The Night Circus

Title: The Night Circus

Author: Erin Morgenstern

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Published: September 13, 2011

The circus of dreams would arrive without warning. One day it would be there and then suddenly gone. They were only open at night and everything within were black, white or shades of gray. Very few knew the circus was the battle grounds between two magicians who found themselves in love with their opponent.

Each chapter began by telling the reader when it was taking place. This was important because the chapters did not go in order. I was talking to someone about one section of the book and we decided it would have made less sense if it had actually gone in order. I was very impressed the writer not only was able to do that, she was able to do it well. It felt as if it was a part of the magic that was weaved within what the characters were experiencing.

I loved the language within this book. I felt as if I was wrapped up so I could be taken along the journey with the characters. The words flowed in a lyrical way and I found myself either reading parts of the book to the people around me or I would make them read those parts themselves, they mostly humored me. There were elements I wished I could actually see. I would love to watch the clock or take a tour through the ice garden. Upon finishing the story I found myself a little sad the gate way to that world had ended.

I gave this book 5 stars out of 5.

Title: Sizzle (Buchanan-Renard #8)

Author: Julie Garwood

Genre: Mystery, Romance

Published: January 25, 2011

A film student, Lyra, suddenly had her life threatened without any understanding why. A favor was called in and Lyra ended up with handsome FBI agent Sam guarding her.

I find writing reviews for this type of book difficult. I enjoy them. I like how fast and easy they are to get through. Someone once told me I should read more candy, that is exactly how I would describe this book and others like it. They really don't take a lot of mental power, but they are still fun to read.

I did enjoy the little twist, saw it coming, but it was still easy to see how the characters were surprised. I did like how the bodyguard was able to take her life into consideration without actually prohibiting her from being able to accomplish things she needed to get done. I liked how she wasn't going out of her way to push his buttons and actually did what he told her to do, especially since he was just trying to protect her. I thought the romance between the two characters could have been a little more fleshed out, but it was still a fun read.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.

Review: The Baron's Betrayal

Title: The Baron's Betrayal (Marriage Mart Mayhem #4)

Author: Callie Hutton

Genre: Romance, Regency

Published: January 12, 2015

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After learning her husband wasn't dead after two years Marion decided to continue her marriage where it had left off. Her husband Tristan had other ideas. He felt since he had been in an explosion and had lost his sight he was no longer enough for her. He believed he was no longer good enough for her.

I enjoyed the characters especially Marion and Tristan's valet Ellis. As soon as she knew her husband was still alive the only thing Marion wanted was to resume her life with her husband. She did everything she could to try and understand what he was going through. I liked Ellis because even though he was Tristan's servant he was still willing to tell Tristan exactly what he was thinking.

I understand Tristan had a real problem, not only physically but also psychologically. I also understand at the time period this book is placed psychology wasn't really a consideration when a person suffered a trauma and even if it was they wouldn't know how to treat the problems. That being said after about a hundred pages I wanted to someone to slap Tristan upside the head and tell him to deal with it. Then when the climax happened the turn around felt abrupt and difficult to believe.

Overall I gave this book 3 stars out of 5.

Title: Full Speed (Full #3)

Author: Janet Evanovich, Charlotte Hughes

Genre: Romance, Mystery

Published: November 1, 2003

Jamie was after a story for her small town paper. Max was in middle of her story. He was trying to take down a member of the mob.

I had a difficult time getting into this book. Half way through I even put it down for around a year. When I picked it back up a few days ago I found the story more enjoyable and even manged to finish it. I did find the story predictable, but still enjoyable.

I'm not sure what it is, but recently my favorite characters in books I have read are the animals. This is another one of those. There is a bloodhound named Fleas who really is the best part of the book. He goes everywhere with the main characters and spends most of his time looking sorrowful.

Overall I gave this book 3 stars out of 5.

Title:  Becoming Lady Lockwood

Author: Jennifer Moore

Genre: Romance, LDS Fiction

Published: July 1, 2014

There was a discrepancy about the legality of Amelia Beckett's proxy marriage to the Earl Lockwood. After his brother's death the new earl, William, wanted to protect his family and holdings. William took Amelia from her home in Jamaica aboard his ship and journeyed the dangerous Atlantic waters.

I enjoyed the relationships Amelia formed throughout the story. Not just with William, but also his first mate, a little boy, the cook and the head man who fixed the sails. They were formed gradually and made you really care about each of the characters.

I found this book to be a fun, light read that moved quickly. I will admit at one point I did cry a little. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Overall I gave this book 5 stars out of 5.

