Buddy Review: Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Surprise! Actually, double surprise as 1) we haven't forgotten this buddy review and 2) it's me buddy reviewing with Rowena and not Ames. Poor Ames, she got the reading blues back in July... Lucky for us all, I had read Since You've Been Gone and was only too happy to step in!

Enjoy!

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
published by Simon & Schuster in May 2014

It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just...disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night?
Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn?
Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger?
Um...

Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list. Who knows what she'll find?

Go skinny-dipping?
Wait...what?

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Series: None

Nath: Since You've Been Gone... I really loved Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. That book made me fall in love with Ms Matson's writing. Consequently, I expect to be blown away with every new release. While Second Chance Summer wasn't perfect, there was something to the story, to the writing. It was just so poignant. Unfortunately, with Since You've Been Gone, I feel Ms Matson missed the mark. It wasn't bad per se, but I have to say I struggled a lot with the heroine, Emily, and I guess that affected my overall enjoyment of the book.

Rowena: Aww man, I'm sad to hear that you didn't like this one as much as I did because I did...like this one, a lot. I thought it was cute and I'm not at all ashamed to say that I grinned like a crazy person throughout the entire thing. Her whole romance with Frank and seeing Emily come into her own? I really enjoyed it. This is my second favorite book by Matson, the first being Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. I thought Emily was hard to connect with at first and I wanted to smack her upside her head for relying so much on Sloane to have a life but you see her growth over the course of the book and her journey to having her own life was enjoyable for me.

What didn't work for you?

Nath: Oh I agree, certain parts of the book were great and I did smile. I liked Frank and their entourage and I liked the idea of Emily completing a list of 10 random things. What didn't work for me was Emily. It's exactly as you said... I wanted to smack her for relying so much on Sloane. You were able to overlook this, but I guess I couldn't. Perhaps it's because it hit a bit too close to home... I'm a person who values friendship a lot and it's great to have a best friend who's bigger than life... but it's never okay to me to have no identity. To be happy to be known as 'Sloane's friend', that wasn't okay with me. That was very sad as well as Emily's lack of backbone because of Sloane's absence. For me, Emily was just too dependent on Sloane and the whole "Sloane this, Sloane that" got old very fast :( Yes, she grew throughout the book, but it was a bit too late...

Rowena: I guess because Emily is a teenager, I was okay with letting that stuff slide because in the end, she did learn that it wasn't okay to live in Sloane's shadow and she ended up being her own person so I was glad. The new group of friends that Emily made over the summer was proof that she did learn from her mistakes. They were her friends but she had a personality and a life outside of them. I thought they were really good for her and I thought they were all adorable together.

I loved seeing Frank and Emily grow closer together. I loved the Emily that she was around Frank. She didn't want to be his friend but that didn't stop him from pursuing the friendship anyway. He was so completely different from Emily but so completely perfect for her too. He didn't let her get lost in their new group of friends. She wasn't a sidekick. She was a part of something real and I liked that for her.

Nath: Oh there was definite growth in Emily and it was very well-done. It was good to read about Emily coming into her own person, making her own friends. I also understand that she couldn't just forget/give up on Sloane and in the end, her perseverance really paid off... But at times, she'd think of Sloane and that would annoy me because it would be like almost undoing all her growth ^_^;

I quite liked Frank and the other secondary characters, Dawn and Collins. They were a good group and I enjoyed their interactions... I also thought that some of the things Ms Matson brought up was very realistic such as Collins being a bit jealous of Frank and Emily's friendship and Dawn's reaction to Emily and Frank's kiss. I also really liked Emily's family. Unconventional, but very fun LOL.

Rowena: Yeah but that's only natural when you're trying to build something that you didn't have before. Emily didn't have the confidence to be her own person. She was happy to live in Sloane's shadow so when Sloane up and disappears, she's thrown for a loop. She was forced to build a life for herself and not one that she could share the spotlight with anyone. Everyone slips up every now and again and I thought the slip ups that Emily had were realistic and did show just how much she'd grown over the course of the summer because those slip ups didn't keep her down. It kept her real. She wasn't perfect and I liked that. I liked that she liked the person she was becoming without Sloane and she kept right on fighting the good fight until the very end. And I think my very favorite part of the book (after the romance with Frank, of course) was that even when she built this new life where she was the main show, she didn't forget about Sloane. She needed closure from Sloane's split and she got it.

Overall, I thought Emily proved that she was a lot more than Sloane's best friend and I thought Matson did a fabulous job of showcasing her strengths. I was a grinning machine while reading this entire book. The whole thing just worked for me. I loved the main character, the love interest and the other friends that Emily made along the way. I even loved Emily's family. They were a treat too.

Nath: You're right about Emily not forgetting Sloane. That part, I did like. She changed and grew, but didn't put Sloane in a box labeled "Past" and that was nice. She's definitively loyal :)

I guess I just didn't have your patience. I enjoyed the story and the writing. I really liked the list and how Emily managed to accomplish it :) It's just at times, Emily really got on my nerves and that dimmed my enjoyment of the book a little. As such, I'm giving a B- for Since You've Been Gone.

Rowena: If this had a heroine that was much older than 17 than I probably would have had less patience with the heroine but I just keep the age thing in mind when dealing with YA books. They're young and do dumb things because they're still young where it's still okay to make them. Had they been older, yeah, I'd be right where you were.

I'd give the book a high B. It was very enjoyable for me.

Buddy Review: Third Degree by Julie Cross

Third Degree by Julie Cross
published by Random House Publishing (Flirt) in March 2014

I used to be “Isabel Jenkins, child prodigy.” As lame as that sounds, at least it was an identity. But now I’m not sure what I am. I just failed the most important exam of my life—the emotional readiness test required to get into a medical residency program—and it turns out my parents can’t stand each other. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces of my life, and that means re-enrolling as a college freshman, but this time I’m shutting the books and majoring in being eighteen.

But so far, my roommate hates me and I’m not into the party scene. The only good thing about school has been getting to know my insanely hot RA. Marshall Collins makes me wonder about everything I missed while I was growing up too fast. Pretty soon we’re hanging out constantly, but for the first time, I find myself wanting more than a no-strings-attached physical relationship. And the lesson I really need is one Marsh definitely can’t teach me: love. Because I’m going to be alone forever if I don’t learn fast.

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Series: None

Nath: Last year, I discovered Ms Cross through Letters to Nowhere. This was my first foray in New Adult and I really enjoyed it! So when I heard that Ms Cross was writing another New Adult book, it was a no brainer to pick it up… and share it with Ames :)

So Ames, what did you think of Third Degree?

Ames: I am so glad you brought this book to my attention! I’ve quickly become a fan of Julie Cross’ new adult books and Third Degree was no exception. The heroine, Isabel, reminded me a bit of Christina Yang from Grey’s Anatomy in its early seasons. And I loved Christina’s character.

Nath: That’s actually a very good comparison, Ames. Indeed, Isabel lacked some social skills. I don’t think it was so much because she didn’t have the social experiences that everyone did… but more because she was simply very blunt. I liked that her awkwardness was not all about her IQ like so many genius characters that we’ve seen and the fact that she wasn’t sheltered.

Ames: I agree. She had a genius IQ but going through school so fast made her miss out on very important socialization and rites of passage typical to average children and teens. Plus she was arrogant. She’s almost hard to like at the beginning. But we see her vulnerability so that made me empathize with her character.

Nath: Yes, the arrogance was an issue and so was her inability to accept blame as the psychologist said. As a result, I thought Izzy going to normal college wasn’t a bad idea at all. She needed to interact with people, to understand them a bit more. And seriously, she’s lucky she ran into Marshall! He was such a nice and understanding guy, trying to help her out!

Ames: Marshall was a great character, and I liked his story, not just the fact that he’s a hot nice guy. LOL It was an interesting dynamic considering Izzy’s medical background. Plus with RA’s having rules not to hook up with people on their floor, I just liked their whole set up. :P

Nath: I really liked Marshall’s character and his story. What I liked is that he showed Izzy the other end of the spectrum, what it is to be sick and to care. Sure, it was a bit coincidental that he’d happen to have a chronic disease, but it definitively worked :)

The RA thing didn’t work as well for me. The whole “forbidden” relationship is so over-used nowadays and I’d have rather Marshall be just another guy in the dorm than a RA. Especially given the way it was resolved, you know?

