Mini Book Review: FireWalker by Josephine Angelini (Worldwalker #2)

Summary: Worlds divide, magic slays, and love lies in the second book of Josephine Angelini’s The Worldwalker Trilogy.

"You think I’m a monster, but my choices, as ruthless as they seem, are justified."

Lily is back in her own universe, and she's ready to start a new life with Rowan by her side. True, she almost died in the Pyre that fueled their escape from New Salem, and must hide her magic for the safety of everyone she cares about, but compared to fighting the Woven, the monstrous creatures inhabiting the alternate Salem, life is looking pretty good.

Unfortunately, Lillian, ruthless ruler of the 13 Cities, is not willing to let Lily go that easily. If she can’t persuade Lily to return to her world, she will force her to come back by doing away with the ones she loves.

Picking up right where Trial By Fire left off, Firewalker is another sexy, fast-paced, heartbreaking thrill ride from internationally bestselling author Josephine Angelini! 

Release Date: September 2015

Age Group: YA, Fantasy

Source: Review copy from Publisher

Reviewed By: Evan

Review:

Typically I try to avoid picking up a series smack in the middle but when this one came in the mail, I instantly was attracted to the bright cover colors and the quote from USA Today. Who doesn't want a butt-kicking heroine?! 

I dove right in and it didn't take long for FireWalker to earn the label STALKER WORTHY! The tag “A must read” doesn’t do this book justice. It was a non-stop, action packed adventure that I wasn’t willing to put down! This is now one of my favorite fantasy series for 2016! Traitor's Pyre {Book 3} can’t get here fast enough! But in the meantime, I am feverish to grab the first book, Trial by Fire, and dive right back into the world Angelini has spun.

Worldwalker #1

Worldwalker #1.5

image sources: goodreads.com

Beauty & The Beast #SHOWHOLE

Beauty & The Beast KILLS ME with its prolonged breaks! It was just announced that season 4 will be the final season and I already know a #showhole is eminent. I have LOVED this series but hated the whole summer series approach that the CW took with this one. 

A summer series translates to torture --> it's a TV series that strings you along all summer and then breaks for most of the year! #blah

For those that haven't started this series, I envy you. You will get the pleasure of binge watching all of them without the #breaktorture. For those that are in my boat and are eager for the series to return and {sniff} conclude, I already have our book line-up ready and it's Alex Flinn to the rescue!

Flinn has a way of really twisting fairy tales and it fits the same kind of world building from Beauty & the Beast. Plus, if you haven't read Beastly, that's just wrong. The movie was cool but the book was the bomb dot com.

If you have #showhole suggestions PLEASE comment, I aim to please and help those in need. #igotyourback

A New Season

As the seasons change, so do the directions our lives take.  And it is time for me to move in a new direction and to leave I'd So Rather Be Reading.  

This blog has been a tremendous source of fun, pride, and joy for me over the past six years.  I will miss it, as I will miss all of you, dear readers, as well as the publishers and authors I've come to know over the years.  

However, I have every confidence that Natalie and whomever else may come aboard will make I'd So Rather Be Reading a fun and inviting place to visit for book and movie reviews. 

I did not make this decision lightly, in fact it has been a very emotional decision for me.  However, I know in my heart that it's time for me to move on.  Thank you all for visiting, reading my posts, and commenting.  Every visitor and comment meant so much to me.  Thank you to the authors and publishers who honored me with the opportunity to read and review your books.  And thank you to Nat for the idea for the blog in the first place.  

I wish you all joy, peace and blessings.  

Within This Frame by Lindy Zart

Summary: 

It comes in the mail—a beautiful invitation that promises humiliation and horror. Unless Maggie Smiley, former child celebrity and now overweight recluse, gets her courage and motivation in check, along with her health.

The phone call offering fitness expert Lance Denton a chance to work with Maggie Smiley promises retribution. He messed up a lot as a punk kid on the too-fast road to stardom, and how he treated his co-star never left him. It is that—and a long list of secrets she doesn’t need to know—that has him show up at Maggie’s doorstep.

