Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Realms of Light (The Colliding Line #2) by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring Realms of Light (The Colliding Line #2) by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads. I shared the first book in this series at the beginning of the month and was excited to get my hands on a copy of this sequel. I really enjoyed it! It was a great conclusion to the series! 

I loved how classic works of art, and the epic poem Paradise Lost were woven throughout the stories. How integral a part they played in things. If you're a fan of YA urban fantasy, I think you'll like it. 

About the Book

From the Ashes, Spring Will Rise

On the run from the brutal Sage and his army of Legions and Cormorants, seventeen-year-old Cera Marlowe knows the only place strong enough to protect her is the Alliance Council Estate.

Cera’s introduction to the Estate is far from welcoming. As a Blight, her dueling powers of light and darkness make her a half-breed threat to the Alliance’s sacred powers. Cera’s ability to decipher hidden messages in classical artwork buys her shelter temporarily, but the clock is ticking as she’s faced with a daunting choice that could cost her everything.

Book Beginnings

I bounce my foot as Devon drives us deeper into the forest at a crawling pace.

Friday 56

I fling the door open and forge into the hallway, desperate to find my mother. But as soon as I step into the hall, a warning pang kicks inside me.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Calculated Risks (InCryptid #10) by Seanan McGuire

About the Book

The tenth book in the fast-paced InCryptid urban fantasy series returns to the mishaps of the Price family, eccentric cryptozoologists who safeguard the world of magical creatures living in secret among humans.

Just when Sarah Zellaby, adopted Price cousin and telepathic ambush predator, thought that things couldn't get worse, she's had to go and prove herself wrong. After being kidnapped and manipulated by her birth family, she has undergone a transformation called an instar, reaching back to her Apocritic origins to metamorphize. While externally the same, she is internally much more powerful, and much more difficult to control.

Even by herself. After years of denial, the fact that she will always be a cuckoo has become impossible to deny.

Now stranded in another dimension with a handful of allies who seem to have no idea who she is--including her cousin Annie and her maybe-boyfriend Artie, both of whom have forgotten their relationship--and a bunch of cuckoos with good reason to want her dead, Sarah must figure out not only how to contend with her situation, but with the new realities of her future. What is she now? Who is she now? Is that person someone she can live with?

And when all is said and done, will she be able to get the people she loves, whether or not they've forgotten her, safely home?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

After the way the previous book, Imaginary Numbers, ended, I had to read this one as soon as possible. Talk about a massive cliffhanger! Thankfully, this one started pretty much right where we left off.

The first half was a little slow. Never boring, just not a lot of action. There were a lot of recaps, and then the characters were trying to figure out what was going on, and where (and who) they were. But the second half really delivered on the excitement, and I couldn't finish it fast enough. I didn't know how they were gonna possibly do what needed to be done. It was stressful!

Just like the previous book, I really enjoyed getting Sarah's perspective. This book was narrated completely by her, so that was really interesting. She's a fascinating character. Annie, one of the main supporting characters of this book, was back to annoying the crap outta me. It was like all her likability from the last few books evaporated and she was back to the bratty girl from the first few books in the series. She made me want to scream sometimes. But anyway, there was a new character introduced who just might be my new favorite. Greg was just plain awesome!

There were some revelations about Sarah's family, human and cuckoo alike, that really helped make sense of some things, and I can't wait to see where things go in the next installment.

NOTE: This book does contain some strong language.

FOUR STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Nature of a Lady (The Secrets of the Isles #1) by Roseanna M. White

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring The Nature of a Lady (The Secrets of the Isles #1) by Roseanna M. White releasing May 4.

About the Book

1906
Lady Elizabeth "Libby" Sinclair, with her love of microscopes and nature, isn't favored in society. She flees to the beautiful Isles of Scilly for the summer and stumbles into the dangerous secrets left behind by her holiday cottage's former occupant, also named Elizabeth, who mysteriously vanished.

Oliver Tremayne--gentleman and clergyman--is determined to discover what happened to his sister, and he's happy to accept the help of the girl now living in what should have been Beth's summer cottage . . . especially when he realizes it's the curious young lady he met briefly two years ago, who shares his love of botany and biology. But the hunt for his sister involves far more than nature walks, and he can't quite believe all the secrets Beth had been keeping from him.

As Libby and Oliver work together, they find ancient legends, pirate wrecks, betrayal, and the most mysterious phenomenon of all: love.

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Review: No Unturned Stone (The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone #2) by David James Warren

About the Book

“The One Rule Is, Don’t Mess With The Past”

But he did, and now ex-detective Rembrandt Stone is reaping the devastation of ignoring those words when he traveled back in time to solve the one case that had haunted his dreams.

Yes, he solved the crime. Yes, he saved lives. But Rembrandt returns to find the unthinkable has happened and his life has shattered.

There’s only one answer: break the rule again. Go back in time once more, fix what went wrong, save what went right, and yeah, in his spare time solve another brutal crime.

