Three’s Company by Kristian Parker

October 19, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Three’s Company by Kristian Parker
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

They’re the perfect throuple…if only the rest of the world agreed.

Will Johnstone’s father is desperately ill, and he races home from London to the Yorkshire village of Napthwaite to be with him. Almost immediately he meets cute postman, Hardeep and mysterious newcomer, Andrew. There weren’t handsome men like this in Napthwaite when he lived here…

Heat flares between the three very different men, passion they have no intention of resisting, or denying. But having their roots deep and their lives entwined in a small village is not like living in a bustling metropolis. And with domineering mothers, problem teenagers, sick fathers and someone’s past knocking at the door, the path of true love is anything but smooth.

Can Will, Hardeep and Andrew, three very different people, steer their relationship past the rocks and find a way into uncharted territory…together?

When Will got the call that his father was ill and needed his help, he put on the role of dutiful son and came home. However, when he arrived in the sleepy little village of his childhood, he stumbles into something he’d never anticipated. Something that could change his life – for the better – forever. But is he strong enough to embrace it?

Will’s situation was a tough one. He and his father had a strained relationship that kept them apart for various reasons, reasons that were understandable, but not insurmountable. It was stressful at first, watching their interactions, but as the story moves forward and they spend more time together, they begin to get reacquainted. Seeing their relationship mend was one of the highlights of the story, in my opinion.

Andrew is stuck in a time loop it seems. He wants desperately to move on from his previous, unsatisfying relationship, but doesn’t seem able to move on. It makes sense when you finally find out more about his past, but his entire attitude towards Will and Hardeep almost ruined it all for me. Luckily for him (and me, I suppose), his two potential boyfriends aren’t willing to give up on him.

My favorite of the three by far was Hardeep. I could relate to him being a single father and the clashes he had with his daughter felt very real. He’s also very closeted and, while I’ve never gone through that myself, I could empathize with the fear and anxiety over being discovered. He also had a very sweet relationship with both his mother and his daughter.

Three’s Company is a sweet, spicy, and sometimes difficult story of finding your way through the trauma and hatred to the happiness you know you deserve. The author’s writing style is easy and flowing, and kept me engaged, despite switching between three different points of view. I was thrilled to see them find their happy ending after all they went through. Although part of a series, it works well as a stand-alone, and pertinent events from the previous novel are explained enough so that you don’t feel lost when they’re brought up. I’m looking forward to going back and reading the previous book as well, the inhabitants of Napthwaite are too much fun to leave behind.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Last Mile by Kat Martin

June 9, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Last Mile by Kat Martin
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

When Abigail Holland awakes to the sound of a nighttime intruder in her rambling Denver Victorian, she knows exactly what the black shrouded figure is after—the map she recently inherited from her grandfather. Whoever he is, the man who grapples with her, then escapes, is willing to kill for the location of a treasure King Farrell hunted for more than ten years. The Devil’s Gold has claimed hundreds of lives, and it was her grandfather’s obsession.

With a killer pursuing her and her own family not to be trusted, Abby decides to take up the search herself. But she’ll need help to do it, and there’s no one better than renowned explorer and treasure hunter Gage Logan. Despite the instant chemistry between them, Gage is reluctant. Innocent people have been hurt on his watch before. But when Abby shows him a genuine gold ingot she found with the map, his curiosity is piqued. Before long they’re heading into the flash floods and brutal winds of the Superstition Mountains, straight into a passionate entanglement—and the dark heart of danger.

What happens when the daughter of a treasure hunter is left clues to her own possible treasure? She hunts for it, of course! But not without help. Before Abby can discover whether the map her grandfather, the great King Farrell, leads to anything, she needs to find the right person to lead the expedition. Enter Gage Logan. And let the adventure begin!

Abby Holland is a strong, intelligent, and determined woman. Dead set on finding the treasure her grandfather knows exists, she sets out to find it, help or not. I can’t lie, I loved the way she put Gage in line from the very first conversation. She was not going to let him push her out or keep her ‘safe’ even when she really was in danger. Granted, she could have exercised a bit more caution a couple of times, but I also understand why she didn’t. There was a need to prove herself, not just to Gage or her grandfather, but to herself as well.