Something else that I would have liked Ms Cross to address was Izzy’s issues with her parents’ divorce. Izzy was put in foster care at a young age and moved around a lot until her parents adopted her. She needs stability and her parents divorce is threatening that stability. I feel that part of the story got swept under the rug and that’s unfortunate.

Ames: I didn’t mind the RA stuff. It gave a bit of an impediment to them getting together right off the bat. It also gave a bit of distance to them at the beginning, which is how Marshall was able to get through Izzy’s defenses and for her to lighten up and let him in.

I agree that the stuff with Izzy’s parents was left unresolved. I wonder if there’s going to be a sequel?

Nath: I think it’s a high possibility, especially since New Adult is so popular right.

As much as I enjoyed Izzy and Marshall’s characters and interaction… I still feel that Izzy was far from being comfortable with normal people. She did open up and I especially liked that she kind of developed a friendship with Justin… but I wonder… Izzy will never be “normal” what with her age and genius IQ, but is there more she can do?

Ames: Hmm...I think maybe Marshall will continue to be a good influence on her in that way. And she did learn not to be afraid of her emotions. I think there’s still room for her to continue to grow. I thought the book ended on a hopeful note. It did for me anyway.

Nath: It definitively did :)

So what’s your grade for Third Degree? For me, it’s a B. I enjoyed Ms Cross’s writing, the story and the characters, but I thought something was missing.

Ames: I’m giving it a B+. I really enjoyed it overall.

Buddy Review: Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett

First buddy review of the year! Yay! Hopefully, Ames and I will keep up with our consistency in 2014 and find books we both want to read and review :) Of course, if a book in our New Releases posts catch your eye and you'd like to discuss it, feel free to contact us for a buddy review!

In the meantime, find out what we thought of Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett :)

Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett
published by Berkley

It’s the roaring twenties, and San Francisco is a hotbed of illegal boozing, raw lust, and black magic. The fog-covered Bay Area can be an intoxicating scene, particularly when you specialize in spirits…

Aida Palmer performs a spirit medium show onstage at Chinatown’s illustrious Gris-Gris speakeasy. However, her ability to summon (and expel) the dead is more than just an act.

Winter Magnusson is a notorious bootlegger who’s more comfortable with guns than ghosts—unfortunately for him, he’s the recent target of a malevolent hex that renders him a magnet for hauntings. After Aida’s supernatural assistance is enlisted to banish the ghosts, her spirit-chilled aura heats up as the charming bootlegger casts a different sort of spell on her...

On the hunt for the curseworker responsible for the hex, Aida and Winter become drunk on passion. And the closer they become, the more they realize they have ghosts of their own to exorcise…

Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Roaring Twenties, Book #1¸

Ames: This book wasn’t on my radar until you mentioned it in the January New Releases post. I didn’t really have any expectations, just wanting to read outside the box, but I don’t really care for ghosts. This book didn’t really change that opinion of mine. LOL

Nath: LOL. Quite frankly, Bitter Spirits was on my radar because of the time periods - the 1920s - which I found unusual :) As for the ghosts, I thought they would be a nice bonus, but they turned out to be a very small part of the story. At least, Ms Bennett delivered on the time period and atmosphere! :)

Ames: I liked the time period too. But it confused me a little. There were some words and phrases that were used that I’m not sure were from that time period or if the author was just using them out of context. So of course I’m pulled out of the story enough to go research things to see if they were even in existence. They were in the end but I think the language was a bit too modern for my taste.

I agree that the author delivered on the time period and the atmosphere. But the romance was meh for me.

Nath: See, for me because Bitter Spirits was a mix of historical and paranormal, it gave it leeway in the accuracy department… Also the fact that I rarely pay attention to those details unless they’re in-you-face obvious ^_^;

Yeah, unfortunately, the romance and even the mystery didn’t measure up to expectations. It’s unfortunate because both started off so strong. I really loved the beginning because of the obvious attraction between Winter and Aida. I think the time period gave them more freedom, obviousness, knowledge. Aida wasn’t the ignorant, virginal heroine that is so common in regency historical and Winter was more bold. The problem though is that both the romance and mystery were dragged on sooooo long :(

Ames: I’m usually oblivious to historical details, but these were a bit jarring for me so that’s the only reason why I noticed them.

I thought the beginning was good. It set up a problem and some very interesting characters. I like how Aida saw Winter in a very vulnerable state and set up their attraction from the get go. But the rest of the book didn’t follow through on the promise. Which was unfortunate. I thought the setting was a great choice and I like that there were Chinese characters as well. But the mystery kind of got lost in the story and the characters fell for each other too quickly for it to be believable. Then their miscommunications just got on my nerves. Which again, unfortunate because I did like Aida and Winter.

Nath: Nod nod, I’m with you. I think the problem was the pacing of the story or the fact that the romance and mystery were too separate. The story would focus on the romance for a bit and then, the mystery and back to the romance and so forth instead of the two threads being entwined. Actually, at one point, the mystery totally took the backseat and was almost forgotten. What was forgotten was also the paranormal elements. While Ms Bennett was so focused about the romance, there were no reference to ghosts… and being a medium, I would think that Aida would have a lot more contacts with them.

I did enjoy the secondary characters though. They were fun and interesting. How much do you bet that Winter’s sister and Bo are getting their own book?

Ames: LOL They’ll probably get a book. But I just don’t think Bennett’s writing is for me.

I also thought Aida’s misgivings about having a relationship with Winter were a bit weak. I liked that she was willing to have an affair with him without having to get married. That was refreshing.

Nath: I think it has to do with the time period :)

So does that mean you won’t be picking up the next book?

Ames: That’s exactly what it means.

So overall, Bitter Spirits showed some potential at the beginning but then it kind of went flat for me. I’m giving this one a C.

Nath: Hmmmm. I agree with your overall assessment. Bitter Spirits was really promising in the beginning, but unfortunately, it didn’t follow up on it. I was expecting Bitter Spirits to be a bit more about the paranormal aspect, but in the end, the focus was about the romance… and despite some good banter and interesting interactions, I’m not sure I bought the romance between Aida and Winter ^_^; It’s going to be a C+ from me.

Review: Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan

Ok, Nath and I have teamed up for one more review for 2013.  And just in time, it's a holiday themed book!  I like to think Nath and I have been consistent with our reviews this year.  It feels like we've done a lot more this year than in previous years.  :P  And soon, we'll be doing posts for our best of 2013, so make sure to stop by around the New Year for those.

In the meantime, enjoy this review! :)


Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan
published by Harlequin (HQN Books) in October 2013

Once upon a time, Christmas was Kayla Green's favorite time of year. Now all the workaholic wants for Christmas is for it to be over—as fast as possible! So when duty calls her to snowy Vermont to close a deal with a new client, Kayla is grateful for an excuse to avoid the holidays for another year.

Jackson O'Neil left a thriving business behind to return home and salvage his family's resort—it's in his blood, and he can't let it fail. Now that he's got marketing whiz Kayla Green working with him to put Snow Crystal on the map, success is on the horizon. The fact they strike enough sparks off each other to power all the Christmas lights in Vermont is just an added bonus.

Kayla might be an expert at her job, but she's out of her depth with Jackson—he makes her crave the happy-ever-after she once dreamed of, and it's terrifying. As the snowflakes continue to swirl, will the woman who doesn't believe in the magic of Christmas finally fall under its spell?

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: O'Neil Brothers, Book #1

Ames: I’m not the kind of person who reads Christmas themed books. But I do like Sarah Morgan’s writing so I thought I’d give Sleigh Bells in the Snow a chance. I’m glad I did. What about you, Nath?

Nath: Me? I picked it up for two reasons. First, it is written by Ms Morgan and I’ve been wanting to read more of her work as she seems to be well-loved in blogland - plus, this was a full-length novel which is more my speed :) And second, the reviews for this book has been very good, so I’ve been curious. Overall, I do think it’s a nice Christmas themed book :)

Ames: As much as I enjoyed it, I did find it a bit slow to start. I’m not 100% sure if it was my own mood at the time or the book. Maybe it was both. But once things got underway and Kayla was at Snow Crystal, I really got into the story.

