The History Major by Michael Phillip Cash

The History Major by Michael Phillip Cash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The first half of this novella was probably the best written manifestation of a recurring nightmare I had during my very long university career and it felt strangely therapeutic to see it on the page before me. It provided a sense of comfort, knowing that I might not be the only one with such an imagination. I have to give the author great credit for being able to create such a strong eerie setting right from the start.
I could not stand the main character, though. Spoiled, in need of constant attention and way too focused on what other people think, she did not strike me as a character in need of my sympathy. Having said that, it added a valuable element to the story, which worked much better than had she been a likeable character.
The plot was very interesting, took its time to unfold and provided much to ponder long after finishing the story.
The writing was smooth, the dialogue between characters flowed nicely, while constantly keeping a sense of mystery while the plot slowly came to a conclusion.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable novella that included elements of horror, science fiction, mystery and a hint of fantasy. A quick read with an intriguing “aha” moment, I would recommend this story for anyone, who enjoys stories of the aforementioned genres. I only wished it was a bit longer to satisfy my curiosity of the philosophical points mentioned.

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The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich

The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I finished this book late last night and I have to admit it has been a while since I was too scared to leave my bed to get a glass of water. It was haunting, it was terrifying, it made me question the reality we call our own.
The unconventional way the author chose to tell the story of Kaitlyn and her descent into madness or maybe her sad story as she falls victim to something sinister added to the mystery and anticipation to reach the conclusion. A collection of diary entries, video clips and audio clips of interviews and treatment sessions help paint a greater picture of the characters and the situation they are in without any sense of bias.
It is impossible to comment much more on the story without giving something away that would diminish the skin crawling entertainment of reading this story. With twists and turns at every corner of this story the reader is plunged deeper into the web of Kaitlyn’s mind as it is entangled between reality and that which lurks in the dark just outside every person’s grasp of consciousness.
A bit gory, a bit gothic and a whole lot of haunting images that will stick with the reader long after finishing this story, it is one worthy of the Horror genre category. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone in search for a spine-tingling and richly developed story.

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Arranged (Arranged Trilogy Book #1) by Julia Crane

Arranged by Julia Crane
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I was hopeful, oh so hopeful for a cute, shorter fantasy novella series that included faeries; unfortunately, I am not sure what exactly I read. The point I really want to stress is the fact that an author should not omit or skip vital parts of a story in order to keep it short, especially in the fantasy genre.
The characters were awkward, felt out of place and separate from the story. The main character, full of herself and entitled, has no clue how to act responsibly or even act at all with even the slightest hint of common sense, which caused numerous rounds of eye-rolling, head scratching and head shaking because of the sheer absurdity of this character. The dialogue between the main character and her mother was painful to witness and even made me uncomfortable. The romantic interest created feels rushed, unnatural and a sad excuse for the characters to give in to their teenage biological urges.
The plot was what had me sign up for this novella in the first place, but I must warn other readers that not much fantasy development will happen in the 120 pages of this mess of a novella. Important details are being skipped, barely mentioned in passing or only hinted at, which could have made this story so much more engaging and beautiful.
The writing also had much left to desire. As I mentioned above the dialogue is awkward at best. Grammatical errors were found throughout the novella, such as “would of” instead of “would have”, as well as annoying repetitions of catch words.
Overall, I am sadly getting frustrated in finding good stories to read these days. I was very excited to potentially having found a new series to follow, unfortunately that excitement came too soon. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone looking for a fantasy story.

