Book Review – Nikki & Michael series by Keri Arthur

So it’s been awhile since I’ve done a book review. But that’s mainly because I usually do the entire series in one review. True, I finished up this series a little while ago but I’ve been lazy…as usual. But I’ve done it! I’m very proud of myself. I’m also proud because I’ve actually been keeping up with the two book memes I do every week. Anyway, rambling…here’s my review!


   

This review is on the Nikki and Michael series by Keri Arthur. The four books include:


My Rating:
4/5 stars
four-stars

This is the third short series I’ve read by Keri Arthur. I’ve mentioned a few times that I really enjoy her writing style. It’s simple yet there’s plenty of description. It’s also very ‘to-the-point’ and doesn’t have many slower parts. Each and every book in the series was action-packed. The POV switched between Nikki and Michael and I believe Arthur pulled that off very well, since I know sometimes it gets a bit confusing if the writer doesn’t do it right. I feel like that also made the reader want to keep reading because Arthur liked to leave a cliff hanger at the end of the chapter with one character, then the next chapter would be in the other character’s POV so the reader would have to wait until the chapter after to find out what happens, since Nikki and Michael weren’t always together in the story. That might frustrate some people, but I personally enjoyed it.

 Nikki and Michael were both excellent main characters. Nikki was stubborn and could be a bit rash, but always knew when she needed to step up her game. Michael was quick-witted, mysterious, and also quite hard-headed. The banter between the two was fun to read, however, I do wish there was a bit more humorous parts in this series. The few supporting characters definitely contributed to the story as well. As for the romance, in the first book it was on the back-burner of the overall plot but the reader knew it was bound to happen eventually. I don’t care for ‘insta-love’, so I was glad it took Nikki and Michael awhile to admit their feelings. Both characters develop rather nicely throughout the series and the reader also gets hints of their, fairly dark, pasts.

I’d have to say I enjoyed the first book the most. Mostly because I liked the main antagonist of this book better than the other three. Don’t get me wrong, the other books were great reads as well, but I have a weak spot for the bad guys and the first book just happened to have to best one out of the four, in my opinion. As for the ending of the series, it didn’t really feel like an ending. Except for the short epilogue in the last book, it felt like just another installment. I actually wouldn’t have minded if there were at least two or three more. But there were no major cliff hangers or anything so I was still fairly satisfied. I will definitely be reading more of Arthur’s series.

Happy reading! :)

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Teaser Tuesdays #5 – June 9th

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of A Daily RhythmTo play along just follow the rules below!

Rules:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I finally finished The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket, the eighth book in the A Series of Unfortunate Events series, so you guys don’t have to read a third teaser from that book. I’m currently reading the fourth and final book in the Nikki and Michael series, Kiss the Night Goodbye, by Keri Arthur.

My teaser from Kiss the Night Goodbye:

 

Her breath whispered across his hand, her lips warm and moist against his fingertips. The scent of cinnamon and honey and life teased both his senses and his memories, but those memories remained tantalizingly out of reach.

xxxx– Chapter 8, page 147

 

WWW Wednesdays #4 – June 3rd

WWW Wednesdays

I know it’s a bit late…but my sister came into town this morning and I’ve been running around non-stop all day and I just really want to take a nap right now. Sleeeeeep. ANYWAY. WWW Wednesdays is a weekly bookish meme formally hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm, and revived by Sam of Taking on a World of Words. This meme consists of answering the following three questions:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What am I currently reading?

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I’m still currently reading The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket, the eighth book in the A Series of Unfortunate Events series. Even though it’s a short read I’ve been reading my other book, plus catching up on some comics. Hopefully I’ll have this one finished by next week. Doubt it though…I need a vacation where I do nothing but read!

 

I am also currently reading the fourth book in the Nikki & Michael series, Kiss the Night Goodbye by Keri Arthur. I’m still really liking this series and am hoping the ending will be satisfying.

 

 


What did I recently finish reading?

I recently finished the third book in the Nikki & Michael series, Chasing the Shadows by Keri Arthur. This one was another great installment in the series with another great antagonist.

 

 


What do I think I’ll read next?

3Next I’m planning on re-reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. And of course the rest of the series after that. I’ve been wanting to re-read this series for awhile now and this past weekend there was a marathon on ABC Family so it really put me in the mood.

Teaser Tuesdays #4 – June 2nd

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of A Daily RhythmTo play along just follow the rules below!