Gage Logan is an adventure seeker of the highest order. There is no quest too risky, too dangerous for him and his crew. While he was a bit of a womanizer in his former life, once he meets Abby, that all changes. It’s rather endearing how one woman can do that to a guy sometimes. He is fiercely protective and always ready to put himself between her and danger, making him great boyfriend material.

This is the second installment in Kat Martin’s Blood Ties series. It has a lot in common with its predecessor – action, alpha male hero, gorgeous heroine, steamy romance – but it also ups the ante where the action is concerned. While I enjoyed the hunt for the killer in the first book, the treasure hunt featured in this blew that out of the water. Makes me excited to see what the next book – and the next brother, Edge – will bring.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Last Goodnight by Kat Martin

May 18, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Last Goodnight by Kat Martin
Publisher: Kensington Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

When Kade Logan said goodbye to his estranged wife eight years ago, he never thought it would be the last time he saw her alive. Now her car has been hauled out of a nearby lake and Kade is determined to track down the man who murdered her. Enter Eleanor Bowman, a talented private investigator who’s about to stir up a hornet’s nest on his Colorado ranch.

With old scandals still buzzing about his late wife’s many affairs and new violence erupting, Kade is faced with the discovery of another beautiful woman’s body. Are the two killings linked? Who is the man who seduced, then murdered both victims? Ellie believes they are dangerously close to the truth.

From corporate Denver high-rises to posh Vail mansions, Kade and Ellie sense the killer is closing in again, and this time Ellie is the target. Kade must risk everything to save the woman he’s coming to love—before she becomes the next one to die . . .

Kade Logan had found a way to move past his wife’s murder and life his life. That is, until her car is pulled out of the lake, dredging up all the rumors and hurt she’d left behind. Will he be able to sort through the rumors to find the truth or will he forever wonder who killed his wife?

Eleanor Bowman is an accomplished private investigator and it’s obvious why she’s so good at her job. She’s smart, she’s determined, and she has the charm and wit necessary to get people to let their guard down and talk to her. She’s also an enjoyable heroine. Despite her wariness of Kade in the beginning, she moves past her distrust of men and finds herself in a comfortable place with him.

Kade Logan is dedicated to his ranch, his ranch hands, and his community. However, he can’t rest easy until he knows for sure who killed his wife. His work ethic and dedication to his crew is admirable and he’s assembled a great crew. My one issue with Kade is his sometimes over-the-top alpha male act. He’s hired Ellie to find his wife’s killer and yet, whenever she starts talking to another man, he gets jealous and interferes. It was frustrating to say the least. I will give him credit, however, due to the fact he does learn to curb this instinct by the end of the story. Both Kade and Ellie are strong-willed and passionate. Once they put aside their issues, they make a great couple.

The Last Goodnight is an exciting and steamy story of murder and betrayal. The author does an excellent job of threading bits and pieces together to slowly show you the whole story. I had nearly as many suspects as Kade and Ellie did and only began to figure it out around the same time as they did. This was my first Kat Martin novel, but it’s not going to be my last. I’m eager to find out what happens in the next in the series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher

April 26, 2022 By Leave a Comment


An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher
Publisher: Graydon House
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

“I’m going to kill her. You’d better come if you want to save her.”

Lorraine—“Rainy”—lives at the top of Tiger Mountain. Remote, moody, cloistered in pine trees and fog, it’s a sanctuary, a new life. She can hide from the disturbing past she wants to forget.

If she’s allowed to.

When Rainy reluctantly agrees to a girls’ weekend in Vegas, she’s prepared for an exhausting parade of shots and slot machines. But after a wild night, her friend Braithe doesn’t come back to the hotel room.

And then Rainy gets the text message, sent from Braithe’s phone: someone has her. But Rainy is who they really want, and Rainy knows why.

