Kimber Leigh Reads

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

If you haven't read anything by Starla Huchton, you are really missing out on a great author. Whether superhero romance or a fairy tale retelling, her stories pull me in like few can. The Stillness of the Sky is no exception-- in fact I think this may be my favorite of her novels.

In this flipped fairy tale, Jack was a sixteen-year-old girl, and a wonderful role-model for anyone. She led a hard, traumatic life, yet had nothing but kindness for everyone around her. I loved the characters in this novel. Whether good or bad, they were all so well-developed. Ro, the magical bird, was a particular favorite.

The story was captivating, drawing me in to the point that I was completely lost to the outside world. I laughed and I cried a lot. Filled with vivid descriptions, Ms. Huchton wove an amazing tale as we followed Jack on her journey of self-discovery. I loved the romance between Jack and Will-- it was just so sweet. The ending left me smiling... but best of all, the story left me with a feeling of hope.

The Stillness of the Sky is appropriate for all age levels. Sweeping adventure and romance make this novel impossible to put down once started. One of the best I've read in a long time.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

In His Keeping is a romantic suspense with lots of action and a paranormal twist. I didn't read book 1 in the series, but after reading this one, I'm very curious about Caleb and Ramie's story. I loved the way the story started, loved the scenes between main character Arial's parents. They were far and away my favorite part of the book.

Arial had been sheltered by her parents her entire life due to her unusual abilities and the past that threatened to hunt her down. Though spoiled and naive, she was fiercely loyal to her parents. When her parents were taken, she would do anything to save them. The author really pounded this fact in, page after page, chapter after chapter. Arial loved her parents and would do anything to save them.

Beau was the ultimate alpha male: strong, silent, gruff, but willing to do anything for those he loves. Which was great for Arial since this man fell for her instantly. I don't really mind insta-love, and this was certainly the king of all insta-love. Under immense pressure, I understand why Arial would cling to Beau-- he became her world and her only hope.

This novel featured lots of action and suspense. Just the desire to know who was after Arial was enough to keep the pages turning. Since I liked her parents so much, I really wanted to know what happened to them. The romance between Beau and Arial was steamy and hot. The only thing that bugged me was the overall redundancy I mentioned above. I felt like the author was writing for someone with short-term memory loss. Overall, I enjoyed this story-- loved the paranormal aspect and the action-packed plot.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

If you like character driven romance and haven't read anything by Helena Newbury, then you're really missing out. I love the Fenbrook Academy series: the school, the characters, and the romance. I fell in love with Jasmine while reading In Harmony, book #2 in the series. It was so wonderful to read an entire novel devoted to this intriguing character.

The prologue was heart-breaking, especially if you're not already acquainted with Jasmine. She experienced such deep trauma in her past, yet remained so strong despite that. Romantic interest Ryan was sexy, intelligent, and all around awesome. The heat and romantic tension started quickly-- Chapter One-- and turned into a full blaze before long.

Frankly, this was a rather emotional read, so be sure you're prepared with tissue and some quiet space. I really enjoyed the romantic suspense element which made this novel stand out from the others in the series. But once again, my favorite aspect was the character development. It was superb. The characters weren't just well-developed, they leapt off the page.

Acting Brave was my favorite novel in the Fenbrook Academy series. I'm adding this one to my favorites list. There's just nothing like a very satisfying read!

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

Ruby's Letters is a fun paranormal romance featuring some feisty ghosts and a century old mystery. Forget skeletons in the closet, main character Emma finds a real skeleton in a brick fireplace. The find sparks a ghost hunt, as well as a second chance at love.

I really liked Emma's relationship with her ex-husband Jared. So many exes are written as embittered, so it was nice to see two who were still supportive and got along. While Emma was a sweet and loving character, I found her to be a tad bland. Romantic interest Ryan was seriously wounded. After surviving a hellacious ordeal, he suffers from panic attacks and nightmares. He definitely brought out the nurturer in Emma.

Emma's employees, Bart and Carlos, were delightfully written. They never failed to make me laugh. I also loved Emma's neighbor Sheila-- she had an eccentric personality that really shone through. The first third of the book was fast-paced and interesting, but things slowed down a bit after that. While I enjoyed the mystery and the character interactions, something was missing. I always felt on the outside looking in, if that makes any sense.

Overall, I enjoyed Ruby's Letters. It's a fun read with a sweet romance between two characters who really need each other. I liked the interaction between the ghosts-- it was interesting to see the world from their points of view.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

The Body Electric is an intriguing story that takes place several hundred years in the future. Since seeingDreamscape & Total Recall, I've been fascinated with the potential for dreamwalking and memory manipulation, so I was very excited to read this book. The best part of this novel is the story line. It's a unique twist to the dystopian future world plot, delivering action as well as some unexpected twists and turns.

Now, prepare to suspend disbelief, because so many things in the novel are fantastic, not to mention confusing at times. There were several dream scenes that left me scratching my head. I think to enjoy this novel, you just have to accept that this is the way things are in this dystopian future and not question the science behind the fantastical ideas. Ms. Revis has a great imagination that shines throughout the book.

The characters... well I liked them just fine, I suppose, but I never connected with main character Ella. It's another instance of feeling like an outsider looking in, rather than experiencing what the main character does. In fact all of the characters, though well-developed were still somewhat two dimensional for me. Jack was an enigma from the beginning, a mystery that compelled me to keep reading out of curiosity.

Overall, I enjoyed The Body Electric. I feel it's definitely more plot driven than character driven. Though it doesn't dominate the story, there is a touch of sweet romance between Ella and Jack. Great imagery, an imaginative plot, and lots of action/suspense, make it a worthwhile read.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Atlantis Rising was a cute YA urban fantasy with fun characters and an interesting plot. Ever wonder what happened to the inhabitants of the legendary island Atlantis? Ms. Craw offers an intriguing take on old mythology.

