An Unconditional Freedom (The Loyal League #3) by Alyssa Cole

* * * * *

Daniel Cumberland’s uneventful life as a freed man in Massachusetts ended the night he was kidnapped and sold into slavery. To then have his freedom restored by the very man who stole his beloved’s heart is almost too much to bear. When he’s offered entry into the Loyal League, the covert organization of spies who helped free him, Daniel seizes the opportunity to help take down the Confederacy and vent the rage that consumes him.
When the Union Army occupies Janeta Sanchez’s small Florida town, her family’s goodwill and ties to Cuba fail to protect her father from being unjustly imprisoned for treason. To ensure her father’s release, Janeta is made an offer she can’t refuse: spy for the Confederacy. Driven by a desire for vengeance and the hope of saving her family, she agrees to infiltrate the Loyal League as a double agent.

Daniel is both aggravated and intrigued by the headstrong recruit. For the first time in months, he feels something other than anger, but a partner means being accountable, and Daniel’s secret plan to settle a vendetta and strike a blow for the Union can be entrusted to no one. As Janeta and Daniel track Jefferson Davis on his tour of the South, their dual hidden missions are threatened by the ghosts of their pasts and a growing mutual attraction—that might be their only hope for the future. 

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


Alyssa Cole has made no secret of the fact that she had a hard time writing An Unconditional Freedom. I had an equally hard time reading it. Every page confronts you with the brutal truth about slavery. And when current events make you feel as if we're regressing, it makes this novel that much more imperative to read, here and now. 

Daniel was born a free man and knows what freedom tastes like. He had a potentially bright future studying law but in the hopes of doing good for his fellow countryman, he placed his trust in the wrong people and was thus captured and sold as a slave. Years of mistreatment and witnessing evil upfront broke him to an extent. His heart and resolve hardened, he's determined to fight back now and bring about change. His reputation in the Loyal League is that of a lone wolf which he prefers so he's none too thrilled about the Loyal League foisting a new partner upon him. Janeta's own upbringing is a far cry from anything Daniel has experienced. Born to a former slave who ended up marrying her owner, Janeta is of both worlds. She's never known hardship, only that she is different. Her entry into the Loyal League is dubious as her agenda is to infiltrate them and spy for the South. Travelling with Daniel, she witnesses closeup the lives of those enslaved. This forces her to question her own indoctrination and discern who the good guys really are. More importantly, who stands to gain the most should the war be won or lost. She went into this to protect her family, and perhaps her naiveté made her easy to manipulate but now her allegiance is shifting.

Cole has injected a lot of the frustration and despair that's sprung up recently and poured it into her latest work. Combining history and a modern perspective, An Unconditional Freedom questions everything about why one person should feel superior to another. It highlights the economics and politics of slavery, and how lack of an education and literacy can be a weapon in suppressing a population. Reading Daniel's personal history in particular wrenches your soul apart. 

Writing this book has been a labour of love and Cole has outdone herself here. There's no sugarcoating the history of a something as vile as slavery, a raw wound that just keeps reopening. An Unconditional Freedom doesn't allow you to turn away from it but invites you to learn from it in hopes that common sense, decency and an intrinsic belief in everyone's worth will always be greater than the evil that exists.

~ Bel

An Extraordinary Union (The Loyal League #1) by Alyssa Cole

* * * *

As the Civil War rages between the states, a courageous pair of spies plunge fearlessly into a maelstrom of ignorance, deceit, and danger, combining their unique skills to alter the course of history and break the chains of the past . . .

Elle Burns is a former slave with a passion for justice and an eidetic memory. Trading in her life of freedom in Massachusetts, she returns to the indignity of slavery in the South—to spy for the Union Army.

Malcolm McCall is a detective for Pinkerton's Secret Service. Subterfuge is his calling, but he’s facing his deadliest mission yet—risking his life to infiltrate a Rebel enclave in Virginia.