Rules:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I’m still plugging away at The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket, the eighth book in the A Series of Unfortunate Events series, as well as the third book in the Nikki & Michael series, Chasing the Shadows by Keri Arthur. It’s been a busy week but I’ll at least be able to finish Chasing the Shadows tonight and start the fourth and final book in the series, Kiss the Night Goodbye. On to the teasers!

My teaser from The Hostile Hospital:

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When Violet, Klaus, and Sunny first boarded the V.F.D. van, they were so worried about avoiding capture that they scarcely took a look around them until they were quite far away from the Last Chance General Store. But when the shopkeeper was merely a speck on the flat and empty landscape, the children turned their attention to their new hiding place.

xxxx– Chapter 3, page 36

 

My teaser from Chasing the Shadows:

“Could you please tell Mr. Harris that Nikki James and Michael Kelly are here to see him?” Power caressed the air as Michael spoke. For a heartbeat, the cop’s eyes went blank. Nikki clenched her fists and bit back her instinctive comment.

xxxx– Chapter 10, page 150

WWW Wednesdays #3 – May 27th

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly bookish meme formally hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm, and revived by Sam of Taking on a World of Words. This meme consists of answering the following three questions:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What am I currently reading?

65118

I’m currently reading  The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket, the eighth book in the A Series of Unfortunate Events series. As I just mentioned yesterday in my Teaser Tuesdays post, a few months ago I found out Netflix is planning on making a live-action TV show based on this series! And since I never finished reading it when I was younger, I’ve been slowly working my way through it.

 

I am also currently reading the third book in the Nikki & Michael series, Chasing the Shadows by Keri Arthur. I’m still really enjoying this series so far and I’m sad that there is only one more book after this one. Hopefully it will have a satisfying ending.

 

 


What did I recently finish reading?

I just finished  My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent, the first book in the Soul Screamers series. It was an enjoyable read with a unique plot. I wished I liked the main character a bit more, but I’m hoping she’ll grow on me as I continue reading this series.

 

 


What do I think I’ll read next?

My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers, #2)

Next I’m planning on reading My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent, the second book in the Soul Screamers series. Since I’m reading both this series and A Series of Unfortunate Events on my NOOK, I’ll probably start this up after I finish with The Hostile Hospital.

WWW Wednesdays #2 – May 20th

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly bookish meme formally hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm, and revived by Sam of Taking on a World of Words. This meme consists of answering the following three questions:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What am I currently reading?

I am currently reading My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent. It is the first book in the Soul Screamers series. I’ve read the first two books in Vincent’s adult fiction series, Shifters, and wasn’t overly impressed, so I wasn’t sure how much I would like her young adult series. However, I am enjoying this book so far. The romance is a bit rushed for my taste, but the plot is definitely interesting and unique.


What did I recently finish reading?

I literally just finished Hearts in Darkness by Keri Arthur about half an hour ago. It is the second book in the Nikki & Michael series. I’m really enjoying this series so far. It’s fast-paced and filled with action. There’s romance involved as well, but in this book and the first it kind of sits on the back-burner of the plot. I’m looking forward to reading the next two books in the series.

 


What do I think I’ll read next?

I’m definitely going to be reading the third book in the Nikki & Michael series, Chasing the Shadows by Keri Arthur. Once I finish all four books I’ll be posting a review! :)

 

 

 


Let me know if you’ve read any of these books or even if any are on your TBR list!

Happy reading! :)

Teaser Tuesdays #2 – May 19th

Teaser Tuesdays

Happy Tuesday everyone! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of A Daily RhythmTo play along just follow the rules below!

Rules:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I am currently reading Hearts in Darkness by Keri Arthur and My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent.

My teaser from Hearts in Darkness:


Michael smiled slightly. He’d had over three hundred years of practice resisting temptation and the needs of his heart, but in all that time, he’d never met anyone like Nikki.

xxxx– Michael’s POV (Chapter 9, page 94)

 

My teaser from My Soul to Take:


“I’ve seen you hold back your wail twice. What do you remember about the time you let it go?”

xxxx– Nash talking to Kaylee (Chapter 9, page 153, ebook)

 

And there are my teasers for the week!

Happy reading! :)

 

WWW Wednesdays #1 – May 13th

WWW Wednesdays

As I mentioned in my Teaser Tuesdays post yesterday, I’ll also be participating in WWW Wednesdays, another weekly bookish meme formally hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm, and revived by Sam of Taking on a World of Words. This meme consists of answering the following three questions:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What am I currently reading?

