Montana Sky by Nora Roberts

Title: Montana Sky
Author: Nora Roberts

Publisher: Piatkus
ISBN: 0-7499-3765-3
Pages: 467
Series: N/A
Type: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Borrowed from library
Goodreads


When Jack Mercy died, he left a twenty million dollar ranch to his daughters on a single condition - they must all live on the ranch for one year. For Willa who was raised on the ranch this is an invasion of her home, while Lily sees it as a safe haven from her abusive ex-husband and L.A. girl Tess just wants to collect her cash and get back to the city. The sisters have never met before, let alone lived together but they must put their differences aside when it becomes clear that a brutal enemy is out to destroy Mercy Ranch and the women who live there.

This was my first ever Nora Roberts book and I picked it up after watching the TV movie. I'd enjoyed the film so much I wanted to know what the actual book was like. The book is a richer, more detailed storyline than the movie, althouth the movie did keep the main plotlines. Although I generally prefer to read the book before watching the movie, in this case I'm glad I saw the movie first as otherwise I would have missed certain scenes from the book (like when the sisters go to a spa) that were not included.

The book focuses on the three Mercy sisters - independent cowgirl Willa, fiesty screenwriter Tess and shy reserved Lily. Each is given their own backstory and plotlines with their own romantic interest. I loved how each woman was distinct and came to life on the page, and it was great to see how different each romance was. Willa has a love/hate attitude to neighbouring rancher Ben McKinnon, Tess wants a no-strings affair with lawyer Nate and Lily falls for Adam and ends up healing the scars of her past. Even the supporting characters are well written and developed, showing a great depth of character which makes them interesting to read.

The ranch setting was really interesting and differs from the film in that it goes a lot deeper into the workings of a ranch. While the movie made a ranch seem like an attractive place to live, this shows off the hard work involved with birthing calves and moving livestock. This feels like a more realistic take and the book also shows Ben and Nate's ranches and the differences in how they are managed.

The plot is well paced and there is tension threaded throughout by the threat of the killer and Lily's ex-husband. Those scenes are tense, creepy and at times very disturbing to read. Nora Roberts has done an outstanding job of getting inside the mind of an abusive partner and the ways he justifies his actions to himself are unsettling to say the least. The storyline is divided into seasons which shows the required year on the ranch well whilst giving some gorgeous descriptions of Montana.

All in all this was a great read and I'll definitely be reading more by Nora Roberts.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 47/50

Possess by Gretchen McNeil

Title: Possess
Author: Gretchen McNeil

Publisher: Balzer + Bray
ISBN: 978-0-06-206071-6
Pages: 379
Series: N/A
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone, by her mother, by the cute sergeant's son Matt and by the strange voices she can suddenly hear in her head. Unfortunately for Bridget those voices are demons and she must enlist the aid of Monsignor Renault to understand this new skill. Yet as he coaches Bridget through exorcisms, one of her oldest friends is killed and Bridget soon realises that the demons have an even more deadly plan and she may be the only one capable of stopping them.

Possess is one of those books that sat on my shelf for ages before I picked it up, and then when I did I couldn't understand why I'd waited so long. The writing kept me glued to the page throughout and it is riddled with suspense and unpredictable twists and turns. The tension builds gradually to the knuckle clenching finale. Gretchen McNeil has a really unique take on demons and she throws you right into the deep end of the action with Possess.

This isn't horror of the conventional jump out of your seat variety, but it is deliciously creepy throughout with some incredibly disturbing scenes. One that still creeps me out even after finishing the entire book is where a demon possesses a shop of porcelain dolls. Thinking about it now still makes me shudder which in my mind makes this the ideal Halloween read.

Bridget is a great lead character. She's still struggling with her father's death a year previously, but is determined to be as strong and self-reliant as possible. Bridget has to rely on oddball Monsignor Renault to help her deal with her emerging demonic banishment gifts which she finds disturbing and when Father Santos arrives she finds herself torn between the two priests and their approaches to exorcism.

Bridget's love interest is Matt, a childhood friend who is desperate to step in and protect her but their romance is hampered by interference from Matt's ex-girlfriend and Bridget's best friend Peter whose crush soon grows to obsessive levels. The romantic storyline is cute and well written, and manages not to detract from the overall creepiness of the book.

There is rumoured to be a sequel in the works, but it hasn't been scheduled by the publisher yet. However one of the best things about Possess is that it reads like a stand alone so you can enjoy it by itself.

All in all, this was a great read and I'd definitely read more by Gretchen McNeil in the future.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 10/10

Overall: 49/50

Angel with Attitude by Michelle Rowen

Title: Angel with Attitude
Author: Michelle Rowen
Publisher: Warner Forever
ISBN: 0-446-61699-0
Pages: 347
Series: N/A
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Falling naked into the killer whale tank at MarineLand is going to ruin anyone's day, but when you've just been banished from heaven with a brief "don't talk to Tempter demons" speech it's even worse. Valerie Grace used to be an angel and after her dramatic banishment has ended up working as a maid at the Paradise Inn. But a random coincidence leads Valerie to realise that there is a stolen key to Heaven which would enable her to go home...as long as she can survive the very tempting Tempter Nathaniel.

This is one of my favourite stand alone books of all time, mostly because it is absolutely hilarious and cleverly written. The idea of an angel banished from heaven is interesting enough but by adding in her desperation to get back the author has created a brilliant story that travels from our world to hell and back. The storyline is well plotted, managing to branch in unexpected directions with some clever twists and turns.

Valerie is a brilliant lead character. She's really confused and upset by her banishment and is desperately clinging to her few fading memories of heaven. Valerie is willing to do just about anything to get back which leads to some hilarious situations. Nathaniel is the ideal Tempter Demon as not only is he drop dead gorgeous, but he isn't that good at tempting Valerie. It soon becomes clear that a potential romance is blooming, much to the horror of both Nathaniel and Valerie.

My favourite character has to be Reggie. He is Valerie's friend who upsets his witch girlfriend Claire who then demonstrates her powers by turning him into the rat she feels he is. Reggie is a rat for the majority of the book which adds another comedic twist to the story. The other character I loved was the demonic romance writer Lloyd who manages to steal every scene he is in.

All in all this was a really fun read that I fully recommend.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 7/10

Overall: 46/50

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer

Title: The Espressologist

Author: Kristina Springer
Publisher: FSG Teen
ISBN: 978-0-374-32228-1
Pages: 184
Series: N/A
Type: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


How much can anyone tell about you by your favourite coffehouse drink? Well if you're 17 year old barista Jane Turner then quite a lot. Jane has been making notes on the types of person who order different drinks and calls it Espressology. There are the loyal and trustworthy medium iced vanilla lattes, the smart and simple medium dry cappuccinos and the patriotic straightforward americanos. Now Jane is ready to try matchmaking customers and soon Espressology is the newest holiday marketing technique at Wired Joes, and Jane finds herself getting more attention than she ever expected.

I picked up this book because the premise sounded really fun and unique but not really knowing what to expect. This was my first contemporary YA and being new to the genre meant I was a bit lost at first. The storyline is evenly paced but develops slowly and while I enjoyed the premise and the espressolgy explanations (although the closest to my favourite was not flattering at all!) I did find there was a lack of depth overall. I didn't even realise the book was set in Chicago until about 2/3 in.

Jane never really develops as a character. We learn she works at Wired Joes, goes to college occasionally and has a friend called Em. There is never much to distinguish her at all so she comes across as a plain Jane (if you'll excuse the pun). The lack of development is pretty widespread with boss Derek being the stereotypical overworked grump and frat boy love interest Will who I disliked from his first appearance and couldn't believe how cluless Jane was about him.

The characters I did like are Jane's friends Em and Cam who she decides to match after Em breaks up with her long-term boyfriend. Again Jane was clueless around Cam but he was probably the best developed character in the book. As someone in a similar care situation I was surprised at how realistic his actions were and they fit well with someone in that sort of role.

Wired Joes comes off as a Starbucks clone, which is unsurprising given that the entire book was written in a Starbucks. Even some of the drinks are clearly Starbucks branded ones. This was pretty disappointing as I'm a big fan of Cleo Coyle's coffeehouse mysteries (which start with On What Grounds) and they manage to create a unique but recognisable environment.

All in all this was a fun frothy read ideal if you're looking for something light.

Plot: 7/10
Characters: 6/10
Ending: 7/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 37/50

Back to Normal & Guest Blog (5)

Sorry for disappearing on you guys! I've had some manic family stuff going on at home and I haven't been online or reading much at all. Things are less busy now so things should be returning to normal around here. There will be reviews of the rest of the Morganville series coming soon, as well as my usual memes. I've really missed blogging and I'm so glad to be back! And on that note...

My latest guest blog post has just been published over at the awesome E&K Family Book Review where I reviewed Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. If you'd like to see what I thought, click here.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Publisher: Harvill Secker
ISBN: 978-1-846-55523-7
Pages: 387
Series: N/A
Type: Adult Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


The circus arrives without warning. No announcements preceed it...it is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Le Cirque des Rêves is only open at night, is construced only in black and white and has been chosen as the setting for a contest between Celia, the enchanter's daughter and Marco, the sorcerer's apprentice. The circus delights all who wander it's circular paths stumbling into tents filled with ice or clouds or silent pools. But this is no ordinary circus and it casts a spell upon all who enter.

