No. Just a thousand times no. This was long, boring, and there's a really weird set-up with two characters that I would rather Pullman just leave the hell alone. This dragged. Badly. I didn't like Lyra and I didn't like Pan. I just felt like this was filler and it ended on a weird note. 

No. 

Also can you call this Young Adult anymore since Lyra is not a young adult? She's 20 which puts her in New Adult status regarding book genres. Apparently my streak of disliking mostly every New Adult book I have read is undefeated.

No.

"The Secret Commonwealth" jumps forward and instead of following book #1 in the new series, we are plunged several years after Lyra and Will were separated. Lyra and Pan are finding themselves at odds and there's a mysterious murder that once again Lyra is in the middle of. We have previous characters from the last book (Malcolm and Alice) in this one to not do much besides fret over Lyra and or get shuttled off screen until Pullman remembers them. 

There's too much going on. I think we had to follow at one point 4 or 5 people? That includes Lyra, Pan, Malcolm, Alice, and others I am blanking on now. I think the worst part is as I said I didn't like Lyra or Pan.

Pullman turns Lyra into a freaking Mary Sue. Everyone wants to protect her and or is in love with her. I just...deep breath. I don't know what this was. It was a hodge podge of ideas that don't work. I don't know when book #3 is coming out, but I hope that Pullman gets rid of the characters we don't care about and focus on Lyra. The mess with her and Pan made zero sense and it got so stupid I couldn't even keep reading about it.

I started skimming over Malcolm's parts. I don't like him.

Alice felt the same but older between books #1 and #2 and I would have rather followed her.

The writing didn't read like Pullman and the flow was awful. There are stories within stories and info dumping galore. 

The book ends on a damn cliffhanger. 

Also, see spoiler below. 

Phillip by Cristin Harber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is book #4, in the 7 Brides For 7 Blackthornes series. This book can be read as a standalone novel. For reader enjoyment, and to avoid spoilers, I recommend reading this series in order.

Ashley has grown up in her mother's shadow. Her mother always pushing her towards her belief in what should be the spotlight. Marry into the right family. Date the right man. Do not fall for an ex-boyfriend who has trouble being responsible. What if she wants to marry for love?

Phillip literally crashes an event Ashley is doing. Finding out his family has seen her regularly when he cannot even get over his broken heart..... it just guts him. The sparks fly whenever they are in the same room. He knows he has to take it slow to woo Ashley back into his life. How do you wait when your forever is right in front of you?

Such an amazing addition to this great series. This author is always a 1-click for me, and with this story she did not disappoint. Second-chance books can be tricky since I want them to be a realistic one as well. I loved the banter, the surprises, the heat, the pace - it just truly was a "let's turn the page and get to more" kind of read for me!


***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review.


View all my reviews

ENTER the Giveaway! -- http://bit.ly/7BridesGiveaway

This is book #4, in the 7 Brides For 7 Blackthornes series.  This book can be read as a standalone novel.  For reader enjoyment, and to avoid spoilers, I recommend reading this series in order.

Ashley has grown up in her mother's shadow.  Her mother always pushing her towards her belief in what should be the spotlight.  Marry into the right family.  Date the right man.  Do not fall for an ex-boyfriend who has trouble being responsible.  What if she wants to marry for love?

Phillip literally crashes an event Ashley is doing.  Finding out his family has seen her regularly when he cannot even get over his broken heart..... it just guts him.  The sparks fly whenever they are in the same room.  He knows he has to take it slow to woo Ashley back into his life.  How do you wait when your forever is right in front of you?

Such an amazing addition to this great series.  This author is always a 1-click for me, and with this story she did not disappoint.  Second-chance books can be tricky since I want them to be a realistic one as well.  I loved the banter, the surprises, the heat, the pace - it just truly was a "let's turn the page and get to more" kind of read for me!  I give this a 5/5 Kitty's Paws UP!

***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review.

They loved. They lost. They moved on. Or so they thought. For Phillip Blackthorne and Ashley Cartwright, the damage of their not so distant past is about to wreak havoc on their all too recent, future. Harber brings out the big guns when it comes to romance. Phillip revisits a past gone wrong to help make another sad love song right. Phillip and Ashley are my favorite Blackthorne couple to date. With a dash of sentiment and a smidge of humor, Harber delves deep into heartbreak and finds heartwarming instead.