Nath: Hmmmm. I didn’t find the start slow per se, but I know I was impatient to find out why Kayla disliked Christmas so much. It was hinted, but I thought it took a while for it to be revealed.

What did you think of Snow Crystal?

Ames: I was ok with the hint about Kayla’s past, I trusted the author to reveal it in due time. LOL

I want to go to Snow Crystal right now! From the skiing to the snowmobiling and dog sled rides, it really sounds like a winter wonderland. And the maple syrup too. I liked the O’Neil familly and Elise and Brenna. Even knowing those two employees are total sequel bait, I liked them and can’t wait to read those stories.

Nath: I enjoyed the setting as well. It was really what you expected of a resort like Snow Crystal :) Also, Ms Morgan managed to make Snow Crystal which is essentially a small town refreshing. Part of it is because it was really focused on Snow Crystal as a resort, so you didn’t see the little shops you’d expect and also, Ms Morgan didn’t over-populate the book with characters. And the ones she did introduce, I enjoyed :) Elise and Brenna might be sequel bait, but they are interesting ones!

Ames: You’re totally right about Snow Crystal. The focus was on the resort and the O’Neil family. I have to admit, I liked the puppy too. :P

One thing I would have liked to have seen was a friendship develop between Kayla and Jesse, Tyler’s daughter. Yes she gave some insight into what she was going through, but I would have liked to have seen them connect with each other.

Nath: The puppy was very cute! While Kayla and Jesse didn’t really connect, I was very happy with how Jesse’s story was built up. We saw enough to be interested, but it didn’t overtake the book :)

For me, I thought Kayla came around fast… For someone who was so against Christmas and connections… She got attached to the O’Neils very fast and I thought that was surprising. I also found some of the O’Neils family members a bit pushy. I mean, people are allowed to not like Christmas or are entitled their own opinions and some of the O’Neils just disregarded everything. While sometimes endearing in books, it would have driven me bonkers in real life.

Ames: Kayla was hiding a very deep pain and so when the O’Neils showed her how family should behave, she was like a sponge. She didn’t realize she was craving that feeling of belonging. She did come around fast, but I think it was because the O’Neils, especially Jackson, didn’t let her build her shields back up after they put cracks in them. I loved that Jackson could see that about Kayla and didn’t let her push him away. And it was a two-way street: Kayla showed them a different way to relate to each other.
I didn’t find them too pushy, but I agree, in real life, it would have driven me crazy. Luckily we were reading fiction!

Nath: I guess you’re right. I still expected her to resist a bit more :)

What did you think of Jackson and Kayla? I enjoyed them together, they definitively had chemistry :) At the same time though, I felt their romance was a bit too easy… like there was a lack of wooing ^_^;

Ames: I liked Jackson and Kayla as well but it wasn’t a lack of wooing but some other lack I felt. I agree it was easy...I think because Jackson fell for her so quickly. I just can’t see how he saw beyond her frosty demeanor and decided he wanted her, like what did he see? Maybe there wasn’t enough from his POV but in the end, I got her side of the attraction so that makes up for it I guess. They were good together. And plus he has his welcoming family. :P

Nath: They were indeed good together and I liked the ending - how each of them realized their mistake in the relationship.

So overall assessment? I thought Sleigh Bells in the Snow was an engaging book, but the romance and the character development were a bit bland. I wished for a bit more. Still, Ms Morgan has captured my interest enough that I’m looking forward to see Snow Crystal in another season :) I’m giving this book a B-.

Ames: Like I said above, I thought the beginning was a bit slow but it definitely picked up once Kayla got to Snow Crystal. I liked the O’Neils and the whole atmosphere of the resort. Enjoyable characters and despite a bit of oomph lacking from the romance, I finished the book with a big smile on my face. I too look forward to reading more of the O’Neils. I’m giving Sleigh Bells in the Snow a solid B.

Buddy Review: Letters to Nowhere by Julie Cross

The groove has been elusive so far ^_^; However, we're trying :) Enjoy the review!

Letters to Nowhere by Julie Cross
self-published in August 2013

Set in the tough world of Elite Gymnastics... I've gotten used to the dead parents face. I've gotten used to living with my gymnastics coach. I've even adjusted to sharing a bathroom with his way-too-hot son. Dealing with boys is not something that's made it onto my list of experiences as of yet. But here I am, doing it. And something about Jordan--being around him, talking to him, thinking about him--makes me feel like I can finally breathe again. That's something I haven't been able to do lately. He knows what it feels like to be me right now. He knows what it's like to wonder--what now? I think about it constantly. I need answers. I need to know how to get through this. In the gym, if you're struggling, you train harder, you do drills and conditioning. How do I work hard at moving on? At being on my own? And what happens if I might be...maybe...probably falling for Jordan? I mean we live together now. That can't happen, can it? But kissing him...well, let's just say it's not an easy activity to forget.

Genre: Young Adult/New Adult, Contemporary
Series: Letters to Nowhere, Book #1


Ames:  Thank you so much Nath, for bring this book to my attention! I didn’t notice it mentioned anywhere in blogland. And then when I was looking for a book to read and asked you what was the last excellent book you read, you recommended this one and you were right. It was really good!

Nath: LOL, I’d love to take credit for it, but I got lucky as others recommended it to me :) So big thank you to Brie and Li!! Because Letters to Nowhere was really a good book!!

I think what I loved about it is the fact that it wasn’t stereotypical at all. When I first read the blurb and saw that Karen was going to live with her coach, immediately, I thought the worst scenarios possible. Bad coach or bad son… and it wasn’t like that at all. Aside from Karen’s parents’ deaths which is a common theme in New Adult/Young Adult books, Letters to Nowhere was just sooo refreshing!

Ames:  I agree. The whole parental death thing is so overdone, but despite that, Letters to Nowhere definitely stands out among other NA/YA books I’ve read lately.

One aspect I really enjoyed was the gymnastics. She’s an elite gymnast and has to train hours and hours a day. And I found it all interesting, it wasn’t tiring to read about at all. And the dynamic with her teammates and the coaches. I loved it.

Nath: I agree. The gymnastics aspect of the book was well-done and felt real. I think it helps that Ms Cross knew what she was writing about given her experience. I liked seeing the life of an elite athlete - how much of her life is dedicated to gymnastics and how much she had to give up. The fact that she took online classes instead of attending school which actually makes a lot of sense! The fact that her social life was almost non-existent… It is often said that young athletes are very mature… and it’s true. But at the same time, they are very immature, or I should say inexperienced, in some aspects because they are missing out on the regular evolution of growing up and Ms Cross showed it really well in Letters to Nowhere. In addition, I think Ms Cross captured the atmosphere of the gymnastics world very well. I loved seeing Karen’s relationships with her teammates - friends, but rivals at the same time... a fine balance between camaraderie and jealousy. Their interactions with the coaches and the competitions, dealing with the selection committees. This all contributed to make Letters to Nowhere very unique in my opinion :) 

Ames:  Exactly!! Ms. Cross did an excellent job of balancing the story with introducing the reader to an elite athletics world. And showing the maturity with the inexperience. Another thing was Karen’s parents. I like how that affected her in such a visceral way - she was having panic attacks, she couldn’t go back into her house. And how her parents were shown as not being perfect. Her reaction to that revelation made perfect sense to me. I feel like the angst from their deaths really moved the plot forward in a way that I haven’t felt with other YA books I’ve read.

Nath: I think part of it is because Karen had a good and normal relationship with her parents. There weren’t any dirty secrets, any guilt… Karen got along well with her parents even though they had some conflicts. What I loved about Karen’s parents were the fact that they did not push Karen in her gymnastics career, they weren’t obsessive about it. Overall, this was another good aspect of the book that the author handled very well. Even dead, her parents were present in the story :)

What did you think of Jordan and Coach Bentley?

