Review: Ramping UP by Zoe Dawson

The world of extreme sports just got a little steamier! Zoe Dawson’s pulse-pounding, emotional series follows the wily young female agents of Mavrick Allstars as they chase their dreams—and meet the chiseled athletes who make them come true.

Helena “Lena” Mavrick is ready to prove that she can play with the big boys. Working at her father’s internationally renowned agency, Mavrick Allstars, Lena sets her sights on one of the most coveted phenoms out there: a twenty-four-year-old surfer caught ripping it in a viral skateboarding video. Signing him would be a huge win—and his marketing appeal isn’t the only thing that makes Lena’s heart skip a beat. Trouble is, fraternizing with the client is against company policy.

Professional surfer Gunner Smith lives under the absolute control of his coach—until he takes the ultimate risk and starts over as a skateboarder. Gunner swore he wouldn’t give up his freedom again, but Lena’s out-of-the-blue offer makes him think long and hard. She’s smart, she’s bold, she’s got sponsors lined up around the corner—plus she’s drop-dead gorgeous. He’s just not sure his coach will let him get away that easily, because he’s not just Gunner’s coach, he’s also his father.

Gunner is used to hiding his tortured past. But when his steamy affair with Lena threatens their future, he must decide whether he will sacrifice everything for the woman who’s stolen his heart. 

My Thoughts:
This book was fast paced and easy to stay interested in.  Helena Mavrick, a sports agent for her father's company Mavrick Allstars, is given a diamond in the rough when Gunner Smith is dropped into her world.  His raw talent & bad-boy persona are just two of the reasons she will do anything to manage his career.  Gunner has spent his whole life living his father's dream of becoming a surfing legend.  Once he finally walks away from that he opens up his life to follow where his heart has always been.  Skating has always been Gunner's escape and now Helena is offering him a chance to make it his passion.

Gunner & Helena have off the chart chemistry.  Keeping their hands off each other isn't the only obstacle they have to face to get his career on track.  I love how Helena supports Gunner while he fights to break free from his father's grip.  He showed great resolve and didn't let his circumstances turn him into something twisted & broken.  She gives the exact support he needs to find his courage and strength as forges his new path.  Gunner shows Helena that winning isn't all that life is about.  He helps to remind her that integrity goes so much farther than just staying on top.  
I did find myself skimming over some of the skating stuff.  I was just eager to get to more juicy parts of the story.    Overall great story.  I do wish their had been a little more development in Gunner & Helena's relationship.

Recommended for 18 & up.  Lots of sexual & mature content.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Review: The Neverland Wars by Audrey Greathouse

Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That's what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.

However, Gwen doesn't know this. She's just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn't know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she'll discover she's in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.

She'll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won't be the only one. Peter Pan's constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she's going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she's going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance. 

My Thoughts:
This book was the first Peter Pan retelling I've read.  I wasn't sure what to expect.  I felt a sort of kindred spirit with Gwen.  I would have liked to have held on to my childhood a bit longer.  I always seemed a little immature compared to my friends.  I think it's what some refer to as a "young" sole.  I loved the imagery the author gave to Neverland & its inhabitants.  What I was surprised to discover was that Peter, the boy how never grows up, carries a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.  The protection of Neverland seems to fall all on him.  This book is a beautiful illustration of the loss of innocence & the realities of growing up.  There was some parts of the book where the pace lulled and I found myself uninterested.  However, once I passed that part, I got back into it and enjoyed the rest of the story.  I can only assume this is the first book in a series since much was left unanswered.  I look forward to finding out what will happen to Gwen, Peter, Neverland & the war with reality.  

Recommended for 13 & up.  

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Review: Prophecy of Shadows (Elementals #1) by Michelle Madow

Image & description from Goodreads.com

Nicole Cassidy is the new girl in town with a new problem -- she's a witch descended from gods. Despite doubts about her new found abilities, she's welcomed into this ancient circle of witches and is bedazzled by their powers -- and by Blake, the town's notorious bad-boy.

When the Olympian Comet shoots through the sky for the first time in three thousand years, Nicole, Blake, and three of their classmates are gifted with mysterious powers. But the comet has another effect -- it opens the portal to another dimension that has imprisoned the Titans for centuries. After an ancient monster escapes, they're forced to follow a cryptic prophecy, while learning to work together to stop the spread of evil. If only they can succeed in time to save their town... and possibly the world.

My Thoughts:
I wanted to love this book.  I love stories with Greek mythology.  Unfortunately this one fell far short of my expectations.  To start, Nicole (the MC) wasn't a character I could connect with.  Her reactions to things were unrealistic and at times I didn't really like her.  Then there's the whole "insta-love/connection" thing and it's no excuse to go after someone's boyfriend.  Characters need to build relationships just like real people.  I didn't really like Nicole's mom or sister either.  Both seemed to be self absorbed.  Her "dad" never makes an appearance.  Some things in the story didn't really sit well with me.  Starting with why did Nicole get put into "homeroom" when she had no knowledge of being a witch?  Who made the decision and how did they know what she was?  Combine that with how easy everything came to the characters and you can see why I had trouble with the plot and the way it was pushed along.  The story felt almost forced along without the characters having to struggle and over come their situations.  None of the characters experienced any growth or development.  They just accepted what was happening and went along with it.  The idea of the story is a good one and could have made a great book if things had been allowed to develop naturally.  I haven't decided if I'm going to read the next book in the series yet.

Recommended for 13 & up.  Mild violence. 

