Monthly Archives:: September 2015

Review: The Heartless City by Andrea Berthot

September 30, 2015 Review 16 ★★★½

Review:  The Heartless City by Andrea BerthotThe Heartless City by Andrea Berthot
Series: Stand-Alone
Published by Curiosity Quills Press on August 17th 2015
Genres: Science Fiction
Pages: 241
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
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Rating: 3.5 Stars
Heat Rating:one-half-flames

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Henry Jekyll was a brilliant doctor, a passionate idealist who aimed to free mankind of selfishness and vice. He’s also the man who carelessly created a race of monsters.
Once shared secretly among the good doctor's inner circle, the Hyde drug was smuggled into mass-production - but in pill form, it corrupted its users at the genetic level, leaving them liable to transform without warning. A quarter of the population are now clandestine killers – ticking bombs that could detonate at any given moment.
It's 1903, and London has been quarantined for thirteen years.
Son of the city's most prominent physician and cure-seeker, seventeen-year-old Elliot Morrissey has had his own devastating brush with science, downing a potion meant to remove his human weaknesses and strengthen him against the Hydes - and finding instead he's become an empath, leveled by the emotions of a dying city.
He finds an unlikely ally in Iris Faye, a waitress at one of the city's rowdier music halls, whose emotions nearly blind him; her fearlessness is a beacon in a city rife with terror. Iris, however, is more than what she seems, and reveals a mission to bring down the establishment that has crippled the people of London.
Together, they aim to discover who's really pulling the strings in Jekyll's wake, and why citizens are waking up in the street infected, with no memory of ever having taken the Hyde drug...
Heart-eating monsters, it turns out, are not the greatest evil they must face.

Henry Jekyll’s aim was to create a drug in order to free the human’s from selfishness and vice, instead he created a pill that turned people into monsters without warning, monster’s that target the human’s heart and caused London to fall under a quarantine when the drug hit the streets and infected half its population.

The Characters

I actually found the characters in this story quiet good. I thought the development was well done. Did I wish for more? Yes, maybe a little more, but overall I wasn’t really disappointed. Each filled with secrets, but nothing that shocked me once they were finally revealed.

Elliot Morrissey is a 17 year old boy who lives in The Palace where his father, a physician works on trying to figure out the clue for the drug. Each morning Elliot must go out and find a dead body for his father to experiment on. Trying to remove his empathy, Elliot created a potion that only intensified that, now Elliot can literally feel other people’s emotions as if they are his own. When he meets Iris, a young waitress, the emotions that pour out of her nearly blind him. A burning so strong, it nearly rivals his own. There is an instant attraction between Elliot and Iris on a lot of layers from physical to emotional. Iris is a young waitress who’s mother hold’s a big secret from her. She doesn’t know who her father is, but she is aware that she is different from the normal humankind. A secret that if got out, the Lord Mayor (rules of the current London) would love to get his hands on.

The secondary characters received just as much development I believe and left me quite surprised at how much they have contributed to the story and made it a bit better for me. Cam is a tortured soul that also has his own share of secrets. It didn’t take a while to figure out and I applaud the author for including a variety of characters into her story, none are the same and the difference brings them together. Regardless. I loved the direction she went with Cam. I found myself really hurting for the fact that due to the day and age, he could not be true to himself and was considered – not normal.

My favorite had to be Philomena. A young girl who has come of age that was being pushed to marry Cam. She is a hot head who is tired of living behind the secure walls of The Palaces and wishes for something more out of her life.

 

The Plot

This is where things got a bit tricky. I liked the premise, I loved the set up. A sort of different take on Hyde. The dark setting of London made it creepy and engrossing but I found it…lacking. I thought the book was going to be more and I wished it was more. Maybe even a series? Instead, it seems like a Stand-alone due to it’s wrapped up ending. I found myself mostly reading about the characters and their secured life behind The Palace walls. While people were being killed outside, Cam, Elliot and Iris were planning for a coming out ball. The true monster was the Lord Mayor and the author did not disappoint me with that. I guess I was just kind of hoping for more of the outside world? The ending was better as everything came crashing down around the group, shocking secret’s spilled, making the ending a lot more entertaining. But unfortunately I only got more of the Hyde from the ending than most of the book. Thought it didn’t feel rushed, I wished for more. I craved for the dark side of London, which was the reason I picked up this book.