But it’s not so easy to change time, especially when time turns you into a target. And of course there’s the strong possibility if he goes again, he’ll never get back.

Get ready for your mind to be blown in Book 2 of the time-travel suspense series, The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone.

The continuing adventures of Rembrandt Stone from the creative minds of James L. Rubart, Susan May Warren and newcomer David Curtis Warren, writing as DAVID JAMES WARREN.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

This second installment of The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone was even better than the first.

Rem's previous trip to the past drastically changed his present, and not for the better. Now, he's hoping to go back again to try and fix the damage he did, while also trying to solve one of his old cold cases. Talk about exciting!

This book demanded to be read as fast as possible. The pace was lightning quick. I couldn't read it fast enough and had an incredibly hard time putting it down when “real life” intruded.

If you enjoy books featuring time travel, this is a must read. I highly recommend it and can't wait for book three!

4.5 STARS

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Calculated Risks (InCryptid #10) by Seanan McGuire

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring the tenth book in the Incryptid series, Calculated Risks by Seanan McGuire. This is such a fun series and I'm so excited to finally be caught up with it.

About the Book

The tenth book in the fast-paced InCryptid urban fantasy series returns to the mishaps of the Price family, eccentric cryptozoologists who safeguard the world of magical creatures living in secret among humans.

Just when Sarah Zellaby, adopted Price cousin and telepathic ambush predator, thought that things couldn't get worse, she's had to go and prove herself wrong. After being kidnapped and manipulated by her birth family, she has undergone a transformation called an instar, reaching back to her Apocritic origins to metamorphize. While externally the same, she is internally much more powerful, and much more difficult to control.

Even by herself. After years of denial, the fact that she will always be a cuckoo has become impossible to deny.

Now stranded in another dimension with a handful of allies who seem to have no idea who she is--including her cousin Annie and her maybe-boyfriend Artie, both of whom have forgotten their relationship--and a bunch of cuckoos with good reason to want her dead, Sarah must figure out not only how to contend with her situation, but with the new realities of her future. What is she now? Who is she now? Is that person someone she can live with?

And when all is said and done, will she be able to get the people she loves, whether or not they've forgotten her, safely home?

Book Beginnings (From the Prologue)

A small survivalist compound about an hour's drive east of Portland, Oregon

Nineteen years ago

"No." The dark-haired little girl clutched her seatbelt like it was a lifeline, shaking her head hard enough that her pigtails bounced wildly, flicking across her eyes and obscuring her expression. That was fine: Angela wouldn't have been able to read the nuances of Sarah's feelings in her face even if she'd been able to see it clearly. Being a non-receptive member of a naturally telepathic species had forced her to get better at reading facial expressions than most cuckoos, who had the neural capability but never developed the skill. Why bother, when it was so much easier to just skim someone's thoughts and know exactly what they were trying to convey?

Friday 56

I hate it when people tell me not to be afraid. They never do that when something awesome is about to happen. No one says "don't be afraid" and then hands you an ice cream cone, or a kitten, or tickets to Comic-Con.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Mountain Survival by Christy Barritt

About the Book

An injured victim has disappeared…

Can a park ranger and her K-9 find him?

When search-and-rescue park ranger Autumn Mercer and her K-9 partner, Sherlock, meet a stranger in the mountains whose brother is injured, they drop everything to help. But all they find where Derek Peterson last saw his sibling is a trail of blood—and men who want them dead. With gunmen closing in, can Autumn and Derek survive long enough to save his brother?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

Mountain Survival was another exciting, suspense-filled mystery from Christy Barritt. As I've come to expect from Barritt, it's fast-paced with the characters in an almost constant state of danger. Almost every chapter ended with a nail-biter of a situation, making me race through the pages as fast as I could.

My favorite character was search and rescue dog, Sherlock. He was loyal, brave, and hardworking. A scene-stealer, for sure! I didn't feel much of a connection with the human characters, though. Their romance developed a little too fast for my liking, but I guess that's to be expected in this type of book.

Although this wasn't my favorite book from Barritt, it was still an enjoyable and compelling read.

I received a copy of this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

3.5 STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: Never Miss by Melissa Koslin

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Never Miss by Melissa Koslin releasing May 4.

About the Book

Former CIA sniper Kadance Tolle possesses a special set of skills and a rare pedigree. She comes from a family of assassins, and by saving Lyndon Vaile's life she risks being found by them. Despite the danger, Kadance feels compelled to help Lyndon discover who is after him--and his research that seems to prove that the Ebola virus was manmade and is about to be weaponized.

With shadowy figures pursuing them and a Mastermind watching their every move, Kadance and Lyndon must scramble to stop an impending bioattack at the State of the Union address. But their warnings fall on deaf ears, and it becomes increasingly clear that there's no one they can trust--except perhaps each other.

Strap in for a breakneck story that will have you up all night, hurtling toward the last page as the clock ticks and time runs out.

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?