Ames:  I liked the Coach and Jordan. I liked how they had their own problems, as father and son and dealing with a shared loss, that Karen helped them bridge a little bit by her presence and what she was going through. Jordan was the perfect person for Karen at that point in her life. And that made me like him a LOT. A lot a lot. LOL

Nath: At first, when I read the synopsis of the book, I was a bit hesitant. I immediately assumed the story would go in a bad direction, what with Karen going to live with her coach and his son. We’ve all heard about how tough the gymnastics world is and a lot of coaches are portrayed negatively in the media… However, I was so wrong and so happy to be wrong! Letters to Nowhere was a great read because the characters weren’t dark or bad… Instead they were normal and that includes Coach and Jordan   Yes, they had some personal issues, but that only made them more realistic.

I liked that both Coach and Jordan  understood what Karen was going through and wanted to help her. Ames, you say that Jordan  as the perfect person for Karen at this point in her life, but I think so was Coach. And I liked how Coach, Jordan and Karen were all looking for their footings in this new relationship :)

Ames:  I didn’t include Coach because I felt like there was something left unresolved between him and Karen. They did come a long way together and that feeling of unfinished business does not take away my enjoyment at all. I think I just wanted a wee bit more there.

This book, although very enjoyable, had some major emotional stuff going on and I thought that the author handled it very well. Karen went through a major trauma and I thought the author dealt with her grief in a realistic way. She didn’t heal instantaneously, she went through the whole process and it was good to read about that. Nothing was glossed over. I appreciated how down to earth this book was. And a major thing here was that life goes on. Karen lost her parents, but her life, especially gymnastics, went on and she had to learn to cope with that loss and the fact that she had to keep moving forward.

Nath: For sure, the relationship between Coach and Karen is not perfect. I think it’s the newness of it. They haven’t known each other long and suddenly, Coach Bentley is not only coach, but guardian and parent and so both are struggling to find the perfect balance to their weird relationship. Still, I want to see that relationship develop :)

Ames, you nailed it. What I appreciated most is that Ms Cross didn't go with the destructive road for Karen like so many other heroines. Instead, Karen dealt with everything - the tragedy, her grief and the aftermath - the best way she could, relying on the people around her when she could.  I liked that nothing was instantly resolved. I think the most interesting was seeing Karen deal with her future, take decisions that she knew her parents hadn't been 100% in favor for before their deaths… especially in her gymnastics career. Many other heroines would have continued on the path their parents would have wanted, because it was their “last” wishes. It took courage for Karen to make her own decisions and I really admired that about her. 

What did you think of the romance between Karen and Jordan   I thought it was sweet and can’t wait to read more about it!

Ames:  I like that Karen forged her own path too.

Ok, the romance. I loved it. Karen’s never had a boyfriend before and I like how at first she didn’t care for Jordan but then they got to know each other and things grew from there. Jordan was so great. He was very empathetic with Karen’s situation and he helped her so much. He was just so cute. I could go on and on about all the things I liked about him but I think readers should find out for themselves how cute he can be. :P

Nath: Me too, I loved the romance. It just simply worked and felt natural :) I liked how Karen didn’t just see Jordan  nd started crushing on him. They got to know each other and be friends. I think in the end, they were both there for each other and that’s the sign of a good relationship. Also, I liked that they are taking their time, that Karen doesn’t feel pressure to take the next step right away… and I liked their honesty to each other. Also, there was a lot more to Jordan than simply being a 17 years old boy and that was interesting :)

Letters to Nowhere was an excellent book :) In the sea of YA and NA books, it definitively stands out for the writing and the characters. I’m giving it an A- :) I loved it, but thought there was still some loose ends… I’m so glad that there’ll be a sequel soon!!

Ames:  I know! I’m excited for the sequel. :P I’m giving Letters to Nowhere a B+. A really enjoyable read and I totally agree that it stands out.

***

Because we enjoyed this book so much and want to support the author, we're doing something we haven't done in a long time, a....

GIVEAWAY!!

You have till next Saturday, November 2 11:59pm EST to leave a comment to be eligible for the giveaway. The lucky winner will get an electronic copy of Letters to Nowhere :) However, if you already own a copy of Letters to Nowhere, it'll be our pleasure to gift a copy of the sequel, Return to Sender!!

Buddy Review: The Distance Between Us

All right, it has been a while since Nath and I did a buddy review.  But hopefully we're back into a groove.


The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
published by Harper Teen in July 2013

Money can't buy a good first impression.

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers learned early that the rich are not to be trusted. And after years of studying them from behind the cash register of her mom's porcelain-doll shop, she has seen nothing to prove otherwise. Enter Xander Spence—he's tall, handsome, and oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and the fact that he seems to be one of the first people who actually gets her, she's smart enough to know his interest won't last. Because if there's one thing she's learned from her mother's warnings, it's that the rich have a short attention span. But just when Xander's loyalty and attentiveness are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn't a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she'd ever realized. With so many obstacles standing in their way, can she close the distance between them?

Genre:  Young Adult
Series:  n/a

Nath: So, so, so Ames! What did you think of The Distance Between Us? :P For me, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but in the end, I did enjoy this book :)

Ames: I know what you mean. I was kind of thinking it would be a bit of a miss for me because of the wealthy/not wealthy aspects of the story. But luckily, I enjoyed it. I mean, I had some issues, but overall I enjoyed it.

Nath: Nod nod, I had a few niggles as well, but more on that later! Why don’t we start with the good aspects of The Distance Between Us? :) One of them for me was the characters. There was a nice cast of characters although I have to say, Cayman and Xander made the book for me :) I liked that they were flawed which made them feel more realistic.

Ames: Yes, I really enjoyed the characters as well. Cayman has that sarcastic sense of humour that I get so well. And Xander. He was a good character as well. He was not what Cayman was expecting and I liked that. He wasn’t a stuck up rich kid. He was genuinely nice and definitely yummy. I also liked Cayman’s friend and the band members.

Nath: That’s actually what was so interesting between the two! Xander was genuinely a nice and yummy young man... but he’s had a privileged upbringing. And while he didn’t lord it over Cayman, there were still instances where it showed. Like not knowing where stuff were in his own kitchen, the beckoning movement, etc. It doesn’t make Xander a bad guy because his family is rich and I’m glad that’s how Ms West portrayed it. I’m also glad that Cayman wasn’t embarrassed by her own lifestyle. That she wasn’t over-conscious about being poor. In a way, Cayman and Xander saw each other as equals and that was very refreshing. That’s why the book worked so well and made their romance believable :)

Between, I also liked Cayman’s friend and the band members :) Although they didn’t have such a big presence, Ms West was able to show that there is more underneath the surface, that there is depth :)

Ames: The other thing I liked about Cayman and Xander were the ‘non-dates’ they had. Their excuse to hang out with each, by finding out what potential careers they could have, I thought that was cute and something that could happen in reality.

And now the good stuff, what didn’t you like? LOL

Nath: LOL, okay. This is not a real big issue, more like a niggle, but I thought Cayman and Xander should have been college-age instead of high schoolers. The whole emphasis on their career was actually quite interesting and I think, something real that people really face… but the way Cayman and Xander behaved, some of the stuff they actually did, it seemed a bit too mature for 16-17 years old. Just one or two years older would have made it better in my opinion… especially in Xander’s case since his father is pushing him into the family business. By the way, I liked that the parents were present in The Distance Between Us and that Cayman and Xander actually had interactions with them.

Ames: I agree. I thought Xander acted way older than his age. For Cayman, she was very mature, I felt like she tried to put a lot on her shoulders, trying to help her mom out. I liked that the parents were present in the story as well. But that was one of the things that frustrated me - Cayman’s mom. She had some big secrets and it bothered me that she was trying to hide stuff from Cayman.

Another thing was the grandparents that showed up at the end of the story. I felt like things were left unsaid between them and Cayman and with her mom too. There needed to be a heart-to-heart somewhere in the ending and we didn’t get one.

Nath: I kind of understand why Cayman’s mom kept some secrets - at least, the business ones - from Cayman. Cayman already shouldered a lot of the responsibilities, knowing how badly the business was doing… In a way, she was just trying to protect her daughter. The secret concerning her background though, she definitely shouldn’t have hidden it. I think there’s just so much you should do because of pride… Depriving your daughter from good grandparents and a better lifestyle, I don’t think it was worth it.

