Tag: novella

My Fair Assassin(Paranormal Misfits: Book 1) by C.J. Anaya

On By JolieIn book review, C.J. Anaya Publishing LLC, Non ARC2 Comments

Publisher: C.J. Anaya Publishing LLC

Date of publication: March 26th, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fairies, Fae, Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Magic, Novella, Urban Fantasy

Series: Paranormal Misfits

My Fair Assassins—Book 1

My Fair Traitor—Book 2

My Fair Imposter—Book 3

My Fair Invader—Book 4

My Fair Princess—Book 5

Where you can find this book: Amazon | AbeBooks | Alibris | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads synopsis:

NEW AND EXTENDED VERSION

It’s not everyday a teenage girl is singled out for assassination.

Crysta has come to accept the fact that she is freakishly different. Her shocking white hair, creepy powers, and weird eating habits have prevented her from fitting in with her various foster families. Now that she is fully emancipated and providing for herself, she hopes that life will settle down and become something halfway normal.

Her hopes are shattered when a dangerous man with lethal intent breaks into her apartment, but this enticing stranger isn’t what he seems. Is he here to kill her or protect her from others who will?

My Fair Assassin is a romantic short story with elements of paranormal and urban fantasy woven in for an entertaining read. It also touches on social issues involving personal self-esteem and acceptance. Adults and teens alike will enjoy getting lost in the pages of Crysta’s story as she finally comes to accept who she is…or rather what she is.

When I started reading My Fair Assassin, I was “meh.” Who would be OK with a strange guy appearing in their apartment and announcing he was there to kill her? Not me. I would be running around the apartment, screaming my fool head off. Crysta was laid back about it. Once I got past that first chapter, the book gets much more interesting.

I liked Crysta’s character. She looks different, is a vegan, and she has powers. She is down-to-earth, funny, and sarcastic. She suffers from poor body image. She filed her ears down to fit in and dyed her hair blonde. I felt sad when she explained why she did that. It reflects what teenagers are going through in today’s society.  As a teen girl’s mother, it is refreshing to see these issues addressed.

Jareth is a hottie. Think of a male version of Crysta but with more powers. I didn’t like that he knew everything and let it trickle down to her. Considering her self-esteem/trust issues, it was a wise choice, and you could tell how much he cared about her.

I didn’t care for the Instalove BUT it went well with the story. Jareth had Instalove first. It made sense. You need to read the story to understand what I am saying.

The ending was interesting. Things came out that surprised me. One of those things, I figured out as soon as Jareth appeared in Crysta’s apartment. The other main thing surprised me and made me sad for Jareth.

I would recommend My Fair Assassin to anyone over 16. There is some violence, mild language, and some kissing.

If you enjoyed reading My Fair Assassin, you will enjoy reading these books:

All is Bright (Hope Beach) by Colleen Coble

On By JolieIn book review, Non ARC, Thomas NelsonLeave a comment
All Is Bright: A Hope Beach Christmas Novella by [Coble, Colleen]

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Date of publication: October 6th, 2015

Genre: Holiday, Christmas, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Christian, Novella, Mystery, Suspense

Series: Hope Beach

Tidewater Inn—Book 1

Rosemary Cottage—Book 2

Seagrass Pier—Book 3

All is Bright

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | B&N | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

A romantic, Christmas wedding at her seaside hotel gives Delilah a chance to shine with her unique gifts. But will her light be snuffed out before the bride and groom say “I do”? 

As manager of the Tidewater Inn, Delilah Carter has been planning a spectacular Christmas wedding for her friends at the grand hotel overlooking the ocean. While picking up still more twinkly lights and some last-minute groceries for the reception dinner, a huge truck runs her off the freezing, wet roads into the dark night. Her car stops just short of an enormous tree and the truck speeds off into the night. Delilah escapes with her life and has almost convinced herself the whole thing was an accident, but then she begins to receive threatening phone calls. With the wedding just hours away, she’s distracted and anxious. Then Sheriff Tom Bourne stops by the inn and volunteers to help.

Tom has always had a soft spot for Delilah, and he’s determined to protect her. But he is pulled away by a bizarre Christmas stunt that has the neighborhood reeling, and Delilah is attacked again.

Will Delilah have to cancel the Christmas wedding at Tidewater Inn? And will Tom’s protection be enough to save Delilah from the shadowy figure looming in the background?

If you have been following this blog for a while, then you know my intense dislike of picking up a book that is part of a series. This also extends to novellas/short stories in the series.

I am happy that this novella/short story is none of the above. It had developed characters and a suspenseful plot line that kept you guessing until the end.

The only thing I had an issue with was the romance between Delilah and Tom. It seemed to come out of nowhere, which was weird to me. I mean, they have known for years and then realized that they had chemistry? Not believable.

I would recommend All is Bright to anyone over 16. There is mild violence, language, and no sex.

If you enjoyed reading All is Bright, you will enjoy reading these books: