Review: Cold-Hearted Rake

Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this novel, but I don't think it is a story I will think about much now that I've finished it. I will likely read the next in the series because the characters were interesting and engaging.

Devin and Kathleen seemed to have an immediate attraction, something common in romance novels, and it took a while for me to believe it was real. Once I started believing it I really enjoyed the story. I like that the author started mixing in the story of the next novel so that you would become interested in their story and read about them.

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Review: Think Like a Freak: How to Solve Problems, win Fights and Be a Slightly Better Person

Think Like a Freak: How to Solve Problems, win Fights and Be a Slightly Better Person by Steven D. Levitt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read Freakenomics years ago, and thought this one would be interesting. I enjoyed the stories and thought it was sound advice. I didn't think it was anything new, except for maybe the end.

Quitting is something many people struggle with. It is easiest to maintain the status quo but that isn't always the right thing to do. When they looked at quitting and making decisions, I thought it was interesting that people who quit were often happier. This might be the push I needed to quit and start over with something that will make me happier.

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Review: The Troublemaker Next Door

The Troublemaker Next Door by Marie Harte
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was an enjoyable read, but different from what I normally read. I realized reading it that while I enjoy it, I like historical romance novels more than contemporary romance.

Maddie and Flynn were fun characters, but I didn't feel like the relationship was real. It felt like it was more about the sex and less about the emotions. The author tried to make it about emotions and how the characters felt about each other, but the amount of sex and dirty talk took away from the emotions and made them seem a little less real to me.

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Review: The Spymaster's Lady

The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The cover of this book does not fit with the story. Not even a little bit. I found that to be a bit disappointing. The story of Annique and Gray was interesting and I liked how they meet. Something I found very nice about the story was it was slow to reveal details about the characters. The point of view was from both Annique and Gray so we get peaks of the characters an outside observer.

I think the story moved slowly at points, and I wanted the romance to progress a little quicker. For a romance novel this was pretty tame, and the build up didn't seem to match the release at the end.

I'm not sure I will be reading more from this author. I did enjoy this novel, it just wasn't as good as I would have hoped.

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Review: The Inventor's Secret

The Inventor's Secret by Andrea Cremer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this steampunk story set after the failed American war for independence. At first I didn't realize this was set in the past because it had more technology that would have been available at the time. When I realized it was set in the 1800s it was because of the talk about generations of families after the failed attempt to gain independence from Britain. I thought this was an interesting take on an alternative history.

I liked the characters in this novel. Ash, Jack, and Charlotte were fun to spend time with and I liked seeing the relationship between Jack and Charlotte change. Truthfully it had already started changing by the time the book opens. Charlotte, as the narrator, is just not ready to admit it yet so we don't see it.

I'm looking forward to continuing the series and seeing where it leads.

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Review: Grave Mercy

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love the tag on this book, "Why be the sheep when you can be the wolf?" It doesn't give you the best idea of what will happen in the story, but it is a good introduction to our narrator Ismae, who is not going to be the pray. After a rough start to life, she joins the convent of St. Mortain, the god of death, and learns to become an assassin. During an assignment she has a run in with Gavriel Duval, and she is assigned to travel with him as his mistress to try and find out what treason is plaguing the Brittany court.

I liked how she has some small powers like immunity to poison, the ability to speak with souls of the dead, and the ability to see if people's souls are true. Duval was also an interesting character. At times I found Ismae to act rashly and without thinking, but Duval was steady. The contrast between them added to the enjoyment of the novel and their feelings for each other.

This novel started off a little bit slow, but it quickly picked up. I enjoyed it immensely and will look for the next in the series.

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Review: Say Yes to the Marquess

Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the story and the characters. Who doesn't like a good cake fight? I enjoyed the cake fight. This was a light story and the characters were engaging and fun to spend time with. Rafe and Clio are both strong willed and want to get their way. The attraction between them is passionate yet gentle. I like it when you see multiple sides to a relationship as it grows. I did not think this novel was as strong as the first in the series, Romancing the Duke, but I still enjoyed the story.

My biggest objection to this book is the title. I thought only the oldest inherited the title, and Rafe is the second son. Thus he is not the Marquess. It just seemed like the wrong title for the book.

