Book Review: Pods by Michelle K. Pickett

Pods

Author:Michelle K. Pickett

Release Date: June 4, 2013

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Pods Book #1

ISBN:  1937053288

ISBN13: 9781937053284

Genre: YA/Dystopian
Review Copy Source: Publisher

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

PODS was much more than expected. A deadly virus has been released into the world and only some are chosen to live protected in the POD system. Eva has to leave everyone she knows behind for a chance to live. When the PODS open and the occupants are released lots of things have changed and Eva no longer wants to follow the path that is set out for her if it means she has to be without her POD mate David.

I don't love the cover for PODS but the book was pretty good. Eva is pretty smart and determined. She is chosen to live in the POD system but her parents can not come with, therefore are expected to die.  She has to endure a lot of blood tests and quarantine before she can get into the PODS and the test continue once she is there. She is put with a group of strangers about the same age as her and for the most part everyone gets along besides one. It was a tad bit boring during some of the PODS time but it went by quickly and picked up once Eva was released. 

The characters were great. Each one brought their own personality and background to the story. The situations these 'kids' are put into are pretty nuts. They weather the storm pretty well though. Eva and David butt heads a lot but quickly develop feelings for each other. I enjoyed following their romance. I loved the reveal of the mutated virus. I was not expecting that and it was a great addition to the story. 

I didn't realize that PODS was part of a series until I saw that there was a sequel coming from the authors website. I would have been fine with the ending being just that but I am glad we will get more. 

I gave it 4/5 stars

New Releases: 6/2-6/8

Tues June 4

Abandon (Possession, #3) by Elana Johnson

A Captain and a Corset (Steam Guardians, #2) by Mary Wine

Bled & Breakfast (Immortality Bites Mysteries, #2) by Michelle Rowen

Compliance (Dust Chronicles, #2) by Maureen McGowan

Darkness Unmasked (Dark Angels, #5) by Keri Arthur

Elegy (Hereafter #3) by Tara Hudson

The Elementals (The Vespertine, #3) by Saundra Mitchell

Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X, #1) by Richelle Mead

Heart of Obsidian (Psy-Changeling, #12) by Nalini Singh

His Clockwork Canary (The Glorious Victorious Darcys, #2) by Beth Ciotta

The Impossibility of Tomorrow (Incarnation, #2) by Avery Williams

The Keep (The Watchers, #4) by Veronica Wolff

Lost Souls (Caitlyn O’Connell, #2) by Delilah Devlin

Midnight’s Kiss (Dark Warriors, #5) by Donna Grant

Phoenix (Black City, #2) by Elizabeth Richards

Siege and Storm (The Grisha, #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Shapeshifted (Edie Spence, #3) by Cassie Alexander

Sleeping with the Entity (Entity, #1) by Cat Devon

Soul Taken by Katlyn Duncan

The Testing (The Testing, #1) by Joelle Charbonneau

Tiger Magic (Shifters Unbound, #5) by Jennifer Ashley

Trail of the Dead (Scarlett Bernard, #2) by Melissa F. Olson

Wicked Memories (Castle of Dark Dreams, #7) by Nina Bangs

Happy Reading!!

Early Review: Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

Gameboard of the Gods

Author:Richelle Mead

Release Date: June 4, 2013

Publisher: Dutton Adult

Age of X Book #1

ISBN:   052595368X

ISBN13: 9780525953685

Genre: Dystopian
Review Copy Source: Edelweiss

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

I am still not quite sure how I would rate this. Maybe it will come to me as I write. The first part of GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS was boring. I hate to say that but I had to force myself to stay with it. There was a whole section where I had NO clue what was going on, who was who, what was what, and why the heck it was even being done. You know, looking back I honestly still have no clue what that section was all about. OK wait I do kinda remember it now. Are you confused yet? Yeah, me too.

The second part of the book was not as bad. You actually learn a little bit more about the 'Gods' the book is referring to and what each characters place is in the story. The mythology was interesting but not always as clear as It should have been. I enjoyed some of the characters and could have done without some others. There was a great amount of action and I enjoyed learning about Mae. The romance between Justin and Mae is frustrating to say the least. 1 step forward 4 steps back. I could have done without the different POVs. There are only 3 but I had times where I wanted to skip ahead to read another's thoughts.

I did not hate GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS but don't feel like I am glad I read it either. OK thanks for reading this if you got that far, I now know how I am going to rate this and I am not sure if I will read book 2 or not but it is a slight possibility.

I gave it 2.5/5 stars

Week in Review: 5/26-6/1

Books Ive Bought/received

* Fiery Edge of Steel by Jill Archer- Publisher

* Justice by Jennifer Harlow- eCopy- Author

* The Human by Keary Taylor- eARC- Author

Books I Read

Spartan Frost by Jennifer Estep
The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans
Of Triton by Anna Banks
Tarnished by Rhiannon Held

Reviews Posted

Binding the Shadows by Jenn Bennett
Tempest Reborn by Nicole Peeler
Marking Time by April White

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Author Marie Treanor was here promoting her Blood Hunters Series with a guest blog and giveaway.

* Tuesday- A guest post by Nancy Gideon went up for her Prince of Shadows blog tour.

* Wednesday- A Promo for Pods by Michelle Pickett was posted as well as a cover reveal for Dawn's Early Light by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 

 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Review: Marking Time by April White

Marking Time

Author:April White

Release Date: November 5, 2012

Publisher: Corazon Entertainment

The Immortal Descendants Book #1

ISBN13:  9780988536814

Genre: Young Adult

Review Copy Source: Publisher

Seventeen-year-old tagger Saira Elian can handle anything... a mother who mysteriously disappears, a stranger who stalks her around London, and even the noble English Grandmother who kicked Saira and her mother out of the family. But when an old graffiti tag in a tube station transports Saira to the 19th Century and she comes face-to-face with Jack the Ripper, she realizes she needs help after all.

Saira meets Archer, a charming student who helps her blend in as much as a tall, modern American teen can in Victorian England. He reveals the existence of the Immortals: Time, Nature, Fate, War and Death, and explains to Saira that it is possible to move between
centuries – if you are a Descendant of Time.

Saira finds unexpected friendships at a boarding school for Immortal Descendants and a complicated love with a young man from the past. But time is running out for her mother, and Saira must embrace her new identity as she hides from Archer a devastating secret about his future that may cost him his life.

Yes I am going to say it again. I know I sound like a broken record. I should really know better by now. Sigh .... I didn't think I was going to enjoy MARKING TIME and I ended up not being able to put it down. There I said it, review done! j/k I will tell you more. 

I had absolutely zero issues getting into MARKING TIME. Time travel is not usually my thing but this was nothing like I was expecting it to be and the time travel aspect made it all the better. I found the book to be pretty fast paced with a nice flow. I was never confused at where we were in the book and it doesn't skip around like I thought it might. There was a great alternative spin on Jack the Ripper used by the author and the history was fun. There was a lot of details to learn but noting overwhelming. The characters were interesting and engaging. Saira was someone I would love to be friends with and her friends provided a great support system. I do not want to mention too much else for fear I might give away something that was important to your thought process while reading so I will leave you with that.

I can not imagine how many books I have passed up on thinking that I was not going to be able to enjoy it. I am happy that MARKING TIME was one I said yes too, I really enjoyed Saira's journey as she found out who she really was. I'm excited about the series now and hope that book 2 is just as good.

I gave it 4/5 stars

Review: Tempest Reborn by Nicole Peeler

Tempest Reborn

Author:Nicole Peeler

Release Date: May 28, 2013

Publisher: Orbit

Jane True Book #6

ISBN:   0316128104

ISBN13: 9780316128100

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Publisher

Anyan may be trapped in an evil dragon and Blondie may be gone, but Jane knows one thing: she's not about to give up. She's ready to tear down heaven and earth to save her lover, despite those who believe he's lost.

Luckily for Jane, those who've given up on Anyan do not include those closest to her. Defying The Powers That Be, Jane and Company form their own crack squad of misfits, in whose hands the fate of the world may well rest.

