Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father—an elusive European warlock—only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tag-along ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

Maybe its the high school teacher in me, but I instantly loved this book. I was absorbed in Sophie's initial battle to fit in and to adapt to the high school life as paranormal as it was. Her magical twist just made the story even better. There were the mean girls, the nerds, the cool kids and the friendly kid. I loved it. Then there was this really interesting magical system all wrapped up in a school environment. Enter teacher mode! How cool it would be to be a teacher at a magical school. I kept getting caught up in that idea as I read this book Anyway Sophie has some real serious imperfections, but that makes her more realistic, and more likable. She may not be the perfect student, but she has a good heart. What's more, this school is diverse. There are shapeshifters, werewolves, fae, witches,  vampires, and even demons attending Hex Hall. So many supernatural ethnicities all within the pages on one book!!

I give Hex Hall 4.5 out of 5 stars

I give the audio book performance 4.5 out of 5 stars

Lady Renegades by Rachel Hawkins

Just as Harper Price starts coming to terms with her role as David Stark’s battle-ready Paladin, protector, and girlfriend—her world goes crazy all over again.

Overwhelmed by his Oracle powers, David flees Pine Grove and starts turning teenage girls into Paladins—and these young ladies seem to think that Harper is the enemy David needs protecting from.  Ordinarily, Harper would be able to fight off any Paladin who comes her way, but her powers have been dwindling since David left town…which means her life is on the line yet again.

Lady Renegades completes the Rebel Belle series. In many ways this book was more complete and less rushed than Miss Mayhem, however it in no way came close to the fun and excitement I felt when reading Rebel Belle. The book did end neatly, but almost abruptly. Everything tied up in a neat bow so to speak, but I felt there were still a few questions I wanted answers to. This book was more serious than the original, and although it was interesting, that level of seriousness this book  zapped some of the humor away. Overall this book is worth reading and I would recommend the investment. 

I give Lady Renegades 3.75 out of 5 stars

I give the audio version 5 out of 5 stars

Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins (Book 2 in Rebel Belle Series)

Life is almost back to normal for Harper Price. The Ephors have been silent after their deadly attack at Cotillion months ago, and her best friend, Bee, has returned after a mysterious disappearance. Now Harper can focus on the important things in life: school, canoodling with David (her nemesis-turned-ward-slash-boyfie), and even competing in the Miss Pine Grove pageant.

Unfortunately, supernatural chores are never done. The Ephors have decided they’d rather train David than kill him. The catch: Harper has to come along for the ride, but she can’t stay David’s Paladin unless she undergoes an ancient trial that will either kill her . . . or make her more powerful than ever.

Like most second books this book was not as good as the first installment, however it was still a good book and worthy of reading. It filled in a lot of information about the characters and the relationships between the characters grew. The combo of magic and southern culture were still endearing and lend the book an unique perspective.  The book is action packed and never boring. However, be prepared, this book, like most second-in-the series-books ends in a cliffhanger. 

I give Miss Mayhem 3.5 out of 5 stars
I give the audio book 4.5 out of 5 stars

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Sweet, Southern, Sassy, and of course magical powers!?!?  Living in the south and loving magical based novels, I had to give this book a try. I was not let down. The historical and mystical magical world of the Paladins combines with the charming etiquette of a southern belle and creates something that has never been done before. Yes this is a Young adult novel, so it revolves around teenagers, but they do include adults in their saving ventures and even so who can fault a high school teacher for enjoying a bit of YA every once and a while.  This book "is a pearl" and the best part is there are sequels.

I give Rebel Belle 5 out of 5 stars
I give the audio book 5 out of 5 stars   

Windwitch by Susan Dennard A Witchlands Novel

After an explosion destroys his ship, the world believes Prince Merik, Windwitch, is dead. Scarred yet alive, Merik is determined to prove his sister’s treachery. Upon reaching the royal capital, crowded with refugees, he haunts the streets, fighting for the weak—which leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.
When the Bloodwitch Aeduan discovers a bounty on Iseult, he makes sure to be the first to find her—yet in a surprise twist, Iseult offers him a deal. She will return money stolen from him, if he locates Safi. Now they must work together to cross the Witchlands, while constantly wondering, who will betray whom first?
After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. Alone in a land of pirates, every moment balances on a knife’s edge—especially when the pirates’ next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands.

