Sea of Stars by Amy A. Bartol

"This, Brothers, is our declaration of war." 

The war on Ethar has begun, and the only thing that Kricket Hollowell can do is fight to stay alive as every side guns for her powers. The second book in the Kricket series picks up right where the first left off, plunging the reader back into Ethar with a vengeance. This action packed sequel takes place in the first battle of the war, and sets the stage for a supernova of a series.

"'You killed Kenny,' I groan with my lips chattering, 'you bastard...'" 

Kricket has lost none of the rambunctious personality that enthralled readers in the first book. Her clever quips are paired perfectly with an emerging sensitivity as she allows people to grow closer to her. She's lost the ability to act without consequence, and has surrendered her heart of stone for one of paper, though not nearly as fragile. It's easy to see the conflict in her personality as she struggles with having people be dependent on her for the first time in her life, and the fear of losing them. But despite the slightly heavier plot in the second book, the depth of her personality is really shown as she fights for what and who she loves. Don't worry, there are plenty of laugh out loud moments timed perfectly to break the tension as well. In another review I read there was concern expressed that Kricket is too much like Evie from the Premonition series. After giving it some thought I've come to the conclusion that they do share similarities, but mostly it's the goodness in them that is alike, not necessarily their actions or their words. Therefore the similarities in the characters are not an issue because they are two story about good people, which is what people want to read about.

"I promise that it'll be you and me from this moment forward–whatever happens." 

The romance also expands much more in this book. While the first book in the series could easily pass for YA, this book definitely crosses into New Adult territory. I don't know that I would call it adult because of the youth (or appearance of youth) of the characters, but I wouldn't recommend this book for younger teens, because things do get pretty steamy. Despite this book being packed with nonstop action, that doesn't mean there's a lack of romance. In fact, being a reader who gets bored without romance, I was never able to put this down. Ingrained in every moment of the fighting there is something that anchors the character's actions and motivations, providing a perfect line to keep the reader hooked.

"There'll be no martyrs here, Kricket. I'll tear your heart off your sleeve and bury it deep in my chest. Your savage heart will beat for me. Run if you think you can–I'll hunt you down." 

There is no shortage of Kyon in this book either. While the first focused on Trey and Kricket coming together, this book begins to expand the politics of the world and some of the other characters. We are introduced to some of the other priestesses, and from just their few short scenes, it's clear there's a lot going on behind the scenes in the Alameeda clan. I was delighted with Kyon's character in this book, and I can tell that this was setting up for a lot more to come in the third.

"Stealing oxygen while being tethered to the sky, that's what it feels like to be loved by Trey." 

There are too many amazing quotes from this book to include in one short review. I'm pretty sure my kindle version is almost completely highlighted. I'm excited to read this again, because with the speed at which I devoured it, there's certain to be even more beneath the surface waiting to be found on the second pass. 

"You made me love you! You're not allowed to give up, do you understand? No surrender to death. Whatever happens, you have to survive it." 

As a fan of the Premonition series, I can honestly say I'm glad Miss Bartol wrote those first. They allowed her to hone her skills and practice literary techniques so that she could produce this incredible–and in my opinion, better–series. This is going to be a whirlwind of a series, and the only regret I have is that it's going to be a long wait for the rest of the story. 

Read it, you won't regret it. 

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/996433574

Another Man's Bride by Ariel MacArran

Isabella is on the run from English court, moving from England to Scotland to marry a young noble whom she has never met before. Carrying her dowery in the procession she is an enormous target for outlaws and vagabonds alike. Isabella has accepted her future as a lady of the court and a marriage to a man she has never met, until she is captured by Lord MacKimzie. Held prisoner in his castle, Isabella must find a way home, before she's tempted to stay forever.

"A gate to Hell was known to exist in Scotland. She would not put it past MacKimzie to be leading them all there."