Two undercover agents who share a common cause—and an undeniable attraction—Malcolm and Elle join forces when they discover a plot that could turn the tide of the war in the Confederacy's favor. Caught in a tightening web of wartime intrigue, and fighting a fiery and forbidden love, Malcolm and Elle must make their boldest move to preserve the Union at any cost—even if it means losing each other . . .

"Man's inhumanity to man wasn't solely regulated to skin color, although it did allow its practitioners to choose their targets more easily." ~ Elle, p.44

An Extraordinary Union was added to my wish list when I saw the Twitterverse raving about it. When I attended the Kensington panel at RT17 back in May, my fellow Bibliojunkies watched me race my way up to the table to snag myself a copy of it. I was ecstatic!

A freed slave turned spy for the Union is an intriguing concept and one that I wanted to learn about. My knowledge of the Civil War is quite limited and as part of my self-education on it I want to be sure to learn about the stories that don't get as much attention. This is one of them. Elle herself is an impressive woman: she's always been able to memorize and recall information, an ability that's vital in the war effort to fight the Rebels. Too often though her skills are underestimated simply because she is a woman, and of colour. Yet, this is also an advantage to any spy, especially that of the Loyal League. Since she is given little regard by her employers, she can fly under the radar gathering information from conversations she overhears and things she sees. It's amazing the things people divulge when they're ignoring you because they feel you're beneath them. Malcolm's appearance makes things harder. He's also a spy for the Loyal League and they have to work together. Malcolm has always found slavery to be a contemptible practice but he knows that not everyone shares his progressive attitude. As part of his cover, he plays nice and woos and flirts with the society women and banters effortlessly with the gentlemen of the South, all the while using his charm to gain their confidence and wean information from them. Two spies with special gifts in a dangerous situation, made even more risky by their growing attraction to each other. In all of this they must not lose sight of their mission.

There's a tinge of suspense that penetrates the entire story due to the tension and danger that come across strongly. The risk of being caught or double-crossed is always a probability especially in those secretive moments. I know this will sound a bit strange but I found the romance to be a bit distracting at a couple of times. I did like the verbal sparring that went on between Elle and Malcolm - they're both equally up to the challenge - and I loved that he delighted in her outspokenness. I think I was just so focused on the spying and infiltrating of the enemy's lair. 

"..., but it galled him that Elle's effectiveness was partially rooted in society inherently seeing her as inferior." ~ Malcolm, p.55

What's most striking are the cringe-worthy moments exposing mankind's ugly side. We all know that slaves were maligned and mistreated (which sadly is a gross understatement) but it's still shocking to see them referred to as "darkies" and thought of lacking in any intelligence. Men would comment on Elle as an object to be toyed with and worse. One character who is absolutely reprehensible is that of Susie, a high society daughter. She's a vile, insipid character who thinks nothing of how she treats anyone much less slaves. Hats off to Cole though for injecting half an ounce of empathy for her as a Southern Belle who is pushed by her mother to make a good marriage, but even that doesn't erase her disgusting personality. For me, the highlights of the book come with Elle and Malcolm's insights into human nature and that of the circumstances they witness. On the surface of it, Malcolm represents everything she should fear and detest. He's a white man, a part of the group that has forcefully uprooted, enslaved and persecuted her people. Yet he harbours none of that despicable behaviour towards her or her kind. Malcolm sees a young woman possessed of incredible intellect, bravery and beauty. The difference in skin colour has no bearing on who he cares for or falls in love with even though he know's most of society will not be accepting of them.

An Extraordinary Union is moving, suspenseful and romantic. Not only did I learn something from it, I came away with a profound new respect for those who simply wanted to live free of fear and subjugation, and those who risked their lives to make that happen.

~ Bel

No One Like You by Kate Angell

***

From Kensington:

No One Expects a Curveball

For Rylan Cates, the gloriously sunny beachside town of Barefoot William may be home, but the pro baseball player needs to focus on spring training. Hiring a personal assistant to keep him and his four dogs organized for the next eight weeks is the first step—and Beth Avery is the perfect pinch hitter.

Beth is still looking for her place in the world, and a couple months caring for Rylan’s two dachshunds, his golden retriever, and a Great Dane named Atlas should shore up her finances before she moves on. Except it’s Atlas who won’t budge, pushing her toward tanned, scruffy, sexy Rylan every chance he gets. One more strike and she’s calling the dog out—unless she and Rylan admit that the attraction they’re feeling is a game-winning grand slam…

Beth is running from her past; from a disastrous professional event that turned her life upside down and had her fleeing like a criminal.  She takes odd jobs, traveling around, never staying in any place long - just learning to be herself; to accept herself.  When she lands a temp job as the personal assistant/dog sitter for baseball star Rylan Cates, who can help falling for a gorgeous athlete who is a genuinely good guy? 

While the book is set in the world of professional baseball, the characters are down to earth and very real.  No One Like You is a romance without (mostly) the angst that is so common in romances these days.  While their relationship takes both Beth and Rylan by surprise and requires adjustments in both life and mentality, there's something comforting in the thought that love can come without all the angst.  I'm not sure an author would like me saying her book was comforting and felt "normal" but that's how I felt about No One Like You.  And who doesn't love a book with crazy dogs in it, right?  Rylan's dogs are awesome!

Kate Angell does great sports romance.  If you haven't checked out her Richmond Rogues series, you definitely should.  Find out more here:  http://www.kateangell.com.  

~ Shel

Spirit (Elemental #3) by Brigid Kemmerer

* * * *

With power comes enemies. Lots of them.

Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He’s learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.

He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.

Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.

With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he’ll have to find someone he can trust…

Regular followers of the blog know that The Elemental Series is a big hit with Shel. And it wasn’t until recently that I finally had my turn with the books. I read Storm and Spark which I enjoyed immensely but it was the e-novella Breathless that completely won me over.  Kemmerer excels at giving her characters a turn in the spotlight, this time being Hunter’s, and gives them the time to develop properly. And even though Hunter is not a Merrick brother, he is very much connected to them and there’s no escaping that tie.

Hunter is a surprising revelation in Spirit. He appears to be a jovial, easy-going guy in the previous books but in Spirit, all his insecurities and demons are played out. He’s mentally in a bad place here with issues at home and at school which means he’s making some bad decisions that land him in all kinds of messes. Of course, he’s still on the outs with Gabriel Merrick and the rest of the brothers because of his “spying” in Spark. Right now being isolated from the people he has considered friends leaves him very vulnerable to trouble. And trouble comes in the form of Kate, the mysterious new girl at school who befriends him and the Merricks. Spirit has everyone figuring out what exactly honesty means, who can be trusted and how to stand their ground while they’re being hunted mercilessly.

Readers, The Elemental Series has been a blast! Once you get started, it’s hard to put the books down – any of them. One of the best things about the series is that even though these are all teens with special powers, they’re also so very human and relatable.  Everything they go through be it sibling rivalries, high school drama or dislike of authority figures, they’re all reminiscent of stuff we’ve all been through. There are so many times where you’ll find yourself going, “been there", "oh that guy" or “yeah that sucks”. There's bound to be a character or a situation that will remind you of someone you know or something that has happened.

Spirit continues the superb, fast-paced action and humor of its predecessors.  The plot may be thickening but the bonds between our dysfunctional but utterly awesome Elementals are also getting tighter. I’m excited for more!

~ Bel

Sweet Stuff by Donna Kauffman

**

From Kensington Books:

Double Fudge. . .Toasted Coconut. . .Key Lime. . .Strawberry Cream. . .
Every bite is a mouthful of heaven.
And the women of the Cupcake Club are bringing their appetites . . .

Riley Brown never imagined she would find her bliss on Georgia's quiet Sugarberry Island after years of Chicago's city life. With a new career and fantastic new friends, she's got it all--except for eligible men. But a gig staging a renovated beach house delivers a delicious treat--six feet of blue-eyed, gorgeous writer as delectable and Southern as pecan pie. Quinn Brannigan has come to Sugarberry to finish his latest novel in peace, and suddenly Riley has a taste for the bad boy author that no amount of mocha latte buttercream or lemon mousse will satisfy . . .

Riley's friends are rooting for her to give in to her cravings and spice up her life, but it's Quinn who needs to learn that life's menu just might include love, in all its decadent, irresistible flavors. . .

The Good:

I enjoyed the premise of this book, with the famous author hiding out and trying to decide what direction to take his career meets woman who fled a bad relationship to end up in a small town.  Quinn reminded me a bit of Castle, which of course made me think of the delectable Nathan Fillion...

The Bad:

While I enjoyed the premise, I wasn’t a big fan of the execution.  I’ve read books by Donna Kauffman before and enjoyed them, but the execution of these characters just didn’t resonate with me. 

For my money, if you are going to read Donna Kauffman, I recommend the Fairy Godmother series.  Super fun and interesting.

~Shel

Waiting on Wednesday (43)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

 

 

By Jennifer Estep

Publication Date: December 24, 2012

For a moment, a face flashed before my eyes—the most hideous face I’d ever seen. No matter how hard I tried to forget what had happened, I saw him everywhere I went. It was Loki—the evil god that I’d helped set free against my will.

I should have known that my first official date with Logan Quinn was destined to end in disaster. If we’d gotten into a swordfight, or been ambushed by Reapers, I’d have been more prepared. But getting arrested mid-sip at the local coffee hangout? I didn’t see that one coming.

I’ve been accused of purposely helping the Reapers free Loki from his prison—and the person leading the charge against me is Linus Quinn, Logan’s dad. The worst part is that pretty much everyone at Mythos Academy thinks I’m guilty. If I’m going to get out of this mess alive, I’ll have to do it myself…(

Waiting on Wednesday (29)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.



By Brigid Kemmerer
Publication Date: August 28, 2012

Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally.

Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t. Like the fire that killed his parents.

Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he’s not doing it.

More than Gabriel’s pride is at stake -- this could cost him his family, maybe his life. And no one seems to hear him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Layne understands family problems, and she understands secrets. She has a few of her own.

Gabriel can’t let her guess about his brothers, about his abilities, about the danger that’s right at his heels. But there are some risks he can’t help taking.

The fuse is lit…

Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

****1/2

From Kensington:

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys—all the ones she doesn’t want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her.

Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water—just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake.

When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming…

This is an incredible debut novel.  Storm has everything I look for in a book - hot boys, supernatural abilities, a heroine that I don't want to smack around - a little humor, some drama and intrigue.  Storm is the first in the Elemental Series featuring people who can control the elements.  Storm introduces us to the Merrick brothers.  Chris, the youngest of the Merrick boys controls water and we meet him as he is getting beaten to a pulp by some other elementals.  Becca saves his butt and in return her life gets seriously strange. 

I loved the Merrick brothers (and really, who wouldn't).  Despite their supernatural abilities, the brothers act a lot like I would suspect brothers to act in their situation, with no female influence.  With the exception of Becca and perhaps Hunter, the remaining characters are not fully developed, but I assume we will learn more as the series progresses.  The series will follow the brothers and I am looking forward to figuring out where the author is taking the story.  

If you follow the blog, you know that I am incredibly stingy with my 5 star ratings.  The only one I have given was for Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan.  A book has to completely blow me away to get a 5.  I'm giving Storm 4 1/2 because it was really close to blowing me away.  I read it twice in one weekend - I just could not get it out of my head.  

You can see Michael's (the oldest Merrick brother) story in the prequel Elemental.  