This is a book with a beautiful love story, but it is just as much a book about friendship, determination and finding one's self. This is the second book in the series with Truthwitch being the prequel.  The readers are given a better understanding of the magic structure of this kingdom as well as the political makeup of this world. The characters are better filled in as well. Like many second books this book was designed to give additional details and to extend the plot of the first book. I can say I am very excited to read the third installment! 

I give Windwitch 3.5  out of 5 stars
I give the audio performance 5 out of 5 stars

Fire (Graceling book #2) by Kristin Cashore

It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. The young King Nash clings to his throne while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. The mountains and forests are filled with spies and thieves and lawless men.
This is where Fire lives. With a wild, irresistible appearance and hair the color of flame, Fire is the last remaining human monster. Equally hated and adored, she had the unique ability to control minds, but she guards her power, unwilling to steal the secrets of innocent people. Especially when she has so many of her own.
Then Prince Brigan comes to bring her to King City, The royal family needs her help to uncover the plot against the king. Far away from home, Fire begins to realize there's more to her power than she ever dreamed. Her power could save the kingdom

This book had a lot to live up to. Book one in the Graceling series was a beautiful adventure and I absolutely loved the book. It is important to note that although this is the second book written in this series it is actually a prequel to Graceling. You can however read them in any order and still fully comprehend both books.  It is always stressful starting a sequel, will it be a wonderful continuation or a let down? Fire is written in the same world, but about a completely different set of characters, and I was not disappointed. It was an amazing tale. The world building was expertly continued from book 1, but with additions and more background information added from another part of this magical land. The characters were woven with details that made them seem real and almost palpable. None were too perfect, each one had struggles and issues to contend with, good and bad struggling within and they had to decide which would dominate. The royal family was realistic even in this fantasy setting and the entire plot was believable as well as exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed re-entering this world and could not wait to read the third installment Bitterblue. Again my major problem with this series is the authors casual approach to sex and negative view on traditional marriage as constricting and confining. This theme was most prevalent in book 1, but there was some evidence of it in this book as well. 

I give Fire 3 out of 5 stars
I give the audio Performance 5 0ut of 5 stars

Special Offers by M.L. Ryan

Meet Hailey — possessed by an other-worldly being from another dimension who was previously trapped in her Kindle

Yep, you read that right, Hailey purchases a Kindle and ends up possessed by a being from another dimension, and that is just one of her problems. Ironically I read this book on my new kindle. It has an interesting story line and hey it is about a book hoarder so how can it possibly be a bad book, right? It is original for sure and as crazy as it sounds, the story becomes very, very interesting.  Detectives, inter-dimensional mysteries, sarcasm, wit, and of course magic made this book a light but fun read. I had a blast reading this book, in fact I finished it in one afternoon and downloaded the sequels. They just continued to get better. Buy the book, or download it, you won't be disappointed, but alas your download probably won't come with a handsome inter-dimensional prince so there is that. 

I give Special Offers 5 out of 5 stars
I give the audio Performance 5 out of 5 stars  

The Hundredth Queen by Emily R. Queen

As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she’s an unlikely candidate for even a servant’s position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood’s mountain temple.
But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik.
Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand there is beautiful writing, excellent world building, well defined characters, romance, fantasy, bravery, and of course magic. On the other hand there is slavery, sexual slavery, polygamy, and murder. However, I feel the good balances the bad and the author never condones the negative. It is just presented as the culture of the world these people live in. The evils in this book are never portrayed as acceptable, but as obstacles the heroine has to  overcome if she is to survive. She is strong and smart. The protagonist adapts, she is not a weakling whining and complaining about her plight, but a character we are able to watch grow and evolve into a brave and likable young potential queen. Each chapter is exciting, leaving the reader wanting to know what is going to happen next, and in spite of the obvious negative connotations toward the treatment of women, the author counter balances this with strong female roles, and relationships throughout the story. 

Due to some of the more intense graphic scenes in this novel I would not recommend it for younger readers. There are gory fight scenes and more talk of sexual involvement than I would recommend for children. This book is for a young adult audience and higher. 

I give The Hundredth Queen 4 out of 5 stars

The Book Jumper by Mechthild Gläser

Amy Lennox doesn't know quite what to expect when she and her mother pick up and leave Germany for Scotland, heading to her mother's childhood home of Lennox House on the island of Stormsay.
Amy's grandmother, Lady Mairead, insists that Amy must read while she resides at Lennox House—but not in the usual way. It turns out that Amy is a book jumper, able to leap into a story and interact with the world inside. As thrilling as Amy's new power is, it also brings danger: someone is stealing from the books she visits, and that person may be after her life. Teaming up with fellow book jumper Will, Amy vows to get to the bottom of the thefts—at whatever cost.