A beautifully researched historical romance, Another Man's Bride takes what can sometimes seem to be a boring and monotonous time period, and turns it into an exciting journey of love, loss, and murder. For one who does not normally take to historical romances, this one really brought me over. The linguistics of the writing are superb, capturing the essence of a 15th century highlander, without it being incomprehensible. Even the smallest details, like what the people ate a drank were carefully kept within the standards of the time. While none of my European studies classes have reached so far back, the history seemed nicely incorporated, and I'm sure it was all very accurate. Bringing Joan of Arc into the story–and using her real spelling–as a great touch.

Isabella is a great heroine, though there are a few face-palm moments. She's a strong heroine who has the pressure of duty to her family resting on her shoulders, all the while she's slowly falling in love with someone she knows she can never have. Her actions are always quite warranted, and so many sad things happen to her that I found myself wanting to reach out and give her a hug. She does the best she can in a tough situation, especially for only being nineteen.

MacKimzie was also a great main character. He portrayed the highlander very well, with his quick temper but also extreme love and loyalty to his people. Any scene he was in he brought to life, and made that much more colorful and exciting.

There's a great quote I was going to insert in here, but then I realized it would be a huge spoiler, and I just can't do that. This book doesn't need spoilers, it needs to be read.

The only thing that I didn't quite love about the book is how little time Isabella and MacKimzie got to spend together. Don't get me wrong, when they were together it was like magic, but compared to other books by Ariel, they weren't together very much.

As tragic and beautiful as Juliet and her Romeo, Another Man's Bride will take you by the hand and submerse you into the vivid world of Isabella and Colyne MacKimzie, holding you prisoner on the edge of your seat, until the very end. Thankfully however, unlike our infamous friend Mr. Shakespeare, Ariel doesn't find pleasure in crushing her reader's hearts beneath the sole of her boot. So do not fear all you fellow hopeless romantics, the resolution will not leave you injured and bleeding.

I highly recommend this book, even for people you normally do not appreciate historical fiction. Trust me, it's worth it.

Five Stars

Rosalie Williams

Another Man's Bride on Goodreads

Lost and Found by Nicole Williams

Rowen doesn't care what other people think about her. She doesn't care when mothers move their kids away from her on the street, or when people mutter, "Freak," as they take in her punk clothes. She's been on her own her entire life, with an absentee mother who couldn't care less and a father she doesn't even know the name of. The last stop she has to make on her way to college is a summer at Willow Springs Ranch, in Montana. What she doesn't expect to find is unconditional love and a family like she's only dreamed could exist. A summer of love, loss and acceptance, a summer that will change Rowen forever.

"We all want to open up to someone, Rowen. The hard part is finding someone we trust enough to open up to. That person we're not afraid to let into the darkest parts of our world."

Rowen was a great main character. We know she's had a rough past, but it isn't until the end of the book that her mystery is really revealed. While it's entirely possible to guess the big reveal, there are aspects of it that make it an original plot twist, and that much more tragic. She really doesn't let what people say to her get under her skin, and has lots of witty comebacks herself. Despite her damaged exterior and history of making bad decisions, she's real enough of a person to really like and relate to.

"I wasn't living with just the nicest family in existence; they were probably descendants of Aristotle."

The Walkers were a fantastic family, and have been born and raised in Montana, not far from the truth when it comes to how ranch families are. They have a great dynamic and their interactions always aid to the plot, they're not just filler. How they accept Rowen into their lives and family is wonderful, and every conversation with Rose left me beaming at me Kindle like a complete fool.

'"I will rise, but I do not shine," I croaked as I stood. "Even if I did, I sure as heck wouldn't this early."'

The ranch living was quite accurate, though an aspect that was never approached in this book is the farming. Most ranch families also have a subsistence farm that the women take care of while the men are out with the cattle. When you live that far from town, you can't drive in every time you run out of lettuce. Before I go any further I must put in however, that I think Ms. Williams chose the wrong side of the state. I live thirty minutes from a ranch called Willow Springs, and I live in the third largest town in Montana. We're not huge, but it's a college town and definitely not the stick that she was describing. Western Montana is dead set in the Rocky Mountains, the plains are out east, where most of the ranches and farms are. But other than that little location hiccup, I applaud the new territory.

'"Check those pancakes. I think they're smoking." His dimples set into his cheeks. "What can I say? I have that effect on things."

Jesse deserves to have that cocky attitude, and boy did I enjoy it. He's not a troubled bad boy who lashes out at people–that's Rowen's job. He's a boy with a dark past who overcame it to become a better person, and man was that a great change of pace. He's funny, smart, witty and kind. Men can't get much better than that. He sees in Rowen the girl she tries to hide from everyone else, and doesn't for a moment think that she's just a screw-up girl with no future. This isn't an abusive relationship, as many YA novels these days are. They are one hundred percent good for each other, and that's a breath of fresh air if I ever took one.

'"We don't deserve anything, Rowen. We don't deserve punishment, we don't deserve happiness, life owes us nothing. Realize that." His voice wasn't gentle anymore; it was as strong as I'd ever heard it. "So we have to take what we want because life sure as shit isn't going to freely hand it over." He kissed the skin just above my collar bone. "And I want you."' 

This book will drop some doozies on you, but it doesn't seem like it's trying too hard. It's just chalk full of wisdom that I'm highly tempted to paint in calligraphy on my wall. This isn't a heartbreaker, it's a book that will leave you grinning from ear to ear and completely satisfied once you put it down. There's a second book, but it's not a cliffhanger ending. It's bright, happy and resolves all the main conflicts. In fact, it's so great I'm scared of what the second might do to my heart.

So read on fellow Nicole Williams fans, and embrace the cowboy you never knew you wanted.

Five Stars

Rosalie Williams

Lost and Found on Goodreads

 

 

 

Stardancer by Ariel MacArran

Another in the Tellaran series, Stardancer is set in a futuristic universe between two warring empires. The Az'kye are fierce and proud warriors who will stop at nothing to defend the honor of their people and their families. The Realm is a futuristic society similar to that of present day, who find the Az'kye's practice of binding rituals and slavery to be barbaric and uncivilized. Both deeply misunderstand each other. When Kinara's brother is killed in a battle between the Realm and the Az'kye, she sets out on an illegal mission to avenge her brother's death. Greatly underestimating the advancements of the Az'kye, her ship is taken, and the only chance she has of returning her crew home is to befriend, and come to love the commanding officer who would take her as his wife.

Ariel MacArran is a stupendous writer. Not just be indie publishing standards, but by any. This book, read for free with my Kindle Unlimited membership, held the quality I would expect from a company published book I bought in the store, if not surpasses it. There were so few editing errors that when I found one or two I couldn't be sure that they were really there. The pride she takes in the scripting and editing of her book is worthy of Az'kye honor, and the entire indie industry would be better off to take her example.

Kinara is a fierce commander, but she's also a woman. For the first time ever in reading the SciFi genre has the character reacted properly to being imprisoned. She does feel an attraction for Aidar, but as soon as she realizes what's going on, she snaps out of it and gets mad. She doesn't crumble to his will and despite his treatment of her, stand strong with her morals and beliefs.

The conflict of Aidar and Kinara's opposing cultures was a work of art. It was frustrating to no end the way Aidar wouldn't explain the working of his world to her, but that's to be expected. Having been raised there, even the simplest things he assumed she should be able to do were contradictory to everything she knew from her own home world. This is the first time, after reading many alien abduction leading to marriage and love stories, that the culture conflict was believable and well done.

Their romance is tragic, because the whole time you just wish they would sit down and talk things out, but at the same time neither of them are like that at all. But I'll tell you, their relationship is very well done. Things never get so dark and depressing that you just can't take it anymore and have to put the book down. Whenever something sad happens it is soon counteracted by another aspect that cheers you up. I won't say it isn't heart-rending at times, but just push through it.

Kinara's assimilation into the Az'lye society is also extremely well written. All aspects of the world are thought out and the rules that Ariel establishes are not broken, as she stays consistent in her work.