I agree with you about a heart-to-heart talk. I think there should have been an epilogue or something more. Perhaps there will be a sequel? Otherwise, my only other complaint about The Distance Between Us was Tic… not the character, but his relationship with Cayman. It was just too vague… He was like the third party, but without really being one because I don’t think Cayman was really interested in him… I think Ms West should have either left it out or really make him into a love rival for Xander, not the in-between stage that it was.

Ames: Tic was interested, but he could see which way the wind was blowing. I’m glad that he wasn’t a rival. I know Tic’s presence made Xander realize that there were other people interested in Cayman. I was ok with that. There are enough love triangles in YA. LOL

Any final thoughts?

Nath: So true. It’s not that I really wanted a love triangle, it’s just that I would have liked Cayman to be more assertive where Tic was concerned, with her feelings.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Distance Between Us. It wasn’t without flaws, but the writing style and voice, as well as the characters made up for them :) And I think the not knowing, the fumbling feeling just made what Cayman and Xander were going through more real, because it was new for the both of them. I’m giving this book a B :)

Your final thoughts, Ames?

Ames: I’m giving it a B as well. I enjoyed it but some things bothered me. In the end though, I really liked Cayman and Xander. :P

Buddy Review: The Wanderer by Robyn Carr

So today is the release date of Ms Carr's newest novel, The Newcomer. Ames and I thought it'd be nice to post this review of The Wanderer, the first book in the series, as an incentive to those of you who hadn't planned to give it a try... Because really, Ms Carr has penned another winner series :)

Enjoy!

The Wanderer by Robyn Carr
published by Harlequin Mira in March 2013

Nestled on the Oregon coast is a small town of rocky beaches and rugged charm. Locals love the land's unspoiled beauty. Developers see it as a potential gold mine. When newcomer Hank Cooper learns he's been left an old friend's entire beachfront property, he finds himself with a community's destiny in his hands.

Cooper has never been a man to settle in one place, and Thunder Point was supposed to be just another quick stop. But Cooper finds himself getting involved with the town. And with Sarah Dupre, a woman as complicated as she is beautiful.

With the whole town watching for his next move, Cooper has to choose between his old life and a place full of new possibilities. A place that just might be home.

Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Series:  Thunder Point, Book #2

Ames: Thanks Nath for mentioning how much you enjoyed The Wanderer. Otherwise I would have just stuck it in my pile and put off reading it. I’m glad I read it right away. 

Nath: No problem, Ames! I’m so happy you read it! But I think the trick was that you borrowed it from the library :)

So what did you think of The Wanderer, Ames? I have to admit that my big fear coming in this new series of Ms Carr would be the similarities to her Virgin River series. However, I think she pulled it off :)

Ames: Well I can’t say I had any thoughts like that because I haven’t read enough of the Virgin River books to compare. LOL But I feel bad because I keep forgetting how good of an author Robyn Carr is. So I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Wanderer. I mean, I’ve really enjoyed every book of hers I’ve read...but it just slips my mind I guess. Whoops.

Nath: LOL, you’re so funny Ames. Well there’s definitively a reason why Ms Carr’s Virgin River series was so popular :) But let’s discuss The Wanderer.

I was pleasantly surprised at The Wanderer. Not only because it was different from the Virgin River settings, but just how the story unfolded. I really liked that Ms Carr showed us how Cooper was settling in in Thunder Point instead of jumping straight into the romance. Him deciding what to do with the inheritance he got and making friends with Landon and the Mac. That was nice to see.

Ames: I liked that too!! I like how The Wanderer unfolded before us from Cooper’s point of view and not Sarah’s. And the beginning was focused on Cooper getting established in Thunder Point almost against his better intentions.  He shows up in town, thinking he’d poke around a little bit into a friend’s mysterious death and then ends up inheriting his friend’s property and business. And Cooper was definitely a fun character to read about. I liked how he became friends with the different townsfolk before he even met the heroine.

And like I said in our emails, Sarah has just gone through a divorce (where the ex was a cheater) so it wouldn’t have been fun being in her headspace. Wise decision on Ms. Carr’s part there.

Nath: I think Ms Carr really captured well the state of mind Sarah was in. She’s been burned by her previous relationship. Not only was her ex a cheater, but she’s had to move away, uproot herself and Landon. She’s definitively not in a hurry to get back into the saddle. So I really liked how Ms Carr took it slowly. Even when Cooper and Sarah started going out together, there was no pressure. Then, their fling just grew into something more and I like that they are going to continue to explore their relationship once The Wanderer is over :)

Ames: I liked how Sarah and Cooper’s relationship evolved. Very mature. However, as much as I liked the two together, I really enjoyed Cooper’s developing friendships with Landon and Mac. It’s hard not to gush about the friendships in this book. The whole book, character-wise, was extremely well-rounded and I appreciated that. And it was a good way to showcase some humor. The way the guys talked to each other was funny. Here’s an example of an interaction between Cooper and Mac. Oh and Hamlet is a big Great Dane of Sarah’s that she likes to exercise on the beach.

"I have to go," Cooper said. "I'm going to meet Sarah at my place."
"I don't need to know that."
"Sometimes she's tired from her jog and needs to lie down awhile."
"Really, you can keep it to yourself, asshole."
"Hamlet likes to watch."
"You're a sick fucker, you know that?"

LOL

Nath: LOL, that part was so funny! I like the budding friendship between the guys and how they like to niggle each other. As a whole, I thought The Wanderer felt very real :) It’s about different people from different circumstances, interacting with each other.

I also enjoyed getting to know Landon. I have to say, Ms Carr definitively has a knack at writing interesting teenager characters.

Ames: I will take your word on that one, having only read a few of Ms. Carr’s books (and none featuring teens). But I really liked Landon’s character too. I like how Landon wasn’t just a cookie-cutter character off in the background. He had his own plot and love interest too!

That’s basically the reason why The Wanderer works. Each character is fully realized in their own way. And we get to meet them all through Cooper’s eyes and I don’t blame him for being torn on should he stay or go.

Nath: I would be torn too. What I liked though is that ultimately, Cooper did make the decision and he wasn’t wishy-washy about it. He didn’t leave to only come back or Sarah didn’t plead with him. I think their story is actually going to continue in the subsequent novels and I can’t wait to see it unfold :)

What did you think of Mac and Gina? They are the main characters of the next book, The Newcomer, and I think their story will be interesting :) Go Gina for realizing she cannot wait for him forever! It’s exactly the kick he needed :P

Ames: Oooh I liked their story! Friends to lovers and all that. I like how they had their single parent support system and Gina wanted Mac to get a move on already. Yup, I thought they were cute.

Nath: I think it was a good beginning for their story which I’m looking forward to :)

So your verdict for The Wanderer? I thought it was a solid book and beginning to Ms Carr’s new series. It didn’t wow me, but I did enjoy it a lot and therefore, it’s a B for me :)

Ames: I have to give The Wanderer a B+. I really enjoyed it and was so captivated by all the characters. And Cooper’s POV was a great way to get introduced to this small town. And the humour. Kudos to the humour. I have several favorite passages bookmarked that I like to re-read for a good laugh. :P

Buddy Review: Slashback by Rob Thurman

Buddy reviewing the newest Cal Leandros book with Leslie and/or Hilcia has become a yearly tradition - one that I wouldn't want to break :) So here we go for 2013, our thoughts about the 8th book!





Slashback by Rob Thurman
published by New American Library (ROC) in March 2013

I stopped and let them circle me, first because it was intriguing and, second, because, honestly, what could they do? Only knives, but all armed, and that made them even more interesting. Interesting. Fun.

Playtime…

Taking on bloodthirsty supernatural monsters is how Caliban and Niko Leandros make a living. But years ago—before they became a force to be reckoned with—the brothers were almost victims of a very human serial killer.

Almost.

Unfortunately for them, that particular depraved killer was working as apprentice to a creature far more malevolent—the legendary Spring-heeled Jack. He’s just hit town. He hasn’t forgotten what the Leandros brothers did to his murderous protégé. He hasn’t forgotten what they owe him.

