The Highlander's Touch (Highlander #3)

4 Stars
Karen Marie Moning

A Warrior of Immortal Powers 
He was a mighty Scottish warrior who lived in a world bound by ancient laws and timeless magic. But no immortal powers could prepare the laird of Castle Brodie for the lovely accursed lass who stood before him. A terrible trick of fate had sent her 700 years back in time and into his private chamber to tempt him with her beauty—and seduce him with a desire he could never fulfill. For this woman he burned to possess was also the woman he had foresworn to destroy.

A Woman Caught in the Mists of Time 
When Lisa felt the earth move under her feet, the fiercely independent 21st-century woman never dreamed she was falling... into another century. But the powerful, naked warrior who stood glaring down at her was only too real... and too dangerously arousing. Irresistibly handsome he might be, but Lisa had no intention of remaining in this savage land torn by treachery and war. How could she know that her seductive captor had other plans for her... plans that would save her from a tragic fate? Or that this man who had long ago forsaken love would defy time itself to claim her for his own....

 I have been exploring genres other than YA and happened to stumble upon the Highlander Series by Karen Marie Moning. I'm not one who usually gets into romantic novels, but as far as books go this series is pretty good. As you can see this is the third in a series of 8 and though the previous two books were intriguing they did not add up to this book. I LOVED this book which is why I gave it 4 stars. All the other books have the woman time traveling meeting a glorious warrior and losing him and then in the end getting back together, this book had so many curves in it I was always wondering what was happening next. Lisa is taken from the 21st century and thrown back in time to the 14th century now normally a pretty horrible thing all things considered she leaves behind a pretty crappy life, she would most likely leave it all behind and live in the 14th century if not for her dieing mother. In comes Circenn Brodie Scottish Warrior extraordinaire who accepts her being from the future and has many secrets of his own. He ends up engaged to her and unable to help her return to her century sets about to making her the most comfortable in his century. They form a lovers bond so strong it bares all emotion for their partner to see which is how Lisa comes to find the Circenn is hiding something. When he finally reveals his secret he is forced to ride off into battle, leaving Lisa to sort through everything by herself. She calls upon the fairy Queen who offers her two choices stay or go back, Lisa knowing not what to choice becomes a fairy toy (as all mortals do). Circenn feels the moment she leaves time and is thought that she is lost. Vowing to get revenge upon Adam Black whom he has built up great anger and resentment for making him what he is  and thinking he has killed Lisa. Adam Black is the key to understanding what he is and when the last piece of the puzzle is revealed I was left ambushed by a fact I didn't see coming. Things turn out well though and with his new knowledge Circenn even makes Lisa's life all better againm bringing them back together with a happy ending. I don't know if I will like all the stories this much but I just had to share this one.

The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2)

5 Stars
Julie Kagawa

ARC provided by Netgalley

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice. After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again. But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.
  
 Julie how could you! How could you just leave me hanging with an ending like that? I don't know how I'm going to make it til the next book comes out. This book was amazing I couldn't set it down I had to make sure I read it when I was off work just make sure I could concentrate. Ethan is back and just as awesome as ever! And let me just tell as much as I love Ethan this book seemed to really be focused more on Kierran (who is really beginning to make me hate him more as much as I love Ash and Meghan I hate their son) I know that the prophecy of faery's destruction is based around Keirran ,but let Ethan have some story time please. I would have loved for Kenzie's and Ethan's story be brought to light more. Ethan doesn't have much time after getting back to the real world before he is swept up in the craziness of faery and of course you can't stop Kenzie so it as interesting adventure. Keirran just seems to be in trouble no matter when we see him and with him losing his love just how far will he go to keep her from fading away? That's our biggest problem. We have a few glimpses of the old quartet which is always exciting! Puck was on parts of the journey which is probably why the three of them are alive for the most part and though there are only small parts of Ash being seen I was still pleased. The prophecy foreseen is coming true and the last battle seems to be unavoidable. Everything we have been waiting for has led to this moment which part of Keirran will win out the Human or the Faerie? What will become of our beloved cast? You'll just to have to read to find out and I promise you won't be dissapointed.

Rise

2 Stars
Anna Carey

When she lost her soul mate, Caleb, Eve felt like her world had ended. Trapped in the palace, forced to play the part of the happy, patriotic princess of The New America—and the blushing bride of her father's top adviser—Eve's whole life is a lie. The only thing that keeps her going is Caleb's memory, and the revolution he started. Now, Eve is taking over where Caleb left off. With the help of Moss, an undercover subversive in the King's court, she plots to take down The New America, beginning with the capital, the City of Sand. Will Eve be able to bring about a new, free world when she's called upon to perform the ultimate act of rebellion—killing her father? In Rise, Eve must choose who to leave behind, who to save, and who to fight as Anna Carey's epic tale of romance and sacrifice in the chilling dystopia of The New America comes to a stunning conclusion.

This series started slowly and I was hoping it would get better with the other books that followed, though it did answer a lot of questions I wanted answers to I never seemed to understand the characters. I tried to understand Eve and her reasoning of things, but she just never seems to learn from her mistakes. She just seems selfish to me, even after she finds out she is pregnant and claims that she is doing this for her baby, it just is another petty reason to do something stupid. She claims that love is what makes her do this, but that doesn't make sense! Be reasonable Eve stop endangering the people around you. She manages to poison her father and things seem to be working out, but then when going gets tough she doesn't care to get anyone else out except herself and her cousin who just happens to be with her. Not the man who has been her husband and protected her for months risked his life for her oh no just leave him behind. In the end she succeeds in killing her father and liberating the people of New America. The book ending leaves so much unacknowledged it just annoys me, we never know what happens to women she was with or Ruby or anything. Other than she finds Caleb is alive and rush to meet him. Well I hope they make a happy family.

Once

3 Stars
Anna Carey

 When you're being hunted, who can you trust? For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America. But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America. Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past--and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together--but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves . . . or risk losing Caleb forever.

I started this series out not liking the first book, because it didn't have any back story to it something that the author rectified in this book. Just when you think Eve could maybe finally be safe in Califia, along comes the hint of betrayal from the woman that she has been living and working with for the past few months. She isn't just another woman living in Califia she is considered a bargaining chip by the leaders something to guarantee protection from the King. Eve then gets news that Caleb is in trouble and she rushes off to try to help him leaving the safety of the colony. She finds out it is a ruse all too late and is captured by the very solider she spared the life of. She is taken to the capital of New America, but not before Arden is separated from her and placed in the very place that they were working so hard to escape. Eve grief stricken about her love and her friends that she can not save is then shown that she is not who she thought she was, she is much more important than she could have ever imagined. She just doesn't fit into this new life and dirty secrets about her parents are revealed. All she wants is Caleb and her old life back. When she receives word that Caleb is safe and in the city they meet up as dangerous as it is. She trades her happiness for a life and she has to play the new role she is given to make sure the one she loves can live. With the big reveal of who Moss is at the end really threw me for a loop, I was not expecting it. I was satisfied with information that was finally revealed and I feel like the story was much improved upon, I was actually looking forward to finishing the book. Needless to say that is book is a great work and I will be reading on the third and final book in the series.

Eve

2.5 Stars
Anna Carey


Where do you go when nowhere is safe?
Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her. Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust... and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

 I have to say that this book moved very slow in my opinion. It started off well enough describing the world Eve lives in, but from there it just seemed to drag on and on and never gave away many details. It describes her life and the school she is currently at the horrible secret she discovers about her society, but it never gives back story other than "the virus" wiped out most of the population. That's it? That's all you're going to give me, no back story about where the virus came from or anything? So in this society New America it is ruled by a King who is using the orphans of the virus to build a new empire. Girls are taught to fear men to not trust them; that men are the root of all evil that befalls a woman. Eve is the exemplary student in every way, which of course is what gets her in trouble. She runs away after seeing the future that is in store for her. She is found by who other than a Man the very thing she has been brainwashed not to trust. After Caleb finally gets her to trust him and makes her believe that maybe the lessons might be wrong, things go all down hill. It is actually her naivety for the world she is in that ends her up in all the trouble. She is wronged by many men and left to her own defenses transforming her from the naive girl she was to a hardened woman who has seen much hardship and tragedy. And to top this off after reading it to the end and hoping for a good ending, it turns out to be a trilogy. So maybe some of the points about the back story not being built will be resolved with the following books.