Being a romantic, I do wish there had been more time in which Aidar and Kinara were happy together. It seemed like every time they almost got past their differences and had a moment of happiness, Kinara or Aidar would do or say something that would tear each other apart again. It was really hard to read, because you felt so badly for the star-crossed lovers, and just wanted them to be happy.

While the cover isn't exactly appealing and didn't draw me in the way the cover for the Seer did, I urge no one to judge this book by its cover. The writing is intricate, descriptive, and utterly beautiful. I will be reading every book if Ariel's I can get my hands on.

I recommend this to any and all readers. This series is something worth investing time in.

Five Stars

Rosalie Williams

Stardancer on Goodreads

The Seer by Ariel MacArran

In the Realm, Seers are not citizens. They are no better than animals and are to be executed on sight. That's why Arissa has been in hiding her entire life, after her parents faked her death at the age of five. But when she sees a Fleet Commander being held at gunpoint in an alley, she can no longer cower in the shadows, and steps into the light to save him. Bound by honor to save Arissa's life, Jolar has no choice but to take the beautiful Seer on his mission to a corrupt and dangerous planet, where dark intentions are afoot. It doesn't take long for Jolar to realize that Seers are nothing like the Realm makes them out to be, and in the dangerous world that he has brought Arissa in to, he's going to have to give up everything to keep her safe.

"Just in case my thoughts and feelings aren't shouting it to you, my beautiful Seer–I'm madly, wildly in love with you and nothing is going to keep me away from you."

Drawn in by the beautiful cover, I picked up this book, though I'm usually not much for the Science Fiction genre, and fell in love. This was a stay-up-all-night-because-you-can't-put-it-down read, and I regret nothing. From the opening line I was sucked in to this fast-paced, intricately woven story, and wasn't released until well into the afternoon.

Arissa is beautifully innocent and strong at the same time. It was great getting to see her excitement at finally being a part of the world around her. She maintained her belief in good despite the corrupt world around her, and no matter what, she was always looking out for others.

Jolar was strong-willed and honor bound, but his character was so great because after meeting Arissa, he came to question beliefs that he had simply accepted before, and so the character development was great. It was fun to watch him softening toward Arissa during their journey, and it was intriguing how he took for granted the things that were so fantastical to her.

This is a long book, and it was chock full of action and twists and turns in the plot, it never gets boring. Honestly this was one of those books where the plot seems very narrow-minded and you assume you know the ending and how the book will progress, but it turns into so much more than that. The book has an incredible scope by the end, and it truly was breathtaking. The galaxy was well thought out and the foods and animals remained consistent, which can be hard to do in SciFi. It's clear the author had the planets, and aspects of them very well documented, because there weren't inconsistencies.

Jolar and Arissa are great together. Arissa's innocence complements Jolar's jaded attitude, so that they each make each other a better person. While they did seem to fall in love a little quickly, it didn't bother me the way so many insta-love stories do. The conversations between them flow, and the author didn't cop out by say something like, "And they talked for hours, getting to know the little things about each other" or something like that, as authors that don't know how to write chemistry do. They interract well, and maturely with each other. The only thing is I couldn't get a good read on exactly how hold Jolar is. We know Arissa is right around twenty, but Jolar's age is never mentioned, though I got the impression that he was at least a few years older than her. I would put him in his late twenties.

This was a great book, especially for a self-publisher. There were a few editing issues, but there wasn't anything chronic, which made it easy to handle. I really appreciated this book, and while there isn't another in Arissa and Jolar's story, I will look in to other books by this author.

Five Stars

Rosalie Williams

The Seer on Goodreads

Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan

Emma is invisible. Okay, not really, but sometimes she wishes she could be. All she wants is to keep her head down and disappear until she graduates high school and can escape the ruthlessness of her aunt. Ever since her mother dropped her off at the front door four years earlier, Emma has been struggling to breathe in the house, around her so called family, she can barely make it day to day.

This is a dark book. It addresses the very serious issue of child abuse, and to be honest it was fantastic. At what I believe to be around 400+ pages, it's long, but I wouldn't give up a page of it. The length enables true character and relationship development, something that is often missing in so many YA books these days.

