#Review - Ransacker by Emmy Laybourne #YALIT #Historical #Fantasy

Series: Berserker (#2)
Format: Hardcover, 448 pages
Release Date: January 29, 2019
Publisher: Feiwel Friends
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Fantasy

The thrilling conclusion to the YA Berserker duology finds the youngest Hemstad sister learning her Viking gift.

Rare powers. Precious metals. Deadly greed.

Sissel Hemstad and her siblings have been living peacefully in a small town in Montana, trying to blend-in and escape the violent events that haunt them, but they’ve all been tricked—James Peavy, the handsome young man courting Sissel is secretly a Pinkerton spy.

Sissel is a Ransacker. She can find gold and other precious metals and pull them to her. Hers is an awesome and dangerous gift. If James discovers her secret, he will undoubtedly report back to his boss, the ruthless Baron Fjelstad who wants desperately to control the Hemstads. Sissel must tread carefully. Harnessing her powers could summon great fortune . . . or doom them all.

 

Ransacker, by author Emmy Laybourne, is the finale to the Berserker duology. This story takes place 2 years after the events of Berserker. The Hemstads (Hanne, Stieg, Knut, and Sissel) possess supernatural powers bestowed upon their family by the ancient Norse Gods. Sissel Hemstad, the youngest at 16, will finally discover her Nytte gift, She's a Ransacker. She can find gold and other precious metals and pull them to her. Hers is an awesome and dangerous gift and the only one like her in the whole world.

The Hemstads, along with Owen Bennett, have been living peacefully in a small town in Montana, trying to blend in and escape the violent events that still haunt them, especially Hanne. But, after a fire rushes across the plains destroying almost everything they own, Hanne and Owen leave for a cattle drive where they are hoping to make enough money to rebuild. Knut goes off to work as a laborer on an unaffected farm, and Stieg, now the local schoolteacher, and Sissel go to live in the town hotel, managed by 20-year old Isaiah McKray. 

Sissel is sick and tired of being treated like a little weakling, with Hanne hovering over her all the time and everyone else making decisions that directly affect her without her input. But, with her discovery of her gift, Sissel becomes an entirely different character than we've seen before. In my review for Berserker, I said, "My least favorite character is Sissel, and not just because she has no apparent abilities. She grates on your nerves and gets under your skin. She nags at Hanna instead of supporting what she is going through." 

That pretty much doesn't change for most of the first half of this book. Soon, however, Stieg, and Sissel learn that they've been tricked. The handsome young man named James who seems to be courting Sissel, is at the same time, keeping a secret that he is a Pinkerton agent spying on her and reporting back to Baron Fjelstad in Norway. To make matters even more twisted, Isaiah McKray, son of a famous gold miner, is sniffing around too closely and gets wind of what Sissel is able to do.   

With betrayal lurking around every corner, Sissel must tread carefully. Harnessing her powers could bring a great fortune, or cause Baron Fjelstad to come hunting for her and her family. The author uses both Sissel & Hanne, as well as James, to tell her story this time around. I will be honest in saying I got distracted quite a bit while reading this book. I often found other things to do instead of finishing the book. Of course, I was supposed to have surgery on my eyes which still hasn't been finished! 

Which is why I am just writing my review for this book even though I had finished it weeks ago. I am happy about the ending. It pretty much wraps up things nicely to the point where it's not necessary for a sequel. After all, the issue with the Baron ends up being resolved in a matter that doesn't need to be discussed, or spoiled. I am glad that Owen got a bit of peace with his family, and all that was done to him. I am happy that Hanne and Owen find their HEA. I am even happy with the way Sissel's character grows leaps and bounds in this book.  

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Monday #Review - Berserker (Berserker #1) by Emmy Laybourne #YALit #Historical

Series: Berserker # 1
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Release Date: October 10, 2017
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Historical / Fiction

A Norse teen and her family are forced to flee to the American West to escape the effects of an ancestral Viking curse in this jaw-dropping historical paranormal romance from the author of Monument 14.

Are Hanne's powers a gift from the old Norse gods, or a curse?

Her brother Stieg swears their powers are a gift from the old gods, but Hanne Hemstad knows she is truly cursed. It's not Stieg’s fault that their father is dead, their mother has left, and their brother Knut has been accused of a crime he didn’t commit.

No, the fault lies with Hanne and her inability to control her murderous “gift”—she is a Berserker. When someone she loves is threatened, she flies into a killing state. The siblings must leave Norway for the American frontier or risk being brought to justice.

Aided by a young cowboy who agrees to be their guide, Hanne and her siblings use their powers to survive the perilous trail, where blizzards, wild animals, and vicious bounty hunters await.

Will they be able to reach their uncle, the one man Hanne believes may be able to teach her how to control her drive to kill? With BERSERKER, Emmy Laybourne, the author of MONUMENT 14, presents her vision of an American west studded with Viking glory.

Berserker, by author Emmy Laybourne, is the first installment in the authors Berserker series. Set in 19th Century Norway, and the American West, Berserker actually alternatives chapters between 16-year old Hanne, and 18-year old Owen Bennett. This story has a Viking/Norse Mythology which centers on a Nytte ancient blood gift that has collected Hanne's family. Hanne is a berserker which means that she flies into a killing mode if someone that she loves is physically threatened and takes out anyone or anything that's a threat.

