Caro's Book Reviews

  Do you like mystery? Do you like mythology? Then you might just enjoy Hostile Takeover by Christelle Comby. This novel blends the two genres, along with a healthy dose of supernatural, into a detective story. I did find it slow-going initially but found that the pace picked up further into the plot. This is the first novel of a series, and there is some backstory that is mentioned by never quite elaborated on for the protagonist Bellamy Vale that lends him an air of mystery on how he got caught up doing what he is doing. The plot is concluded nicely, not leaving any frustrating cliff-hangers, but also allows a follow-on string for possible future novels. It was an enjoyable read and I recommend it to those who like detective novels that take on a fantasy twist. This novel was given free to me via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Hidden King is the debut novel of author E.G Radcliff, and it is the first book in the series: The Coming of Áed. It is a fantasy young adult book that follows that story of a young man named Áed. He is stuck in a rundown city called Maze; a decrepit place that has no mercy for those who are weak, and those who are not careful do not last long within its walls.   A tragedy forces Áed to seek a way to escape Maze, a flight that teaches him secrets about himself that he never knew. Faced with dangers, Áed must discover who he is and who he can trust, in order to survive.   I found the story to be quite enjoyable, there are a few plot threads left hanging which hopefully will be tied off in the subsequent books in the series. The author uses Irish expressions throughout the novel, of which there is a handy glossary to help decode the meanings.   There is plenty of action and adventure, with a bit of LGBT romance as well. I would recomm...

A Dance with Demons is the first book in this series. In this book, the characters must face down an invading force, only for an even greater threat to be unleashed. I found it to be a long read, with long spates of no action inbetween the very short bits of action. Initially I did not like the characters, but the more I read the more they grew on me. Though, I must admit liking some of the secondary characters more than the primary characters. Being the first book, it does its job in setting up the plot and introducing the reader to the world that it is set in and the story. It does end on a cliffhanger, that made me want to get hold of the sequel in order to find out what happens next. Overall, despite being a bit flat in parts, I did enjoy reading this book and would recommend it to teen readers who enjoy fantasy and action. This E-ARC was provided to me for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mitchell: A Young Warrior by E.J. Bownds is a fantasy novel. Honestly, I did not enjoy this book. The plot is solid, but the story written was not. There was no feeling of surprise or anticipation, it felt like everything happening to Mitchell was too easy. Problems were dealt with too quickly with not enough tension building up. To me, it was too much of ‘hero needs to do this, oh no a problem, yay solution conveniently lands in hero’s lap, move on to the next objective’. It also felt like there were too many fantasy clichés bundled up with each of the characters introduced. If the novel was longer with more descriptive detail, it might not have felt so jarring while reading. I would recommend this more to a middle school aged reader, rather than a young adult reader. This E-ARC was provided to me via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

This was an awesome read. The plot draws you in, making you not want to put the book down – resulting in a few late nights. The story is full of mystery and intrigued, you never quite know which of the characters to trust until you reach the end. Each character is unique, as the story flows you get a feel for each one. The ending was delightfully twisty, one that I was not expecting at all. I just loved everything about this E-ARC; when the novel came up on one of the book buying lists at the library I work at, I pounced at the chance to add it to the library's stock collection. I would definitely recommend this to those who love mystery and detective novels, especially those that are set in a historical setting. This was a free E-ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Lainey Styles is a high school student who pretty much has her life planned out. She wants nothing more than to be able to leave her small town life behind and explore the world around her. However, all her meticulous plans come crashing down around her when she discovers most of what she knows about herself is a lie. Thrust into a world of magic and the impossible, Lainey must learn how to navigate in this new world while facing enemies who are after her unique gift. Lainey is not alone, as she is aided by her best friend Maggie, and new-to-school Ty. Together, they try to help Lainey discover her family's history and her true self. Keeper is filled with magical creatures such as witches and werewolves. Lainey must learn who she can trust, and who is working for the enemy. Initially, I wasn't too enthused but as the story moved on and the pace quickened, I began to enjoy reading to find out what happens next to Lainey. The ending is a bit abrupt in my opinion,...

Road of the Lost , by Aiden Russell, is the first book of the Judges Cycle series and is set in the Land of Nod. Two young Templars looking for a missing champion, and an Elf with an inherited duty as a guardian, are thrown together as unlikely companions due to dark machinations of an ancient evil. Dark Elves, with brutish and hungry Ogres for minions, work for the ancient evil and constantly beset the heroes with attacks. Due to this, there is plenty of action with with all of the battles. The two Templars, Gratas and Jerah must learn to work together with the Elf, Reslo, in order for the three of them to survive the quest that they have been given. In the background, political truces are hanging by a precariously thin thread. Rival nations disagree over religion and gods, and there is bitterness remaining from a long ago war. The novel ends well, with threads leading towards a second book. There are also a few intriguing sub-plots that left me curious. Road of the...

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...

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.