AnnMarie Stone: August 2014

Sunday, August 31, 2014

The Necromancer's Betrayal by Mimi Sebastian

AnnMarie's Reviews

Book Review Corner

The Necromancer's Betrayal

by Mimi Sebastian

Her powers have been hobbled. Her enemies are growing stronger.

Old loves challenge her. And her worst betrayer may be herself.

Necromancer Ruby Montagne is battling for her life in the realm of demons. Unfairly branded for the death of a fellow necromancer, she’s got to prove her innocence without the full use of her magic. And the real culprit is still on the loose.

While someone is stalking her friends among the witches, Ruby searches for answers inside the dark intrigues of both the demon and necromancer worlds. Ruby must confront this new, sinister threat while reconciling her feelings for her former lover, a demon warrior. Only it’s difficult . . . because a sexy vampire is making it clear that he’d like to be more than just friends.

The competition for Ruby’s trust heats up as the enemy pushes her toward a dark side that could threaten the entire realm. Yet what can Ruby do when she’s not even sure what she is? With the fabric separating the realms at stake, she must decide whom to trust. But will the ultimate betrayal be her own?

The Necromancer's Betrayal is the second installment in Mimi Sebastian's Necromancer Series, yet I read it first. Sometimes a good test for an author is to see if a reader can understand the series out of order, and Mimi nailed it. Granted, there were events that were referred to with brief explanations that made me want to read the first book, but I didn't need to do so to understand this one.

Ruby is a strong independent woman, learning that she may need to accept the help of others. This realization is coming from her own experiences of loss and her failed attempt to hide from who she really is. I look forward to reading book one to learn more about her growth before this book, but I am even more excited an looking forward to the next book in the series.

The Necromancer's Betrayal does not end in a cliffhanger, but the ending definitely sets up a great plot for the next book. I would love to see Ruby find some peace in her life, but the drama is just so much more entertaining! I feel her pain with her forced separation from Ewin, and I can only hope that this rocky road will smooth out for those two before the series ends.

ADD ON GOODREADS

My recommendation: There are a few graphic sex scenes, but not many. There is plenty of suspense, and a little bit of a twist. Those that enjoy paranormal in all forms will find The Necromancer's Betrayal to be a great fit. There are plenty of Supes, Demons, Werewolves, Vampires, Necromancers and Witches. Also some very interesting takes on beliefs and religious foundations.

GET YOUR COPY TODAY!

AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

AUTHOR LINKS

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | PINTEREST

I give this title 4 out of 5 stars!

Friday, August 22, 2014

Things Fall Apart by Hilary Neiman

AnnMarie's Reviews

Book Review Corner

Things Fall Apart by Hilary Neiman

Early one morning in 2011, Hilary Neiman was hard at work in the offices of her own successful adoption and surrogacy practice, when three agents of the FBI entered without warning, read her Miranda rights, and informed her, “This is your Come to Jesus day.”

How does one go from being raised in a loving, ethical family and earning an advanced education, including in the law, to being accused in the headlines of joining a baby-selling, human trafficking ring?

Eventually, Hilary would plead guilty, but not to baby-selling. She would forfeit her license to practice law, and spend five months in the Atwood Minimum Security Camp in Lexington, Kentucky. Things Fall Apart is the story of a young woman with nothing but the promise of a fulfilled life ahead of her, whose childhood dream turned into a nightmare.

Things Fall Apart was a compelling read and one that I found myself identifying with. It was refreshing to hear her side of the story, without the media there to influence and throw in facts or terms unrelated to the case in order to add a dramatic flare to the story. This story was dramatic and intense enough without attempting to make it any worse than it was already.

I felt that Hilary wanted to share in her story that regardless of background and positive influences in one's life, anyone can make a mistake that could potentially land them in trouble with the law. No one is safe from their own free will, and her story is a perfect example of just that. People make mistakes in their lives every day, granted some of those mistakes are bigger than others.

Another message in Things Fall Apart that Hilary really drives home is that although anyone can make a mistake, they too can rebuild their lives and come out on the other side. Making a bad decision, or a series of bad decisions, does not mean that good decisions are no longer possible. Hilary learned that herself during her journey to rebuild her own life and now she knows that positive changes in her life can lead her down a new path. This new path may be entirely different than what she had always planned for her life, but a different path for her does not necessarily a wrong one.

Hilary's writing style is engaging and kept me glued to the story from page one. After reading her story, I really felt as if I really know her. It is not up to society to judge her actions, and it is not up to anyone other else to do so either. Hilary has earned forgiveness, and anyone, especially those not directly affected by this case, should consider that forgiveness and empathy are much healthier qualities to have than judgement and arrogance.

ADD ON GOODREADS

My Recommendation: This book is for anyone who is interested in the truth behind the headlines, those that have empathy for others and understand the importance of forgiveness and retribution. Those that read Things Fall Apart should keep in mind that everyone is capable of making poor choices, no matter where they come from, what line of work they are in, or who they are on the inside. The best of intentions can lead to the worst choices.

GET YOUR COPY TODAY!

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

AUTHOR LINKS

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

I give this title 5 out of 5 stars!

Monday, August 18, 2014

The Silver Locket By Marie Fostino

Keli's Reviews

Book Review Corner

The Silver Locket By Marie Fostino

Synopsis

When Jennifer finds her daughter is not home from school yet, her past flashed before her eyes with the memories of Jacy, love, death and becoming a mother at the age of sixteen.

People would stop Jenny and ask if the child she was with was her sister. "No this is my child." Yet the looks she got hurt her. She was 16 years old when her life changed forever. Despite being raised in a Christian home with strict religious values, some of her choices were careless, and they came with weighty consequences.

A strange combination of sadness and joy overcome her when she turns back the clock. Names and faces float through her mind like ghosts that still haunted her but as always, a smile forms on her face and she remembers only love.

My Review

Going into this book, I was extremely excited. Between the beautiful cover and the title, I expected this to be a typical love story, possibly a Nicholas Sparks type thing, for young adults. After finishing, some might agree with that hypothesis, if you only look at the plot line and not the execution.

I am a grammar nazi, and I've done a fair bit of computer programming; meaning that it is extremely difficult for me to ignore the misuse of words and improper syntax. Fostino used “than” instead of “then” and “disrupt” instead of “erupt”. She also uses “as well” in place of “also” at the beginning of sentences, rather than at the end. All of this sounds trivial, but these things distract from the story. If my problems ended here, I’d put it to poor editing. But.

Another thing that got on my nerves was the naming of characters. Jenny and Jacy are a couple. Their daughter’s name is Janie. This, in my opinion, is something that could have been done much better in order to avoid confusion. Close friends named Susan and Sandra has the same effect. And honestly what’s with using your own name in your book? Really?

Despite all of this, I liked the plot line, truly. The main character Jenny, goes through a complete transformation after moving to Oklahoma, then again when she becomes pregnant, and yet again when she becomes a mother. Character development was good, however, I still had issues with the execution. Introducing the plot device of the train so early on was smart, though it was fairly predictable.

Overall, I was slightly disappointed, because I did not feel a close connection with the characters, because I was distracted with the errors. My last complaint is that throughout the book, I felt that I was constantly being told things. Jenny is depressed. Jenny feels this or that. This also goes for the other characters as well, because the POV jumped.

My recommendation:

If you’re not as stuck up as I am when it comes to grammar (thank my English teacher), this book could be extremely enjoyable. If the little things bother you, either be prepare yourself from the start or read something else.