The Darkest Winter by Lindsey Pouge

 Title: The Darkest Wnter Author: Lindsey Pouge Series Title: Savage North Chronicles Published:,May 9th 2019 Pages: 494 Format: File Source: Given for an honest review by author as an ARC

Summary: The Virus spread. Billions died. The Ending began.

A group of orphaned misfits.
The wild lands of the last frontier. 
Superhuman abilities, harrowing adventures, and heartbreaking secrets.

Elle – Haunting shadows are nothing new to Elle St. James, she’s been running from them all her life. But since the outbreak spread from the lower forty-eight, new monsters lurk in the darkness. After Elle wakes from The Fever, capable of horrific deeds, she fears she’s one of them. When she stumbles upon four orphans, Elle’s forced to discover what happens when her greatest fear becomes her darkest secret and her only hope of surviving.

Jackson – After the world goes mad and takes his family with it, Jackson decides a bottle of bourbon and the depths of despair are preferable to any semblance of living. But when Jackson wakes from the black hole of oblivion with a gun in his face, he must choose whether he wants to die or fight to find something worth living for. 

Brought together under the worst possible circumstances, Elle and Jackson must face the inexplicable realities of the new world. Their past lives are over, and the arctic isn’t all that’s savage anymore.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Reader’s Thoughts: Such an awesome first of a new spin-off series. 
The Darkest Winter is the first book of the new Ending Series, The Savage North Chronicles. It takes place in the last frontier of Alaska and parts of the Yukon territory, Canada.
The two main characters are Elle and Jackson. Both characters experienced trauma and together, work through the scars to save and protect 4 orphan children as the world ends. 
This book gives you a peek into the Alaska experience. How much people do rely on the land. Especially everyone is dealing with a mystery virus and experiencing new “abilities.”
I was sucked in from page one. Being an Alaska raised girl, this book gave me a taste of home. 
The suspense of the illness and the development of each character is spot on. The Savage North Chronicles can be read with The Ending series, or it can be a complete stand alone series. 
Great job and I can’t wait for book two!!!

You can purchase The Darkest Winter for Kindle Unlimited for Free or the paperback for $14.99 HERE

Until next time my Dragons!!

** I was asked to write an honest review for this novel. It was not agreed for the review to be positive. I’m not compensated for my reviews.**

The Haunting of Alice May by Tony Lee Moral

 Title: The Haunting of Alice May Author: Tony Lee Moral Series Title: Ghost Maven Published:March 16, 2019 Pages: 235 Format:Kindle Source: Given for an honest review by author as an ARC

Summary: Alice May Parker moves with her family to the sleepy town of Pacific Grove after her Mom dies, but little does she know the strange and terrifying events to come. When she falls into the bay during a kayaking trip, she is rescued from drowning by the mysterious Henry Raphael. Handsome, old fashioned and cordial, he is unlike any other boy she has known before. Intelligent and romantic, he sees straight into her soul. Soon Alice and Henry are swept up in a passionate and decidedly unorthodox romance until she finds out that Henry is not all what he seems. . .

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reader’s Thoughts: As you start this novel, you follow Alice, a seventeen year old girl who is tormented by her mother’s sudden death. Her father decided to relocate her and her little sister to a small town on the coast called Pacific Grove. While trying to adapt to her new home, Alice makes a few new friends, but is battling her fear of water.

You watch as Alice grows stronger and out of her shell after she meets Henry, a young man who is a bit out of the ordinary. While starting a relationship with the young man who literally saved her from drowning, Alice discovers that Henry isn’t who he seems. If fact he isn’t human at all. He’s a 100 year old ghost of a dead man.

After having a few mishaps, Henry and Alice start a romantic relationship together. Yeah you heard that right. This is a concept that I haven’t read before and find quite interesting. While the plot is a tad confusing at first, I found this book to be an enjoyable light read. I see a lot of potential for a second novel, maybe more considering the series name is neat. I enjoyed the growth of Alice as she starts to settle into her new home and has a strong connection to Henry. I wish there was a little more explaining about the “ghost maven” and that Henry’s story was told as well.

The ending of this novel was quick and swift, with enough action to keep those pages turning. I sure do hope to see more of our main couple in a next book.

Until next time my dragons,

** I was asked to write an honest review for this novel. It was not agreed for the review to be positive. I’m not compensated for my reviews.**

Salt For Air by M.C. Frank

 Title: Salt for Air

Author: M.C. Frank

Series Title: Unknown

Published: October 23rd, 2018

Pages: 248

Format: PDF

Source: Given for an honest review by author as an ARC

Summary:

Greek mythology meets The Little Mermaid in this delicious fantasy novel about a quiet, nerdy girl who meets a mer prince in her bathroom. Perfect for fans of The Heroes of Olympus and the Lux series.

Seventeen-year-old Ellie dreams of mermen. She writes fanfiction about them and spends time in underwater kingdoms in her imagination, trying to escape the sad reality: she is an orphan. And not only that, but she’s bullied every day at school -she’s a nerd, she hates sports, she loves books and she used to be overweight. What’s not to bully?

One day, the bullies go too far. They try to drown her, but at the last minute an otherworldly creature shows up in the water. He keeps her breathing and tells her to live: “How will you be able to save anyone if you can’t even save yourself?”

She thinks it was a dream, but the emerald-eyed merman boy who rescued her appears in her school the next day. Is he really the exiled prince of an ancient kingdom that’s on the brink of utter destruction? And is he asking her to save him? Or is something far more sinister and deadly lurking in the water that surrounds her little Greek town?

When myth and reality collide, can love save their lives?

Reader’s thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐

I dove into this novel with an open mind and a hope that it will be right up my alley. This review isn’t negative or positive in the least, it’s just my opinion and completely unbiased.

The novel followed Ellie as she and a merperson, named Ky, try to save Ky’s world from the inevitable war. However, there is a small tiny problem. Ky is wanted dead. Why?  He’s to be crowned king. So as a young kid, he flees to another realm, Ellie’s.

Interesting, right? RIGHT!

What I really enjoyed was the new concept of mermaids. It was very different and I don’t think another book can be like it. Mix this new realm with an interesting backstory on a mythical Greek god and you have an exciting new world to explore.

I loved how the characters were introduced strong and had a purpose. You learn about each character and learn to love them all. However, there isn’t a lot yet about them. I think a little more could be added to learn more as you go about each character.

The concept of “time” travel, is very neat. I loved how it’s a different possibility.

The relationship with Ellie and Ky was a little to predictable for me. Ellie is your very typical nerdy teenager becomes heroine. The story is your typical YA teen romance, which is a trend I was hoping wouldn’t be included. Girl meets prince. Girl falls for prince, girl then saves the day and then has to decide to stay with prince or return home. But then it wasn’t as strong as I hoped. Ky was like every other YA boy you read about. Way to cocky and not enough humility and a major god-complex.

Now I like my reviews short a sweet with a lake of spoilers. I try to stick to the point. While there is definitely an audience for this book, in the end, it wasn’t for me. Would I continue if there was a book two? Yes.

Until next time my dragons.

** I was asked to write an honest review for this novel.

It was not agreed for the review to be positive.

I’m not compensated for my reviews.**

Told You So by Lindsey Pouge

 Title: Told You So

Author: Lindsey Pouge

Series Title: Saratoga Falls Trilogy

Published: July 15th, 2018

Pages: 348

Format: Kindle

Source: Given for an honest review by author as an ARC

Summary:

Everyone has demons, and for Nick, she’s a blonde-haired, gray-eyed siren who won’t give him the time of day.

Nick’s the whole package—loyal, hardworking, and he’s got a heart-stopping smile that could make any girl swoon. But he’s been thrown more than a few curveballs in the romance department. For years, Nick’s been fighting his feelings for a certain bad girl, despite their messy history. Little does he know, Fate has a few more surprises in store for him, and Bethany’s only the beginning.

In the small town of Saratoga Falls, reputations are hard to shake, something Bethany knows first-hand. She likes to party and let loose, but that’s not who she is. Juggling college exams, a dysfunctional family, and an Autistic brother she’d do anything for, keeps her plenty busy. So when she’s forced to work with the one guy who’s always gotten under her skin, it’s all she can do to keep her focus.

Despite their past, Nick is determined to show Bethany that she’s wrong about him—about them. The Goonies, a hot-fudge sundae, and a late-night study session might be just enough to prove things don’t always have to be so damned complicated.

Told You So is a story about love’s imperfections and triumphs, about following your heart, especially when it’s not easy, and a testament that everything is better with pickles.

**This is a story contains mature content, sexual and other**

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Reader’s Summary:

I can’t put into words how bitter sweet this book made me feel!! Since book one, I have been ready for Nick and Bethany’s story. We finally got it and man the feels are getting to me.

Through out the trilogy, every time we met Bethany, we got the impression of a selfish, uncaring chick who loved drama and breaking hearts. Little did we know, that it was all a front, for a girl with a broken heart.
Nick. He was always there for Bethany and She always ran him over. Nick brings the term of “nice guys finish last” to life.

What I loved about this conclusion, is not only do we finally see a wonderful story between Nick and Bethany, but we see a bit more of reality in this book. I absolutely adore Bethany’s brother. So sweet and innocent.

All in all, a WONDERFUL conclusion to this trilogy!!

 

Until next time my dragons!!!!

** I was asked to write an honest review for this novel.

It was not agreed for the review to be positive.

I’m not compensated for my reviews.**

No Ordinary Star by M.C. Frank

 Title: No Ordinary Star

Author: M.C. Frank

Series Title: No Ordinary Star

Published: November 25th, 2015

Pages: 150

Format: Kindle

Source: Given for an honest review by author

Summary: A soldier is summoned to the North Pole, days before the year changes, told to fix the great Clock for a celebration. He has no idea what to do.
A girl, hunted for the crime of being born, almost dies out on the ice. She is rescued by the last polar bear left alive.
A library waits for them both, a library built over a span of a hundred years, forgotten in the basement of an ice shack.
The world hasn’t known hunger or sickness in hundreds of years. It has also forgotten love and beauty.
The year is 2525.Inspired by the short stories of Ray Bradbury, this futuristic novel is set in a world where Christmas -among other things- is obsolete and a Clock is what keeps the fragile balance of peace.

Written in three installments, this is the breathtaking and sensual story of how two unlikely people change the world, and each other, one book at a time.

Immerse yourself into the icy cold world of this scorching hot new novel.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reader’s Thoughts: Oh. My. Lanta. Where can I begin? It has been a long time where a book had me so excited to write a review. This book was completely different. Not like anything I’ve ever read. The only question I can ask myself is “Why did you not read this sooner?!?!?!”

This book is the first installment for a series that has been out for a little while, but somehow I never heard of it. I love futuristic, scifi and apocalyptic novels. Somehow, this book has escaped my notice until this week.

In this book, you have two points of view. Felix, a soldier trained to obey the laws and is known as a “tin soldier” and a “drone.” Then you have Astra, a girl who is hunted for just being alive by the government. Not only are Felix and Astra complete opposites, but they work together to learn the secrets the government has been hiding from them. Like Christmas.

This first installment is short a sweet, you have two people who learn on how different they are from the rest of their world. They then start to realize that they can only truly trust each other, even if they refuse to admit it. And the recordings from an old man who keeps the peace, each year, with a clock.

Again, I have not been this excited to write a review in a while. You all know I refuse to give spoilers, and I’m keeping it that way.

Do I recommend? Yes, highly.

If you are interested in starting the No Ordinary Star, you can grab it on Kindle HERE.

Check out the author’s Instagram HERE.

Until next time!

** I was asked to write an honest review for this novel.

It was not agreed for the review to be positive.

I’m not compensated for my reviews.**

Breaking Bonds by Lori J. Kemper

 Title: Breaking Bonds

Author: Lori J. Kemper

Series Title: The Second Vampire War

Published: August 26th 2017

Pages: 406

Format: PDF file

Source: Given for an honest review.

Summary: A risky choice frees Megan from her cancer. But the cure comes with a price. The Mega program promises amazing super powers, age regression and restored health. Instead, the physicians she trusts strip her of her identity and abandon her to a post apocalyptic wilderness fraught with danger. With only fragmented memories to hint at who she once was, she embraces a new name, Liz.
In her quest to find answers, she finds herself swept into a world of genetically engineered vampires (Brutes and Elites) who struggle to escape their enslavement. Her desire to recover her past is matched by her desire to break them free of their bonds. Nothing is as it seems and betrayal lurks behind every corner. For the mysterious GEM organization manipulates everything and everyone. To them, humans and vampires are pawns. And Liz is a queen in their sadistic game. As she uncovers the secrets they’ve hidden from her, she discovers the extent of her amazing abilities, which she’ll use to save the men she loves.

⭐⭐⭐

Reader’s Thoughts: This book reminds me of The Hunger Games meets Vampire Diaries. You have Liz, who is actually a woman named Megan, who lives in a very futuristic world when vampires are slaves to humans. Megan is a (older) scientist who was diagnosed with terminal cancer, She decided to take a chance and go through genetic therapy to not only cure her of her cancer, but make her younger.

When Megan wakes up, 300 years had passed. She is a young woman with no memory. She then meets a vampire slave named Michael. For the next year she spends with Michael, she learns that she was turned into a super human called a Mega. She then meets Matthew, another vampire slave. Starts a war with the master humans, only to learn that she is watched 24/7 from the company G.E.N. who made her new terrifying world, not only a reality, but a fight for survival.

I found the story and characters interesting. Liz, started of as a very weak character. But as the book progresses, she becomes a strong heroine. The Vampires.. I don’t know where to begin. The author has her vampire race divided into many sub-races.It’s actually pretty neat. The details for each scene, character and action, it felt more like a movie than a book. I definitely got a Hunger Games vibe thrown into this futuristic vampire world.

Now there is one thing that I found very typical in this book. Love triangles. Our wonderful heroine is of course in a love triangle. But wait…… She’s not in a relationship with just 2, but FOUR guys. WHAT?!?!?!?!

I still can’t process this myself.

So besides the obvious, I found that this book moved a little to fast for a first in a series. There was a lot of content that could be in a second book. So as a reader, you get a tad overwhelmed. But putting that aside, the lot and the characters made it better and an enjoyable read.

Did my review spike any interest in this book? If so, check it out HERE on Amazon.

Until Next time!!!

ARKLIGHT: Operation Nightfall by J.M. Myrick

 Title: Operation Nightfall

Author: J.M. Myrick
Series Title: Arklight
Published: October 4th, 2017
Format: Kindle
Source: Authors

 

Summary: The United States’ most formidable secret unit impacts the past creating a line through history, revealing that God exists independent of time. Seventy-three years after World War II, while on a mission to capture the world’s most wanted terrorist, Arklight’s Spear Team, led by genius historian Navy SEAL Captain John Steadman, discovers a remarkable Nazi conspiracy. Through a supernatural phenomenon, the small Arklight team teleports to 1943 Bizerte, Tunisia, one day into the allied assault on the city. The team’s interactions with a group of Navy Raiders in World War II lead them to discover the Nazi plans for an atomic bomb and a weapon of Christ, known as the Titulus Crucis.
The Navy Raiders discover a powerful truth through faith, which binds them to America’s most modern and formidable warriors conceived to date. Historical figure Ensign John Bell and his small band of Raiders soon experience Arklight’s ability to wage all out warfare against the Nazi death-machine. In 1943, Hitler’s hope to rule the world stands on the fringe of reality, but the Arklight team’s encounter with a powerful force enables them a chance to alter destiny itself. The coveted mysteries of Christ are unveiled, and the team soon discovers the forces of darkness have a larger more ominous plan in play.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reader's Thoughts: I have to say, when I started Arklight, I was a little overwhelmed. I grew up in a military family so the terminology and persona of the characters were familiar, but the plot surprised me. The author is a former Marine, so you know he knows his stuff! That’s one thing I enjoyed, an actual service member writing a fictional novel.

The characters development throughout the novel was fast but not too overwhelming. Each character had his own strengths, which is shown in excellent detail. You have John (Steady) Steadman and Chappy as our two main characters. Steady’s strong faith and Chappy’s criticism clashed together but supported each other. Bell and Richie as our boys from WWII and they are quite the same as Steady and Chappy. Then you have Rod and Nathan, who undeniably support the Arklight team and the mysterious old man, Pappy……. who’s real identity is revealed. (No spoilers from me though!!!!!)

I loved the time travel between 2016 and 1943. You see how the soldiers react to being thrown into the middle of WWII. But HOW they went through time was a surprise to me. I never expected a military based book to have some Religion thrown into the mix. I couldn’t quite wrap my brain around this combination, but it seemed to thread together quite nicely.

Now I am very particular about religious books and tend not to really enjoy them, but I quite enjoyed this and will be waiting for book 2 to be available.

Now you all know I am not a spoilers person, I will say this without spoiling the book for everyone, this is more for the author to see my reaction.

The two names provided for Pappy, you had me going back and forth with those names, but I knew who he was before it was fully revealed!!! I enjoyed the hinting though! It was quite humorous.

All in all, I really enjoyed it!!! Great combination of religion and military tactics. Great flow and plot twist from two very different eras. Looking towards book 2!

 

Check out the author’s website HERE

Purchase Arklight fro Amazon HERE for Kindle for only $1.99 or paperback for $12.99

 

Until next time my dragons!!!!