The She-Hulk Diaries

Review:

I'm generally not a reader of comics, but I do enjoy the Marvel and DC properties on the big and small screen.  So, I was interested in this one even though Bruce Banner/the Hulk is a character I'm fairly ambivalent about.  This book is about his cousin, Jennifer Walters.

Jen is good at her job, but also has self-esteem and some anger issues in regards to her alter ego She-Hulk.  At the beginning she was a bit hard to like for me; she was (IMO) shallow, immature.  Her best friend Dahlia was also.  By the end, she was a little better. 

I didn't like the big focus on getting a boyfriend.  There is a bit of a love triangle with Sven and Ellis.  I didn't like that Ellis was engaged to Amber.  Amber, was also a BITCH (because of course she has to be, right?).  

Didn't care for the fashion show fat shaming.  Interesting story-line regarding ReplaceMax with cloned organs.  Just not enough for me and ended up a little disappointed.  

This fits in very well with the "New Adult" genre.  But based on a comic superhero/sci-fi/supernatural elements.  Thus far, I've noted there are very few NA books I've actually liked.  As a result, I generally avoid them.

Booklikes Bingo:  13 square (this book was published in 2013 and it was 13 in the ISBN #!)

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1798202/the-she-hulk-diaries

Magic to the Bone

Review:

In this world anyone can use magic. Magic was "discovered." However, magic comes with a price that user must pay. And, of course, people being assholes, could choose to not pay the price and "Offload" it someone else. That's where Allie comes in. She is a Hound and finds those that abuse magic.
So, yes! I was excited. This was different! I liked the writing and world building. It was interesting. However, I had Issues with Allie. I thought she was immature, lacked common sense, and was a little TSTL. She couldn't hold on to money to save her life. At the beginning, Allie is Hounding a hit on Boy. The magic signature (magic leaves a traceable signature) points at her father. Allie goes and confronts her father. He denies it and she does a truth spell (also supposed to be infallible) that shows he is telling the truth. Then something happens to her father and Allie is blamed for it. She knows she didn't do it. So, does she question the Hounding result from earlier. Nope. Still believes dear old dad is responsible.
I'm not sure how I feel about magic's effect on Allie either. She gets sick/has pain and also memory loss. She loses random, important memories. One one hand, it's both a different and convenient plot point, and the other hand I thought it was sad. She quotes earlier in the book: "Sometimes I felt like a ghost in my own life."
Zayvion is a mystery. I liked Nola, Cody, and Kitten.
I'm probably not going to read anymore in this series. Allie was an exercise in frustration and also sadness.
Booklikes Halloween Bingo: Free Space!

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1797531/magic-to-the-bone

Possessing the Witch

Review:

Excellent start from the point of Amanda, the victim. This is the first book I've read in this series, and luckily it stands on it's own. I enjoyed the sisters. I liked the idea of a group of people living in the tunnels under the city- by choice because of they way they were born or by circumstance.
Good heroine that saves the hero. It was nice she didn't need saving. The romance (and sex) is quick to happen, but I thought it worked.
The villain wasn't special and you can guess easily who it is. I'm surprised this person had gotten away with it so long, but then when

[spoiler]

it's your brother, someone you trust, blinders come into play.

[/spoiler]

Lets see if I get this right- Selene gift of spirit, Brigid- fire, Deme- Earth, Aurai- Wind/weather, and Gina- Water. I'd be interested in other books featuring the Chattox sisters.

I'm using this for the Supernatural square

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1797242/possessing-the-witch

Lowcountry Boil

Review:

This was entertaining. I enjoyed the mystery- there was more than one thing going on and as such more than one mystery! I knew where one was going, but not the other!
I thought most of the characters were likable. Liz was stupid a time or 2 (leaving her purse, keys, gun behind), but hey I understood the rush. I did like adding Colleen to the mix; I love the paranormal, but there really wasn't an explanation why Liz (and only Liz). I would have liked more on Nate. I did like Liz telling Michael no. However, the makings (please no) are there for a love triangle. Michael is a spineless idiot and I absolutely do not want him with Liz!
I think the thing I enjoyed most was the sibling interactions. I also wasn't sure how much Deanna really knew, or if she was an innocent as she seemed.
One thing that really bothered me was I felt at the end Marci (the Schemer) was being forced into a

[spoiler]

pregnancy

[/spoiler]

she didn't want. (She was one of the most unsympathetic, unlikable characters, but I disliked that plot point).