Emma is a great main character. For the first time in my life–or at least in a long time–the heroine didn't bother me. She's smart, strong, and a grounded person, and her reactions to things are perfect, so great I wish I could be more like her. When she's first being pulled into the social realm she navigates it with her sharp personality easily, and it's great to see her remain strong under the watchful eyes of her peers.

The storyline is interesting, and not once did I get bored. The scenes are fun and exciting, and you never know what's going to happen next. Emma is a kind person, but she doesn't let anyone walk all over her the way a lot of book girls do these days.

Emma and Evan's relationship is one of the best I've read. He isn't in any way abusive, he's just a nice guy that recognizes something in her. They start out as friends–though he wants to be more–and they develop a real connection, this ain't no love at first sight nonsense. Their time together is funny and really sweet, so when the plot twist strikes a little more than halfway through the book, I warn you–brace yourself!

I'm not certain whether or not this is a self-published indie series, and if it is, the editing is fantastic. I did not find one mistake, and that hasn't happened in what feels like forever. This book is the quality that all authors should strive for, indie or otherwise.

The one thing that could have been done a bit better was the actual abuse. While her aunt was clearly cruel and it was sickening to read what she does to Emma, there was something lacking. A big part of abuse in households is often the psychological aspect of the terrorization. That wasn't addressed here as much as the physical part was, and I wish that had been dealt with, because while bruises heal, the psychological warfare is permanently scarring.

A dark story about a girl lost, only to be found by a boy she never thought even knew her name, Reason to Breathe is a breath of fresh air. Get out of that self-published reading slump, hike up your adult pants, and settling in for a stay-up-all-night read.

Five Stars

Rosalie Williams

Reason to Breathe on Goodreads

Beware of Bad Boy by April Brookshire

After her parent's messy divorce, Gianna's mom remarried a nice man three years ago. She's totally fine with Scott, but not his arrogant son whom she's never met. After refusing to meet his dad's new family for years, Caleb's mom finally reached her limit on his partying, and sent him to live with his father. Completely different people, Gianna and Caleb both immediately hate each other. But they both see in each other something that's missing from their own lives, and that might just be enough to overcome anything.

"'Nice to meet you, sis," he said with a chuckle. I felt his warm breath on my ear as he added in a whisper only I hear, 'Wanna sleep in my bed tonight?'"

I've never really delved much into the contemporary genre, because I didn't think I'd like it much. But after reading Perfect Chemistry, I was hooked, and downloaded every free kindle book in that same genre I could find. Some of them–not great. This one–fantastic.

"It was funny how people were always telling me how lucky I was. Lucky to be so beautiful. Lucky to do well in school. Lucky to be dating Josh. Right now, when it came to stepbrothers, I was feeling decidedly unlucky."

Gianna is the kind of character I like. She's beautiful, really beautiful, but doesn't care. A lot of the book focuses on the transition of her relying on her physical beauty to her inner beauty. People always judge her based on the way she looks–especially Caleb–but she's not at all what they expect on the inside. She's witty and I love the dialogue throughout the entire book. She's exciting and fun, and while she might be a little whiny at some parts, she's a teenage girl, let's be realistic. Her dancing was a really fun part of the book, and the club exposure was a nice touch.

"Getting jealous over a guy like Caleb would be like getting jealous over a swing at a public park. It was free for anyone to have a ride." 

Caleb is a huge player, and super flirty. I love the things he says, and he owns up to the things he's done. Especially when him and Gianna are dating, he admits that he doesn't know how to be romantic, and I appreciate that because not every guy does. He is who he is, and Gianna accepts him for that. However, his development in this book is nice because he does go from a huge player to someone who wants to change their lives for the better. Sure he corrupts Gianna some along the way, but he also changes into someone who cares more about other people than just himself.

"Before I met Gianna, I'd thought I was living life to the fullest, wild and carefree. Now that I had her in my life I understood what it really meant to feel alive."

