Outpost

Review:

Picks up where Enclave left off. Deuce and the gang now live in Salvation. Salvation is a completely different place from where she grew up. I thought Salvation was also a dark, depressing place. I could argue its even worse since they have traditional gender roles and anyone who is outside that proscribed roll is treated badly.
I did like how Deuce was willing to try to learn and fit in. She was loved and accepted, just as she was, by her foster family. By the end, she did find her place, but events happened and this ended in a cliffhanger. I have to decide if I want to read book 3. It's been dark and depressing and I'm not sure I will be in the right mood for it.

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1570777/outpost

Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

Review:

With all the shit going on in the world, this should be required reading. It's not that long and can be easily read in an evening. Written in first person, this is a letter to a friend by the author. She gives suggestions for raising a strong, feminist girl (and these suggestions could also be used to raise feminist boys too).
Highlights:
"Share child care equally." "...you both made the choice to bring a child into the world, and the responsibility for that child belongs equally to you both." Preach.
"We judge powerful women more harshly than we judge powerful men." A good, recent example of this is Hillary Clinton and all the criticism that got thrown her way last year.
"I have kept my name because it is my name. I have kept my name because I like my name." Loved this since I didn't change my name when I got married. I got a lot of criticism for that choice too. I remember my mom saying something like, "why bother to get married?"
"Teach her that she is not merely an object to be liked or disliked, she is also a subject who can like or dislike." Growing up, it was always be nice!
"The shame we attach to female sexuality is about control. Many cultures and religions control women's bodies in one way or another."
"Teach her about difference. Make difference ordinary. Make difference normal. Teach her not t attach value to difference." I loved this one.

 

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1569570/dear-ijeawele-or-a-feminist-manifesto-in-fifteen-suggestions

Dazzling

Review:

Siobhan is an artist who takes a hostess job at an upscale bar. Derick is a billionaire (aren't they all?) who patronizes the bar. Siobhan literally falls down (seriously- she HAS to be clumsy) in front of him. But wait! He catches her and is instantly interested.
This was predictable and boring. Luckily, this was short, so I didn't waste a lot of time on it or money (Thanks to the library!). It's also part of a trilogy- cliffhanger ahead! No HFN (much less a HEA). And guess what? I really don't care and won't be reading further.

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1569069/dazzling

Ever After

Review:

Olivia gets caught and arrested while spray painting graffiti on a local factory farm. It's funny, because the phrase "chicken assassins" ended up being "chicken ass" because she got caught. Pete is the deputy that arrested her. That's how she spend her 29th birthday.
I think I liked this one the best in this series. Olivia owned up to her mistake and learned from it. She's passionate about animal welfare and I liked that plot line. She did come across as immature; mainly because she doesn't stand up to her parents. They are both lawyers and dream of her becoming one too. Except, she doesn't want to, so rather then tell them no and do something about it, she dropped out of law school. By the end of the book, she's much more mature and owns it.
Pete dreams of making detective. Divorced and has been BIG parental baggage too. He is stuck in a rut. Olivia gets him out of that rut.
I really liked the animal rights/welfare take in this book (and series). And Hallie was a white kitten and Timber is a German Shepherd- so the cover got it right!

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1569068/ever-after

Trinity

Review:

Renee is mated (or imprinted) to Galen. She literally bumps into Jack on her way home. Jack, a werewolf, realizes Renee is his mate. He finds out she is imprinted with Galen.
I thought this was decent. I liked the dialogue between the three and how they worked it out. I thought they communicated well and talked things out. Of course things moved at a fast pace. I would have liked more development with Galen and Jack's relationship.
What drove this done in rating, was there was just too much going on and not enough time to devote to anything. There's Renee not knowing anything about her heritage/not knowing anything about her powers, her mother's murder, her bitch of a stepmother and asshole father, a stalker who tries to kill her, secret family...woo, I'm out of breath! If the focus was on a few of these things and explored more, this would have been so much better. Not to mention there is a fricking CLIFFHANGER.
I probably won't be picking it up, since this one just had too much going on, and the next one is about someone else close to Renee (I will not say who as it is a bit spoilery).

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1568225/trinity

Fair Game

Review:

Something is wrong with Charles. Anna is the only one to see it. She tries to intervene on his behalf, only to be dismissed. It isn't until she bring it up with another werewolf, that Bran decides to have Charles do other things too. This leads them to Boston. They go to consult with the FBI. There is a serial killer targeting supernaturals.
I both enjoyed this and found it frustrating. One was Charles attitude towards Anna by not TALKING to her. Anna is kidnapped and needs to be rescued. However, Charles does learn. And I think, if given a chance, maybe Anna could have saved herself (and yes, I know that's a lot of wishful thinking- but she didn't give up and would have gone down fighting).
I really enjoyed the mystery regarding the serial killer and figuring out the who-is-it. I didn't see THAT ENDING coming. Holy shit! That will (I would think) play into the next book (in the timeline it is a Mercy book). I need to read the synopsis to find out.....

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1567529/fair-game

Viable Threat

Review:

eARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing and NetGalley
Available May 22nd

Ava Lloyd, a microbiologist with the CDC, is tasked with trying to find the source and cause of a deadly outbreak. River, a Special Forces soldier, is tasked to help protect her. They have to dodge anything and everything.
I liked the pacing. The majority of the book (about 90%) occurs over 28 hour time span. It's just jam packed with action, no one gets a break. I really got the sense of racing against the clock. There are a few sexy times during the first 28 hours, but it felt realistic to the situation and didn't make me roll my eyes (you know those romantic suspense books where the sexy times happen while bullets are flying...not here). They fall for each other quickly, but their circumstances are rather unusual too.
I also liked the medical knowledge that went with writing about an outbreak. Very nice!
The villain is kinda decent (but can be guessed at fairly easily). I did like that religion was not a motive behind the attacks (and not mentioned at all that I remember). There are open ended questions/plot lines that may pick up in book 2 (if there is a book 2). I happen to have the first book in this author's another series (Deadly Strain) that I got on sale. I will have to bump that one up (currently buried in Mt TBR).

****eARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing and NetGalley
Out May 22nd

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1566738/viable-threat