Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Synopsis:

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era! Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon—the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Rating: ★★★★

Review:

I loved this so much!!!! This trilogy has been on my radar for so long and I honestly don't know what took me so long to actually start reading this. 

It's been a while since I read a time traveling novel that I actually like and I really really REALLY liked this one. The time travel itself, how it was incorporated into the story and how it evolved throughout the whole of the book, was handled with perfection. I loved how it started out uncontrolled but at same time it was explained where we as readers knew what was happening and we weren't left confused because of bad transitioning.  

I also loved the family dynamic. Not speaking of the obvious favoritism for whoever they thought had the time traveler gene but because it was a relatable family. Being that they're not perfect but not overly cruel, they just have the normal ups and downs of a real life family.

I love the friendship between Gwen and Leslie and how the author kept their friendship constant throughout the book, not letting it fade into the background or be over shadowed by everything going on with the plot. Their relationship is just so pure and I want it to stay that way. #FriendshipGoals 👭

I don't really care for Gideon or his an Gwen's budding "romance" and I pray for it not to be a thing. I don't feel like this book needs a romantic relationship, at least not between these two characters. I almost feel like it's a forced relationship and it just makes things awkward. #HellNaawwToTheNawNawNaw 👎🚫 #NoThankYou 🙅😷 #NotONMyWatch ⌚


I absolutely loved the Narrator! She made me laugh so hard when she voiced some of the characters and she just did an amazing job with everyone in general. The epilogue blew my mind and I'm still sitting here mind blown to pieces wondering what in the hell's going on and what did I just hear. I already downloaded Sapphire Blue and I'm ready to jump back into the mystery ASAP!!

Inchor by Aladea

Synopsis:

This book will permit you to defy all the sorrow you once buried deep within you, now riddled within your bones, in order to reach ecstasy and bury seeds instead of persons and gather flowers instead of sorrowful thoughts. 

Fragments of what once made your eyes weep but now make your tears dry. Broken pieces put together to create wholeness within you. 

Based on the genre of milk and honey; Inchor is a poetry book that will delicately unlace the legion of intertwining cords enfolding your brain, in which thoughts are rummaging at all times, to bring out calm from the chaos dominating your soul. You will find the victory of all your previous battles in its poems and it will glorify the shields you have used and act as a weapon to your current daily battles. A mix of metaphors and meanings destined to make you feel the way you've never felt before.

Rating: ★★★★

Review:

I loved the intro! I don't think I've ever had an introduction quite like this for a collection of poetry! Also, I loved that her poems weren't directed at someone in particular or a particular situation. They were universal and I loved that that lets you apply any of the poems to whatever situation you may be going through. 

The only problem I had with this book was that sometimes, because of the way the book's edited, I couldn't decipher when one poem ended and the other began. It didn't happen often maybe twice or three times throughout the entire collection but it did happen.

This book lacked no depth, emotion, or understanding. I absolutely loved it and I 100% recommend picking this up because it is a wonderful quick read.

**The author did contact me with a preview of this book and offer to read and review but I did purchase with my own money and have given my honest opinion.**

The Bear by Claire Cameron

Synopsis:

A powerfully suspenseful story narrated by a young girl who must fend for herself and her little brother after a brutal bear attack. While camping with her family on a remote island, five-year-old Anna awakes in the night to the sound of her mother screaming. A rogue black bear, 300 pounds of fury, is attacking the family's campsite, pouncing on her parents as prey.At her dying mother's faint urging, Anna manages to get her brother into the family's canoe and paddle away. But when the canoe dumps the two children on the edge of the woods, and the sister and brother must battle hunger, the elements, and a dangerous wilderness, we see Anna's heartbreaking love for her family--and her struggle to be brave when nothing in her world seems safe anymore.Told in the honest, raw voice of five-year-old Anna, this is a riveting story of love, courage, and survival.

Rating: ★★½

Review:

I had higher expectations for this book because the synopsis sounded like it was going to take me on an emotional field trip. The beginning started off on a strong note but once the bear attack was over that's when things started going down hill.

Anna is a very frustrating character to follow. I understand she's only 6 but I don't understand how a 6 year old can not know the difference between a dog and a bear, even tho she brings up multiple past conversations discussing bears, but coincidentally knows what a beaver is. Her mind is portrayed as more of a 4 year old than a 6 year old and to come to think about it her 4 year old brother, Stick's, personality and actions doesn't match his age either.

Also, most of Anna's flash backs have nothing to do with the main event at hand and it truly hurts the plot. It makes the story feel longer than needed and that mixed with the frustrating personalities of the main characters makes me loose interest and ultimately makes me want to bail on the whole book but I stuck it through till the end. After the kids were rescued I wish the author would have elaborated more on their therapy and how they came to term with everything they had just experienced but I did like the epilogue more than any other part in the book, besides the beginning. 


I don't know what possessed me to pick up a book where the POV (point of view) character is 6 but most likely it'll never happen again.