Friday, September 28, 2018

The Billionaire's Legacy (Billionaires and Babies, #1) by Reese Ryan Another Quickie Review


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The Billionaire's Legacy by Resse Ryan
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Blurb:
"Just for tonight."Until their chance reunion takes a sharp turn... toward twins. Tech billionaire Benjamin Bennett can't resist a steamy weekend with Sloane Sutton--his crush on her goes way back. But when he tracks her down, she's pregnant--with twins! Now their fling needs trust to survive. Benji wants a wedding; his family claims she's a gold digger. But Sloane won't be bought--or married. Can they find common ground...and a shot at forever? 





Review 
3 out of 5 stars
The Billionaire's Legacy is the ideal billionaire romance. It's nothing I haven't seen before but adding a pair of unexpected twins--gave the story a nice twist. Plus who doesn't love a good guy?

Benjamin also known as Benji, has loved Sloane all of his life and when he sees her again many years later--his love for her only deepens.

Sloane is slightly older--and she has plans, none of which include her best friend's younger brother. 

BUT, put together a timid mutual attraction, lust, and the perfect opportunity--and what you get is a night of passion that leads to an unexpected pregnancy, an excited unknowing father-to-be, and a bashful slightly older mom-to-be.

Sloane and Benji's story was adorable--and kind of heartbreaking. It's amazing what secrets and lies can do to a relationship.

But what you get by the end of it is a love story that you can root for, and two babies whose cheeks you wish you could really squeeze. 

While it wasn't widly original, it was definitely heart-warming and a quick read that I rather enjoyed.

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Gold Shadow (Bronze Rebellion, #1) by L.C. Perry A Quickie Review


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Gold Shadow by L.C. Perry
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Blurb:
In the North American continent, eighteen year old Ebony has been living as a slave for as long as she can remember. The underground cities, the tattoo, the scars and the shackles are a part of the only world she has ever known. She knows that in order to survive, she will have to stay strong. And she will stay strong, cursing those in power, until her very last breath. She waits for a meaningful way to die as she quietly pushes her body to its limit…but that all changes when rebels from the surface drop down right in front of her. 

Now, Ebony is challenged to envision a life beyond slavery as she and the other escapees are thrown into the center of a rebellion against the monarchy. She has to embrace this glimmer towards a real life…this glimmer called freedom. But what can she contribute to a rebellion that is doomed to fail like those before it? How can they stop a corrupt monarchy that has lasted for a century? Among the lower class, those with hope are hard to come by, but Ebony has found refuge with people full of it. And through their strong desire, an idea emerges…one that has never been done before. The princess of the country is coming of age and what better way to send a message to the king and queen than to kidnap their only daughter?

Review 
4 out of 5 stars
Though lengthy, Gold Shadow held a lot of depth in its pages--keeping away from boring the reader with a bunch of details and world-building--though there was a bit of it. 

The author took great care to showcase this dystopian-esque world with descriptive passages, solid thought-out characters, and engaging writing. 

It took me quite some time to get through this one, as I tend to read even slower when the novel is long--and this was pretty long. 

But, I was able to be fully engaged--and enjoy the story for what it was, a very Divergent-esque dystopian that had a lot of solid characters and a decent amount of backstory for its type.

These type of novels (Fantasy, Dystopia) tend to be info dumping breeding grounds. They tend to focus heavily on convincing the reader of the world the author created.

While this does not lack the necessary information to grasp this particular world, the author did a fantastic job of providing just enough drama and action to keep the reader enthralled without boring them to death with the details.

I'm pretty impressed with this one and I look forward to getting into the series. It's diverse and plotted well. I'd recommend it.

Monday, September 10, 2018

Riding Chance by Christine Kendall

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Riding Chance by Christine Kendall
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Blurb:
Troy is a kid with a passion. And dreams. And wanting to do the right thing. But after taking a wrong turn, he's forced to endure something that's worse than any juvenile detention he can imagine-he's "sentenced" to the local city stables where he's made to take care of horses. The greatest punishment has been trying to make sense of things since his mom died but, through his work with the horses, he discovers a sport totally unknown to him-polo. Troy's has to figure out which friends have his back, which kids to cut loose, and whether he and Alisha have a true connection. Laced with humor and beating with heartache, this novel will grip readers, pull them in quickly, and take them on an unforgettable ride. Set in present-day Christine Kendall's stunning debut lets us come face-to-face with the challenges of a loving family that turn hardships into triumphs.

Review 
3 out of 5 stars
It seems repetitive to mention the need for books like these when I was a youth--but I can still see this same need for African American young adults today--a story that features an African American main character not lost in tragedy or highlighted in negative stereotypes associated with blackness--or being black.

Riding Chance is a positive story of hope with a core of realism and black boy joy.

Riding horses in the African American community is synonymous with whiteness. For some, it's not something that seems possible--or even "black."

The aspect of a riding program for 'troubled youth, for lack of a better word, is the most beautiful part of the story.

It shows young black children and young adults that nothing is outside the realm of possibility. While this seems a little heavy to put on such a short mild-mannered novel--these are the kinds of things that can be picked up from someone who's mind might not be as open to the possibilities they cannot see. This is the hope they wouldn't see in their day-to-day lives.

Despite that, the novel felt very fluid--easy to read and devour. It's rather short but felt very comfortable to read like sitting with an old friend.

My single complaint was the lack of emotional connection outside of the people and the horses. Some of the relationships lacked emotional depth.

The author could've dug a little deeper in the relationships--not limited to the possible romantic connection between the MC and Alisha. 

It also would have been nice to see more of the horse camp. It would have given the story a more lush--and engaging feel.

This is not to be overly critical but observant--as mentioned I rather enjoyed the story.

A realistic novel with a not so unique backstory that will sit well with young readers--that will embolden them to dream bigger.