Quickie Review: Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep

Book: Web of Lies (Elemental Assassin Series #2)
By: Jennifer Estep
Published: May 25, 2010
Published by: Pocket Books

Description: Curiosity is definitely going to get me dead one of these days. Probably real soon.

I'm  Gin Blanco.

You might know me as the Spider, the most feared assassin in the South. I’m retired now, but trouble still has a way of finding me. Like the other day when two punks tried to rob my popular barbecue joint, the Pork Pit. Then there was the barrage of gunfire on the restaurant. Only, for once, those kill shots weren’t aimed at me. They were meant for Violet Fox. Ever since I agreed to help Violet and her grandfather protect their property from an evil coalmining tycoon, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m really retired. So is Detective Donovan Caine. The only honest cop in Ashland is having a real hard time reconciling his attraction to me with his Boy Scout mentality. And I can barely keep my hands off his sexy body. What can I say? I’m a Stone elemental with a little Ice magic thrown in, but my heart isn’t made of solid rock. Luckily, Gin Blanco always gets her man . . . dead or alive.

My Thoughts: I loved Spider's Bite, the first book in the Elemental Assassin series and Web of Lies was no different. We catch up with Gin in her retirement from the Assassin business, and she's bored. She's been running the Pork Pit, but other than that, she has no idea what to do with her time which is why when someone comes in to rob her restaurant high on his own magic, she takes fun in letting him know just how strong she really is. It's also why she can't help but help out the Fox's when she finds out someones trying to take their livelihood away from them, and she can't help but decide the best way to handle both situations is to kill the opposing parties.

This book was another fun ride with Gin Blanco. I enjoyed every second of it and I can't wait to read Venom, the next book in the series.

Because I'll be running through this series ridiculously fast, and I don't want to accidentally give out any spoilers, I probably wont review any more of the books here. Feel free to visit my goodreads page to see what I think about the next books as I read them. While you're there, feel free to add me as a friend so I can check out what books you like too. I give this one 5 stars.

  

Review: Mind Games by Kiersten White

Book: Mind Games
By: Kiersten White
Published: February 19, 2013
Published by: HarperTeen

Description: Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways…or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

My Thoughts: Mind games was a great read told through the two MC's POV in the format of a stream of consciousness and thought. It was a great fast paced book that told its readers that anything is possible, if you try hard enough.

We follow Fia and Annie. Fia has ridiculously flawless instincts and her sister, though blind, can see the future easily. At a young age, they get roped into joining a school, even though Fia's gut instinct tells her not to, and after that, life is difficult for them. Fia's instincts are never wrong, but she joins the school because her sister begs her too, and slowly but surely she realizes that the school isn't all it's sold to be. It's one that uses those with special powers for monetary gain, and Fia's one of a kind. She fights amazingly because her instincts are always right. The school won't let her go, and are willing to threaten her sister to keep her there. Soon, it becomes obvious that they need to get out, but how do you get out of a school that's comprised of people who can see your future and read your thoughts. They know what you're planning before you even have a solid plan together which means, the only way to plan escape, is to not plan at all. A feat easier said than done.

Because Fia knows of those people's abilities around her, her instincts force her mind to run through things quickly. She plans nothing, jumps from decision to decision following her instincts completely, causing the Seer's difficulty when trying to see her future, and forcing the readers to have headaches whenever they try to delve into her mind. For that reason, the reader feels right in the moment. We don't have time to think about what we're reading, we just read, and think later. It's a great change from traditional books.  Annie is less important in the book in my opinion, she's Fia's weakness, and she knows it, and all she wants is to find a way to make Fia happy, better, good. She has no idea how.

As for love interests, this book has two, though it's not a love triangle, more than just interest in two people and a quick and easy decision between the two. Adam is the good boy outside the school who Fia likes but isn't sure she can actually be with. James is the sexy bad boy inside who accepts what Fia has done, and wants her to help him rise to the top. The decision isn't as obvious as it seems, and at the end, you'll be super shocked with what happens.

This was a great book. I liked the characters, though Fia was often pretty psychotic I really liked her. It was random and great and interesting and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series. I give it 4.5 stars.

 

Review: Spider's bite by Jennifer Estep

Book: Spider's Bite (Elemental Assassin Series #1)
By: Jennifer Estep
Published: January 10, 2010
Published By: Pocket Books

Description: My name is Gin, and I kill people.
They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South — when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.
Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way — good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction...especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy.

My Thoughts: I heard a lot about this book in the blogosphere, and I bought it after a review I read back before I even became a blogger myself, and It's been sitting on my shelf ever since. Despite the constant glowing reviews, I never picked it up until recently, and I'm pissed at myself for waiting so long.