What follows is a twisted, shocking journey on the knife-edge of life and death. If she wants to save Braithe—and herself—the only way is to step back into the past.

Rainy needed a do-over and meeting Grant gave her the chance to redefine herself and her past. In Washington state, living in her exclusive community and hanging out with the wives of Grant’s friends, she’s found a way to move past her history and make a new life. But has she really managed to leave it all behind her? What if her past found her again and refused to let her go?

Rainy is a confident, creative woman, living her dream. She supports herself through her art while living the good life with her partner, Grant. He adores her and she’s happy. I loved her personality and how she maneuvered herself with all the pettiness that often cropped up with the other women around her. I’m not sure I could have contained myself at certain times like she did.

Summer is the one who surprised me. At thirteen, she’s more confident and self-sufficient than I could have ever dreamed of being. This coming from someone who grew up in the era of latch-key kids. As things got crazier and crazier for her, she sucked it up and made choices that would change her life. Her effort to save herself and her mother was the driving force of the past’s narrative and one I could fully support.

I’m a sucker for books set in and around Las Vegas. I’m also an absolute fool for books dealing with cults and/or fundamentalist religion. This book gave me both. Told in alternating timelines, both past and present, the story comes together slowly, piece by piece. That’s not to say that the novel is slow paced, because it’s not. Not even close. From the get-go this book is on the crazy train to the end. Which, if you’ve ever read Tarryn Fisher before, you know is her usual method. I’ve been a fan of the author’s ever since I read The Wives, but this is honestly her best book to date in my opinion.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

At the Crossroads by B. J. Daniels

January 27, 2022 By Leave a Comment


At the Crossroads by B. J. Daniels
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

They’re running for their lives, desperate for a second chance…

Once, Alexis Brand and Culhane Travis were partners, both on and off the job. Now the former deputy turned bounty hunter is on her former lover’s trail after he’s charged with killing the ex-wife Alexis didn’t know he had. Burying the feelings that still tie her to him, Alexis tracks down Culhane easily enough. But deadly trouble has followed him to this small Montana town, forcing them to flee from the law together and Alexis to guard secrets she hoped she’d never have to reveal.

Culhane’s desperate attempt to find out who’s framing him is the reason he’s returned to Buckhorn, Montana. Instead, he’s unwittingly dragged the woman he loves into danger. Alexis offers Culhane forty-eight hours to clear his name before turning him in—plenty of time to realize he never wants to be without her again. But will it be long enough to get the answers they need…before their enemies close in?

When Culhane Travis went to bed, he was a happy man, cuddled with the love of his life. When he awoke, he was accused of murder and suddenly on the run. He has a plan – of sorts – to find the one person who might be able to help him and finds himself in a whole different situation, one that might change his life forever.

Culhane Travis is the kind of cowboy I adore. He’s handsome, he’s smart, but he also has a quick wit and isn’t afraid to use it. I can’t lie, I’m sucker for a smart aleck and he fits the bill. He also has a protective streak a mile wide which extends to anyone in his vicinity, even if he doesn’t know them.

Alexis Brand is a fiery woman, sharp, brave, and fearless. Even when it puts her life and her future on the line. She’s the perfect partner for Culhane. As much as she loves him, she doesn’t put up with any of his baloney either. It’s nice to find a heroine who is both strong enough to put her man in his place and be sweet and tender when she wants to be, too.

I’ve recently become a big fan of this author. At the Crossroads is the third in B. J. Daniels’ Buckhorn, Montana series. As much as I liked this book, it was definitely the weakest of the three so far. It had a much slower start and the ending felt more rushed. However, I did love the relationship between Culhane and Alexis. You could tell that they were friends long before they were ever anything more. The progression to lovers felt very natural and like it was meant to be. Also, the addition of Earl Ray into the story is never a bad thing. He was almost my favorite character in the first book. The author has a way of creating dynamic and fun couples who aren’t afraid to look danger in the face and overcome it. I look forward to the next in this series.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Coloring the Zodiac by Christina Haberkern

January 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Coloring the Zodiac by Christina Haberkern
Publisher: Plume
Genre: Non-Fiction, Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

There are twelve signs in the zodiac and twelve ways to celebrate the radiance of the stars, as well as the incredible history and symbolism behind each sign. Illustrator Christina Haberkern shares beautiful, intricate, fun-to-color pages influenced by the latest trends in fonts, design, and pop culture, with more than forty pages to color. The symbol, character, and constellation of each sign will be featured, along with pages of pure celestial, decorative, and pattern designs.

