Top Ten Tuesday

Hi everyone, It's time for another Top Ten Tuesday! It was created by The Broke and the Bookish and this weeks topic is the Top ten books I meant to read but didn't get to last year. *This is in no particular order* 

1. The 5th wave by Rick Yancey. I bought the book and it is sitting on my tablet just waiting but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. I will read it this year though!

2. World After by Susan Ee. Another book that I already purchased and I'm just waiting to read it.

3. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. I really really want to read this! 

4. Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Yet another book that I bought but haven't read. I'll get to it though.

5. Pyxis series by K.C. Neal. I enjoyed Helia's Shadow Part One so much I wanted to read all of K.C. Neal's books but sadly that did not happen last year.

6. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater.

7. The Jurassic Park books, I am obsessed with all the movies and I even played the video game. I even got tot walk through the park in Universal Studios - a highlight of my life - but sadly I did not get to read the books yet.

8. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake 

9. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick. I read the first book of this series years ago but never got around to the sequel. 

10. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. I am a huge Mortal Instruments fan but I never started the Internal Devices series. I hope I get to this year especially since the Dark Artifices comes out this year!

Did you read any of the books on my list? 

What books are on your list? 

Intent by Krista Wagner

~Synopsis~ 

Trying to deal with small town life and feeling that she has no real purpose, Raylee Johnson finds a new source of confidence when her former high school crush returns to town. When she begins to feel better about the direction her life is going, Raylee is thrust into a maze of doubt, uncertainty, murder, and deceit where the only thing she does know for sure is that her life is engulfed in lies.

~My Review~ 

First of all who wouldn't be a little bitter after losing both parents at the same time. It would be bad enough to lose one at such a young age but both, that's horrible. And even though she a good christian girl I think it would be normal to be cynical and question the afterlife. I think everyone questions God's plan when something doesn't go as planned, not saying they should but everyone does. 

I'm not going to lie, the beginning of this book was kind of slow. It took a little while to get passed her whining about her life. I grew up in a small town, a lot like her and I got out. I know a lot of people that didn't and they are happy. No need to be a Debby downer just because your life isn't the way you wanted it to be. No ones is. Things change, goals change, life changes...you might as well get used to it. 

Once I got passed the whining, I stepped back and really looked at Raylee (love that name) and realized how relatable of a character she is. There are so many people in the world that are in her shoes. I think Krista Wagner did a great job at making her so "life like."

I got a weird vibe from Billy. His crazy mood swings and profound lines creeped me out. He kept saying these crazy sweet lines to Raylee that made her heart melt but not me, there was just something no right there. 

Paul was too sweet to have gotten friend-zoned. Why do girls alway friend-zone the good guys and go after the psychopaths? That being said I wish I had a friend like Paul!

I was very proud of myself for solving this mystery! I never get it right and I actually got this one right. I really enjoyed this book, it kept me on my toes. Once the action started it was really fast. The ending had me on the edge of my seat and the epilogue was sweet.  

Bloodletting by William D. Prystauk

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Alienated by Melissa Landers

Alienated is the first book in the Alienated series by Melissa Landers. 

~Synopsis~

Two years ago, the aliens first made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to sharing a bathroom with one of them.

 Handpicked to host the first ever L'eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she'll have inside information about the mysterious L'eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara's blog following is about to skyrocket 

Still, Cara isn't sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L'eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn't seem more alien. She's certain about one thing, though: no human boy is that good-looking. 

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes start to appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyz to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn't just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and it's potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight  of her life- not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

~My Review~

I don't know why I waited so long to read this book because it was absolutely amazing! My fascination with alien books is still going strong, thanks to this book. I was immediately interested in this book. It really drew me in with attractive aliens and witty lines. I'm a sucker for people whose first language is in sarcasm.

Cara is a great lead female. She didn't let losing every friend she had affect her future goals. She was incredibly brave throughout the entire book, even at times most people- me included- would have just given up. Only a crazy person would have said no to an opportunity to go to any college of their choice. Eventually the money aspect left and was replaced with the love she had for Aelyx. And really who could blame her for falling for him, no one that's who. 

Their relationship was so adorable! It was interesting to actually see him changing from the ice cold robot to the loving human. He may not have been human but by the end he was enough of a human to know how love felt, and fear from almost losing his love.

I also liked Tori for the first half of the book. Her sassiness was hilarious until she changed and switched teams. She was kind of one of those characters that flipped flopped teams and I didn't know whether to love or hate her. I'll have to see where my feelings for end when the series is complete. Eric was the same way- except maybe the opposite. I didn't like him at first but then liked him a little more at the end. I wonder if he'll make an appearance in Invaded. 

