I Kissed a Dog by Carol Van Atta

I Kissed a Dog by Carol Van Atta
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis

Chloe has the gift to mentally talk to animals and, it turns out, werewolves. Following a series of brutal murders, she is pulled into a paranormal world that she knows nothing about and asked to help solve the crimes. Along with the pack beta and his friends, she races against time to figure out who is killing innocent humans.

Review

I was so excited to read this book because I loved the title. I had hoped that the book would be humorous, but sadly the tone of the book didn't quite live up to the title.
I don't know. I liked the story, it just felt like it went the wrong direction to me. The story almost felt like two different stories squished together. I really enjoyed the first half of the book, but it somehow lost me about half way through. The incorporation of Chloe's gift into her everyday life was interesting, and I felt that her relationship with Luke should have been explored more. Instead, she was sudden whisked into this crazy paranormal word and the plot was just inundated with ideas. Then there was the complication of Valimir, a vampire; I almost felt like it was thrown in there as the required love triangle as opposed to really belonging in the story.
The plot was coherent, and had an interesting cast of characters. Chloe was a bit odd. I didn't love her, but I didn't hate her either. The book was clearly written and read pretty easily. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but I'm not quite sure if I will read the sequel.

My Recommendation

While sometimes a bit grisly, this is a safe paranormal novel for most readers (there are a few sexy parts, but nothing compared to the romance end of the paranormal genre). I give it 3/5 - Good, but not something I would repeat.

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis

Mac's best friend Amy was murdered by a serial killer werewolf, throwing the town of Hemlock into turmoil. Amy's grandfather, an influential senator, brings in Trackers in to town to help solve the murder. Unfortunately, where the Trackers go, chaos and heartbreak follows. Mac must figure out how to save her friends from the vigilante group as well as the white wolf that took out her friend.

Review

Kathleen Peacock has a very well developed world for Mac and her friends. The lupine syndrome has put the country on the brink of a hate filled totalitarian regime, which was interesting. You usually read books that are already on one side or the other, not at a point where an individual could actually sway the future of their government.
I enjoyed the fact that more emphasis seemed to be placed on the murder mystery/werewolf plot rather than the inevitable love triangle. I was a bit sad that Mac's toughness and criminal past never really developed. I understand that her nightmares were paralyzing her, but she tended to be a bit too helpless for my liking. That said, I thought that Jason was pretty interesting, human wasteland that he seemed to be. Though, I'm sure that he will eventually turn into the overly monochromatic character that Kyle already is.
That said, I do actually want to read the sequel to this book and hope that it matures just a bit more and delves more into the political landscape. (not a statement I usually make)

My Recommendation

I really enjoyed the book and had a hard time putting it down. I give it 4/5 - I really liked it.

The Alpha's Mate by Jacqueline Rhoades

The Alpha's Mate by Jacqueline Rhoades
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis

Elizabeth Reynolds may have wanted to change her life by moving to a cabin in the woods; but she never expected her new life to begin with a crash and a rescue by the hot sherrif when she was in nothing but her undies. The friendly town takes her in and help her fix up her new place, and everything seems to be going just peachy. It's just too bad that the hottest man she's ever met is gay, and she can't stop running in to him.

Review

I wasn't a huge fan of the cover on this book, and had I not gotten a copy for review I probably wouldn't have read it. That would have been a travesty!
I really enjoyed this story. Sometimes I'm a bit reticent about romances as they can be more love scenes than plot, but while there were hints of the impending passion, there were only two real sex scenes in the book. The story was entertaining; it was fun to see Elizabeth grow into a sassy brassy woman. The town was full of interesting characters, and the love interest was more than just a hunk of meat or a knight in shinning armor. Plus, it's always fun to read a story where the woman gets to decide if SHE wants to be with the man. I've seen way too many stories that left the relationship up to the man lately.
Oh! The best tidbit is the fact that there was an actual explanation for the instantaneous love that appears in so many of the books, and Elizabeth had an issue with it. That may sound strange, but I sometimes wonder what in the world these characters are thinking when they meet someone and fall instantly in love.

My Recommendation

Not for children, the love scenes aren't super graphic, but are best saved for a mature reader. Due to the fact that there was an interesting plot and a sassy female lead, I give it a 4/5 - I really liked it.

