#BookReview Scars by Ruth Miranda

There is a BIG time jump (and by big, I mean two years) in this novel. There is a slight summary of the first book in this series, which is helpful, but if you haven’t read the first novel in a LONG time, maybe read a quick summary or a few reviews to get yourself caught up!

Scars follows Marcus and Cai as they search for their Father (Titus). Life is getting trickier with their abilities, but they are determined to track him down no matter the consequences. Has their Father taken on a new name? Will some ghosts from their past come back to haunt them? And will their new friends betray them? These are all worthy questions to ponder as you make your way through this book.

I have to say, I liked this better than the first one! I think this sequel ups the thrills and fun, especially with Marcus and Cai interacting. It is a bit darker than it’s predecessor, but I thought it was a great addition to this series! Although, the worst part of the book is the cliffhanger. Ruth likes to leave you hanging and desperate for the next novella! So, we’ll all have to wait and see what happens to our boys and their new friends and family in the final book of the trilogy.

The book is a fantasy novel, full of vampires, fey and witches. It’s not horror, but does have one sexy scene that makes it closer to R than you’d expect. There are dark tones and themes, but nothing that will scare you or disturb you too much.

It’s also rather fast paced. I felt myself easily reading this book and suddenly it was over! But it was a delightful read. So as short and quick as it was, the book turned out excellent! Some of the scenes are quite shocking, and I didn’t see them coming. Ruth has a real talent at throwing those twists and turns at you, throwing you off guard for the next scene.

On a side note, I love that the titles of these books actually play into the stories! Blood was a big scene stealer in the first novella, while scars are often discussed in this one. I always love seeing the titles having some relation to the book, but this one really worked well!

Overall, this book was a real gem! I’m definitely getting more into this series and I want to read more by Ruth Miranda! Her books are truly excellent!

Five out of five stars!

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

 

Check out Ruth Miranda on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15263413.Ruth_Miranda

Find Scars on:

Goodreads – Goodreads – Scars

Amazon.com – Amazon.com – Scars

Amazon.ca – Amazon.ca – Scars

Find Blood, the first book in this series on:

Goodreads – Goodreads – Blood

Amazon.com – Amazon.com – Blood

Amazon.ca – Amazon.ca – Blood

Find some more reads by Ruth Miranda:

Amazon.con – A Study for Love / Amazon.ca – A Study for Love

 

Amazon.com – Ruth Miranda

 

If you read this review, use the hashtag #briarsreviews and give me a shout out on Twitter! @ReviewAlholic

 

Photo from Goodreads.

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#BookReview Blood by Ruth Miranda

 

Blood by Ruth Miranda is a paranormal novel full of thrills, suspense and mystery!

Vampires? Fey? Visions? This book is hitting every notch on the fantastical belt of epicness!

I truly found this book intriguing and couldn’t put it down. It starts off as a character study, following Caius (also known as Chaos), who is in a big band and is uber famous. Now, that’s all fine and dandy but he’s been having visions of a boy and he’s dead. Oh, did I mention there was an accident involving his girlfriend? His life is tricky, and slowly it unravels. Once we get past the short character study in a psychiatrist’s office, Cai is out looking for Marcus who is supposed to be dead. Slowly, Cai learns more about himself and his family roots on his fantastical journey.

The book is addicting – normally I take my time and take breaks when I’m reading, but this book demanded my attention! When you add in the insanity of the plot and how quick it moves, you’ve got yourself a real winner! Keep in mind, it is fast moving and has lots of paranormal aspects to it – so if you like a simple, clean cut story this might not be for you! It’s full of plot twists that might not be easy to follow if you’re not fully into the book whole-heartedly.

This novella is a fun read, but it almost felt too short! It ended so abruptly! Luckily, this is a series so we’ll be getting more from these characters soon! I wouldn’t recommend reading this book if you solely like books that stand alone. The story doesn’t fully close, so you will need to read the next book to know the final ending or have some closure.

Overall, this book has incredible themes and deep topics that will pull adult readers in to feel for these characters. The fantasy sides of this story also bring action and adventure to keep you hooked and gliding along with the story. I think this book will be great for fantasy readers or adults looking for something a little more than just some fantastical fun!