Are you a fan of astrology? Do you sit down and check your horoscope daily? If so, then this is a great coloring book for you. Even if you’re only a casual student of astrology or simply randomly curious, you can still enjoy this fabulous book celebrating all twelve sun signs. There’s something for everyone inside these pages, no matter your artistic abilities.

Coloring the Zodiac gives you a lot of options when deciding what to choose first. For each sign you get several pages with different aspects of the signs. Symbols, images, affirmations, and even quotes from some famous reps for your sign abound in this book. The illustrations are easy enough to color but detailed enough to make your artwork really stand out when it’s complete. The artist does an excellent job of capturing what is truly representative of each sign with her drawings.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I picked up this book. Adult coloring books can be very hit or miss at times. However, I was very pleasantly surprised by what I found in this one. All the drawings called to me, not just those for my sign. I could relate to the pages dedicated to my sign and see my family and friends in the others. Another bonus is that it’d be suitable for younger audiences as well, teens and tweens would have fun coloring in the designs as well as adults. The next time you’re feeling a bit stressed or restless, grab your colored pencils and this book and have fun. I know that’s how I plan to spend some time in the very near future – it’s written in the stars.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

The After Party by A. C. Arthur

November 9, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The After Party by A. C. Arthur
Publisher: Montlake
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

Three women form an unbreakable bond in a sexy, suspenseful, and adventurous novel about empowerment and sisterhood through thick and thin.

Venus McGee, Draya Carter, and Jackie Benson are coworkers with a lot in common. They’re smart, independent, driven, and deserving of recognition—certainly more than they’ve been handed by a demoralizing boss. He’s the topic of conversation at their impromptu get-together after the company holiday party, where the threesome fantasizes about a life without him. There has to be an alternative to taking a deep breath and sucking it up. There is. It’s just not the one they expected.

When morning comes, Venus, Draya, and Jackie are blindsided by murder—a twist of fate that brings a startling new challenge to the table and forces them to navigate a hair-raising detour they never saw coming. For better and (unless they can help it) for worse, it’s going to turn their world upside down. What starts as a necessary bond of mutual trust soon morphs into an empowering and galvanizing friendship that Venus, Draya, and Jackie need now more than ever.

It’s said that a harrowing experience can bring people closer. That’s exactly what happens to three co-workers – Venus, Draya, and Jackie – on the night of their company Christmas party. None of them expected what was to come in the morning, but when they’re all implicated in a murder, they decide to band together instead of leaving each woman to herself. Will they be able to find the real killer before one of them goes to jail?

Although coming from very different backgrounds, the three women share a lot of common qualities. They’re hard workers, smart, driven, and loyal to a fault. These things, as well as a mutual dislike of their boss, Rufus, are what bond the women together initially, but as the investigation progresses, they find love and support from each other as well as from surprising sources.

Of the three, Jackie was my favorite. I wanted to take her home and feed her and let her know that she had a safe place to hang out. She also felt to me like the best developed character, although the other two were complete, too. Venus was relatable to me in the way that she felt she always had to act in a way that wouldn’t harm her father’s political careers. Although neither of my parents were ever politicians, I do understand the whole ‘don’t embarrass me’ environment that she grew up in, and felt she had to adhere to as an adult. Draya was the one I had the hardest time relating to; however, I loved her spirit. There wasn’t anything that was going to stop her from getting whatever she wanted, and I can admire that.