The Writing

The writing itself was really good. I really liked the author’s style. Despite wanting more, I found myself unable to put down the book and was totally engrossed in it. The ideas seemed original and fresh. I liked the outlook on Hydes, I really enjoyed the underlying darkness of the book not just for the monster’s that roamed the city, but the monster’s that roamed behind the security of the Palace walls. Berthot did an excellent job pulling my attention in and not letting go. I was a bit confused about the genre of the book. I think it’s supposed to be YA, there was a bit more steam between Elliot and Iris than I would have read otherwise, or maybe I just have not read a YA book similar to this in a while. It didn’t go beyond kissing, but the sexual tension was definitely there.

In the end, this was actually a very interesting book. Did I want more? Yes, of course. I find myself torn with the rating. I gave it 3.5 stars, but it was honestly close to 4. I loved that even though everything that I wanted more of happened in the end, it did not feel too rushed for me. I just think it could have been more. Did I enjoy the writing? Absolutely. I will be picking up more from this author should she write anything else in the future. Her idea of this book in a sense was really fantastic. There was one positive from this stand-alone is the fact that the ending did not leave you screaming from a cliffhanger.

 

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Review: A Halloween Scare at My House: Prepare If You Dare by Eric James, Marina Le Ray (Illustrations)

September 29, 2015 Review 22 ★★★★★

Review: A Halloween Scare at My House: Prepare If You Dare by Eric James, Marina Le Ray (Illustrations)A Halloween Scare at My House: Prepare If You Dare by Eric James, Marina Le Ray
Series: Stand-Alone
Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky on August 1st 2014
Genres: Children Picture Book
Pages: 32
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
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Rating: 5 Stars

A fun and funny Halloween romp for children and parents alike!
It's Halloween night, and creatures and critters from near and far are starting to gather outside the front door. And now here comes a whole army of monsters, on broomsticks, buses, and bikes, all clamoring in the darkness. What is it they want? Are they coming for you?
This humorous, creative story is the perfect Halloween adventure for children and parents to share.

An adorably spooky book about Halloween night and how creatures come together from all over, roaming the streets in order to celebrate it while one boy hides in his room. The story rhymes, so it was fun to read and very entertaining and absolutely delightful. Eric James does an excellent job with this book, especially delivering that wonderful message at the end of the book that really makes this an excellent read spamming a lot of ages. It leaves on a positive note that in a way I believe teaches the young ones a sort of an important lesson.

The illustrations are beautiful, very Halloweeish, with “spooky” kid friendly monsters. Very well done, creative and colorful, along with the writing this is one of the best Halloween books I have encountered in a while. It’s well worth the read over and over again. I found myself enjoying this one along with my son, especially entertaining him with different voices 😉

My understanding is that Eric James has different versions similar to this book spanning across a lot of states. It makes me want to pick another one to see how they differ or if nothing else, just to have it!

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Review: Forever with You by Jennifer L. Armentrout

September 28, 2015 Review 38 ★★★★½

Review:  Forever with You by Jennifer L. ArmentroutForever with You (Wait for You #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Wait for You #5
Published by Avon on September 29th 2015
Genres: NA Contemporary Romance
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Heat Rating:four-flames
This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

In the irresistibly sexy series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, two free spirits find their lives changed by a one-night stand…
Some things you just believe in, even if you've never experienced them. For Stephanie, that list includes love. It's out there. Somewhere. Eventually. Meanwhile she's got her job at the mixed martial arts training center and hot flings with gorgeous, temporary guys like Nick. Then a secret brings them closer, opening Steph's eyes to a future she never knew she wanted—until tragedy rips it away.
Nick's self-assured surface shields a past no one needs to know about. His mind-blowing connection with Steph changes all that. As fast as he's knocking down the walls that have kept him commitment-free, she's building them up again, determined to keep the hurt—and Nick—out. But he can't walk away. Not when she's the only one who's ever made him wish for forever . . .