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And I Darken by Kiersten White

And I Darken by Kiersten White
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I needed a few days to think about how I actually feel about this book. I wasn’t sure what to write, because I just wanted to leave this book behind and even now, sitting here I would much rather be cleaning the bathroom than having to think about it anymore. I also feel pressured to rate it higher, because it has been compared to Game of Thrones for the Young Adult genre and almost everyone loved that series. Needless to say, here is my very brutal, but honest review of the characters, plot and writing in And I Darken.
I could not have cared less for the characters, main and secondary. They are flat, boring and every time the author gives the reader one crumb of hope with respect to some character development, it is crushed by unnecessary teenage angst and their inability to just open their mouths and communicate with those they call friends and family. Just when the reader made it through another agonizing chapter of deep insight into one character or another, seeing the light at the end of a very boring tunnel, hoping for some change, anything that would make the character more interesting or even just more bearable, it all continues without any significant development.
The plot was somewhere among all the conspiracy talk, the military talk, the endless descriptions of things the characters planned on doing, but never came to fruition, got lost, ran away, decided to skip this book. Based on the very misleading synopsis that made this story much more interesting than it actually was, I was hoping for action, adventure and on-the-edge-of-the-seat anticipation. If the plot had actually been present and the author had decided to focus on moving the plot forward, then it would have been a very interesting story.
The writing is much too wordy for its own good. The book could have been at least half its length, if the author had payed greater attention to the potentially great story, and actual character and plot development, instead of torturing the reader with 400 pages of a bleary-eyed reading experience.
Overall, this book was a great disappointment. This politically based drama for the Young Adult audience spends too much time describing everything without any progression. It was tedious, boring and did not call forth any sort of connection between the reader and the characters. For days after finishing this book I was still considering continuing with the series as it gets published, but after having to write this review I have changed my mind. I would not recommend it.

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The Perilous Sea (The Elemental Trilogy #2) by Sherry Thomas

The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I appreciated the change in narration style for the sequel of The Burning Sky. Although I did not mind the interchanging narration from both Iolanthe and Titus’ view point, this style can become repetitive after a while. Therefore, I was happy that the sequel was written from the third person point-of-view.
Having already been introduced to the two main characters, it was interesting to further witness their character development throughout The Perilous Sea. Having said that, I cannot see Iolanthe’s and Titus’ attraction for each other. It is the one point so far that has me shaking me head in disbelief at the lack of attraction between the two, despite the constant attempt by the author to make the reader believe that these two are romantically connected.
The plot is the continuation of the first book with a greater emphasis on Iolanthe and Titus’ relationship, much to my slight dismay.
The writing I found to be slightly toned back from the heavily classic influenced literary style of The Burning Sky, which made reading the sequel much easier.
As a whole this was a very good sequel compared to many other sequels I had to suffer through last year and it set the stage for the conclusion which I can not wait to read.

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Sing Sweet Nightingale (The Dream War Saga #1) by Erica Cameron

Sing Sweet Nightingale by Erica Cameron
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I had a very difficult time formulating a review of this story, because there are plenty of elements that I truly enjoyed while reading it, but then there were also parts that had me roll my eyes in sheer annoyance and caused me to set the book aside time and time again.
The story is narrated from two character’s point-of-view, which always provides much more insight into the story and helps the reader get more connected with the plot and characters; however, when one character is a demon-manipulated teenager with a bad case of Stockholm Syndrome, while being of the opinion that she is too good for this world, then having to read her side of the story becomes increasing odious and has the reader checking how many pages are left until the chapter is over. On the other hand, there is the male protagonist, who just really wants to help and rid this world of demons. A nice guy with a tragic past and two incredibly helpful appreciative sidekicks, who are a joy to accompany on their task to save the ungrateful damsel in distress.
The plot left much to ponder during and even after the story is long finished. As I am ranting about an ungrateful and emotional teenager, I have to admit that the issues presented in this story paint a larger picture of emotional and psychological manipulation and abuse so often seen in the domestic environment. This plus the demonic elements that pop up from time to time makes this story an intriguing one, even if one character is a bit insufferable.
The writing left something to desire mostly due to the fact that the story switches back forth between the male and female protagonist with each chapter and in doing so the author repeats scenes, describing them from both points of view. Sometimes this adds entertainment to the reading experience, but when it occurs throughout the entire book, it becomes tedious. The story, when edited differently could have actually been 30% shorter and just as entertaining.
Overall, I have to say this was a good story, but the aforementioned points that took away from the general enjoyment left me a bit hanging in mid air, therefore I cannot give it more than 3 stars. I would still suggest it to someone looking for a YA story with paranormal elements.