The Last Romanov

2.5 Stars
Dora Levy Mossanen 

 She was an orphan, ushered into the royal palace on the prayers of her majesty. Yet, decades later, her time spent in the embrace of the Romanovs haunts her still. Is she responsible for those murderous events that changed everything? If only she can find the heir, maybe she can put together the broken pieces of her own past - maybe she can hold on to the love she found.

Darya Borodina is one hundred and four years old, living in the old Russian Entertainment Palace among the ruins, haunted by her life and her time with the Romanovs. Born of royal parents who were close friends with the Tsar and Tsarina of Russia, when Darya's parents are killed in a horrible accident she is brought to live in the household of the Tsar. There she became a companion to the royal children, the four Duchesses and the Tsarevich. Darya had healing powers which were important since the heir had hemophilia and could die at any moment. We watch royal life through Darya's eyes. Drawn to the arts, she and the Empress create an artistic salon to showcase the talents of Russia's sculptors, artists and ballet masters. We see the issues that begin in revolutionary Russia and how they begin to tear at the aristocracy . Darya is torn between these two worlds. She is loyal to the royal family, but madly in love with one of the artists, a Jewish painter she knows she can never acknowledge publicly. Through him, she starts to see the turmoil that will soon tear the country apart. After the Revolution and the assassination of the Royal Family, what keeps Darya alive is her belief that the heir was not killed that horrible day with the rest of the family. She spends decades searching for him, and now she receives word that 'the last Romanov' has been found. This starts her final journey to determine the truth once and for all. It was a very slow building book and I feel like the author dragged it unnecessarily. I understand it is a work of Historical fiction and therefore does not need to adhere to all facts, but the fact that all the bodies of the Royal family are accounted for and therefore the events at the end of the story could not have possibly happen annoys me and makes me like the book just a little less.

The Eternity Cure (The Blood of Eden #2)

 

4 Stars
Julie Kagawa

 I received this ARC from NetGalley
 
In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one rule left: Blood calls to blood 
She has done the unthinkable: died so that she might continue to live. Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie's birthplace in New Covington, what Allie finds there will change the world forever-and possibly end human and vampire existence.
There's a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago-and this strain is deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries, if Allie can get to him in time.
Allison thought that immortality was forever. But now, with eternity itself hanging in the balance, the lines between human and monster will blur even further, and Allie must face another choice she could never have imagined having to make.

I was so sad at the end of The Immortal Rules when Allie left Zeke in Eden. I know she was doing it for all the right reasons going to free Kanin from torture at the hands of the sadistic vampire Sarren, but still I was sad for her. She follows the pull of her blood to what she believes to be her Sire but instead leads her to her "brother" Jackal. Who actually becomes her unlikely ally in the story together they must figure out what happen so long ago in those labs; what dark secrets are hidden away in the tunnels under D.C.? They get there too late to thwart Sarren plans and must chase him back to where this all began, New Convington, where they discover the humans to be suffering from what appears to be Red Lung. They must get to the Prince of the city and in order to do so they must venture to the sewers below. Where they meet...you guessed it Zeke who seems distant and cold towards Allie. I was so happy with this part I was so concerned how Julie was going to bring Zeke back into the story ( I mean come on they are totally meant for each other). They team up (as unlikely a team as it seems) Zeke, Allie, and Jackal and make their way to the Inner City where they encounter a vengeful Prince. This is where things get interesting, I don't want to give too much away so I'll just leave it at that (I will however vaguely describe some details). This book had me at the edge of my seat for the entire last half of it. I mean I couldn't put it down I just needed to know what happen to them (because some real curve balls get thrown at this bunch). In the end when I thought everything had worked itself out and there might be a happy ending NO! Julie threw a sucker punch I mean really I just wanted to grab Zeke and shake some sense into him ugh! And poor Allie having to deal with the message at the end I just wanted to sit down and cry with her, she doesn't deserve the heartache (I personally wanted to kill Sarren after what he does). And the very last part throws you for a loop, just when I thought it couldn't get anymore interesting it does. I really liked this book Allie is as always strong-willed, persistent and she is able to keep her humanity. She battles her demon within just to be able to love Zeke it is so touching, though she is a little slow on the uptake about Zeke loving her. Zeke is the only one that was annoying! I mean really can he just be a little less moral? The book is full of backstabbing, betrayal, and small hopes. And I can't even say that in the end it all works out BECAUSE IT DOESN'T!!! It is an amazing book though I have to hand it to Julie she did an awesome job! I thought I was done reading Vampire books, but she has reinvented their story. Thank You Julie for another job well done.

The Goddess Inheritance

3 Stars
Aimee Carter

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal. In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead. With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything. Even if it costs her eternity.

The scene opens with Kate giving birth while in captivity and Henry knows finally that she is a prisoner and not on her mission to find Rhea. The birth takes mere minutes and Hera whisks away the baby. Kate promises something to Cronus so that he will save her baby, but the price is too steep and how can even face Henry after making promises like that to Cronus! Moments later Henry appears and a fight ensues which involves all the Gods trying to rescue Kate. Calliope is completely nuts and she threatens Henry with a knife to kill Gods they fight and a struggle ensues in which Henry appears to be mortally wounded, he has enough strenght and makes to make to Olympus with Kate. She is patched up but unfortunately Henry is put into a coma like state because of his fight with Calliope and the weapon.  Needing to save Henry and rescue her son from his captures she sets out to find Rhea with James. When they locate Rhea in the grasslands of Africa and ask for her help in battle against Cronus she refuses saying that she can't fight against her husband that she does not condone his actions of violence. She does fortunately heal Henry and Kate which I guess is a plus but ugh she is just so infuriating trying to take the high road against violence. When they get back to Olympus Kate continues to visit her son through her visions. She discovers Calliope secret weapon and the reason why Ava was so complaint.  I can't talk much more because that would totally give the book away, but yea the book gets intense after this point. And finally Kate gets her backbone back!! She stops being such a whinny girl about everybody stepping on her and becomes the heroine I first fell in love with. I mean she was getting just a little too annoying, when we first met her she was a strong high school student caring for her dieing mother. This is the girl whom Henry fell in love with the strong, pig headed, independent women. Then as the series has progressed on she has just been so weak and jealous with everything never bothering to fight and finally she does in this book I'm proud! Which is why I gave the book 3 stars I loved this series before this book and I totally would have rated it as one of my favorite series of all times, but this book was just so rushed (in my opinion) and it tied up all the loose ends and ended the battle with Cronus, but rather sloppily. The best redeeming qualities where Kate getting her spunk back and the ending! Boy did the ending through me for a loop! I just couldn't believe it (spoiler alert) one of key characters dies!! YES DIES! There is another death, but I was happy about that so no big deal for me. In the end I will let you know things turn out as well as possible which was a consolation considering all Henry and Kate have been through to be together. But over all the book I wasn't impressed it was rushed and I didn't like the story plot I feel like the story could have been completed with out the need for Kate to have a baby. I always hate when that happens, I feel like the heroine got gypped out of her rightful story line and stuck with some other one for deadline writing. Sorry Aimee Carter I really did love your other two books.

What Alice Forgot

3.5 Stars
Liane  Moriarty

Remember the woman you used to be ...
Alice is twenty-nine. She is whimsical, optimistic and adores sleep, chocolate, her ramshackle new house and her wonderful husband Nick. What's more, she's looking forward to the birth of the 'Sultana' - her first baby. But now Alice has slipped and hit her head in her step-aerobics class and everyone's telling her she's misplaced the last ten years of her life. In fact, it would seem that Alice is actually thirty-nine and now she loves schedules, expensive lingerie, caffeine and manicures. She has three children and the honeymoon is well and truly over for her and Nick. In fact, he looks at her like she's his worst enemy. What's more, her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her either. And who is this 'Gina'everyone is so carefully trying not to mention? Alice isn't sure that she likes life ten years on. Every photo is another memory she doesn't have and nothing makes sense. Just how much can happen in a decade? Has she really lost her lovely husband for ever?
   
This was a book I started reading for my book club I actually nominated it because I had seen it being read by a lot of other book clubs and it had a lot of good reviews, so I figured that many people couldn't be wrong about it. It wasn't a bad book it was actually quite enjoyable, rather I feel like it was something I didn't really relate with. I think it may have been a little too out of my maturity range. I mean if I were to lose my memory from ten years ago I would be eleven and yes that would be terrifying, but not as horrible as not remember my kids being born on my marriage failing. I did want to find out what had happen to Alice so I kept reading and I wasn't let down. It starts off with Alice anmesic after hitting her head at spin class. She is taken to the hospital and evaluated and diagnosed with a concussion and apparently confused as to where the last ten years of her life have gone missing. Now the husband she loved is her worst enemy and the baby she was pregnant with is now grown, her sister is a bitter old woman and she is someone she never thought she would be. She battles with what her life has become and who this mysterious women "Gina" is, since she plays such a huge part in her life. I loved how whimsical young Alice was how much she had changed how much from what she enjoys in the beginning of thirties to the end of them. It kinda shows how much life messes you up, you have all these plans and then life just throws you curve balls and nothing goes as planned. That is basically how Alice's life goes she has turned into a person she doesn't know one who volunteers and bakes and wakes up early and has such a schedule to keep. Her sister has also grown apart from her and has her own secret wounds to heal from. It is such a heart touching story and I feel for Elizabeth. The story also has a huge plot twist after I thought everything was going to work out between Alice and Nick the author throws something in there to just jumble up the story. You have to read the end to totally enjoy this book! Alice struggles to keep the two parts of herself equally balanced and that shows how you can't be too much of something or else life will get outta of proportion. I feel that is an internal struggle that we all face and nobody knows about and that is exactly what Alice and Elizabeth go through but we all see it. I was very happy with the changing of point of views it was perfect complementing to the story. I give props to Liane  Moriarty for a great story I enjoyed reading.

Stupid Perfect World

Scott Westerfeld
3 Stars

In this future-set novella by bestselling author Scott Westerfeld, Kieran Black lives in a "perfect" world. Disease and starvation have been eradicated, sleep is unnecessary, and it takes no time at all to go from the Bahamas to the moon. But now Kieran has to take Scarcity, a class about how people lived in the bad old days. And as if sitting through an hour of Scarcity every day wasn't depressing enough, it's final projects time. Each student must choose some form of ancient hardship to experience for two whole weeks. Kieran chooses having to sleep eight hours a night, which doesn't seem too annoying. Maria Borsotti has never thought much of Kieran, but she decides to take pity on him and help him out with his project. Soon, Kieran is sleeping and having vivid dreams, while Maria, whose Scarcity project is to give up all teenage hormone regulation, is experiencing emotions she never knew she had. As their assignments draw them closer together, they begin to wonder if the olden days weren't so bad. Maybe something has been missing from their perfect lives after all?

 It was really short. I love Scott Westerfeld so I was hoping for new series since I have read all of his current ones. So that was a little disappointing but it had a great base start. I wish I could know more about how they were able to cure everything and how they are able to control hormones and how they get around the whole sleeping eight hours a day how nice that would be, I would have so much time with the whole sleep thing getting in the way. I mean they can teleport everywhere to the moon and mars and live in Antarctica. There has to be more to their story like how Keiran and Maria function after their projects are done and how they are able to change the world around them show others that there is more to life than their Stupid Perfect World.