Four out of five stars!

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

All About Blood: a paranormal novella.

‘Chaos’ Nilsson has it all: a successful career in the music industry, fame, money, the girl. He also has a monkey on his back, brought about by the visions that plague his mind and haunt his every waking moment; visions that will only be quietened when he numbs himself with generous amounts of alcohol and drugs. After an accident that nearly costs him his life, he embarks on a journey of self discovery, in search of his roots and the secret to the blood coursing through his veins

 

 

Find this book on:

Goodreads – Goodreads – Blood

Amazon.com – Amazon.com – Blood

Amazon.ca – Amazon.ca – Blood

 

Find more books by Ruth Miranda on Amazon:

Amazon.com – Ruth Miranda

 

Did you enjoy this review? Why not give me a shout out on Twitter using the hashtag #briarsreviews @ReviewAlholic

Comment below – what is your favourite fantasy novel?

 

Photo from Goodreads.

#BookReview Night School by Mari Mancusi

Night School is another hit by Mari Mancusi that will leave you hooked and breathless.

So we’ve seen vampires, and we’ve seen lycan…but can you believe that Mari Mancusi added in another magical creature? Yup. She did! Fairies! When I initially read these books when they came out, I’ll admit I didn’t like the fairies that were added. But now, as an adult who constantly sees giant film and book universes I understand the need for such an addition – and it does, oddly, work!! I think it’s a cute addition, and I would like to see Mari build more into these ideas in future installments.

Rayne is our lead in this book, and her sassiness is there (as always). And, as always, this book is fast paced and kept me interested. Plus, on top of it all, Mari tops her plot lines and goes a little crazier. She always seems to know how to go bigger and better.

One thing I really like about these books is Mari seems to understand that it can be lengthy between the times you read her books – so she summarizes what happened last. In the first couple books it annoyed me (because I was reading them back to back) but when I realized that there is typically a wait in between and you might forget what our heroines were up to, then I was all on board! If this is something you don’t like, you can always skip!! But I think this is a nice addition that’ll help readers out.

I did have an issue with this book – we’ve grown to love Jareth and Magnus so much, and they weren’t in this book as much as I would like. Yes, they weren’t integral to the story but it was a shame to pick up this book and not have some epic storylines with them. They were still there, but not as much as they could have been.

Five out of five stars.

 

Check out Mari’s roster of books on Goodreads!  Mari Mancusi on Goodreads

Or visit her website – Mari Mancusi’s Website

See what Mari’s up to on Twitter – @MariMancusi

Did you enjoy this series? Check out it’s website!  Blood Covens Series by Mari Mancusi

Enjoy my reviews? Check out my Goodreads page! Briar’s Reviews on Goodreads

Give me a shout-out on Twitter! Let me know your recent reads!!! Or give me some recommendations!  Briar’s Reviews on Twitter

 

Photo from Goodreads.

#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!

#BookReview Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Here’s another #ThrowbackThursday – a novel I read years ago, but reread and created a review for!! This is one of my favourites – Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare.

 

 

Clockwork Princess is a beautiful finish to one of YA’s best series in recent years.

For years I waited anxiously for a book like Clockwork Princess – a story that ends beautifully, perfectly and without total heart break. With characters as strong as Jem, Will and Tessa, we needed a solid ending that would make all fans happy but also tie up the story just perfectly, and Cassandra Clare delivered.

This book will pull at your heartstrings and destroy you. It’s such a beautiful ending it’s hard to believe it’s all over with. The ups and downs of this series is ended just perfectly that there are no loose ends and no destroyed fans (at least, from what I’ve seen). I dare say that this book is the best book Cassandra Clare has ever written – it rivals the base Mortal Instrument series, and has one step up. This book was even better than City of Heavenly Angels, in my opinion. With such a satisfying conclusion, I have to say it deserves more than five stars. Not many books can be finished so perfectly.

Would I recommend this series? Absolutely. While it’s a YA, it definitely doesn’t feel like your typical YA story. Adults can enjoy this – there isn’t as much ooey, gooey silly teenage angst that is in most YA books. It’s a grown up YA with the odd silly scene. So it’s safe to say it’s a good read. This series can also be used as a standalone – you don’t need to read all the other series (Mortal Instruments, Dark Artifices) to understand this book at all. It is the prequel series to The Mortal Instruments, if you’re interested in reading further (they can be read out of order via the series though. TMI came out first, then this series and now The Dark Artifices). I would suggest reading the three books of this series in order though – it’s worthy.

It also has one of the most beautiful covers. I love the original cover – I saw a new one at my local book store recently and it wasn’t as beautiful, but in terms of cover art – judging the book by it’s cover it allowed for this book. With such a great cover comes such a great story.

Problems with this book/series:
Yes, there’s a love triangle. Can they be annoying? Yes. Does it work in this book? Yeah, it’s YA so it’s kind of an expected plot twist these days.
Weak characters – yeah, there are some. But personally, I find having all characters be strong can make for a boring book.
Repeat characters – Cassandra Clare uses the same characters/developments with different names and faces. It’s annoying, but as long as you aren’t just reading her books and expand your library, you don’t notice to much.
Rule Breakers – some of the “cannot be broken rules” are broken in this book. It’s kind of annoying in my eyes, but what can you do? It created the happy ending most fans wanted, so I guess we can over look that…
Tessa – FINALLY we learn what Tessa is. I’m a little disappointed it took so long because it would have been cooler to flesh out all about her throughout the series, but whatever, it works, I guess.

So, overall, this book is really on the fence for most readers – people either love it passionately to no end (ugly cry, putting the book on a pedestal and praying to it sort of deal) or hated it (rip the pages out, burn the book, demand a refund, etc). I’m on the end that enjoyed it and I definitely kept the book (Look at that cover, how can you not love the book for the cover alone?).

So, I will give it five out of five stars. It had it’s faults for sure, but it was a great read that kept me interested, was fast paced, and had an ending that I found to be good.

Enjoy my reviews? Check out my Goodreads page! Briar’s Reviews on Goodreads

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Quick Review: Vreeland by Gabriel Strump

 

Photo via Goodreads.

Vreeland is a very cute novel!

This novel is an interesting one, since I would not label it as a story you read to children, yet it’s not exactly Young Adult material either. It seems to be placed somewhere inbetween the two, since there is romance and fighting that seems more along the lines of Young Adult, but the plot line seems very childish, like something I would read to a six year old.

I did find this novel extremely hard to read. The author types out the accents of the characters, so letters are not meant to sound like how they are supposed to sound. For example, V is an F. Vreeland is Fairyland. Vood is food, avraid is afraid, vree is very, vavorite is favorite. H is an R. You’he is you’re, wehe is were, they’he is they’re. Drakonfly is dragonfly. There are many more examples in the book, those are just some I pulled from the text. And then there is the word cree, which I still don’t understand which word it is. And then sometimes, on top of these letters, the rule wouldn’t exist anymore. There wasn’t consistency.

Reading these words over and over did not make it easier to understand. I’d go back to the novel and be confused as to what they were talking about, and by the time I understood what all of the different letters meant I was tired and had a headache.

I also found the plot line to not have a good flow. I couldn’t figure out what the actual plot was. Usually there is a beginning, a conflict, a solution and then an end. There didn’t seem to be a real big conflict or a solution, the story just seemed to exist. It seemed like a story someone would make up to tell a child, with no distinct plot line but just random babbling. But, with the romance and fighting scenes, it seemed to be pushing the PG rating so it would go into Young Adult novel for those scenes.

I did enjoy this novel though. Despite all the problems it had, it was a very cute novel! Although, I would more likely read the novel to a child rather than suggest it to a friend. It seems like a book that would be much better suited in the manga or anime world, or even as a picture book! The story would fit much better with more pictures than just the few in it! It could bring children lots of joy!

Overall, it was an okay read. I wasn’t entirely impressed with it, and I love novels about fairies and fantasy and make believe!

Two out of five stars! The novel was hard to read with the mix matched letters, the hard to follow plot and the confusion over what age group it should be read to.

I received this novel for free through Goodreads First Reads.