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Plague of Death (Anchoress Series Book 2) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Erica Shoebridge

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Plague of Death (Anchoress, #2)Plague of Death by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Welcome to Book 2, a great sequel to Shock of Fate! We catch up with Van Cross a year later, as she sets out on her latest mission during the Alignment. Once again, bestie Paley is by her side, as is her protector Brux, and new addition Prenilla, her Providence Island nemesis. Van has hardened her heart and her body, ruthlessly shunning any sort of emotional attachment in her quest to become the best warrior she can be. She trains incessantly and avoids any introspection about the past – particularly the death of Solana and her feelings for Brux. Her mentors nudge her toward balance – light and dark exist in equal measure, and the inability to accept both forces blocks her power. It is one of the many lessons she is charged with learning in this Book 2, and she is a stubborn student!

I thought the plot was really intriguing in this book, there were lots of dire circumstances happening all at once, upping the danger factor and lessening the chances of success. Wiglaf is the bestest magical creature, and I enjoyed the plot points with them and Paley/Van. Van’s test with the Quasher had me biting my nails and turning pages as fast as I could.

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Shock of Fate (Anchoress Series Book 1) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Erica Shoebridge

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Shock of Fate (Anchoress #1)Shock of Fate by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A great start to a series I look forward to devouring! Vanessa Cross, daughter of Grigori agent and presumed traitor Michael Cross, is thrust into the secret world of her father to retrieve a priceless artifact. When debriefed by his formidable boss Uxa, she learns that there is far more going on in her sleepy little Island town than she ever thought possible. She sets out on her adventure with her team (after sneaking in her best friend Paley, natch), feeling inadequate compared to the skills and talents of the teen soldiers around her. Van struggles to figure out her place in this ragtag group, quiet her insecurities, and conquer her fears so that she can play her role in the unfolding history of the Living World.

I loved the tension between Van and Brux, and the romantic sparks between them. Jorie is also a great character who is very lively and intricately drawn. I could picture her black mohawk and “friend” Zachary vividly, and it made me smile every time she jumped onto the stage of this story. Van’s transformation through the story and was impressive as she came to terms with what she was actually capable of and who she actually could be in the world. I highly recommend this book – a great adventure!

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Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series Book 3) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Ashley Johnson

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Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series #3)Helm of Awe by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really wish I could give this more than 5 stars! This was my favorite book of the series so far. Paley still got on my nerves but not as bad as the first two books. Van is still growing and proving herself. The side characters are still amazing. I started this as soon as I finished the second one and didn’t stop till the wee hours of the morning. It was that good! It’s filled with life lessons and I think every teenager should read it. I’m going to sweet talk mine into reading it. This author is definitely on my favorites list.

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The Mesmerist by Claire Luana – Review by Jaymie Johnston

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The MesmeristThe Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fantasy, romance, and mystery this story has it all. From seeing what people are feeling, reading their thoughts, to being able to control what someone feels Mesmers hold special abilities that make them powerful allies or dangerous enemies. As you are pulled into the story it’s hard to know who to root for, everyone starts to seem suspicious. Even when you think you finally figure out who the villain is the author surprises you once again. A easy and quick read, you won’t want to put it down either.

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Apocalypse (Guardians of the Garden Book 2) by Theresa Pocock – Review by Angela Hayes

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Apocalypse (Guardians Book II)Apocalypse by Theresa Pocock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Apocalypse is the second book in the Guardians of the Garden series by Theresa Pocock. The story picks up where the first book left off, so if you haven’t read Book One yet I highly recommend that you do before starting on this instalment. This is another original YA fantasy, and in my opinion, even better than the first.
I am enjoying this series and am looking forward to seeing where we go from here.

Thank you, Theresa Pocock!

 

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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The Mesmerist by Claire Luana – Review by Cindy Rushin

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The MesmeristThe Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book. The story was really interesting and packed with adventure and drama. The author created a really vibrant world that draws you in and makes you want to be a part of the world. The story follows Adrijana as she tries to solve the mystery of who is trying to kill the royal family. Her journey has many ups and downs but everything works out in the end. I love happy endings. I will definitely look for more from this author.

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The Mesmerist by Claire Luana – Review by Ashley Hasting

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The MesmeristThe Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Adrijana ends up in a mystery murder loop as when she becomes new to the court of the Adrjssian, she ends up in suspicion. Someone is killing the Royal family one by one and everyone is turning their heads her way only because she is new. Well this is her time to shine by taking her name of the list and figuring out the Suspect. She has to go through a lot and get a lot of help along the way. This is such a good mystery read! Thank you for making this book!

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Apocalypse (Guardians of the Garden Book 2) by Theresa Pocock – Review by Stephanie nicole

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Apocalypse (Guardians Book II)Apocalypse by Theresa Pocock
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This second installment has so much to offer, I loved it even more then the first installment in this series. Once again the author gives us amazing characters, a fantastic plot, and a story that you simply can’t put down. While I didn’t love every character in this book, that was perfectly fine because she wrote a devils advocate to perfection. The character development was beautiful, the word building flowed beautifully, and each character definitely had their own story to tell. While this book could be read as a standalone I would highly recommend reading them in order. But if your looking for a new series to read make sure you run out and pick this one up today.

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Guardians of the Garden by Theresa Pocock – Review by Stephanie nicole

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Guardians of the Garden (Guardians Book I)Guardians of the Garden by Theresa Pocock
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was full of so many incredible things I just simply couldn’t put it down. Our author filled this story with amazing characters, magic, tension, love, and so much more it just really made the story amazing as a whole. The characters in this book were so realistic and relatable that you simply can’t help but root for Seth and Miriam during this epic amazing story. So if your looking for a new great series to read pick this first installment up today.

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The Mesmerist by Claire Luana – Review by Ashley McMillon

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The MesmeristThe Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was a spectacular read to me. I found myself very intrigued by the description, and the first chapter had me hooked. The author is very talented in her work, character development, and scenery depiction. I fell in love with our main character from the start, and as she transforms in the story I’m amazed at who she becomes. In her own investigation into the crimes, she reminds me of me, how I would be just as adamant about learning the truth, and protecting my friendships. It was indeed a mystical book, but seemed very realistic! It was a treat to read! I look forward to reading more from the author.

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Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series Book 3) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Erica Fish

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Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series #3)Helm of Awe by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the series of Anchoress by D. L. Armillei. I highly recommend reading the first two books in the series also. Ms. Armillei is a great author. It is a warm welcome to the YA genre when an author is an artist. She could keep the attention of the YA reader throughout the entire book. Her attention to detail paints a picture in my mind’s eye. I found it an intriguing story about Van and her charmed life. She was supposed to win the senior games but that did not work out for her. Then there is her ex-boyfriend and best friend carrying on in front of her. Not to mention that her crush has not contacted her in a long time. There is so much going on that the story really moves. I finished the book in one sitting because I wanted to see what was going to happen. I highly recommend seeing what is in store for Van and her friends.

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The Mesmerist by Claire Luana – Review by Ashleyann Sanabria

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The MesmeristThe Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a wonderful fantasy world! I had no expectations going into this book, I had never read anything by this author before. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was totally immersed from the start. It is reminiscent of other books I had read in the fantasy genre, but unique in its own way. The mystery kept unraveling, and the story was easy to follow. Jana was a great MC to follow, and there were several plot twists I did not see coming. Will definitely be looking for more from this author!

 

Reviewed by @asanabr1

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The Mesmerist: A Young Adult Fantasy Mystery by Claire Luana – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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The MesmeristThe Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Adrijana Mironacht is a seventeen year old girl from a small village within the kingdom of Adrjissia, a place where her life has been one of seclusion, living with her father and helping on their family farm, that is until they take a trip to the palace and her life changes forever. When they arrive, they find Adrijana’s friend and they are invited to the evenings festivities and much to her father’s chagrin, Adrijana accepts the invitation and they are shown to their rooms for the night. However, at the celebration, things go wrong and the Queen is killed during a ritual part of the festival where she is pushed and falls to her death but it isn’t until Adrijana is accused of the crime by the Royal Mesmers, the court magicians who can use their minds to control the thoughts and emotions of others.

After she is accused, Adrijana is determined to clear her name and so she enlists the help of one of the Mesmers, Dragan Vulpe, an enigmatic and mysterious man who just happens to be a Mesmer, but her suspicions always lie with the Vruk Ambassadors, two men who are at court, but are from a country which is a well known adversary of the Adrijana. Things become more complicated as time goes on when more of the royal family are killed and all in mysterious circumstances, she begins to suspect that a Mesmer could be involved and so she decides to look deeper into the Mesmers and this leads her to second guess everything she thought she had already put into place. There are lies, secrets and half-truths around every corner and the puzzle pieces essential to the mystery are still just out of her reach, but when she finds out that the Vruk armies are surrounding Adrjissia, can she trust those around her to help her, or will she have to solve this deadly mystery alone?

