Kara's Book Cravings: End of Days Series (Books 6 and 7)

 

So, I did it -- I finished the final two books in this series, and boy do I have a lot of thoughts. If you've been following along, then you know I was immediately sucked into this series, and I've blown through it really fast. If you need to catch up, you can do so HERE and HERE. Okay, now that we're all on the same page, let's do this!

GRIP OF EVIL is book 6 and is basically the book where everything really just falls apart -- way more than things already have, anyway. This is the ultimate climax where we finally get more information about the madman terrorizing the town and what his goals are. All of this books so far have had quite a bit of action, but this one was definitely the most action packed by far. 

We also learn a lot more about Isaac in this book, and his backstory, while I'm sure was meant to be tragic (and it was to an extent), it also felt a little over the top. And the connections to the small town and everyone in it was also too much, in my opinion. I mean, I get it -- I was born and raised in a small town, but at times, I felt like the author was throwing everything in just to shock readers. That didn't work for me. 

GRIP OF HONOR is the 7th and final installment in this series, and I struggled with this one. It was a quick read just like all the other books, but after all the action and reveals in book 6, this one fell flat. The defeat of the madman was way too easy. The rescue of one of the main characters was also too easy. 

The overall ending was rushed, yet still felt unfinished. I was left with so many unanswered questions. Like, the town elects a new mayor, yet we never see who. The book ends just before the announcement is made. 

The characters still have no concrete answers as to what happened or when the world will return to normal. I don't know if the characters are going to stay in town or move on. 

Also, beyond the end of the world survival aspect of this, I was really intrigued by the idea of the characters being raised by preppers. While we do get glimpses into their childhood and how they were raised, the whole prepper thing seemed like an easy plot device to give the characters the skills they (conveniently) needed to survive. I would have loved to had more interaction with the prepper parents / community. 

Overall, this was an engaging series, and I did enjoy most of it. Though I do feel like 7 books plus a prequel was too much. What do I mean by that? Well, tune in this Thursday for a more in-depth explanation, because I have a lot more to say on this! 

Kara's Book Cravings: The Haunted

 A few years ago, I'd read Survive the Night by Danielle Vega. I think I'd found that at a local used bookshop, and I was intrigued enough to buy it. Unfortunately, I don't remember much about that book other than the ending was extremely confusing in a very creepy sort of way. But I didn't have any issues with the author's writing style, so when I found this gem at a local garage sale, I couldn't pass it up. 

The Haunted by Danielle Vega is a mix between a horror and a thriller, which is so my thing! And this book didn't disappoint. It was a quick read that was easy to follow. Parts of this were definitely high on the creepy meter, but I didn't find it particularly scary. Though, if this were made into a movie or TV show, I can easily see a lot of great jump scares. 

The only real complaint I have about this book is the romance subplot. It felt both forced and rushed. I thought for sure the main character was going to end up with one guy, and then BAM! She's in love with someone else. Didn't make much sense to me, but I also realize romance isn't the focus of this story, so... *shrug*

Overall, this was a quick, immersive read. The ending was unexpected, so that's always a bonus. I see there's a sequel, but I'm not sure I'm invested enough to buy and read it (especially with how this first book ended). 

Anyone else read this book? Or anything else by this author? 

What're your thoughts? 

Kara's Book Cravings: The Shadow Sister

 

One day, I was scrolling through Twitter, as I often do when I'm procrastinating, and I saw a tweet with an absolutely STUNNING book cover. Even though, at the time, I wasn't following this author, the cover made me stop and take a closer look. It was the author's debut release day, and if the cover hadn't already snagged my attention, the tag line on the front certainly did. As I followed the links in the tweet, I read the back cover blurb, and I've never hit "buy now" so fast in my life! (Seriously, anyone who tells you Twitter doesn't sell books is a liar.) I mean, just look at this cover!!

Gorgeous, right? I'm sure that purple being one of my favorite colors helped my buying decision, too, but that's really not the point. Haha. 

The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade is a YA thriller, and I devoured this book so fast. I had no idea what was really going on until the very end, and I wasn't able to guess the twist, either. The author does a fantastic job of misdirecting the reader in a way that makes sense and fits within the story and the characters. I will say that neither of the sisters in this book are very endearing, but having raised 4 girls myself (all in various stages of teen years and young adulthood), the sibling relationship that's portrayed is accurate, based on my own experiences anyway. 

If you're a fan of twisty YA books, then this is definitely the book for you! I'm eagerly awaiting this author's next book. 

Has anyone else read this yet? Do you think you'll check it out? 

Kara's Book Cravings: Paranormal State

 

As I've mentioned before, I typically stick to YA when I read for personal enjoyment, but lately, I've been branching out of my comfort zone -- which has worked wonderfully to get out my recent reading slump. Instead of YA, I've been sticking to quite a bit of non-fiction, mostly travel books, haunted places, paranormal investigating, and writing craft books. 

While out at a local thrift store, I'd found this book: Paranormal State by Ryan Buell.

I need to take a moment here to clarify that I don't know this guy, nor have I ever watched an episode of this show, but the back cover blurb piqued my interest, and as a lover of all things spooky, I figured... why not? I'm glad I took a chance on this one.

Not only did we get to see what types of paranormal investigations he and his team worked on, we got a neat, behind-the-scenes look at how the show was made. Also, there were sections that went into more depth on some of the terms used throughout and what various types of paranormal hauntings there are in the world. Surprisingly, this also had an element of faith in it, especially when dealing with clients and families who had strong faith themselves and when dealing with demonic entities. 

Overall, while somewhat dense in content, the book was a quick read. I think I got through it in a day, maybe a day and a half. And now I'm interested in looking up the show and watching a few episodes. 

Anyone else read this book or watched the show? What did you think? Are you a believer in the paranormal?