There is so much to love about this book and very few to dislike. It's rare that I find a book with nothing that bothered or annoyed me and this is one of those books. There is nothing I would change. Cara and Aelyx's story is too good to want anything different. Everything in this book had a reason behind it, this was a well written, well thought out book. Melissa Landers really knows what she's doing when it comes to writing. 

After reading Alienated I can't wait for book two (Invaded) to come out. The only comfort I have found is the knowledge that Invaded will come out in a few short months. 

Top Ten Tuesday

Hi Everyone it's Ashley!
This is my first ever Top Ten Tuesday! It was created by The Broke and the Bookish and my good friend Christine from Bibliophilic Madness told me about it. This weeks list is: Top Ten Most Anticipated Debut Novels for 2015.

1. Helia's Shadow Part Two by K.C. Neal
2. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare 
3. The Return by Jennifer L. Armentrout 
4. Invaded by Melissa Landers 
5. Oblivion by Kelly Creagh 
6. Hunted by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki
7. Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout 
8. The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon 
9. September Sky by John A. Heldt
10. Savor by Alyssa Rose Ivy 

I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on all of these books! 

What books are you excited for this year? 

The Blue Journal by L.T. Graham

The Blue Journal...wow what a story. It is a murder mystery, a whodunit, a great whodunit. I spent the entire time saying "oh he did it," or "it was her, she did it." I guessed wrong the entire time I had a person in mind that did it but I was so wrong. I was shocked at who really did it. 

Elizabeth Knoebel was a horrible human being, scum of the earth really. She made a game out of seducing everyone, men, women she wasn't picky. She especially liked people that were married. The woman made a game out of ruining marriages, including her own. Not only did she sleep with anything that moved but she wrote it down. She actually kept a diary of all her sexual partners and everything they did together in graphic detail. It was a very X-rated diary. 

The book not only follows Anthony Walker, the lead detective in the Knoebel murder case but it also follows her therapist Randi Conway, and her lovers and their families as well. It makes pretty much everyone look guilty of murder because of the things this woman did to them. 

I thought Anthony and Randi's relationship was adorable and I'm glad they finally got together. The meshed together really well, I spent the majority of the time waiting for them to take that plunge. I'm pretty sure I squealed like a banshie when they finally kissed.

I really enjoyed this book, it was the first murder mystery I've ever read. I read the entire thing in just two days because I couldn't put it down. If you like a good mystery then you will definitely enjoy this. 

Elizabeth Knoebel was murdered in her home by someone that she knew. Anthony Walker gets assigned the lead of the case and has to turn the whole town upside down to solve the murder. He needs Dr. Randi Conway to help him, when she refuses he has to solve it alone. Their relationship grows and everyone elses in town falls apart when Elizabeths sex diary is found. Everyone in town is a suspect and it's up to Anthony to figure out who did it before someone else becomes a victim.  

Underground Murmurs by Tim Jopling

This is the first book of a new series. I was contacted by Tim Jopling to give a honest review.

Synopsis:

AKIRA 
Hell bent on changing the world forever. 

OLSEN AND DEANE 
The most effective partnership MI6 and the West have. 

THE S.U.C.O. AGENTS 
MI6 protectors, destined to stop the darkness from sweeping across the globe. 

UNDERGROUND MURMURS 

Nothing is ever what it seems. Don’t turn your back on anyone, or anything. The world is at ease and its politicians are simply unaware, and unprepared. Not for one moment does anyone consider that the most deadly war humanity has ever faced is looming around the corner. All of it orchestrated by Akira, a man with a past no one would expect, and primed with the knowledge that his vision will become the future and the West be condemned to the past. 

Only MI6 can stop him with its elite group of S.U.C.O. agents and the experienced Thomas Deane and Sam Olsen at the forefront. These loyal protectors will risk their lives around the globe to preserve peace and justice, no matter what the cost…

Let me start by saying I am not a fan of war; I don't like war movies, war games or war books. I can never get into them and often find myself beyond bored out of my mind. This book, though a war book, was very interesting. It is a great read for anyone that likes a mysterious, suspenseful book full of plot twists. It having war in it means loads of violence and blood, so perfect for any guy. In fact I'm thinking of getting a copy for my husband. 

I really liked Olsen and Deane's partnership, it reminded me of a brotherly bond. They had each others back in only agents of war do. Though I'm not a fan of war, it was interesting to see it from the point of views from the protecters and the villain's. I always like when books let me see how the villains think too. So few do that for me and it's always a treat.  

A Face Not Seen by Michael Ross

*If you don't ask the right question, the answers are meaningless.* 

Martin Russell was living in his rock bottom. His wife divorced him and took him for everything he had and hoped to have, including his son. One day his old crush and friend Hannah shows up out of the blue and begins to bring him out of his funk. After a series of good fortune things begin looking up for Martin, until Hannah disappears. Martin will do anything to get her back including putting his trust into people he doesn't know. 

I really enjoyed this book. It was different, which made me get through it so much faster. This was a really easy book to read because it flowed so well. 

I loved how each character flowed into the other. It was cool to see how each character was getting to know the others.  

Hannah and Martin were great together and I was really rooting for them. She helped him get back on his feet after being knocked down for so long. It was sweet the way all of Martin's friends swooped in to help him when he needed it. Even after years of not speaking they very easily did things that proved their friendship. I can only hope that some of my friends would be so warm and helpful if I needed it. 

Bobby and Zack were a cute duo too. It was almost father and son like, the way Bobby was trying to keep Zack out of trouble. There were plenty of times he could have thrown Zack under a bus and ruin his life but he never did. He pulled him out of a rough life and made him grow up. The way Zack treated his mom by the end of the book was so sweet. I'm glad Zoe and Bobby got together too I was hoping they would. 

This was a great story and I am so glad I got to read it.  

My Favorites of 2014

This is a list of 15 of  the books or book series that I read and loved in 2014. The ones that I would push on everyone if I could.

1. The Crescent Chronicles by Alyssa Rose Ivy
2. Helia's Shadow Part One by K.C. Neal 
3. Branded by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki
4. The Krinar Chronicles by Anna Zaires
5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 
6. Delirium by Lauren Oliver 
7. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare 
8. The Dark Elements by Jennifer L. Armentrout 
9. Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout 
10. If I Stay by Gayle Forman 
11. The Mine by John A. Heldt 
12. The Unearthed Series by Evan Ronan 
13. The Whispers of the Fallen by J.D. Netto 
14. Verboten by Amelia Louise Carter 
15. Assassin's Creed Unity by Oliver Bowden 

I'm excited about all the books I get to read in 2015. 

Happy Reading everyone! 

2014 Book Recap

These are all the books that I read in 2014:

1. Flight (The Crescent Chronicles #1) by Alyssa Rose Ivy 

2. Eternity (Guardian Trilogy #2) by Laury Falter 

3. Close Liaisons (The Krinar Chronicles #1) by Anna Zaires 

4. Dollhouse (The Dark Carousel #1) by Anya Allyn

5. The Gatekeeper's Sons (Gatekeeper's Saga #1) by Eva Pohler 

6. Focus (The Crescent Chronicles #2) by Alyssa Rose Ivy 

7. Breathless (The Blue Fire Saga #1) by Scott Prussing 

8. Close Obsession (The Krinar Chronicles #2) by Anna Zaires 

9. Phantom Summer by Amy Sparling 

10. The Gatekeeper's Challenge (Gatekeeper's Saga #2) by Eva Pohler 

11. Close Remembrance (The Krinar Chronicles #3) by Anna Zaires 

12. Reckoning (Guardian Trilogy #3) by Laury Falter 

13. Deathless (The Blue Fire Saga #2) by Scott Prussing 

14. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 

15. Ruining Me (Ruining #1) by Nicole Reed

16. Paper Dolls (The Dark Carousel #2) by Anya Allyn 

17. Born by Tara Brown 

18. The Gatekeeper's Daughter (Gatekeeper's Saga #3) by Eva Pohler 

19. Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver 

20. The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner 

21. Found (The Crescent Chronicles #3) by Alyssa Rose Ivy 

22. Breakable (Contours of the heart #2) by Tammara Webber 

23. Soar (The Empire Chronicles #1) by Alyssa Rose Ivy *Crescent Chronicle spin off*

24. The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner #2) by James Dashner 

25. Third Degree by Julie Cross 

26. City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare 

27. The Elf Girl (Journey into the Realm #1) by Markelle Grabo 

28. White Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

29. Carrie by Stephen King 

30. The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury by Robert Kirkman 

31. Fallen (Fallen #1) by Lauren Kate 

32. The Gatekeeper's House (Gatkeeper's Saga #4) by Eva Pohler

33. Into the Darkness (Darkness #1) by K.F Breene

34. If I Stay (If I Stay #1) by Gayle Forman 

35. Opposition (Lux #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

36. Halo (Halo #1) by Alexandra Adornetto 

37. The Whispers of the Fallen by J.D, Netto 

38. First and Forever (The Crescent Chronicles #4) by Alyssa Rose Ivy 

39. The Shadow Prince (Mortal Enchantment #1) by Stacey O'Neale 

40. City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

41. Obsession by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

42. Sunshine by Robin McKinley 

43. The Secrets of Life and Death by Rebecca Alexander 

44. Helia's Shadow Part One (The Starlight Age #1) by K.C. Neal 

45. Backstage Pass (The Backstage Pass Rock Star Romance #1) by Elizabeth Nelson

46. Verboten (Verboten #1) by Amelia Louise Carter 

47. Branded (Sinners #1) by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki 

48. Organ Reapers by Shay West 

49. The Mine (Northwest Passage #1) by John A Heldt
50. Girl in the Well (Psycho Thrill) by Vincent Voss 
51. The Beast Within (Psycho Thrill) by Christian Endres 
52. Riddle of Fate by Tania Johansson 
53. Since You've been gone by Mary Jennifer Payne 
54.  Spring Blessings by S.C. Houff
55. Assassin's Creed Unity (Assassin's Creed #7) by Oliver Bowden
56. The Blue Journal by L.T. Graham
57. The Unearthed (The Unearthed series #1) by Evan Ronan 
58. The Lost (The Unearthed series #2) by Evan Ronan
59. Unrelenting Nightmares by Stan Yocum 
60. Buffy the Vampire Slayer The Willow Files Volume 1

I greatly surpassed my reading goal this year! When this year started I wanted to read 20 books, in 2015 I want to read 70 books. Happy New years everyone!

*I'm posting this early because I will be away from my computer until after New Years.*

Unrelenting Nightmares by Stan Yocum

*I received this book for a honest review.*

This book wasn't what I expected it to be, I'm not sure whether that is a good or bad thing. When I heard assassin I immediately thought about Assassin's Creed, I'm sure that's because I'm so young and I have never read anything else about assassins. Cameron Clark was more of a war like assassin, at first and then he became a personal assassin. 

He started off being an assassin in the military, not a bad job, at least I would think so. Apparently he wasn't so keen on it because he wanted out. Then when he got out he killed people rich people wanted dead. I guess there's more money that way but less pride. 

He grew up in a dysfunctional family, he hated his dad and the feeling was mutual. That brought on his love to kill, he started by killing small animals, then went to killing wild game and now people. He finds enjoyment by killing- psycho.

There was a lot of violence in this book and violence doesn't bother me but there was just something about this book. I don't think I would have chosen this book for myself. It took a really long time for it to get my attention and it failed to hold it for very long. I'm not saying it's a bad book, in fact it was well written. I'm just saying this book wasn't for me. 

Synopsis:

Stuart Garrison, a brilliant virtual reality software developer, has his company poised on the threshold of industry dominance with the release of his newest virtual reality system—Next World. Among his competitors is Preston McBraid, the cutthroat CEO of a rival company. McBraid realizes that if he does not own Next World, his company is bound to lose its premier position atop the computer industry.
  

Driven by desperation and greed, McBraid hires the notorious Nomed, a highly sought-after assassin who commands millions to kill a target. The FBI learns of the assassination plot and intervenes to protect Stuart. He in turn quickly augments the FBI team, hiring two security specialists as additional defense: a monster of a man, nicknamed Superman—and Alex Nichols, an expert in the field of security. Stuart clings desperately to the hope that he can make it though the onslaught of Nomed’s assassination attempts. If he does, his next ingenious virtual reality product—Mind Games—will blow the world away with its originality and staggering mass appeal, and catapult Stuart to the top of the computer industry as its reigning czar, and make him a billionaire many times over.

In this gripping suspense thriller, the wannabe czar of the computer industry is unwittingly catapulted into a deadly cat-and-mouse game against the infamous Nomed, and only time will tell who is clever enough to survive.

The Lost by Evan Ronan

This is the second book in the Unearthed series by Evan Ronan. The first captured me so hard I had to immediately read the second one. Unlike The Unearthed which was a slow burn horror The Lost was a paranormal mystery. I never used to like mysteries but I'm quickly coming around to them, maybe I liked this one so much because it has that paranormal element.

This one took a little longer to grab me than The Unearthed but once it grabbed me I was just as invested. Even though this is the same series I'm not comparing them to each other because they are two completely different book in two completely different genres. 

I liked that The Unearthed was an actual book in The Lost. Stuff like that pulls the series together and it makes this paranormal book feel real, like I'm watching it on tv.

Again I loved Eddie in this, I'm glad he was brought to the second book. I wish it had more Moria and Stan because I thought they were so funny in the last one. But this one had Ana (Anastasia) and that was good enough because she was a tough girl- she was funny too. I loved Ana and Eddie together, their personalities complimented each other well. 

Marty Kindler and his goons were more than annoying. Whitmore was also very irritating but I understood he was the chief of police so it was his job to be hard on Eddie. In the end I liked him though, when he finally talked to Eddie like a person and not a criminal. Sean McKenna made an appearance in this book as well and he was more of an ass this round- if that's possible- he was on a mission of revenge. He blames Eddie for what happened to his son, which is stupid because it wasn't his fault. He got off easy in the end of this and I don't like it one bit. 

Fourteen years ago ... Tessa and her friends played a dangerous game on an icy lake. When the ice broke, no one could save Tessa from drowning. Her death cast a pall over the lives of everyone in town.
Five years ago ... Eddie McCloskey's brother was murdered on their last paranormal investigation. Now Eddie, who swore off ghost hunting, faces the biggest case of his life.
Now ... Marty Kindler, heir to the local gentry, claims the whole town is haunted. Either this is the find of the century, or it's all a hoax. Only Eddie can find the truth. But Eddie better hurry because someone is trying to kill the people that were on that ice with Tess all those years ago. 

This was another winner in my book and I can't wait to start the third in this series. 

Spring Blessings by S.C. Houff

Synopsis: 

Asher Stone didn't want to be a hero. After spending two years recovering from an isolating drug habit, his life was getting on track. He had a girlfriend who he loved very much. He was holding down a job and had a repaired relationship with his mother. One day, Asher was attacked by a manticore that escaped the clutches an order of magi and his world gets turned upside down. Now, Asher is dealing with old temptations and new problems and a destiny that he has to embrace or the fate of the world will crash down on him. The only thing Asher can hope is that Blessings and Hope do spring eternal in this first book in a series.

This is a very unique book. It has a lot of elements that I love in a fantasy genre; it has fairies, fae, vampires, lycans, witches, mages, manticores, nymps, satyrs a nexus, etc....there are A LOT of magical creatures in this book. 

I really liked the way the author narrated the book, it seriously felt like I was listening to S.C. Houff telling me this story. I've never read a book like that and I really enjoyed that about this book. I also really like how the first chapter is the history of the story. It made it less overwhelming, with all the characters and creatures. Like I said there were a lot of magical creatures.

I was a little confused at the beginning but I caught on to what was going on pretty quickly. I wasn't confused because of the story I think it was just all the characters and how they were introduced. Now that I'm finished I'm thankful the characters were introduced chapter by chapter, instead all of them being thrown at me at once.  

Asher was a recovering addict. I never read anything from the perspective of a recovering addict, so that was interesting. It made me think about all the recovering addicts in the world and wonder if they go through these things, minus the manticore and magic. It made me think about stuff I've never thought about before and I love books that make me question everything! 

There were so many characters that I really liked! Puck and Amaya, I mean they were too adorable not to like. And their upcoming Poptart is even cuter! (You have to read the book to find out about Poptart.) Tracy, she was a good Mom that had to do what needed to be done to protect her child. Carin, was weird but I liked her, even if it was sounding incest-y for a moment there. Natalie was sweet to Asher even though he probably didn't deserve it sometimes. Of course I liked Asher, he's the main character so it would be stupid not to like him. He was brave and handled a lot weird stuff better than anyone else can say they would.

There of course were characters that I didn't like, it wouldn't be a good book if it didn't make me hate someone that doesn't exist. Norvita really annoyed me, I think it was how flirtatious she was. She had a boyfriend- a vampire boyfriend- and she was flirting with pretty much anyone. Iago, but he was the villain so I was supposed to not like him. And I really did not like him, I wanted to punch him! 

Find Spring Blessings on:

Goodreads

Amazon

More about S.C. Houff:

S.C. Houff

Twitter

The Unearthed by Evan Ronan

Evan Ronan told me this was a slow-burn horror, at that worried me. I thought that meant it was going to be really slow and that it wouldn't catch my interest quick enough. That was not the case, at all. I was immediately interested to this book. It was so much like all those paranormal movies I love. All that was missing was a "Based on a true story" line at the beginning. 

Once I started it I really didn't want to stop reading it. That's is probably why it only took me a little over a day to read it. If I didn't have to sleep it wouldn't have taken that long. 

I thought it was comical that Evan Ronan wrote his character into the book. I laughed when I first read his name in it and then laughed harder when it said he was an author. I've never read anything like that before, very unique. 

It takes it's time in the beginning introducing everyone. First it introduced the members of the house that were living in the house they believed was haunted. Then it introduced the the members of the paranormal investigation team. Eddie was my favorite character, he was so likable. He was more the people person compared to his brother Tim. 