This is a young adult fantasy which is full of magic, mystery and intrigue and which will hook you in and keep you on your toes throughout, as you try and solve the mystery in this race against time to save the rest of the royals from a deadly enemy and root out the individuals behind it.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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The Mesmerist by Claire Luana – Reviewed by Amanda Gonzalez

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The MesmeristThe Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved the detail in this book! From the first few words, the author had my attention and imagination in an almost poetic world. I normally keep away from YA, mostly because the detail fails to hold my attention, but this story proved to be food for my mind and kept me enraptured! What starts out as an adventure to the court soon turns to a complete one-eighty of what Adrijana once considered her life. Fantasy and mystery at its finest, set in a complex world where I feel just about anything is possible, if you’re still on the fence about reading this book, trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

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Plague of Death (Anchoress Series Book 2) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Skylar Daniels

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Plague of Death (Anchoress, #2)Plague of Death by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Anchoress series, and you don’t really need to read the first book, but I would highly recommend it. Not only to get you up to speed but also because it’s an amazing adventure in its own. Once again Van must cross over to the Living World and go on a dangerous quest to save both worlds. This time she must face her inner turmoil and decide whether to allow herself to acknowledge a forbidden love. At times it’s funny, intense, sad, romantic, mystical, and much more. Each character is so well written that you can’t help but get invested in them even if you’ve only known them for a short period of time. So, when we lose some along the way, you feel it just like those in the book. The fact that some don’t make back actually makes this series more endearing, because it increases the realism for the reader.

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Shock of Fate (Anchoress Series Book 1) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Skylar Daniels

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Shock of Fate (Anchoress #1)Shock of Fate by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a fantasy story that has a lot of action and full of surprises. The author pulls you into this world and captures you with every word written. You’re on the edge of your seat wondering what’s going to happen next. This story revolves around Vanessa and her mission to find a relic. I love that this story is written with background information. Through stories and flashbacks, you’ll read about how the current situation has come about. These stories also provide Vanessa information on mistakes that have been made in the past that she can avoid. The attention to detail that this has book has been amazing.

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Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series Book 3) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Skylar Daniels

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Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series #3)Helm of Awe by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Van is back in the third book of the Anchoress series. You need to read the first two books before diving into this one. The author gives enough information from the first two books to know what’s going on, but with all the danger and action in them you really wouldn’t want to miss out. The author has a way with words that are cleverly woven and masterfully created and adventure that you get lost in it. It’s written so vividly that it’s an experience, an adventure, and not just a story. It’s an amazing book and will be through the years to come.

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Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series Book 3) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Ashley Hasting

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Helm of Awe: Anchoress Series Book ThreeHelm of Awe: Anchoress Series Book Three by D L Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Van seriously is an amazing character! The author has done a brilliant job on this series. Now we are in your seventeenth year of life, and she has a lot more to conquer. With the games as part of her senior exams, there is a lot of pressure! Of course she has typical school drama like her best friend and ex. Other than that, when she enters Balish territory, that is where all heck breaks loose and you are on the edge of your seat, nose in the book. I truly loved this series! 🙂

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Plague of Death (Anchoress Series Book 2) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Ashley Hasting

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Plague of Death (Anchoress, #2)Plague of Death by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Onto the next book! Vanessa thought this time summer would go well. Well apparently it was going to be monster filled instead. After her Dad, she had a necklace left by him, but she has not been able to find it. To add to all the drama, her stepmother ends up having a boyfriend. She’s got a lot on her plate in this book, but she faces it all with courage and faith. There is a lot more drama to endure, but it is all worth the read! Now to the third book! 🙂

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Shock of Fate (Anchoress Series Book 1) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Ashley Hasting

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Shock of Fate (Anchoress #1)Shock of Fate by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vanessa Cross thought of herself as an ordinary teen, but little did she know the big secrets that have been hidden from her her whole life. Her dad is usually off island on big trips for his work, but it’s actually another reason to be seen when read. When she gets a wake up call and is to report to the reservation area, she knows something is up. A lot of adventure is ahead of her, and it’s up to her to figure it all out. This book has been an exciting read and I went straight to the second book for more!

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Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series Book 3) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Kerry Baker

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Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series #3)Helm of Awe by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This series just goes from strength to strength. Each book seems to be as good, if not better, than the last. I reconnect so easily with the characters each time. The author seems to have created a lasting and interesting series that sach book just adds to. I look forward to starting a new one and cannot wait to see how they are going to turn out. I would highly recommend the series to any YA fan.

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Apocalypse (Guardians of the Garden Book 2) by Theresa Pocock – Review by Trish Ann

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Apocalypse (Guardians Book II)Apocalypse by Theresa Pocock
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I appreciated that I could follow the story without having read the first book. I enjoyed the Tree of Life and the weaving of mythology that comes along with it. The time old good vs. evil is well played in the storyline as well. Seth’s need to make impossible choices really helped deepen his character. I did not like jumping between characters but that is just a personal preference. I thought this was overall an interesting book.

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Plague of Death (Anchoress Series Book 2) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Kerry Baker

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Plague of Death (Anchoress, #2)Plague of Death by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an amazing follow up book to this series. I went straight into this after reading book one and it took no effort at all to fall right back into the characters. The author has managed to push the series forward while still keeling it fresh and exciting. I love the team.of characters right at the core of this series..they are interesting and all add something different to the story. This is another fantastic book and I am already looking forward to the third.

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Shock of Fate (Anchoress Series Book 1) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Kerry Baker

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Shock of Fate (Anchoress #1)Shock of Fate by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fantastic young adult novel. You are really thrown into this book and made to sit up and take notice. I really loved the main character. She felt like such a well rounded character with a great story. I connected with her straight away and that didn’t waver once. The whole book was so well written. It was exciting right from the word go and I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen. A genuinely fantastic book that uas me excited for the next one.

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Apocalypse (Guardians of the Garden Book 2) by Theresa Pocock – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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Apocalypse (Guardians Book II)Apocalypse by Theresa Pocock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Apocalypse is Book 2 of the Guardians of the Garden series. In the follow-up to book one, the Apocalypse has started and the Edenians are wrapped up in the middle of it. They find that they must now fight to save thousands of years’ worth of secrets.

The Joneses have a dastardly plan for Edenia and for Miriam. Seth’s sister Lillian is sick, and he is determined to try to save her life. In doing so he strikes a bargain with the Joneses to give them Miriam. In exchange they will let him take his sister to get the medical care that she so desperately needs.

Miriam is smitten with Seth and hopes that he feels the same about her. She falls for his charm, never suspecting that he has other plans for her and that his true intention is to give her up to the Joneses. Seth has also developed feelings for Miriam but chooses to push them down and put them to the side because he feels that the greater good is in saving his sister’s life. He doesn’t like the thought of having to exchange one life for the other, but he loves his sister Lillian dearly and will do anything to save her life. Although Seth finds Miriam to be one that he feels he can sacrifice for the life of his sister, his decision does not come easily. He is wracked with guilt afterwards and regrets his decision when he learns that the plan for Miriam is far more sinister than he was told.

As a nature lover I found Edenia and guardians protecting a secret world to be a fascinating concept. This book had a complex network of characters that all weave their way in and out of the story making it a fascinating read. All characters played a vital part as they did their best to not only save their own lives but to protect the Tree of Life from the mortals. Miriam and Seth play a very integral role in the entire story. They have a unique relationship, and both have feelings for the other. I found Miriam’s courage and strength to be quite admirable as she fought to not only survive, but to fit in. Seth is someone that you want to hate because of his plot to give Miriam up to the Joneses, but you quickly realize there is more to it and his intentions were good. You find yourself equally rooting for both him and Miriam as you read to see what will become of them, as well as Edenia.

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Apocalypse (Guardians of the Garden Book 2) by Theresa Pocock – Review by Amy Brennan

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Apocalypse (Guardians Book II)Apocalypse by Theresa Pocock
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely adore when an author can continue the story with no ‘what if’s’ between installments. That is exactly what you can expect to get when you pick up this second book in the Guardians of the Garden series. We all know some variation of “The Joneses,’” at least in my opinion. Folks that will do everything and anything they can to get ahead in the world, and not have a care about those that they use to get to where they want to be/what they want to achieve. This story submerses the reader again into the world of Edenia, as Seth decided to move forward in the plan to bring Miriam to them to complete his task so that he can join his sister to potentially save her life. The internal struggles almost amount to struggles that the Edenians’ and the Guardians are experiencing in this action-packed, thrilling ride of an adventure.