And now they are going to pay… and pay… and pay...

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cal Leandros, Book #8

The Story: The blurb has it pretty accurately. There's a new serial killer in New York City - a supernatural one. While it's their job to investigate such case, Cal has no intention of taking this one for multiple reasons: a) they're not getting paid for it and b) they have to focus on Grimm. However, when it becomes apparent that this religious zealot has beef with the Leandros brothers, they don't have much choice than to step in. But this one won't be as easy as they realize as it brings up memories both would prefer remain undisturbed. And as usual, their good friend Robyn Goodfellow is there to give them a hand.


Nath: Wow ladies! Can’t believe that Slashback is already the 8th book in the Cal Leandros series! Whew, time flies! So what did you think of Slashback? Is it still refreshing or becoming too familiar? :)

Leslie: You ladies know this is one of my favorite series - I simply love how Thurman writes the male perspective. I liked Slashback but didn’t love. It felt like it moved slower than the usual pace of the series. And there didn’t seem to be as many fight scenes either. I love the fight scenes! I don’t think the series is at the point where it’s become too familiar. The characters are familiar but not stagnant or boring. I feel Thurman still has more to explore with the Leandros brothers.

The flashbacks. I’m not a big fan of flashbacks and generally try to avoid them. This time I was surprised at how well they worked for me. The plot allowed for a nearly seamless back and forth flow from present day to twelve years prior. I usually find the transitions jarring but not this time. I see the flashbacks as tools to develop the current storyline which they did here. But I also simply enjoyed reading about the young brothers and could see reading maybe a novella about young Cal and Niko - Leandros Brothers: The Early Years. lol

Alternating POV - so happy we get both Cal and Niko’s POV. Niko is such an integral part of Cal, he wouldn’t be Cal without Niko, so the story feels more complete when part is told in Niko’s voice.

Hilcia: I can't believe Slashback is the eighth book of this series and the three of us are still enjoying it. In this particular installment I love that Thurman went back to using both Niko and Cal as narrators again. That was refreshing, particularly Niko's strong and rather sweet voice. Yes, sweet, because his love for Cal comes through the pages and I loved young Niko’s voice.

Leslie, I feel the same way about flashbacks, and in this instance they also worked for me. The flow was excellent between timelines and Thurman tied up the two storylines beautifully. However, I disagree about the pacing. Slashback wasn’t a slow read for me at all! Even with the lack of the usual nonstop action, I read it in two sittings. Yet, this is not one of my favorite books of the series either.

I’m finding that although I still love the characters and there are a few surprises in this book, there is also a certain repetitiveness to the overall story arc. I had a distinct sense of deja vu while reading the story. What about you Nath, what do you think?

Nath: LOL, it’s really no wonder us three get along so well when we have such similar tastes in books and writing styles!! So no surprise, I’m not a fan of flashbacks either, but in this case, they worked for me because they were really integral to the main storyline, actually complemented it. It wasn’t just random scenes, but a whole story in itself and that kept me reading. And of course, add the fact that it was told in Niko’s POV and that was a must-read. I have to say though, I particularly enjoyed these flashbacks because it gave us another look at Cal and Niko’s brotherhood. Yes, we’ve been told they were close since they were young, but here, we were shown :) By the way, I have to say Ms Thurman did such a great job at inserting some surprises in these flashbacks!! And as you both said, the flow between the present and the flashbacks was done flawlessly.

As for the pacing, I’m torn between you guys. On one hand, I know what Leslie means by the lack of fighting and as such, I feel the action wasn’t as good as previous books. However, like Hilcia, I don’t feel Slashback was a slow read. Trust me, I’ve slugged through the first couple of books of this series and I still remember how slow it was LOL. I think the problem here is as much as we enjoyed the flashbacks, they did overshadow the main storyline. Furthermore, because Ms Thurman had to compose with two storylines going on at the same time, she had less pages to develop Cal and Niko’s current case and therefore, had to cut back on the action ^_^; So for me, my issue with Slashback is that the intrigue/mystery part wasn’t as strong as I’d hope.

And you know, Hils, regarding your sense of deja vu... Well I think it was Cal’s monologue again, how he’s dealing with the human and monster sides in him. Can’t be the case because it wasn’t about the Auphe, which by the way, I didn’t mind LOL. Can’t be the flashbacks... so that leaves the characters and mainly Cal :P

Leslie: I’m not sure if it was expectations based on previous books but I did miss the action scenes. Those action scenes tended to break up Cal’s monologues, goodness but he loves to talk to himself! In Slashback, his monologues felt like they dragged on a little too long. I did get that repetitive feeling too. It was a case of too much time spent in Cal’s head. I usually like his dry, self-deprecating humor. Still like it but sometimes I just want him to be more serious and not leave all that responsibility to Niko. Hils, this one took me more than a few sittings to read. Which surprised me since I usually devour this series.

Agree with you Nath, the current case didn’t feel as developed. But the offset was getting to know the brothers in their early years. Even though we’ve known Niko has had a tremendous responsibility since a very early age, it was heartbreaking to see not only how much responsibility he shouldered but how much blame he took upon himself.

Hilcia: Leslie, wow... that’s what happened to me with previous books. That’s interesting. But you know what? I didn’t miss the action all that much, which surprises me. What kept my attention more than anything was the suspense of what was going to happen to Niko and Cal in the storyline set in the past. In this case, the suspense was more effective for me than the actual action.

But yes, Cal’s continuing monologue and struggle between the human and monster sides of himself have become repetitive, that’s definitely part of that sense of deja vu. At this point, I’m losing track of where exactly Cal is on the growth or decompensation scale as a human/monster. He takes one step forward and three back! Also, we already know how deeply Niko and Cal feel about each other, I don’t think it’s really necessary to make it all about “how they would kill or die for each other,” we know that. Can we move on? But, there was also a sense of familiarity about the mystery itself that I can’t put my finger on. I’m referring to the contemporary storyline here, the one set in the past felt fresh and I was very much into that section of the story.

Nath: Hmmm, seems like I can’t help you here, Hils. For me, the repetitiveness came from Cal’s monologues. As you said, he seems to take one step forward and three back, sigh. As you’ve also pointed out, I don’t think we need to be shown again how the brothers would kill for each other. That being said, one thing that I did enjoy in the bromance in Slashback was to see a more human and flawed side of Niko. How he thrived for a bit of normalcy and the fact he’s done some mistakes and does not want to talk about them. Niko always seems so perfect, so level-headed, but at the end of the day, he is human and flawed like everyone else. Ok, less than everyone else, but still LOL.

While Slashback didn’t have as much action as previous books, I thought it made up with some revelations. What did you think of them? Let’s take them one at a time and start with the boys finally finding out the truth about the peris. About time no?

Leslie: I loved getting to know more about the mythology of the peris and seeing their abilities in action. There’s just so much more of this world to explore, I hope we see more of the peris.

Hilcia: Sigh... I love the bromance too, Nath. I just believe that Slashback was a long, involved way to show how Niko finally comes to certain, truthful realizations about Cal’s nature, and Cal realizes what he may be capable of if he continues on a certain path. This was needed, yes, but I wish that Thurman had done so within the already established story arc, instead of going on a tangent by focusing on the peris.

As far as the introduction of angels go, I think that came out of left field at this point in the series! I mean, so far Thurman has introduced multiple mythologies and creatures, but with the angels she goes into the whole Judeo-Christian realm. I don’t really know how I feel about that. I do, however, hope we see more of the peris. I like them.

Leslie: You’re right Hils, it did come out of left field. Almost as if Thurman realized she should have given this background sooner since the peris have been involved in the series for a while now. As for the religious connection, I’m curious as to how far Thurman will take it. I do wonder if this means the peris will become even more prevalent in Cal and Niko’s personal life. Maybe a female peri as Cal’s love interest? Talk about good girl attracted to bad boy! Of course I'm still hoping Georgie comes back. lol

Nath: Actually, the revelation about the peris isn’t coming out of the left field as much as you two ladies think. Did you guys read Ms Thurman’s other series, the Trickster series? Because those two books are very much focused on angels and demons and I guess that’s where Ms Thurman did most of her world building for that aspect. So the knowledge that peris are actually angels have been out there for a while. For me, I was happy that it finally came all together :) I wonder if there is going to be some cross-over... That’d be interesting!

