CJ DalyRecensioni

“Bad things happen when secrets are kept from me”

This was a great YA enemies to lovers romance with some exciting twists and turns. The authors writing is brilliant and detailed letting you truly get to know the characters. It made me feel like I was in high school again.

Kate is a teenager who lost her mother, is basically now taking care of her brother and father and is working at a dump of a diner just to help out. Pete and his Academy cadets give her a hard time while she was working.
Her very gifted brother Andrew is being recruited by the luxurious school, The Academy. But it’s never as it all seems.

The story continues in book two and hopefully we get to see if Andrew joins the “Elite” Academy.

Okay…first of all, I am going to do my best to not include spoilers.

It’s New Years Eve and Katie is ready for a change…and a kiss. Who would be the lucky guy? She is torn between Ranger and Pete. Who are you rooting for? I am Team Ranger. I love a little bit of the bad boy. Besides, when they fall, the fall hard!

The Academy…everything has good and bad, but I struggle to find the good. Things are not as they seem.

The characters grown and change, developing more depth as they are put into situations that are beyond their control.

Katie is caught in the middle, pulled in opposite directions. She is so young and naive, inexperienced. I love watching her learn life’s lessons and I do feel frustrated with how easily I feel she is being manipulated.

Completely flipped…and…I am very leery and afraid for her. AND…curious about where we will go next. Don’t think you know where we are going is easy, cut and dried, because C J Daly has so many twists, turns and questions that make me want MORE.

I will be up front. I don’t know who will win out in the love department, Ranger or Pete, but I am Team Ranger. There’s something about Pete I don’t like, don’t trust. Is it love, obsession, possession?

I had a good idea how Cap and Gown would end, seeing we have so much more of the story to be told. Warning…once you start you won’t want to quit, so be ready for many hours and thousand of pages, of love, hope, despair, duty….

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Cap and Gown by C J Daly.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

After reading the first book in this series, I was anxious to read book two, and it did not disappoint. Again Author C. J. Daly writes an appealing story that will have you on the edge of your seat! I was glad to see even more development of the characters we met in book one, as well as the new characters we meet. There’s a lot of tension, especially after Kate finds herself in the psyche ward of The Academy. Her one mission is to gwt through the Cadet-in-Training program so she will be able to see her brother. I feel bad for Kate but at the same time I don’t. I would like seeing her develop a little more. And as far as team Ranger a d Team Pete, I think I’ll sat back and watch for a while. I did enjoy seeing things through Rangers eyes in this book. There is a lot if drama in this book, more so than book one I think, but all in all it is a great read. I can’t wait to see what book three has to offer. I highly recommend this book, and this series. And especially if you enjoy military reads. This book is Four Stars for me.

A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

Kate is too young to be a mom, but when her mother passes away, her father doesn’t leave her much choice except to take care of her brothers. When a couple strangers come to town, it is fast gossip because it’s a small town. Kate got a surprise, however when she finds they are wanting her brother Drew for a boarding school. And one of the guys, Pete seems to have his eyes set on Kate.

This is a really good story, with some Suspense and a bit of mystery. There’s a lot going on, and a lot of detail especially in the first part of the book that makes it kinda slow for a while. But gets better as the story goes on. Author C.J. Daly creates interesting and intriguing characters who develop well as the story unfolds. I really like Kate and her brothers, especially the little one, he is adorable. We learn a lot about the three over the course of the book and I really enjoyed getting to know more about them and their life. I felt bad for Kate because she has to grow up fast. But it was enjoyable as well as intriguing to know them and their purpose. A lot of research has gone into this story as well, and Daly does a fantastic job writing this story in a way that it keeps you on the edge of your seats because you want to find out what is going to happen next. It’s a pretty long book so hang with it, you don’t want to miss a thing that’s happening. If you enjoy a good suspense, you will enjoy this one. This is Four Stars for me.

A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

After reading Book I, I could hardly wait to begin Cadet In Training by C J Daly. which picks up where Academy Saga left off.

They use sweet little Mikey to keep Kate in check, but I have a feeling about her. When or how it will change, I don’t know, but she is the mama grizzly bear when it comes to her family and I don’t see her backing down. She is naive, innocent, too trusting, easily manipulated, headstrong, determined, devoted to Mikey.