At times, the murder mystery took a back seat to the budding friendship between the women, which was okay with me. As much as I love a good mystery, these three were a riot when they were together. The author does a good job of dropping little breadcrumbs here and there about the murder. Watching the girls make the connections, find the information, and figure out the truth was well worth the wait. I would even enjoy a follow up book about the three and where they are a year or two after all this ended, simply because they were so much fun to be around.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie

August 30, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

When she was twenty-six and broke, Skye didn’t think twice before selling her eggs and happily pocketing the cash. Now approaching forty, Skye still moves through life entirely—and unrepentantly—on her own terms, living out of a suitcase and avoiding all manner of serious relationships. Maybe her junior high classmates weren’t wrong when they voted her “Most Likely to Be Single” instead of “Most Ride-or-Die Homie,” but at least she’s always been free to do as she pleases.

Then a twelve-year-old girl tracks Skye down during one of her brief visits to her hometown of Philadelphia and informs Skye that she’s “her egg.” Skye’s life is thrown into sharp relief and she decides that it might be time to actually try to have a meaningful relationship with another human being. Spoiler alert: It’s not easy.

Things get even more complicated when Skye realizes that the woman she tried and failed to pick up the other day is the girl’s aunt, and now it’s awkward. All the while, her brother is trying to get in touch, her mother is being bewilderingly kind, and the West Philly pool halls and hoagie shops of her youth have been replaced by hipster cafés.

With its endearingly prickly narrator and a cast of characters willing to both challenge her and catch her when she falls, this novel is a clever, moving portrait of a woman and the relationships she thought she could live without.

Skye Ellison lives live on her own terms and is just fine with that. She tells it like it is and rarely holds back. Which is both good and bad. Good in the sense that she doesn’t let anyone walk over her. When she sets boundaries, they stay until she wants them to come down. They way she handled certain toxic relationships was refreshing. Honestly, I wish I had half her nerve. Her attitude also had downsides, mainly in the way she kept people at arm’s length most of the time.

In a lot of ways, Skye is unlikable and unpleasant. However, the deeper you get into the story, the more time she spends around Vicky, the more you start to understand Skye and her reasons for making herself so inaccessible. As a character, she feels very authentic in a real way, not just a fictional one. She’s smart, she’s clever, and she’s also a hot as heck mess most of the time. I found it highly admirable that she admitted to it quite often.

Vicky did her level best to turn Skye’s life upside down, but in a good way. She pushed Skye, and in turn, pushed herself, to change, be different, to be better. I love the relationship that she forms with her biological mom, but the real gem is the relationship she has with her Aunt Faye. It’s not always easy, but there’s always love and respect between them. Their relationship is another realistic look into blended and alternative family units in today’s world. For me, it was refreshing to see something other than a horrible family or a perfect family.

Skye Falling is both an emotional rollercoaster as well as a laugh riot of a book. Every time Skye started getting too much into her feelings, she’d jerk us right out of it with some pithy comment or sarcastic retort. Even in the moments when I didn’t like her all that much, she never failed to make me laugh out loud. As a mother, I related so much to this story but, as a person, I found it engaging and highly enjoyable.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

June 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
Publisher: Park Row
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

People don’t just disappear without a trace…

Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.

Now, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find…

When one woman goes missing, it’s an awful event. But when two women and a six-year-old go missing close together? It becomes a local tragedy. Just when the town thinks it’s starting to move past it all, to heal and grow, the missing child shows up out of nowhere, throwing everything and everyone into turmoil again. However, not everything is as it seems.

Leo, Delilah’s younger brother, is probably my favorite character. He was very young when Delilah and their mother disappeared – he was four, I think – so he has no memories of his sister at all. There are times when he doubts her, thinks she’s making things up, and yet, he still finds ways to make her feel at home. He’s probably the most honest of them all, even when he’s being awful about the situation at hand.

Kate is the kind of neighbor you want to have. She’s smart, friendly, and goes above and beyond to help when you need her. When Delilah and Meredith go missing, she’s on the front line searching and helping care for Josh and Leo, the father and son that are left behind to deal with the fallout. Her partner, Bea, is a musician and more of a free spirit than Kate, but she’s generous with her time and makes the perfect partner for Kate.