A female peri as Cal’s love interest would be interesting, Leslie. However, if I remember correctly, I have not seen any woman as angels or demons... Even the peris we have seen in the Cal Leandros series have all been male, so I wonder if there are any female peris. In any case, I’m still hoping for the black hair girl that Cal met in that market... was it last book or two books ago?! I’m hoping she is a Trickster :P Cal has already gone the good girl route with Georgie and he really needs someone that can handle herself. Dahlia is not the best example, but at least with her, Cal didn’t have to worry for her ^_^;

Hilcia: Les, I’m SO glad you mentioned Georgie! After reading that rather mysterious scene in the last book, I really thought there would be something, more of a hint about her in Slashback. You know that I’m not a fan of Georgie, but I was actually disappointed that that story arc was not continued in this book. Instead, we got more revelations about Robyn and his relationship with Niko and Cal? What did you ladies think about that?

Nath, it’s interesting that Thurman features peris in her Trickster series, however, I personally don’t follow that series. However, since this is the first time peris as angels are mentioned in the Leandros series, it came out of left field for me! It’s an interesting concept, but she’s going to have to further develop it, or give readers more details, in order to really make it work in this series.

And, lol, I don’t know what woman would put up with Cal!

Nath: Hils, I know what about you mean about the world building. I hope Ms Thurman will flesh it out more in the future for those who missed the Trickster series.

As for Georgie, I think the reason we did not see her at all is because she is so closely tied to the Auphe’s storyline. I’m sure she will be mentioned when Grimm surfaces back. As for the peris, perhaps she’ll incorporate more of the world building in the next book, now that Cal and Niko know. However, I’m not sure to what extent given that New York City is without angels and demons and thus, the peris don’t have much reason to get involved. Also, they are there in sufferance - if it wasn’t for Robyn, they’d have been given the boot, so I think they will continue to keep a low profile.

As for the revelation about Robyn and his relationship with Niko and Cal, I thought it was interesting! I find it’s so much fun and makes the bond between the three even stronger. However, as much as like the connection, that’s the revelation I thought came out of the left field. Although as Robyn said, he’s been dropping some heavy hints recently. Still, there’s a difference between Archilles being your ancestor and you, being a reincarnation of Archilles! Makes me wonder when Ms Thurman had decided on this twist because I’m sure it wasn’t from the beginning! Still, she did a good job at explaining why the Leandros brothers haven’t recognize Robyn and why Robyn jumped on the bandwagon so fast LOL.

Leslie: I’ve read the first book in the Trickster series but don’t remember it. As for there being female peris, it’s possible they are fewer in number and not as “out there” as the males - keeping a lower profile. IDK The black hair girl in the market I don’t think was random either. It was Doubletake when she made her first appearance. (I cheated and checked our buddy review for it) It’s only been one book so I think she’ll be back and hopefully we’ll find out more about her. But I do agree that whomever Cal pairs up with she will need to be strong and able to take care of herself. So yeah, I was also disappointed with no sightings of my Georgie girl. But who knows what she’ll be like when she comes back? She could be all bad-ass. Hey, don’t laugh, it’s possible! lol

Nath: Leslie, you eternal optimist. Not giving up on Georgie, LOL.

Hilcia: Les, I believe that Thurman is saving Georgie for Cal. She’s coming back... I know it. LOL

Leslie: Nope, not giving up on Georgie. I’m stubborn when it comes to her. lol

As for Robin and his relationship with the brothers, I do like knowing they have this long-lasting bond. Fate keeps putting them together because they were meant to be together. Did it come out of left field? I would say no if I had read these books closer together and would have hopefully picked up on the clues. But since my memory is pretty much shot, it did surprise me. But like Robyn said, they were always comparing Niko to Achilles.

I did feel sorry for Robyn, knowing the brothers will eventually die and he must wait and hope to see them again. Like Cal said, Robyn is lonely and those years he gets with the brothers must be that much more treasured with the knowledge they will be gone again. So glad Robyn now has Ishiah now too.

Hilcia: I agree with you Leslie! I also think the revelation about the relationship between Robyn, Niko and Cal makes absolute sense! This worked for me because I think that Thurman was quite clever in how she worked in the details featured in previous books and taken from the interactions among all three men. I particularly liked the surprise in the flashback part of the story. That was kind of fun and at the same time... sad. You know. . . I love Robyn. He is fun and crazy and lascivious, but underneath it all, I feel sad for him. I also hope he keeps Ishiah. :D

Nath: I’m with you two. It is sad that he keeps losing them. At the same time, he knows he’ll see them again. I guess at the end of the day, it’s just bittersweet. Although I gotta love how they met again in this life. The pervert comment LOL. Even at such a young age, Cal could recognize them :P And I think this time, Robyn won’t let go of Ishiah.

So, final verdict on Slashback?

Leslie: It’s a solid installment to the series with some interesting revelations that should keep the story arc moving. The thing is, I’m not sure what direction that arc will take. Is that good or bad? I feel like we should have some idea of where the series is going at this point. I still enjoyed the book but it took too long to finish so I’m going with a B-.

Hilcia: Ladies, I’m conflicted about Slashback. I enjoyed the dual narrative from Niko and Cal’s perspectives, the quick read, and additional depth gained by our main characters in the flashback section. However within the contemporary setting, due to Cal’s repetitive monologue and a sense of deja vu, the storyline suffered. Additionally, I believe that the overall series has stalled and needs to move forward, or as much as I love Cal and Niko, I’ll lose interest. So in the end for me this was no more than a C+ read.

Nath: Jeez, and they say I’m the tough grader! LOL. I’m going with a B. The intrigue was a bit weak and there was some repetition, but the revelations and the flashbacks definitively made up for it :)

Buddy Review: Assassin's Gambit by Amy Raby

And we have another buddy review this week, yay! This week, I welcome Jan from Notes from a Readerholic. Jan is a fairly new blogger and this is her first buddy review, so I hope everyone will enjoy the discussion :)

Ames and I are trying hard to keep Breezing Through going :) We're always on the look-out for people who would like to buddy review books... and it's very simple! You can do like Jan and just let us know what books we are looking forward to in common and voila, buddy review! :)

Enjoy!


Assassin's Gambit by Amy Raby
published by New American Library (Signet) in April 2013

Vitala Salonius, champion of the warlike game of Caturanga, is as deadly as she is beautiful. She’s a trained assassin for the resistance, and her true play is for ultimate power. Using her charm and wit, she plans to seduce her way into the emperor’s bed and deal him one final, fatal blow, sparking a battle of succession that could change the face of the empire.

As the ruler of a country on the brink of war and the son of a deposed emperor, Lucien must constantly be wary of an attempt on his life. But he’s drawn to the stunning Caturanga player visiting the palace. Vitala may be able to distract him from his woes for a while—and fulfill other needs, as well.

Lucien’s quick mind and considerable skills awaken unexpected desires in Vitala, weakening her resolve to finish her mission. An assassin cannot fall for her prey, but Vitala’s gut is telling her to protect this sexy, sensitive man. Now she must decide where her heart and loyalties lie and navigate the dangerous war of politics before her gambit causes her to lose both Lucien and her heart for good.

Genre: Fantasy romance
Series: Hearts and Thrones, Book #1

The Story: Because of her mixed lineage - half Kjall and half Riorcan - and her magic, Vitala Salonius has been trained from a young age as an assassin by a secret organization called the Obsidian Circle. Her ultimate goal  is to kill the emperor to free the Riorcans from slavery. Her opportunity finally arises when she wins the Caturanga tournament in Beryl and is invited to the imperial palace to meet the new emperor, Lucien. Because of his war-magic, Vitala's only chance to accomplish her task is during sex and as such, she must seduce him with her charms and wiles. However, before she gets the chance, there's a coup from inside Lucien's court and instead of killing him, Vitala ends up rescuing the charismatic emperor as she realizes working towards freedom will be much easier with Lucien who's willing to negotiate than the Usurper. Now, Vitala and Lucien must work together to get what they want.