I quite enjoyed getting to know the other characters a bit more as well, and the strength that they have individually and as a community, especially when something of importance to all is at risk, such as the Tree of Life. What’s truly spectacular is the introduction of new ideas throughout the novel, and the way that we, the reader, bounce back and forth between a few different characters so that we are able to really get a feel for the overall emotions not only they feel, but the way that we are supposed to feel while deep in the thick of it. I so look forward to reading more by this author, and will be having interesting dreams for a while, I’m sure of it. Pick this up, I guarantee you’ll enjoy it!

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Guardians of the Garden by Theresa Pocock – Review by Amy Brennan

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Guardians of the Garden (Guardians Book I)Guardians of the Garden by Theresa Pocock
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This authors writing is incredible! As many have said before me, she pulls you right into the world in which Seth and his family reside in. The world building is top tier, as is the character development, which is what one would expect from the first novel in a series, and it was beautifully done. I felt a little overwhelmed by my own personal biases whilst reading this novel, which made it even more of an interesting story. The reader, I felt, is lucky enough to watch many different aspects unfold and to really connect to the characters that we meet along the way.

These Guardians of the Garden of Eve are certainly a species all their own, and I found it very interesting to discover more about them as the story goes on. Everyone seems to have their own internal struggles with determining what’s right/wrong, or if they would prosper by following their own hopes and dreams, rather than just going with the flow. I wasn’t sure what to expect as this was the first novel I’ve read by this author, but very much look forward to continuing this adventure with the next installment in this series. I was pleasantly surprised and recommend a read for sure!

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Seven Strengths: A Tale from Turaset (The Industrial Age) by P.L. Tavormina – Review by Tausha Treadway

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Seven Strengths: A Tale from TurasetSeven Strengths: A Tale from Turaset by P.L. Tavormina
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Seven Strengths: A Tale from Turaset (The Industrial Age) by P.L. Tavormina. This is a great young adult science fiction read. Its the story of Celeste who is your average teenager but she wants more out of her life. She accidentally finds a small village and the townspeople accept her 100% showing her their world which is vastly different from her own. Celeste’s family has a strange power being able to read carbon footprints and the bad guys want them dead. Celeste begins to think that her old life wasn’t so boring after all. Meeting new people along her journey Celeste realizes that her small world is just that very small and there is a lot more out there including danger. Will Celeste make it back home without the bad guys catch her? Read Seven Strengths to find out!

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Apocalypse (Guardians of the Garden Book 2) by Theresa Pocock – Review by Tausha Treadway

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Apocalypse (Guardians Book II)Apocalypse by Theresa Pocock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Apocalypse (Guardians of the Garden Book 2) by Theresa Pocock. This is a great read. I loved the first booka and this one was no different. This one picks up where the 1st one left off so I highly recommend reading it first to better understand. Miriam has put all her trust in Seth because the whole town is shunning her since they have found out about her new powers. Miriam has really begun to care a lot about Seth and he has finally found someone he can count on. They have to hang on to each other in their battle for the tree of life but if Seth won’t let go of his enemy he will never fulfill his total power. It is hindering him in his battle for the Tree of Life and his relationships as well. This book is a mix of myth, folklore and mystery. It will keep you turning pages late into the night!

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Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series Book 3) by D.L. Armillei – Review by Lorrene Huisman

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Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series #3)Helm of Awe by D.L. Armillei
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an amazing read! I really bonded well with these characters! I fell in love over and over again, the characters were easy to love. As well, the plot was beyond anything I would have expected. I had not read the previous books in the series, but was able to follow, but will for sure be reading them now though!

The story was written with very much intelligence. I enjoyed the author and how they wrote and created the story. I was swept into the task at hand. Val was great, you could tell she came a long way it seemed since from the beginning. I loved her courageous side, and she was the one who never gave up, despite anything going on. The other characters surrounding her were just as amazing. i loved how they seemed to all be one another’s rock. I loved how the story progressed , as well as a lot of time I did not know what to expect. The suspense was kept up well. I really enjoyed this book, in fact, I loved it!

Highly recommend this book. It was very well written, and the author knew how to keep the reader interested. I loved the writing style of the author as well. This is a must read!

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