Booklikes Bingo: Murder Most Foul

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1796682/lowcountry-boil

Halloween Bingo Update the First

 

Called AND Read:

Relics and Curiosities:  Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews 9/10

Cozy Mystery: Truly Madly by Heather Webber 9/16

New Release: I Am Justice by Diana Munoz Stewart 9/18

Diverse Voices: Black Lace by Beverly Jenkins 9/26

Southern Gothic: Dark Cries of Gray Oaks by Lee Karr 9/15

Modern Masters of Horror: Dead Spots by Rhiannon Frater 9/22

 

Read, not called:

 

Ghost Stories:  The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens 9/29

 

 

 

 

 

 

Currently reading (called):

Murder Most Foul: Lowcountry Boil by Susan Boyer 

 

Called and not read:

Free Space:  Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk

Creepy Carnivals: Wicked Weaves by Joyce and Jim Lavene

Genre: Suspense: Barefoot With a Bodyguard by Roxanne St Clair

Cryptozoologist: Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh

Supernatural: Possessing the Witch by Elle James

 

Terrifying Women: A Girl in Disguise by Greer MacAllister

 

 

List:

Genre: Horror: Dreadful Skin by Cherie Priest

Spellbound:  A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper

Baker Street Irregulars: The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle

13: She Hulk by Marta Acosta

 

Terror in a Small Town: 

Dead Lands: Once Bitten, Twice Burned by Cynthia Eden

Doomsday:  Married With Zombies by Jesse Peterson

Fear the Drowning Deep: Tsunami Blue by Gayle Ann Williams

Country House Mystery: Ghost of a Chance by Katie MacAllister

 

Darkest London: Firelight by Kristin Callihan

Shifters: Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1796100/halloween-bingo-update-the-first

The Kingdom

Review:

Wow! So, this book answer the of the questions from The Restorer. Amelia's parentage is answered. This focuses much less on cemetery restoration and more on this creepy, small town. No one likes to talk. There is also a secondary story-line with Ivy. I'm not sure if I would have nixed that or given her more depth. I did like this one a bit better then the first book. 
I did find it annoying Amelia's brooding over Devlin. While he wasn't on the page, he was still very present. I thought Thane could have been a new love interest, but I can't say more other than you get a definitive answer in that possibility!
I can make assumptions about the "Evil." Thus far, no concrete answers were given in regards to let. Like what makes the area vulnerable? What is it exactly? I liked Amelia's new side kick Angus. And on that note, Thane found (I assume) the dog fighting ring. But shortly after, Amelia noted Hugh's face was beat up too. So, did Hugh help Thane? Or was Hugh behind the dog fighting? No answer (that I remember) was given. 
I also wound't label this romance; it's categorized as paranormal romance. I consider this series to be more in line with urban fantasy. The romance takes a back seat. It's more about Amelia, her world, her job, her abilities, and (yes) finding herself and what she is capable off.
Booklikes Bingo: Ghost Stories square.

Major spoilers behind page break

Amelia's parents were Freya and Edward. Her grandmother Tilly, her grandfather (Caleb) was her adoptive father. Both her grandparents and mother had paranormal abilities (Tilly- premonitions, Caleb-ghosts, Freya-ghosts (and I think she had premonitions too if memory is right). Freya was murdered by Luna. But, Hugh, Catrice, Bryn were all complacent in her death. Pell Asher helped cover her death up. He also had a hand in Thane's fiance (or did she?) and Edward's wife deaths. Hugh, Catrice, Bryn, and Pell all perish (I assume) at the end when Pell's mansion slides down the hill after severe rainstorms flood the area.

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1796089/the-kingdom

Black Lace

Review:

Lacy recently moved to Detroit from Atlanta. She is an activist and is focused on cleaning up the environment. She's been married and divorced. 
Drake is a doctor and now mayor of Detroit. Drake is also very attractive. Both are intelligent, driven people with the goal of making things better for the average person.
While I liked both main characters, I hated the "Big Bad" and his henchman, just as I was supposed to. They were awful people. 
I was disappointed with the suspense, I don't think this was suspenseful at all. Suspense-wise, the last quarter was where all the suspense was. A positive- Lacy was not kidnapped nor did she need to be rescued! 

Halloween Bingo (Booklikes) Diverse Voices

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1795518/black-lace