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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Well, this is a hard one for me to rate. Overall, I ended at at 3.5 because, for a debut, this is pretty decent and I enjoyed it overall.
This has great flow and characters, but it reads very young. It isn't marketed as a YA but with Raelyn and Cali being in high school (and being minors) maybe it should be?
Also, Kody is older and in the Army. The romance between him and Raelyn has me cringing a tad because in this scenario, from the beginning, Raelyn is pushing everything and her thoughts and feelings are young (more teenage crush-like than love-at-first-sight) so the relationship felt a bit forced and lacked the chemistry I felt it needed.
Despite the younger feel of this one there are some mature scenes that wouldn't be appropriate for teens on the younger side. I would say this would be ok for 16/17+ as the mature scenes are vague (in the writing sense) but what's happening is easily known.
However, that being said, the action/military portion of this story was great. I actually enjoyed this part of the story more than the rest. Raelyn and the mystery surrounding her mother kept me invested and I did have a hard time putting this one down. The way this ended has me wanting to read more of this series.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
This has great flow and characters, but it reads very young. It isn't marketed as a YA but with Raelyn and Cali being in high school (and being minors) maybe it should be?
Also, Kody is older and in the Army. The romance between him and Raelyn has me cringing a tad because in this scenario, from the beginning, Raelyn is pushing everything and her thoughts and feelings are young (more teenage crush-like than love-at-first-sight) so the relationship felt a bit forced and lacked the chemistry I felt it needed.
Despite the younger feel of this one there are some mature scenes that wouldn't be appropriate for teens on the younger side. I would say this would be ok for 16/17+ as the mature scenes are vague (in the writing sense) but what's happening is easily known.
However, that being said, the action/military portion of this story was great. I actually enjoyed this part of the story more than the rest. Raelyn and the mystery surrounding her mother kept me invested and I did have a hard time putting this one down. The way this ended has me wanting to read more of this series.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
First off, special thanks to Cassie Swindon for allowing me to be a Beta Reader in return for an honest review.
This unpolished book had a good plot in the sense that I just wanted to keep reading to see what happens to Raelyn and Kody and Cali and everyone else, however, the writing style seemed a bit juvenile and the love story between Raelyn and Kody seemed very forced as opposed to something that would happen naturally. The plot was a little easy to figure out in the beginning (like Raelyn meeting Cali and figuring out who she is, etc.) but towards the end it got a bit more difficult to guess which was nice as a reader. I thoroughly enjoyed how the book was split into 2 person POVs and gave you more insight into both characters lives. And the playlist at the beginning of the book is a creative idea, but putting so many of the songs in the story feels forced and pulls the reader out of the fantasy and back to reality. Overall, I thought this was a good book and I would be interested in reading the remaining books in the trilogy.
This unpolished book had a good plot in the sense that I just wanted to keep reading to see what happens to Raelyn and Kody and Cali and everyone else, however, the writing style seemed a bit juvenile and the love story between Raelyn and Kody seemed very forced as opposed to something that would happen naturally. The plot was a little easy to figure out in the beginning (like Raelyn meeting Cali and figuring out who she is, etc.) but towards the end it got a bit more difficult to guess which was nice as a reader. I thoroughly enjoyed how the book was split into 2 person POVs and gave you more insight into both characters lives. And the playlist at the beginning of the book is a creative idea, but putting so many of the songs in the story feels forced and pulls the reader out of the fantasy and back to reality. Overall, I thought this was a good book and I would be interested in reading the remaining books in the trilogy.
I was asked to be a beta reader for this book, and boy did I love that! The story was intriguing from the beginning and was a rollercoaster ever since. I finished the book in one day.
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The book tells the story of Realyn and her family. Her mum passed away years ago and her dad is...not so fun. When they move from the mountains to the city, she meets Cali and her brother Kody. Kody is in the army and suuuper attractive. Turns out that his boss had lots to do with Realyns mum passing away. This book is told from Realyns and Kodys point of view.
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The book comes with a playlist and I LOVE that idea. Only thing I did not like as much was that Kody and Realyn kind of fall in love at first sight and I honestly don’t really believe in things like that. But the rest of the story was so good that I forgat about that. SUCH a page turner!
.
The book tells the story of Realyn and her family. Her mum passed away years ago and her dad is...not so fun. When they move from the mountains to the city, she meets Cali and her brother Kody. Kody is in the army and suuuper attractive. Turns out that his boss had lots to do with Realyns mum passing away. This book is told from Realyns and Kodys point of view.
.
The book comes with a playlist and I LOVE that idea. Only thing I did not like as much was that Kody and Realyn kind of fall in love at first sight and I honestly don’t really believe in things like that. But the rest of the story was so good that I forgat about that. SUCH a page turner!
I wished I liked this book more, I went into it with high hopes as the beta readers all seemed to love it. Unfortunately I didn’t feel the same way. If I wasn’t an arc reader, I wouldn’t have finished this book. I kept thinking it was going to get better.
I did enjoyed the different POVs of Raeyln and Kody, it gave you insight into the two main characters and you get the idea of what the author was going for. Overall I found the book tried to tackle too much. There were story lines that didn’t add to the main story, and just seemed to be page fillers.
