1. The covers..

Thankfully as of late the covers have mixed it up a bit, but for quite awhile when NA was the 'thing' to be writing and releasing typically the cover would be found with a black and white image of either a man with a six pack or a couple in an almost kissing embrace, the cover would then have a title and author name in a bright color.  I found myself almost everyday wanting to rip my hair out with how many of these types of covers would be revealed in one week.



2. Unhealthy relationships

Ugh. Do I even need to go into this? If you have read a good number of NA novels (or even if you've just read a few for that matter) than more than likely you have witnessed the trend that is super dysfunctional and unhealthy relationships.  I literally have read NA novels that I would think were going to give me a psychological read about Stockholm syndrome or maybe women falling in love with, but then escaping their abusers. But NOPE, in the end they were just novels romanticizing rape/ abuse/stalking etc! Oh, but don't worry it would all be okay because the guy was super hot, had a damaged past and lots and lots of money.




3. Weak female characters

I feel like this one almost isn't even fair to put considering I feel any genre can suffer from this, but I don't care



4. Repeat storylines

    Common storyline to follow take your pick:

• Girl who was abused and is an introvert from her abuse falls in love with the town bad boy. 

• Girl who is portrayed as a party girl and the town 'slut' finds a sweet guy, but she still has a fear of commitment and has lots of self destructive behaviors.

•  Above storylines also work if you switch gender, just tend to seem to be more popular from a female point of view. 

Well that's it, don't get me wrong I'm sure there is plenty more that could be added to this short little list, but I wanted to keep it just that, short and little.

DISCLAIMER: This is in no way me trying to bash NA novels, I have read plenty of NA novels that I have loved, and there will be plenty I will read in the future. I did a list like this for YA novels too years ago which you can check out here 

Title: Through the Arch
Author: Devri Walls
Series: Venators
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 300
Released: Oct 1st, 2016

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Six years ago, Grey Malteer was attacked by creatures he thought couldn’t possibly exist. They repeated a word, calling him a name he’d never heard before…Venator. Since then, his life has been a hellhole of secrecy—hiding old pain alongside strange new abilities.

Rune Jenkins has an itch, as she calls it, but it’s more than that. It's an anger that builds up like the inside of a boiler whenever she’s around anything remotely supernatural. The pressure is growing steadily worse and she can’t understand why. All she knows is—her control is slipping.

By order of an unknown council Grey and Rune are pulled through a portal in the St. Louis arch, landing them in an alternate dimension where creatures of myth and legend exist. A realm that calls them, Venators.

Made up of centuries old fae, vampires, werewolves, elves and succubi the council’s corrupt nature becomes obvious as they seek to wield the newly returned Venators as weapons. Wedged in an impossible position, Grey and Rune must decide their fate—do they go against the council’s wishes and help the innocents of this unforgiving land, or face the possibility of execution by the council.

Devri Walls is permanently cemented as one of my favorite authors to read, her fantasy novels always have me fully immersed in the world with the characters she creates. Through the Arch was no expception and was another exciting adventure of a read. With great characters, the start of some romance, tons of action and a plethora of different paranormal creatures, Venators is looking to be another 5 star series for me from Devris Walls.

The start of Venators immediately had me very intrigued, Rune gets an itch, a built up rage she feels she needs to release when anything supernatural/paranormal is around her, even a commercial making a slight reference to werewolves sends her into a frenzied feeling of anger that she has to work hard to contain. She knows this isn’t normal, but how can she talk to anyone about this without being thrown into the looney bin? As a reader this had me SO intrigued right off the back, why is she filled with such a rage over paranormal things? And on top of that what does Grey (male classmate of hers) know about Runes itch? The beginning was so strong and immediately sucked me in with tons of questions and me wanting answers.

Through the Arch was a perfect ‘first novel’ to a series, we are introduced to the characters, there is a sense that some romances will pick up in book two, and you get a general understanding of how the world works and how the politics work in the fantasy world Rune and Grey have been shoved into. It reminds me a lot of how I felt during Wings of Arian the first book to Devri’s other series Solus, it’s a first novel that gives you everything you need…but leaves you wanting soooo much more and dying for book two.

The only negative critique I would give Through the Arch would be the ending, this for me is a minor critique too considering this is the first book to a series, and not a stand alone. Through the Arch's ending had a pretty rushed feeling to it, the pacing felt off and I felt it was tied together rather quickly and then bam…the novel was over.

While the ending felt rushed the rest of the novel was flawlessly paced, through out Through the Arc you're on such a roller coaster as the reader. You're thrown around quick turns and then dropped down big plummets, but don't worry Devri always gives you a moment to catch your breath before throwing you right back onto the ride.

I really cannot wait to see where this series will go, knowing Devri's previous series though one thing is for certain.... this is going to be one hell of a good ride.

• Positive-Amazing world building
• Positive-Likable characters
• Positive-Start of a romance
• Negative-Ending
• Positive-BELTRAN 💖

Books that are hard to get off the brain if it be because they were so good, so scary, so unique or whatever they were to make them stay on your mind weeks, months, or even years after reading them! Welcome to the YA-Aholic meme 'Still on my Mind' a meme to highlight those unforgettable reads!

The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams

There can only be one allegiance. It’s her time to choose.

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.

But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.

Why is this read still on my mind?

I read The Shadow Reader back in 2013 and it was my 4th favorite book read that year,it was such an amazing read from start to finish. It had in depth characters, a love triangle that was done well and had me loving both of the love interests, there was action, betrayal, comedy, and most importantly it had a main character that was very strong, yet never afraid to be vulnerable. This is one of those books that I loved so much that I actually haven't read book 2 or 3 🙈 Sometimes when I love a book so much, it takes myself years to pick up the 2nd book because I don't want it to ruin what a great experience I had in book one.

What book (s) are still on your mind?

Books that are hard to get off the brain if it be because they were so good, so scary, so unique or whatever they were to make them stay on your mind weeks, months, or even years after reading them! Welcome to the YA-Aholic meme 'Still on my Mind' a meme to highlight those unforgettable reads!

Mageri series-Read June 2013

Zoë Merrick lived an ordinary life until the night she was brutally attacked. She narrowly escapes death, rescued by Adam Razor, an ex-soldier who offers her friendship and a place to stay. But something else is different. Zoë is unable to control an unexplainable energy coursing through her body.

Justus De Gradi is a man who can teach her that control. She meets him by chance - a man who's handsome, arrogant, and not entirely human. He reveals that she's a Mage - an immortal made of light, not magic. Zoë must now make a choice: Rebuild her life in the human world with the man who saved her, or live with Justus and learn how to use her extraordinary gifts. Justus has sworn an oath to protect her life, but can he guard her from the one man who has a right to claim it?
Zoë learns the price of freedom...and the value of loyalty.