So quiet honestly, this is a bit hard to review without giving away spoilers so I will be trying a different format. But wow, oh wow.. I don’t even know where to begin. I have only read Armentrouts NA books, I have yet to read anything else by her, which is a shame really because I own a couple of her YA novels that are currently glaring at me from the bookcase. She is an amazing author that evokes a long of feelings for me with her writing, even if not all of them are necessarily good. Forever with You was one of those books I love to hate because of the difficult subject matter. After reading the synopses, you kind of know what’s coming, it’s like a train wreck ready to tear you apart, but you are unable to put it down. Mostly because you kind of hope it will heal you in the end… At one point when I told my husband why I was so upset, he asked me why was I even continuing to read this. I honestly didn’t know, aside from the fact that not everything I read is going to shelter me from the darker side of life and the other part is, well, Armentrouts writing was still hard to put down, no matter how painful it was.

 

The Characters

Nick and Stephanie are the two stars of the show in this book. Nick is a bartender who ends up having a one night stand with Stephanie based on the pure attraction between them. So yes, they jump into a love scene from the very first few pages of the book - but that’s okay, because it sets up a whirlwind of events that follow the consequences of that one night.

Stephanie is an interesting character. She believes in love, but she doesn’t do relationships unless she feels that they are worth it. She has no issues with discovering the other person to feel if they click before committing to anything, and that is what she feels sets her apart from other girls her age. She doesn’t feel like the girlfriends of her previous fling like her, but as the book goes on her opinion of them and how they really see her changes. Nick is a one night stand type of guy. But he isn’t a bad guy, he just has a lot going on in his personal life that we don’t see until later in the book, so it’s understandable why he doesn’t do relationships, especially if it already had a negative effect on one he use to have.

Together, they are amazing. The heat, the lust, and the physical dynamic are all there. I loved the banter, I loved the connection. I especially loved how the two grow together given the circumstances and how it affected them later on in the book when the tragedy struck.

 

The Plot

I don’t know… I really don’t. I really liked the book I did, but I am going to be honest. It was one of the hardest books to read. I am not oblivious that things like this happen and I applaud Armentrout for having the guts to write about this subject matter, but for me, it was difficult - especially knowing that it was coming, so reading the book and basically just wondering when it was going to strike. I don’t expect a lot of people to be comfortable with it and maybe I am wrong, because Armentrout does handle it pretty well, and maybe it’s because she is such a great author who’s writing really captures your feelings. I cannot go too much into the plot, but basically it’s about two people who are very much the same, who kind of find a way to deal with their similarities and differences when something happens that bring them close together. I don’t want to spoil, so it’s hard to talk about most of the plot. But I did love watching Steph and Nick grow, it was very heartfelt how they were brought together and how the tragedy didn’t pull them apart. I am proud of Nick with the way he had handled it, even if I wanted to throttle Steph for being so stupid for thinking Nick would react differently otherwise.

The Writing

As I said before. I love the writing. I love Armentrout’s NA series, so far I cannot say that I have been disappointed. There is a lot more steam in them, then in YA books, but that’s understandable and I don’t mind it, just a word of caution for those that have only read her YA series. Armentrout really knows how to build relationships in her books without making it boring. Each story told is very different, the circumstances that bring the characters together are also different, but they are all very true to life. I feel like I personally know the character’s in her books. So well written, so well fleshed out. You also have to enjoy them reappearing throughout the series. The amount of emotion she has packed into this book was pretty powerful. What happened to Nick and Steph, I would not wish on anyone, but like Armentrout had said through her characters, something like this does happen, and it was interesting to see how the two mended their shattered world to move on.

In conclusion, besides how difficult the subject matter ended up being for me. I really did love this book. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, which is Brock’s story, really excited about that one!

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ARC Review: The Skeleton Haunts a House (A Family Skeleton Mystery) by Leigh Perry

September 25, 2015 Review 16 ★★★★

ARC Review:  The Skeleton Haunts a House (A Family Skeleton Mystery) by Leigh PerryThe Skeleton Haunts a House by Leigh Perry
Series: A Family Skeleton Mystery
Published by Berkley on October 6th 2015
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
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Rating: 4 Stars

Sid the Skeleton bones up on clues to solve a Haunted House homicide in this mystery from the author of The Skeleton Takes a Bow…

What holiday could bring more warmth to a skeleton’s chest cavity than Halloween? And when you’re a living skeleton who’s not supposed to be seen outside the house, it’s a welcome chance to get some fresh air and rub bony elbows with people. That’s why Sid doesn’t mind wearing a full-body dog suit and going as Scooby-Doo along with Georgia Thackery’s Velma to the Halloween Howl.

