An Almost Perfect World
Legend of East Series, Book One
by Carrie-Ann Barnes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Miranda loves acting, and has always been great at memorizing her lines, but she is taller than most of the boys in school, so life has been a little rough. Finally in this play her co-star is her same height. Miranda has always known she was adopted, but what happens in the next few days rocks her world like no other. Two strange boys appear in the neighborhood, Alex and Griffin and attempt to get to know Miranda. Although attracted to Alex she tries to avoid them to the point that they are forced to kidnap her. Turns out that Griffin is her brother and Alex his best friend, and they live on another world. They have to take her home for their mother's funeral. Once there she meets her father and twin brother Evan, she gets a job as an actress and learns more about herself. She also finds some secrets. An Almost Perfect World is the story of Miranda's life as she is reintroduced to life on Utopia. Carrie-Ann Barnes tells an inventive story of a promised child, hidden away and brought back to save the world.
An Almost Perfect World, is a cute title given that the world we are taken to is called Utopia. Everything is not perfect on Utopia, and Miranda learns from Jackson that she might be the one that is suppose to save the world. Although at the end of the book, leading into a second we get a hint that someone higher in the family thinks Jackson has it wrong. I found the novel to be interesting and truthful, I mean how would you feel if you were suddenly dropped onto another plant at age 18 and had to figure out everything all over again. It rang true, and felt like something that could really be happening. I enjoyed the characters, something in each of them spoke to me. This is set up to be part of a series, you can tell by the abrupt ending of this book, which is not one of my favorite things, and you can tell that certain characters are keeping secrets. Although billed as a young adult book, this is a great read for young adults, teens and adults as well.
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Cloak and Silence
The League, Book Seven
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Cloak and Silence is labeled as book 6 in the League series, but I call it book 7, because I don't label books as 2.5 and such. So my numbering is sometimes a bit off the numbering on the books themselves, but I still keep them in the correct order, and work very hard to make sure that I get books that come out later worked back into the series where they rightfully belong.
The last book was Darling's story, so we saw a great deal of Maris, now we get to move on to Maris and find out his story! Maris is just one of those guys that you can't help but love. He is just always looking out for his friends, always ready with a joke and making everyone feel better and we all know that underneath it all he is probably hurting but won't let anyone know it.
Maris comes from another of those war-mongering planets that believes a man is measured by his might in battle. So for a young man like Maris, who is gay, growing up there was extremely rough! His own family took out hits on him. But the thing about Maris is that when you become his friend, he is loyal to the bitter end.
Ture has lived all his life on the same small planet, doesn't know much about other cultures or planets, but he was disowned by his parents when he told them he was gay, and he is only looking for someone who will love him for who he is and not try to change him.
Maris and Ture are introduce by Zarya and it is an instant attraction, but both have been hurt before and are a little guy shy of trying another relationship. This is a well written and beautiful relationship that unfolds in this story. Just because it is about a gay couple, don't let that turn you off the book, it is well worth the read. This is a future world that will give you pause to think about your own world, and some believes and traditions going on now.
The League
Book 1: Born of Night
Book 2: Born of Fire
Book 3: Fire & Ice
Book 4: Born of Ice
Book 5: Born of Shadows Link to My Review
Book 6: Born of Silence Link to My Review
Book 7: Cloak & Silence
Book 8: Born of Fury
Book 9: Born of Betrayal
Book 10: Born of Defiance
Book 11: Born of Vengeance
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Born of Silence
The League, Book 6
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The future worlds under the protection of the League are once again the setting for this, the fifth book in the series. Sherrilyn Kenyon takes us back to a cruel and tough existance of this future, yet one where poeople who truly find love, love more deeply than anyone else.
This story will follow the Sentella agent Kere, the governor to be Darling Cruel and the leader of the resistance forces, Zayra. Zayra and Kere, meet on missions and fall in love, and although he has managed to keep his indenty hidden form her, to protect Sentella and the organization, he is ready to reveal all to her, but he needs four days he tells her to protect his family. Of course, we all know what happens to the best laid plans of mice and men.
Darling Cruel may be his name, but he is anything but cruel, although that is not what the world thinks of him, and he just lets them think what they want. The abuse and torture that Darling endures throughout his life at the hands of his Uncle, schoolmates, doctors, guards, and captors is beyond belief. It is more than anyone one person should ever have to go through, in fact it is probably more than ten people should have to go through. Does it explain who he is? Sorta, but more it makes the love he feels for those friends that he holds dear that much more remarkable. He is willing to die for certain friends that have proved their loyalty to him. There is enough detail in the accounts that you understand what is going on and what happened to him, but not so much that you are sick to your stomach.
Now, I have read a few reviews that said they HATED this book because they felt like the author jumped ship with Darling. I am not sure what they are talking about. They felt that the author "turned a gay character straight" and I think that is silly. In the entire series I have never though Darling was gay. Yes he hung out with Maris, who is clearly gay, but I got the feeling more that Darling didn't want anyone to know anything about his love life, it was a closely guarded secret, not that he was gay. So this book did not seem a departure from the past storylines for me, in fact I felt it fit in perfectly.
I have loved this series, and excited to say that it looks like there are at least three more books scheduled to be released in the series, or at least the author have given out titles for three more. I also happen to love the setting, the future and this harsh and unforgiving world, where people love better. Sometimes I wish I could actually go there!
