Penned Perspective

When I first saw this book and read the description I thought it would be another Hunger Games or something like it. I put it on my Goodreads list and though it took many months to get to it, I was excited! I opened the book and my expectations changed almost immediately.

Panic is a game played by teenagers in a small town. The winnings are large (around 60K) and most are playing for money. Heather, the main character is playing to save herself and her sister from their neglectful mother. While Dodge, another main character is playing to avenge the damage done to his sister in a prior game. Both end up teaming up early on only to find that the game is full of secret agendas and mystery players. 

The Good

I liked that each main character was well defined. Heather and Dodge both came from less than ideal homes. Dodge's family had little money but they had care and attention. Heather lived with her sister in a household where her mother preferred drugs and partying over parenting. It was plausible that both would be interested in the game to win the money. Over the course of the story, each underwent growth due to the things they experienced in the game. I loved the Heather finally found a family and that Dodge found acceptance in a group of friends he didn't have before.

The Not So Good

Some of the characters did things that didn't make sense. Dodge felt confusing at times. He was always an angry character and rightfully so based on what he experienced, but there were times that I wasn't sure of his motives. He liked Nat but he seemed to be romantically interested in Heather early on. The use of the secondary characters could have been better as well. Nat and Heather's friendship didn't feel reciprocated. Heather clearly cared about Nat but sometimes Nat didn't seem to really care about her friend. Teenage girls who are BFF's  are always inseparable and usually share a nearly psychic connection. I couldn't believe that Nat didn't know about Heather's home life or wasn't the first call when Heather decided to leave. Bishop was another character that perplexed me. I didn't understand his role in the game or why he wouldn't just turn it down. Love to me is not a justification for the lying and insanity that he created just for money.

The Verdict:

The book was just an okay read. Fortunately, the ending really made the difference. At least there was growth in the core characters so it was clear that this experience affected them. I was still left with some questions about some of the character's motives but overall it was a good way to take a break from the summer heat.

I know that my reviews have slowed down a bit, but I've been working a new project! This is something I've always wanted to do and I'm finally ready to share it with you.

I think I've always wanted to be a bookstore owner. As a kid, I daydreamed of owning a small store in town that invited people in to share one of my greatest loves: books. I remember spending hours in different stores mostly window shopping but also listening to the quiet chatter and taking in delicious smells.

As an adult, I am hard pressed to find time to experience this. More and more of these shops disappear and now the stores that are close by lack that kind of feel. Everything is corporate, expensive and you miss the chance to talk the way we used to. It's rare to find someone willing to give you a recommendation or wanting to share what they loved about their latest read. Today, readers look to friend groups and Goodreads to serve this purpose. But I want to offer more.

I opened Penned Promise to offer more. As a parent, a blogger, a marketing specialist, and the other 500 hats I like to wear, one thing still is true: I love to read! The books I sell are all used but in great condition! Sometimes they are books I've read recently and others I loved since I was a kid. All books are priced below $10 and there is a wide variety of titles including popular fiction and children's titles!

 I can offer a more personal experience. I’m here if you want to chat. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  Email me if you want to know more about the books or give suggestions for titles you would love to see. Visit my site for a chance to see my store and share my favorites reads.

Visit Penned Promise

Spend some time browsing., you never know when you find you next adventure!

If you’ve read any of my blog posts, you know that Sherrilyn Kenyon is one of my favorite authors period. I have read several Dark Hunter Books and like to dabble in some of her other series including The League and BAD. But I avoided the Chronicles of Nick series for one reason: I was unsure of how her writing would fit into the YA Fiction world. I was concerned because many of her other works have adult concepts that are central to the characters and plot lines. If you don’t believe me: Read Acheron. After reading this book, I admit that I was being a tad too cautious.

Infinity begins the Nick Gautier saga. Nick lives in New Orleans with his mother Cherise and is raised by her small group of friends. They are nearly poverty stricken. Cherise makes Nick meals from powdered eggs while working long hours as a stripper. She and her co-workers strive to raise Nick to be a good person despite the absence of his father Adarian. He faces the normal juvenile issue of bullying since he attends a prestigious school that caters to the wealthy. He finds that the class lines that were used to persecute him blur when zombies are unleashed in the city.

The Good

Kenyon incorporates Nick well into the pre-existing Dark Hunter world. She uses Kyrian as a way to introduce Nick into the supernatural world and for a first-time reader of her novels, it works. Readers get that there is something supernatural at work and that Nick has no experience with it. They also get a chance to experience the events in the novel with the same wide-eyed shock as Nick. The character seems real. He loves his mother and feels anger that she is alone taking care of him under the shadow of his criminal father. Nick is the typical teenager. He hates school, crushes on several girls in the book, and has a small group of friends.

I loved when the action started because the pacing was consistent and picked up perfectly during the climax of the plot. I was so into the story I read the last few chapters without moving! Like any Kenyon novel, the action was fast, furious and fun to read.

The Not So Good

The dialogue between characters sometimes was a bit outdated. This may be more of a personal gripe but authors who try to remain “hip” with their language often fail. Authors can’t really account for the changes in what is trendy or popular when writing. Books can be read anytime after they are released. Also, because there were so many characters introduced, if I was a new reader I would have been confused. Fortunately, I wasn’t but even I had to take a minute to remind myself who a particular character is and what is his or her relationship was.

The Verdict

Bonus points for the plot twist! I enjoyed this book so much and can’t wait to read the next one in the series. It’s another classic for sure!