Review: The Viscount's Christmas Temptation

Title: The Viscount's Christmas Temptation (The Dukes of War 0.5)

Author: Erica Ridley

Genre: Romance, Regency, Novella

Published: November 1, 2014

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After Viscount Sheffield's annual Christmas ball was unexpectedly cancelled Lady Amelia Pembroke decided to something to make sure the ball would actually happen.

This is my third Erica Ridley and so far the best. I enjoyed the relationship between the two characters and would have liked to see it further develop.

I enjoyed Amelia's ability to micromanage. It was weirdly entertain to watch her anticipate and have back up plans for everything. When first introduced to Amelia I thought I would eventually find her extremely annoying or at least I would end up having a problem with controlling everything around her. At the beginning I was sort of hoping one of Amelia's plans would go awry. I was pleasantly surprised when neither happened.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.

Review: Dark Surrender

Title: Dark Surrender

Author: Erica Ridley

Genre: Romance

Published: March 1, 2014

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Violet protected a child by committing a crime. She took refuge at an boarded up Abbey where Alistair was trying to find a cure for his daughter who couldn't be exposed to sunlight without getting burns.

The main character was inconsistent. She mentions more than once the abuse she suffered as a child. She talks about being a survivor. That I was good with. She talks about the men who tried to take advantage of her and her distrust of them. Then she met Alistair she had plenty of lustful thoughts concerning him. In fact she made all the advances in the relationship. I realize this was supposed to be a romance, but the psychology the author tried to set up for the main character shouldn't have been as comfortable as Violet seemed to be with the situations she put herself in.

I honestly felt as if she could have gotten rid of a hundred pages in the middle without sacrificing anything in the story. I felt like I was being led in circles. We would get the thoughts and feelings of Violet, then the thoughts and feelings of Alistair, then the thoughts and feelings of his daughter Lillian. When that was finished we would start again with Violet. This really wouldn't have been a bad thing if any of those thoughts and feelings had actually changed or grown, but no the words were almost exactly the same.

The redeeming factor throughout the story was how Violet put her charge's interests above her own. She not only wanted to protect the girls, but she wanted something better for them. She wanted them to be happy and to be able to achieve something with their lives.

Overall I gave this book 3 stars out of 4.

 
Title: Desperately Seeking Suzanna (Tricks of the Ton #2)

Author: Elizabeth Michels

Genre: Regency Romance

Published: March 4, 2014

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sue Green was always the plain wallflower at the ball until one masquerade at the beginning of her last season. It was a night where she was Suzanna instead of Sue. When the night was over Holden was left asking Sue for help finding the vanished Suzanna.

The characters were not completely consistent. One example was Holden who had the reputation of being a rake, which was supported by the first meeting between the two main characters. Then he spent the rest of the book looking for one girl who he had a fleeting moment with. Sue's sister and cousins were likable romantics when they were with Sue. When they were with anyone else they were coy, flirtatious and irritating.

It was nice the problems the characters faced were different than most books of this type. Mainly the mothers and the troubles they caused. Sue's mother threatened to ship her off to another country and Holden's mother was completely insane.

A little over two thirds the way through the book I did get bored. The characters started saying the same things over and over. The redundancy became annoying.

That being said the story was fun fluff. I did enjoy the romance between Holden and Sue and I would be open to reading the rest of the series.

Overall I gave this book 3 stars out of 4.

Title: The Summer I Found You


Author: Jolene Perry

Genre: Young Adult, Romance

Published: March 1, 2014

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kate had been diagnosed with diabetes a year before the story began. Aidan had lost an arm and a friend in Afghanistan. This book was a love story between the two as they tried to learn how to live their lives with the new challenges.

I will admit to being confused by the title. The book takes place entirely during the spring. There is a couple of places mentioned about what will happen in the fall, but nothing about the summer.

Given the synopsis I expected a more emotional and psychological journey for the main characters than we got. The first hundred pages or so Kate bemoaned the fact that her boyfriend broke up with her to start dating another girl. Then both Kate and Aidan used their burgeoning relationship as a means to escape the trials they were going through. I did like the romance between the characters though. It was the best part of the book. I would categorize this book as a quick fluffy read.

I grew up in a house where I was in the minority by not being diabetic. We have both Type I and Type II. My sister has always been open about it and has in fact let little children give her the shots. Here is her web page http://childofdiabetes.blogspot.com/. I saw how my parents handled it. I have also seen how every one of my family members have reacted to being diagnosed. The way Kate and her parents handled it seriously bugged me. I was actually okay with the idea that Kate was in denial about what she was going through, but at some point you would have thought she would be tired of feeling sick all the time and decided to start controlling it. I don't think her parents handled it well though. They grounded her and lectured her. They didn't actually try to have her take charge. Instead they took control of where she went, who she went with, and when she was allowed to do anything. The doctor's visit where she was told that she was just trying to kill herself and her father balled through the entire visit was a little over the top.

