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judyc_elementz_mj's reviews
44 reviews
Jameson by Anna Hackett
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a great introduction to the new Hunter Squad and its members. 30 years post Hell Squad, you now have the “kids” of the original players from the original set of books.
This book centres around Jameson and Greer, both whose parents are friends and they grew up together. Jameson Steel is the leader of Hunter Squad, while Greer Baird is an engineer.
Jameson and his team hunt the monsters that were left after the alien invasion from Hell Squad, finally admitting their defeat and leaving … but of course, they leave nasty presents. It just so happens that one of these “monsters” decides to make Greer’s group of engineers who are working on a dam to try and provide much-needed fresh water, as its snacks.
Overall the monsters are gross, unpredictable and yucky (which Anna is always so good at), Jameson’s team is fearless in the face of this nastiness and Greer is a major badass who is perfect for Jameson. And of course, they do finally get out of each other’s way and realize that.
As with most of her books that centre around either alien invasions or sci-fi adventures, it’s a quick, fast and crazy read. She is amazing in how she manages to combine action-packed pages with really wonderful characters. I’m looking forward to continuing on with the series.
Now I have to admit Hell Squad is a series of her’s that for some unknown reason, I’ve never read. Time to sit down and read that now, I think!!
This book centres around Jameson and Greer, both whose parents are friends and they grew up together. Jameson Steel is the leader of Hunter Squad, while Greer Baird is an engineer.
Jameson and his team hunt the monsters that were left after the alien invasion from Hell Squad, finally admitting their defeat and leaving … but of course, they leave nasty presents. It just so happens that one of these “monsters” decides to make Greer’s group of engineers who are working on a dam to try and provide much-needed fresh water, as its snacks.
Overall the monsters are gross, unpredictable and yucky (which Anna is always so good at), Jameson’s team is fearless in the face of this nastiness and Greer is a major badass who is perfect for Jameson. And of course, they do finally get out of each other’s way and realize that.
As with most of her books that centre around either alien invasions or sci-fi adventures, it’s a quick, fast and crazy read. She is amazing in how she manages to combine action-packed pages with really wonderful characters. I’m looking forward to continuing on with the series.
Now I have to admit Hell Squad is a series of her’s that for some unknown reason, I’ve never read. Time to sit down and read that now, I think!!
Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Initially, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I wasn’t really sure how the author was going to mix a “werewolf” story into current-day fiction, but she did it and did a good job of it.
I liked how the actual “attack” happened at the beginning, but what really made the story was how Rory dealt with it throughout the book. Her character was perfect, and she blended her anger with her natural humour. But what made the story was how she took the situation of actually being a werewolf, which, even for the reader, was pretty crazy, and did her best to try to understand and figure out how to control it. Just so well written, and it moved you right along with Rory throughout her ordeal. And I say ordeal but with a bit of tongue in cheek because, frankly, she was a pretty cool werewolf!
I think the only character that was a touch lacklustre was the love interest, Ian. He wasn’t on the page a lot but was talked about quite a bit … mostly because everyone thought he and Rory should be together. Convincing her was the rough part. Overall though, perhaps his calmness was what she needed, but it made him boring.
The other thing that did bring it down a bit was that it did seem to drag on, albeit I was never really what I’d call bored, but I think that some things could have been dragged on longer, i.e. when she changed into the werewolf, whereas some other parts could have been shortened for example the night out with the girls. That seemed almost unnecessary. So that was my only clear negative with the book. Ultimately, I was thoroughly entertained, and you can be sure that I'll read another book from this author.
I liked how the actual “attack” happened at the beginning, but what really made the story was how Rory dealt with it throughout the book. Her character was perfect, and she blended her anger with her natural humour. But what made the story was how she took the situation of actually being a werewolf, which, even for the reader, was pretty crazy, and did her best to try to understand and figure out how to control it. Just so well written, and it moved you right along with Rory throughout her ordeal. And I say ordeal but with a bit of tongue in cheek because, frankly, she was a pretty cool werewolf!
I think the only character that was a touch lacklustre was the love interest, Ian. He wasn’t on the page a lot but was talked about quite a bit … mostly because everyone thought he and Rory should be together. Convincing her was the rough part. Overall though, perhaps his calmness was what she needed, but it made him boring.
The other thing that did bring it down a bit was that it did seem to drag on, albeit I was never really what I’d call bored, but I think that some things could have been dragged on longer, i.e. when she changed into the werewolf, whereas some other parts could have been shortened for example the night out with the girls. That seemed almost unnecessary. So that was my only clear negative with the book. Ultimately, I was thoroughly entertained, and you can be sure that I'll read another book from this author.