Their relationship in this is really good. They don't fall in love at first sight. In fact, it all starts with Caleb hitting on her just like he would any hot girl, and then blackmailing her into spending time with him. Of course, she gets him back, and to avoid any spoilers I'll just say that I literally laughed out loud multiple times during this book. It's a little strange because they're supposed to be stepsiblings, but here's why I was okay with it: 1. They'd never met before and had been living together for a week before they started getting serious. 2. They're NOT blood related. 3. They never seem like siblings! So yeah, I loved it.

There's not a moment where the story gets boring, because things happen right after the other, without every feeling rushed. I'll say this, a lot happens in this book, and that's exactly what kept me engaged and interested. I even read it twice, which I hardly ever do!

I love this book, and I've already read the second, and am dying for the third to come out! For a cheap/free amazon book it has very few editing errors, and they weren't that bad, and the rest of the writing was pretty good, so it didn't really bother me that much. Unfortunately, this book has raised the standard for contemporary romance for me, which means I've already ruined a genre that I've just started!

Five Stars

Rosalie Williams

Beware of Bad Boy on Goodreads

 

 

 

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Britney has a perfect life. She's beautiful, popular, and has a hot boyfriend. It's also all a lie. Alex is a member of the Latino Blood, a gang he joined to keep his family safe after his father was murdered in front of him. Alex doesn't back down from a bet, so when his friend bets him he can't sleep with the perfect Britney Ellis, he of course starts pursuing her right away. But as they become closer, and Alex starts to see the girl behind the perfection, can he keep his feelings from growing between them.

Perfect Chemistry takes place in a town called Fairfield just outside of Chicago. Born and raised in a small town in Montana, I can admit to being mostly ignorant about things that go on the in the night in cities. Gangs? Yeah, right. Not a single one in the entire state, so to say this book was shocking is an understatement. From the first page I was drawn in to the lively narrative, and the compelling stories of the two teens. They both have basically a separate plot going on during the story, until they become interwoven. It was exciting, and impossible to put down. This was a "stay up until four in the morning to finish in one night kind of read." As a perspective University of Chicago student, this book made me want to go more than ever.

Britney and Alex are both great character. The development in the book is fantastic, told from both their points of view. It's really fun to see Alex start to break down Britney's walls, and especially great when you know he's falling for her, even if he doesn't know it himself.

The issues in this book are very serious. It's not the normal teenage drivel. Alex is in a gang, and Elkeles doesn't hold back in showing the brutality of that life. As I mentioned before, I've only ever heard of gangs in places like California, so reading what goes on was enlightening, and the motive behind joining, and the impossibility of getting out all fascinated me.

The romance is fun because at first of course Britney keeps him at an arms length, and she doesn't let him push her around. After they get together, it's not all hunkey-dorey. They aren't perfect, and their lives don't match well, so the dating thing isn't easy for them. But they have chemistry, so how are they supposed to resist each other?

I did anticipate the ending, I'm not going to lie. I knew what would happen, but that didn't make it any less fun to read, or any less intense. I did cry at the end, so brace yourself. The final few chapters gave me deja vu to my brother reading The Outsiders aloud to me while we were on vacation when we were little, and that feeling isn't unwarranted. Just saying, be prepared to shed a few tears, because it's impossible not to.

This wrong side of the tracks romance was realistic, intriguing, and intense. I couldn't put it down. I literally laughed out loud, and I cried at the ending. A fantastic look into the life of a gang member, and a beautiful cheerleader who is more than a blonde bimbo, I would recommend this book to just about anyone.

Four Stars

Rosalie Williams

Perfect Chemistry on Goodreads

Under Different Stars by Amy A. Bartol

Author of the The Premonition series, Amy A. Bartol introduces us to her heart-pounding new series a little farther from home than her past books. Kidnapped from earth and taken to another world, Kricket is thrust into a society that she knows nothing about, and that knows everything about her. A lost priestess born from two people who never should have been together, everyone wants her working for them as the world crumbles into war. But with hands pulling from every side, Kricket's only hope is to stay with the man she loves, the only one she can be sure is truly fighting on her side.

Amy's books have always had stunning plots that warrant an extremely fun read, but prior to this novel her writing has been insufficient to support the action of the plot. Without warning Amy has transitioned to a colorful author with the experience and skill to create, and transport us to an entirely new world. Fast-paced and exciting, this was a one-sitting read that I couldn't put down. I was hooked by the first chapter, and was never let go.

The cover art for this book has also graduated to a new level. From amazon-author chic, to a real marketing cover. This is the kind of book I would see on the shelf and buy just for the cover. Because who are we kidding? Everyone judges books by their covers.

"I'm stone...nothing touches me...nothing."

Kricket is a down-to-earth (pun intended) heroine who grew up fighting against an abusive foster system. In all the excitement we just barely get a glimpse into Kricket's past and what she's gone through, but it's enough to develop and attachment to her, and really appreciate her character. While she does fall for a guy, she also doesn't put up with him being stupid. Since she can tell when people are lying, she gets fed up with him denying what they are to each other, and I really respected how she put a stop to his evasion.

"You know–stop right there, because you can't say stuff like that to me. You can't just kiss me in the fountains and then say you only want to be my friend."

The world that Amy creates is as imaginative as all her other plots have been, and I'm in awe at the little details she thinks of that never would have crossed most people's minds. From the creatures to the technologies, once you get used to all the new words used to describe what she sees, you are in a world as colorful as Avatar.

"You could never be a temporary situation for me, Kricket. I know that once I have you, I'll never be able to let you go. I want you as my consort...until death do us part, and than forever after that."

Trey is dreamy and I know that in the next books that a deeper look into his character will make the reader love him more than we already do–it's impossible not to. He comes to care for Kricket for her personality as they travel through the forest to Rafe, and while they do spend time apart, it's like they're always just on the edges of each other.

"My heart has found its way back to my chest and now pounds in it like it had never been torn apart."

A stunning beginning to a whirlwind new series, we will all be waiting breathlessly for the next book. If you think you know Amy Bartol as an author, think again, because this blows away her past novels, and rockets her writing into a galaxy as far away as Kricket's home.

"The sky bleeds above me like tears of black and the pinpoints of light streak horizontally with the speed of eternity."

Five Stars

Rosalie Williams

Under Different Stars on Goodreads

 

Fall From Grace by Christine Zolendz

Grace has had her heart broken. Not by men, but by God. The people she loves have died endlessly as she is continuously shoved into the lived of dying women, as punishment for loving an angel. She doesn't feel anything for men, until Shane. A tattooed, guitar playing rock star, not to mention a man-whore (pardon my language), Grace doesn't know why she takes notice of him. She has to find her angel, because she'll never love another.

First of all, all that talk about witty heroines, wipe it from your mind. I thought I knew witty and strong heroines. False. Grace is level-minded and hilarious, two traits I love in a main character. She likes Shane, she doesn't deny it, but she also doesn't fall all over him to be used and abused. Unlike most girls in books these days, he falls in love with her first, and she remains funny and charming the whole time. I really liked Grace to be honest.

Shane is hot and intense. He doesn't always say the right things, but in the end he comes around. Most of the time he tries to deny his attraction to Grace, but everyone can see how he feels. There is another book that tells the story from his point of view, and I cannot wait to read it.

Grace is beautiful, and because I'm a sucker like that, I love it when guys hit on her. It's amusing, I know, shame on me, but I can't help it!

There are a few mistakes, as any amazon publisher will have, but all in all it was really good. The writing is much better than what I'd come to expect from amazon writers, and best yet–the books aren't expensive and don't raise in price further down the series (I loath that)!

I very much enjoyed this, and it should probably be on the top of the amazon free books list. It has some adult content, while no actual sex, things get pretty heated (wink wink) so evaluate your maturity before reading this, it's not a young adult book.

Bravo

Four Stars

Rosalie Williams

Fall From Grace on Goodreads