ARC MINI REVIEW: CONSUMED BY J.R. WARD

Consumed by J.R. Ward (Oct. 2, 2018)
Length: 416 pages
Genre: Adult, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Gallery Books
Purchase: Barnes & Noble | Amazon
My Rating:

Summary: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the popular Black Dagger Brotherhood series comes a brand-new novel about arson investigator, Anne Ashburn, who is consumed by her troubled past, her family’s scorched legacy, and her current case: chasing a deadly killer.

Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed... By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession with department bad-boy Danny McGuire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer. Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse fire changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job, but her whole self. Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn't believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again--until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze. Danny McGuire is a premiere fireman, best in the county, but in the midst of a personal meltdown. Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.

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My Review

This is my first ever J.R. Ward novel, and it won't be my last. As someone who is currently obsessed which Chicago Fire, I couldn't turn down a book that promises hot firefighters, a steamy romance, and a thrilling mystery. Consumed did not disappoint. After becoming injured in a fire, Anne finds a new career as an arson investigator. Danny misses Anne riding on the truck by his side and struggles to move on without her. When Anne starts investigating a dangerous case and Danny begins to act more and more recklessly, they are thrown back into each other's lives once again. I really enjoyed both characters who are different, strong, and most definitely steamy together. I thought Ward did an excellent job capturing the strong bonds between the firefighters and Anne's struggle with her identity after the fire that changed her life. This book has spark thanks to its thrilling scenes in the bedroom and out. A good choice for those looking for a romantic suspense novel to read on a chilly fall night.

ARC MINI REVIEW: Dry by Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman

Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman (Oct. 2, 2018)
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Young Adult Survival
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: I received a free ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Thank you! This did NOT affect my honest review.
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
My Rating:

Synopsis: The drought—or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it—has been going on for a while now. Everyone’s lives have become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t fill up your pool, don’t take long showers. Until the taps run dry. Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbours and families turned against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don’t return and her life—and the life of her brother—is threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she’s going to survive.

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My Review

When water becomes scarce, people will do anything for just one drop. When Alyssa's normally quiet neighborhood turns deadly and since her parents have yet to return from their hunt for water, she has no choice but to befriend her eccentric but very prepared neighbor, and take her younger brother on an adventure they never wanted. This frightening possible future is so well written that you will surly be paying attention to your own use of water in the future. The growing threat of dying of thirst, the desperate people, the untrustworthy government, and a group of people coming together to stay alive make for a somewhat predictable but page-turning survival story. Although I would have liked a slightly longer book so we could get to know the characters a little better, they are still very interesting. Neal Shusterman, with the help of his son, deliver another must-read young adult novel. For fans of Monument 14, this one is for you.