Review: The Getaway List

The Getaway List by Emma Lord
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Riley is now a high school graduate with no real plans.  She got rejection letters from every college she applied to … even her safety schools.  Although she did get in trouble a few times in high school, she has strived to be a good kid for her mom.  In her first real act of rebellion, Riley decides to pack her bag and go to New York City for the weekend.  Her best friend, Tom, lives there and they haven’t seen each other in ages.  They also created The Getaway List while they lived apart and she thinks this is a good time to knock some of those adventures out of the way.  Riley quickly learns she needs more than a weekend … she is staying for the summer!

The Getaway List is a stand-alone romance that had me fully invested after only a few chapters and I kept returning to the book and thinking about it while doing other things.  This was a very clean romance that was primarily Riley and Tom not admitting they were attracted to each other.  Lord made New York City seem like a place where everyone should spend a summer.  I’m not condoning everyone going to NYC against their parent's wishes, but this escape read will have many readers wondering if they should.

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Review: The Trials of Ildarwood: Cinders in the Snow

The Trials of Ildarwood: Cinders in the Snow by S.C. Selvyn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dasia and Tannus truly want to get away.    They have heard that Ildarwood can be their escape, but they also know that few children survive the Trials.  Some soul-stealing hunters want to stop them from overcoming, but they must face their pasts to discover their true powers.  What secrets will they discover during their Trial? 

 The Trials of Ildarwood: Cinders in the Snow is a stand-alone story set in the world created by Selvyn.  I haven’t read any other stories set in this world, yet I was able to enjoy this story fully.  My main complaint is that the ending was rather abrupt.  This fantasy adventure was a wild ride throughout, yet as the end approached it felt forced.  This will not be a satisfying read for everyone, but for those also on an inner quest of self-discovery, it may be a mirror into their thoughts.

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Review: The Wall

The Wall by Brian Penn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In the not-so-distant future, the United States is in the middle of another civil war.  Technology has now made it possible to give people a second life and there is a wall that separates the rich from the poor.  Asher is a smuggler who wants to find a way out.  His chance has come; he must pretend to be a Zion soldier and beat an undefeated gladiator.  Will Asher become united with his love?  What lies will be uncovered?

The Wall is listed as a stand-alone dystopian novel in Goodreads, but the author’s note at the end tells readers it will be a trilogy.  This short book is action-packed and full of twists and turns.  I can’t say it is on par with some of the other great dystopian novels released recently, but for a freshman novel, it was good.  A firm choice if you just want a quick escape read.

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Review: I Am A Barbarian: The Forsaken Road

I Am A Barbarian: The Forsaken Road by Alex Evans
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Delta has only known the nomadic life as she travels the continent with her family.  At fourteen, it has been decided that she will attend a sorcery academy which will require its own new journey.  She will not be alone, but the path ahead has numerous dangerous creatures.  Even with all the risks … friendships are created.  What dark secrets will Delta uncover along the way?  Will Delta survive the perilous journey?

I Am a Barbarian is a stand-alone adventure that starts strong and fizzles out quickly.  It is a short read, so readers don’t have to give it a large commitment, but that is the only saving grace.  I wanted to like the book, the description sounded great, but I found my mind wandering constantly and I had to restart chapters to figure out what was going on.  I have to tell readers they probably should pass this one up.

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Review: The Hunting Moon

The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Winnie is now a local celebrity.  Everyone knows that she is the girl who jumped … and the girl who was bitten.  She should be happy that she is now accepted, but it doesn’t feel right and there is a new nightmare that is hunting the hunters.  Everyone believes the werewolf is at fault, but Winnie believes differently.  It doesn’t help that Winnie is also trying to unravel the weird clues her father left about the Dianas.  Who can Winnie trust?  How many people will die before the questions get answered?

The Hunting Moon is the second book in The Luminaries series.  This supernatural thriller will keep readers guessing as the protagonist uncovers lie upon lie.  Dennard takes the world she created in the first book and expands into more intrigue and additional family drama.  I will tell you the truth …  I don’t remember much about the first book, yet I was fully able to enjoy this story.  I don’t know if others will have the same experience, though.  A strong second book with many more possible.  

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Review: The Woman with a Purple Heart

The Woman with a Purple Heart by Diane Hanks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Annie has made a career being a nurse for the U.S. Army and has recently been transferred to Hickam Field in Oahu.  Most personnel stationed in Hawaii are happy to work in paradise, but Annie believes this is the Army’s way of telling her to retire.  She isn’t ready to retire, so she put her all into her new position.  When the attack on December 7^th leaves everyone scrambling, Annie has a steady mind and a calm demeanor.  Annie thinks outside the box and finds assistance in some unusual places, but afterward, her world is shaken again when a Japanese-American nurse is arrested and separated from her two children.  How will Annie react to the prejudice and injustice that followed the attack?

The Woman with a Purple Heart is a historical fiction story that takes some hard historical topics and places them in a well-written tale.  The chapters that include the attack are detailed without being gory and the events that follow are heart-rending and memorable.  Readers will finish this story and know that America has made some terrible decisions in the name of liberty and must learn from these errors before we make them again.

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Review: The Queen's Crown

The Queen's Crown by Jennifer Anne Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Princess Sabine is the sixth in line to the throne, so she doesn’t spend much time thinking about politics.  That is until her sister agrees to marry a neighboring king to help her country … and then is murdered before the wedding can occur.  Sabine wants to know who was responsible for her sister’s death, so she agrees to marry the king of Lynk to investigate it herself.  Will Sabine be able to discover who was behind the murder?  How will she adjust to a role she was never destined to hold? 

The Queen’s Crown is the first book in the League of Rulers series.  This fantasy novel had me captivated from the start and I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.  As the book neared the end and the story wasn’t slowing down, I knew that the second book would be a necessity.  This book was not a high fantasy, but it gives readers a lot to think about and includes many characters with hidden depths.  This book does end with a cliffhanger, and I wish the next book was already available. 

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