Tag Archives: Romance

Review: Forsaken by Gina Detwiler

Book Review and Content, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , ,
Forsaken by Gina Detwiler

Forsaken
Gina Detwiler
Vinspire
Published September 2017

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About Forsaken

He was forsaken but not forgotten.

Nine months have passed since Grace Fortune saw the boy she loves, Jared Lorn, die before her eyes. But Grace’s suspicions have her wondering if Jared really dead. Along with her friends, she sets out to find answers, and the investigation leads to an unexpected place: Silo City, an abandoned silo complex that houses as many dark secrets as it does forsaken people.

Very much alive, Jared’s on a mission to save the girl he loves by collaborating with the enemy—a young, brash rock star named Lester Crow who fronts the punk metal band Blood Moon. Jared’s “deal with the devil” will take him on a cross-country journey into the heartland of darkness. The music of Blood Moon is a weapon against God, and Jared must wield this weapon while trying desperately to preserve his mind and soul from its power.

Jared and Grace are desperate to be reunited, but first, they must defeat the demonic forces arrayed against them. And pray that Jared, a Nephilim forsaken in God’s eyes, has a chance at a future.

My Review

I feel like I had a lot of strong thoughts about this book. Some things I really liked a lot. The way the author describes music really pulled me into each scene. I loved that so much of the story followed Grace’s singing (or her inability to sing) and Jared’s talent with the guitar. I wanted to sit in on their jam sessions. The big concerts felt very realistic.

In terms of the spiritual elements, I struggled with some of the doctrine. Jared, the son of a powerful demon and a human woman, had a lot of questions about his value and identity. I like that he’s a complicated character, that he wants to do good and be good despite his origin. Honestly, I think that’s pretty relatable. I don’t think it’s something that’s within the bounds of Christian ideology, though.

Music in the story has a strong spiritual component. I thought this was also pretty cool to show this spiritual component to songs depending on who’s playing them, what the songs glorify, and the motives of the musicians playing them. Early on in FORSAKEN, a mentor character shares a theory that the Beatles and the Rolling Stones artists were Satanists. He cites some interesting evidence.

I looked it up because I wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be an in-the-book thing or a this-is-real thing. The individual things the character points out are true (an occult founder being pictured on an album cover and some lyrics about Lucifer), I felt like those were probably things the artists used for their shock value. I didn’t see any indication that the artists themselves had any real love or worship for Satan, so I had a hard time following that thread of the plot.

Sometimes I felt like I had missed something – I think because I started reading this series with book two. I think FORSAKEN makes a good choice for TWILIGHT or BEAUTIFUL CREATURES fans or readers who like a sweet paranormal romance. I’d recommend starting with the first book, FORLORN.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
I think all the major characters were white and straight.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to two characters having sex (off-scene).

Spiritual Content
Jared is the son of a demon and human, but he wants to be worthy of God’s love, and seems to be part of God’s plan as he has visits from other angels. Grace has a guardian angel who tries to keep her safe. At one point, characters start talking about a church where the pastor preaches that God wouldn’t send anyone to Hell because he loves us so much, and that Hell doesn’t really exist. One of the girls scoffs and responds with something like, “Why would anyone believe in God if there’s no Hell?” From a Christian perspective, I didn’t think this made any sense. I could see not believing in Jesus if there was no Hell, since his death and resurrection are the reason people don’t have to go there. I didn’t understand the point being made there, maybe?

See my review for more on the spirituality of FORSAKEN.

Violent Content
Jared has some anger issues and gets into fights when provoked. At one point, the girls venture into a dangerous part of town and a man attacks one of them. At another point, one character stabs one of the girls.

Drug Content
One of Jared’s companions uses a lot of drugs and is very often drunk. He has a girl with him who’s often high or drunk as well. Jared doesn’t participate in any of that.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links which cost you nothing, but help me buy more books.


Review: In Another Life by C.C. Hunter

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

In Another Life
C.C. Hunter
Wednesday Books
Publishes March 26, 2019

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About IN ANOTHER LIFE

Chloe was three years old when she became Chloe Holden, but her adoption didn’t scar her, and she’s had a great life. Now, fourteen years later, her loving parents’ marriage has fallen apart and her mom has moved them to Joyful, Texas. Starting twelfth grade as the new kid at school, everything Chloe loved about her life is gone. And feelings of déjà vu from her early childhood start haunting her.

When Chloe meets Cash Colton she feels drawn to him, as though they’re kindred spirits. Until Cash tells her the real reason he sought her out: Chloe looks exactly like the daughter his foster parents lost years ago, and he’s determined to figure out the truth.

