Mary Ting

This book is full of short stories by fantastic authors some I knew before and some are new to me and I have fallen in love with. There are a lot of short stories and some I have not got to yet, but I definitely plan to, so here are my reviews on the stories I have read so far:
Her Mafioso’s Honor by Patricia Eddy:
In this story we are instantly introduced to Evelyn who has been captured by some mafia guys. She is treated horribly but she is strong and can hold her own. Damian is the nephew to the current mafia boss who thinks it is horrible the way his uncle has ran the family into the ground so he is out to right the wrongs and he starts by saving Evelyn from an even worse fate. At first Evelyn is very skeptical a guy like Damian wants to help her and cares for her well being but their attraction is undeniable. The story is a short one, but I loved it so much and enjoyed the characters. A fast paced intense read with an incredible alpha and tough as nails heroine.

Real by Magan Vernon:
In this cute read we get to see the banter between two individuals who entertained me and made me laugh. Wren is starting a paper for her English class and starts to email her professor so she can get a few things approved but the TA answers to response. This TA comes off as abrupt, kind of mean, but she does not know it is not her professor but instead his TA, Wolf the school bad boy. Wolf is smart and knows what he likes, and he knows his stuff when it comes to the class he works for. Their back and forth arguing is so good that you know they love to get a rise out of each other but know it may be kind of forbidden. I loved Wolf and the way he was straight forward with Wren. I also how Wren could give back as good as he could and that they were so attracted to each other just by arguing.

The Cabin Between Us by Dani Rene:
This story was cute, and it followed Calandra who left her hometown to try and make it in Hollywood, but we find out when she left town she left behind her heart. She is returning because her mother has decided to sell their cabin but she has so many memories there it’s hard for her to see it go, but when she gets home Kolton her heart and soul at one point is there. Kolton let the love of his life go but now he has a plan to make up for lost time.
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I've read several works from this author and always look forward to see what's coming next. This time, her tale took an exciting, new direction.

Idrisa is an orphan and as normal as can be, or at least, so she thinks, since only royals and elites possess magic. But when she attends the kingdom-wide birthday gala of the prince, strange things begin to happen. Not only does she feel awful, but there's something pulling her toward the lake. Giving in, she follows the call and ends up with a powerful, mythical sword only she can wield. Her secret doesn't stay as such for long, and soon the king is doing what he can to gain possession of the sword himself.

This is the first book in a brand, new series (as it appears) and a great start. While the writing came across as a bit too flowery to me, at first, I soon found myself being pulled in by the characters. It's an exciting ride with tons of subplots, twists, intrigue, magic and more. While this is a type of King Arthur re-telling, it has a life of its own right along with an original world, characters and plot. I expected something more fitting for the original tale's setting, and I'm so glad the author followed her very own direction.

I can't wait to see where everything goes from here because it promises to be quite the ride.… (más)

This isn't a genre I generally read, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. This is the first in a sci-fi, post-apocalyptic YA series.

After her mom dies, Ava is put into a foster home then runs away. She does what she can to survive on the streets but ends up in juvenile detention...until Russ from the International Sensory Assassin Network comes and offers her a new life with a purpose. Ava will go to school, be fed, and trained in assassin skills. She has nothing to lose, so she takes him up on the offer. But is it the right decision?

Ava is a well-developed character and she's a powerful leader. The rest of her team can't seem to get along with each other, so it's up to her to keep the peace. They always get the job done, though. With the injections of HelixB77, they have heightened senses for their missions, whether its an assassination or just bringing someone in. They're the best team ISAN has, and on a rare night out, something happens that changes everything. Can Ava figure out what's going on and keep a secret at the same time? She wants to tell her friends about what happened, but if she does, will that put them in harm's way?

All in all, a well-written YA novel. Ava is a strong female who just wants a normal, happy life instead of having her life scheduled for her with no outside life.… (más)

Every night, Jacklyn dreams about monsters. They haunt her, visiting every corner of her dreams. But such creatures aren’t real, right ? One evening, the teenager catches her father talking with other men about monsters’ attacks. Armed with a sword and three beans given to her by a strange old woman, she decides to know more about the threat, following her father secretly.

Jacklyn is different from the other teenage girls of her town : trained by her father at an early age, she knows how to use weapons. She is kinda tomboy, enjoying helping her parents on the farm and of course, spending time with her dad. We feel they have a very strong connection, and it is that relationship that is gonna be the link throughout the story. Jacklyn is a courageous and intrepid young woman : ignoring her fears and dangers, she doesn’t hesitate to follow the monsters‘ tracks to save her father and his friends. Very soon we discover that Jacklyn is special, how special I let you read the novel to discover it. But she is meant for something big, far bigger than she ever expected.

I was at the beginning dubious about the religious aspect that Mary Ting incorporated in her story. I mean it is really not something I would expect in a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, but as I proceeded my read, I was positively surprised about how well it works with the rest of the story. Jacklyn and the Beanstalk is a quite good retelling where we recognize the key elements of the original tale : three beans and an unexpected upper world.

If you love strong female characters, fantasy and tale retellings, I think you will enjoy Mary Ting’s novel. Jacklyn and the Beanstalk is an enjoyable fast read that will lead you into an extraordinary adventure.… (más)