Siren's Fury (The Storm Siren Trilogy #2) by Mary Weber

Nym has saved Faelen only to discover that Draewulf stole everything she valued. Now he’s destroyed her Elemental storm-summoning ability as well.

When Nym sneaks off with a host of delegates to Bron, Lord Myles offers her the chance for a new kind of power and the whispered hope that it may do more than simply defeat the monster she loathes. But the secrets the Bron people have kept concealed, along with the horrors Draewulf has developed, may require more than simply harnessing a darker ability.

They may require who she is.

Set against the stark metallic backdrop of the Bron kingdom, Nym is faced with the chance to change the future.

Or was that Draewulf’s plan for her all along? 

After the jaw-dropping cliffhanger ending to Storm Siren I was very excited to continue Nym's story and see what she was going to do now. Siren's Fury starts by picking up that same scene and man what a way to start this second book! I was instantly intrigued and wondering how in the world Nym was going to get through this.

 Unfortunately I feel like I spent most of the book anxious to find out what was going to happen and how, instead of actually enjoying the journey to get there. Don't get me wrong the writing was beautiful just like the first book, but I somehow felt like I was just enduring reading most of the story so that we could get to the good stuff. There seemed to be a lot of waiting and repetitiveness towards the middle that just seemed to drag on. 

It actually took me quite a while to read this one. Also believe it or not Myles was actually one of my favorite characters in this story. I do always love snark and wit. But it may have also been because this time Nym is just such a downer and doesn't have all that spunk that she showed in Storm Siren. Plus two of the great characters from the first book are now dead. So they had to have someone besides Debbie-Downer to add some charm.

  Although Siren's Fury wasn't the amazing page turner I hoped it to be, the overall effect on the characters and the set up for the next book, still have me majorly pumped to read the final book and see once and for all how this is all going to go down. I would recommend this series to fans of fantasy novels with lots of action, great world building, but light on the romance. I definitely would not recommend reading Siren's Fury without first reading Storm Siren. 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. April

False Tongues (Callie Anson #4) by Kate Charles

The Reverend Callie Anson should have learned her lesson by now: revisiting the past is seldom a good idea. But she succumbs to peer pressure and attends a reunion at her theological college in Cambridge, where she is forced to confront painful memories – and the presence of her clueless ex, Adam.

Margaret Phillips, the Principal of the college, has a chance for happiness but before she can grasp it she has to deal with her own ghosts – as well as corrosive, intrusive gossip. Both Margaret and Callie learn something about themselves, and about forgiveness, from wise retired priest John Kingsley.

Meanwhile, in London, police officers Neville Stewart and Mark Lombardi are involved with the latest stabbing of a teenager. Was the victim – gifted, popular schoolboy Sebastian Frost – all he seemed to be, or was there something in his life that led inevitably to his death? The police find themselves plunged into the queasy world of cyber-bullying, where nothing may be as it seems.

While they’re apart, Callie and Mark’s relationship is on hold, and his Italian family continues to be an issue. Will Mark realize, before it’s too late, that while his family will always be important to him, he is entitled to something for himself? 

I actually had to read this book twice before being able to sit down and write a review.

The first time through, I was so disgusted that I threw the book down and walked away when I was barely half-way through.  It took some time before I was able to come back to it and read it again with fresh eyes.  The problem is that I don't like the main character.  She's petty and judgmental and just can't get over herself.  Most of the beginning of the book is her whining over the fact that her ex-boyfriend deemed it necessary to still be alive.  Alright, probably not most of it, but it's an overwhelming amount.  Then there's all the gossip and backstabbing and the silly frivolity that makes up petty sixth-grade girls.  This isn't a child's book.  I don't care.  I don't want to hear you whining.  I don't care that your ex is talking to your friends.  I don't care that he came to the same reunion as you.  I don't care that you haven't forgiven him.  You're a whiny little twit, Callie and I don't like you!  

Now, the second time through, I was able to read a bit different story.  The first time, I was so bogged down with the childishness of these adults that I couldn't get to the real story.  The real meat of this story is the murder mystery surrounding Sebastian.  Once we're able to clear out all the silly clutter, there's actually a pretty great story here.  We have an intriguing cast of characters and each of them is hiding an important piece of the puzzle.  Following the detectives around while they slowly collect these pieces was actually great fun.  This part of the story I was able to really sink my teeth into.

Once you get past the part of the story that doesn't need to exist, there's a lot to be said for this.  Most of the characters have been well-built.  The storytelling is relatively fast-paced with just the right amount of cliffhangers.  There isn't so much detail that it bogs you down, but enough that you get a relative idea of where you are.  It's actually a great mystery read.

For me, I just felt like I was reading two books at once.  One of them I really wanted to read, and the other was sheer drivel that has no place in my library.  This book was at war with itself.  Luckily, taking the time to read it again, I was able to see the 'good' side of the book much more clearly and ignore the rest.  

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  Shawn