 1. I'm not sure I agree, but I can see how it would hold a different appeal. The Queen of Attolia is a different type of book than The Thief--more "politics of the kingdoms" instead of a traveling adventure heist. The political maneuverings were interesting and the 3rd-person perspective gave things a more well-rounded feel, but still something was missing for me.

I can't quite put my finger on why I don't love these books. While I enjoy the storyline and the characters, there is something that doesn't connect with me about the writing style. The pacing is slow and steady, even when it should be exciting like an escape or a battle. And both books lacked in details so I kept feeling like I had missed something along the way. I still like the series and I will continue reading, but it could easily fall into 4 star territory and it's missing the mark so far, and almost verging into 2 stars instead.

I did enjoy Eugenides more than I did in The Thief. I felt we got more insights into him this time around and I thought she did a good job with the portrayal of his PTSD. Oddly, this made him a more likable character to me. Rather than immediately move past things after the action in the beginning, we get insights into how Eugenides is coping, or not coping with his return to Eddis. It helped me to better understand him. But I still felt a lack of insight into Attolia. I understood more about Eddis than I did about her. I needed more information to truly accept the ending from both Eugenides and Attolia's perspective. It felt a bit like, "Surprise! Here's all of the things you didn't know. The End. Read book 3 to find out what you missed in book 2!"

I know it sounds like I hate the series, but I really don't. I like it, and the books are well-written, but something is lacking. Maybe I will feel differently about book 3.




View all my reviews

The Lost Code (The Atlanteans #1)

The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

You know it doesn't bode well for a book when I make the comment halfway through, "Having a hard time not putting this in my "abandoned" shelf. Horrible dialogue, no likable characters." Sadly, the characters did not improve, the dialogue was terrible, and the premise, while interesting, fell extremely short of the mark.

Owen Parker won a lottery to attend a summer camp in one of the domed cities of the post-apocalypical United States. Our environment is ruined, and the rich can buy their way into living in one of the domes. Fifteen-year-old Owen was possibly the worst part of this book. His inner dialogue was more fitting for an 10-year-old, not someone who is 15. Seriously, dude, you almost drown, you discover a huge secret about yourself, and you find yourself wondering if you are in love with a girl who nearly let you die? Who you have talked to once? Geesh. Get out of here.

The bad guys were bad, the good guys were good, and the simplicity of those lines kept me from caring overly much. I won't be reading book 2. We gave it a good try, but it just didn't work out.

View all my reviews

Sea of Monsters

Rick Riordan; 3 stars
New York