Hooked by Emily McIntire
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I could have done without reading this one.
Recap: James aka Hook is a man who lost his family in a plane crash that was no accident and we get from the beginning that somehow Peter Michaels was responsible. Then we have Wendy Michaels, who is Peter’s daughter, and who James has decided to try to get close to because he thinks he can use her to get to her dad. James is a bad guy, Wendy is a virgin, and her dad is a scumbag.
That about sums it up. The rest of it is either brutal violent scenes or James trying to get in Wendy’s pants … well and then he does, so there's that.
I should have known better because I am personally not a fan of fairytale retellings and Peter Pan, the supposed premise for this story, is one of my least favourites. I always intensely disliked that story. Off topic when the show “Once Upon a Time” had a season that was Peter Pan based, I absolutely hated it and skipped those episodes. So that probably says a lot about how I felt about this book.
I guess it could have been a good premise, but if I’d heard the word “good girl” one more time I was going to rip my hair out. It made me a bit crazy and again, not a fan of that sort of thing during sex. And then don’t get me started on the sex scenes. Oh, she’s wet, oh her “p***y” is wet for me, oh you know you want it, tell me you want it, etc, etc, etc … I could go on.
Now why didn’t I give it one star … easy, the ending. That was the best part of the book. When we got to the part with the showdown and the twists that the author threw in there, particularly about Wendy’s brother, I liked that part of the book. So there were a few scenes of it that I liked.
Lastly, I just wanted to say that the only character I actually felt was fleshed out well was James. There was depth to his character, and his feelings were expressed so well. You could almost feel his pain from loss, especially when he deals with his losses. Whereas Wendy was an insipid, useless twit … until the end when she developed some backbone. I really didn’t like her character, or should I say “I got nada” when it came to her. So that didn’t help because when one of your main characters is completely useless it makes the book a drain to read.
Let’s suffice to say I didn’t enjoy it and I’m not likely to read further in the series. Thank god it wasn’t a long one!!! That’s all … I’m done!
Recap: James aka Hook is a man who lost his family in a plane crash that was no accident and we get from the beginning that somehow Peter Michaels was responsible. Then we have Wendy Michaels, who is Peter’s daughter, and who James has decided to try to get close to because he thinks he can use her to get to her dad. James is a bad guy, Wendy is a virgin, and her dad is a scumbag.
That about sums it up. The rest of it is either brutal violent scenes or James trying to get in Wendy’s pants … well and then he does, so there's that.
I should have known better because I am personally not a fan of fairytale retellings and Peter Pan, the supposed premise for this story, is one of my least favourites. I always intensely disliked that story. Off topic when the show “Once Upon a Time” had a season that was Peter Pan based, I absolutely hated it and skipped those episodes. So that probably says a lot about how I felt about this book.
I guess it could have been a good premise, but if I’d heard the word “good girl” one more time I was going to rip my hair out. It made me a bit crazy and again, not a fan of that sort of thing during sex. And then don’t get me started on the sex scenes. Oh, she’s wet, oh her “p***y” is wet for me, oh you know you want it, tell me you want it, etc, etc, etc … I could go on.
Now why didn’t I give it one star … easy, the ending. That was the best part of the book. When we got to the part with the showdown and the twists that the author threw in there, particularly about Wendy’s brother, I liked that part of the book. So there were a few scenes of it that I liked.
Lastly, I just wanted to say that the only character I actually felt was fleshed out well was James. There was depth to his character, and his feelings were expressed so well. You could almost feel his pain from loss, especially when he deals with his losses. Whereas Wendy was an insipid, useless twit … until the end when she developed some backbone. I really didn’t like her character, or should I say “I got nada” when it came to her. So that didn’t help because when one of your main characters is completely useless it makes the book a drain to read.
Let’s suffice to say I didn’t enjoy it and I’m not likely to read further in the series. Thank god it wasn’t a long one!!! That’s all … I’m done!
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Going into this last entry in the Crescent City saga, I admit I was a touch worried. I watched many people say that they were disappointed with how the book ended. Most people rated it on the lower end of the scale ....
And then I read it and absolutely, completely loved every single page.
Hands down I'd say it was my favourite of the three. Maybe because it ended the story perfectly. Maybe because I felt that the series built well to the showdown. Or maybe it was because I was so invested in the outcome and the characters by the time the third book rolled around. Either way, I can say completely that I loved it and wouldn't change a thing.
