Ink of Blood

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).

(This review may contain spoilers).

This was a book that really intrigued me when I read the blurb. I felt that it had interesting characters and I was able to relate really well to Delilah. Some of the things she went through were things I could really empathise with.

Although I liked Delilah’s relationship with River after it was formed, I was a bit hesitant when Delilah met him for the first time. I’m really not a fan of love at first sight stories… but I was pleasantly surprised that the author took the time to develop their relationship past the initial attraction stage.

I did like the slight air of mystery there was around River. There were times I really felt for him as well. I did think that some of the past that the characters related to each other lost something in the telling. There were times I felt that all the characters did was sit around and talk about the past and I think I might have found it easier to read if some of the events had been explored… whether in flashback form or in a kind of Prologue.

I did feel some sympathy towards the other characters in the book as well, particularly Susan. But there were parts of the book where I didn’t really like her very much. And I was much less keen on the teachers in Delilah’s school. I think that brought back too many personal bad memories…

I did get a bit saddened by the end of the book, but I still enjoyed the ride throughout. It was a unique spin on a plot I do see quite a lot. I would definitely be interested in reading more books by this author in the future.

(I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).

(This review may contain spoilers).

I did think that the blurb of this book sounded quite intriguing and I really liked the front cover of the book. Unfortunately, I felt that more than half of the book was spent in setting the scene and there was a lot of telling rather than showing.

The characters in the book were fairly interesting, but I felt that their personalities, strengths and weaknesses weren’t really shown. It was interesting to see the use of the Bible scriptures and how the Bible itself and God were referred to in the book. Unfortunately, I did feel that there was a lot of information dumped in all at once. I didn’t mind reading it, as a Christian, but I can’t see it appealing to people who aren’t Christians.

The technology, such as the water bottles and the portals, would have been interesting if I’d had some idea of how it worked. I felt that the idea about taking the water from the air was a good one, but there was nothing really about how it worked.

I also liked reading about the children’s abilities, but I was disappointed to see that they weren’t really utilised. I liked seeing the past, but I felt that they didn’t really learn or experience anything.

I felt that this book would be better if it was expanded and the characters spent more time in the past. Knowing a bit more about the technology used and the family history would be good, too. As it is, this book reads more like an introduction to the series and the characters.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).

(This review may contain spoilers).

Having read the first book in this series, I found this one easier to follow. I think I still would have found it easy to follow even if I had started with this book… but at least this way, I could get properly behind the relationship between Jocelyn and Jackson.

Once again, it was interesting to see the two different timelines and the two different lives that the characters led. I was glad to see that Jocelyn’s 2009 family and friends didn’t think her plans to get married were wonderful and actually raised reasonable objections. It was also quite unusual in that I could see both sides of the argument… rather than rolling my eyes at yet another couple who fall in love at first sight and then merge into one being.

I really like the concept of EVE, even though I’d like to know more about the origin of those abilities and how different people have lives so far apart… why some have a hundred years or so, while the gap with others is much bigger.

I liked meeting Jocelyn’s uncle and I would have liked to see a bit more of him. I also would have liked to see more of the other characters, too. I found a lot of them to be quite interesting and well-written.

I think I would like to read the next book/s in this series at some point in the future. It was interesting to see the characters live their own lives and how Jocelyn’s views and feelings differed in each time frame, though I was a bit disappointed to see Jocelyn didn’t stick to her principles. It would be nice to see where the author takes the series next.

(I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).

(This review may contain spoilers).

I have a vague recollection of seeing the movie of The Bone Collector quite a while ago… but all I really remember is the title and no further details, so I could be wrong about the film.

Anyway… even though this was a book that was later in the series, I still found it easy to follow. The descriptions of what was being done to the victims was really awful in parts, more so with what was left out about exactly what they were experiencing.

The characters in this book were really intriguing and it was interesting to see the relationship with Pam, especially. I thought it came across really well that the relationship there wasn’t really perfect, but still came across as believable, particularly with Amelia trying to protect a young woman who was trying to grow up.

There were a few things I didn’t quite follow in this book, but there were other things that I thought worked really well. I particularly liked that there were elements of humour in this book when it came to the undercover work. There was one thing in particular that I guessed, but a few other things that I didn’t see coming.

I haven’t read the other books in this series (that I recall), so I can’t comment on whether or not this has the same sort of plot… though the title isn’t as original as it could have been, considering the title of the first book. But I found it easy to read and the characters fairly interesting and well-rounded. There were some really creepy scenes that I thought worked really well and I’d probably read other books in this series at some point in the future.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).

(This review may contain spoilers).

I found this book to be a really entertaining read, with more serious, intense scenes than I was expecting when I originally read the blurb of this book.

I actually quite liked Nyx as a character. Some of the comments she came out with were really quite amusing and I enjoyed her interactions with the witches. It was also nice to see the relationships that formed between them as the book went on, rather than there just being hostility between them.

I really liked the similarities between the different myths and legends, such as Merlin. It was also interesting to see the different types of magic that the different characters could do.