Sid can’t wait to go through the Haunted House—but he gets rattled for real when a genuine dead body is discovered. Trapped inside as the police quickly seal off the crime scene, Sid makes no bones about dropping the dog suit and posing as an actual skeleton. This murder is a skull-scratcher, but as long as Sid is on the inside, he might as well case the joint to figure out who used the cover of darkness to commit the perfect crime…

Well, this was a fun read for this time of year! I was kind of glad I picked up this book, especially since Leigh Perry is a new author to me, but lately, almost every author that I have picked up has been new to me. Still, I wanted something for the upcoming Halloween and I definitely got that with this book. With Halloween only days away, Sid cannot wait to go through a staged Haunted House. He dresses up as Scooby-Doo and Georgia Thackery as Velma. Of course he has to wear a full-body dog suit because Sid is well a walking and talking skeleton.

Unfortunately the night turns even more scary when a genuine dead body is discovered at the haunted houses. When Deborah, Georgia’s sister ends up feeling responsible that the death has happened during her watch, she asks Georgia and Sid to snoop into the murder. Especially since the police might be looking in all the wrong places.

Okay, this was actually a totally fun read. Sid was animating and kind of amusing. Love all the bone jokes, they kind of grow on you. Sid and Georgia are an amazing duo. They complement each other very well and part of the reason why I love original and creative, cozy-mysteries such as this one. I mean really, who wouldn’t want a real live talking skeleton as your friend? Okay, admit a little creepy, but for this series I found it fresh, exciting and definitely something new.

Pretty’s writing and storytelling were well developed and actually really good. I kind of liked the fact that I was able to figure out who the killer was half way into the book and be right about it, even if the killer killed for a different reason than I originally thought. I was never able to do that, but I had enough clues to lead me in the right direction, which was exciting.

I love that there is now a love interest and Brownie is great! The connection between him and Georgia is there and it’s exciting. I always love a bit of love thrown into my cozy mysteries, it really adds more dimension to the story, makes the character’s related-able and add a dynamic that would not be there otherwise. I am excited to see what Leigh Perry will have in store for us next.

 

 

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Review: The Trouble with Christmas (Indigo Island #3) by Kaira Rouda

September 25, 2015 Review 4 ★★

Review:  The Trouble with Christmas (Indigo Island #3) by Kaira RoudaThe Trouble with Christmas by Kaira Rouda
Series: Southern Born Christmas,
Published by Tule Publishing Group on January
Genres: Adult Contemporary Romance
Pages: 108
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
Rating: 2 Stars
Heat Rating:three-flames
This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

At 35-years-old, Cole Stanton is burned out. His high-paced, uber-successful career has left him yearning to start over. He finds Indigo Island, buys a restaurant and settles into an uncomplicated life. But Christmas is a mess. He has over-committed the small restaurant’s resources again, and is over his head. He finds himself longing for everything he has left behind, until a chance encounter with gorgeous Lily offers a spark of salvation to his business and, perhaps his life.
Beautiful pastry chef Lily Edmonds is thirty years old and heartbroken. It’s just before Christmas and she’s just been dumped by via telephone by her fiancee. Her best friend Avery Putnam invites her to Indigo Island, hoping to add joy back into Lily’s life. A chance encounter with the sexy owner of a local restaurant makes Lily feel an attraction she thought she’d never feel again, and offers her a business challenge to keep her mind focused on something other than her broken heart.
Cole Stanton and Lily Edmonds are both starting over. Will the joy of the holiday season bring them together or will the troubles with Christmas push them apart?

 

Soo… not sure what I just read or how to event start this review. In a sense I am a little ticked with this book. Yup this is also my 3rd Christmas read this September. Someone seems to be in a holiday mood huh? Kind to think of it, the book before this one centered around Halloween. Humm… anyway getting off track. Hope this review doesn’t sound too harsh.
Okay, I really went with an open mind when I picked The Trouble with Christmas as my next read. I really had been in a holiday mood, plus my netgalley account was getting kind of cluttered due to missing a bunch after having my son and let’s face it this looked like a quick read. Who doesn’t like quick reads? Especially if you have an infant almost constantly in your other arm, like right now… heh Typing one handed /flex
Anyway. I am stalling. Like I said, I am not sure where to begin. I really wanted to like this book, but it kind of went down hill fast for me. Long story short, or short story, shorter… Lily has just been dumped by her fiance. He apparently broke off their engagement for an “arranged” marriage and he was also marrying.. up for money. Okay, whatever. So Lily is heart broken when her best friend since childhood swoops in and takes her away on
a family trip to Indigo Island.
Now I will warn you. Some things upset me as the story went on so there might be SPOILERS. If you do not want to see them, you can just stop reading now… I will just tell you ahead of time, I gave this book two stars instead of one because the romance had SOME redeeming qualities. Okay? Now, if you don’t want to know why I was so upset, and don’t want to read spoilers, you can stop beyond this point.
SPOILERS AHEAD
  • First, I felt like Lily moved on too quickly. This was sort of an insta-love book. One moment she is blowing snot bubbles over her ex of five years, the next moment she is drooling over some local of Indigo Island. The guy is hot, so.. yup that’s that.
  • -Avery her best friend keeps hoping that Lily would become her sister in law and get together with her brother James, who apparently has a girlfriend in this book, and appears roughly a hand full of times and none of their communication had left me believing there was anything between them. What really pissed me off here? Lily says something during family dinner that apparently upsets James, which I did not feel he should have been upset about it and Avery was quick to point out that Lily has hit a nerve.. umm why? To top it off… James, who she knew all
    her life and did not feel anything towards apparently out of no where, thought that the two of them can have a future together and
    then literally forces himself on her… sorry but….the hell?
  • There is a lot of The trouble with Christmas lines and all the problems with it.. I did not know that Christmas was such a troubled holiday…
  • At one point Lily calls Bob her soul mate, but later says she never felt anything like this with Bob or any man that she felt with Cole…. flip flopping much?
  • Cole calls Lily exasperating because she teases him a bunch but won’t sleep with a man she just met right away – why? Not that it matters, the panties dropped not too soon after that.
  • Avery let’s Lily borrow her lingerie… what? NO, NO, NO. I am sorry, I don’t care if she is your best friend, sister, or mother.. why would ANYONE borrow someones lingerie.. ew.. no!
  • The book was so fast paced there was just too much going too fast, it was kind of like watching a movie on fast forward… Maybe it would have benefited in slowing down?
Anyway…
I did think there was some parts of the book that was nice. Like them helping a local diner with the Christmas meals, thought Cole’s tension with the owner was odd… And some parts of the romance was sweet, but a lot of it was too fast and too odd. Unfortunately, I found too much negatives in the book to fully enjoy it. But that’s just me. I know a lot will still enjoy it, and that’s fine, but that was just my two cents. I am sure it is
still a comfy quick Christmas read for many, but for me, too many things had put me off.
TB

 

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Review: The Trouble with Christmas by Debbie Mason

September 23, 2015 Review 18 ★★★★

Review:  The Trouble with Christmas by Debbie MasonThe Trouble with Christmas by Debbie Mason
Series: Christmas, Colorado #1
Published by Forever on September 24th 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 406
Format: Paperback
Source: Library
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
Rating: 4 Stars
Heat Rating:one-flame

It will take a Christmas miracle to melt her heart.
Resort developer Madison Lane is about to lose the one thing she loves most in the world—her job. Dubbed "The Grinch Who Killed Christmas," Madison spoiled a deal that would turn quaint Christmas, Colorado, into a tourist's winter wonderland. Now the citizens want her fired but the company gives her one last chance, sending Madison to the small town to restore the holiday cheer.
For Sheriff Gage McBride, no hotshot executive from New York City is going to destroy the dreams of the people he loves. But one look at this beautiful woman and it's his heart that may be broken. In just a few days, Madison causes more trouble than he's had to deal with all year. He can't decide if she's naughty or nice, but one thing is for certain—Christmas will never be the same again...