I don't want to say too much and put my review behind spoilers, but let's just say that Maas didn't make the outcome easy. All of the characters were put through the wringer. But new and old friends brought it all together. And even at the end, you know that what their future holds will be far from easy.
Now I need to go read ACOTAR ... anyone who's read it knows what I mean because the only thing I've read from Maas is this series. I guess I need to get my butt in gear and read the other series!
And then I read it and absolutely, completely loved every single page.
Hands down I'd say it was my favourite of the three. Maybe because it ended the story perfectly. Maybe because I felt that the series built well to the showdown. Or maybe it was because I was so invested in the outcome and the characters by the time the third book rolled around. Either way, I can say completely that I loved it and wouldn't change a thing.
I don't want to say too much and put my review behind spoilers, but let's just say that Maas didn't make the outcome easy. All of the characters were put through the wringer. But new and old friends brought it all together. And even at the end, you know that what their future holds will be far from easy.
Now I need to go read ACOTAR ... anyone who's read it knows what I mean because the only thing I've read from Maas is this series. I guess I need to get my butt in gear and read the other series!
The Veiled Kingdom by Holly Renee
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I feel like just read two completely different books.
The first 50% was building into a really amazing fantasy story with lots of promise. Then the last 50% turned into a different book all about sex. It was like every scene ended up with our two protagonists getting their rocks off (or well maybe just her because he seemed to have his hands down her pants all the time).
Anyway, overall I'm not sure how I felt about any of them. I didn't find the story bad, but I think the last half of the book being so sexually oriented, lost some of the momentum that would have built stronger characters and more world-building.
I don't know that I have much else to say. I didn't mark it down further because I'm certainly not averse to a good erotic story, which the last half of the book was. And I did like how it ended, but if I'm being perfectly honest, I don't know that I'll even pick up the continuation. Maybe at some point, I'll see if I pop that into my KU like this one was and read it when I'm just looking for something to read. But then, that may never be.
The first 50% was building into a really amazing fantasy story with lots of promise. Then the last 50% turned into a different book all about sex. It was like every scene ended up with our two protagonists getting their rocks off (or well maybe just her because he seemed to have his hands down her pants all the time).
Anyway, overall I'm not sure how I felt about any of them. I didn't find the story bad, but I think the last half of the book being so sexually oriented, lost some of the momentum that would have built stronger characters and more world-building.
I don't know that I have much else to say. I didn't mark it down further because I'm certainly not averse to a good erotic story, which the last half of the book was. And I did like how it ended, but if I'm being perfectly honest, I don't know that I'll even pick up the continuation. Maybe at some point, I'll see if I pop that into my KU like this one was and read it when I'm just looking for something to read. But then, that may never be.
Poker Face by Maggie C. Gates
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Overall a good contemporary romance with some fun moments. You get the basic guy meets girl and they are attracted, but somehow she doesn't recognize him (which makes no sense whatsoever). Well never mind that she competes in a baking show and he's a judge (which she knows, yep there's that). She wins because she's the best baker ever and goes home.
Turns out said judge just so happens to be buying the restaurant she works in and did I mention she hates him ... which you never ACTUALLY find out why she hates him.
Anyway, it's a typical enemy to lovers, on her side. He chases her, she gives in, they have sex, they fall in love, she thinks he's cheating, he's not, comes home after being away for a bit on business and apologizes ... we're all good.
Honestly, it was a good story overall and not badly written, but Maggie, the main character, was a complete nutjob and all over the place. And as I mentioned above, I never could figure out why she didn't like him, or how she didn't recognize him because that was just stupid. But in the end, she marries him, so I guess it's all good.
Now to the huge elephant in the room. In this story, right near the beginning, a close friend dies. And well that's it. She's mentioned a bit here and there, and she was married to her best friend Steve, but it's like "poof" and she's gone. It was the sort of thing that I felt could have been left out of the story, i.e. the actual death part, and could have still been part of the storyline because it will, of course, impact Steven's story in a later book. It didn't lend much to the overall story and left me feeling that none of them, i.e. Maggie and all of her poker friends, who were all supposed to be close to this person, didn't care. And I don't think that was the case.
Anyway, I may continue to book two at some point, but I'm not in any particular hurry to do so.
Turns out said judge just so happens to be buying the restaurant she works in and did I mention she hates him ... which you never ACTUALLY find out why she hates him.
