Book Reviews – Page 10 – Have Coffee Need Books

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Book Review: A Queen’s Pride by N.D. Jones

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ByMs Ali Cat: Ali Crean | On July 02,20 | 0 Comment

Title: A Queen’s Pride (Feline Nation #1)
Author: N.D. Jones
Genre: Urban Fantasy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a timely read.

Asha is the Heir of the Kingdom of Shona. Her parents, Khalid Bambara and Sekham Zarina are the Alphas of the Kingdom. The protectors. They are who stand between their people and the corrupt humans of the Republic of Vumaris. These humans are willing to do anything to acquire more land and power, and shedding blood is only the start.

There are some massive concepts within these pages. N.D. Jones looks at the dynamics of family, race, class, politics, governmental overreaching, and self-sacrifice to start. The idea that humans will use brute force over cunning to acquire power is loud and clear.

There are many trigger alerts in this book due to the realism, despite the magical genre. I warn readers for torture, sexual content, brutal violence, and mental health issues resulting from PTSD. A Queen’s Pride isn’t a YA book.

But it is compelling and delicious, an addictive page-turner.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary advance copy of this book.

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Book Review: The Redpoint Crux by Morgan Shamy

Title: The Redpoint Crux
Author: Morgan Shamy
Genre: Gothic Fiction
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book isn’t for me. How do I know? Because I read it and it bored me to tears. 20% in I almost DNF’ed it, but I stuck with it only to skim through the remainder of the book reading it in chunks. Nothing much happens.

The book starts with two disjointed tales; one is Megan Tucker’s in Colorado, and the other is Liam Reynolds and the Theater Company in Nova Scotia–two teenage rebels who are grabbing the world with both hands. Megan ‘Red’ Tucker is a ballerina gone mountain climber well off the beaten path. Liam is a prodigal son who has come back to claim his family’s legacy. But nothing much happens chapter after chapter to advance the story but monotonous exposition and reiteration.

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Book Review: Aggro by Coralee June and Carrie Gray

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ByMs Ali Cat: Ali Crean | On June 26,20 | 0 Comment

Title: Aggro
Author: Cora l ee June and Carrie Gray
Genre: Romance
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Coralee June is always satisfying. She’s pizza. I could happily one-click any of her books and come away from the experience without regret. And while Aggro is my introduction to Carrie Gray, it’s a happy one.

Breeze Shirley is understated, and she likes it that way. She doesn’t need to command the room, she lets her bestie, Violet, sparkle, and shine. Breeze is happy being in the ocean on her surfboard, riding waves. She’s loyal. Breeze loves honestly and true. She’s the best, best friend, a best friend could want. And Violet is her true blue. The two are deep in one another’s pockets and never too far apart. This is why when Violet is murdered, it shatters Breeze’s entire world–but worse it shows her all the shadows that existed in Violet’s that Breeze never knew existed.

This book is categorized as a romance, but really it’s much more of a coming-of-age story and a real heartbreaker, so bring your tissues because there are lots of times you are going to tear up. Breeze is an incredibly sympathetic character, and relating to her is so easy to do. She is written so beautifully vulnerable, and so full of graceful strength that you root for her to choose good things. I kept telling Breeze to choose healing instead of grief while tears were running down my face, and my nose was sniffling pathetically.

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Book Review: Playground Zero by Sarah Relyea

Playground Zero by Sarah Relyea

ByMs Ali Cat: Ali Crean | On June 25,20 | 0 Comment

Title: Playground Zero
Author: Sarah Relyea
Genre: Historical Fiction
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sarah Relyea has penned a coming of age story set in one of the United States coming of age periods during the late 1960s. The Raysons family are all children of their time, and the third person alternating point-of-view lets us see the world they live in through their eyes and experience their day-to-day–Tom Rayson is not a likable man.

The book follows the family as they cross the country from the East Coast to the West Coast to establish new lives in Berkley, CA, during the bussing and integration of black students. Sarah Relyea has a great atmosphere for her story; there are many times she painted the events happening with her words.

In today’s climate, reading books of this nature might shed some light on social dynamics between races — although there are times I felt a little like there was an unconscious bias for the great work the Raysons were doing regardless of what they did. And Tom is thoroughly unlikeable.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary advance copy of this book.

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Book Review: The Attic Tragedy by J. Ashley Smith

The Attic Tragedy by J. Ashley-Smith

ByMs Ali Cat: Ali Crean | On June 19,20 | 0 Comment

Title: The Attic Tragedy
Author: J. Ashley-Smith
Genre: LGBTQIA+, Coming of Age, Paranormal, Dark Fantasy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes, when I read things written by British or Aussie writers, I feel the story suffers from my lack of knowledge of slang and terminology. It made The Attic Tragedy more beautiful and served its sucker-punches more viciously.

George is dealing with all the things that make adolescence hell: school, the primary devil, and a budding crush with a fellow outcast, Sylvie, a particular demon. Sylvie makes it all worth it though with her gentle whimsy and accepting soul–it doesn’t hurt that Sylvie is magical. It’s not just that she’s beyond a dream, she says she sees ghosts. George can’t help but fall hopelessly for the ethereal beauty. But life doesn’t end at high school; neither does George’s story.