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The Academy Alignment (The Academy #1) by David Davis and Andra St. Ivanyi

The Academy Alignment by David Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Academy Alignment (The Academy #1)
I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
There are books that are so good I just want to read them in one sitting. And then there are books I just don’t want to end, so I take twice or even three time as long to read them. The Academy Alignment belongs to the latter category.
The characters were all very engaging and extremely interesting. With focus primarily on one character, the author chose to write the story from the first-person point-of-view, switching characters to provide a greater sense of the story as a whole. They are mysterious, full of secrets and plagued by their very own personal demons.
The plot is equally intriguing, filled with twists and turns and mystery that had me puzzled until the very last chapter. It is straight forward without any unnecessary red herrings or tangents to create more confusion.
I particularly appreciated the writing and the fact that the majority of the story was told from the perspective of the male protagonist. It was refreshing, fast-paced and very much in tune with the teenage spirit.
Overall, a great mystery with paranormal/fantasy elements that has the reader waiting with anticipation for the next installment. It is a great introduction to an equally great series that could have the potential to be a continuous nail biter. It is difficult to comment on or review this story without giving anything away that could diminish the excitement I think it provides when the reader enters this world with as little of an idea about what is going to happen as possible, which is the driving force and connection between the reader and the protagonist’s journey. I would definitely recommend it to anyone, who needs a break from female protagonists and appreciates a great story with a male lead.

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The Burning Sky (The Elemental Trilogy #1) by Sherry Thomas

The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After almost three weeks I have finally finished reading The Burning Sky. As it turns out a raging high fever can break even this avid reader’s capability to pick up a book and escape into a fantastically created world. I mention this ten-day break from reading to highlight the ease with which I was able to pick up the story again without so much as a backward glance to re-acquaint myself with the story. One thing that really bothered me and I should probably stop doing this from now on is reading the little quotes of praise on the back cover of the book that give general glimpses into the story and unintentionally distract from forming one’s own opinion. I kept comparing this story to Harry Potter, having been influenced by one of those little praise blurbs did and it really distracted me from fully enjoying the story.
Having said that, the characters are very complex, yet they are not hypocritical in their actions when it comes to making choices. The entirety of the story is centred around the two main characters with changing perspectives to get a more complete view of the plot and the forces that make the characters act the way they do. To be perfectly honest, neither of them really struck me as the favourite of the story, therefore my attention was equally focused on both without bias as I accompanied them through the story.
The plot was a great moving vehicle in the character development and creation of the bond between the two main characters. It was filled with mystery, suspense and sheer excitement from beginning to end. The constant tease of a romance, without fully crossing the line into that genre provides that extra special treat that keeps the reader going, pining for something that could potentially make the heart melt.
The writing was generally easy to follow and had a nice flow. At times; however, I found it slightly difficult to get reacquainted with the author’s writing style, which did only last about a paragraph or two. The writing does demand a higher level of concentration, since its syntax and structure does follow more closely with that of the classical pieces of literature.
Overall, this book was a pleasure to read. I wish I could have been able to finish it in a few days instead of dragging it out for a few weeks, since it deserves that much commitment and passion to read. I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy, which I will use as a reward system for completing a task. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the fantasy genre.

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Gold Rush Wedding: A Short Story in The California Argonauts Series by Suzanne Lilly

Gold Rush Wedding: A Short Story in The California Argonauts series by Suzanne Lilly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have been hoping the author will continue the story of Lucinda and was disappointed that I could not find a third installment of Gold Rush Girl; however, this little short story is a nice treat and tease for all, who adored Gold Rush Girl. Of course, it will keep the reader wanting for more at the end, but it provides a glimpse of the direction the overall story could take, either leaving Lucinda's path in the hands of the reader's imagination or the author will treat us with more installments to come in the future.

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