Miss Mayhem

Rachel Hawkins's Miss Mayhem is the second book of her Rebel Belle series.

Life is almost back to normal for Harper Price.  The Ephors have been silent after their deadly attack at the Cotillion months ago, and best friend Bee has returned after a mysterious disappearance.  Not Harper can return her focus to 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 trail that will either kill her...or connect her to David for life.

The Breakdown:
1. I love the crazy combination of Southern charm and supernatural life that Hawkins has created in these books.  It is like would you like some sweet tea with your butt kicking, and of course, I say yes please. Although, I have to admit this book to take me on an emotional roller coaster ride from beginning to end.

2.  Hawkins get complicated with everyone's relationship in this book.  Harper and David trying to find a balance between being a couple and her being his protector.  Harper and Ryan working to together as Paladin and Mage, but being an ex-couple trying to find their way to friendship.  Harper and Bee dealing with Bee's return and what it means.  Even Bee and Ryan get complicated towards the end.

3. A couple of things I absolutely loved about this book.  First, Aunt Jewel, she is amazing, and I definitely want to see more of her and Harper together.  Kudos on the Doctor Who reference thrown in the book. Oh, and Harper's use of boyfie to refer to David. If I was still in high school, I would totally use that term on a boyfriend.

4. Not going to lying, I have a serious book hangover from that ending. The feels that Hawkins gave me, I cannot even deal with it. Plus there is the question, was this ending, The End, or is there another book to come. Hawkins ending had a finality feel to it, but then again, there is a bit of cliff-hanger to it.  All I have to say is she's killing me!

To Read or Not to Read:
Read, but have a tissue handy

Heist Society

Heist Society by Ally Carter is the first book in the series of the same name.

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it.  For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels.  When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own- scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind.  Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kate's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape.  But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve.  Only a master thief would have pulled this job, and Kat' father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list.  Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back.  So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job: She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history-- and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

The Breakdown:
1. I have been on con-artist kick lately with books, and this book satisfies that craving so nicely. Carter sets up a couple of really beautiful con-jobs in this book, and very interesting characters. Plus, she throws in a little bit of a deeper, historical sub-plot, of the art stolen by the Nazis during World War 2.  All in all it makes for an exciting read with a few fun twist in it.

2. I really liked Kat.  She is intelligent, and despite her brief journey away from them, she is very loyal to those she considers family.  I loved following her through this book as she makes some discoveries about herself, and what she wants out of life.  Although, at times, she willfully tries to dismiss Hale's feelings for her.

3. Speaking of Kat and Hale, they definitely have an interesting relationship between them.  There is attraction and loyalty between them. Hale seems to be the one ready to take the next step, while Kat is being very cautious of that step.  There is a serious tension between them when Kat brings home Nick. I am excited to see how their relationship will evolve in future books, and if Nick will make more appearances.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Daimon

Jennifer L. Armentrout's Daimon is a novella that is the prequel to her Covenant series.

"Love in my world usually ended up with someone hearing 'I smite thee!' as she was cursed to be some lame flower for the rest of her life."

For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals-- pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod.  At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty.  According to her mother, that's a good thing.  

But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head.  A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother warned her she should never return- the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death... because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill.  The daimons have found her. 

The Breakdown:
1. This is a super quick read, only about 60 pages long.  It is a wonderful introduction to the world that JLA is starting with this series. She sets up the hierarchy and the rules of the Covenant, along with a nice introduction to Alex the main character.

2. I already like Alex.  She is fiery and passionate, and while her temper gets her into trouble, I like her the better for it.  I can't wait to get to know her even better in the series. Plus JLA hints that Alex is more than the average Half-blood in this story.  I am dying to know more, and why exactly her mother took her and ran from the Covenant.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Dead Heat

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Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs is the newest book in the Alpha & Omega series.

For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles's role as his father's enforcer.  This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal, as Charles plans to buy Anna a horse for her birthday.  Or at least it starts out that way...

Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums.  The Fae's cold war with humanity is about to heat up- and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire.

The Breakdown:
1. I love this universe that Briggs has created both with this series and the Mercy Thompson series.  She makes the fairy tales and nightmares seem possible to living side by side with the average human. I find her characters, from the heroes to the villains, all to be interesting. Plus, she proves once again that the Fae are not to be trusted, especially if you have pissed them off.

2. I love Charles and Anna's relationship.  They really seem to have a true partnership in their marriage. Anna is so wonderful at understanding Charles and his moods.  She gets him, when so many are afraid to even approach him.  Likewise, he understands that she does not need his constant protection, but wants his support and loves just being with him.