Anyway, it's a typical enemy to lovers, on her side. He chases her, she gives in, they have sex, they fall in love, she thinks he's cheating, he's not, comes home after being away for a bit on business and apologizes ... we're all good.
Honestly, it was a good story overall and not badly written, but Maggie, the main character, was a complete nutjob and all over the place. And as I mentioned above, I never could figure out why she didn't like him, or how she didn't recognize him because that was just stupid. But in the end, she marries him, so I guess it's all good.
Now to the huge elephant in the room. In this story, right near the beginning, a close friend dies. And well that's it. She's mentioned a bit here and there, and she was married to her best friend Steve, but it's like "poof" and she's gone. It was the sort of thing that I felt could have been left out of the story, i.e. the actual death part, and could have still been part of the storyline because it will, of course, impact Steven's story in a later book. It didn't lend much to the overall story and left me feeling that none of them, i.e. Maggie and all of her poker friends, who were all supposed to be close to this person, didn't care. And I don't think that was the case.
Anyway, I may continue to book two at some point, but I'm not in any particular hurry to do so.
A Luna's Revenge: Stone Mountain Shifters by Melanie Jaynes, Melanie Jaynes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I'd give this a 4.5 just for pure originality. It's rare that a plot and storyline can surprise as much as this book did.
At the start it seems like a fairly typical shifter romance, but it swiftly moves into unchartered territory. The author manages to come up with new themes that wouldn't be the expected format that typically follows shifter lore ... good for her because it was quite refreshing.
And then you add in a story time loop and it threw me completely and I hooked me completely into the story. So well done.
Add to that a very strong but still struggling female main character, and you have a hell of a great book. I've never read anything from this author before, but from what I can see, she has two more follow-up books coming out between now and the summer (2025), and I will most definitely pick those up to read.
At the start it seems like a fairly typical shifter romance, but it swiftly moves into unchartered territory. The author manages to come up with new themes that wouldn't be the expected format that typically follows shifter lore ... good for her because it was quite refreshing.
And then you add in a story time loop and it threw me completely and I hooked me completely into the story. So well done.
Add to that a very strong but still struggling female main character, and you have a hell of a great book. I've never read anything from this author before, but from what I can see, she has two more follow-up books coming out between now and the summer (2025), and I will most definitely pick those up to read.
How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Sort of surprised myself how much I liked this one. Mostly because horror/slasher isn't really my thing, and it's teens, which REALLY isn't my thing, but I bought the paperback on sale and it seemed like an easy read. It was and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a 5 star for me simply because some parts were cheesy as hell, but for the most part not bad at all.
I particularly loved the weird time twist and the very quick pace throughout. The weird "Sidney Prescott" character that kept popping up at the weirdest times to lead Alice along the story was a hoot, and you knew as soon as she showed up at the beginning exactly what this book would be.
It's the kind of book that is different enough from anything I've read to stand out, which is why I gave it the rating I did.
And damn ... that ending was a definite WTH moment. I had to check to make sure I didn't have more left to read. I loved the ending!
I particularly loved the weird time twist and the very quick pace throughout. The weird "Sidney Prescott" character that kept popping up at the weirdest times to lead Alice along the story was a hoot, and you knew as soon as she showed up at the beginning exactly what this book would be.
It's the kind of book that is different enough from anything I've read to stand out, which is why I gave it the rating I did.
And damn ... that ending was a definite WTH moment. I had to check to make sure I didn't have more left to read. I loved the ending!
Until You Can't by Brittney Sahin
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Another fantastic romantic suspense from Brittney Sahin. I'd give this a bit more than a 4. Maybe 4.25, but alas, Goodreads likes the good old one-star system.
I loved both of our two main characters, Ryan and Natalia. These two characters were not strangers to me as they make regular appearances in the new Costa series, especially the first book. So no surprises with their characters and I enjoyed getting to know them much better. And of course to get their story.
As with many of Sahin's books, this one is a couple that has had a very long pining for each other. Natalia was Ryan's brother's ex-fiance (and yes that was VERY messy) and Ryan, of course, hide his attraction for her because of said brother ... who frankly didn't deserve the consideration because he was a selfish shit.
The story does start because of said selfish shit brother getting himself into trouble and Ryan, who constantly feels he has to protect his brother, rides to the rescue. Of course, it's not that easy and he asks Natalia for help. Now I won't go into too much detail because that would give far too much away, but suffice too say Ryan needs a "fiance" and Natalia fits the bill.