 

Then join me in waiting anxiously for Spark, releasing August 28, 2012.  Check out yet another hot Merrick brother!

We are giving away a copy of Storm from 5/25/12 through 5/31/12 in the Spring Into Summer Hop, so enter for your very own copy of Storm to obsess over!  Also check out our Q & A with Brigid Kemmerer here.

~Shel



Waiting on Wednesday (19)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

By Jennifer Estep
Publication Date: May 29, 2012

I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me—again.

Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects—and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me?

It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me—and I’m in for the fight of my life.

What books are you eagerly anticipating?

Q & A with Brigid Kemmerer Author of the Storm (Elemental Series)

Today I am very happy to welcome Brigid Kemmerer, author of Storm, the first book in her Elemental Series.

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys—all the ones she doesn’t want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her.

Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water—just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming…

And find out how it all began in the ebook exclusive prequel, Elemental. 

Earth, Fire, Air, Water – they are more than you dream.

 As an air Elemental, 17-year-old Emily Morgan doesn’t have much power. That’s okay—she knows what happens to kids who do.

Like Michael Merrick. He’s an earth Elemental, one with enough power to level cities. Which makes him sexy, dangerous, and completely off limits. At least according to Emily’s family.

But her summer job puts her in close contact with Michael, and neither of them can help the attraction they feel. When forces of nature like theirs collide, one misstep could get someone killed. Because Emily’s family doesn’t just want her to stay away from him.

They want him dead.

About Brigid:

Brigid Kemmerer was born in Omaha, Nebraska, though her parents quickly moved her all over the United States, from the desert in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to the lakeside in Cleveland, Ohio, and several stops in between, eventually settling near Annapolis, Maryland. Brigid started writing in high school, and her first real “novel” was about four vampire brothers causing a ruckus in the suburbs. Those four brothers are the same boys living in the pages of The Elemental Series, so Brigid likes to say she’s had four teenage boys taking up space in her head for the last seventeen years. (Though sometimes that just makes her sound nuts.)

Brigid writes anywhere she can find a place to sit down (and she’s embarrassed to say a great many pages of The Elemental Series were written while sitting on the floor in the basement of a hotel while she was attending a writers’ conference). Most writers enjoy peace and quiet while writing, but Brigid prefers pandemonium. A good thing, considering she has three boys in the house, ranging in age from an infant to a teenager.

While writing STORM, it’s ironic to note that Brigid’s personal life was plagued by water problems: her basement flooded three times, her roof leaked, her kitchen faucet broke, causing the cabinet underneath to be destroyed by water, the wall in her son’s room had to be torn down because water had crept into the wall, and her bedroom wall recently developed a minor leak. Considering SPARK, book 2 in the series, is about the brother who controls fire, Brigid is currently making sure all the smoke detectors in her house have batteries.

So without further adieu....

BiblioJunkies:  When did you begin your writing career?

Brigid:  I first started writing seriously in high school. My friends and I would write longhand on notebook paper, and then trade pages back-and-forth to read and comment in the margins. I still have three or four loose-leaf notebooks full of those old stories. It doesn’t seem like we were writing all the time, but we must have been, because I distinctly remember pulling out my story binder in Calculus during senior year, just to get some extra paper, and the teacher said, “No. No more writing stories in my class. This is math.” (And I loved math!)

BiblioJunkies:  What sparked your first idea for The Elemental series?

Brigid:  The first novel I wrote in high school was about four vampire brothers named Michael, Nicholas, Gabriel, and Christopher. It was a silly story, but I still have most of it on paper. When I really began to take writing seriously in my twenties, I wrote a few books but was unable to find a literary agent or a publisher. I couldn’t get those four brothers out of my head – but I didn’t want to do vampires again. I started tossing around ideas that would work with the number four: four horsemen of the apocalypse; four leaf clovers; four, four, four. The four elements of earth, air, fire, and water seemed to work best—and I had a lot of ideas how I could make it fun. What teenager wouldn’t want to be able to control the elements?