 

Release Date: December 2015

Age Group: Adult

Source: Review copy from author

Reviewed By: Kelli

Review:

Lindy Zart's writing embodies everything I love about contemporary fiction: characters that I just fall in love with, a love story that draws me in without being too sappy, and a plot that surprises me.  Lindy's books are always great and I have yet to read one that hasn't been fun and fulfilling.

Within This Frame was extra special to me because of the main character.  Maggie Smiley is a former child star who was in love with her costar Lance.  Things didn't end as expected between the two of them, and Maggie is left to nurse her wounds.  She finds comfort in junk food (as so many of us do) and ends up slightly overweight.  The worst problem is her self-esteem, though.  Maggie feels badly about her looks and thus hides away in her house, embarrassed to be seen in public.  

Maggie gets a mountain of motivation when she gets an invitation to a wedding, one that she does not want to attend in her current state.  She agrees to a personal trainer, not realizing that it would be her former costar who shows up to train her.  

The bulk of the story starts when Lance starts training Maggie.  I liked how Maggie was so stubborn and how Lance was patient but firm with her, to get her towards her health goals.  I loved their witty repartee and how Maggie gave as good as she got.  A main character who stands up for herself is always, always a good thing.  

There were a few predictable parts, but nothing that stuck out too much.  And I adored the conflict resolution.  It was everything I could have asked for and more.

I really loved Within This Frame and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun contemporary read with humor, wit and sass.  

Book Review: First & Then by Emma Mills

Summary:

Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.

Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights in this contemporary novel about falling in love with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself.

Release Date: October 2015

Age Group: YA

Source: Publisher

Reviewed By: Nat

Review:

For a debut, standalone & modern day Pride and Prejudice, Mills hit the mark! I am a total sucker for all things Darcy but I didn't have a clue that this was the underlying theme until midway through the book. I try to make a habit of not reading the summary of books because sometimes they give away too much and I want all the surprises people.

I'll admit that I thought Devon was a mental patient at first. The opener is Devon asking herself "What would Jane do?" I kept wondering who the heck Jane was, hindsight it was one of the first clues that this had a P&P. Once I caught on to the whole P&P theme, I had fun trying to figure out who was who. I did like the whole Friday Night Lights feel- I'm a Texas girl. 

Why I lost #thefeels

I sped through this one pretty fast for two reasons: 1. I was certain there would be a second book. and 2. it was light and easy. With that said, there were several story arch's that were unresolved-- naturally this made me think there HAD to be another book but no-nothing-nada.

There was so much cussing in this book! If I'm reading a YA I don't expect many (if any) F* bombs. Now if it's NA lit, that's a different story.

The ending felt rushed. Nothing more to say about that.

{Now, if Mills extends this or adds a novella, my opinion might change.}

Overall, I would recommend this to my girlfriends who share the same deep seeded love for Darcy that I do but I wouldn't recommend it to teens. I don't think they would appreciate the P&P and {again} the cussing.

image source: goodreads.com

Mini Review: Dream Thief by Tamara Grantham

Summary: Visiting Faythander is a nasty business. Forget the fairies and unicorns, most people come back with lost memories and mental problems. Olive Kennedy knows. She's the therapist who treats patients suffering from Faythander's side effects. Despite her empty bank account, she takes pride in her job as Houston’s only Fairy World medical doctor. She's never failed to cure a client—until now.

Traveling back to Faythander wasn't on Olive's to-do list. But she has no choice. The fate of both Earth and Fairy depends on her ability to stop an ancient being called the Dreamthief. To complicate matters, she may be losing her heart to someone who can’t love her in return. Saving the world, she can handle. Falling in love—not so much.

As if battling the forces of evil wasn't difficult enough…
Release Date: September 2015
Age Group: YA
Source: Review Copy from Author
Reviewed By: Evan

Review:
Dream Thief is a great mystery for lovers of both drama & fantasy fiction. This story felt original & unique and I enjoyed that it was unpredictable and refreshing. The heroine, Olive Kennedy, is relatable and likable. A girl you will root for as she battles through worlds to save a child. It is clear from the beginning there are secrets about Olive’s past she must uncover in order to save her Godson and herself.

This is just the beginning of a promising fantasy series and Grantham has left me excited for the next installment and wanting more!