More Fun Summer Reading

Thanks to the wonders of my kindle, I’ve been able to buy books on a whim and start reading immediately. That’s especially helpful when the cat decides to plop down on whatever I’m looking at. Most of my reading this month has been fantasy, but I did take a break to read Jane Austen’s Lady Susan (a short novel in letters that has quite a scamp for a heroine-not the usual Austen star). Here are some of the books I’ve read this month that I enjoyed:

Wake

I’ve long wanted to read something by Amanda Hocking, just because of her enormous popularity. Wake (Watersong) is the first of her books I tried.

The story was interesting, and the conflict between the heroine and the unnaturally pretty mean girls got me hooked. Hocking weaves siren mythology seamlessly into the story, and put together a winner. This young adult paranormal story is well-told, full of believable characters and is a fun read.

Switched/Torn/Ascend

Since I was reading Amanda Hocking, I thought I’d try the Trylle series, which many consider to be her best. This series uses trolls as the fantasy element, and Hocking does a great job creating a world for modern-day trolls. The heroine who never felt she fit in anywhere and who never felt wanted by her parents was appealing and believable. There are so many novels written with a strong-willed heroine who insists on getting her own way and ends up in disaster because of her own stupidity. This doesn’t happen here. The heroine makes mistakes from ignorance, or is forced to make hard choices and take risks because of the circumstances she is in. There were a few twists that literally had me gasping in surprise. The ending of the first book was especially powerful, and is a lesson on how to end earlier books in a series. There’s a clear resolution to the protagonist’s main problem, but enough other issues left hanging that I wanted to read more. More fun reads from a great storyteller.

The Wolf of Tebron

The Wolf of Tebron (The Gates of Heaven Series) is told like a classic fairy tale. The hero, Joran, has had a falling out with his wife and sends her back to her family. He later learns she never arrived, and he begins to be tormented with nightmares of her trapped behind a wall of ice, calling to him to rescue her. So he sets out on a quest to find her, traveling to the four corners of the earth and wearing out three pairs of shoes. I liked this story better as it unfolded, and appreciated the message of forgiveness and reconciliation.

The Golden Crystal

The Golden Crystal is a quick read of a thriller that takes you on a ride through history, mathematics and a race to recover a lost crystal that holds amazing powers. There’s certainly a strong dose of callous brutality, so be warned if that’s not for you. Otherwise, I found this book entertaining and it kept me guessing up to the end.

A disclosure: I received a free copy of The Golden Crystal in exchange for an honest review.

And one more: Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”