Mini Book Reviews | Netgalley Books of the Week

I just recently signed up for this website because I love to read and I want to be able to get books before they are released and review them. I've been hearing a lot of good things about Netgalley so I thought why the heck not. So here we are.

What is Netgalley?

NetGalley is an innovative and easy-to-use online service and connection point for book publishers, reviewers, media, librarians, booksellers, bloggers and educators. NetGalley delivers digital galleys, often called advance reading copies, or ARCs, to professional readers and helps promote new and upcoming titles. Professional readers--reviewers, media, journalists, bloggers, librarians, booksellers and educators--can join and use NetGalley at no cost.

So far I was able to read 2 books from Netgalley and I'm posting the reviews here. I did post the review of the first book I got there but moving forward I want to keep it all in my blog and just post a link on the website. I'm probably going to do multiple reviews in one article all under the Netgalley label. Here goes.

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Rellainia by Michaela Turcotte
Published September 30th 2017 by Sands Press

Rating: ⭐⭐

For most of Kelsey’s life, her mother has told her stories of Rellainia - a dimension and world existing alongside our own. Mysteriously, every night her mother also disappears without explanation, but Kelsey doesn’t know why...until a trip to the barely used basement sends her spiraling through time and space to Rellainia. Kelsey quickly realizes the stories she’s heard about the beautiful and fair Queen who ruled the land were not only about her mother - they were also anything but accurate.

Kelsey must now decide between assuming her rightful place as Princess, or sinking back into her old life and convincing herself that everything she’d learned was just a story.

Review: I got this book to try out how it is here. There was so much promise with the blurb but I was dissapoointed with the content. There were so much inconcistenciea like Kelsey height - in one chapter she says she was 5"1' and then on another chapter dhe becomes 5"2'. The arrangement of the content was confusing as well. We are immediately introduced to a young Kelsey being told faury tales and then her mother disappears at night. It would have been ok if the chapters were alternate between worlds even if it was a bit vouge at the beginning. The budding relationship between Kelsey and Liam was well though of as well. Suddenly liam is in love with Kelsey after only knowing her a few days? I don't get that. Like I said there was a lot of promise with the story it's just that the content needa more editing.

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The Lost Causes by Jessica Koosed Etting, Alyssa Embree Schwartz
Published September 5th 2017 by Kids Can Press

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

They're the kids that no one knows --- or no one wants to know. The rich depressive, the OCD chick, the hypochondriac, the drug abuser, the athlete with anger management issues. All chosen for intensive group therapy because they're out of other options. They're lost causes, the therapist tells them. She promises this support group will help them heal. 

There's only one problem. She's not a therapist. And that water she offers? It contains a dangerous serum that gives each of the kids a psychic power. 

Suddenly, they can think clearly, speak to ghosts, see the past, even move objects with their mind. Their earlier problems have vanished, but their new freedom comes with a price. 

Sabrina, Gabby, Z, Justin and Andrew are to help the FBI solve the grisly murder that has rocked their small town. Their new powers will help them uncover clues and follow leads that have eluded the authorities. Their outsider status gives them the perfect cover. 

But the same traits that make them top investigators also make them vulnerable. As they close in on the murderer, they expose a much larger conspiracy that puts them directly in harm's way and makes them wonder who --- if anyone --- they can trust.

Review: Now this book is a good read. A mixture of mystery and science fiction, it reminded me of YA version of something Dean Koontz would write about, or reminisce of the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson minus the genetic mutation. I'm a sucker for kids who get powers and solve mysteries. Unlike the other book that needed so much work with the content, this book looks and reads like a pro. Maybe it needed a little more clarification on the character development but the pacing of the plot was smooth and I enjoyed reading the mystery and suspense parts. I guess even the "romance" parts were ok because they were not too angtsy, although I kinds didn't like the fact the 22 year old NBI Agent would be the love interest of the 17 year old High School student. Anyway, this is a story I'd want to read more of so hopefully the authors can come up with a few more books.

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I've read 2 books from Netgalley so far and I guess I'm liking it. I'm taking a break by getting on and reading The Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, but I will be getting available books to load in my Kindle app once I'm done with Bardugo's Duology. 

Is any one else on Netgalley? What do you think of the books we get from there? Have you tried ARC's from authors yet? Share your experiences in the comments.