With a little help from her friends, the Universe, and lots of snacks, Jane embarks on her greatest adventure yet, confident that with great sacrifice comes great reward. The question is, who will be that sacrifice?

Jane True is back in the last installment of the series. It is always sad to see a series end but Jane has had a fabulous run and you will not be disappointed. TEMPEST'S FURY left everything on a pretty big cliffhanger as we watch Anyan fly away. TEMPEST REBORN starts up right where we left off. As you can imagine Jane is not in a good place. Luckily she has her friends by her side for support as she starts the hardest part of her journey yet.
 
Nicole does not skimp out on the action and adventure in TEMPEST REBORN. The whole book is go-go-go with little downtime. Jane takes control and really shines through. For those Jane and Anyan fans, Nicole knows how to get her sexy talk on. I am always thoroughly entertained reading through those moments. Not into sexy time? That is OK it doesn't happen all the time and it doesn't drag out or anything. Although there is a lot of loss with books 5 and 6, I really enjoyed those who took part in book 6. Everyone comes together to make it all happen.

I really liked the ending but I wish we could get some sort of novella or short story so we can get a bit more detail on the few years before the jump ahead. It would be fun to witness the experiences that happen. I'm very happy with the ending of the series though so I would consider that a bonus if it ever happened. I will miss Jane, Anyan and the rest of the gang.

I gave it 5/5 stars

Review: Binding the Shadows by Jenn Bennett

Binding the Shadows

Author:Jenn Bennett

Release Date: May 28, 2013

Publisher: Pocket

Arcadia Bell Book #3

ISBN:   145169508X

ISBN13: 781451695083

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Author

In the third book in this beloved and “riveting” (Romantic Times) urban fantasy series, demon-friendly tiki bar owner Arcadia Bell discovers more about her own evolving, and possibly destructive, magical abilities when her bar is the target of a demonic crime wave.

Renegade mage and bartender Arcadia Bell has had a rough year, but now the door to her already unstable world is unhinging. When a citywide crime wave erupts, Cady's demon-friendly tiki bar is robbed by Earthbounds wielding surreal demonic abilities that just flat-out shouldn't exist. With the help of her devilishly delicious boyfriend, Lon Butler, Cady sets out to find the people who wronged her—but her targets aren't the only ones experiencing unnatural metamorphoses. Can Cady track down the monsters responsible before the monster inside her destroys everything—and everyone—she loves? If she survives this adventure, one thing is certain: it's last call for life as she knows it.

Another slam dunk for author Jenn Bennett and her Arcadia Bell Series. The characters make the series for me and every installment with Cady, Lon, Jupe, and Kar Yee makes me love the series even more.

So much happens in BINDING THE SHADOWS I'm not sure where to start. Ok lets talk about Cady and Lon. LOVE them. Each book pulls them closer together and in BINDING THE SHADOWS you continue to see their devotion to each other grow. Jupe is a huge pot of pure entertainment. His innocence and sense of humor never ceases to amaze me. There is nothing like meeting the ex wife's family and I have to say I enjoyed it. They all share a mutual hate for the ex and it was nice seeing them bond over that even though there were some ups and downs. Yvonne you ask? She makes an appearance and I wanted to punch her teeth out. Cady really shows how much of a mother she has become to Jupe.

I do not want to say too much about the plot because it would be full of spoilers but we get to witness the return of past character, both allies and enemies. We get to see Cady in action. We witness Cady sticking up for herself and those she loves. We watch Cady reveal her true self to Kar Yee and it does not go well. There is humor, heartache, joy, pain, action and entertainment for everyone.

The ending is best described in the email that I sent Jenn the moment I finished BINDING THE SHADOWS (has been slightly edited, please excuse the screaming ). SERIOUSLY?? What kind of horrific ending is that??!?!?!? I'm devastated, DEVASTATED I tell you. And I have to wait a WHOLE YEAR to find out? Wow evil I tell you, evil.

Loved it. But your still evil Jenn ;)


I gave it 5/5 stars