The Tirteenth Tower by Sara C. Snider

Emelyn was abandoned at birth and was raised by the housekeeper of a well off town. Then the night of the festival magical creatures attack, and Emelyn is whisked away by a couple of magi. They claim they know what happened to her parents so many years ago, but the answers are elusive. Will they keep their promise or did they bring her along for another reason known only to them?

I truly enjoyed this book. The world was incredible, going from a tiny village to the splendor of the main town in the county. I also enjoyed the different humanoid creatures, their different personalities and abilities. Just... wow.

The characters were also pretty great. Seeing how they reacted, when you could tell something was up just by how the magi acted but you didn't know what. Emelyn starts out as this sweet innocent girl and grows in to a confident young woman. And some of the characters that get added to the cast such as Cobbe just make the story that much better.

Another thing I always look for in a fantasy story is how the magic is done. In this book its done exceedingly well. There are two forms structured as the magi use it, and unstructured type that forest people use.

I am so happy that I got a chance to read this book. It is one of my favorite books that I've read so far this year.

I received this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for my free and honest review.

Shadow Heart by Pamela Taeuffer

 Nicky's life consists of spending as much time as she possibly can away from home and her father as possible. One of these activities is being part of a cheer squad for a professional baseball team. Where one of the star players gets her in her sights. He may be just what Nicky needs to help her break out of her shell.

I'm extremely torn when it comes to this book. In the beginning of the book I was hooked. The book started out great but a little over half way through it hit a major snag for me. A character was introduced as a best friend, someone that had grown up with Nicky, shared similar problems, and everything like that. However, this is the first this person is mentioned, and as a love interest. When one is already established, the one who is mentioned in the book blurb. The only one of the two that is. Nicky kind of ends up playing both of the guys, and this was a major killer of the book for me.

I really just don't like it. It could be the fact that girls like this drive me up the wall, it could be the fact that it seems like way too much overkill, or the fact that she doesn't have the decency to choose even after one of them lays out everything he's feeling, and she reciprocates. I'll just leave it at this because I will continue to rant if I don't.

The positives: The characters. Nicky is a great character who grew up in one of the worst possible home environments, she's still incredibly strong, and devoted to her goals. Love is hard for her and it's perfectly understandable her concept of trust is completely shattered. Then there is Ryan, who is this amazing ball player who is recovering from an injury. He lost his family at a young age, and is determined to find love instead of the different girls every night routine.

I really hope to learn more about Nicky's family in the next book.

This book gave amazing visuals and details into a world that is hidden to all but those who live in it. The world of alcoholism, where alcohol is more important then everything even your family. Something that is a sad but all far true for way too many people.

I received this book compliments of NetGalley in exchange for my free and honest review.

Dead Drop by Jesse Miles

Jack Salvo is a philosophy major turned private eye takes on an embezzling case for a major corporation. Nice and simple until the two main suspects are found dead in a suspected murder suicide. Then a prior embezzlement scheme is discovered, and then there is suspected espionage, and  another suspect. Things are turning out to be way more complicated then originally anticipated.

I really liked this book. I am very selective about the thrillers that I read and I'm happy I picked this one. The main character is really easy to get to know. He's smart and intuitive
and a pretty great detective.

While the book was very rapid pace, the complete time line is about a week maybe a couple of days more, it doesn't feel rushed. All of the loose ends get tied up very nicely and completely.

All of the side characters are interesting and well done. They have distinct personalities and detailed backgrounds. I'm definitely going to have to read more by this author. He has a sty

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my free and honest review.

The Prince and The Singularity by Pedro Barrento

Here is the book description from Goodreads, since I can't sum it up better myself

"This is the story of the Prince aka the Master aka Francis, who is more or less immortal and goes through the millennia fighting Desire and Rejection, the roots of all unhappiness and evil. He always fails until the moment he loses interest and decides to die, which he doesn't. Instead he is promoted."

The book begins with the Gods playing a game and the universe being created. One person, the Prince sees the tail end of the creation and ends up playing a part in the game. You see his lifespan, and every thing that happens to him and the Gods.

I really loved this book. As I have learned more about Buddhism this book kind of connected with me. "The universe is neither good nor evil it just is". The idea that everything that happens no matter how terrible or how amazing, it means so very little in the grand scheme of things.

 I hope everyone who reads this book can get something out of it. I sure did.

Everblue by Brenda Pandos

Ashlyn thought she had a normal boring life. Swimming competitively, a best friend, a crush on her best friends brother, you know the usual. However, when Tatiana and Finley(her best friend and her brother) go missing everything goes crazy. Things that shouldn't exist do, and everything seems like it's going crazy.

This was a good book, one that I'm quite fond of. I enjoyed the concept of Promising. It's the merfolks version of marriage that is sealed with a kiss. When the kiss happens the two mers souls merge and become one.

This book switches between Ashyln and Finley's perspectives. Which I enjoy especially later in the book after certain new factors come into play. It also gives you the chance to see Natatoria, the home of the merfolk. And with that there is a ton of lore and back story with the merfolk as well, that I just love.

I don't think that I'm going to read the rest of the series. While it is a good read, it's just a bit fantastic for me. Semi realistic but not completely.

Becoming Alpha by Alieen Erin

Being a high school student is hard, add visions every time you come in skin to skin contact with someone and well things can't get any worse right? Umm, wrong. Tessa has this gift to have visions when ever she touches someone or something that isn't new or hers, but even that isn't crazy enough she got bit by a werewolf.  Now she has to figure out this culture and survive an unseen threat.

She was originally half witch and now she's a werewolf. So yay she's a wolf-witch hybrid now! Cool right... Well it's an interesting thought even if its an odd combo. Seeing as in most lore witch and were avoid each other like the plague. But this pulled it together fairly well.

I know it sounds as if I'm hating on this book, but I'm not. It's a pretty decent paranormal story, not one of my favorites by any means, but a decent book regardless. A bit cliche but like in any genera it happens.

I do like how there are a lot of dynamic characters that aren't just the main two characters. Also the setting was very well done, something that I'm always a fan of.

Vanessa and Her Sister by Priya Parmar

It's the turn of the century and the Stephens siblings are shaking up conventions. Vanessa, Virgina, Thoby and Adrian, the center of what will become known as the Bloomsbury Group. They and their friends will shake up the world of art and literature, but at the beginning they were just a group of friends with grand ideals. When Vanessa falls in love things and start to change the already fragile Virgina starts to teeter on the brink madness. With deceit and betrayal running rampant Vanessa has to decide weather to keep everyone happy or to focus on herself.

I'm just not sure what to think of this book. There is passion and betrayal, love and worry, madness and sanity. It's a really good book, but it was hard for me to get through. I could only take it in a little bit at a time. It was definitely worth reading though.

It is written in the form of a diary, told from Vanessa's point of view. You see her struggles with her sister, whom she loves but gets irritated to no end with. How she adores her brother Thoby, her feelings about the entire group. This also includes letters and telegrams from several of the different people involved.

The pacing is very slow, and very disjointed. It makes the story hard to follow at times. It was  probably the reason that I had such a hard time getting into and staying interested in the book.

I received this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for my review which I freely and honestly give.