Tori's August 2018 #Book #Reviews - #AmReading

It's time to take a look at what I read in August.

As with the previous posts like this one, if you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question.

Don't forget: the format I've reviewed may not be the format I read. Also, please remember that I read across multiple genres and age ranges, so you should always check if a book is suitable for the intended reader, especially when children are involved. Sometimes reading the book's description on its Goodreads page will be enough for this, but other times you may need to check elsewhere to figure out the genre and/or recommended reading level.

OK... On to the reviews!

Nyxia Unleashed by Scott Reintgen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was just as awesome as the first. At least, it was right up until the cliffhanger ending. I adore the worldbuilding, think the plot concept is a great one, consider the characters to be well-rounded and realistic, and basically love everything about the book. Except the way it ended. Things were just left too much upin the air, and I hate when that happens. Yeah, yeah. I know. This is part of a series. Blah, blah, blah. I get that. But there's leaving things open for the next book, and then there's ending on an abrupt cliffhanger. This book felt more like the latter, hence my only giving it four stars, despite loving everything else about it.

Happiness is a Collage by Gita V. Reddy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
his is a well-written collection of stories, which provide a fascinating look in to Indian culture for those not familiar with it, while also just being enjoyable stories in general. As is always the case with collections of stories, there were some I liked more than others. They were all great stories in their own way though, so I was able to find something to like and enjoy about them all.
*NOTE: I was given a free advanced copy of this book by the author. This has in no way influenced my opinion of the book, nor the contents of my review.

What's in a Name? Volume 1 by Sally Cronin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm fascinated by the meanings of names, as well as the concious and subconcious associations we atatch to them, so I love the whole idea behind this book. I liked some of the stories more than others, but they were an enjoyable collection of stories in general, and all well-written.
*NOTE: I was given a free copy of this book by the author. This has in no way influenced my opinion of the book, nor the contents of my review.

Hacker by Barbara G. Tarn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I actually think this was my favourite of the books in this particular Star Minds mini-series so far. Jes-syd is a great character, and I enjoyed reading his story.

Jenny Pox by J.L. Bryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a weird and kind of creepy story. I didn't think it was totally amazing, but I did really enjoy it, and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Tommy Nightmare by J.L. Bryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a great continuation of the series, and I love how the plot and characters are developing. Like with the first book, I really enjoyed it, but didn't find it totally amazing. The ending was a bit too sudden for my liking though.

Alexander Death by J.L. Bryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
While there were things I liked about this book, there were also things that made it my least favourite in the series. It was great getting to learn more about the paranormals, and how things came to be the way they are. On the other hand, I felt like half the book was taken up with people manipulating other people in to having sex, and quite frankly wanted to get on with the actual story. Excellent ending though.

Jenny Plague-Bringer by J.L. Bryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
At first, the way the shifting back and forth between present day and their past lives was handled was easy enough to follow. But it got confusing later in the book, when it would happen mid chapter. In fact, even the author seemed to sometimes become confused, since there were a few times the names - which were already pretty similar to start with - were used incorrectly. Despite that, this was actually my favourite book in the series, and I loved the way it ended. Had it not been for that confusion with the past lives thing, I probably would have given it the full five stars.

Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
For the most part, this was a great read. My only issue is that I found all the secrecy about the mission annoying. I can understand her not being told details until they were at sea, but think that whole secrecy thing was dragged out too long.

Twice Bitten by Lynsay Sands
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is an excellent addition to the series. Perfect for fans of paranormal romance.

Puddin' by Julie Murphy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a great read, with a fantastic message about being yourself, and being happy with who that person is. But I have to confess, I didn't enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed Dumplin'. It took me a while to figure out why I should care about Callie's parts of the story, so at first I felt like I was being pulled out of the story every time it was her chapter. I just wanted to know what happened next with Millie. It did all come together nicely in the end, and I am glad I read it. I just didn't have that "WOW" feeling I had after reading Dumplin'.

Sheepfarmer's Daughter by Elizabeth Moon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a great read. It has an exciting plot, and a great cast of characters. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.

Divided Allegiance by Elizabeth Moon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This one was better than the first one, with an action-filled plot that keeps you guessing.

Oath of Gold by Elizabeth Moon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
An exciting and action-packed story, and a fantastic addition to the series.

Pixie Shoes by Rachel Ellyn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a delightful and extremely adorable little tale! The characters are sweet and charming, and the story is just beautiful.