#BookReview The Father by Brett Williams

The Father by Brett Williams is a unique take on a generational story.

I did not enjoy this book as much as I hoped to. The book was written in a tone that just didn’t fit with me personally, but it is a great book. The story follows a family through the generation, with each section building on each other. I found the first section of this book to be incredibly hard to read, and I felt very bored. I put this book down many times because I just couldn’t get into it. There were sentence fragments all over (it didn’t help that I was editting my English paper during the week I was reading this book), and it just didn’t connect with me. The second and third sections of this book were a lot easier to read for me, but I worried that I was just going to give up on the book in the first section when I couldn’t connect.

The second half of the book is where all of my interest picked up. If there was anything I could recommend for this book, it’s for Brett to capture our attention early in the novel so readers don’t put the book down. I understand the first bit of the novel was needed to introduce a lot of the back story, but this could have been woven in throughout the story.

The story does look at a lot of themes and issues throughout the over one hundred year span. I really loved how descriptive and interesting the topics and thoughts were throughout the novel. Those comments are often lacking in novels nowadays, so seeing some sensitive topics touched upon was a nice change.

The “unevenness” for this book is the reason why my score is lower. I easily got bored and confused as I read the novel, and when I pulled myself away from it for a couple days it was just as hard to get back into it. I hope the next novel in this series keeps the faster pace and is more exciting, because I think Brett Williams is a good writer! This series definitely deserves some love!

Overall, this book was not for me. The style and tone didn’t match with my reading style, but it was still a great book that is probably someone else’s favourite novel!!!

Two out of five stars.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

 

Comment below with your favourite fiction novel!

Check out another review you might enjoy! #BookReview Do Not Ask by Elaine Williams Crockett

Use the hashtags #BriarsReviews and #TheFather to chat about this review on twitter! @ReviewAlholic

Check out this trilogy now! http://www.thefathertrilogy.com/

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#BookReview The Mountain Man’s Badge

 

 

The Mountain Man’s Badge (book #3) packs a real punch as the third book in this spectacular series.

This series is one of my recent favourites, and I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t picked up a great thriller novel in the past year! Gary Corbin makes an exciting, fast paced novel with characters that pull at your heart strings. Seeing Lehigh and Stacy develop over these three books has been a truly magical journey, and I love that Gary put a lot of effort into making these story lines.

This time around Lehigh is becoming the Sheriff (and is being voted into a position). Politics, drama and hysteria ensue throughout this novel that will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat and wanting more! I was a little saddened that Stacy wasn’t as involved in this book as I would have liked (or the dogs for that matter), but the book still kept the thrills alive following Lehigh.

When Lehigh has to arrest his father-in-law, his relationship with Stacy is on the rocks. Having this relationship change and not just be true, happy-ending romance was nice to see. It changes these characters and makes for a more interesting plot. This also assists in introducing new characters and unique plot devices to add to the intensity.

There are some unique twists and turns in this book that I didn’t see coming. These books tend to make me examine every little comment and try to come up with the ending. If you’re really keen, you might be able to figure these little mysteries out! It’s a nice change to be able to let me imagination run wild while reading these books.

Now for the real question – can you read this book without reading the other three? Yes, but it’s not as good. While I think jumping in at the second book of the series would work fine, I don’t recommend jumping in from this book. I found it less easy to jump into without the background information, and it wouldn’t pack as good of a punch. While Gary is the master of filling in the blanks, I just don’t think this book would be as good to the reader without seeing this series as a whole. All three books tie the story together very well, and I think this series is meant to be read as just that – a series.

I really hope there is more to this series – I find Stacy and Lehigh truly incredible: Each book ups the stakes for these characters! I’m not sure where they would go next, but I think Gary is creative enough to add more to that story. Although, this also felt like a really nice, dramatic closing for these guys. Either way, I want to see more by Gary Corbin and more people need to pick up his books! This man has a real talent for telling a great story!

Who would I recommend this to? Those who love mystery, crime and thrillers! It has a slight pinch of romance, but not so much that you’ll be wondering why “romance” isn’t one of the tags. That is simply a side plot that adds to the characters and their development. The book isn’t R rated by any means, so I think it’d be safe for teenagers to hop into!

Overall, this series is an A+ rated series by my standards. It has everything I want in it – real drama, character development, some action, and a dash of politics. Stacy and Lehigh aren’t Mary Sue’s or Plain Janes, which really adds to the rating for this book.

Five out of five stars!

I received a free copy of this book from the author Gary Corbin in exchange for an honest review.

 

Check out Gary Corbin on his website: http://www.garycorbinwriting.com/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garycorbin1

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-corbin-176b17

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+GaryCorbin/posts

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2046490-gary

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/GaryCorbin

Or give us both a shout out on Twitter! @GaryCorbin & @ReviewAlholic

 

Check out this book on Amazon (out June 20th, 2018): Amazon.ca – The Mountain Man’s Badge , Amazon.com – The Mountain Man’s Badge

Haven’t read the first two books in this series? Find them on Amazon now!

The Mountain Man’s Dog (#1): Amazon.ca – The Mountain Man’s Dog , Amazon.com – The Mountain Man’s Dog

The Mountain Man’s Bride (#2): Amazon.ca – The Mountain Man’s Bride , Amazon.com – The Mountain Man’s Bride

 

Comment below – have you read any novels by Gary Corbin?

 

 

#BookReview Gotham City Sirens: Book One by Paul Dini

I have always been a big fan of Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Catwoman and the Riddler. So, lucky me, this book did not leave me disappointed! I am craving the next book in this series wildly – now I’ll just have to find it.

This ensemble works well together and are quite amusing. Yes, there are some aspects of this book that I didn’t like (*cough* their body types *cough*), but you get what you get with comic books. I don’t like that Harley isn’t very smart, but that seems to be her portrayal often in the media (before Suicide Squad, that is). She also doesn’t seem to be the main focus, which is kind of sad. Harley Quinn is just as important as the other three, and probably more well known at this point.

The plot and overall storylines are amusing and easy to follow. I like that each comic leave it open to continue, but also closes the story so if you wanted to stop you could.

I do have to say, this book has left me with a high expectation for DC comics. I’ve read other comics since and have been left disappointed because of this book. To me, it’s a high end, fun story arc that should be read by comic fans wanting a little fun in their life. It’s definitely not one of the darker DC arcs.

I like the art style of this book – it’s bright, it’s beautifully drawn and there’s lots of details in the background.

Overall – I loved this book! Five out of five stars! I want more!

 

Did you enjoy this review? Why not check out another you might enjoy? Batman: The Killing Joke – Book Review

Check out Paul Dini on Goodreads! Paul Dini on Goodreads

Give me a shoutout on Twitter if you read this review!!! I always love some constructive feedback! @ReviewAlholic

#BookReview The Mirror In My Dorm Room by Lashonda Beauregard

 

The Mirror In My Dorm Room by Lashonda Beauregard is an epic tale about time travel.

To begin with, I paralleled Justina almost perfectly when reading this book! I am a marketing student, heading into sophomore year and I am definitely ready to start a new semester! That being said, some of the comments about college are definitely true – you need your ID (it’s essential), some semesters are harder than others, the information about work studies, and sometimes the older dorms are the prettiest (in style).

This book felt like it was written by a college student, which was a nice touch. I’m not sure if it was intended to read like that, but it worked.

The time travel part of this story was a fun twist to the usually typical college story. It had a similar vibe to Alice Through the Looking Glass mixed with a confused identity. Justina, a college student in current day, is now Laurice in the 1930s when she steps through the mirror in her dorm room.

I felt like this story had a lot of potential and is heading towards the right direction. At times, the story came to a full stop at a break in the chapter, which threw the flow off for me. Some of the small drama scenes could have been extended with a little more action or conversation to assist in the ease of the story’s flow. I also wondered how Justina knew managers and famous singers of the 1930s when she had just traveled back through time. She didn’t seem to have the memories of Laurice and was very confused, only to know things pages later that she hadn’t been aware of moments earlier. It was a little strange.

There’s also times where certain comments are explained more than once in the same page – Rayla is a Nursing major and is taking biology. They see her a lot in biology because she’s a Nursing major, and Nursing majors have biology. This happened with quite a few characters, not just solely Rayla. My biggest pet peeve was a sentence about Roger where chemistry was mentioned three times without the full stop. At times, it felt like the comments were purposely used for comedy, but they happened so often it just seemed to be Lashonda’s writing style.

With a little more description (like how Justina’s cute, little pink dress looked) I think this book would really blossom into a truly magnificent piece of writing. Even a little more background on what happened to Justina as Laurice near the end instead of a sudden stop! The ending was getting so good and I was so excited to read what happened, and it was just a quick summary!

For my cons, there were some sentences I would have fixed up. For example, lots of repetition and comments ending in “said”, starting multiple sentences in a row with the same word, some grammatical errors in word choice and very short 3 word sentences. The only reason I notice these things is because I had two back to back English classes these past semesters in college. Most people probably wouldn’t catch on, but it’s noticeable on my end.