As soon as I finished reading I realised this would be a hard review to write. I was expecting a book set in a circus about two duelling magic workers and instead I found a book about a circus that happens to have duelling magic workers. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, just unexpected. The narrative is much like a visit to the Night Circus itself - evocative, dreamlike and slightly confusing. There are multiple storylines told interchangably, all taking place in different places at different times yet interlinking meaning there is no linear timeline here.

I loved the sections that gave views into the circus, as though the reader themself was visiting. It meant certain tents and attractions like the snake charmers or hall of mirrors are able to be explored outside of the main story. The circus itself is beautifully created and feels incredibly realistic. The author has managed to create visceral descriptions of sights and smells that plunge the reader into the heart of the circus.

Celia and Marco's stories are told from when they are small children. The challenge is created in their childhood so their individual development as workers of magic is shown. I've seen this marketed as a romance which isn't the first thing that comes to mind when reading. There are romantic aspects but this is not a romance novel. It is the challenge that echoes throughout Celia and Marco's lives, even when they don't fully understand what the challenge is or what their roles will be.

My favourite story threads were those of the rêveurs and that of a young boy called Bailey who is obsessed with the circus. Excerpts from the writings of the lead rêveur Friedrick Thiessen are scattered throughout the book, along with a storyline from his perspective, and show the circus from an outsider's perspective which creates a delightful contrast from Celia's insider view. Bailey is probably my favourite character of the whole book. He becomes enchanted with the circus at a young age and finds himself drawn into it's story.

All in all this is an enchanting read that I recommend to anyone looking for a touch of magic.

Plot: 8/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Cover: 10/10

Overall: 44/50

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Title: Fracture
Author: Megan Miranda
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978-1-4088-1739-1
Pages: 262
Series: N/A
Type: Young Adult Contemporary
Source: ARC Won
Goodreads

Delaney Maxwell falls through the ice of a frozen lake in Maine and though her friend Decker manages to pull her out, she's already been in the freezing water for eleven minutes. When she wakes up in the hospital everyone thinks it is a miracle, but Delaney has come back different. Having survived death she is now drawn to the dying. When Delaney meets Troy Varga who possesses the same abilities she soon begins to wonder if Troy truly is a kindred spirit or something far more sinister all together.

Fracture was not a book I'd even heard of until I won a copy randomly at an event. I sat down today to read a couple of pages and ended up glued to the story. What I expected to be either a thriller or a love story turned out to be both with a huge side of things to think about. Somehow the author has managed to create a young adult book that explores the concepts of live vs death, fate, what it means to truly live and the morals of euthanasia. I love that the book poses the question "If you had one day left to live, what would you do?" because it really makes you think about what your priorities are.

In terms of characters I really liked Delaney and Decker. To me it was obvious from page 6 that Decker was in love with Delaney but I liked that. It meant that as the reader I knew both what Delaney was going through and the issues she was oblivious to.

Troy also wasn't a cookie cutter bad boy - he's written in shades of grey which adds to the morality questions raised by the book. All the major characters in the book are incredibly well-developed and have their own stories to tell which creates an intricate tapestry. Some of Delaney's friends aren't quite as well developed, but this story is about Delaney and those closest to her so it didn't bother me too much.

The romance aspect of the book is beautifully written and manages to avoid the pitfalls of protracted love triangles and insta-love. The entire book is written in gorgeous prose and manages to build tension, pose questions and make me sigh in turn. You are plunged into the action right at the beginning and I'm still thinking about the book even after closing the cover.

All in all, this is an awesome debut that I definitely recommend and I'll be looking for more by this author.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 47/50

Say Not What If by Andrew Friedman

Title: Say Not What If
Author: Andrew Friedman
Publisher: Createspace
ISBN: 978-1463627317
Pages: 52
Series: N/A
Type: Adult Poetry
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Say Not What If is the story of a man who is so committed to his career he doesn't realise what he's about to lose until it's gone. He sacrifices his marriage and life outside of work to advance in his career. Comprehension of what he's done comes too late and he makes a terrible choice. All choices have consequences and his are harsh, sending him to death row and allowing the author to explore the morality of the death penalty.

This is outside of my comfort zone in both its style and subject matter. Written as a 10,000 word rhyming poem, I was worried about whether it would be difficult to read but I found it was easy to read with an accessible style. At 51 pages this is a short read, but has excellent pacing and flow and manages to be realistic without being overly graphic. This book is also unexpectedly humourous at times, especially when discussing lawyers (ironically the author himself is an attorney).