The Academy is not like an military academy I have ever heard of, and, like her, I am very suspicious of what they are really up to. Pete has been gone for a some time, and Ranger is her trainer. He is a cruel taskmaster…and there is a story there.

“…when I slowed down to breathe, the air smelled foul.” I feel the same way as Kate.

She is independent and Ranger does everything he can to break her. She fought like a hellcat, but she knew she had to change.

Mikey, I love the way C J writes this character. Her fabulous writing makes me smile. I can hear his words and see his actions.

I love Ranger. He walks that like of bad/good and adds a level of excitement for me that Pete can never do. He is intriguing as I try to figure out who he realllllly is. Would not have a dull moment with him.

The greater good…whenver I hear that I feel someone is about to be sacrificed. A life with purpose…or a slave to whatever the Academy deems. AND IT IS FOR LIFE!

Much of the books deals with school, learning and training, but the second half ramps up, hooking me for Book III

The epilogue…WHAT…WHAT…It blew my mind. I didn’t see that coming…and I am sooooo curious how it will play out.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Cadet In Training by C J Daly.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

Since her mother’s death, she had become the mother. She had kept them home, isolated and, in her mind, protected. Why did her mother stress the importance of staying under the radar. From what? Or more importantly, who?

She isn”t paranoid…someone is watching them.

Out in the boondocks, short of funds, she does the best she can, picking up a few bucks working weekends at the diner. Her dad…had pretty much left them to their own devices. He doesn’t physically abuse them, but….

The dialogue is lively and at times I found myself cracking up, laughing out loud. Two chapters stand out, Chapter 8 and Chapter 9.

I love the kids: Kate, who is 16, Andrew, who is 8, and Mikey, who is 5. I can hear Mikey’s voice as I read along, filling me with smiles. I think it would be fun to hear a narrator try to match the voice in my head.

Kate has great instincts and is very leery of what is happening since Pete and Ranger have come into their lives. I feel her frustration and her desperate attempt to save her brother, Andrew, from something she sense is evil, something so wrong she will lose him forever.

Tension and anticipation abound as I try to figure out what is Pete’s end goal. Why do they want Andrew so badly. What makes him different? Is he good? Bad?

I love a slow burning romance.

The Academy Saga by C J Daly has fabulous characters, with Kate, Andrew , Mikey and Pete being the stars. The dialogue is wonderful, with Mikey being the standout for me. It is way past adorable.

Lock the doors and disable the phone. Once you start, I feel you won’t want to stop. So much is going on with an underlying current of evil and suspense. Set aside a lot of time. The 500 page paperback left me with sore arms and blurry eyes, because I didn’t want to stop…though I did have to…until the last word was read. The buildup to the end of Book I leaves me eager and happy to know I have Book II ready and waiting to be read.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Academy by C J Daly.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

Great start to a series

I received this in a Goodreads giveaway. Contains spoilers. I really enjoyed this debut novel! Ms. Daly did an excellent job keeping the reader in suspense, and wanting more. She juggled action, intrigue and romance very well. Definitely a page-turner! If you like books like The Hunger Games, you would like this. I gave it four stars, not five just for some minor issues. I had a problem with the plot hole after the birthday party. What time did she finally get home? I assumed her car was still at Ashley-Leigh's, did her "friends " not wonder why it was still there, or were they out so late that Kate was able to get her car and drive home? I would like to have known more about Kate's father. He was truely a despicable character-what did her mother see in him? He must have some redeeming qualities, but none were presented in this book-in fact, he got worse as the story progressed. I would like more backstory on him in upcoming novels. I will definitely continue with this series. Thanks for a Goodread!

GOODNESS, I really enjoyed a story that I did not think that I'd enjoy! Filled with action and secrets I could not help but feel sorry for the teenage girl who was taking care of her two little brothers, keeping up the family farm while she worked at a diner to buy them new clothes because her dad was a deadbeat who wouldn't work while he "borrowed" her tips! WHAT A JERK WAD!! When her eight year old brother was tested to have above average skills the Academy wanted her dad to sign over all rights to him, but Katie fought took and nail to save him when the Academy fanned a huge amount of money at him. I didn't like Pete in the beginning and I thought that he only wanted to seduce her to fulfill his orders.