This book has one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen! It is also based on a premise that I am in love with, and what bibliophile would not be, the ability to jump into books and interact with worlds and characters sounds amazing. However, sadly this book had so much potential left untapped. The characters were not well developed and the plot never seemed to go anywhere specific. There were a few times I felt the story was gaining momentum, but then it just fizzled out. Then the ending felt unfinished, like no real final decisions were made. I had hoped for more from such a lovely book based on such a fascinating concept, but it just proves the old adage you can't judge a book by its cover. 

I give The Book Jumper 2 out of 5 Stars
I give the Audio performance 4 out of 5 stars

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.
Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.
Think you have read all the books and tired story lines there are out there when it comes to dragons. WRONG! This book does an excellent job of creating a new world, with new rules for dragons. It is amazing!! Dragons can take on human shape, and with that comes messy human emotions. Needless to say inter-species relationships with humans and dragons are forbidden, enter our protagonist. She has so many issues to juggle and she has to do it from her new post working at the palace. She has extraordinary gifts, but has to be wary or her origins may be discovered.
This YA Fantasy has it all Mystery, intrigue, magic, romance, and of course dragons!

I give Seraphina 5 out of 5 stars
I give the audio performance 5 out of 5 stars

ARC Review: Wing Walker by M. T. Finnberg

After the Alliance bombed Swooning Moon, only the megalopolis Capitol survived under its blue dome. In the backcountry, among thousands of broken-down amusement parks, awaits a harsh world: dragon poachers raiding the air while gangs of youth pace the marshlands looking for magical items to sell for a few coins.
This book was interesting and moved at a pace I enjoyed. There was constant action among the characters and very little down time. The heroine was determined and unlike the protagonist in many novels was not constantly second guessing herself. I did feel there was a point where her goal changed and although it was never stated, the original purpose of her exploits were forgotten or at least she came to terms with reality, and adopted a new goal.  The magical element in this book was rather unique, and I liked it. It did not seem to merely copy or build on previous magical worlds, but was a new and unique magical system. I would like to learn more about it though. There was not enough explanation of how the gift was passed, does everyone have some ability, and was the heroine more than a singer? I hope these questions were intentionally left open for another book to answer. I also felt the book ended abruptly. There was so much suspense building up to the end of the book and I was so excited to find out how things unfolded, but the ending was abrupt and almost too neat. The world building was excellent. It was the highlight of this book. The world was very detailed, characters had depth, and there was a history detailed in the reading. If you are looking for a fun read I do recommend this book. I think the author has talent and is still developing this series. I would read a sequel and hope to get that opportunity.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. What she does not expect is to fall in love with the handsome prince Po.

This book is one of my favorite high fantasy books. Katsa has a lot of self-loathing in the beginning of the novel, but as the book progresses, she begins to find out more about herself and her grace. There is so much more to her and her gift than she originally gave herself credit for. Watching as the heroine grows and blooms into a stronger and more independent woman was an exciting experience. Enter the handsome Prince, the fun romance, and the very well developed magical system and you have the recipe for an enchanting magical experience. 

The world building for Graceling was excellent, Characters were very well developed and complex. If you ever want to enjoy a really excellent audio book this novel is read by several actors, with multiple voices for the various characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book. 

Spoiler Alert :....................My only negative about this book was that personally I wish Katsa had been willing to marry Prince Po. I am very traditional and I like happy marriages. Even if they had to travel and be apart at times, I think the book could have been better if the brave heroine had not been so afraid of the permanence associated with actual marriage. They both determined they wanted a relationship, and that relationship is beautiful, so why not make it legitimate?  Guess I am old fashioned.

4 out of 5 stars for Graceling
5 out of 5 stars for the audio book

The Rose and The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad is forced from the arms of her beloved husband, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once thought Khalid a monster—a merciless killer of wives, responsible for immeasurable heartache and pain—but as she unraveled his secrets, she found instead an extraordinary man and a love she could not deny. Still, a curse threatens to keep Shazi and Khalid apart forever.

This book is a solid and satisfying sequel to The Wrath and the Dawn. The set is a duology. The sequel is majestically and skillfully written! All loose ends are tied up, but not until every heartstring has been tugged, no yanked, from your chest. Think you can predict every contingency, think again. There will be surprises, conspiracies, revelations, and finally just when you cannot stand it anymore, resolution does occur, but what type of resolution, you will have to read to find out. I can tell you the magical element is a bit more predominant in The Rose and The Dagger than it was in its predecessor. However, it was not overdone. The world and cultural elements were still just as strong and elegant. The moments between the protagonists were brief, but heart wrenching. This is not your sappy romance or your cliche love triangle, this is the story of strong individuals, fighting against the world in an attempt to try to be together, with absolutely no guarantee of success and every reason to expect failure. 

I give the Rose and the Dagger 4 out of 5 Stars
Audio content 3 out of 5 stars

The Wrath and The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

This is a breath-taking book! I was afraid at first this was going to be a sicking case of Stockholm's Syndrome, but it was not. Shazi was so much stronger and so much deeper than I expected. I was hooked from the very beginning of this book.  I am not a big romance reader. I like a good love story, but i do not want it to dominate the book. Well this book is centered around a love story, but it is no cliche, sweet, love story. These are two strong and damaged individuals, both with reasons not to become attached to the other. They have absolutely no intention, or desire, to become entangled in a real relationship, and even as the love begins to grow, they both fight it. Not out of stupidity, or blindness, but these characters have real, tangible reasons not to want each others. The magical element in this book was woven into the background. it had quite a bit of influence over the story's plot, without permeating every move made. The world building was exceptional and the characters were well-developed.  I liked the blend of culture, magic, and wills as they collide to present the reader with this elegant, silky, young adult novel.   

I give the Wrath and the Dawn 5 out of 5 Stars
Audio Content 3 out of 5 stars

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

Sixteen-year-old Sorina has spent most of her life within the smoldering borders of the Gomorrah Festival. Yet even among the many unusual members of the traveling circus-city, Sorina stands apart as the only illusion-worker born in hundreds of years. This rare talent allows her to create illusions that others can see, feel and touch, with personalities all their own.

If you enjoyed the story behind Caraval, The Night Circus, and Freeks, you might enjoy this book. I had a lot of likes within the pages of this book. I liked the murder mystery and the magic system that formed. I always enjoy reading a good magic system. Yes I know they are not real, and no I do not practice witchcraft, but I love to read and have a big imagination, and books are meant to be an escape from reality. I did not care for the romance in this story. I do not enjoy Mushy or drown out, complex romance among youth and this book was saturated in it. I also do not support/like reading books with homosexual relationships in them. I acknowledge many of today's books have these themes, but I personally do not support them.   There seemed to be some of those suggestions made in this book. Before you tar and feather me, this is my site and my review, I have the right not to enjoy reading about things I do not support. I did not trash anyone and was not hateful, so I would appreciate the same courtesy.  

I give Daughter of the Burning City 2.5 out of 5 Stars
I give the audio performance for this book 4 out of 5 stars

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

It is not often I like a second book in a series as much, or maybe even more than the first, but enter Legendary.  In this book
 "The air tasted like wonder. Like candied butterfly wings caught in sugared spiderwebs, and drunken peaches coated in luck."  
This line says it all! The book is magical, explosive, suspenseful, and unpredictable!  There are twists and turns you would never expect. It is like riding on a roller coaster blindfolded. You know there are loops, whirls, drops, and spins coming, but you have no idea when or where and that is half of the excitement! Oh to live in this beautiful world where Caraval really exists! Stephanie Garber is a Grandmaster in her own right! she is a Master Legend of creation, she creates a world her readers yearn to be a part of! I was excited and disappointed to complete this book. I was elated to find out the answers to many of my questions, but sad that Caraval had ended again. I will read this book again and again! This book has become one of my new favorites, now to figure out how to update my favorites page.  The best part...... Legendary is not the last book!!! The author has announced there will be another book in this series!!! Oh to receive a ticket to this magical week!! I cannot wait for the sequel.  I did purchase this book in hard copy (it is beautiful) and audio format. The audio is absolutely fabulous. I love the voices the reader uses. The reader does an excellent job of capturing Tella's emotions throughout this book. It adds an extra depth and dimension to the book. If you like the book, you will love the audio version!

I give Legendary 5+++ stars out of 5 stars
I give the audio version 5 out of 5 stars