Caro's Book Reviews

This is a collection of short stories that describes Simon Lewis's journey into becoming a Shadowhunter. It is set chronically between The Mortal Instruments and The Dark Artifices series. I had mistakenly read Lady Midnight of The Dark Artifices first and was slightly confused about how and when Simon became a Shadowhunter. Reading this book cleared up the confusion.    Each story is written by Cassandra Clare and another author, similar to the Bane Chronicles , there are also illustrations for each chapter depicting a scene from that chapter. Many characters from The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices make appearances throughout the book.    I really enjoyed the stories; there was right amounts of humour and drama mixed in, and a little bit of sadness as well. I won't lie, I did get a bit misty eyed during the last story.    I would recommend this to those who enjoy Clare's novels, and also to those who enjoy fantasy. Those who like boardi

Renegades by Thomas Locke is an enjoyable sci-fi novel. It focuses on three main characters; the twins Sean and Dillon Kirrel, and Logan. The point of view switches often between the three, giving the reader a complete picture of the story. Renegades is part of a series, and I often found myself wishing that I had read the first book Recruits to understand a bit more about the past events that are mentioned. Despite that, I found the plot of Renegades to be interesting, and the plot engaging. The technology and terms used are easy enough to grasp. I quite liked the characters. They felt real to me, especially Sean as he debates with himself the correct courses of action. Both twins would do anything to help each other, and Logan had the loyalty of his friends.  Renegades ends off with threads promising another book in the series, and the conclusion itself is satisfying.  I would recommend Renegades to those who like sci-fi and adventure, and as the title hints at; ther

This novella was the first in the series for me to read. Despite that, it was easy to follow the story without being confused about past events. Penric and his demon, Desdemona, are on a secret mission that turns out to be not so secret after all. Alone and not sure who to trust, they must decide to finish the mission or abandon it. However, completing the mission comes with its own set of complications. Desdemona is a delight, the voice of wisdom with a bit of mischief thrown in. Penric is not the typical good mage who can do no wrong, when needs be he does what he must to a certain extent. The other two characters, Nikys and Adelis, allow the reader an outside glimpse of Penric and Desdemona. Siblings, they are protective of each other and not too sure about trusting Penric in the beginning. Filled with magic and political intrigue, those who like their fantasy with a bit of mystery and a few laughs will enjoy this. This book made me want to read the other books in s

I really enjoyed The Squirrel on the Train by Kevin Hearne. Oberon, the canine protagonist, lends humour to the tale with his observations being from a dog's point of view. This is the second book in the series, and the first one that I've read. New readers to the series, like myself, are able to read the second book without any confusion. All characters are introduced with sufficient details, along with any referencing to the previous book. Having previously owned a Boston Terrier, the cover of The Squirrel on the Train attracted my attention first, the blurb sealed the deal. Possibly evil squirrels? A mystery surrounding a murder? Dogs! The book lived up to my expectations and the canine characters reminded me of my own dogs in their antics (especially when it involved food). The story flows smoothly, it is a short read though. Those who love dogs, or own them will enjoy this book. Also recommended for mystery lovers. This eARC was provided to me via NetGal

I found Amber Sky by Claire Warner to be a quite enjoyable book to read. The plot may sound generic with its dystopian feel and the lower classes being trod upon by the nobles, but the story itself gives it its own unique feel. I quite liked the characters and the protagonist, Tay, felt real to me. She had the weight of the world thrust on her shoulders and took the routes she felt were best to protect her younger siblings. At times she felt overwhelmed and reacted accordingly The prose wasn't heavy and flowed easily and naturally. It was a book that I found hard to put down and found myself still reading in the early hours of the morning. The twists and turns that lead up to the ending left me wanting to read the next book in the series. I would recommend it to those who enjoy young adult novels with a female protagonist. There is a little bit of romance sprinkled in as well. A free copy of this e-book was provided to me via Netgalley in exchange for a honest rev

The Last Dragon Rider by Errin Krystal is a fantasy novel that incorporates romance and revenge. I found it to be well written and engaging. My only quibble is that I found it a bit short. Regardless of that, the story was wrapped up nicely with no hanging plot lines and the characters were not left as empty shells. The ending also leaves readers hungry for the next installment in the series. While I would not recommend the book to my family and friends the only reason being that they do not like this genre, I would feel comfortable in recommending this book to patrons at the library I work at who do enjoy romantic fantasy. This book would be suited to adults who enjoy fantasy intertwined with romance with strong female characters . There are no naïve, blushing ladies in this book, they know what they want and are unafraid to go for it. A free copy of this e-book was provided to me via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.