Book Review: The Merciless by Danielle Vega

Title: The Merciless

Author: Danielle Vega

Series/Standalone: The Merciless Series (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Pages: 279

Publisher: Razorbill

Year Published: 2014

Format: Hardcover (Own It)

"Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned

Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied and gagged. No one outside these dank basement walls knows she's here. No one can hear her scream. 

Sofia Flores knows she shouldn't have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn't realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.

Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn- but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can't go against the other girls... unless she wants to be next."

My Rating: 3.5/5

I've had this book on my physical TBR for a while, and I'm glad I got to it. It was an intense read, and for people looking for horror with that 2010s kind of young adult style this was perfect. I was honestly surprised by how intense the body horror was and the horror scenes overall. The characters were interesting, but I don't see myself reaching for the next book in the series at this time.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Rule Of The Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli

Title: Rule of the Aurora King

Author: Nisha J. Tuli

Series/Standalone: Artefacts of Ouranos (Book #2)

Genre: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance,

Pages: 512

Publisher: Indie Published

Year Published: 2023

Format: Kindle (Kindle Unlimited)

"'I am not his conquest. I am not his to claim. I am my own castle.' Freed from the golden clutches of the Sun King, Lor now finds herself in the hands of Nadir, the Auror Prince. Convinced she's hiding something, he's willing to do whatever it takes to make her talk. But Lor knows the value of secrets- she's been keeping them her entire life- and she's not letting hers go without a fight. When Lor and Nadir team up to search for a lost item that holds the keys to her past and her future, she isn't sure she can trust him. All she knows is she won't fall for another royal fae's promises again. With the Sun King determined to reclaim her, Lor must keep on the move, but nowhere is safe. Not until she destroys him and the Aurora King. But she soon learns that the future of Ouranos depends on much more than avenging her shattered legacy."

My Rating: 3/5

I want a little more from this series. It's pulling from so many other fantasy tropes that I can't help but see it as a discount version of other series that I've enjoyed. It's fun, the spice is good. I do think I'll continue and read the next one, but I'm not in a huge rush to get there. The plot isn't surprising in the way I hoped, so it's hard to be motivated to keep reading when you can see exactly where it's going. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: Malibu Rising

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Series/Standalone: Reidverse (Book #3)

Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Historical Fiction

Pages: 369

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook

"Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, their lives will change forever.

Malibu: August, 1983. It's the day of Nina Riva's annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brother Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer, and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over, especially as the offspring of the legendary singer, Mick Riva. 

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud- because it is long past time to confess something to his brother from whom he's been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can't stop thinking about promised she'll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own- including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family's generations will all come bubbling to the surface."

My Rating: 4/5

There is something so impressive about Taylor Jenkins Reid's work. It feels so close to our reality that you can picture the famous characters, you can almost "remember" the events, even though they are fictitious. It makes you want to meet these people or watch documentaries about them. Her ability to create characters is what I truly love about her work. This was no different. My only complaint is that it felt a bit odd to not have any sort of epilogue, and the plot wasn't entirely based on fame as others in this series had been. I liked it and look forward to listening to the next novel in the series.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith

Title: The Way I Used to Be

Author: Amber Smith

Series/Standalone: The Way I Used to Be Duology (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Pages: 385

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Year Published: 2016

Format: Audiobook (Own Physical)

"All Eden wants is to rewind the clock. To live that day again. She would do everything differently. Not laugh at his jokes or ignore the way he was looking at her that night. And she would definitely lock her bedroom door.

But Eden can't turn back time. So she buries the truth, along with the girl she used to be. She pretended she doesn't need friends, doesn't need love, doesn't need justice. But as her world unravels, one thing becomes the only person who can save Eden... is Eden."

My Rating: 4/5

This was a hard read. The subject matter deals directly with sexual assault and rape, along with the aftermath. This is an important book for anyone and everyone. But I would be hesitant to recommend it, as this isn't a topic that many people open up about. Telling people your history is always your choice, but you do not have to keep other people's crimes secret. Their secrets don't have to live with you; you can tell your truth. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Title: Bride

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Series/Standalone: Bride Series (Book #1)

Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Adult Fiction

Pages: 410

Publisher: Berkley

Year Published: 2024

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast- again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange- again...

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It's clear from the way he tracks Misery's every movement that he doesn't trust her. If only he knew how right he was...

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and every to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what's hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory... alone with the wolf."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This was very enjoyable. This author does beautifully when writing in a paranormal romance setting, as it remains in a sense of reality, but gives the sense of something more. Something fantastical. It allows the author to show her creativity in a structure that makes sense and doesn't model her other contemporary fiction works so closely. I look forward to continuing on the next book. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins

Series/Standalone: The Hunger Games Trilogy (Book #3)

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian

Pages: 390

Publisher: Scholastic Press Inc. 

Year Published: 2010

Format: Paperback (Own it)

"My name is Katniss Everdeen. 

Why am I not dead?

I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans- except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay- no matter what the personal cost."