I am currently reading Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz. I’m a little over two-thirds done with this book and I admit I’m struggling. None of the characters are likable, to me at least. The plot was what interested me in the first place and it’s not terrible, but because I don’t particularly like any of the characters it’s just turning out to be a disappointing read. I’ve already decided I’m not going to be finishing this series and I probably won’t even review it either. I’ll post a small review on Goodreads but otherwise I don’t think I want to bother with an entire post. It sounds harsh, but it’s mostly due to laziness.

I also just started Dancing With the Devil by Keri Arthur. I read two of her other short series and really enjoyed her characters and writing style, so I wanted to try reading more of her books. I’m only one chapter in so far but even those first twenty pages have made me look forward to the rest of this book.

 


What did I recently finish reading?

I finished up Undone Deeds by Mark Del Franco last night at work. This was the sixth and final book in the Connor Grey series and it was fantastic. The ending was a bit confusing, but there were a few major plot twists that I definitely did not see coming. I posted a review on the first three books a few weeks ago and will try to get one up for the last three sometime this week.

 


What do I think I’ll read next?

After I finish up Blue is for Nightmares, I think I’ll start My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent. After deciding to read multiple books at once, I’ve tried to read one on my NOOK and the other a physical copy. I’ve also found myself flipping between adult fiction and young adult fiction. So because I will not be continuing the series by Stolarz, I decided I’d try this one out on my NOOK (since Dancing With the Devil is the book I’m reading as a physical copy). Sorry if that sounds confusing. But yeah.


Let me know if you’ve read any of these books or even if any are on your TBR list!

Happy reading! :)

 

Book Review – The Spook Squad series by Keri Arthur

Whoo, my first book review! Honestly most of my reviews will probably be of a series as a whole, instead of just one individual book (unless the book is not a part of a series, of course). That’s because I’m an extremely lazy person. But if the series is super long I’ll do one halfway through or if I really like one particular book in it then I’ll give that book its own review. It just depends on what mood I’m in.

Anyway, this review is on the Spook Squad series by Keri Arthur.
The series has three books total:
   –    Memory Zero
   –    Generation 18
   –    Penumbra

cover-memory-zero-us     81jD6TokTuL._SL1500_     cover-penumbra-us

Because I’m not all that good at summarizing things, I’ll just post the summary for the first book, Memory Zero, given on Goodreads.

For Sam Ryan, life began at age fourteen. She has no memory of her parents or her childhood. In a decade of service with the State Police, Sam has exhausted the resources of the force searching for clues to her identity. But all mention of her family seems to have been deliberately wiped off the record. Everything changes the night Sam’s missing partner resurfaces as a vampire… and forces her to kill him in self-defense. Now Sam is charged with murder. Suspended from the force, and with no one left to trust, Sam accepts some unexpected help from Gabriel Stern, a shapeshifter who conceals startling secrets.

While investigating the circumstances surrounding her partner’s strange behavior, Sam discovers that Gabriel’s been involved with a dangerous organization that’s planning a war on the human race. More immediate, someone is guarding the truth about Sam’s past—someone who’d rather see her dead than risk her knowing too much. To stay alive, Sam must unravel the threads of her past—and find out not only who she is but what she is.

My Rating: 4/5 stars
four-stars

The first thing I want to say about this series is that it is unfinished. I did not find this out until after I read the first book so, being already invested, I read the next two anyway. I’m glad I did.

The entire story was fast-paced and action-filled, plus the overall plot was quite interesting and kept me wanting more. It is set in a more futuristic time, where there are self-driving cars, laser guns, and cloning is a common occurrence.

The POV switches between Samantha and Gabriel throughout the series. I usually enjoy that aspect in books, if the author does it well, because it allows you to know more than one character on a personal level, and it didn’t switch back and forth so much that it was confusing. Arthur pulled it off well.

Both Sam and Gabriel are stubborn workaholics who butt-heads throughout the entire series. They both act rather childish around each other at times, for being fairly serious characters, and you get to see how their relationship steadily grows. Although there is some level of attraction between the two, if you’re looking for a romance look elsewhere. This series is more action and supernatural than anything else.

Because this series is labeled unfinished, I wasn’t sure how satisfied I would be with the ending. I wasn’t actually all that disappointed. The final book answered most of the important questions brought up throughout the series but I honestly wished Arthur would have kept going so that I could see how certain events played out. Either way, it was an enjoyable read and I plan on reading more of Keri Arthur’s books.


Done! Hope that was an okay review. I’m still new at it so sorry if it wasn’t the best. But practice makes…better! xD