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Crewel by Gennifer Albin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Synopsis

Adelice's parents raised her to hide her gift, her ability to manipulate the fabric of reality around her. Unfortunately on the last day of testing she slipped and is pulled into a world of secrets and lies when she is "chosen" to become a Spinster, the women that change and control the world. After her violent transition to Coventry, Adelice must fight for control of her own life and the lives of those she loves.

Review

This novel surprised me. I didn't initially think that the book would take place in a post apocalyptic male ruled society. Plus, there was an actual twist at the end of the book that I didn't see coming. (Don't worry, I won't ruin it for you) While Adelice was frustrating at times, acting on the impulsiveness of a 16 year old girl, I thought that she was a wonderful character. The pace of the story was quick, though it felt a bit rushed and cluttered at the end; obviously setting up for the sequel. I will be interested in reading the next part of the story to see what could possibly happen next.

My Recommendation

I really enjoyed this book and give it 5/5 - Amazing!.

Fangland by Matt Drabble

Fangland by Matt Drabble
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Synopsis

Two friends? have to fight everything, including the undead to keep their organization together.

Review

Unfortunately, I am not a fan of "mob" type books. I like books that involve organized crime as a flavor, but not the main ingredient. I thought that the novel started out a bit choppy and slow, and I was never really able to get in to the story. I almost felt like this was more of a "guy story" and I can't really tell you why, I ready brutal gruesome stuff all the time...

My Recommendation

Sadly, I just wasn't a fan. I give it a 2/5 - If it happens to be around, it's OK.

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What do you think?
Do you agree/disagree? Do you want to read it now? Or not? I love to hear(read) feedback!


***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

Florence by Ciye Cho

Florence by Ciye Cho
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis

It's a good thing that Florence doesn't have many ties to family and town the day that she is kidnapped and taken to the bottom of the sea. Thanks to the magic of a polyp, she finds herself in the community of Niemela; a place where mermaids rule and all animals live in harmony. Unfortunately, it's time for the ruler of Niemela to change and Florence must decide which prince she will be the best ruler. Will Niemela continue to fight the ever threatening Darkness, or make a deal with it?

Review

I enjoyed this story. I found the world of Niemela to be very well developed and defined, Ciye Cho certainly had a vivid picture of the community in her mind. While a found the story to be a tad predictable, and at times a little overly descriptive; I thought if was a quick and fairly engrossing read. There language used in the story was intelligent, occasionally hitting on a term that I was not familiar with; a very unusual occurance in a teen novel!

My Recommendation

A wholesome fun book for teenagers, though the vocabulary is probably a bit high for the intended audience.  I give it 4/5 - I really liked it.

What do you think?
Do you agree/disagree? Do you want to read it now? Or not? I love to hear(read) feedback!

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

Belted by C.J. Graves

Belted by C.J. Graves
My rating: 2/5 - If it happens to be around, it's OK.

Synopsis

This is the story of how a girl shuts down after years of abuse and her journey to find the strength to stand up for herself.

Review

This novel is not for the faint of heart, it's a bit graphic and brutal. While I understand why an author would use this in an attempt to express the difficulties of of Chastity's life, it didn't really work for me. I was unable to form any kind of attachment with the main character Chastity. She would suffer though these horrific experiences, but instead of rooting for her, I just kind of wondered what kind of torture would be thought of next. I didn't want to finish reading it, but it was like a train wreck that i wasn't able to look away from. One of my major problems with the story was the character development. The men in the book were developed into really strong stereotypes, but Chastity remained a one note character through out the entire book, even though the entire point of the story is her growth.

**spoiler alert**



I really didn't like that Chastity never actually grew and stood up for herself. She simply got destructively angry and then found another man, albeit a slightly nicer man, to depend upon. I think that if you are going to go for the tone that this novel had, there needs to be the growth and warmth in the characters to balance it.

My Recommendation

This novel is not for the faint of heart, or young people. Due to the lack of character growth, I'm giving this one 2/5 - If it happens to be around, it's OK.


What do you think?
Do you agree/disagree? Do you want to read it now? Or not? I love to hear(read) feedback!


***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***