My Rating: 3.75/5

I always have an issue with the end of the story. I'm rarely satisfied with how books end, and I find them hard to get through if I've enjoyed the story at all. This is no different. I enjoyed rereading it and finding new things that were mentioned in the two prequels. It does make you wonder if there will be a third prequel, and if so, what will it be about?

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Lore Olympus Volume 8

Title: Lore Olympus Volume 8

Author: Rachel Smythe

Series/Standalone: Lore Olympus (Volume 8)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Romance, Mythology

Pages: 416

Publisher: Inklore

Year Published: 2025

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"You have no authority here'

Revelations rock Olympus as Persephone's trial ends, threatening to throw the gods into a new war.

Though Persephone and Hades become closer than ever after she opens up to him about all she has endured, their peace is shattered when another truth is revealed: Apollo is Zeus's son. The announcement shocks the pantheon, and the king of the gods realizes that the would-be usurper wants Persephone's power to take the throne. 

Zeus banishes Persephone to the Mortal Realm and, out of fear, cuts it off entirely from the rest of the gods. This decree succeeds in undercutting Apollo's plan, but also inadvertently begins a decade-long divine cold war when Hades strikes back by shuttering the Underworld. With the gods scattered and weakened, Kronos uses the ensuing bedlam to finally escape his imprisonment and begins staging his own coup. 

Persephone has only one choice when she discovers all the realms on the verge of collapes: Descend into the Underworld to try to defeat the power-hungry Titan, claim her rightful place as queen, and reunite with her one true love."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I enjoyed this installment of this series. The author does a magnificent job of keeping the readers' interest, even if they take a break between volumes. The art style is gorgeous and the slight comedy helps when the story gets too heavy. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune

 

Title: Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Author: TJ Klune

Series/Standalone: Cerulean Chronicles (Book #2)

Genre: Fantasy, Adult Fiction, Cozy

Pages: 416

Publisher: Tor Books

Year Published: 2024

Format: Audiobook

"A magical house. A secret past. A summons that could change everything.

Arthur Parnassus lives a good life built on the ashes of a bad one.

He's the master of a strange orphanage on a distant and peculiar island, and he hopes to soon be the adoptive father to the six dangerous and magical children who live there.

Arthur works hard and loves with his whole heart so none of the children ever feel the neglect and pain he once felt as an orphan on that very same island so long ago. He is not alone: Joining him is the love of his life, Linus Baker, a former caseworker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. And there's the island's sprite, Zoe Chapelwhite and her girlfriend, Mayor Helen Webb. Together, they will do anything to protect the children. 

But when Arthur is summoned to make a public statement about his dark past, he finds himself at the helm of a fight for the future that his family, and all magical people, deserve.

And when a new magical child hopes to join them on their island home- one who finds power in calling himself monster, a name that Arthur worked so hard to protect his children from- Arthur knows they're at a breaking point: their family will either grow stronger than ever or fall apart. 

Welcome back to Marsyas Island. This is Arthur's story."

My Rating: 5/5

This story follows Arthur as he revisits his past and looks at how the past can truly shape one's future. For better or for worse. Exploring so many different elements of our current, far less magical world, and seeing how TJ Klune makes direct comparisons, is incredibly well done. While the content matter may feel heavy, the writing keeps it fast-paced and loving at its heart. Overall, I adored this book. I laughed, cried and gasped. For me, those are all signs of a great read. That and the ability to have those characters live with us as we remember the stories that help affirm who we are. 

Thank you for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

Title: Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead

Author: Elle Cosimano

Series/Standalone: Finlay Donovan Series (Book #2)

Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery, Cozy

Pages: 357

Publisher: Minotaur 

Year Published: 2022

Format: Audiobook

"Finlay Donovan is- once again- struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she had her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she's dealt with lately is that of her daughter's pet goldfish. 

On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Stevenmay be, he's a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she'd like. 

Meanwhile, Vero's keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay's first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes... and if that means bending a few laws then so be it.

With her next book's deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn't a noose at the end of it..."

My Rating: 4/5

This is a fun series. I love the concept of this cozy mystery. A romance suspense novelist gets tied up in a world she's never imagined being a part of herself. A love interest with spice, but not to much, and a mystery that is goofy in many ways but with real consequences. I loved the humour, the friendships and the writing. Overall, very fun. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: Daisy Jones & The Six

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Contemporary

Pages: 368

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"Everyone knows DAISY JONES & THE SIX, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity... until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it's the rock 'n' roll she loves most. BY the time she's twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she's pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Bill goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly, capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice."

My Rating: 5/5

I listened to the audiobook of this novel, and it was absolutely excellent. I love Taylor Jenkins Reid's ability to pull you in and make you feel like you want to see all the things that the famous person has been in previously. I'm grateful that when reading this, the show had been produced (not that I'll watch the show), but this means that there are some songs that helped me fully immerse myself in the story. The twists, the turns, and the different voice actors make for a great atmosphere.

Can't wait to read more of her novels in the Reidverse.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny