My name is TIARRA (TIARRA #1) by Mimi Marten

3.5 Stars!

"With that woman, nothing is predictable. It's not just the situations she gets herself into, but the way she swims in them. I would have drowned many times over."

            I'm so conflicted. There are moments of brilliance and elegance, but they sometimes get lost in issues regarding style and execution. Then again, this feeling could just be a result of my own personal opinions/preferences. Let me explain, this book is filled with original characters who are brimming with life, humor, and wit, yet a true human connection between them and readers seems to be missing. Personally, I think this is a result of POV/narration choice. The POV changes constantly, spending a few paragraphs with one character before moving to the next, and is sometimes hard to keep up with. Also, sometimes the switch is too subtle to pick up on and can lead to confusion. There's always something happening, which is great for keeping readers on their toes, but often the descriptions of these scenes are repetitive and use mainly a "tell" strategy instead of focusing on sensory details that would help readers to feel like they're part of the story. I suggest that readers pay close attention to the plot description as well, because it's a bit hard to follow right out of the gate if you don't.

            Tiarra Simon and her friend Reese Martinez are in London to approach Alexi Ibramovich, his company, and the associated soccer team about helping fund new facilities for their youth team back on Maui. Tiarra, raised as the daughter of an ambassador and knows how to get what she wants, clashes with Alexi, a cold businessman with suspected mob ties, in their first meeting and both are immediately intrigued by the other. Alexi is baffled by her stubborn fearlessness and want's to know why she brings out such a strong reaction in him, while Tiarra sees the damaged man behind the brutally flawless exterior. Tiarra's battle to get everyone on-board with her plan is an uphill battle, with many unplanned surprises that she manages to roll with, but she's determined to win.

            Tiarra herself is a force of nature. I wasn't sure if I liked her at first, and pretty much rolled my eyes at how nearly every guy she came across fell in love with her, but I did understand the pull by the end. She's completely unexpected. She's that person you could pass on the street and still be thinking about days after because she's just so full of life that it seeps into those around her, leaving them wanting to recreate it anyway they can. She's also known for giving exemplary speeches that inspire those around her with their beautiful, raw content. However, I would have loved to spend more time in her head and have a better understanding of what she's feeling and thinking throughout the story. Regardless, you have to read it for yourself to truly understand just what it means when this woman says My Name is Tiarra!

Off the Ice (Juniper Falls #1) by Julie Cross

3.5 Stars!

A big 'thank you' goes out to Chapter by Chapter, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for the e-book and opportunity to participate in the blog tour!

"...There are some gifts you just don't turn down. There are some threads that you hold on to as tightly as possible."

          Anyone who knows me at all is aware that I am usually a sucker for a hockey story! Off the Ice does an good job of illustrating how corrupt and dysfunctional small town life can be at times and couples it with the stress of having to make tough decisions when the best option isn't always clear. Plus, Tate and Claire are cute.

          Before Claire O'Connor ran away from Juniper Falls to early admission at Northwestern last fall, she and Tate had a night that neither of them will ever forget, and not in the good way. Now that's she's back to help out at the family bar while her dad recovers from the removal of a brain tumor, Tate thinks that he might finally have his chance. See, Claire is his older sister's best friend and he's had a crush on her for years and she's never looked at him twice, until now. Maybe it's because they saw parts of each other that night that they had hidden from everyone else, or maybe it's because "Little Tate Tanley" seemingly went from her friend's skinny, kid brother to a grown-up hockey star overnight, who knows? Either way, it's time for tate to make his move. Unfortunately, he already has enough on his plate between being expected to suddenly become the town's hockey god a year early and his dad breathing down his neck and threatening to destroy everything he's worked for. It's time to get on the ice and see what he's made of!

          The portrayal of a small town's obsession with their sport of choice is surprisingly realistic, but not in a pleasant or comforting way. As someone who grew up in one, I can say that is definitely dramatic, but accurate. Also, I loved that it was the little brother into the older sister's best friend, instead of the tired "girl hopelessly in love with her older brother's best friend" cliche. No matter how you look at it, Tate and Claire's world's have been flipped upside down, but can they sort their lives out enough to make things work Off the Ice?

More about the Author

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Capering on Glass Bridges (The Hawk of Stone #1) by Jessica Hernandez

3.5 Stars!

A big 'Thank you' goes out to Jessica Hernandez for the e-book!

"Just because we cannot right all of the wrongs does not mean that we shouldn't do something about the ones we can fix."

              I was originally drawn to this book by the stunning cover and interesting title. Isn't it flawless? I have to say, the world Hernandez has built within the pages is both complex and utterly unique, but there were moments I had a hard time keeping up.

              Kaia Stone has always known she was a little different; whether it's more do with that she doesn't have a canonipom like everyone else in her family or because she suddenly came back from the dead after six years as a child is anyone's guess. Yet, none of that prepared her to be summoned to the Capitol without warning and asked to go on a quest to the cursed Kingdom of Mar. Her mission, along with the help of a few princes, a kingsman, her  sister, and a couple of Speakers, is to deliver a message to the King that may just break the curse. Their journey will not be an easy one. With members of their party keeping secrets and outside forces plotting against them, does this venture even have a chance at success?

              I wasn't lying when I said that Capering on Glass Bridges was complex. In fact, I had to take notes while I was reading in order to keep up, but that could have just been me. I felt like Hernandez went through so much trouble to create this rich and original world for this story to take place in, but didn't take nearly as much time to explain it. Perhaps it was intentional, but the whole 'outsider looking in' feel doesn't really work for me. I like the idea, but I would have liked more explanation so I could better understand and connect to what was going on in the text.

NERVE by Jeanne Ryan

3.5 Stars!

"The game is real. Whatever you do, don't apply and don't watch it next month. Or ever."

                 This book... I'm not even sure where to begin, so I'll just start with the truth: I almost didn't finish it. I was so frustrated with all the characters that I almost said 'to hell with it', but after some reflection, I have to admit that the way characters behaved was shockingly realistic most of the time. And, it really did get pretty interesting about two-thirds of the way through.

                 Vee has always been the girl behind the scenes, the one clapping while other people get their moment, too scared to take a chance because of past mistakes weighing her down. Eventually, in a spur of the moment boost of confidence, and despite her friends warning her against it, she tries out for NERVE. She get's in and this 'harmless' reality show changes her life forever. In the game, she meets Ian, an amazing guy with looks to match and just as much baggage as her, who becomes her partner for the duration of he challenges. Enticed by the prizes offered in the form of their deepest materialistic desires, Vee and Ian are forced to do some horrible things to those they care about as the stakes rise until it turns out the prize they want most is to get out alive.

                 As much as I hate to admit it, the way the characters acted it horribly similar to what happens in real life. Everyone, including the "heroes", are riddled with jealousy and greed; all they want is to win and be rewarded in some way. And, much like today's growing fascination with reality TV, the world loves to watch, especially when the stakes are high. The more dangerous the act, the more millions of fans tune in every week. Thankfully, about two-thirds of the way through Vee and Ian realize that what they'll receive isn't worth the price NERVE is asking and start focusing on getting out, but it isn't easy. This story is action packed with danger at every turn, and a cliff-hanger-like ending that leaves it open to a sequel, which I am definitely hoping for... So the question is, do you have the NERVE to go along for the ride?

Check it out on Goodreads!

Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway

3.5 stars!

Summary via Goodreads:

Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know. After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins. Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

Review:

I absolutely loved the idea of this book. It’s a new and refreshing side of Greek mythology that combined a different side of Medusa with the thirteenth star sign, something that people don’t know a lot about. The general idea the book entertained showed a ton of potential. Unfortunately, the story itself seemed to be lacking a bit. Though I found Jodi’s sarcastic and determined personality great, she seemed to be pretty clueless throughout the entire book and I was extremely frustrated with how long it took her to figure things out. Overall, it felt like a rough draft instead of a final copy, but I liked it well enough.

Frozen (Heart of Dread #1) by Melissa de la Cruz

Thanks to Penguin Teen for the book!

3.5 stars!

Frozen is set in a post-apocalyptic world where life expectancy is low, and the temperature even lower. The oceans, riddled with garbage, have risen, leaving the world coated in snow and ice, making conditions harsh. With a new world, comes a new race of humans born with magical powers-- the Marked-- who are feared by the rest of the population and are forced to hide their identities, lest they be forced to be used as weapons for the corrupt military if they aren't murdered first.

Nat, an ordinary young blackjack dealer from Vegas, or so she seems, is one of the Marked. Worried about her secret being uncovered, she hires a rough-looking crew of mercenaries led by the gorgeous, yet extremely resourceful, Ryan Wesson, AKA Wes, to get her to the Blue, a supposed mythical place where the waters are blue instead of a toxic grey, the sun still shines, and true warmth is more than a distant dream.

Along the way, Nat and Wes find themselves growing closer as they navigate their way through slaving pirates, betrayals, lies, starvation, and the fear that, deep down, everyone is a monster. Can their love survive once they discover the truth of who they are and what it is they really want?

Review:

Frozen is definitely an original tale, it's different in a good way, but I think there were some areas that could've been more developed. First off, readers were thrown into Nat's world without any real explanation as to how the world came to be as screwed up as it was, they just had to hope the picked up hints along the way and came to their own conclusions. I'm not sure if that was intentional or not. Overall, it has all the makings of an amazing story: a powerful heroine with a deadly secret, a danger-ridden post-apocalyptic world, a risky romance, magic, and a ton of action! But there just seemed to be something missing... I don't know what... maybe it's just me... Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to read the next one, because, despite a couple of issues, it was a good read.