Royally Raised by Emma Chase | Rating: ★★★☆☆Oh, I didn't realize how much I missed Emma Chase's Royally series (I still haven't read the third book, sigh) until I picked up Royally Raised. Short stories set in a well-developed verse can be a tricky business and while I enjoyed Royally Raised, and Emma Chase is still totally my girl, I thought as a story it could have been concluded differently. Not to sound picky or cliched, but the short story felt too open ended.
Unless she plans on expanded it into a full story in the future, of course. I loved seeing Henry and Sarah again. Their happily ever after, their family, their kingdom. I enjoyed the general fluffy aspects of it--entirely because their novel in the Royally series was my favourite to begin with. Seeing them in their ever-after was sweet and not unlike dropping in to see an old friend. I loved it!
But, the plot felt a bit stilled when it became apparent that we wouldn't get a glimpse into what it's like for them trying to get through to their daughter. Again, it's such a minor thing that just made me step back from the short story in disappointment. It felt like it could have been better. It felt like the outline to another installment that hasn't been written yet, you know what I mean? Which, again, isn't the way you should approach it--basically, don't be a wet blanket like yours truly.
Play With Me (Grover Beach Team #1) by Anna Katmore | Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1.5)After reading a small blurb on a friends book blog, I was excited to see that Play With Me was free on Amazon. It seemed like the perfect freebee for a day spent sitting outside in the sunshine and reading a book filled with fluffy goodness. Nothing says Jessica’s Weakness like fluffy reading and sunshine.
Most of the people I’ve talked to had great things to say about this book and I was startled to find that I didn’t like it at all. In fact, it was so disappointing to me that I deleted it from my Kindle straight away. What is it that went wrong? I’m not entirely sure. I can’t place it off the top of my head.
There was just something missing from the story. It didn’t all mesh well. It was too fast, too lacking something that it made it impossible for me to want to finish it. Play With Me held a lot of promise but came through boring and not at all my cup of tea. There were moments when I thought it would pick up and showed me great promise but nada: even the cutesy, giggle and swoon worthy moments of romance couldn’t save this story for me personally.
I feel horrible saying all this, but it’s true.