3. After the ending of Fair Game, I knew there would definitely be issues with the Fae in the future, and this book shows that the Fae are targeting the humans.  I enjoyed following Charles and Anna and investigate the strange events, and the Fae behind them. Plus FBI Agent Leslie Fisher gets to come back for this book. I had a hard time putting this book down because I was dying to know what happened next.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

The Immortal Who Loved Me

The Immortal Who Loved Me is the latest book in Lynsay Sands' Argeneau series.

A few hours ago, Sherry Carne would have sworn that vampires didn't exist.  That's before rogue immortals rampage through her store leaving bloody chaos (literally) in their wake.  The kicker comes when Sherry learns that one of the vamps on the bad guys' trail may be her life mate.  Her head says it's impossible.  The rest of her takes one look at Basileios Argeneau and has much more interesting ideas.

Whatever Basil expected in a life mate, funny, outspoken Sherry isn't it.  But mind-blowing chemistry and instinct don't lie.  They tell him something else, too- that Sherry's connection to the immortal world goes deeper than she knows.  And that she's in the kind of danger only Basil can save her from- if she'll just trust him, now and forever...

The Breakdown:
1. At first I really enjoyed this series, but lately I feel as though Sands has begun to run out of ideas for new plots and the books are growing stale.  After this book, I am just not sure if I am going to continue with reading the series.

2. I felt the development of the characters of Sherry and Basil was mediocre at best.  It seemed like Sands spent so much time with them having sex that I missed really getting to know the characters. The bits I did see of them felt a little like recycled pieces of past characters.

3. There were a couple of bright spots to the book.  First, Sands did get catch up with the immortals of Port Henry, which was nice to see how they are all doing.  Second, she did have interesting developments in Stephanie's character in the book that has me questioning what's in store for her.  Lastly, she finally brings the Leonius story to a close, and thank goodness, because it was really starting to drag.

To Read or Not to Read:
Probably Skip This One

Rebel Belle

Rachel Hawkins' Rebel Belle is the first book in the series of the same name.

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.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him- and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

The Breakdown:
1. Hawkins described this book as Terminator meets Legally Blonde, which is a surprisingly accurate description.  Harper is quite the embodiment of a traditional Southern Belle, who just happens to have amazing fighting skills. I loved the quirky small Southern town stuff, and the bit of mythology thrown into the mix.

2. Harper is an over-achiever who is determined to make her school a better place.  She definitely has some serious insecurities that she tries to hide from the world, most of which stem from her sister's death.  Her sister's death is the elephant in the room that everyone is so desperately trying to ignore.  It will be interesting to see if Hawkins expands more on that in the next books.  Harper, while thrown into the role of Paladin, is determined not to let it ruin her plans, but at the same time do her best at the job.

3. David is an interesting character.  He strangely seems out to get Harper, at the beginning, but at the same time he does some really nice things for her.  I really liked his strange sense of style.  He and Harper have some serious thin line between love and hate chemistry going on.  I cannot wait to see how this all works out for them.

4. I really liked the supporting characters in this book.  Bee, Harper's best friend, is funny and loyal, and always looking out for her friend.  Ryan, Harper's boyfriend, is sweet and cute, and will definitely be playing an important role in the rest of the series.  Saylor, David's aunt, is protective and loving of him, and has some very interesting secrets of her own.

5.  The ending of this book packed quite the punch.  I did not see a lot of that coming.  I interested to see how those events will affect the relationships and progress of the story in the next book.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

The Chase

The Chase is the second of Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg's Fox and O'Hare books.

Internationally renowned thief and con artist Nicholas Fox is famous for running elaborate and daring scams.  His greatest con of all: convincing the FBI to team him up with only person who has ever caught him, and the only woman to ever capture his attention, Special Agent Kate O'Hare.  Together they'll go undercover to swindle and catch the world's most wanted- and untouchable- criminals.  

Their newest target is Carter Grove, a former White House chief of staff and the ruthless leader of a private security agency.  Grove has stolen a rare Chinese artifact from the Smithsonian, a crime that will torpedo U.S. relations with China if it ever becomes public.  Now, Nick and Kate must work under the radar- and against the clock- to devise a plan to steal the piece back. A daring heist and deadly chase lead them from Washington, D.C. to Shanghai, to the underbelly of Montreal.  But it'll take more than death threats, trained henchmen, and the fate of the dynasty's priceless heirloom to outsmart Fox and O'Hare.

The Breakdown:
1. I have enjoyed Evanovich since I first picked up One for the Money, and her with Goldberg is a fun combination.  The book is a quick, fun read, with some pretty awesome cons thrown in. There are some serious laughs in this book, and there is some really great action, too.