Gah I cannot believe it took me so long to pick up a Debbie Mason book, I have been missing out on so much. Well I know this now, she is one of my new favorite authors. The Trouble with Christmas was a stellar start to the Christmas, Colorado series. My only hope is that the rest of them are just as amazing, but it looks like I will have to read to find out huh? 😉
Madison Lane works for a resort developing company. When her co-worker goes behind her back and tries to sign a deal with Christmas, Colorado to turn the small town into a tourist’s winter wonderland, Madison’s action to stop it has dubbed her “The Grinch Who Killed Christmas.” Now she is forced to travel to Colorado in hopes of clearing up the misunderstanding and do some publicity damage control, but what she didn’t expect that the citizens of Christmas, especially one very meddling old woman Nell McBride, has her own bag of tricks up her sleeve. When Madison is forced to stay in Christmas, Colorado to get to known the town and it’s people - she doesn’t expect to open up her heart to a very charming and sexy single father sheriff Gage McBride.
Seriously thought, Nell was just an amazing character. So fun, but so true to herself. I love the little matchmaking she had going on!
Wonderful story, it was such a fun and amazing read. I loved Christmas, Colorado and getting to know it’s residents who I am sure now I will start to get more attached to as I plow my way into the second book. Madison was a fun character, very down to earth and honest. Due to the bad past, she has a hard time with Christmas and hates it, but thanks to a few very lovable people from Christmas, she slowly welcomes the holiday back into her heart.
Mason’s writing and storytelling really shines with The Trouble with Christmas, I was so drawn in I had the hardest time putting this one down. The romance, the banter, the laugh out loud moments, and the friendship building was so sweet it was hard not to fall in love with all of it. The only reason I did not give this book a 5 star rating was due to Gage’s treatment of Madison when his ex-wife showed up in town. I failed to understand it. I guess it was because of his daughters, but she just did not deserve it. I wanted to scream at him to grow a backbone. Other then that I found the romance very sweet and I love how it unfolded. It took time, it didn’t feel rushed and everything just came together perfectly in a heart melting moments.
It sounds like the town of Christmas is going to stick with me for a long time.
NOTE: The Trouble with Christmas is currently on sale for only $0.99 on Amazon if you have a kindle.

 

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ARC Review: Ghost of a Potion (A Magic Potion Mystery #3) by Heather Blake

September 21, 2015 Review 9 ★★★★★

ARC Review:  Ghost of a Potion (A Magic Potion Mystery #3) by Heather BlakeGhost of a Potion by Heather Blake
Series: A Magic Potion Mystery #3
Published by NAL on October 6th 2015
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
Rating: 5 Stars
Heat Rating:one-flame

In the latest from the bestselling author of One Potion in the Grave, it’s Halloween in Hitching Post, Alabama, and potion shop owner Carly Bell Hartwell has an especially spooky customer to handle…
With all the ghosts that haunt her at this time of year, Carly doesn’t exactly rush to celebrate Halloween.  Even a costume ball organized by her boyfriend Dylan's mother, Patricia Davis Jackson, holds little allure.  But to please Dylan, who wants peace between the two women, Carly reluctantly agrees to go. 
Gossip around town is that architect Haywood Dodd plans to make a big announcement at the party. But before he can address the crowd, he’s found dead with Patricia standing over him, holding the murder weapon. Anxious to clear Patricia’s name and perhaps broker a truce with her, Carly would love to use her snooping skills to find the real killer. Only she has bigger problems to deal with—ghosts are flocking to her for help, including a very persistent Haywood Dodd…

 

Opening a Heather Blake book is like opening a box of your favorite chocolates. You know it’s going to be amazing, but it is still filled with pleasant
surprises!
I really adore Heather Blake’s writing. I do not think I know how to express how much. Looking back, I am so glad my curiosity drove me to pick up one of her books and dive into the world of magic and mayhem. The writing, so original, so fresh and exciting. From the very moment I open a Heather Blake book, I find it almost impossible to put it down. The characters have become so beloved, so familiar as they continue to grow on me as the series continues.Hitching Post, Alabama is a fun place with characters so full of heart, so real and flawed that it makes them almost believable. I cannot help but to
think of them as some sort of neighbors each time a new book comes out and I cannot wait to see what kind of trouble Carly will get into next.In this one, Carly plans to avoid the day the ghosts come out to play. Due to some bad experience with helping ghosts in the past, she would much
rather sit at home and hibernate until they are all gone. Imagine to her surprise that the murder that happens during a Harpie’s party brings
the ghost of Haywood a little early to the party and Carly is stuck helping him out. The story was wonderful, so full of emotion, lots of
secrets. Moments that made me laugh, made me cry and made me even more attached to the characters in the end.Carly gets involved in investigating the murder not only to help the poor man cross over, but also because Dylan’s mother is being charged with murder. In light of trying to make nice with her boyfriends mother, who seems to have a thing against Carly, she finds herself trying to clear Patricia’s name which proves to be difficult especially when why Patricia is out against Carly reveals itself.