Meredith’s point of view is one of the more intense since she’s got a lot going on in her life, even before she goes missing. She’s caring for the two kids she has with her husband, Josh, running her business as a doula, and everything else that comes with motherhood. Plus, she had a few unpleasant things she was dealing with as well – an arrogant doctor and mysterious bruises that keep showing up on her son, Leo. I felt her struggle in my soul. Despite not being a single mom – she was very happily married – so much of her kids’ care fell on her and it was wearing her out. Something I could easily relate to. Still, she somehow managed to find a way to get it all done.

I’ve read several books by the author and she has a great way of making you want to believe everyone while not trusting anyone. I thought I knew who was responsible at least six times and each time, I was so wrong. The twist at the end threw me completely and was not something I was expecting at all. Sometimes, her twists aggravate me, but this one left me with my mouth hanging open. I can’t see where she goes next since each book seems to get better and crazier.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Unchosen by Katharyn Blair

May 4, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Unchosen by Katharyn Blair
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

For Charlotte Holloway, the world ended twice.

The first was when her childhood crush, Dean, fell in love—with her older sister.

The second was when the Crimson, a curse spread through eye contact, turned the majority of humanity into flesh-eating monsters.

Neither end of the world changed Charlotte. She’s still in the shadows of her siblings. Her popular older sister, Harlow, now commands forces of survivors. And her talented younger sister, Vanessa, is the Chosen One—who, legend has it, can end the curse.

When their settlement is raided by those seeking the Chosen One, Charlotte makes a reckless decision to save Vanessa: she takes her place as prisoner.

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But when Dean’s life is threatened and a resistance looms on the horizon, the lie keeping Charlotte alive begins to unravel. She’ll have to break free, forge new bonds, and choose her own destiny if she has any hope of saving her sisters, her love, and maybe even the world.

Because sometimes the end is just a new beginning.

How many times can the world end before it ends for good? Every time Charlotte Holloway thinks that she’s seen the worst, something worse happens. Now, she’s looking at the choice between saving her sisters and saving herself. Trouble is, none of them might make it through this alive.

Charlotte is a hot mess when all of this starts. She’s in love with her older sister’s boyfriend for starters. In addition, she feels like she’s forever in the shadow of her older sister, Harlow, a talented musician before the Crimson, and now a leader you don’t want to mess with. She also feels overshadowed by her younger sister, Vanessa, an adept gymnast and the Chosen One. As a middle child myself, I could fully relate to Char’s feelings regarding her sisters. Knowing what it’s like to be in her shoes (sort of), I was even happier as I watched her come into herself and fully grasp the person she was meant to be.

Harlow has a tendency as the older sister to be both overbearing and overprotective of her sisters. While this might be normal and natural, she kneecaps Char a bit with her rules and expectations. I think Char wouldn’t have taken so many risks if Harlow had given her more level footing to work from in the beginning. Vanessa isn’t given a whole lot of page time, which is a shame. She doesn’t get a chance to really develop as a character until near the end of the book.

The pirates were some of my favorite characters. Seth, of course, is the handsome, alpha captain, without many of the alpha hangups. Rielle, Lucia, and Thomas are his crew, each of which has their own endearing personalities. Rielle is sweet and funny and takes no time to warm up to you. Lucia is a bit gruffer, but you soon learn she’s a softie when she wants to be. Thomas was there to keep Rielle and Lucia from going off the rails, I think.

Probably the most interesting thing about this novel was the Crimson. It’s a deadly curse of sorts that’s spread via eye contact and, once you’ve caught it, you deteriorate into what’s basically a zombie. I thought that having it spread this way was a different sort of angle on the usual super flu or something similar. I also really adored the pirate angle. You have runners kidnapping those who haven’t been exposed and selling them off, and then the ones working against the runners to save their cargo. It made for some exciting reading.

Unchosen is a different sort of adventure story. One where the not-chosen takes on the role of the chosen in an attempt to save the true Chosen One. A true story of love, family, and determination against the odds.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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