I purchased this book on Amazon and received no compensation for my honest review.

Review: The Siren by Elicia Hyder (The Summoner Series Book 2)

Image & description from Goodreads.com

All the missing victims of North Carolina’s deadliest serial killer have been found, all except Rachel Smith. When the FBI produces a photo proving Rachel is alive and well in Texas, one case is closed but another one is opened. Either this is a case of mistaken identity or there are more people than just Sloan Jordan and Warren Parish who seem to walk the earth without a soul. 

Along with Detective Nathan McNamara, Sloan and Warren travel south to find Rachel and solve the biggest mystery of all: determining who—or what—they really are. 

The Siren is Book 2 of The Soul Summoner Series. 

My Thoughts:
Outstanding!!  A sequel worthy of its predecessor. This book has so many unexpected twists that I could barely stand to put it down.  The story picks up a few weeks after the last book.  Sloan, Warren & Nate are searching for another possible "supernatural" person who can give Sloan & Warren some much needed answers.  They get so much more than they ever bargained for.  One of the best things about Elicia's writing is the connection between all the characters.  It's so natural.  There's never any awkward dialogue or strained interactions.  The banter between Sloan, Warren, Nate & even Shannon is hilarious.  I can't wait to read the next book.  There's so many possibilities for this series it makes me giddy to think what could be next!  There is a bit of a cliff hanger at the end but it's one that is absolutely needed to keep the series going.  It didn't bother me in the slightest other than to make me wish the next book was sitting in my Kindle already!

Recommended for 15 & up.  Mild to moderate language, violence & sexual content.

Review: The Soul Summoner by Elicia Hyder

Image & Description from goodreads.com

Blessed–or cursed–with a connection to the souls of others, Sloan Jordan can see the best in people… and the worst. For twenty-seven years, she's kept her ability a secret, but eleven young women have been murdered in the mountains of North Carolina, and Sloan may be the only hope of finding their killer. 

She has just agreed to help Detective Nathan McNamara with the case, when a stranger—who is as alluring as he is terrifying—shows up at her doorstep with a dark past and another puzzling mystery: she can't see his soul at all. 

Now Sloan is on the hunt for a deadly psychopath with two irresistible men. One of them would die for her, and the other would kill to keep her safe.

My Thoughts:
I was pleasantly surprised  with this book.  My mother-in-law told me I would love it & she was so right!  The writing was fantastic & the story is unique!  I like when a book doesn't resemble anything I've read before.  The characters are funny and easy to relate to.  I loved Sloan's witty comments in difficult situations.  Mainly because that's how I react when things get stressful.  I was a bit leery of her sudden "connection" to Warren, but it didn't degrade the story in any way.  Detective Nate is hilarious.  His banter with both Sloan & Warren was so entertaining.  The story is well paced & I hated having to put the book down to interact with other humans.  There's good suspense & I didn't know right away who the killer was.  There are some questions still left to be answered so of course I will be reading the next book.   

Recommended for 15 & up.  Moderate sexual content & violence.  

I bought this book on Amazon to review for my own pleasure.

Review: More than Music (Chasing the Dream #1) by Elizabeth Briggs

Image & Description from Goodreads.com

Classical musician Maddie Taylor secretly dreams of a louder life, but geeky girls like her don't get to be rock stars. That is, until tattooed singer Jared Cross catches her playing guitar and invites her to join his band on The Sound, a reality TV show competition.

Once on the show, Maddie discovers there's more to Jared than his flirty smile and bad boy reputation. With each performance their attraction becomes impossible to ignore, but when the show pressures them to stay single, they're forced to keep their relationship secret.

As the competition heats up, Jared will do whatever it takes for his band to win, and Maddie must decide if following her dream is worth losing her heart. 

My Thoughts:
This book was a fun, quick read.  I'm an avid viewer of the tv show The Voice.  Much of the book was set in a setting similar so I loved reading what it could possibly be like for the contestants on that show.  Maddie is a self-proclaimed music geek who doesn't see her own beauty.  What I liked about her was that she wasn't miss prim & proper who's just waiting for the bad boy to come steal her innocence.  She is a little naive about the music industry but what she lacks in that knowledge she makes up for by being a bad-ass guitarist.  Jared is a guy who finds it easier to play the part of the bad guy who breaks hearts than to risk getting hurt in a relationship.  He has decided his dedication to his music & his band are the only things worth committing to.  When the band needs Maddie to fill after the guitarist bails, she finds herself & her feelings in uncertain waters.  She discovers there's more to Jared than his reputation and he finds out there's something more to fight for.  I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Recommended for 16 & up.  Moderate sexual content.

I purchased this book from Amazon.

Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas - Audio version

Image & description from goodreads.com

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien. 

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

My Thoughts:
I bought this book on audible to listen to on my commute to work & home.  The narrator, Elizabeth Evans, did a great job voicing the characters.  She captured Celaena's haughty attitude perfectly.

I can't believe I waited so long to start this series.  I love it!  It's unique & exciting.  Celaena is a wonderfully complex character.  I didn't just get attached to Celaena.  I fell in love with Chaol, Dorian & Nehemia too.  They all have such an intricate part in the story.  I like that Celaena isn't perfect.  She's sometimes selfish and stubborn.  She doesn't apologize for her faults.  She accepts them as part of who she is and does the best she can in all circumstances.  The world the story is based in is beautifully constructed.  I can't wait to see what happens next to the "King's Champion".  

Recommended for 14 & up.  Moderate violence & mild language.