Week in Review: 12/25-12/31

Books Received for Review

Cheating Death by April White

Books I've Read

White Hot by Ilona Andrews
Dating the Undead by Juliet Lyons
Rise of Fire by Sophie Jordan
Cheating Death by April White

Reviews Posted

Drakon's Promise by N.J. Walters
Force of Temptation by Suzanne Wright
Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill

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

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

* Monday- Promo + Giveaway for Silverwolf by Jacey Bedford

* Saturday- Happy New Year...2016 in Review!

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

* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

BlogLovin

Networked Blogs

Facebook
Pinterest Board

You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.

Twitter

Goodreads

Librarything

Google+

 

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

Happy New Year...2016 in Review!

In 2016 I.....

Read 215 books for a total of 57,994 pages

First book of the year I read was The Alpha Drive by Kristen Martin

Last book of the year I read was Cheating Death by April White

The longest book I read was Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
The shortest book I read was Demon Kissed by Karilyn Bentley

The most popular (on Goodreads) book I read was Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
The least popular (on Goodreads) book I read was Demon Kissed by Karilyn Bentley

Posted a total of 361 blog posts

with

118 of those being reviews

First review of the year was The Last Dream Keeper by Amber Benson

Last review of the year was Drakon's Promise by  N.J. Walters

Was there anything about UFI in 2016 that sticks out as your favorite? How many books did you read in 2016?

Here's to another fantastic year in 2017!

Review: Drakon's Promise by N.J. Walters

Drakon's Promise

Author: N.J. Walters

Release Date: December 5, 2016

Publisher: Entangled Select Otherworld

Blood of the Drakon Book #1

ISBN:  1633758001

ISBN13: 9781633758001

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Darius Varkas is a drakon. He's neither human nor dragon.

He's both.

He's also the target of an ancient order who want to capture all drakons for their blood. When fresh, a drakon's blood can cure any illness and prolong a human's life, and the Knights will stop at nothing to get it.

When librarian Sarah Anderson stumbles across a rare book belonging to the Knights of the Dragon, she's quickly thrust into a dangerous world of secrets and shifters and things she never would have believed possible. When the Knights realize Sarah has a secret of her own, she becomes just as much a target as Darius. Her scary dragon shifter just might be her best chance at survival.

I usually find that dragon books are hit or miss with me, but DRAKON'S PROMISE was a hit!

Sarah loves books, so the fact that she is a librarian works well for her. When she starts working on a library of rare books she never imagined that her life would change when she uncovers a rare book that belongs to an evil group. She risks a lot to contact a stranger she knows is in trouble to warn him. I found Sarah to incredibly caring and overall sweet. She stuck to what she thought was right even at expense to herself. Darius is a businessman that is ready to move on to his next adventure in life. He also happens to be a drakon in hiding. He is suspicious of Sarah from the moment he meets her, but also feels a need to protect her. I usually find that the alpha male type can be a dick at first, but I never felt that way about Darius. Darius and Sarah have a ton of chemistry. They have instant attraction and the bond starts to grow from the moment they meet, but there isn't insta-love which is nice. They work well together and I thought Sarah fit well within Darius' world.

DRAKON'S PROMISE was a great introduction to the Blood of the Drakon world and I am excited to see what will come next. I really liked Darius' brother, Tarrant, and it looks like his love interest is heading right for him and I'm sure things will get interesting. I plan to read more of this series and hope that book two will be out sooner rather than later.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Force of Temptation by Suzanne Wright

Force of Temptation

Author: Suzanne Wright

Release Date: December 13, 2016

Publisher: Montlake Romance

The Mercury Pack Book #2

ISBN:   1503940489

ISBN13:  9781503940482

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Harley Vincent is resigned to life in the human world. Sure, being a margay shifter is half her nature, but life among humans gives her the freedom to roam and do as she pleases. That is, until anti-shifter extremists target her, putting her life in immediate danger.

When an old acquaintance and onetime fling, Jesse Dalton, shows up to offer the protection of his pack, Harley hesitates. She may have feelings for Jesse that go beyond their one-night stand, but life among shifters means giving over her independence to the needs of pack. Plus Mercury Pack has its own threat to face: a rich half-shifter is determined to claim their territory at any cost.

Jesse, who lost his true mate as a child, has wanted Harley since their night together, and he’s not letting her go again. They may not be destined for each other, but he knows she belongs to him and with his pack. Even if he can convince her to join him now, can he convince her to stay?

I absolutely love this world and can't get enough of the characters. If you haven't already started The Phoenix Pack series, I would start there first and read both that series and this in release order. You won't be sorry you did.

There has not been one couple from either series that I have not liked. Jesse and Harley are great individually and awesome together.  Both of their personalities complimented the other well and Harley fit right into the pack once everyone got to know her and learned to trust her. The romance was hot and the connection between the two was strong. There was a lot of learning on both sides of the relationship that made things even better.

As always the secondary characters played just as big of a role in the storyline as the couple. I learn more about each pack member with every book and I can honestly say that there isn't one member I don't like and I look forward to each of their love stories in the future.

The conflict in FORCE OF TEMPTATION was filled with drama and danger. I don't want to give anything away, but I think FORCE OF TEMPTATION was a little more dangerous and suspenseful than some of the previous books because of the pack members that ended up being in the most danger. Can't wait to see what comes next for both the Mercury and Phoenix Packs.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill

Ever the Hunted

Author: Erin Summerill

Release Date: December 27, 2016

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Clash of Kingdoms Book #1

ISBN:   0544664450

ISBN13: 9780544664456

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Edelweiss

Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force.

There was a lot involved in EVER THE HUNTED, but Erin Summerill did a great job of setting up the world and pacing out the action.

Britta is only seventeen, but she appeared older to me. I found her to be strong, a little willful, and very determined. I won't go into explanations for fear of spoilers, but Britta experiences a lot of loss in EVER THE HUNTED. I'm not sure how she functioned for half of it, but she is a fighter and did a great job of keeping her head in the game that she was forced to play. Cohen was extremely easy to like after you got to know him and he added a lot to the storyline. Their relationship isn't easy and there is a lot of history, but they worked well together and you can't help but root for them.

I have a tiny complaint. There seem to be a love triangle coming and after everything Cohen and Britta went through, I'm not sure how much I will be able to connect to a new love interest if it is indeed going to happen.

The world building was great. Every scene and location was set up in a way that had me lost in every bit of it. I didn't want to stop reading for fear of losing the flow. The different kingdoms that makes up the world were both interesting and the conflicts that they were facing were easy to understand. EVER THE BRAVE is already on my wishlist and I look forward to seeing how the story ends.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

New Releases: 12/25-12/31

Tue. Dec. 27th

 The City of Ice (The Gates of the World #2) by K.M. McKinley 

 Ever the Hunted (Clash of Kingdoms #1) by Erin Summerill

 The Face of the Unknown by Christopher L. Bennett 

 Nine of Stars (Dark Alchemy #3) by Laura Bickle 

 Rules of the Game (Endgame #3) by James J. Frey, Nils Johnson-Shelton

Happy Reading!!

Promo + Giveaway: Silverwolf by Jacey Bedford

Silverwolf
Rowankind #2

 Britain, 1801. King George’s episodic sanity is almost as damaging as his madness. First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte is gathering his forces in France. The disease of democracy is spreading. The world is poised on the brink of the modern era, but the rowankind, long a source of free labor, have shaken off their bonds. Some have returned to Iaru to find freedom with the Fae; others are trying to find a place in the world, looking for fair treatment under the law. The course of the industrial revolution may change forever.

Wild magic is on the rise. Creatures of legend are returning to the world: kelpies, pixies, trolls, hobs and goblins.

Ross and Corwen, she a summoner witch and he a wolf shapechanger, have freed the rowankind from bondage, but now they are caught in the midst of the conflict, while trying their best to avoid the attention of the Mysterium, the government organisation which would see them hanged for their magic.

When an urgent letter calls Corwen back to Yorkshire, he and Ross become embroiled in dark magic, family secrets and industrial treachery. London beckons. There they discover a missing twin, an unexpected friend, and an old enemy—called Walsingham.

“Swashbuckling adventure collides with mystical mayhem on land and at sea in this rousing historical fantasy series launch set in a magic-infused England in 1800.” —Publishers Weekly

“Bedford crafts emotionally complex relationships and interesting secondary characters while carefully building an innovative yet familiar world.” —RT Book Reviews

__________________________________

Jacey Bedford has a string of short story publication credits on both sides of the Atlantic. She lives a thouand feet up on the edge of the Yorkshire Pennines in a two hundred year stone house. She has been a librarian, postmistress, rag-doll maker, and a folk singer in an a cappella trio. She can be found at jaceybedford.co.uk or on Twitter at @JaceyBedford.

Find Jacey and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

__________________________________

US/Canada Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway