Review: Fated by Sarah Fine

Fated by Sarah Fine
Published September 2015 by 47 North
Source: eGalley ARC from NetGalley

Aislin Ferry and Jason Moros have only days until they will be called to account before the Keepers of the Afterlife. Yet as they race to restore order and make their case, their worlds fall into total disarray.

Mutiny within the fractured Ferry family threatens Aislin’s hold on power and role as Charon. Meanwhile, the fearsome Lord of the Kere has family trouble of his own. Someone is unraveling the fabric of fate, and Moros suspects one of his supernatural siblings is behind the terrible bid to unleash Chaos.

Now unlikely allies, Aislin and Moros each need the other to escape the wrath of the Keepers. As the stakes rise, it becomes clear that protecting their respective empires is not the endgame. With the fate of all humanity dangling by a thread, Aislin and Moros must surrender completely to one another if they are to fight their common enemy. And as time runs out, someone must make the ultimate sacrifice.

Review: Jack Staples and the Poet's Storm

Jack Staples and the Poet's Storm by Mark Batterson and Joel N. Clark,
Published June 2015 by David C. Cook
Source: eGalley ARC from NetGalley

Our world is more fantastical than we dare imagine…filled with both unbelievable beauty and horrific evil. Just ask Jack Staples and Alexia Dreager. They’re at the epicenter of the conflict that’s been raging since time before time began. Their birth and destiny have long been prophesied—but things aren’t going as planned.

In this epic conclusion to the Jack Staples trilogy, Jack and Alexia must make an impossible choice during their final battle against the Assassin—one that could alter time itself and the fate of the world.

Review: The Firebird Mystery

The Firebird Mystery by Darrell Pitt
Published May 2015 by Text Publishing Company
Source: eGalley ARC from NetGalley

Jack Mason grew up as an acrobat in a circus. After the tragic death of his parents, he was sent to live within the gloomy Sunnyside Orphanage in London, a city of fog and snow, filled with airships, steamcars, and metrotowers stretching into space.

That's until he is taken under the wing of the brilliant and eccentric detective Ignatius Doyle. But when a girl named Scarlet Bell comes seeking Mr. Doyle's help, little does Jack know how dangerous life is about to become. Scarlet's father has been kidnapped, and the future of the world itself may be at stake. Is the evil hand of Professor M pulling the strings? Mr. Doyle and Jack know there is no time to lose.

Review: Marked by Sarah Fine

Marked by Sarah Fine
Published January 2015 by 47 North
Source: eGalley ARC from NetGalley

In a broken landscape carved by environmental collapse, Boston paramedic Cacia Ferry risks life and limb on the front lines of a fragile and dangerous city. What most don’t know—including her sexy new partner, Eli Margolis—is that while Cacy works to save lives, she has another job ferrying the dead to the Afterlife. Once humans are “Marked” by Fate, the powerful Ferrys are called to escort the vulnerable souls to either eternal bliss or unending fire and pain.

Unaware of Cacy’s other life, Eli finds himself as mesmerized by his fierce and beautiful partner as he is mistrustful of the influential Ferry clan led by the Charon—who happens to be Cacy’s father. Cacy, in turn, can no longer deny her intense attraction to the mysterious ex-Ranger with a haunted past. But just as their relationship heats up, an apparent hit takes the Charon before his time. Shaken to the core, Cacy pursues the rogue element who has seized the reins of Fate, only to discover that Eli has a devastating secret of his own. Not knowing whom to trust, what will Cacy have to sacrifice to protect Eli—and to make sure humanity’s future is secure?

My Thoughts

Boston paramedic Cacia Ferry takes on dangerous assignments in a broken and flooded city. Her co-workers don’t know that she, along with members of her family, are responsible for ferrying those who have died to the Afterlife.

Cacy's new partner, Eli Margolis, is intensely attracted to Cacy, but distrustful of her rich and powerful family. When Cacy's father is suddenly Marked and killed—perhaps before his time—Cacy is faced with the possibility that someone is subverting Fate and making a power play to usurp the powers of the Ferrys. And, it appears that Eli's sister, Galena, is the focus of the power struggle. Galena's biomedical research offers hope of new vaccines against the plagues devastating the city, but fewer deaths mean less income to the Kere who Mark the doomed and the Ferrys who transport their souls to their final destination.

I have to say that I enjoyed everything about Marked except the explicit lovemaking scenes. The plot is captivating and the characters are appealing. But I'm just not fond of such steamy scenes. I think the book could be just as good (if not better) if it was toned down a bit.

★★★☆☆

Note that I received a free copy of Marked from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Review: Jack Staples

Jack Staples and the Ring of Time by Mark Batterson & Joel N. Clark
Published September 2014 by David C. Cook
Source: eGalley ARC from NetGalley

Eleven-year-old Jack's ordinary life is upended when mysterious creatures attack his hometown and he is whisked into a fantastical adventure filled with danger at every turn.

Jack learns that most live in a shadow of the world, their vision blinded by invisible scales that have covered human eyes since the beginning of time. But the Awakened experience the world as it truly is, where war rages between good and evil—and Jack is at the heart of it. The Awakened are searching for The Child of Prophesy who will both save the world and destroy it. When Jack joins in their epic battle he must learn to trust his friends and face his fears if he is to make his life count.

Jack Staples and the City of Shadows by Mark Batterson & Joel N. Clark
Published January 2015 by David C. Cook
Source: eGalley ARC from NetGalley

The Assassin is closing in. Just as Jack and his friend Alexia discover what it means to be the Chosen Ones, they each face the test of a lifetime. For Jack it is a question of trust; for Alexia, of loyalty. Everything rests on their making the right choices, and on the completion of their missions. The Assassin is determined they will fail, and that they will either join him or be destroyed. It will take all the Author’s forces, the special gifts they each have, and the help of their friends Arthur and Mrs. Dumphrey to overcome. But when the enemy makes a key move, and an important quest proves difficult, the prophecy that they will both destroy and save the world seems further from coming true than ever before.

My Thoughts

I found Jack Staples and the Ring of Time and Jack Staples and the City of Shadows on the Read Now list at NetGalley and it looked like an interesting YA fantasy. I quickly read through the first book in a single day as we were driving from the Dallas area to Las Vegas. What a lovely fantasy for teens!

Jack Staples has been leading an ordinary life when he is thrown into extraordinary circumstances. As mysterious creatures attack his village, Jack discovers that he is no ordinary boy. Most people can only see a shadow of the world, their vision blinded by invisible scales that cover their eyes. While some people (the Awakened) have had the scales fall away, Jack was born without scales—able to see reality all of his life. In fact, Jack is the “Child of Prophecy” who is destined to battle the Assassin and save the world. Or he is destined to join forces with the Assassin and destroy the world. The Prophecy isn't clear.

But wait! There's another “Child of Prophecy”—Alexia was also born without scales. Together they must fight against the Assassin, with help from Jack's friends and more of the Awakened.

These two books delivered a fun story filled with interesting characters and non-stop adventure. Neither book contains a real conclusion. A battle is over, but you know you need to read the next book to see what happens next. Fortunately, the last book in the trilogy is due out in June. I hope to read it soon so as to have a sense of completion. And besides—if it's anything like the first two books, it will be an outstanding story to conclude the epic struggle between good and evil.

★★★☆☆

Note that I received free copies of Jack Staples and the Ring of Time and Jack Staples and City of Shadows from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.