Review: Breach

Breach by W.L. Goodwater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Breach was a wild ride. It took me a while to get into it, but I'm glad I pushed through the slow beginning (which could totally have been due to my currently-on-the-way-out-finally two month reading slump) and kept going. I read the last 70% in one sitting!

This was a crazy fun alternate history historical fiction magical realism urban fantasy. It's set mostly in Europe, in the city of Berlin, after the War has torn the world (and the city) apart. Only the wall in this one is magical, impenetrable, and supposedly never coming down... until the "good guys" find a hole in the magic. Uh oh. They call for some magical support from their counterparts in the US, and the main character shows up on the scene. From there, it's a storm of spies, betrayals, magical twists, and fighting against pure evil.

I'll say, it was highly entertaining with a dash of cliche. I'd probably pick up the next one, if there's a sequel, because it was fun. I do wish the magic had been a little more developed. But hey, after that ending, there's a chance for more.

I'd say overall, good book with some great action, definitely worth a read if historical fiction with a paranormal/fantasy twist is your thing.

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Review: Archangel's Prophecy

Archangel's Prophecy by Nalini Singh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

SHATTER. SHATTER. SHATTER.

We've had a prophecy for a while now, and all of us fans have been trying to figure out what it's driving us towards. Well, obviously you already know this book is going to have some focus on that, what with it being the title and all that. ;)

This book kind of felt like more buildup, more setting up a story, with the main plotline for the book feeling like it took a major back burner to the forward momentum of the overarching series storyline. That's fine, I guess, but the way this one ended, with an almost-cliffhanger, very few answers, and lots more questions, it left me wanting more. That's normally not a bad thing, because the best books always leave you really begging for the next... which I am. I love this series (in spite of all the lady bits and "really, you're stopping to do that NOW?" moments that come with paranormal romance... UF is my typical preferred genre), so I definitely am already pumped and ready for the next book. Seriously, gimme! But normally, Nalini doesn't leave me wanting more out of the book I just finished. I'm usually satisfied with my current entree, and still ready for the next course. Unfortunately, with the main plot of this one feeling so secondary, it kind of felt like picking up a movie 20 minutes after it starts and leaving 20 minutes before it ended -- all the middle story and world-building without the big details being introduced well or tied up with a bow.

Anyways, it's Nalini and it's a great series, and it's still an awesome book. So, overall, I'll give it 3.5 out of 5, rounded up to a nice neat 4 stars. Even with the flaws, it's absolutely still a must-read, because this series is interesting and intriguing and chock full of great characters and a REALLY cool world.

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Review: I'll Be There For You

I'll Be There For You by Kelsey Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but I had to request this one. I adore the show FRIENDS! It's one of my favorite shows of all time, and this book really reinforced why I feel that way. It's got a timeless quality and delves into the feelings of what it means to have a framily when your family disappoints.

This book doesn't make it all appear to be roses and rainbows, either. It discusses the problems with the show - the gay jokes, the huge lack of diversity and representation, etc. And I can see those problems, more so as the years go by and those things have become a bigger part of the national dialogue. While it has its issues, every show does, and it doesn't diminish the huge effect that the FRIENDS phenomenon had on the world.

The author's telling of the history of the show is compelling, and I really enjoyed it.

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Review: The Hanging Tree

The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

These books aren't bad. They're really good actually, but the problem is that you always have to push through a long boring beginning before they get to that really good part.

Anyways, this one was more of a 3.5, but I couldn't see rounding it up to 4.

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Review: Bright Ruin

Bright Ruin by Vic James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Vic James has created a fantastic world, well plotted and filled with deep, complicated, flawed characters. It's hard to believe that this trilogy is her debut into the realm of published novels, because she's excelled from start to finish. This is by far one of the best YA series I've read, and I read a lot!

I don't want to give away too much, but the fallout of the end of the last book has left our set of main characters reeling and split, and this book picks up right away, finding loose ends and tying them together like Silyen and his Skill-weaving at the walls of Far Carr.

Honestly, she's left enough open for an amazing adventure to follow, and I sincerely hope we get to read more, because I will be truly sad for this world to be over and done -- but I will also be rereading these in the future, absolutely!


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Review: The Masked City

The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This one might be even better than the first!

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Review: Foxglove Summer

Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Either this story was way better than most of the others, or taking a (long) break from the series helped reboot my enjoyment of it, because I read this one quite quickly compared to the last one in the series.

This one doesn't really push the Faceless Man storyline forward, other than some phone interactions with you-know-who after that person you-know-what'd in the last book and what appears to be a dire warning.

But honestly, the fae storyline in this one was fantastic.

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