The League
Book 1: Born of Night
Book 2: Born of Fire
Book 3: Fire & Ice
Book 4: Born of Ice
Book 5: Born of Shadows Link to My Review
Book 6: Born of Silence
Book 7: Cloak & Silence Link to My Review
Book 8: Born of Fury
Book 9: Born of Betrayal
Book 10: Born of Defiance
Book 11: Born of Vengeance
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Born of Shadows
The League, Book Five
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Caillen Dagan has spent his life taking care of his sisters and getting them out of one scrape or mess or another, so when his sister needs helps he thinks nothing of coming to her aid. It never occurs to him that he might end up with a death sentence on his head. A last second stay of execution turns his world upside down, when he finds out he is not who he always thought he was, and now must adjust to a new life and a new role. Good thing he has friends in high places to help him through it.
Desideria is a bodyguard for the Queen, her mother, but she has much to prove, since her father was not of their planet, she is looked at as less of a warrior. When she overhears a plot to kill her and her mother, no one believes her, until she is attacked and Caillen comes to her rescue, only problem, she jumps to help him in the fight and they end up in an escape pod, only to be later labeled as the murder's of their parents.
Now they must work together, with a few good friends of Caillen's to uncover the plot, and figure out who is out to frame them both and how it all is connected. Especially since they had never meet before that day. At the same time, Caillen and Desideria find themselves falling for each other.
Travel back to the future world of Sherrilyn Kenyon and The League, and those ever rogue good guys, the Sentella. I have to say that this is probably one of my all time favorite series, at this point I am even thinking about going back and rereading the beginning books. It is just that I love the world that the author developed the idea of this League and this band of rogues that need to police it and take care of things no one else can.
You will again see favorite characters from the first two book, since this book goes back to the first generation again.
The League
Book One: Born of Night My Review Link
Book Two: Born of Fire My Review Link
Book Three: Fire and Ice
Book Four:Born of Ice My Review Link
Book Five: Born of Shadows
Book Six: Born of Silence My Review Link
Book Seven: Cloak and Silence My Review Link
Book Eight: Born of Fury
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UNREAL
by Riley Moreno
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Just finished with college, best friends Julie and Kim decided to take one last fling before starting real life with jobs and futures. They have no real plans, they are just going to drive and enjoy their week with no rules before settling down. Seems so easy, so many kids have done the same thing over and over through the years, yet nothing is ever as it seems.
On their first stop for lunch, the girls take up with a pair of clean looking college guys, only to find their worst nightmares are waiting. Kim, so worldly and beautiful, surely she can be the strong one and get them out of this mess. Julie, the innocent and sheltered child, can she have the strenght to get out and get home?
Ethan has his own demons, and never thinks he will be involved in anything like what he got himself into. New client, and for some reason he felt the need to impress, now they are taking him into their secret world. A world he never knew existed but one he wants no part of. How to get out safe and keep the account is his main focus until he is left alone with Julie. Now she is his main focus.
You have two distinct storylines that start and later merge into one, which is wonderful storytelling on the part of Riley Moreno. Each person has their own scars already and then to deal with what is happening is ever tougher. Who will become the strong one? Who will be able to survive?
Although there is some sexual references in the novel, and given that the girls are kidnapped you would expect them. They are not overly graphic, in fact the author does a wonderful job of allowing you o understand what is going on but at the same time keeping the information and details to a minimum. Wonderfully skilled writer in the author to do such a good job with this terrible topic.
This is definitely an adult book, but the whole premise of the story will have you wanting to hug your daughters and remind them again just how dangerous it can be to go with someone you just met. I was truly moved by the story.
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Albatross: Birds of Flight
by J.M. Erickson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Alex Burns has seen it all in his tour fighting terrorism, but upon finding out some classified information he is starting to think differently about his job. Too bad his bosses don't agree, next thing Alex knows he is the target of friendly fire. He survives but has no memory, so the government is watching him closely. What starts off the plan called Albatross is the government's disregard for anyone else. When they think Alex knows something, they start trying to kill off anyone he might have talked to, which doesn't sit well with Alex. J. M. Erickson takes you into the mind of a special forces agent done wrong, and a government that has no problems in killing innocent people to keep secrets. Add to that those innocent people who managed to get away and it's no so much revenge as a way to get the government to leave them alone they are looking for.
From the very beginning, when you meet Alex Burns and all through the times he and Dr. Caulfield are together, you learn of a man with so much more to offer than what he was trained to do. You come to feel for Alex and Dr. Caulfield. You sympathize with the life that Sam and Becky had to live through and you want the best for them, and you even understand why they are doing this. Albatross also reveals the dark side of governments, especially when certain areas have too much control without any supervision. J. M. Erickson tells a believable yet at the same time unbelievable story of a man slated to be knocked off by his own government, and what happens when they don't do the job and he is left to act later. This is a great read for anyone, you will be swept away with the intrigue and suspense.
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The Appearacne of Truth
by Rosemary J. Kind
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Her mother passed away a year ago, and Lisa is still having trouble figuring out what to do now that she is on her own. A chance meeting at the cemetery brings new hope to her life, in the form of a budding relationship with Pete. A casual discussion about family, and a bet to research their family tree's will lead to unknown events for Lisa. She finds that what she thought she knew was not the truth, and she is not who she thought she was. +Rosemary Kind does a wonderful job of bringing to life the search for the truth to Lisa's identity as well as telling the heartbreaking tale from her parents side of the story as well. The Appearance of Truth will challenge you to understand the pain of parents, and the confusion as Lisa searches for the truth.
The idea that maybe you actually have a rich and famous ancestor in your family tree has sparked many a person to research their genealogy. An Appearance of Truth takes the idea of family tree's and turns it upside down, as Lisa sets out on a normal quest only to unlock a mystery that has be hidden for thirty years. +Rosemary Kind brings to life the many sides of this story, with each getting equal time, and none being slated as being the better side. The story takes the fears of finding out a secret and packages it into a novel worth the read. This was an engaging story that kept me interested to the very end.
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
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