2. I  very much enjoy the characters of Fox and O'Hare, plus I see what they did there with the play on words. They are such excellent foils of each other.  Fox with his schemes and cons, and total disregard for the law in general, and O'Hare with her straight laced attitude and black and white view of the law.  The make for a most interesting pair, not only for their opposite positions in life, but because of the sexual tension between them.

3.  While I do very much enjoy all of Kate and Nicholas' interactions, I think my favorite interactions are between Kate and her father.  They are fun to read, and let's face it her father is hilarious.  An retired special forces guy who really miss the action.  I loved when Kate asked him to teach her how to make bombs, and they are going to get the grandkids involves so it will be a family affair, probably my favorite scene in the book.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Written in the Stars

Written in the Stars is by debut author Aisha Saeed

Naila's conservative immigrant parents have always said the same thing: She may choose what to study, how to wear her hair, and what to be when she grows up- by they will choose her husband.  Following their cultural tradition, they will plan an arranged marriage for her.  And until then, dating- even friendship with a boy- is forbidden.  When Naila breaks their rules by falling in love with Saif, her parents are livid.  Convinced she has forgotten who she truly is, they travel to Pakistan to visit relatives and explore their roots.  But Naila's vacation turns into a nightmare when she learns that plans have changed- her parents have found her a husband and they want her to marry him, now!  Despite her greatest efforts, Naila is aghast to find herself cut off from everything and everyone she once knew.  Her only hope of escape is Saif... if he can find her before it's too late.

The Breakdown:
1. Saeed's style and subject remind me heavily of Khaled Hosseni's writing. This is not a subject for the light of heart, but it is a great story and has some very deep messages.  It really enlightened me of forced arranged marriages, and they are not just happening to people in far off places.

2. I really liked Naila as a character.  She is smart, and so much stronger than I imagine I would be in her situation.  She bends but they do not break her in the end.  My heart hurts for her at times, and despite what a good daughter she has been that her parents so easily throw her away.

3. Saif is a truly amazing character.  What he goes through to find her, and how his love for her does not change despite the changes in her.  He is the kind of guy every girls wish they could meet.

4. Saeed does not only an amazing job of writing on such a heavy subject, but she also paints an amazing picture of Pakistan.  She describes the food, landscape, and even the culture so wonderfully.  It is easy to imagine the setting and almost the feel and smell of being there.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Trust Me, I'm Lying

Mary Elizabeth Summer's Trust Me, I'm Lying is the first book of her Trust Me series.

Julep Dupree tells lies.  A lot of them.  She's a con artist, a master of disguise and a sophomore at Chicago's swanky St. Agatha High, where her father, an old-school grifter with a weakness for the ponies sends her to so she can learn to mingle with the upper crust.  For extra spending money, Julep doesn't rely on her dad- she runs petty scams for her classmates while dodging the dean of students and maintaining an A+ (okay, A-) average.

But when she comes home one day to a ransacked apartment and her father gone, Julep's carefully laid plans for an expenses-paid golden ticket to Yale start to unravel.  Even with help from St. Agatha's resident Prince Charming, Tyler Richland, and her loyal hacker sidekick, Sam, Julep struggles to trace her dad's trail of clues through a maze of creepy stalkers, hit attempts, family secrets, and worse, the threat of foster care.  With everything she has at stake, Julep's in way over her head... but that's not going to stop her from using every trick in the book to find her dad before his mark finds her.  Because that would be criminal.

The Breakdown:
1. I love a good con, and this book definitely had that going on.  Summer kept me guessing on the end game, and who exactly was running what games.  She managed to throw in some pretty terrific surprises along the way.  This book kept me engaged beginning to end, and was hard to put down because I was dying to know what happens next.

2. Julep is an excellent grifter, but she is not always excellent at reading those closest to her.  She is completely clueless to Sam's deeper feelings toward her, but it makes her a little enduring.  I love that at the end, she proves she really is a good person despite her criminal tendencies.

3. Summer sets up an interesting love triangle between Julep, Tyler, and Sam, which does not turn out the way I expected.  She actually shocks me with the outcome.  I know YA love triangles are overdone, but this is definitely unique for how things play out.

4. Wow, that ending!  It really does pull some shockers, and at times makes me get a little teary eyed. Then there is the mystery of Julep's long absent mother that I am dying to know more about.  Summer dropped some serious hints about her, including that she may not be as long gone as Julep thought.  I am interested to see in that plays into the next book.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read, especially if you're a fan of Ocean's 11, White Collar, or Leverage.