I liked the evolution that Nyx’s character underwent throughout the book. I felt that the author did a good job of capturing the kind of personality that the fae tend to have, but still made Nyx an entertaining character. I also found the other characters to be really interesting as well. There was a good mixture of different personalities and powers… and it was good to see them have to put their differences aside to work together.

The bit about the Tithe was pretty interesting, too… especially the YTNS part. I did, however, find the footnotes a bit distracting. I felt that they could have been easily put into the story itself and that the footnotes detracted from the plot quite a bit.

It was nice to learn more about Nyx’s past and I would have liked to learn more about the other characters’, too. There were bits and pieces revealed, but I would have liked to see more of their pasts and everything. I also would have liked to know more about the different mythologies and sources of their powers.

Although this book did come to an actual, proper ending, I felt that there was more that could be done and explored with the characters. I really liked the fact that the characters faced real consequences and the danger they were in felt real.

I would definitely read a sequel to this book and I’d also check out more books by this author in the future. This was a good, entertaining read that made me laugh as well as kept me reading because of how intense it was. It’s probably a book I would read again.

(I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).

(This review may contain spoilers).

Although this book was the second in a series, I still found it easy to follow; probably because it was centred around a new group of characters. I also found it interesting that the characters ended up taking a boat and being on the sea. It makes a change from all of the zombie stories where the characters take a car and then wind up having to escape on foot…

Although the prologue of the book was written in third person, the rest was written in first person and the POV of only one character, which is always much easier to read. I liked Ben as a character and I also liked the relationships he formed with the other characters. It was interesting to see people who would probably have never talked in normal reality have to pull together to save themselves and each other.

I did feel that the military/navy wasn’t painted in a very good light. Even the ones who weren’t ‘bad’ seemed to lack a certain kind of intelligence. Amusingly enough, I had Captain America flashbacks with the character of Bucky. (I actually did like him).

I felt the spread of the infection came across as quite realistic. In the world we now live in, travel is so easy, that it made sense many places would be overrun by the infection before modes of travel could be cut off.

It was also interesting to see a doctor in one of the characters. I felt that a lot of research had clearly gone into this book, as well as the author drawing on his own personal experience. I felt that the characters were interesting and well-rounded and I actually cared about them. Also, despite the near misses, I felt the danger they were in was very real.

There were times when I really felt for the characters, particularly during those moments when they had to make the tough decisions. I was able to empathise with them easily and I found myself avidly reading the book to find out what would happen next. I’d probably read the other books in this series at some point.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).

(This review may contain spoilers).

I found this book to be quite an interesting read. It was nice to see a first person POV stick with the same first person and not change perspectives repeatedly.

The blurb of this book was really intriguing, partly because it was similar to an idea I had when I was much younger but never got around to doing anything with. I felt that the author handled the two different timelines particularly well and it was good to see the parallels between the two different storylines, as well as how different the times were.

I thought it was an interesting idea how Jocelyn kept getting sick and dizzy when she was close to Jackson. It was much better than the love at first sight/first conversation trope that seems so prevalent in young adult fiction. It was also good to see certain behaviour picked up on and commented on, such as the whole thing with the watch and its inscription.

I liked a lot of the supporting characters as well, but I did find myself getting confused between the groups of friends at times. It was nice that the different times were in alternating chapters, though, and not two in one time, three in the other… etc.

I did think that the book was fairly well-written, but I also noticed quite a few errors, particularly when ‘lair’ was used instead of ‘liar’. I also didn’t like Jocelyn too much in the nineteenth century… at least before everything happened with Olivia. I could understand why she felt the way she did, but something about her character then kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

I did feel there were a few moments where the language came across as a bit too modern in the nineteenth century storyline, but on the whole, I didn’t get too confused between the two different plot lines.

By the end of the book, I had some questions answered, but a lot more that weren’t. I do have the second book on my Kindle and I will be reading it in the next couple of days. The idea is fairly unique and the characters are interesting and well-rounded.

(I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).

(This review may contain spoilers).

Fiction dealing with natural disasters and their aftermath isn’t something that’s rare, though it’s not as common as, say, zombies. So when I read books like this one, the uniqueness often comes from the characters and the way they deal with the situations they find themselves in.

I found Erika to be quite an interesting character. Although I felt there was a bit too much plot convenience (her skills were only revealed when it was crucial to the plot), I still did like her. She had a realistic goal to work towards and I really cared about her being able to be reunited with her family.

I also particularly liked Erika’s relationship with Star. There’s something particularly sweet about people choosing to adopt children who have been orphaned in a situation like that, since a lot of people would only look out for themselves.

I did feel that the author did a good job of showing the different attitudes of people after what had happened. I did have some confusion with various characters who merged together at times, but I felt the danger they faced came across as real and I truly cared about what happened to them – though, at first, it did seem as if Erika was more concerned about her husband’s safety than her son’s.

I would probably read the next books in this series at some point, as well as check out other books by this author.