Outcast

Outcast is the story of how Quinn and Willow were cast from their village. It is a short prequel story to the Defiance series. Since I liked Quinn in the story I wanted to read a story from his point of view. It is very short, just ten chapters that comes out to about eighty pages. It was fun to see an earlier story about the world and I am glad I took the time to read Outcast.

I am Number Four The Lost Files Nine's Legacy

I am Number Four The Lost Files Nine's Legacy is a companion book to the I am Number Four series.

The story focuses on Nine and his Cepan. It is very short and just adds a bit of back information adding in more about how legacies develop. It also showed the human side of Nine as he fumbled his way with talking to a girl and eventually going out on a date.

I mainly read it since I am working on finishing up series and extra stories before I start more new series.

Starfall

Since I loved Starflight I wanted to read Starfall. Sadly I was highly disappointed.

First off the characters of Starflight became side characters that were barley in the story at all. Side characters from Starfall took center stage.

Cassia fled her home planet when she was being forced into an arranged marriage with a man who wanted to kill her and take the throne. With her best friend Kane at her side Cassia knows she cannot avoid going home forever however that decision is changed for her when she is captured by intergalactic bounty hunters.

My biggest issue with Starfall was how many times the story went in circles, it felt like I kept reading the same story over and over until about the 85% mark. Then the story got exciting and original. I wish that the first part had been left out totally and just the last fifteen percent or so of the story had been expanded upon and been the plot line. Sadly everything was predictable and I had many things figured out before Cassia did. It seems like Starfall is the last book in the Starflight series which is good since I do not want to continue on with the series.

The Fever Code

The Fever Code is another prequel to The Maze Runner however since it contains a ton of spoilers I feel it should not be read until after the original trilogy is read.

Thomas has been with WICKED a long time, they took him as a young child because he is immune to the Flare and it is in his DNA that they hope to find a cure. His days are full of blood tests, medical examinations, and schooling. WICKED seems obsessed with training his brain and will go through any length to uncover the secrets it holds.

Even though I enjoyed The Maze Runner I had problems with The Fever Code, it was odd reading about characters who died in the main series. Also I wanted to know more about the inner works of WICKED but since Thomas did not really learn much the reader did not learn much. Sadly it felt like most of The Fever Code was fluff with few new discoveries and information tidbits.

The Other Woman

My library card had quit working so I went into the library to see why after the librarian looked at it she did something then asked me to try to check out a book and The Other Woman was my choice. I hate to say it what drew me to the story was the fact that Emily did not have a good relationship with her mother-in-law and sadly I can relate.

Emily is pleasantly surprised when she meets Adam and realizes he is perfect for her. Totally devoted to each other things quickly grow dark when Adam takes Emily to meet his mother. It is clear to Emily that Adam worships his mother and the ground she walks on. This would not be a problem except Pamela has major problems with Emily. Every remark out of Pamela's mouth is directed at belittling Emily in some way. Determined not to be chased off Emily gets drawn into vicious game with Pamela determined to come out the winner.

The writing was smooth and transitioned easily. Only once did I get confused on a time jump but I quickly realized what was going on. The Other Woman was a fast read that had me turning pages quickly to find out what was going on. My biggest complaint was the ending seemed a bit vague like the plot was set up perfectly and wham it ends on a weak note. I am not sure I will seek out another Sandie Jones story but if one falls in my lap I would not say no to it.

Resist

Resist is the conclusion to the Breathe duology. Like Breathe the story was fast paced and never slowed down for a single moment.

Along with Bea, Quinn, and Alina a new point of view is added with Ronan who is a solider for the government. I feel like Ronan did not really have a part in the story and was unnecessary except to make everything sort of fit. It sort of felt like a weak love triangle was going on between Ronan, Quinn, and Bea which just seemed out of place and messy. Since I enjoyed Breathe I really wanted to like Resist as well but it felt like a rushed story with too many loose ends.

The writing was sloppier then in Breathe and with so much action and characters point of views things quickly became muddled. It almost felt like two plot lines that were fighting to take control and only one plot line was resolved. While I like the idea of shorter series I also dislike how many things were left for the reader to wonder about.

The Storyteller's Secret

The Storyteller's Secret was yet another book from a large box my friend passed on to me. The lovely cover and texture of the cover drew my eye.

Jaya wants a child more then anything else but after three miscarriages she has given up hope. Determined to not let her life be destroyed Jaya decides to go visit her home country of India after learning her grandfather is gravely ill. Arriving too late Jaya is saddened to learn she will never know what her grandfather wanted to tell her until an elderly man appears and declares he will tell her the story of her grandmother.

While The Storyteller's Secret was average I do feel that the transitions between the past and the current was flawless. I cannot count how many times I get confused transitioning between times periods so it was refreshing this was not a problem. My biggest concern was Jaya, she was not a likable character. While a small cast of characters I did get a feel for rural village life in India along with the caste system for the time period. All in all the story was average with average characters.

Breathe

When I saw Breathe had no waiting list at the library I quickly checked it out for the car ride home. I have no clue how I found out about Breathe but it felt a bit different then other post dystopia stories I have read.

Earth has been devastated and no air is left except the air inside the pods produced artificially by Breathe. Citizens are divided into classes and there is little chance of changing your class. Only the wealthy premiums can afford extra oxygen and all the rights that come with it. Three different people with three different missions and yet they all become entangled. Determined to change the way things work Quinn, Bea, and Alina are forced to work together to prove that not everything is as it seems.

I really enjoyed the pacing of Breathe, nothing felt like filler. Chapter consistency was a bit off, some chapters were super short two to three pages and others were eighteen to twenty pages which threw off my read a bit. At first I thought Breathe was a stand alone but once I reached the end I am thankful to see that Resist will finish up the story.

Escaping from Houdini

Escaping from Houdini is the third book in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series. Having completed her studies of forensic science in Romania Audrey Rose is accompanying her Uncle to America to continue learning from him.

Nothing is more exciting then the thought of the circus unless it is a circus that travels on a first class ocean liner as it travels to America. Entertained every night with dazzling performances things quickly change as privileged young women turn up missing or worse dead. Terrified for herself Audrey Rose must work with allies and enemies alike as she attempts to catch yet another murder before times runs out.

Once again Kerri Maniscalco painted a dazzling picture with vivid words, musical sentences, and a memorizing cast of characters. I cannot get enough of the stories and am eager to read Capturing the Devil, the final book in the series.