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Review: The Glass Maker's Daughter

The Glass Maker's Daughter by V. Briceland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book started out slow, and I felt like the vocabulary, sentence construction, and story were a little clunky. As the story progressed, around page 50, things picked up and I started really enjoying the novel. I think part of my dislike for the beginning of the novel was it was very descriptive and the story didn't feel like it was going anywhere. It took time for the story to open and the characters to develop. I wanted to like the book to start with but it wasn't until the characters started doing things that it got interesting to me.

I liked Milo, Camilla, and Risa. The story is told in third person from Risa's point of view. Risa was a little difficult at first, but she ended up being a fun character. I liked the slow romance between Risa and Milo. Camilla, Milo's older sister, was less developed, but she the one character I liked most in the story.

I liked the world the story was set in. Seven families who pledge their fealty to the crown through blowing a horn each night. This also keeps their home intact. I'll be interested to see the back story of the country developed as the series continues. I wasn't sure about this book at first, but I think I'll be reading the next in the series.

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Review: Can You Keep a Secret?

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was funny. I actually laughed out loud while I was reading it. The premise of the story is fun. Makes me think of the once a secret is out it isn't really as secret anymore. This novel plays on that to build a romance.

I sat down and read this in one sitting. Hey, it's the weekend and I needed a break. Also, it was nice getting to know these characters. Jack being Emma's boss was funny. He knows all the things she doesn't like about the office and it leads to some hilarious interactions.

This is not the best novel I've every read but I enjoyed it immensely for what it was, a light, feel good, read.

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Review: Fire Study

Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure if this book would hold up after I enjoyed the last two books the the study series so much. I found I liked this one just as much. I did think Yelena might have learned to rely on people a little more.

Valek and Yelena are great characters. I find myself really enjoying their interactions and when they weren't together in the narrative I was sad. However, they spent a good deal of the novel together. I'm also glad we got to spend more time with Leaf in this book.

Lastly, Kiki is an amazingly smart horse.

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Review: After You

After You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review contains spoilers for book one in the series.

I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book. I loved the audio book version of Me Before You and I just wasn't sure how a second book could add to the story. I ended up really liking this story, and I think seeing the grieving process added something to the story that I had not thought of before. Grief is all around us and it is often silent and not acknowledged. This book showed a different side, one I think is more realistic.

Lou is a fun but different character in this novel. I liked seeing her get over Will and move on with her life as he would have wanted. While I did not need this novel and didn't think it was as strong as the first novel, I still enjoyed the audio book immensely. I know many people aren't recommending the book but I think it worth seeing Lou engaging with life again and opening up again. Also, Sam is a great character. I would recommend this book because it adds nicely to the story.

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Review: Magic Study

Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes I need a break after reading a book in a series before I start the next one. This series did not feel that way to me. I wanted more of Yelena and Valek. This book had a different feeling than the first book did, but I still enjoyed it. I want to jump right into the next book in the series after finishing this one.

The setting is interesting and the characters are well developed. I enjoyed seeing Sitia after getting to know Ixia in the last novel. The two countries are very different, and I can see the appeal in each.

I have one thing that struck me as a little off in this book and the first. At the end of the first book the relationship between Yelena and Valek starts, and I had a hard time with Valek calling Yelena "love". I'm not sure why but it didn't quite sound right to me. Valek's dialogue sounds natural but I have a hard time with him calling someone "love." It started to feel a little more natural in this book. The relationship between Yelena and Valek, it's just that one word that caught me as off for the character. I am really enjoying their relationship, and I'm looking forward to it developing further in the last novel.

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Review: Merrow

Merrow by Ananda Braxton-Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Small and full of lore this book tells a darker story of finding the truth that fits. The story is set on an island that is isolated and as only isolated places can be full of stories to explain odd happenings.

Neen is 12 years old and our narrator. As she is coming of age she struggles with her mother's disappearance and her own skin condition. Her Aunt has separated them from the town and they live a relatively isolated life. This was a slow story and darker than I would have expected from a child narrator. I enjoyed that the story did not take the mythical mermaid story and turn it into more than a story.

The sea in this story is almost a character in and of itself and the setting was magical while still being very real. I am glad I pick this book up to read, but I'm not sure I'll be reading more by the author. It is different from what I normally enjoy and while good it was a little dark for my current taste.

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