BiblioJunkies:  What was the most difficult issue you encountered in writing the book?

Brigid:  Writing from the point of view of a teenage boy (but I think I pulled it off).

BiblioJunkies:  If you could summarize your thoughts on Storm in a couple of sentences, how would you describe it?

Brigid:  Storm follows Chris, who at 16 is the youngest Merrick brother.  When he meets Becca, she's saving him from getting beaten up in the school parking lot.  Chris' life is full of action and adventure and paranormal excitement - but at its root, it's a story about family, brotherhood, and standing up for yourself. 

BiblioJunkies:  What’s your advice for an aspiring author who would like to become a published writer?

Brigid:  Read as much as you can. Then write as much as you can. Then read some more—especially unpublished manuscripts. That will really help you hone your eye for learning to self-edit.

A huge Thank You to Brigid Kemmerer for taking the time to come play on our blog!  Stay tuned - later this week we will have our review of Storm AND we will be giving away a copy of Storm for our stop in the Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop beginning Friday, May 25, 2012. 

~Shel

Tangled by Erica O'Rourke

* * * 1/2

Constance started to keen as the air around us began to thrash and twist, the caustic scent of ozone burning my nose. As I watched, her dark gold hair began to lift and kick into knots. “I’m here. It’ll be okay.” It was the last thing I said before my best friend’s little sister went supernova in the second-floor girls’ bathroom, taking me with her.

A month ago, Mo Fitzgerald risked her life to stop an ancient prophecy and avenge her best friend’s murder. Now, she only wants to keep her loved one safe. But the magic – and the Chicago mob – have other plans.

Mysterious, green-eyed Luc is back, asking for help – and a second chance. Colin, her strongest protector, is hiding a shocking secret. And inside Constance, the magic is about to go terribly wrong. Tangled in a web of love and betrayal, Mo must choose between the life she’s dreamed of and the one she’s destined for.

Tangled, picks up a few months after the events at the Chicago Water Tower. Mo is trying to get back to normal but magic and trouble are never far behind. It turns out the magical world still needs her despite their disdain for her. In the normal “flat” world, she’s trying to understand her family secrets, a rival mob is after her and she's crushing on two different guys. All this and she still has to get into NYU. Oh the pressure!

I really enjoy this series mostly because it's intriguing to watch Mo balance two very different worlds and very different expectations. No matter how many times she may save the magical world, she still has to get to school and get decent grades. She has to answer to her mother and uncle, even if they are suspicious. There are very real repercussions she has to face no matter where she turns. Not that I enjoy watching someone suffer but it’s definitely a different take on the whole paranormal storyline.

When The Convenant comes back to demand her help, Mo takes a stand and demands something as well. She's determined to have some control of her life and is still reluctant to adopt Luc's view that it's their fate to be together and protect the magical world. While she's fighting fate, she's also working her way through everyone's secrets  –  her mother's, uncle's, father's and Colin's. Mo deciphering her family politics is hazardous undertaking. At times she's in over her head and she makes some knucklehead moves. Then there are others when she actually gets the upper hand though it's short lived. But I have to hand it to Mo. The crap she goes through would do anyone's head in but she still manages to hold it together.

Mo's romantic triangle continues. Luc is a great comic relief, especially when things gets pretty serious but Colin is the guy you want to bring home to mom. So it's a good thing he's there a lot! While I'm not really sure myself who she should end up with, when it comes to Mo and Colin, I find the blurry line between that of protector and potential lover rather unsettling. But where my fellow BiblioJunkie Nat loves the nice boy, I loooove the bad boy. So I guess that means I'm Team Luc.

Tangled is a lot of fun to read and it was the perfect escape for me. There are quite a few creative twists involved which take things up a few notches. I'm looking forward to reading Bound that comes out June 26!


~ Bel