Review: Perilous Times

Perilous Times by Thomas D. Lee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sir Kay has been reborn into our present and is looking for his next quest.  What does he find?  A world torn apart politically and an earth that is getting too warm.  If that wasn’t enough, a dragon has gotten loose and is wreaking its own kind of havoc.  Mariam has focused her life to fight against those doing wrong to the planet.  When these two join forces … well, the system has something to fear.  Other knights have been reborn, Excalibur is still hidden, and King Arthur is asleep.  What changes are in the works for our planet? 

Perilous Times is a stand-alone fantasy adventure that fans of Arthurian legends will devour.  This is a longer read, but since it is a one-and-done, that makes the adventure that much more appealing.  Readers will get to visit with Merlin, the Lady of the Lake, Lancelot, and others.  The question is:  What would happen in our present world if the Knights of the Round Table returned?  Read this book to find out. 

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Review: The Iron Vow

The Iron Vow by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Meghan and her friends are at it again in a new realm where their glamour is slowly leaving them and Nightmares are real.  As they become less powerful and the residents of Evenfall go against them, they wonder if they will find the Nightmare King in time.  What truths will they discover?  What risks will they need to take?

The Iron Vow is the third book in the Evenfall trilogy and the tenth book in the Iron Fey series.  Kagawa starts this book with a very descriptive prologue that gives readers a quick fly-by of the first set of books and I found it unnecessary.  Then, throughout the story, there are flashbacks to events that were already portrayed in other books.  I don’t think these reviews were needed.  If a reader wants to jump into book ten, then they should expect to be confused.  Otherwise, it was a good finale with a chance to revisit some beloved characters.

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Review: Four Found Dead

Four Found Dead by Natalie D. Richards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jo has just finished her final shift.  After closing down, the Tempest Theaters and the attached mall are scheduled to be demolished.  When the power goes out and their manager disappears they are stuck without any keys and their phones are still in the theater safe.  Then they find a co-worker dead.  Now they must escape into the shuttered mall and try and find an unrestricted exit.  Who will make it out?

Four Found Dead is a thriller where you know how many are going to die and you are trying to figure out who is next.  It isn’t hard to believe that the situation would happen and readers will wonder how they would react to each of the events.  Richards did a wonderful job inserting information about each character as it was needed instead of trying to develop them early on.  A fast-paced read that will leave readers breathless at the end.

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Review: In an Orchard Grown from Ash

In an Orchard Grown from Ash by Rory Power
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Rhea and Lexos have lost their father and their kingdom.  They now find themselves on opposite sides of the rising rebellion and are in search of people they can trust.  Can these twins push past their pain and reunite their kingdom?  Are they beyond saving?  In an Orchard Grown from Ash is the second book in the Argyrosi duology.  I love fantasies and I love stories based on ancient myths, but I did not love this book.  I found my mind wandering and forced myself to back up and start chapters again.  Even when I got to the end, I wondered why I finished.  The first book was good but this one fell flat.

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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.  

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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.

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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.

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