As Chloe and Cash delve deeper into her adoption, the more things don’t add up, and the more strange things start happening. Why is Chloe’s adoption a secret that people would kill for?

My Review

Usually I’m not a big fan of those dreamboat oddball hero names. You know, the kind that don’t really sound like actual names. In this case, though, Cash’s name really works because his dad was a con man, and money was all he valued. So it was kind of perfect and made sense.

I liked Chloe right away. You could definitely feel her hurt and frustration at being caught between her parents. She had reasons to be angry with both of them, but also loved them both, too. I liked that her family wasn’t perfect going into the story. It added a lot of tension right at the beginning of IN ANOTHER LIFE.

In terms of Cash’s character, I’m kind of a sucker for the unworthy, heart-of-gold guy. It’s hard for me not to like someone like that. On the other hand, that unworthiness creates huge problems for anyone trying to have relationships with him, and I liked that IN ANOTHER LIFE addressed that as well – it wasn’t just about Chloe’s history. Cash also had to confront some demons and he wasn’t a purely romanticized character, even though the main focus of the novel is unraveling the circumstances surrounding Chloe’s adoption and what really happened to the missing girl.

The story reminded me a little bit of THE FACE ON THE MILK CARTON by Carolyn Cooney, so it struck some nostalgia for me. I think fans of that duology or THE LOST AND THE FOUND by Cat Clarke will enjoy IN ANOTHER LIFE.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Brief mention of one character’s mom being a lesbian. Brief appearance by Chloe’s dad’s cousin and his husband.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently. Some crude comments.

Romance/Sexual Content
Lots of kissing. Chloe mentions losing her virginity to her last boyfriend. At one point Chloe removes her top and lies down with her boyfriend while they kiss and touch. There’s a cut scene later, where they lead up to going to have sex and then the scene picks up afterward.

At one point, a man watches a girl sleep and has some sexual thoughts about her. They’re not super graphic, but it’s definitely creepy

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Cash remembers bits of his past, including getting shot by police while his dad tried to run from a crime. He gets into a couple of physical altercations with another student– a boy who bullies others. At one point, someone shoots at the car Cash and Chloe are in. Another woman gets shot, which is briefly described

Drug Content
Chloe’s mom abuses sleeping pills for a short time. She ends up taking antidepressants, and almost as soon as she starts taking them, she feels better. I didn’t think this was very realistic, but I did like that it was a positive portrayal of taking medication for depression.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links which cost you nothing, but help me buy more books.

About C. C. Hunter

Website | Facebook | Twitter

C.C. HUNTER is a pseudonym for award-winning romance author Christie Craig. She is lives in Tomball, Texas, where she’s at work on her next novel.

Christie’s books include The Mortician’s Daughter series, Shadow Fall Novels and This Heart of Mine.

Review: Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Historical, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Within These Lines
Stephanie Morrill
Blink YA
Publishes March 5, 2019

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About WITHIN THESE LINES

Evalina Cassano’s life in an Italian-American family in 1941 is everything it “should be” until she falls in love with Taichi Hamasaki, the son of Japanese immigrants. Despite the scandal it would cause and that inter-racial marriage is illegal in California, Evalina and Taichi vow they will find a way to be together. But anti-Japanese feelings erupt across the country after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Taichi and his family are forced to give up their farm and move to an internment camp.

Degrading treatment makes life at Manzanar Relocation Center difficult. Taichi’s only connection to the outside world are treasured letters from Evalina. Feeling that the only action she can take to help Taichi is to speak out on behalf of all Japanese Americans, Evalina becomes increasingly vocal at school and at home. Meanwhile, inside Manzanar, fighting between different Japanese-American factions arises. Taichi begins to doubt he will ever leave the camp alive.

With tensions running high and their freedom on the line, Evalina and Taichi must hold true to their values and believe in their love to make a way back to each other against unbelievable odds.

My Review

It’s probably no secret that I love Stephanie Morrill’s storytelling. Her characters always have this deep core of integrity and courage, and yet they’re relatable and funny. WITHIN THESE LINES has all the thing I love about her other books, and it focuses on a historical moment that we need to remember.

WITHIN THESE LINES isn’t the first book about the Japanese internment camps that I’ve read before, but it’s the first one I’ve seen where the political atmosphere around the camps is so overtly described. I loved that the story followed Taichi’s perspective as a Japanese American and a prisoner of the Manzanar camp. But I thought it was also cool to show how difficult it would be to speak out against the camps, and to love across racial lines at a time when not only was it viewed as wrong, but was illegal. It’s easy for us to look back at history and say, “I would never have stood by silently while that happened. I totally would have spoken out.” WITHIN THESE LINES gives us a chance to walk in those shoes and see how difficult that might have been. (Obviously Evalina’s experience was nothing compared to Taichi’s.)