What I liked about this story is that it had so many of her wonderful characters from other stories, i.e. Noah, Owen & Samantha, Luke, Asher and Jessica and a wee mention of The League from Dublin Nights. I also liked the fact that it wasn't Natalia being threatened and who needed rescuing. That was a nice switch. It was his idiot brother who needed it, but also how it folded in the Bravo team from Stealth Ops was great.
Considering how rare Sahin writes standalone books, this one was perfect but still fit perfectly into her world of great heroes and unforgettable heroines.
I loved both of our two main characters, Ryan and Natalia. These two characters were not strangers to me as they make regular appearances in the new Costa series, especially the first book. So no surprises with their characters and I enjoyed getting to know them much better. And of course to get their story.
As with many of Sahin's books, this one is a couple that has had a very long pining for each other. Natalia was Ryan's brother's ex-fiance (and yes that was VERY messy) and Ryan, of course, hide his attraction for her because of said brother ... who frankly didn't deserve the consideration because he was a selfish shit.
The story does start because of said selfish shit brother getting himself into trouble and Ryan, who constantly feels he has to protect his brother, rides to the rescue. Of course, it's not that easy and he asks Natalia for help. Now I won't go into too much detail because that would give far too much away, but suffice too say Ryan needs a "fiance" and Natalia fits the bill.
What I liked about this story is that it had so many of her wonderful characters from other stories, i.e. Noah, Owen & Samantha, Luke, Asher and Jessica and a wee mention of The League from Dublin Nights. I also liked the fact that it wasn't Natalia being threatened and who needed rescuing. That was a nice switch. It was his idiot brother who needed it, but also how it folded in the Bravo team from Stealth Ops was great.
Considering how rare Sahin writes standalone books, this one was perfect but still fit perfectly into her world of great heroes and unforgettable heroines.
Throttled by Lauren Asher
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
You have Noah, who is a F1 championship racer and Maya, who is the sister of Noah's teammate. Unfortunately, Santiago, Maya's brother, and Noah have a history before Santi joined the team, which was tumultuous at best!
So that sets the scene for what is a pretty typical and overly predictable romance. Boy meets girl. Boy thinks he can't have girl because she's off limits. Girl meets boy. Girl thinks she shouldn't like boy because of her brother. And of course in the end they have sex, fall in love and that's pretty much it. I'm perfectly serious.
Now, in between all of that, you have two pretty immature characters. This for Maya is acceptable, as she's only 23, but Noah is 30 and really comes off younger than her at times. I wouldn't say I didn't like Noah's character as he grew on me, but he wasn't particularly likable at the start. Loved her brother and quite liked the other guys from another team, Liam and Jax, and Sophie were a hoot, but otherwise, I found the characters a touch lacklustre. The only one that I liked, or hated depending on how you looked at it, was Noah's dirtbag dad, who was pretty perfectly written.
What grabbed me the most was how the author wrote the racing scenes, both from the perspective of the driver, i.e. Noah, or from the perspective of someone watching, like Maya (the book is in both their POVs). Really well done there, and that was pretty much what kept my interest throughout.
Would I recommend the series? Not for myself. I didn't care for the maturity level of the characters, and the rest of the series follows the same people, but I'd recommend it for anyone that likes younger, angsty, sex filled romances!
So that sets the scene for what is a pretty typical and overly predictable romance. Boy meets girl. Boy thinks he can't have girl because she's off limits. Girl meets boy. Girl thinks she shouldn't like boy because of her brother. And of course in the end they have sex, fall in love and that's pretty much it. I'm perfectly serious.
Now, in between all of that, you have two pretty immature characters. This for Maya is acceptable, as she's only 23, but Noah is 30 and really comes off younger than her at times. I wouldn't say I didn't like Noah's character as he grew on me, but he wasn't particularly likable at the start. Loved her brother and quite liked the other guys from another team, Liam and Jax, and Sophie were a hoot, but otherwise, I found the characters a touch lacklustre. The only one that I liked, or hated depending on how you looked at it, was Noah's dirtbag dad, who was pretty perfectly written.
What grabbed me the most was how the author wrote the racing scenes, both from the perspective of the driver, i.e. Noah, or from the perspective of someone watching, like Maya (the book is in both their POVs). Really well done there, and that was pretty much what kept my interest throughout.
Would I recommend the series? Not for myself. I didn't care for the maturity level of the characters, and the rest of the series follows the same people, but I'd recommend it for anyone that likes younger, angsty, sex filled romances!