BOOK REVIEW: THE CONTROVERSIAL PRINCESS BY JODI ELLEN MALPAS

Title: The Controversial Princess

Author: Jodi Ellen Malpas

Genre: Romance

Published on: May 22, 2018 by Everafter Romance

Her father is The King of England.

She is The Controversial Princess.

Regarded as down to earth by the press and rebellious by The King, Princess Adeline refuses to bow to the royal expectations her title carries. She knows better than anyone that the united front of the royal family is nothing but smoke and mirrors - lies and secrets masked by power and privilege. She wants no part of it, and she will never surrender to The King’s demand to marry a man she does not love. But despite Adeline’s determination to retain her free will, she remains deeply unfulfilled, feeling caged and suffocated.

That is until she meets Josh Jameson. Drawn in by his confidence, Adeline is soon captivated by the scandalously sexy American actor. His ability to penetrate her defences overwhelms her - his touch is pure fire, and his allure overpowering. Nothing has ever made her feel so alive in a world where she’s otherwise slowly drowning. However, while Josh may be Hollywood royalty, he’s not actual royalty, and Adeline knows The King and his advisors will do everything in their power to keep them apart.

But Josh Jameson becomes the princess’s ultimate vice.

And although she bows to no one, she bows to him.

Forbidden love is one of the most compelling subjects in romance novels. There’s just something irresistible about it. The Controversial Princess is a stunning example. It’s a royal family romance set in our world, with a few changes. The main character is Princess Adeline Catherine Lockhart of England. She’s third in line to the throne. The book is written from her POV. Joshua "Josh" Jameson is the love interest. He's a heartthrob Hollywood actor who meets Princess Adeline thanks to his connections. No, Josh isn't even remotely related to the royal family. You'll find out how the book's couple meet early in the story.

This book is gripping right from the start. Princess Adeline is attending a party at the royal palace to celebrate her thirtieth birthday. Unbeknownst to anyone, she’s not feeling in the mood to celebrate. King Alfred, her father, has been trying to get Adeline to marry a man worthy of her. The Princess fears she’s getting too old to continue refusing an arranged marriage. One thing to know about Princess Adeline is that she bows to no one. She’s always been rebellious, nonconformist, and headstrong. The Princess is determined to marry for love, not duty. Unfortunately, the royal family are about as old-fashioned as it gets.

DISCUSSING BOOKS: MY THOUGHTS ABOUT IZABEL SEYFRIED

Good morning! I am back with another discussion post. Today I will be writing about a main character from In the Company of Killers. This is a dark thriller/crime series that is still ongoing. Sarai's first appearance was in Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski. I first discovered this author after reading one of her earliest novels, The Edge of Never. That one is a contemporary romance, so it’s way different from In the Company of Killers. This series is so compelling and unputdownable. The books also made me impressed with Redmerski’s talent; she handles two completely different genres so well.

Killing Sarai is the origin story of Sarai Cohen/Izabel Seyfried. She’s a young woman of almost twenty and is perhaps the series’ most important protagonist. Back when I first read Killing Sarai, it was part of a duology. I didn’t know it would turn into such a successful series. In the Company of Killers may not be extremely popular, but it still has its ardent fans. A big reason may be how well the characters are written and how rich their stories are. Sarai in particular is so enthralling. Her years as a child are bleak and painful, but she ends up finding her own brand of success. I’m not going to bore you with details here (this isn’t a book review). You must know that Sarai used to be held captive as a sex slave by Javier Ruiz, a ruthless Mexican drug lord. She managed to escape when a mysterious man visited Ruiz’s compound.

BOOK REVIEW: SADIE BY COURTNEY SUMMERS

Title: Sadie
Author: Courtney Summers
Genre: Mystery, Young Adult

Published on: September 4, 2018 by St. Martin's Press

A missing girl on a journey of revenge and a Serial-like podcast following the clues she's left behind.

Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.

Courtney Summers has written the breakout book of her career. Sadie is propulsive and harrowing and will keep you riveted until the last page.

This is a book I’d been looking forward to reading. It has overwhelmingly positive reviews, so I wanted to see what it was about. Sadie is the story of the titular character, Sadie Hunter. She’s a nineteen-year-old girl who has gone missing. A short while ago, Sadie’s younger sister Mattie was murdered. Sadie was devastated afterward, as she loved Mattie more than anyone else in the world. After the police fail to d
eliver results, Sadie goes after the killer herself.

