Review: The Isles of the Gods

The Isles of the Gods by Amie Kaufman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Selly wants to sail the seas, just like her father, but he has left her behind for his own adventure.  When a stranger with magician marks comes aboard and requests a secret sailing, Selly believes she has an adventure ahead of her.  Everything starts easy, but soon events occur that bring countries close to war.  Can Selly trust this stranger?  Will the gods be appeased and stay asleep?

The Isles of the Gods is the first book in the series with the same name.  This fantasy adventure was captivating and heart-pounding as the main characters traipsed across their waters in the hope of pleasing their gods.  Kaufman’s world-building was smooth and effortless as the story progressed.  The chapters alternated narrators, so readers need to pay attention to who’s vantage point they are reading.  This was a good start to a new series.  

View all my reviews

Review: Miles Morales Suspended: A Spider-Man Novel

Miles Morales Suspended: A Spider-Man Novel by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Miles Morales might have spidey superpowers, but that doesn’t mean he is exempt from in-school suspension.  As if in-school suspension isn’t bad enough, some of his classmates appear to have problems of their own and his spidey sense is telling him that there is something supernatural underway.  Are the other students’ issues related to why Miles ended up in ISS? 

Miles Morales Suspended is another book in the Spider-Man universe that can be read as part of the series or as a stand-alone novel.  This book is written in prose and verse which makes it very easy to fly through.  I did not read the other Miles Morales books before this one and had no problem following the storyline, even when previous events were mentioned.  The overall storyline is ho-hum and when I finished the book I felt like it was missing too much.  A good escape for Spider-Man fans, but this book isn’t going to draw in new readers.

View all my reviews

Review: Shell Beach

Shell Beach by Davis Bunn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Noah must rebuild his life.  After losing his business and his marriage … he decides he wants to rebuild a boat.  Jenna has a calling as an end-of-life nurse.  She is devoted to her patients for however long they are in her care.  When her most recent charge dies, his family descends to take over his fortune.  He leaves her a yacht, but it is destroyed with no insurance.  Noah buys it with the intent to return it to its former glory.  As these two begin to rebuild their lives and the boat, they discover new truths about themselves and each other.

Shell Beach is the eighth book in the Miramar Bay series.  Although all the books take place in the same region, they do not need to be read in publication order to fully enjoy the stories.  This book could easily be devoured as a stand-alone story and there is action, mystery, and a little romance included.   This is not a very long novel and can certainly be finished over a weekend or while relaxing after work.

View all my reviews

Review: Someone Is Always Watching

Someone Is Always Watching by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Blythe and her friends are very close.  They almost have to be since they attend a very small and private school for kids of a tech company.  After a violent act causes a rift between two in their group … their group dynamic changes … and then Gabrielle is discovered with their dead principal and doesn’t remember what happened.  Each of them is starting to have strange memories resurface and they question everything about their families.  Which memories are real and which are not?  Who can the friends trust?

Someone is Always Watching is a stand-alone mystery that was a little slow in getting started but kept me reading once it took off.  Readers must suspend disbelief because although this is not technically sci-fi, there are some scientific/technical things happening that can’t happen right now (or can they?).  Armstrong has written a strong young adult mystery that is relatively easy to read without any red flags for cautious readers.  A good read but not to be rushed to the top of a TBR list.  

View all my reviews

Review: Silver in the Bone

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tamsin never wanted to be a thief.  Unfortunately, she has no magical talent and thievery was the only thing her foster father taught her … before he disappeared.  She has kept it together, barely, for ten years when she hears a rumor about what he was looking for.  This powerful ring was connected to an Arthurian legend and might be the key to breaking a curse on her brother.   Other Hollowers are looking for this ring and Tamsin must pair up with Emrys to hunt the ring down.  They must overcome dark magic and deep secrets while also attempting to save her brother.

Silver in the Bone is the first book in a series with the same name.  This fantasy novel has many Arthurian legend components, but it isn’t a story of King Arthur.  I just want to clear this up before you go into it thinking it is.  Bracken has taken liberty with many Camelot stories and crafted a completely independent tale.  Even readers who are only loosely knowledgeable about King Arthur and Camelot can enjoy this story.  Silver in the Bone is a fresh twist on an old legend.

View all my reviews

Review: In Nightfall

In Nightfall by Suzanne Young
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Theo and Marco got caught throwing a party and now they have to spend the summer in Nightfall, Oregon with their dad and grandmother.  Not only is it miles away from their friends in Arizona, but they have a population of a whopping 846!  They quickly learn that their grandmother is antisocial and very superstitious, but they plan to make the most of their summer.  There is something off about the girls in this town and Theo wonders if she should be listening to her grandmother’s warnings after all.

In Nightfall is a stand-alone supernatural novel that was a fun escape without being a deep read.  I found myself laughing at the beginning when they said “welcome to Nightfall” because I was wondering if I was reading the “Welcome to Night Vale” book.  This is not gory or scary, but readers should enjoy the supernatural element throughout.  The story is wrapped up well and I don’t think there is a need for this to become a series.

View all my reviews