Carries Book Reviews

Desire by Charlotte Byrd
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Desire is the first in a short story series featuring Emma and Jack. This first story is basically introducing the characters. Emma is the good girl who hasn’t done drugs or broken the law. Jack is the bad boy who wants to be good type who is a member of a motorcycle club called the Big Bear Outlaws.

This series seems to be a simple erotic story in the making. Emma who seems a bit on the naive side is attracted to Jack who questions his involvement with the club. Not much has happened yet to fall in love with the story or characters but enough of a look to know that I wouldn’t mind continuing on to see where it leads.

A decent start but not amazing just yet. Very quick read to introduce the readers to the story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bound by Duty by Stormy Smith
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Amelia has grown up sheltered by her father. She has broken away from his hold to attend college and try to make friends and a life for herself. She has powers though that she has no idea what they are or how to control them. Amelia belongs to a group of Mage but she herself is an Elder. Since there are no other Elder females she is unsure of what it even means to be one. Amelia has also been promised to marry a prince, the son of an Evil queen that has wiped out the rest of the Elders. All Amelia really wants is to live her own life and make her own choices.

I picked up this book because it was classified as a New Adult Sci-fi/Fantasy. The biggest problem is it really doesn’t even seem the characters are mature enough to be considered a Young Adult book. Amelia herself being the biggest offender of the characters very often comes across as an immature 12 or 13 year old. Her first interaction with Aidan she simply just runs off and from there it doesn’t seem to ever get better. Even Amelia’s older brother who is supposed to be 8 years older didn’t seem to interact the way someone of his age should. Aidan’s idea of getting a girl’s attention is to steal her seat in class and call her doll…. just no no no.

The entire maturity level just seemed to be completely lacking throughout so no matter how good or interesting a plot could be it just couldn’t save this one for me. The plot did have potential but the characters would need a lot of work to have gotten a better rating.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First by Chanda Stafford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First is a dystopian young adult novel taking place in America approximately 500 years in the future. Mira is a 17 year old growing up in Texas which is home to the descendants of former rebels who had attacked the White House and Pentagon 200 years earlier. The Texans work farms to raise food for the free citizens but also offer up their children to become what is known as a second to the group of firsts who are immortal by taking over the bodies of their seconds.

When Socrates the first of the firsts shows up at Mira’s farm and chooses her she has no idea what to expect. The ones living on the farms have been told they are being excused for their ancestors crimes and going to be free if chosen. Mira doesn’t care about being free and would rather stay on the farm and marry her best friend Tanner.

The book changes points of view between Socrates and Mira so you get to know the both very well. It does get a bit of a slow start though to figuring out what this world is all about. Switching back and forth though let’s us know what it means to be a first or second eventually so you must have a bit of patience with the story to really learn what is going on.

Other than the slow start I found the whole story fascinating. The future of course has new technology and things like cancer have been cured. They can do things such as transfer the mind of a first into a second. There’s rebels opposed to the whole process and fighting for freedom for everyone.

A lot of things going on to piece together but thought it was worth the effort in the end. Will look forward to picking up book 2 at some point.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Perfectly Equipped by Lacey Silks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

April trusted her best friend Millie to book their vacation. Little did she know she would end up at a nudist resort in Hawaii. April is not exactly welcome to being seen naked and tries to hide out on the beach until she falls asleep in the sun. A perfect specimen of a man awakens her to warn her that she is getting a little on the burnt side and sparks fly between the two.

This was actually a fun beginning to what needs to be a much longer tale. April and Millie’s interactions were sometimes hilarious but it seemed to be lacking a lot of backstory which hopefully will come in the next book. A good start to the hot and steamy relationship between Sean and April though and will look forward to the next.

While short still a fun, hot and steamy read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Immersed by Katie Hayoz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Melusine Doré has spent her life hunting down and killing monsters for a living. Her biggest competition is Levi Cannon who’s family is well off so Melusine resents him for taking away jobs from her that she needs to survive. When the two are forced to team up to hunt a sea creature they can’t help but end up attracted to each other. Unfortunately for Melusine she has been cursed when it comes to love.

Katie Hayoz has done a wonderful job with this story and bringing all the different elements of it to life. There was just so many different things going on that a part of me thought this story would probably fail miserably but I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. Chicago was turned into the fantasy/steampunk land with monsters and machines. The characters were given enough attention to their back stories that you really care about them and their relationship. Very hard to make it all come together in a novella but it has been done with Immersed.

Great quick read with a mixture of a lot of different elements.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.