I have no personal experience with someone losing a limb so everything Aidan was going through I was okay with. I would have liked to see more of his journey and the changing points for him were not completely clear, but I was good with his story.

Overall I gave this book 3 stars out of 5.

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Drama

Published: January 10, 2012

If you are reading this review and happen to not know what the book is about here is a trailer for the movie soon to be released. http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2313071897/

I have seen two types of children with illness. It doesn't even need to be a terminal illness, just one where the child knows it will never go away. I have seen children with seizures, diabetes, migraines, among others. A child might believe they are entitled to be pandered to and they tend to be spoiled snots. The other type tends to grow up too soon. They mature faster and lose the ability to live without being conscience of consequences. This book had none of the first type. The characters were older than they should have been. I thought for the most part it was well done.

The different characters kept using the words metaphorical resonances. After the first few times it began to feel like the author was trying to be existential, but the platitudes tended to fall a little short. Maybe I am just not deep enough.

I didn't end up as emotionally invested in the story as I think I was supposed to. I might have gone into it with too many expectations. I did find parts humorous, but I did not laugh out loud. I also did not cry despite the sad frame the story takes.

Overall I gave this book 3 stars out of 5.

Title: All That Glows

Author: Ryan Graudin

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Published: February 11, 2014

Emrys a Fae was sent to guard Prince Richard and they fell in love. When Richard and his family end up in peril Emrys does everything she can to save them.

I liked the book, but I am having an incredibly difficult time pinpointing why. I thought the romance was fun mainly because Emrys was baffled by the experience. Richard's personality change was fast for me and at the first test he reverted. That type of thing shouldn't be dependant on someone else.

The battle scenes were well thought out, but I am enough of a feminist to believe every time this woman who had lived for centuries and had magic on her side, would not necessarily need a man to come and save the day.

The best part of the book was how fast it was to read. Yes it took me weeks, but I was really distracted during that time. Once I sat down just to read it went really fast. My biggest problem with it is for every time I have something to say about the story I also have a but...

Overall I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.

Title: An Untitled Lady

Author: Nicky Penttila

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction

Published February 12, 2014

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Under the guise of a regency romance this book tells of the instance leading up to the Peterloo Massacre.

The book was unlike normal romances considering the historical relevance and upheaval which lead up to and resulted from the events.

I will admit I had never heard of the massacre until this book. I was curious enough to actually look it up and learn a little about it. I found the story dealing with the build up to be very repetitive, this lead me to be frustrated with the story a couple of times.

I did enjoy the characters. They were thought out and well rounded. A couple of times I felt as if Maddie, the main character, just needed to really get a brake. By the time I reached half way I thought okay she has been through enough now. Unlike a lot of other romance books where I think seriously the problem the characters are facing are just made up and corny, get over it already. The problems the characters faced were real problems that potentially real people faced.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.

Title: The Moon and More

Author: Sarah Dessen

Genre: Young Adult, Romance

Published: June 4, 2013

For me there was an unfortunate coincidence with some of the character's names, Luke, Clyde and Benji. When I was little I would go everyday with a friend during lunch recess to walk her dog Luke. Ten years ago my sister had a Norwegian elk hound named Clyde. Even as I neared the end of the book every time I saw the name Benji I thought of the dog from the movies. This is no reflection on the author or the story, but I did find it distracting.

Now onto the real review. The book was about Emaline the summer before she went to college.

Things I disliked:

Theo- the man had unrealistic expectations if everyone didn't conform to them he would ignore and gloss over the moment until others were tired and would just give up arguing with him. I could not figure out why Emaline found him attractive.

Emaline's father- really he was married, had two children and really should have grown up.

Emaline's mother and sister not respecting her personal space. Why did the two of them spend all their free time in Emaline's bedroom anyway?

The sex- Emaline didn't really want to have sex, she wasn't in the mood, but it was expected and easier to just do it than not. It didn't seem like a good reason to be intimate espcially with how young she was.

Things I liked:

The relationships- Emaline's friendships with Morris and Daisy. The one she had with her boyfriend Luke and how it progressed through the story.

The distinction between who Emaline viewed as her father and her dad. There was a different dynamic between them and she recognized that.

Benji, Emaline's 10 year old brother, he had a fantastic attitude and energy. I honestly think he was my favorite part.

I liked how Emaline wasn't the only character who evolved and had personal growth.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars out of five.

Title: Let it Snow

Author: Erica Ridley

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Published: December 15, 2013

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lance trying to get money went into a cursed castle and got stuck.

I am really unsure what I was expecting, but I can definitely say this wasn't it. I found the description interesting, but from the beginning I wondered what is happening. I couldn't figure out why Lance had a sword, bow and arrows on him from the first page when he lived in a world of smart phones and handguns. Then we met the girl Marigold, who hadn't spent a lot of time with other people for six-hundred years. The author tried to have her language be from that time period. The idea was good if she had managed to keep it up. The language became sporadic.

There were holes and inconsistencies throughout the story. The author would tell us something then write herself into a corner and then she would have something happen which would contradict the rule established. She was shoveling dirt into the holes and hopping we wouldn't notice. Sorry I noticed.

I did enjoy the flow and ease of the story.

Overall I gave this book 2 stars out of 5.

Title: Blackmoore (A Proper Romance)

Author: Julianne Donaldson

Genre: Regency, Romance

Published: September 9, 2013

Kate wanted to go to India with her Aunt and she made a deal with her mother. The only way she was able to make it was with the help of a childhood friend Henry.

I really loved her last book. I even bought multiple copies and gave them to people. I think that might be why I had high expectations for this book. I also think that might be why my rating isn't higher.

I really liked Kate, Henry and the maid Alice. They were the only characters I did like. The rest were mean, cross, or flat. I have a hard time seeing parents purposely being mean to their children. I know it happens in the real world, but I think it is overall the exception or at least not consciously done. At least I would hope so. In this book it seems as if the mothers are actually out to get their children.

One of the main images in the book is a bird in a cage and how it isn't free. I began to feel like I was also in a cage and hemmed in. I could see this as good imagery in the writing, but I also did not enjoy the sensation.

Overall I gave this book 3 stars out of 5.

Title: Reforming the Rogue

Author: Donna Lea Simpson

Type of book: Romance

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

Nic wanted to stop his brother Cairngrove from marrying Jessica. Jessica's sister Linnet decided to do everything in her power to make sure the wedding happened.

I don't care if you dislike someone, but if a family member loves them and wants them to be a part of their lives then that is their decision and you should support them. Even if you believe it is a mistake it is their mistake to make.

The sudden turn around of Nic was unrealistic and was very sudden. There was no build up towards it. By the end everything was sweet enough to make a person go into sugar shock.

Overall I gave this book 2 stars out of 5.

Title: The Stranger She Married (Rogue Hearts #1)

Author: Donna Hatch

Type of book: Romance

Alicia's family was being systematically killed and Cole decided he was going to do everything in his power to stop it.

I liked the romance. The build up that took months to form instead of being an instant thing. I liked the characters, everyone from Alicia to the minor charcters such as the pirate.

I did have a problem with a big deception being a pivital point in the book and lead to the big "twist", which was supposed to be a shock and wasn't. I understand there are circumstances where lies are told, but this one felt too complicated for it to actually be able to hold up.

Overall I gave this book 3 stars out of 5.

Title: The Perfect Hope (Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy #3)

Author: Nora Roberts

Type of book: Romance

This book is the third in the trilogy. It deals with the final brother Ryder and the innkeeper Hope.

This book doesn't have many differences from the first two books or from her Wedding Quartet, but since I really liked them as well I can't hold that against her.

I did like the side story about the ghost Lizzy and her lost love.

I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.

Title: Montana Sky

Author: Nora Roberts

Type of book: Romance, Mystery

Jack Mercy died and left his ranch and assets to his three daughters providing they followed the stipulations in his will. They were required to stay together on the ranch for a year or else it would be given away. They were closers as sisters while someone was killing animals and people as a method to threaten them into leaving.

The killer was not obvious, which is what happens in most mysteries. I did have a problem that it took a full year for the cops in the book to find the killer. They were on a ranch in with a limited amount of suspects. The time frame felt off and a little unrealistic.

I liked the men in the novel and their relationships with the women. I liked how the romances developed over the year.

I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.

Title: Tempting Bella (Accidental Peers #2)

Author: Diana Quincy

Type of book: Romance

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Bella was 13 she got married to Sebastian. They met up again six years later to make their marriage a reality.

I liked the characters, well most of them and I thought the story was fun. At one point I did want to smack Bella upside the head because I thought her distrust of Sebastian had become annoying. I did enjoy the book though.

I gave this 4 stars out of 5.