Walk on Earth a Stranger (Gold Seer Trilogy) by Rae Carson

"Gold is in my blood, in my breath, even in the flecks in my eyes."

Lee Westfall has a strong, loving family. She has a home she loves and a loyal steed. She has a best friend—who might want to be something more.

She also has a secret.

Lee can sense gold in the world around her. Veins deep in the earth. Small nuggets in a stream. Even gold dust caught underneath a fingernail. She has kept her family safe and able to buy provisions, even through the harshest winters. But what would someone do to control a girl with that kind of power? A person might murder for it.

When everything Lee holds dear is ripped away, she flees west to California—where gold has just been discovered. Perhaps this will be the one place a magical girl can be herself. If she survives the journey.

The acclaimed Rae Carson begins a sweeping new trilogy set in Gold Rush-era America, about a young woman with a powerful and dangerous gift.
AMAZON

MY THOUGHTS:
5/5 STARS

When I was growing up, I became slightly obsessed with a game called The Oregon Trail... It was a Western survival game with tough choices about health, animals, supplies, and mapping out routes. This book brings that game to life (well life in the book world that is).

Leah/Lee is a on the journey of a lifetime. She loses everything she knows and decides to flee to the West with her best friend soon to be love interest. In order to escape without being noticed she has to don men's clothing and act as a lad. She works for her passage and eventually finds what she is looking for. It's a unique story with emotional turmoil and charming twists. I found myself intrigued and fascinated by the western frontier. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and when I finished, I instantly went to purchase the next book.

It was a historical fiction with fantasy elements, a tough heroine, and a slow burn romance. It captured the essence of a time period and was able to bring aw upon the gold panning days. I fell in love and think readers of all ages will too. It's a total MUST READ! 

Rebel of The Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from. 

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is. 

Amazon Link - http://amzn.to/1VRCX87

MY THOUGHTS:

4.5/5 STARS

I take pride in searching for the unique reads of the world... The ones that pull you into the words and away from reality. Books that capture your soul and leave you feeling like you left a piece of you behind with the last page. Rebel of the Sands was one of those reads... It was quick to capture my attention and left me craving more long after the final page. What really caught my attention as a reader was the how vivid each scene was. I could really picture the gritty sands, makeshift buildings, and creatures painted in swirls of light and dark. I could feel the air from the horses toss my hair every which way and I could feel the love bloom deep within my heart.

The characters were a huge part of the book and I loved each one in a different way. Amani was a heroine that all will learn to appreciate! She was strong and fierce... Manipulative, but in the best way possible. She knew how to shoot a gun and was able to capture the readers attention with her softer side. Jin was the mysterious guy with an unexpected twist... He had secrets and was on a dangerous journey. When him and Amani meet it turns into a middle eastern "Bonnie & Clyde'ish" scenerio. Together they face mythological creatures and fight for a better world.

For those wondering... Yes, there was romance and no it wasn't instalove. It was a gradual slow burn relationship that fed off of danger. It was passionate and quirky and definitely swoon worthy!

All in all, I really loved this story! I enjoyed the twists and turns and found myself unable to stop turning the pages. For the most part I thought it was an awesome debut... Yeah, some of the story was bit scattered and it did seem a tad rushed towards the end, but those things didn't take away from all of the wonderful things that happened. I thought the Author did a great job at creating a unique world with characters that were captivating and fun to read about. I can't wait for the sequel!

Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto

The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.

Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.

But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.

This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto. 

MY REVIEW:

5/5 Stars

Sometimes when I see a cover, I feel an instant connection and get that need read feeling. This one gave me all those feels. I came across the cover and preordered it immediately. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I never would've guessed that I'd love it as much as I did. This is hands down the best book I've read in 2016 so far... A unique debut with a magical/steampunk feel. There were cannibals, creatures, and characters with machine body parts. I mean how crazy cool is that? 

Westie is the main character and though she is frustrating at times, you can't help but love her. She's like a hard candy... tough exterior, soft inside. Her family was killed by cannibals and she has lived a Hunter life seeking revenge. She never expects the killers to come forth on their own and start to run a ruckus in her town, but they do and it takes all she has not to kill them on the spot. She knows she needs to gather evidence and more information before taking action and so with the help of many characters she digs for answers and finally deals revenge.

This story was a wild adventure packed with suspense, romance, and mystery. There were many twists and turns that I never expected and the romance was quite overwhelming. There were so many potential suitors, but only one was true love. 

The overall theme of the story was eery with beautiful aspects. I fell hard for the characters and became entangled in the plot. It was definitely a read that pulled me away from reality and put me in that happy reading world where everything was magical and new. The writing was top of the line and the story had everything I look for in a book. I seriously have grabby hands for more from this Author... Can't wait to see what's next.

After the Rain by Renee Carlino Review

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Sweet Thing and Nowhere But Here comes a deeply emotional contemporary romance about the second chances waiting beyond the shattered dreams of youth.

When eighteen-year-old Avelina Belo meets a charismatic cowboy the summer before her senior year of high school, she doesn’t know that accepting his invitation to dinner will lead to a whirlwind marriage three months later and an exciting new life on a Montana ranch. She also doesn’t know that, in a few short years, fate will send everything crashing down around her.

A thousand miles away and fresh out of medical school, Nate Meyers is poised to become UCLA’s next superstar heart surgeon. His laser focus is the key to his success, but it’s also his greatest liability. When a routine surgery ends in disaster, derailing his career, he’s confronted with the hard truth: there’s no one waiting for him at home, no one to help him pick up the pieces.

Regrouping on his uncle’s Montana ranch, Nate meets Avelina, a beautiful but mysterious young woman who keeps to herself and barely speaks a word. As he discovers the details of her devastating past, Avelina teaches him more about matters of the heart than he ever knew before. But can they trust each other enough to put everything on the line?

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1yHLvQN

 

MY THOUGHTS:
5/5 Stars

 

Renee Carlino has done it again. Another touching romance that will forever remain on my all-time favorites list. It was emotional, captivating, intense, and utterly beautiful.

After the Rain isn't an insta love... It is slow burn romance that will capture your heart. The story shows how one thing can alter your whole perspective of life. That one thing can pull your soul out and leave you as an empty shell settling for what you believe you deserve. It is a story of finding hope and remembering that even though life seems really tough at times, you can always escape the darkness.

I fell in love with Ava and Jake’s love story first and when tragedy struck my heart ached for all Ava dealt with. Everyone understood why she kept them at arm’s distance, but no one truly could feel what she was feeling. When Nate showed up her whole outlook began to change. We got to see the broken layers peel away to reveal a more happy, confident Ava. She didn’t let him in immediately, but when she did, it was done in such a delicate way. Nate had his own demons he was facing as well, so each minute they shared played an important role in their healing process.

There were so many twists and turns that left me on the edge of my seat. I could feel my heart beating fast and at times I felt broken down emotionally. The way the Author made each scene thought provoking made it hard for me to put the book down. The real factor was a ten! I felt as though I was in Ava’s shoes and when it was Nate’s part…. I felt like I was in the surgery room with him.

I honestly cannot say enough wonderful things about this book. All I can say is go read it!! You will not be disappointed.

*There are sexual scenes, but they aren’t rushed and they are wrote in a classy fashion. Renee makes each one meaningful with just the right amount of deatails.*