Most of the book is told from Sadie’s point of view. There’s a certain trait she has: Sadie has a stutter. She was never able to grow out of it. Because of it, Sadie isn’t a very open person. She’s self-conscious and rather introverted. During her hunt, Sadie isn’t afraid to talk to people, though. She must do it if she wants to get answers. Most people don’t think much of Sadie’s stutter, though. I don’t think I recall a single person who made fun of her for it.

BOOK REVIEW: RELENTLESS BY TERA LYNN CHILDS

Title: Relentless
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Published on: June 7, 2016 by Sourcebooks Fire

Revenge is easy, but justice is worth fighting for...

Kenna is tired of being lied to-and hunted by the very allies she once trusted. Unearthing the dark secrets of the superhero world has not only endangered her life, now her boyfriend faces execution for crimes he didn't commit and her mother is being held captive in a secret governmental prison.

Kenna is determined to stand up for what's right and save those she loves from unspeakable fates. It's time for the betrayal to end. It's time for the real criminals to face justice.

But the truth is even more terrifying than Kenna could imagine. A conspiracy threatens the fate of heroes, villains, and all of humanity. If Kenna's going to survive, she must draw on her deepest strength: her resilience. Because when Kenna's pushed to the limit, she doesn't break down. She fights back.

This is it, the conclusion of protagonist Kenna Swift’s story. She’s a science intern living among supers—people with special powers. Kenna used to work for Heroes at a secret lab, until she made a shocking discovery. The Heroes weren’t who they pretended to be. After they kidnapped her mother, Kenna joined forces with a team of Villains.

At the end of Powerless, two of Kenna’s friends fell into Hero hands. One of them is Draven, leader of a small group of Villains. He has the power of mind manipulation. Draven and his team were trying to rescue one of their friends. A bunch of heroes were secretly torturing this guy. Draven and Kenna found him, but the former sacrificed his freedom so that everyone else could escape. The other teammate who was captured is Rebel Malone, Kenna’s best friend. She’s not only a Hero…she’s the daughter of Rex Malone, president of the Superhero League. Rebel was never fooled by their smoke and mirrors. Rex managed to brainwash her, though, and now she’s unrecognizable.

BOOK REVIEW: SHE CAN RUN BY MELINDA LEIGH

Title: She Can Run
Author: Melinda Leigh
Genre: Romantic suspense, mystery

Published on: November 28, 2011 by Montlake Romance

Elizabeth was a young widow with two small children when she met Congressman Richard Baker. Handsome and wealthy, with a sparkling public image, Richard seemed like the perfect man to provide the security that Beth and her kids were craving. But when she uncovers a dangerous secret about her new husband, Beth realizes he will go to any lengths—even murder—to keep it. After barely escaping with her life, she and her children flee. They eventually make their way to a secluded estate in the Pennsylvania countryside, where Beth dares to hope she has found a safe place at last…

Forced into retirement by an unexpected injury, Philadelphia homicide detective Jack O’Malley is mourning the loss of his career when his uncle abruptly dies, leaving Jack to dispose of his crumbling country house. Unbeknownst to him, his uncle engaged a caretaker just before his death, a mysterious woman with two children and a beautiful face that haunts his dreams. Determined to know her, Jack begins an investigation into Beth’s past. When he uncovers the shocking truth, and a local woman is viciously murdered, Jack puts his own life on the line to keep Beth and her children safe.

She Can Run is a sexy, satisfying debut from award-winning author Melinda Leigh, packed with enough suspense and romance to get even the tamest heart racing!

This is the first Melinda Leigh novel I’ve read. It’s a romantic suspense about a woman on the run with her children. She’s Elizabeth “Beth” Markham, the main protagonist. Beth was forced to flee from her house for reasons not revealed at the start. You meet Beth and her children (Ben and Katie) as they arrive to their potential new home. It’s a secluded estate in a small Pennsylvania town. An old man named Danny O’Malley, longtime friend of someone who’s protecting Beth, owns the place. He agreed to hire Beth as the new caretaker.

Beth runs into an issue right away. Three men are in the house, but none of them are Danny. Instead, one of them is Jack, Danny’s nephew. He’s an ex-police officer who was forced to end his career after an accident. It’s apparent right away that Jack’s a good man. He lets Beth and the kids stay while they figure things out. This doesn’t last long; Jack honors his uncle’s decision and agrees to keep Beth as caretaker. For some reason, she asks for a two-week probation period. Beth no longer feels safe, so she thinks she may have to leave.