After Hanne's leaves 4 men dead, she and her siblings are forced to leave Norway behind for America. There they supposedly have an uncle who has made his home in a place called Wolf Creek. An uncle who is also a Berserker like Hanne. Except for the younger sister Sissel, each of the siblings (Steig, Knut) have unique gifts they consider to have come from Gods themselves. After being chased by those who collect Nytte like Hanne and her siblings, Hanne must trust in her powers that she abhors, and a boy who comes to their aid.

Meanwhile in Montana, Owen Bennett is a cowboy and the bastard son who gets zero respect from his father, or his brothers. He struggles to make enough money so that he can have a future with his dog named Daisy, who, by the way, is the absolute star of this story. Owen dreams of training cattle corralling dogs like Daisy, but after losing all of his money to stupidity, he encounters the Hanne's family who is obviously in some trouble. He agrees to be their guide to Wolf Creek, but weather, adversaries, and their own unique issues stand in the way of any sort of happy ending.

There is third character that the story focuses on. His name is Rolf Tjossen. Rolf is a Ketil investigator who searches for those who have amazing powers. He works for a Baron who apparently collects these individuals and helps them in his own way. But, there is something even more creepy there which I won't spoil. Rolf eventually makes his way to Montana where he encounters Hanne and her siblings. For Rolf, Hanne is the most remarkable find he has discovered because she is truly the only known female Berserker in existence.

Verdict: My favorite character has to be between Knut, who is adorably innocent and big as a house, and Owen because of all the challenges he faces throughout this story and previously to where the story picks up. My least favorite character is Sissel, and not just because she has no apparent abilities. She grates on your nerves and gets under your skin. She nags at Hanna instead of supporting what she is going through. I don't mean to write her off completely, and I do hope that she does end up with powers. This story could really have been a standalone, but apparently there are other things the author wishes to do with this series. 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

*Book Review* Sweet by Emmy Laybourne (YA Contemporary, Thriller)

Series: Standalone
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback, 288 pages
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Thriller

Emmy Laybourne, author of the Monument 14 trilogy, takes readers on a dream vacation that goes first comically, then tragically, then horrifyinglywrong!

The luxurious celebrity cruise launching the trendy new diet sweetener Solu should be the vacation of a lifetime. But Laurel is starting to regret accepting her friend Viv’s invitation. She's already completely embarrassed herself in front of celebrity host Tom Forelli—the hottest guy ever!—and she's too sick to even try the sweetener. And that's before Viv and all the other passengers start acting really strange.

Tom knows that he should be grateful for this job and the chance to shed his former-child-star image. His publicists have even set up a 'romance' with a sexy reality star. But as things on the ship start to get wild, he finds himself drawn to a different girl. And when the hosting gig turns into an expose on the shocking side effects of Solu, it's Laurel that he's determined to save.

Sweet is told in alternating narratives by Laurel Willard and Tom Forelli. 17-year old Laurel is ready to go on the cruise of a lifetime thanks to her best friend Vivika Hallerton. The cruise is an all expenses paid cruise featuring some wannabe rock-stars, reality TV failures, TV also rans, plus those desperately wanting to lose a bit of weight. Laurel is a bit on the awkward side. She's also a slightly chubby classic guitar enthusiast who may be a bit different from the rest of the passengers. Perhaps it's due to her alternative lifestyle choices in wearing boots with almost everything, and accepting that there's nothing wrong with being a bit curvy. Amen, sister!

The only reason she's even ON this cruise, is to support Vivi's ongoing struggle to lose weight. When she gets sea sick and embarrasses herself in front of celebrity host Tom Forelli, her dream crush, her cruise becomes something of a bad dream which she can't wake up from. Laurel is even too sick to try the new sweetener Solu which is said to be able to drop 5 percent body weight quickly and safely. Eventually, Laurel starts to feel better and takes advantage of some amazing sights. But, she also notices that the passengers, including Vivi, have all started acting really weird. The same passengers who have been eating Solu like it was the last slice of pizza. Laurel finds help and support from the least likely source; Tom Forelli.

Tom is the former Hollywood sweet heart known as Baby Tom-Tom. He is trying to make a comeback by hosting and interviewing those using Solu. Tom knows that he should be grateful for this job and the chance to shed his former-child-star image. But, what happens when the cruise gets underway is far from anyone's imagination. Tom finds himself ignoring sexy Brazilian reality star named Sabbi Ribiero who his publicists has set him up with, for Laurel, the girl he's determined to save after everything goes to hell, and people start acting like zombies. I have to say that, in the end, I really liked Tom. I liked how he ignored what was right, for what was unexpected in falling for and helping Laurel.

Sweet is written by the same author, Emmy Laybourne, who brought the Monument 14 trilogy to life. Sweet is a twisted mix of comedy, tragedy, and mystery, while exposing the extraordinary lengths that human beings will go through in order to lose a bit of weight. Sweet (Solu) has been compared to Pen-Phen, a drug first introduced in the 1970's because it temporarily reduced weight. This, my friends, is why I refuse to use dietary supplements to lose weight.

Sweet is a book that should be read by everyone, especially those in the media who think that being a bit chubby is wrong. Sweet is a fairly quick paced story, with a nice romance which perhaps moved a bit quick, but then again, the story is only 288 pages. It does have some gruesome scenes which probably should have been highlighted by the author and publisher since it's Young Adult themed. Then again, I've seen worse things on TV. Right The Walking Dead?

**I received this book for free from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  Kobo