The subject matter is very thought provoking and it presents different viewpoints fairly, allowing the reader to see both sides of the argument and explore their own views. Whatever your personal opinion on the use of the death penalty this book does a great job of discussing the various arguments for and against it. There is also a good message that time is the one thing we can't get more of and so we should seize the day. The line "there is no promise of tomorrow" is repeated several times and is a good message for the story to promote.

One thing that did bother me was the handful of typos spread throughout the book. They are mostly homophones (their instead of they're and due instead of do) so would have been missed by a spellchecker, but it's still jarring to stumble across them and it did affect my enjoyment of the book. I was also a little disappointed by the plainness of the cover, although it does fit with the book.

All in all, this is a clever thought provoking read.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 8/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 43/50

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Scorpio Races
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-1-407129-85-3
Pages: 482
Series: N/A
Type: Young Adult Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Every year the sand on the beaches of Skarmouth turns red from blood during the Scorpio Races. Every year riders capture the savage water horses and race them, and every year only a handful of the entrants survive. When Puck enters the Scorpio Races to try to save her family she doesn't expect to find herself drawn to Sean, the only person able to tame the beasts. But their newfound connection is overshadowed by the danger of the Races.

I have loved Maggie Stiefvater's books ever since I read Shiver. She has an incredible way of creating a world that you can fall into and characters you care about. When I heard this was to be about savage water horses I was thrilled. I grew up with stories of viscious horses from the sea (though mine were kelpies not cappaill uisce) so I couldn't wait to read this, and I loved every page. The storyline has a great steady pace that draws you in, and plenty of twists and turns to make you desperate to see what happens next.

The story focuses on Puck, aka Kate Connolly, who enters the races because her family needs the money. Her parents were killed by the cappaill uisce so Puck and her brothers struggle to look after themselves. By entering the races Puck challenges some long-held views of the locals, not least of all because she's the first girl ever to enter. I really liked Puck. She manages to find a balance between confident and cocky, and I really rooted for her.

Like the author's other books, this switches narrator between Puck and Sean which is great as you get two very different perspectives on both the horses and the races. Sean has an incredible bond with his capall uisce Corr and he has already won the Scorpio Races four times. I liked Sean from the start, but grew fonder of him as you see him work with the horses. There is a big cast of characters here and I would have liked to get to know some of them better, although that may have detracted from Sean and Puck's story.

The ending is outstanding - it takes the tension and drama built throughout the book and brings it to culmination with the race. It is cleverly done and not entirely what I expected, but ends the book really well.

All in all this was an outstanding read and I thoroughly recommend it.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 10/10

Overall: 49/50

My Favorite Witch by Lisa Plumley

Title: My Favorite Witch
Author: Lisa Plumley
Publisher: Kensington
ISBN: 978-1420105681
Pages: 384
Series: Stand Alone
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Dayna Sterling ran away from her hometown as soon as she could and has been carving out a normal human life for herself as a research assistant in Phoenix, Arizona. But Dayna isn't human...she's a witch and half-warlock tracer T.J. McAllister has been dispatched to bring her home to Covenhaven. Dayna is about to cusp and come into her full powers which makes her a danger to those around her so T.J. is supposed to bring her in for manditory training. Dayna has other plans, and she's going to turn T.J.'s world upside down.

This is one of those books that has been sitting around waiting to be read for quite a while so I can't really remember what stood out to me to make me buy it. It is set in the three weeks before Halloween so it is a very seasonal read at the moment. I did enjoy the book, but I felt like there was something missing and the storyline was disappointingly predictable.

The book's strength and weakness lies in the world and storylines developed within. The author has done a great job in creating a world where witches, warlocks and patayans live alongside unknowing humans and I loved how there is an InterAllied Bureau who run the magical world. That said the races aren't developed beyond the absolute basics which means the book never fully lives up to its potential which is a shame as I would have loved to see the patayan angle explained more, especially given the secondary storyline where T.J. is looking for a special witch called the juweel who will prevent a fast-approaching species based war.

Dayna is a great spunky lead which works well against T.J.'s more brooding nature. Their romance is the standard romance novel type but there is an undercurrent of self-acceptance which adds an unusual dimension to the story while strengthening the narrative. I loved T.J.'s anti-witch human partner Deuce as he helps ground the story, and Garmin quickly fills the role of annoying paper-pushing jerk.

All in all, this was a fun read and I'll probably read more by this author.

Plot: 6/10
Characters: 6/10
Ending: 8/10
Enjoyment: 6/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 34/50