Nath: First of all, a big thank you Jan for agreeing to buddy reviewing Assassin’s Gambit with me! I’m always excited to find new people with whom to discuss books! :)

So Jan, I was wondering why did you pick up Assassin’s Gambit? For me, I was looking for a fantasy romance, something a bit like the Chronicles of the Warlands by Elizabeth Vaugan. Also, I love court intrigues and political machinations and when I stumbled across the blurb of Assassin’s Gambit, I thought I’d hit the jackpot! :)

Jan: I first saw a review at All About Romance and thought it sounded good. I also like Elizabeth Vaughan’s books. This book reminded me quite a bit of her books and I’m also always on the lookout for new fantasy books and authors.

Nath: Nod nod. Yay, another fan of Elizabeth Vaughan! LOL. Although I’m going to be honest and get it out right away, I don’t think Assassin’s Gambit was anywhere near as good as Warprize ^_^; It’s perhaps not a fair comparison given they have very little in common, but the feel simply wasn't there. Know what I mean? I thought there’d be a bit more plottings, more fightings... and in the end, things just happened too quickly and fell into place a bit too easily :(

Jan: Yes, I thought it was a more simplistic plot than Warprize. I did like Lucien and Vitala, but agree that things fell into place easily. Apparently, this is a series, but the next book looks like it takes place before this one which I thought was odd. I tend to read more urban fantasy where the romance is not the focus. I think sometimes the time spent on the romance makes the world building and other parts of the plot less intricate.

Nath: Yes, the next book seems to take place before the events of Assassin’s Gambit which I thought was odd as well. Although I have to say, I am curious about Rhianne and Janto’s story :P Seriously, I’m not sure I would pick up the next book in this series if it wasn't theirs ^_^;

I know what you mean about about romance sometimes being a detractor from the world building. However, in the case of Assassin’s Gambit, I don’t think you can blame it on the romance as I thought the romance was also under-developed! Yes, Lucien and Vitala did fall in love, but really, Ms Raby sure did not expand on it. It was very sequential: they met, they were attracted, they jumped into bed and oups, coup!! Heroine saves hero, next thing you know, they are in love. Then add in the conflict and a touch of reconciliation and that was pretty much the romance ^_^;

If you think about it, everything seemed half-done in this book. The world building, the romance and the story. What took up the most number of pages was the development of Vitala - her background, her training to be an assassin and her mission. It was a lot of development for a character that essentially, we won’t see in the next book. In my opinion, for Assassin’s Gambit to a be a winner, it should have been at least a duology. That way, Ms Raby could have spent time on the world building and expanded on the story - make it more complex - and romance - more satisfying.

Jan: Up until the end where things got pretty much resolved I thought there would be at least one more book about these two characters. Toward the end of the book, Bayard took on more personality and I thought he was going to have more of a role in this book or the next one, but then that kind of fizzled out, too. I think I liked the book a bit better than you did. :) I’ve been reading lots of urban fantasy which sometimes have some romance, but usually not a lot so the romance was kind of fun for me! I admit it was pretty fast and they didn’t really know each other.

I liked the game Caturanga which was how the characters met. Of course, it’s very much like chess, but it did show some insight into their characters--both bold and willing to take chances. When Vitala saves Lucien she sees it as a strategic action to save her country.

Originally, when I read about the book I not only thought of Elizabeth Vaughan, but also Jacqueline Carey and her Kushiel series. (I admit that since I haven’t read that series that is a little suspect! lol) Other than a few superficial details, I’m sure this book isn’t like Ms. Carey’s books.

Nath: I do read a lot of urban fantasy, but the bulk of my reading is romance... So I guess that’s why I thought the romance was a bit lacking. I just wanted more and I needed more to believe that they were in love.

The game of Caturanga was a good idea and I liked that it was the reason of Lucien and Vitala’s meeting. It was a clever idea. Then again, when you think about it, it didn’t make that much sense. Vitala started her training of Caturanga at a young age... Does that mean that Lucien’s father also invited the Beryl Champion every year as well? For some reasons, I have my doubts.

Overall, I really thought the premises and the world building had potential. It’s just too bad they weren’t fully exploited. Especially the world building. There was so much I’d like to know more about such as the history between the two countries and how does the magic works.

Also, what did you think of Vitala as an assassin? I have to say, the fact that she assassinated them during sex is not something that I really liked :( Also, does that mean that’s the MO of all the Obsidian Circle’s assassins? And I’m kind of disappointed how the issue was handled with Lucien. Yes, he was unhappy, but again, it wasn’t develop. Just swept away, sigh. By the way, I think the fact that she had to seduce her target is the reason you were reminded of the Kushiel series (I have not read them either).

Jan: For me, the lack of world building was the biggest problem with the book. I wanted to know more about the world they lived in and the two countries. More history and a map would have helped.

I think the reason Lucien invited the winner of the Caturanga tournament to his palace was to become a better player because he hadn’t gotten a chance to play very much when he was younger. I thought it was strange after about the first third of the book Caturanga isn’t really mentioned again.

I thought the way they trained the women assassins was pretty awful. It’s no wonder a lot of them had “visions.” They had been abused. And yes, Lucien accepted Vitala and trusted her very quickly even though she’d been trained for years to assassinate him. That’s not natural!

In fact, if I hadn’t read the AAR review I might not have read this book, because the premise sounds really dark--seducing a person and then killing him while you have sex. The book wasn’t that dark though. Vitala didn’t view what she went through as abuse so I finally decided in their society it wasn’t considered strange to treat children this way. She was damaged by it though. When they finally talked about her problem they were able to get past it pretty quickly.

Nath: If it was a regular child, I don’t think the way she would be trained would be acceptable. However, as assassin and part of a secret organization, that changes thing. That whole killing during sex was the only thing that made me hesitated to pick Assassin’s Gambit and at the end of the day, I still found it distasteful. I figured out it was because of Lucien’s kind of magic - a war mage - but I would rather have Vitala be a good assassin because of her skills and superior intelligence than her looks and how seductive and efficient at luring men she is. By the way, it was never explained what skills Lucien had as a war mage, right? :(

Speaking of Lucien, what did you think of his character. I thought as a fantasy hero, he was refreshing. I surely didn’t expect his handicap. However, like everything else, I think there was a lack of development. I wished we had seen him more in action, the political changes he was trying to install, him leading people. For sure, he is smart... but quite frankly, he lacked charisma and that was a bit disappointing.

Jan: You’re right about Vitala. I hadn’t thought about the fact that even though she’d been trained to fight that wasn’t why she was an assassin. The Obsidian Circle had male assassins who were war mages and killed other war mages by fighting them. Women were only able to defeat the men through sex. Ugh.

The abilities of war mages and Lucien in particular were rather vague. He was quicker and could sense when something was about to happen and I think he was stronger because of his mage stone, but it wasn’t really explained if war mages had all the same abilities or different ones. Lucien had been in power for about three years I think, but it didn’t sound like he’d accomplished much. We are told in the book he’s charismatic, but that wasn’t shown very well. I did like the way he handled his handicap though.

Nath: I liked it too, especially as the ruler of a nation that prizes perfection. When you think about it though, it’s a surprise that there wasn’t a coup before. Also, were we ever told what happened to Lucien’s father? It doesn’t seem to me he simply died.

Anyway, just way many things about Assassin’s Gambit that were too vague. It seems to me that Ms Raby bit off too much for her debut novel :( As a result, Assassin’s Gambit gets a C- from me. What saved the book for me was Ms Raby’s writing as her style was quite fluid and readable and the setting for Spy’s Honor, as I’m quite curious about Rhianne and Jantos’ story :)

What about you Jan? What grade do you give Assassin’s Gambit?

Jan: I think Lucien’s father was deposed, but that was vague. Perhaps that’s what Rhianne and Jantos’ story is about. It is surprising Lucien wasn’t deposed before. :)

As I mentioned before I liked Assassin’s Gambit more than you, Nath. However, I don’t know that I will pick up the next book even though I liked Rhianne. I don’t want to read a book that takes place before this one, I guess. Anyway, I gave the book a C+.