All I can say is that there better be another book, especially with that big revelation in the end that had me literally at the edge of my seat.

The mystery was fun and exciting. I loved how close Carly has become with her cousin. I loved the two other ghosts that Carly and Delia end up trying to help, so full of emotion. Of course it kept me guessing until the very end, but I loved how the puzzle pieces always come together in the end. I adore
Carly and hope to see more of her so very soon!

If you have not yet picked up a Heather Blake book, I strongly suggest you give her a shot. Especially if you love a good cozy mystery with great characters mixed with a bit of paranormal mayhem!

 

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ARC Review: The Lies About Truth by Courtney C. Stevens

September 8, 2015 Review 8 ★★★★★

ARC Review:  The Lies About Truth by Courtney C. StevensThe Lies About Truth by Courtney C. Stevens
Series: Stand-Alone
Published by HarperTeen on November 3rd 2015
Genres: Young Adult Contemporary
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
Rating: 5 Stars
Heat Rating:half-flame

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Sadie Kingston, is a girl living in the aftermath. A year after surviving a car accident that killed her friend Trent and left her body and face scarred, she can’t move forward. The only person who seems to understand her is Trent’s brother, Max.
As Sadie begins to fall for Max, she's unsure if she is truly healed enough to be with him — even if Max is able to look at her scars and not shy away. But when the truth about the accident and subsequent events comes to light, Sadie has to decide if she can embrace the future or if she'll always be trapped in the past.

An emotionally charged story about lose, friendship and love. In that order. Sadie Kingston is a girl who survives a car accident that killed her best friend Trent, scarred her face, and damaged his brother’s Max voice. She is now living in the aftermath of the accident and is trying to deal with the deep painful feelings of loss, her boyfriend’s betrayal and the fact that her face took quite a beating. Moving on isn’t easy for Sadie, but I respect her journey and her will and courage to do so. This book was not an easy read for me, especially with losing some family members in the past year. The circumstances might be different then the books, but the pain is no different. Me dealing with loss, I really don’t know how to and maybe this was why reading this book was kind of a milestone for me. Usually I tend to stay away from anything heavy or what would bring me into easy tears. I was happily surprised with this one, thought it was a difficult read, the main character was likable. Sadie went through a lot and although I have questioned some moments, like how is she taking this harder than Trent’s own family, her journey did feel somewhat realistic. Especially since she had to cope with the fact that her face will never be the same, she will carry those scars like battle marks of survival for the rest of her life and that is not easy.

There was a bit of a love story laced into this, but it was not the main focus. The main focus was Sadie is trying to move on and put her life together closer to the anniversary of the death. Trying to forgive her best friend and her ex-boyfriend for what had happened and dealing with new information that had come out in light of everyone trying to move on.

I did enjoy this book. I thought it was well written. The story was good. It made me want to know Trent and feel sorry that he was lost before the book started. He felt real, with Sadies memories bringing him up throughout the book, it made me feel kind of like I knew him and in the end, wish I knew him better.

 

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Review: Dream Animals: A Bedtime Journey by Emily Winfield Martin

September 2, 2015 Review 3 ★★★★★

Review:  Dream Animals: A Bedtime Journey by Emily Winfield MartinDream Animals: A Bedtime Journey by Emily Winfield Martin
Series: Stand-Alone
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on October 22nd 2013
Genres: Children Picture Book
Pages: 32
Format: Board Book
Source: Own Copy
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Rating: 5 Stars

Ideal for bed time reading, this book will appeal to parents and children who love Grandfather Twilight and On the Night That You Were Born. Author, illustrator, and creator of The Black Apple Etsy shop, Emily Martin convinces children to close their eyes and discover who their dream animal might be—and what dream it might take them to. With a perfect nighttime rhyme and gorgeous illustrations, this book is irresistible.

I bought this book on the whim for my little boy and was very pleasantly surprised. In it’s basic it is a lovely bedtime story, great for that bed time reading. The premise is, when the children go to sleep, what will their dream animal be and what kind of a dream will it carry them too. Love the rhyming of the storytelling, the writing is lovely and the illustrations are simply beautiful. I really enjoyed it myself and will be adding this book to our night time collections reading. So glad I discovered Martin and her creative storytelling. I will be adding more of her delightful books to my collection soon! Maybe even gifting one to my niece for her birthday :)

 

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