I did enjoyed the different POVs of Raeyln and Kody, it gave you insight into the two main characters and you get the idea of what the author was going for. Overall I found the book tried to tackle too much. There were story lines that didn’t add to the main story, and just seemed to be page fillers.
I really didn’t like this book. Deep inside, there’s an interesting story, but unfortunately it was overshadowed by annoying and unrealistic characters, odd dialogue, and a writing style that didn’t jive with me at all.
The characters read both older and younger than they are, depending on the chapter. I found it really jarring. It’s written in dual perspective, third person, but with lots of thoughts interjected in first person. It just read really oddly and kept me very disconnected from the story.
Like I said, there’s a plot in here that had potential, but I just can’t say I’d recommend this one. I feel terrible writing a bad review as I know the author put a lot of time and effort into this novel, but it just wasn’t for me.
The characters read both older and younger than they are, depending on the chapter. I found it really jarring. It’s written in dual perspective, third person, but with lots of thoughts interjected in first person. It just read really oddly and kept me very disconnected from the story.
Like I said, there’s a plot in here that had potential, but I just can’t say I’d recommend this one. I feel terrible writing a bad review as I know the author put a lot of time and effort into this novel, but it just wasn’t for me.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Break the Stone
Author: Cassie Swindon
Book Series: Golden Chains Book 1
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: mystery, thriller, romance
Publication Date: April 10, 2021
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Recommended Age: 16+ (romance, violence, gore, slight language)
Explanation of CWs: There is romance in this story. There’s also some violence and gore.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 312
Synopsis: For years, Raelyn Bell desperately searches for any connection to her deceased Ma and finally stumbles upon a hidden trunk. She doesn’t have time to learn what’s inside when Pa uproots her from the only home she’s ever known, leaving the mysterious trunk behind.
Meanwhile, Specialist Kody Walsh focuses on his advancement in the army. Raelyn walks into his life and derails his plans. They awaken a spark inside each other, but deny their interest. Forced to work together, Raelyn and Kody find evidence that her Ma might still be alive. While hunting for the truth, the two grow closer as complications and danger arises.
Will Raelyn ever find out what really happened to Ma? Will Kody tear down his walls and let Raelyn into his heart? Or will the challenges tear them apart?
Review: For the most part I liked this book. The world building was very well done and I thought the pacing was well done as well. I really thought the story was fairly unique and it was fun to read it.
However, I did feel like the characters weren’t well developed and the relationship feels forced between them. I also felt like the writing was a bit weird in some places.
Verdict: It’s good!
Book: Break the Stone
Author: Cassie Swindon
Book Series: Golden Chains Book 1
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: mystery, thriller, romance
Publication Date: April 10, 2021
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Recommended Age: 16+ (romance, violence, gore, slight language)
Explanation of CWs: There is romance in this story. There’s also some violence and gore.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 312
Synopsis: For years, Raelyn Bell desperately searches for any connection to her deceased Ma and finally stumbles upon a hidden trunk. She doesn’t have time to learn what’s inside when Pa uproots her from the only home she’s ever known, leaving the mysterious trunk behind.
Meanwhile, Specialist Kody Walsh focuses on his advancement in the army. Raelyn walks into his life and derails his plans. They awaken a spark inside each other, but deny their interest. Forced to work together, Raelyn and Kody find evidence that her Ma might still be alive. While hunting for the truth, the two grow closer as complications and danger arises.
Will Raelyn ever find out what really happened to Ma? Will Kody tear down his walls and let Raelyn into his heart? Or will the challenges tear them apart?
Review: For the most part I liked this book. The world building was very well done and I thought the pacing was well done as well. I really thought the story was fairly unique and it was fun to read it.
However, I did feel like the characters weren’t well developed and the relationship feels forced between them. I also felt like the writing was a bit weird in some places.
Verdict: It’s good!
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
I was able to pre-read the first novel in the new Golden Chains series. The story centers around high school senior Raelyn as she tries to make sense of her life after her mother’s death and army specialist Kody who feels pressure to be the best at his job. I was rooting for the main characters the entire book and loved how their stories became interwoven throughout this first novel. Kody’s sister, Cali, and as one of my favorite characters in the novel, always there for her brother and Rae to provide some quick wit and humor. The second novel in this series comes out later this year and I can’t wait to pick it up!
I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The action starts on page one. As the reader you’re fully immersed in the characters worlds (and minds) from page one. Each chapter is told by Raelyn or Kody which I LOVED!! I emphathized with Raelyn on her journey to learn more about her mother. The best friend’s brother romance was a plus along with the mystery.
Dislikes:
- Slower start (picked up ~30%)
- Kody and Raelyn’s relationship is a little awkward at first
Instagram.com/whatarireads
The action starts on page one. As the reader you’re fully immersed in the characters worlds (and minds) from page one. Each chapter is told by Raelyn or Kody which I LOVED!! I emphathized with Raelyn on her journey to learn more about her mother. The best friend’s brother romance was a plus along with the mystery.
Dislikes:
- Slower start (picked up ~30%)
- Kody and Raelyn’s relationship is a little awkward at first
Instagram.com/whatarireads