An interesting and unique story but held back by some plot holes
596266
Interests: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, College Life, Deaf/Hard of Hearing characters, Teaching

Quick Summary
College student Carli has always tried to downplay that she wears Hearing Aids; her father has always believed in perfection in his daughters and Carli considers herself the ultimate failure. But when Carli meets Deaf student Reed she finds herself understanding the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community in a whole new way. She begins to learn ASL, she meets more people like her and she even starts to trust. But as Carli and Reed start dating, can they both overcome the tragedies in their past?

What I Liked
This is only Laura Brown's second book and I thought this was a great showing of her writing talents. Im not really a New Adult fan (I tried it and couldn't make it work) and I didn't realize this was New Adult when I first picked it up. But I felt that this one didn't suffer from the parts of New Adult that I don't like (there was drama but it wasn't ridiculous or over the top; Reed is a very likable hero instead of being a womanizing jerk like most NA heros; and the characters were actually maturing adults). The author is also Hard of Hearing herself so both Carli and Reed and their experiences were very authentic. You can really see their struggles but also see how you can accomplish anything even when you're Deaf/Hard of Hearing. The diversity in Deaf/Hard of Hearing characters was also great because just like people with hearing, no one is the same. Reed was a wonderful hero who was smart, caring, mature, and a great source of support for Carli. As for Carli, she had more issues due to her upbringing under her abusive father, but she was also a great character. She was so determined to make it as a teacher and to be independent and strong even though she considered her hearing status as a disability. It was great to watch Carli grow into herself and begin to accept herself for who she was. There are some hard moments for these two especially after Carli is injured, but they both are willing to admit their mistakes and try to be better people.

What Needed Work
For the most part this book was awesome, but there were a few things that kept it from getting 4 stars out of me. It did suffer from a few new author issues but overall Laura Brown did a fantastic job. Also there were times, especially in the beginning of the book where things were alluded too or hinted around, most likely to build tension, but they came across as confusing. I think sometimes an author has every little detail of a story in their head so their understanding of the characters and plot is so full that they sometimes forget that the reader doesnt know these things. So there was some confusion in the beginning.

What I Didnt Like
There were a few plot holes that bothered me, in particular the issue surrounding Carlis hearing. I don't know what goes into diagnosing someone as Deaf/Hard of Hearing but something was a little off for me (view spoiler). I also think it's a bit odd that Carli didn't realize the true extent of the abuse in her household, to the point that she doesn't even know it's happening. The portrayal of her father makes me think that he wouldn't have just stopped beating her. And I get that with limited hearing it made it easier for Carli's sisters to be abused out of sight and Carli not to hear anything. I don't have experience with abusive families so I might be totally wrong about this.
513804
I would really give 3.5 stars but that is not possible. This is a good story with some glaring issues. I loved the idea behind the story. The characters were interesting but  needed more individual development and the relationships between characters need work. There are parts that just don't work; such as the disguises used when Amanda and David go to New York to speak to the lawyer. They are carrying a faux infant and shes 7 months pregnant? Really? This could be great with a little more work!
Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
279480
Before I detail why this book was a 3-star for me, I have to say I did enjoy it - very much. The story was compelling, and I didn't correctly predict the killer. The characters were well-drawn. The suspense was tense enough to keep me up reading past my bedtime and made for a satisfying read. If a sequel comes out, I'll probably read it, because I'd like to know more about the male protagonist's search for his birth family.

What made it a 3-star were some inconsistencies in plot and some formatting issues that made one of the later chapters a chore to read. Nothing a second copyedit and reformatting wouldn't correct. There was also a bit of head-hopping, but not enough to have knocked off a star without the other issues. If not for that, I'd heartily recommend this book with at least 4 stars, possibly even 5.
1578729
The premise of superheroes with lessor powers having to save the city has been done before, but there's enough originality to keep it interesting.  The story has enough surprises to keep me interested in what was going to happen, though a couple things came out of nowhere (in a bad way).  Not enough to ruin it, but one of them weakened the story for me.
The characters are fun and interesting,  but some of them could have used more depth and come off as somewhat two dimensional.  I felt the same way about the dialogue, as there were conversations that seemed forced and unnatural.
I don't want to give the impression that I didn't like the book, because I did.  It didn't take long to get me hooked and I enjoyed reading it.  For fans of superhero stories, I would recommend giving it a try.
1233768
It is interesting how the books that defy confinement to a single genre provide the most intriging premises. The Time Travelers Wife is neither romance, nor science fiction, nor pure fantasy. Henry, the time traveler, is the protagonist, with time itself as the antagonist. It is a man versus nature story told with new ideas. Points for originality.