In terms of the characters, I loved both Evalina and Taichi. I spent a couple of months in Tokyo a few years ago, and some of the language and the way Taichi relates to his family and camp members made me think back to that trip and really miss it. I’m no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but there were a lot of references to and snapshot moments of Japanese language and culture throughout WITHIN THESE LINES. Taichi’s sister was probably my favorite character. She added a lot to the story with her fierceness and strong emotions.

At its core, WITHIN THESE LINES is a love story. If you love forbidden romance and/or liked Morrill’s other historical novel, THE LOST GIRL OF ASTOR STREET, then you definitely want to check this one out. (Also, if you haven’t read LOST GIRL, go check it out!)

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Evalina is an Italian American and considered white. She is ashamed of her family’s earlier connection to the mafia. Taichi and his family are Japanese American and end up imprisoned in an internment camp.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Some racist comments and situations. Signs prohibit Japanese from entering some places of business. A man spits at the feet of people on their way to internment camps. A group within the camp vows to overthrow the system and align themselves with Japan, threatening to harm or kill others, including any fellow prisoners who don’t support their efforts.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

Review: The Noble Servant by Melanie Dickerson

Book Review and Content, Historical, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

The Noble Servant (Medieval Fairytales #3)
Melanie Dickerson
Thomas Nelson
Published on May 9, 2017

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About The Noble Servant
She lost everything to the scheme of an evil servant. But she might just gain what she’s always wanted…if she makes it in time.

The impossible was happening. She, Magdalen of Mallin, was to marry the Duke of Wolfberg. Magdalen had dreamed about receiving a proposal ever since she met the duke two years ago. Such a marriage was the only way she could save her people from starvation. But why would a handsome, wealthy duke want to marry her, a poor baron’s daughter? It seemed too good to be true.

On the journey to Wolfberg Castle, Magdalen’s servant forces her to trade places and become her servant, threatening not only Magdalen’s life, but the lives of those she holds dear. Stripped of her identity and title in Wolfberg, where no one knows her, Magdalen is sentenced to tend geese while she watches her former handmaiden gain all Magdalen had ever dreamed of.

When a handsome shepherd befriends her, Magdalen begins to suspect he carries secrets of his own. Together, Magdalen and the shepherd uncover a sinister plot against Wolfberg and the duke. But with no resources, will they be able to find the answers, the hiding places, and the forces they need in time to save both Mallin and Wolfberg?

My Review
My daughter LOVES these fairytale stories by Melanie Dickerson. They’re sweet, straightforward tales with that classic fairytale happily ever after moment. Very clean, very safe, which is what she often prefers. Sometimes you need a story where everything works out all right and justice is perfectly served, you know? If that resonates with you, The Noble Servant is probably the kind of book you’re looking for.

I enjoyed reading this retelling of the Grimm’s fairytale Goose Girl, though it took me a while to get into it. The writing is a little bit stilted at times, but the characters are interesting. I liked the way Magdalen and the shepherd had to work together, and the secrets they kept made things interesting.

The books in the Medieval Fairytale series and Dickerson’s Hagenheim series are great for readers in that zone where they’re transitioning to stories about older characters but not quite ready for the mature content in some young adult books.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing.

Spiritual Content
A couple of times characters pray together during a crisis and quote scripture.

Violent Content
Physical fights between some of the male characters. Some peril and limited details about inuries.

Drug Content
None.

Review: The Breeding Tree by J. Andersen

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

The Breeding Tree
J. Andersen
Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
Published on March 25, 2017

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About The Breeding Tree
When seventeen year old Katherine (Kate) Dennard is selected to become a “Creation Specialist” in Sector 4, the opportunity sounds like a dream come true. But Kate soon discovers the darker side of her profession – the disposal of fetal organs and destruction of human life. It makes sense, really. In a society where disease and malformations don’t exist, human perfection demands that no genetic “mutants” be allowed to live. For Sector 4, “survival of the fittest” is not just a theory – it’s The Institute’s main mission.

When Kate discovers that The Institute is using her DNA to create new life, her work gets personal. In order to save her unviable son, she’ll have to trust Micah and his band of underground Natural Born Rebels. The problem is, if The Institute discovers her betrayal, the next body being disposed of could be hers.

My Review
I found this story to be a really interesting concept. Kind of Unwind meets Divergent. I liked the dystopian elements and found Kate to be mostly an interesting character, except for her thoughts on guys, which I’ll get to in a second.

The plot caused me some struggles. Some sections seemed a bit choppy—like maybe bits of scenes had been cut, but the chapter still needed another read-through for clarity. One part in particular shows Kate shocked and then immediately flashing back to another moment before returning to the present. She’s thinking about another person who doesn’t get named. When she returns to the present, we assume she meant her grandmother as the other person in the flashback scene, but I had to read it several times before I understood. Several scenes were like that for me.

Also, PSA: If a guy is stalking you, it’s not okay if he’s cute. There’s no equation of human behavior that says cute is inversely proportional to dangerous. More attractive does not equal less dangerous. Kate keeps spotting a guy following her, and then once she meets him at work, she’s like, hey—that guy was stalking me! But he’s cute, so it’s okay.

Um. No. It’s not okay. Also, immediately after freaking out about the guy following her, she and her bestie go on a double date with these guys they don’t know. The guys take them to this dark parking lot alone. No one knows where they are. I wanted to be like, “Hello?! Haven’t you seen the first season of 24? This is NOT a good idea.”

I don’t know. I feel like the author was going for making Micah a bad boy type, and I get that. But I do wish there was a little more hesitancy or awareness on Kate’s part. Or that he had to work harder to earn her trust after his earlier behavior.

In terms of content, the biggest issue are the disturbing descriptions of Kate “disposing” of a developing fetus. (See content section on violence for more information.)

Readers who enjoyed the Unwind series may find this one to their liking for its lessons about the value of human life and right to life issues.

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Cultural Elements
All major characters are white. (Races were segregated by the government as part of an effort to “perfect” each race with a promise to reintegrate once perfection had been achieved. There’s also one brief mention of other races being represented in an outside rebel colony.)

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Once instance of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kate’s bestie, Taryn brags about the fact that she enjoys casual sex with multiple partners. Teen sex seems to be totally fine now that pregnancy isn’t possible.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
As part of Kate’s job, she’s required to “dispose” of fetuses at various stages of development in sterile containers. (Babies are grown in containers, not in the human body.) The descriptions of this process are graphic and disturbing. A young man attempts to bind Kate’s hands with zip ties. Kate throws a rock at a young man, causing a serious head injury.

Drug Content
Kate drinks alcohol while on a date with friends.

Review: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1)
Brigid Kemmerer
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published on January 29, 2018

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About A Curse So Dark and Lonely

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

My Review

I love the way some of the elements of Beauty and the Beast were reimagined in A Curse So Dark and Lonely. Instead of appearing as a monster 24/7, Prince Rhen relives the same season over and over knowing that at the end of the season, he’ll turn into a bloodthirsty monster and have no memory of himself. The monster will kill anyone in his path, so even while Rhen is human, he’s tortured by the guilt of what he’s done as a monster in the past and filled with dread at what will happen the next time.

Rhen’s only surviving companion is Grey, the last surviving member of the Royal Guard. I loved Grey. He’s sharp, focused, and loyal. The only thing that worried me about him was how much I liked him—I worried he’d steal the show. (Looks like he’ll get his own chance to tell a story, though. I wasn’t expecting a sequel to this book, but the ending definitely sets up for one.)

Let’s talk about Harper. She’s spunky. She’s brave. She loves her family with her whole heart. She’s so moved by the suffering of the villagers in Emberfall that she begins to find ways to fight for them. And her compassion wakes Rhen’s passion for his people. I loved that.

One of the cool things to me about A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY was the way the genres collided. The contemporary parts set in present-day DC really read like contemporary YA. The fantasy parts had a really distinct fantasy feel to them as well. I thought that was really well done and maintained perfectly through the whole book.

The end threw me a little bit, though. I don’t want to give away details. But it’s unclear which actions change things—even the characters seem unsure. I’m hoping that the second book makes all of this clearer.

All in all, A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY is a must-read for fairy tale lovers. It’s a rich, beautiful re-imagining of the story packed with great characters. Great for fans of Robin McKinley or Wendy Spinale.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Harper’s brother is gay. He’s in a relationship with a young black doctor. Harper has Cerebral Palsy.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Harper finds pictures of her brother with a boyfriend she didn’t know he had. The way they look at each other tells her they’re in love. Before the curse, Rhen slept with a young woman. (No details.)

Spiritual Content
A powerful curse transforms the prince into a monster at the end of each season. The sorceress visits him throughout the season to gloat and punish him using her magic. The prince’s remaining guard has the ability to cross into present day Washington DC for one hour each season to bring back a girl who can hopefully break the curse.

Violent Content
The sorceress tortures Rhen and others, causing a lot of pain and sometimes leaving wounds. The monster has killed many people and left a lot of carnage behind. Some scenes include brief graphic descriptions of blood and gore left behind or of battles with the monster.

Drug Content
The prince and others drink alcohol.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links which cost you nothing to use but help support this blog.