“Don’t be sorry,” she said. “Don’t ever be sorry. You’re beautiful, George. You’re tree roots and fresh mown grass and the smell of rocks and apples. What’s inside you is so real, so alive. It’s burning you up.”
The Attic Tragedy by J. Ashley-Smith

J. Ashley-Smith weaves a tale of trials, failures, and successes centered around protagonist George and her struggle with self-acceptance and inner squabbles with self-loathing. Centering around vignettes of heartbreak as she watches Sylvie grow up, and away, from the girlhood qualities that made her so unique to become a wife and mother to a smarmy prig.

This book is quite magical. Highly recommendable.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary advance copy of this book.

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Book Review: Fortune Fae Academy by J.R. Thorn

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ByMs Ali Cat: Ali Crean | On June 17,20 | 0 Comment

Title: Fortune Fae Academy: Book One (Fortune Fae Academy #1)
Author: J.R. Thorn
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Omegaverse, Reverse Harem
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I didn’t get it.
I tried.
But by the end of the book, I still wasn’t there.

Seifiek is an Alpha Fortune Fae, a Midnight Fae who denied himself the temptation of blood and evolved into a new species. But at that point, it all goes bonkers, gets complicated, and facts are fuzzy: there is the Web, Dust, Astral world, and me never knowing if we are in the Web or not.

A lot of world-building happens in this book, and it’s confusing despite a helpful glossary of terms. But not just the terminology tripped me up–I didn’t understand the heroine. She’s a brat; Gina isn’t likable. I didn’t understand her motivation. She was running away from the Alpha always, but why? I couldn’t figure it out. As a matter of fact, she’s underdeveloped compared to the male characters who are much more carefully constructed. Alex, Zeke, and Rowan are complex characters. Gina’s entire characterization is escape and sex. She’s boring.

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Book Review: Fractures by Alice Reeds

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ByMs Ali Cat: Ali Crean | On June 09,20 | 0 Comment

Title: Fractures (Echoes #2)
Author: Alice Reeds
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Augh. Miles? Fiona? What is happening? I love it. I hate it. I can’t deal.

If you read Echoes you know what to expect going into Fractures, and Alice Reeds does not disappoint! As a matter of fact, she doubles up!

Miles and Fiona are off the Island; the hunt is not on, but they are still in the clutches of the Briola Bio-Tech peeps. The dark corporation takes a more insidious turn this book as Alice Reeds cracks open the bad apple and takes us into the Garden of Evil. The new mind fracture has them in Poland at a villa where they are being tortured by Briola, as well as on a remote freighter searching for survival in unsurvivable conditions.

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Book Review: Midnight Fae Academy Book Two by Lexi C. Foss

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ByMs Ali Cat: Ali Crean | On June 05,20 | 0 Comment

Title: Midnight Fae Academy: Book Two (Midnight Fae Academy #2)
Author: Lexi C. Foss
Genre: Reverse Harem, Paranormal Romance
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodness me! Brilliant.

Where to even start, though!? I don’t even know!? I’m flabbergasted.

So book one was really to lull us into a sense of comfort and give us a sense of happiness so Lexi C. Foss could mentally screw with our heads in book two and leave us devastated and in need of therapy.

You shouldn’t be reading this if you haven’t read book uno, so shame on you if you spoil yourself. Book two begins immediately where one left off in Shade’s chambers, with Zeph and the guards showing up, and Aflora vowing vengeance on her mates. You should be all girl power at this point even if you have an inkling that this is a misunderstanding because women need to stick together against the patriarchal rule that is the Nacht Dynasty.

So much of Midnight Fae Academy Book Two is emotionally yo-yo-ing that I don’t have the words to write a review. This book is incredible, but my brain is fried.

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Book Review: Awful Curse by Elena Monroe

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ByMs Ali Cat: Ali Crean | On June 03,20 | 0 Comment

Title: Awful Curse (Celestial Bodies #1)
Author: Elena Monroe
Genre: Romance
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Being a douche is an Awful Curse, and Bolton Cadoc is the King of the affliction, crowned royalty of the Douchedom. There are anti-heroes, and then there are just dudes you can’t like. I can’t like him. Thankfully the other characters make up for it, and his best friend, Nyx, is the kind of jerkface I would date. There is no accounting for my youthful choices in guys, though.

What happens when you keep burning bridges? Your dad keeps shipping you into more desperate places. The latest location Arianna’s father has sent her is Arcadia Prep. A place where she is surrounded by all the people she would never rub elbows with. Her roommate Luna is more motherly that she’s encountered in all her previous homes. And the guy she’s obsessed with loves to hate her–bad choices in guys is something she does have some experience with but this is a new low.

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Book Review: Pretty Nightmare by J.A. Huss

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ByMs Ali Cat: Ali Crean | On May 28,20 | 0 Comment

Title: Pretty Nightmare (Creeping Beautiful #1)
Author: J.A. Huss
Genre: Psychological Fiction
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Is it just me, or does anyone else feel bruised after reading Company novels? I loved James Fenici and Harper Tate and devoured that trilogy, but no other Company book has made me that hungry. Maybe it was because those were my introduction and now I’m like nine books in and it’s all WRONG, DIRTY, BAD–and not in a good or sexy way.

Pretty Nightmare is book two in the Creeping Beautiful series. Indie Anna Accorsi is the pretty nightmare of Core McKay and Adam Boucher, and the eternal mystery of Donovan Couture. Book one was the formative years, and book two is a collection of snapshots and flashbacks of epic events and occasions of importance leading to our ultimate series of reveals. And this time there are some real zingers.