The book is really good. Our MC is an assassin, and a very good one, until she makes a few "sloppy mistakes" and finds herself on the other end of a hit, then she teams up with a Detective to hunt down the woman who wants her dead, despite the fact the Detective wants her dead for the death of his partner. Everything coalesced into a bit mess, with deaths, and violence and snarky amazingness. I loved Gin so much. She's hilarious and witty and sarcastic every step of the way, even if she's lying on her butt facing down her own death. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

You know how there are those books with MC's who have powers, who never really get hurt, and their power always overpowers others. They come out at the end victorious, with all their problems fixed and no injuries besides maybe a scrape here or there. Well, this isn't that book. This is one of those books where the MC gets bruised, battered, punched, kicked, broken, and nearly overpowered to the point that all she has left is her will to survive. She's scarred, damaged, and lonely, and only then is she able to realize her potential.

If you've been thinking about this book, do yourself a favor and go ahead and read it. I give it 4.5 stars. It's very entertaining and enjoyable. I also picked up the audiobook from my library after I finished reading this one, and the narrator for that is great. I got the next book in Audio format from Audible so I can listen while I "work" at work. I'm starting the next book right..........NOW!

Review: Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

Book: Story of A Girl
By: Sara Zarr
Published: January 10, 2007
Published By: Little, Brown books for Young Readers

Description: When she is caught in the backseat of a car with her older brother's best friend--Deanna Lambert's teenage life is changed forever. Struggling to overcome the lasting repercussions and the stifling role of "school slut," she longs to escape a life defined by her past. With subtle grace, complicated wisdom and striking emotion, Story of a Girl reminds us of our human capacity for resilience, epiphany and redemption.

My Thoughts: I got this one a long time ago from I have no idea where, and I never felt like reading it. When I saw it in audio format at my library, I decided it was time to give it a shot. I should have listened to my earlier feelings.

The audio format of this book is pretty monotone, and I always found myself getting bored. The storyline didn't make it much better. It was just day to day with nothing actually happening, and the MC trying to overcome something she couldn't actually overcome because of her stupid decisions. Most of the book was spent with her talking about all the things that would be different if only she did this or that, and despite knowing that, she kept making the stupid decision. It's funny that I didn't like that since in real life, that's what people do all the time, but it was annoying to read about her dumb statements and inadequacies. Deanna was whiny, pathetic, depressing and annoying. Her family, friendships, and relationships are dysfunctional, and I can see any hope for her in the future. I wanted to quit this book so many times, but the only thing that held me was the fact that it was a book award finalist, and I was sure it would turn out amazing at the end, but I still didn't like it, and I feel like I've lost time that could have been spent reading something epic. I refuse to spend even more time writing this review than I already have so I'll just say, I don't like it, though there were some good reviews for it. I couldn't stand Deanna, or her decisions, and I just didn't like the book at all. I give it 1 star.

Random Rant Thursday: A Break

Hey Everyone.

I'm here to tell you all that unfortunately, I will be taking a bit of a break from my blog for a bit, if that wasn't already obvious from my lack of presence.

I've had a few deaths in my family in the last couple of months, and it's began to take a bit of a toll on my overall mood and reading. I do have a few reviews that are stockpiled and scheduled and will go out some of the days this month, so you will have a bit of me for a little while. But I'm not sure how I'll feel at the end of this month so I dont want to make any promises that I'll be back by then, though I hope I am. I love this blog and I love my readers, but I've noticed my mood in some of the reviews that will be going up shortly, and I imagine you may be able to tell I'm a bit sad over here, so I think my best option is to take some time to myself to get over the loss of some of my family.

Thanks for understanding. I'll probably stop by every so often and stalk your blogs, so no worries. See you later!

Quickie Review: The Essence by Kimberly Derting

Book: The Essence (Pledge #2)
By: Kimberly Derting
Published: January 1, 2013
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry books

Description: “Danger, dread, mystery, and romance” (Booklist) continue in the second book of The Pledge trilogy, as Charlie’s reign is under siege from the most unusual of enemies.At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.

My Thoughts: This will be a quick review because I just dont have that much to say about this book. I had high hopes for The Essence after reading the Pledge, but it didnt quite live up to my idea. As you can read from the description, Charlie is having trouble controlling Sabara who still remains in her body, and having trouble taking her place as queen. This book is all about those struggles, and it was pretty much boring throughout. It took me forever to read because I just wasnt invested. There were some big things that happened, and every so often, I got a bit interested, but I really just held on hoping for an amazing end, such as was the case with The Pledge. Also, Charlie kind of bothered me in this book and I can't explain why. Perhaps it was her sneakiness and her problems with sharing her issues with those around her. Whatever it was kind of turned me off with this book. This book pretty much disappointed me, despite having a few high points. I give it 2 stars.