Main character Alison knew she was different and one day found out from a random stranger just why. She was a Child of Atlantis, and a powerful man was after her rare power. Due to this short encounter, she resigned herself to become a recluse in order to protect her family. I admired her loyalty, though I thought she was a tad gullible to believe a complete stranger. It was also strange that she didn't seem to do any research or attempt to find more information after such a drastic revelation.

Enter cousins Ian and Brandy. Great characters by the way-- they lit up pages whenever they were present. Ian made a good romantic interest, sweet and kind, plus he didn't keep Alison in the dark. The novel started out a tad slow in the first chapter, but picked up soon after. Be prepared for lots of backstory and explanation, mostly told through dialogue, since Alison has no knowledge of her ancestry.

Though I enjoyed the characters and the novel overall, parts of the story fell a bit short for me. Even with the long dialogue explanations, too many questions about the Children of Atlantis remained. That aside, if you like mythology-based urban fantasy with a sweet romance, I think you'll enjoy Atlantis Rising.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

There was more than one time while reading The Confessions of Sylva Slasher that I wished it was in graphic novel format. The descriptions were so vivid, so interesting, I desperately wanted to see them from the author's perspective.

I love a good horror book, and lately zombie novels have been catching my eye. There's just something about a slashing through a sea of zombies that I find inordinately satisfying. This novel is full of action, imagination, and fascinating characters.

Sylva is great-- definitely what I like in a heroine: witty, sassy, tough with awesome battle moves. In fact all of the characters are quite interesting and well-developed. Sylva raises zombies for a living-- dead loved ones for a final goodbye, that sort of thing. I think Mr. Hall did a great job creating a unique voice for Slyva. Her distinct personality really shines through on every page.

Full of twists, turns, and excitement, sometimes I couldn't seem to turn the pages fast enough. I can't really go into more detail about the plot without spoilers, so let's leave it at this: If you like nonstop zombie goodness with an intriguing story line and a kickass heroine, look no further than The Confessions of Slyva Slasher.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

First things first: if you are a fan of Arthurian legend then this is definitely the book for you. Realm is a modern urban fantasy featuring many of the Arthurian characters in an interesting, high-stakes story.

Morgan is a very passionate character. Somehow Ms. Lovejoy managed to draw me to Morgan's corner practically from page one. When we first meet Morgan, she is sneaking away from home to follow her dreams, which her father doesn't agree with-- for very good reason, we learn as the story progresses. We also meet Merlin early on, and I found his character rather fascinating. In fact, I enjoyed reading Ms. Lovejoy's take on all of the classic characters.

The suspense in this novel builds from chapter to chapter, with new twists and turns to keep the pages turning. In some ways it reminded me of the Harry Potter books, especially at the beginning when Morgan was leaving for the magic academy. Bad guy Mordred was well-written... my skin crawled whenever he appeared. I seriously couldn't stand him. Since this is book one of a series, don't expect closure at the end. I have a feeling you'll be craving book two once you've finished reading.

Fantastical, fast-paced, full of magic and suspense-- Henge will appeal to readers from teens to adults, especially those with a soft spot for King Arthur.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Cinderella Theorem is a cute YA fantasy about a logic, math-oriented girl who learns her father is the king of a fairy tale kingdom. Though it's billed as a YA novel, I thought it read more like middle-grade and would appeal to younger YA readers. Warning: if you have a math aversion, you might want to avoid this book. Math is life to young Lily, and it can be found on every page.

I can't imagine what it would be like to be fifteen, see the world through a strictly logical mind, only to find out everything you thought fantasy to be fact. But main character Lily rises to the occasion to use her math skills to save the day. I liked Lily, it would be hard not to since she was a rather sweet girl-- however the overall voice grated on my nerves at times.

There was a whole slew of intriguing and fun secondary characters in this novel, not mention lots of funny scenes. Just the whole Dad emerging from the bathtub is enough to set the mood for craziness. I did not like the footnotes on the bottom of the pages. While they were very cute, they still drew me from the story which I found irritating. Take a look at the synopsis with the math symbols-- the book is written like this. It might appeal to some people, but it was another thing that kept me from becoming immersed in the story.

Overall I thought The Cinderella Theorem was a cute fantasy that would appeal to a young YA audience. There were lots of laughs, fun characters, and mayhem in a fast-paced plot.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

Last House Burning is a paranormal/urban fantasy with an intriguing story, and a main character who never gives up, even with the odds stacked against him. One has to admire Ben and his almost manic drive to help Verla, a girl he just met. He is also one of the most open-minded characters I've come across in a long time.

Ben is on vacation in a remote Australian town where he is mystified by a fire-ravaged town and the one mansion which survived the flames. I liked Ben, he was passionate and caring, open-minded yet intelligent. The lengths he went through for Verla was heroic to say the least. Verla was a rather dull character, but I suppose given the hell she's lived for the last century, it was understandable.

The bureaucracy of Heaven and Hell led to some of the most memorable scenes in this novel. It's strange to picture the reps of Hell as boring pencil pushers. I thought the story started out quite slow, not really picking up speed until about halfway through. Once things got moving, they also got interesting, and I enjoyed the last half.

While I never really connected with the characters, I did enjoy the plot, so even though I didn't really care much what happened to the characters, I still wanted to know how things panned out. This is one of those rare standalone stories that are becoming harder and harder to come by- I appreciated that quite a bit- it's always nice to have an ending.