Overall, Lashonda Beauregard has a specific writing style that wasn’t meant for me. The book is really cute, lots of fun and a nice take on time travel! I definitely recommend this novel to those who like science fiction and time travel stories!

Two out of five stars.

I received a free copy of this novella from the author Lashondra Beauregard in exchange for an honest review.

 

Find this book on:

Amazon.com: Amazon.com – The Mirror In My Dorm Room

Amazon.ca: Amazon.ca – The Mirror in my Dorm Room

 

Check out Lashonda on her website: http://lashondabeauregard.webstarts.com/

Or give us both a shout out on Twitter! @LBSongs7 & @ReviewAlholic

#BookReview Twisted Fates by Geza Tetrallyay

 

To begin with, I think Julia needs to stop going outside or something. This girl keeps going missing and getting kidnapped! Get this girl a map and some bodyguards, and maybe we won’t need a book four…

This epic finale to the Twisted trilogy follows Greg, Anne and Julia yet again. Julia has been kidnapped (again) and Greg & Anne are determined to save her! The action, adventures and insanity that ensues is sure to make you cling to the pages of this book!

I almost felt this book was a little repetitive, but it somehow worked. I found the jump from the first to second book to be a big, grande plot while this one didn’t live up to the hype I had put into my head – but let’s be honest, I’m not sure where it could have gone. The action and antics has definitely been upped though! And the stakes of not completing the mission is much worse! Although, I might have liked Julia not to be kidnapped again, but the plot line fits well within the book.

Some of the cheesey lines from the bad guy gave me Charlie’s Angel’s vibes. The baddies in that television series had some of the strangest lines, and the Twisted antagonists had a similar speech. They are a thousand times darker than that television show, but it did give a little bit of brightness in the dark “twisted” world of this series.

I hated the ending, but I’m a happily ever after type of person. Realistically, this book was on spot – life is not always perfect, there is some pretty dark material that happens in this book that is totally true, and people don’t always get through these tough times unscathed. Is the ending bad? Absolutely not! I think it is really telling that Geza would portray something realistically. Does that make me like the ending any better? HECK NO! Vengeance, I want vengeance! Although, I must admit… I kind of saw the ending coming from book one. I just had this feeling a certain thing would happen…

The book slowly rolls into a close, and it felt just right. I wouldn’t have wanted a fast, epic ending – a nice, slowly rolling, almost like film credits finale made this series close just perfectly! I think it brings the story full circle and makes it feel like a complete series. (Although, why do they keep visiting Vienna when bad things keep happening to them there? That’s my real question.)

The best part of this novel is seeing how the characters turned out in the end. One of my biggest pet peeves is the book ending and I don’t get to know how their life unfolded. It’s a silly pet peeve for me to have, but we all have our quirks! Geza’s final chapter really helped me settle down and see this book as the finale. And it was quite the beautiful chapter, if I do say so myself.

The book has some rape and dark scenes (it’s about sex trafficking, so it was a given), so I’d say it’s an R rated novel. I wouldn’t be reading this as a bedtime story to your kids anytime soon (but hey, you do you I guess…). The bad guys are extra bad as well, with their brutality increased to the ten fold.

If I had any con for this book, it’s a personal one. I had a PDF copy and I let my device lock and I lost my page! And then I forgot what page I was on… But hey! That’s a good con to have! The book was a fantastic ride!

Overall, this was a lovely (yet brutal) finale to this epic series! If you haven’t read this series yet, get on it! Geza does a great job summing up parts of the series in this novel, so if you wanted to jump into the last book you could. Would I recommend it? No! This book works much better within the series, but it could “stand alone” if you didn’t want to read the first two books.

Four out of five stars!

I received a free copy of this book from the author Geza Tatrallyay in exchange for an honest review.

Check out more books by Geza on his website: www.gezatatrallyay.com

Check out this book (Twisted Reasons) the first in the series on Amazon:

Twisted Reasons (#1) on Amazon.com

Twisted Reasons (#1) on Amazon.ca

Check out the sequel (Twisted Traffick) on Amazon:

Twisted Traffick (#2) on Amazon.com

Twisted Traffick (#2) on Amazon.ca

Check out this novel (Twisted Fates) on Amazon:

Twisted Fates (#3) on Amazon.com

Twisted Fates (#3) on Amazon.ca

And check out Twisted Fates on: Goodreads for more information!

Give Geza and myself a shout-out on Twitter if you read this review! @GezaTatrallyay & Briar’s Reviews – @ReviewAlholic

#BookReview Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Now is time for a #ThrowbackThursday review – AKA I’ve gone back to reading a book on my shelf from years ago and reviewing it. Enjoy!!

 

 

Poison Princess is one of those books that takes you by surprise, pulls you in and won’t let you go until you finish it.

I actually found this book (originally) via Gena Showalter. She was always talking about her author friend Kresley Cole on Twitter, so I decided to pick this book up. They seemed to get along so well, so why not pick up her book? I doubt author friends who hated each other’s works would talk so great about each other. And to no one’s surprise, Gena’s suggestion was on point. (Keep in mind I love Gena Showalter. I’m quite sad I haven’t been able to read any of her books recently, due to my busy schedule).

This is a dystopian, apocalypse novel is for sure a YA novel – but that doesn’t mean adults can’t enjoy it. It’s not R rated, if anything it’s more of a PG/PG-13-esque novel. It’s an easy read, and it’s totally addicting. There are some cringy YA moments (silly romances, ironic comments, and all the joys that come with being a teenager) but it’s still an enjoyable book. If you keep in mind it’s a YA novel made for a YA audience, it’s not to heart breaking when silly teenage plot lines go on. It’s like a soap opera – if you understand that some extraordinary things happen that are out of the line of reality, then you can thoroughly enjoy it.

Keeping in mind that I have read the next novel – the character development in this book works. You begin to fall in love with these sassy characters and they do grow! Their story is continually built on into the next book, and to me it’s a worthy read worth a recommendation. It’s probably one of the better YA novels I’ve read – and one that I’ve been able to come back to and enjoy.

Overall, Kresley Cole is an amazing story teller. She’s great at her adult series and her YA series, and it’s a worthy read for those looking for some YA or dystopian drama in their lives.

Five out of five stars.

#BookReview The Descendant: The Curse of the Fairy Queen by Ellie Hart

 

The Descendant: Curse of the Fairy Queen is a fantastical, paranormal novel.

This novel felt like a YA on steroids – there was drama, romance, fairies, tragedy, mystery and thrills throughout.

I’m on the fence about this book – there were some really awesome parts of the story, but there were sections that lacked essential characteristics. The plot and story itself it really cool – dark fairies, mystery, tragedy – all of that put together can make one epic story! But there were parts of this story that didn’t sit well with me – lack of grief, pointless conversations/scenes. I’m the type of person who goes overboard in her own writing, but I like reading plots that only include essential information. With that in mind, the book is fantastic – it’s just not my perfect read.

Now for my pros and cons

My pros of the novel: more fairies! I love fairies and don’t read enough books with them in it! These fairies aren’t like the pretty, fun fantasy fairies either! They were dark fairies that are more aligned with the mythical side of fairies. The plot this story follows is also unique. While you could probably guess who some of the villains are, I really liked the twists the finale took in this book! This ending will leave many options open for future books in the series.

I also love the Merlin and King Arthur references!

My cons: way to many characters. This book felt like Game of Thrones when relating it to characters – there was also a lot of nicknames for the main character. Jenna, Jennifer, Joseph, Jason/Jay, Jessie, Taylor, Jeremy/Julian, Danny, Detective Greyson, Jack, Garry, Nathaniel, Jean, Caitlyn/Cat/Kitty/Kitten/Beale – so many names to remember! Some of these characters probably could have been mashed into one who did the same amount of work into the book, but that’s just my opinion. I live by the Star Wars original trilogy rules – only keep things in that are necessary to the story. If a few of these characters had been removed and their plot devices were put on another character, I feel like the story could have worked a bit better.

This part – it could be a pro or a con, depending on your favourite genres – the drama in this book was definitely high school drama. These kids are high school kids, so it makes sense, but if you are looking for a dramatic fantasy lacking silly high school drama (for example – getting dramatic about who people have slept with), then this book might not be for you!

I feel with a little fine tuning, this book would be a step above many other novels in this genre! If Ellie Hart keeps writing, I can only imagine how much talent she will gain by her next book!

PS – “Green Briar” – I kinda love that ‘Briar’ is in this story!

Three out of five stars!

I received a copy of this book from Pipe and Thimble Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

 

Find this book on:

Goodreads: Goodreads

Purchase on Amazon: Amazon.com

Available on: http://www.pipeandthimble.com/

And check out the Pipe and Thimble Publishing Company: http://www.pipeandthimble.com/publishing-company.html

 

Check out Ellie Hart:

Facebook: Facebook

Twitter: Twitter @AuthorEllieHart

 

If you read this review, give me a shout out on twitter using the hashtag #briarsreviews @ReviewAlholic

And… comment below with your favourite book about fairies!