The Rosselli's moved into the massacre house. A house where three members of a family were brutally killed. They call upon Tim and Eddie's paranormal investigation team to help them figure out what they're dealing with. Billy Rosselli, has found an imaginary friend since moving into the house one that tells him to do very bad things. It's up to Eddie and Tim and the rest of their team to save this family from the same fate as the last.  

This is one series that I look forward to finishing. 

Assassin's Creed Unity by Oliver Bowden

*Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves -Confucius*

Assassin's Creed Unity is the seventh book in this amazing series. I'm sure most of you have at least heard of Assassin's Creed, the video games. That's how it all started through video games. The video games gave birth to the book series, so to speak. 

Unlike the other books this book focused more on the Templars than the Assassins. The difference between the templars and the assassins is their belief system. The assassins believe that people should be able to think for themselves. While the templars believe people shouldn't need to think for themselves, they should have leaders that do that for them. Hands down, I'd rather read about the assassins than the snooty templars. They seem to be more real, the templars are all snooty rich people, that want their beliefs shoved down everyones throats.

I'm glad I got the knowledge of the difference between the two and it was cool to see how the templars worked. That being said, I would have much rather read about Arno. There is nothing wrong with Élise -other than her being a templar- I actually thought she was a great female lead. She was tough and didn't always need to be saved, she did sometimes but who doesn't?  

The beginning focused way too much on her childhood! I know this book was about Élise but come on, I didn't need to know what she thought about when she was eight years old. It took over half the book before the big party scene that killed her father, the big party that was at the beginning of the video game. I think there was way more in the book than there needed to be, there was too much useless stuff. But I could think that because I'm biased, I'm a big fan of the video games.

Élise de la Serre is destined to take her father's place as Grand Master Templar. On the night of her induction ceremony François de la Serre was murdered and the rumors were by her assassin boyfriend, Arno. She knew it wasn't Arno that killed him but a part of her blamed him. When she embarks on her journey for revenge she has to rely on Arno for help. Her allies and friends are now her former allies and friends. Most either dead or too scared to support her. Élise and Arno have to go through a lot to uncover the murderer of her father. When they finally come face to face with the man behind his murder Élise will stop at nothing to see his death, even if it cost her life in the process. 

I like that the end went a little further than the video game did. It closed a door that was left ajar for me. I will always be a fan of The Assassin's Creed franchise and this did not disappoint me.

Riddle of Fate by Tania Johansson

*She wasn’t meant to survive. He wasn’t meant to save her. Now, they are determined to correct his mistake. *

There is a lot that can be said about Riddle of Fate. It had a lot of aspects I love in a good paranormal book. There was magic, angels of death (also known as collectors), and poltergeists; how could anyone turn down a book with those kinds of elements? 

I really enjoyed Khaya's character; she seemed a little naive at times and was way too trusting of people but I liked her. I think she redeemed herself by the end of the book. It's always good when a character that is viewed as weak turns around and kicks butt in the end. She was a force to be reckoned with. Of course, I loved Derrin, how could you not? He was willing to give everything up for the girl he loved. *Swoon* I did not like Brier, he was a jerk and also very naive. It was almost sad at the end for him...almost. 

Some parts I saw coming a mile away and some parts were a total shock. There were quite the plot twists in this lovely book. The ending left me with my mouth hanging open and wanting to read more. This was a truly delightful book and I hope there are more to come for Khaya and Derrin. 

Khaya works at your not so ordinary library. The company employs people with special abilities, Khaya has the ability to see future events. When she discovers she has a second ability everything changes. Having two abilities has one inevitable outcome: madness. Or, so they say. Khaya will have to fight to prove them wrong. Only trouble is, angels want her dead, too. Those she thought she could trust are now scheming against her. The mysterious stranger, Derrin is the only person she comes to trust. He saved her when she should have died. Living in oblivious bliss, she doesn’t even know he exists. Until she is fighting for her life and he is the only one who can help her. Now they are both on the run from angels that want them both dead. How far will they go to protect each other?  

More about the author.
Tania Johansson

Find Riddle of Fate on Goodreads and Amazon.
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Goodreads

Enter to win an e-copy.
Giveaway

Synopsis:

Published May 28th 2014

Khaya’s life, a life the Order say was never meant to be, is thrown into turmoil when she discovers she has a second ability. The Company who employs people like her – with rare and special abilities – insists that having more than one inevitably leads down a dark spiral into madness. So they are watching and waiting, ready to terminate her at the first sign of trouble.

Now, on the run from the Company's agents while trying to prove her sanity, Khaya realises they are not the only ones she should fear. Angels are working towards her demise as well.

The question that haunts her is this: What did she do that was terrible enough to elicit the wrath of angels? And can she trust the mysterious Derrin, or is he the cause of all her tribulations?


Excerpt from the book:

1.

“Argh! Stupid typewriter,” Leena said from somewhere behind a bookcase. 

They only had two of these machines – and they were the only two in the province – but to Khaya it seemed they were more trouble than they were worth. Every day one of the two had some fault or another, which then took so long to repair that it was hardly worth the time you saved by using the blasted thing in the first place. 

Boredom drove Khaya to take a look. “Stopped working again?”

“Let’s see, it’s about midday, so yes it is exactly on time,” Leena said as she smacked it on the side. “One of the keys is stuck again, but this time I can’t get it to come up and now it’s not working at all.”

“Do you want me to take a look?” 

Leena swept her hand sideways as if to say, ‘Be my guest.’

Without much idea of what she was going to do, Khaya took Leena’s seat at the desk. After plucking in vain at the offending key, she turned the metal monstrosity over, but soon saw that the various parts were screwed together. “I’ll need a screwdriver,” Khaya said. 

Leena rolled her eyes and stomped away. Khaya righted the contraption. It was a strange looking thing. It reminded her of a pincushion with all the metal keys sticking up from a central ball. This sort of silly machine would never become popular. She was certain of that. 

A glint caught her eye. She had been staring at the machine without really looking. For a second, she thought she’d seen right inside it. A frown knitted her brows as she peered at it. Somehow, without physically seeing it, she saw what the problem was. The key that was stuck was blocking another mechanism. She had no idea what this mechanism did, but she knew with absolute certainty that it was the cause of the problem. If she could only twist it, just so. 

There was a click and the key sprung up. 

“What did you do?” Leena asked, screwdriver in hand and giving Khaya a dubious look. 

“I think I fixed it.”

2.

Khaya rushed down the stairs of the library. Suddenly, she wanted to be as far away from there as she could. She wasn’t fooling herself. They weren’t going to find a cure. They were keeping her in that basement under observation. At the first sign of madness, they would kill her. She was sure of it.

Welcome fresh air greeted her as she pulled the door open. A hand gripped her arm, making her shriek. Another hand slammed over her mouth. She began to struggle. “Shh! It’s me, Khaya. It’s Merrit. I’m going to let go of you, so please don’t scream.”

He released her and she swung around to face him. “What do you think you’re doing, scaring me like that?”

“Sorry. We can’t be seen speaking. Follow me.” He walked a few steps before turning to find she wasn’t following. “Come on! Please.”

He led her into a deserted alley, deep shadows making it hard to see. “What is this about, Merrit?”

“You know very well what this is about. They know you told me about your second ability and they are out to get me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. They simply want to keep this matter quiet.”

“Yes, and do you know the best way to keep something quiet? By making sure as few people as possible know the secret.”

“You are being unreasonable.”

“They're  having me followed. My every move.”

She looked around with exaggerated motions. “Oh? So, where are these stalkers now?”

“I managed to give them the slip. I don’t think they realised that I knew I was being followed. This is beside the point, anyway.”

“What is the point?”

“I am going to get away from here. As far as I can get as quickly as I can.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I’ve heard things. I’ve heard that it’s only a matter of time before they terminate you.”

She jolted to attention. “You heard that too?”

He nodded. “Can you believe that’s what they call it? Like you're some sort of animal.”

“I still don’t know why you are telling me all this.”

“Come with me?” he said, placing a hand on her arm.

“Run away?” she asked, incredulous.

“I haven’t been working at the Company for long,” he said, “but I think their main objective is to stay anonymous. At any cost. They like to give the impression that they take care of us, but it's all about control.

“If you stay here, they will kill you. Why do you think they want to keep all this so quiet? I’m planning to go at midnight. Think about it. I’ll be at the cobbler’s. I hope I’ll see you there.”

Since You've Been Gone by Mary Jennifer Payne

I really wasn't sure how I was going to like this book. I normally don't read books like this, it's just not my style. That being said, I actually liked it! I've never read anything written by Mary Jennifer Payne before but I will now. 

I really enjoyed the relationship between Edie and her mom, it was really sweet. Even when she was mad at her mom it was very evident that she still cared. Edie's mom went through Hell to protect her daughter and that is the biggest form of love there is. 

Jermaine was too nice of a guy for all the stuff that he dealt with. I don't know anyone that would put up with half the things that he did without punching someone. I guess I'm just more violent than he was. Edie and Jermaine were adorable together and I'm glad it ended the way it did for them. 

Edie and her mom have been on the run from her abusive dad for five years. Every time they would get comfortable some where they would have to pick up and leave because he found them again. They run to London and then the unthinkable happens, her mom never came home from work. Edie is all alone in a place that she has never been before. She teams up with Jermaine, the local outcast, to find her.  

Carrie by Stephen King

This is the first Stephen King book that I ever picked up, the first one I was ever really interested in. It's the first Stephen King book that made me want to read more of his works. I had in my mind that all of his books are terrifying, though some might be this one isn't. It might be weird but it's not scary. Sometimes I need a book that leaves me with questions.

Carrie is the first book ever written by Stephen King. This is the book that started it all, the book that carved the way for one of the best known horror writers. I think everyone has either read this book, seen the movies, both or have at least heard of it. I say movies because this movie has been redone. I've seen the 1976 version and the 2013 version, I liked both, though I did like the modern aspect of the 2013 version. 

Carrie White is a painfully shy girl that has telekinetic powers. Her Mother is very religious and mentally abusive and that makes Carrie act weird around her classmates. She becomes ridiculed at school when she freaks out in the shower because she got her first period. Her classmates prank her resulting in their prom getting taken away from them. As revenge, Chris decides she is going to pull the prank of the century on Carrie. A prank that turns deadly for everyone.

I love the book and the movies. I do wish the ending of the movie was like the ending of the book. I guess this just proves that the book is always better than the movie. As if readers needed more proof. 

Finding little Elsa.

I love animals, the only kind I've met that I don't like are pet birds and spiders. The reason behind the pet birds is because they're really freaking mean. I'm not saying that all pet birds are but all of the ones I have met were evil little rats with wings. (Not to be confused with a bats) And spiders are just gross! I understand the reason for their existence but they still scare me. 

Anyone that knows me knows I have a long haired dachshund, her name is Keelie. I got her name because I was watching Phil of the Future. I also want another puppy but my husbands insists we should wait until we have a fenced in yard so we don't have to leash train another dog. I already have names picked out, I really want a puppy. 

Throughout my twenty-three years here on this earth I have found that there are dog people and then there are cat people. There are some in between people that are both, my best friend is one of those people. I have also met some people that absolutely hate cats or absolutely hate dogs, they don't want anything to do with them. I have always been more of a dog person myself but I still like cats too. 

My husband and I came across a small kitten while going through his grandmas things and we brought her home with us. It would have died if we left it there all alone. It would have either starved, been hit by a car, killed by a dog or frozen to death. The animal lover that I am, I couldn't leave the kitten knowing it would more than likely die. So we brought the cutie home with us. 

There was only one minor problem, we have a dachshund. Dogs and cats don't like each other, we learned the hard way. We both knew if we gave them time they would work out their differences and grow to tolerate each other. Well that was getting old quick! The constant hissing and spitting, growling from both species, whining and yelping was enough to make me want to pull my hair out. 

We didn't have a chance to name the cute little kitten, we mainly called her kitty. It broke my heart but I knew our house just wasn't right for her. So we found a really nice family that really wanted a kitten, they had two adorable little girls that were super excited. The oldest child immediately named her Elsa because she is a Frozen fan. 

I was so upset the whole car ride. As much as I knew we needed to give her to a loving home that didn't have a little yappy dog, it still hurt to part ways. But then when I saw how much the two little girls fell in love with her just from seeing her, I knew it was the right thing to do. The man that took little Elsa was head over heels happy to have a kitten, he wanted one for a while. 

It was fate for us to find Elsa in that house because even though she wasn't right for us, she was right for that family. We were a bridge to get her to them. 

The Beast Within by Christian Endres

The Beast Within is another Psycho Thrill horror novella. I read it in about a hour and a half, so it's perfect if you're looking for a quick read. 

It's obviously about werewolves, you can gather that from the cover and title. It's not like other werewolf books I've read though and I can't tell if that's disappointing or refreshing. Like most werewolf books, the 'were' is super strong even in their human form. Not this guy, he was just a regular weak human when he wasn't a wolf, which was kind of disappointing, to me. I guess I just expected him to be crazy strong and could get out of every situations but that wasn't the case. 

Jackson Ellis has been a werewolf since he was twelve years old. He's been alone since he was twelve years old also, there is a connection there. He talks a lot about his dead friend, Dead Crow (yes his friends name was Dead Crow). He even talks to his dead friend that he can apparently see and hear. He finally has a semi-normal life as a bouncer at a nightclub, with a girlfriend that he fights with a lot and a dog that is more loyal than he is. When a pretty girl in a bar catches his eye and invites him to her house he can't refuse. It's a decision that changes his life, now he has to fight to survive. With only one thing remaining on his mind, revenge.  

I've only read two of The Psycho Thrill books but I really enjoyed them. I look forward to reading some of the others.