My quibbles with the story are with Clare, the wife. Much of the story is centered on her, especially when her husband is traveling, yet her character seems underdeveloped. I kept waiting for something, some event, to endear her to me, but it was never to be. It was a missed opportunity that knocked a star from the review.

Im still glad I read it. It is long, but even if you don't finish it, the interesting ideas Niffenegger presents are worth a look.
1454192
Great story!  Lots of gaps had to be made up / filled in, but still a good read
1489502
WIngs of Honor is fairly common and predictable in setting and plot, but that is to be expected for someone's first novel. The swordfights are exciting and well described, and there is a touching death scene. However, I found a few plot holes. For instance, in one scene, the heroine is lying facedown on the ground with her sword next to her, being threatened by the villain. She feels his sword prick her neck, and then the book says she jumps to her feet and aims her sword at him. How does that work if she has a sword at her throat? Also, there are two types of winged people, the Aragnarians and the Kyraen. The Kyraen are never explained, even though two fairly prominent characters are that species. And, this is a VERY obvious allegory. I have no problem with allegory, but this is obvious to the point of eye-rolling, I mean, the fallen angel lord's name is "Lucius."
But the characters are interesting and relatable, and I'm sure Ms. Hornberger's next novel will be much better. This author has talent.
3373168
First up, the overall story is quite good. Ruby is an interesting character, and the plot moves along nicely without making it too easy to figure out what's going on. I enjoyed reading it thoroughly.

Unfortunately, there were a few annoyances. First, I find odd how obsessed a woman who has been blind almost her entire life is with clothes. The descriptions of her various outfits are tedious and get very old, very fast. Second, Ruby can be a blithering idiot at times. This is all justified with repeated references to having not been socialized, etc, etc, but there comes a point when she really needs to quit making assumptions and start talking to people.

Of course, Ruby's not the only person who can't seem to communicate. Eric and Sean (for different reasons) are both amazingly tight-lipped. Sean never manages to say anything useful until cornered, and even then he only says enough to end the questioning instead of making sure Ruby really knows what's going on. Eric only says enough to move Ruby where he wants, and she keeps trusting him despite how odd his behavior is. In other words, nobody is talking to anyone else. Needless to say, that causes all manner of messes.
3182374
The story held a lot of promise and should have gone deeper,considering the main character is so unique.
3562289
Steampunk. Time travel. Dinosaurs.

These three things make Robert Appleton's Prehistoric Clock a book after my heart. And does it capture it? Does the book provide a fun and engaging story along with its interesting premise?

Yes. Yes it does.

And thank goodness for that. When I read the synopsis, I so wanted to like the book, but I worried it wouldn't live up to its potential.

Set in 1908, Prehistoric Clock is told from the perspectives of three main characters, Verity Champlain, an acting captain of an airship, Lord Garret Embrey, an aristocrat wrongly accused in a conspiratorial trial, and Cecil Reardon, the inventor who creates the time machine that drives the plot behind the novel.

Though Reardon's scientific experiments are sponsored by a shady organisation called the Leviacrum (which we are given to suspect also controls the British empire), he secretly builds a time machine which he intends to use to go back in time to save his wife and son from dying seven years earlier.

Of course, something goes wrong, and instead of sending Reardon back in time, the time machine sends a large chunk of London back in time. Not just seven years, but to the prehistoric age. Champlain's airship and Lord Embrey get caught in this time bubble as well, and not long after arriving in their new era, they unite to try survive and find a way back to their own time, but not without some initial misgivings.

The story starts by focusing on the survivors but as they explore their surroundings using Champlain's airship, the author pulls back the curtains just a tiny bit to let us know that this prehistoric land is hiding something much more sinister than just dangerous reptiles.

The characters are commendable. Verity Champlain is a no-nonsense female who knows how to gets things done and commands respect from her crew. She harbours a great regret, in that she wasn't around to save her beloved sister from a rebellion in Angola, a rebellion that incidentally, Embrey, along with his father and uncle, is accused of starting.

That provides some tension between the two and though Garrett Embrey maybe a toff, he is also tough, being somewhat of a seasoned gentleman explorer. Armed with two steam-powered pistols, Embrey is the typical macho hero of pulp adventures who can do no wrong. He is the lovable rogue of the story and there's nothing wrong with that.

Cecil Reardon starts out as somewhat of a foolish and selfish character, but we soon become sympathetic with him as the story moves along. What I really liked about him is that he becomes much more important later in the story than is let on, but I'll let you discover that one out for yourself.

Prehistoric Clock is a wonderful novel in the spirit of pulp adventures by H. Rider Haggard and Edgar Rice Burroughs and is the first book of a series. If you love page-turning thrills with a dash of romance, here's a book for you.

But really, you should have bought it the moment you read "steampunk, time travel and dinosaurs".
3515262
Some fresh ideas, and overall well written - let down by a few weak points in plot that could have been avoided.
603211
This book definitely did its job when it came to taking the reader to a fantasy world filled with wonders and great adventures.

The plot is unique and very different from any I've read before. When you read certain parts, it almost feels as if you're watching a movie instead of reading a story. However, I did feel as if there were parts of the story I would have liked for the author to develop more since I found myself a little confused at times. And I would have liked for more backstory on some of the characters as well.

But the originality of the characters and the story itself. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from this author
2328670
The writing is well done. The characters are interesting and diverse in personality. The plot is pretty cool. The resolution is a bit ridiculous. For the antagonist to have such a silly weakness doesn't make much sense though. A race over 8 billion years old fails to notice the possibility of what happened at the end? Yeah I don't think so. I still like the book though
110222
Uprooted is a delightful read, with distinct and engaging characters and a setting rich with both charm and dread.  The premise is engaging and the story interesting.  That said, there is one issue which holds it back.

While the book overall is fantastic, the quality is distinctly but not entirely front-loaded.  It feels as if it needed to be about half again longer, or perhaps split into two books entirely, in order to give each part of the story time to breath.  There are three separate points where the work reaches what feels like the dramatic climax of a novel.  And while the first is given a mostly sufficient development, the second is more rushed, and the third runs itself over a cliff.  There is clearly a very interesting story and history presented in the last half off the book, explaining the ancient menace which has formed the core of the conflict prior.  But because it is all squeezed into less than a fifth of the text it feels too rushed to take in, and the weight of the revelations is lessened.

However, that aside, the book is easily worth the price and more.
1670131
This "what if?" story is fun and original, though it was hard to believe some of the plot points:

(SPOILERS)

- Darcy speaks to Elizabeth, a near-stranger, in a very trusting way right from the start.
- The idea that Darcy and Georgiana could hope to disguise themselves for so long with no one the wiser is hard to buy.  And if they were detected, wouldn't that be as bad, or worse, for Georgiana's reputation than her hasty marriage?
- Wickham abducting a baby without verifying it was his was hard to believe.
- Wickham's change of heart also hard to believe.
- (Major stumbling block to suspension of disbelief) - Elizabeth's assumption that Darcy is poor.

Three and a half stars. Not great literature by any means, but certainly a fun way to beguile a few hours.  Borrowed via Kindle Unlimited - love that service!
621268
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
I found this book interesting, but only so-so. It was written fairly well, and I like the plot and characters overall, but there were also some problem spots for me.

Trapped inside a labyrinth, which is the only home she's ever known, Araina is a Mahk, or a created human. Grown and given life by the Creators who rule the labyrinth, Araina has only been alive for two years. In that time, she tried to stay alive and stay away from the other Mahk, who might kill or hurt her to steal her food rations. She keeps a pet bird, Blue, and mostly tries to stay in the secluded area where Blue likes to live. A kinder, gentler soul than her fellow Mahk, Araina is very much out of place in her kill-or-be-killed kind of world. Araina is a great main character. There are plenty of conflicts for her to experience, and she does grow over the course of the novel into a more complex character. She mostly just wants to be left alone and to live in a better place.

Some of the relationships seem rather contrived to me. The relationships that seem to work best, in my view, are Araina's relationships with Korun and Blue. However, the relationship with Korun at times seems forced. And there was one spot near the end where there is no mention of Blue and I was left very much confused at to what had happened and where Blue was, since Araina was completely unconcerned about the status of her pet, which seems very out of character.

I was at times not a fan of the writing style, but that is largely a personal preference, and other readers may not mind as much. For me, there was instances when I thought the writing could have been tighter, or I would have appreciated further description of something when there was none.

As for the plot, I have nothing negative to say about it. I thought the plot was very well done and set out a logical, suspenseful fashion. There was a point when I worried that some items in the beginning of the book had been forgotten or wouldn't be wrapped up, but everything came to a fairly satisfying conclusion. I thought some of the enemies Araina faces were very creative and thoroughly terrifying, though the saber tooth dogs/mutts reminded me a little too strongly of the mutts from The Hunger Games, though that may just be because of word choice.

If you're looking for a book with suspense, betrayal, action, and a Hunger Games kind of feel to it, this may be a good read for you. Overall, I give it 3 stars. I just can't get past the writing style and some of the flaws in relationships and descriptions. I may pick up the next book just to find out what happens, but I'm not sure how much re-readability this one has for me.
752337
I liked the book, although it had some flaws. Spoiler Alert: Some elements of the story are revealed if you read on.
The premise was interesting and different, but I often found it felt "wrong" somehow. I'm not sure I can put it into words. You had to have a little more suspension of disbelief (SOD) than I usually like in a fantasy novel, and yet how could she have improved the background of the world and it's problem, I'm not sure..... I still feel it was not done as well as it could have been.
I am a sci/fi fantasy lover and there is always a lot of SOD, but once the world base and the  universe's rules are set you expect them to stay that way... Like: What causes the only existing rain to fall only on the ponds the people made, or lakes and ocean. I kept hoping that would be explained and it wasn't. While we were told that they "stir" the waters in the upper world to somehow keep a little bit of necessary "something" happening below.. it certainly didn't explain the occasional patchy rain. Oh, and were there clouds that the rain fell from, as none are seen anymore?? Did the rain just appear in the sky? Just some inconsistencies. - Edit = The author HAD posted a comment on it that was going to explain some of the issues I had, but she deleted it. Her explanation of the rain on the ponds was that "What if it happened? In a world with no wind, only heat, bodies of water evaporate and liquify (sic) in the sky directly over these water sources." Okay, I will give her that one I guess, although while the water vapor rises in the heat, it would eventually reach the upper atmosphere and change to cloud forms? AND the act of the rising of the water vapor would CREATE a kind of wind.....
There were occasional inconsistencies and wtf / huh moments that were never explained, or where the events didn't make sense, falling off a steep cliff, but landing with very little damage to them both (one had a head wound, when they should have had crushed skulls and bones), which means they must have been close to the ground, but no one seemed to know that.  And while I can understand attraction to be a little bit distracting, I often felt the thoughts of the two main characters were a little bit ... more like those a 14 year old would have, not a 25 year old and an immortal. Climbing down that steep cliff on steep steps, facing the cliff face, the one character is looking down at the love interest that is ahead of her, and there is no mention of seeing how high up they are, just how she can see into woman cleavage... and gets so distracted she slips...and both apparently plummet down, but it just says she falls on the love interest... HUH?
There aren't a lot of typos, exactly, but there are awkward sentences and quite a few incorrectly used words. I'm not sure why, but it felt like the author isn't as proficient in english as she should be or someone should have done a better job at editing. I am going to try to get a list, of the ones that bothered me the most, to the author.

Oh and the one tiny bit of sex, either might have been done a little more in-depth, or should have been left out with a "fade to black" moment, instead of trying to do some details, but skipping almost all of the details. No passion really, didn't feel real. I didn't feel the heart pulling pain you feel when you can identify with the characters passion and wanting the other person. It lacked that fire. Oh and it didn't help that there was one of those.. hey what happened moments! as they go from standing to suddenly lying on the ground facing each other and as passionless as a doctors exam, begin to have sex, when it really could have been two lovers discovering each other for the first time...

Dang this review sounds all negative and it isn't really meant that way.

Was it all worth it? Yeah I think so. A good read, just a little dissatisfying at times, a little juvenile and simplistic. But still an interesting premise and likeable characters.