review: Creation In Death by J. D. Robb

Creation In Death - J. D. Robb
Book #25 In Death series
Suspense
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons (November 6, 2007)
Rated : 4/5 stars

Synopsis:
 NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas keeps the streets of a near-future New York City safe in this extraordinary series. But even she makes mistakes, and is haunted by those she couldn't save-and the killers she couldn't capture. When the body of a young brunette is found in East River Park, artfully positioned and marked by signs of prolonged and painful torture, Eve is catapulted back to a case nine years earlier. The city was on edge from a killing spree that took the lives of four women in fifteen days, courtesy of a man the media tagged "The Groom"-because he put silver rings on the fingers of his victims.
When it turns out that the young brunette was employed by Eve's billionaire husband, Roarke, she brings him in on the case-a move that proves fitting when it becomes chillingly clear that the killer has made his attack personal. The victim was washed in products from a store Roarke owns, and laid out on a sheet his company manufactures.
With the Groom's monstrous return, Eve is determined to finish him once and for all. Familiar with his methods, Eve knows that he has already grabbed his next victim. Time is running out on another woman's life.
And chances are he's working up to the biggest challenge of his illustrious career-abducting a woman who will test his skills and who promises to give him days and days of pleasure before she dies: Eve.

My Thoughts:
 Book #25 of the In Death series. Detective Eve needs to find the man who is murdering women. It started years ago and then stopped and started again. Then to find out she is to be his last victim. Will she find out who he is on time? Read it if you want to know :)

November Book haul

Review: Inncocent In Death by J. D. Robb

Innocent in Death - J.D. Robb
In Death series book #24
Mystery
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons; First Edition edition (February 20, 2007)
Rated: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:
 The phenomenal series set in a future New York City returns as NYPSD Lt. Eve Dallas hunts for the killer of a seemingly ordinary history teacher-and uncovers some extraordinary surprises. Craig Foster's death devastated his young wife, who'd sent him to work that day with a lovingly packed lunch. It shocked his colleagues at the private school, too, and as for the ten-year-old girls who found him in his classroom in a pool of bodily fluids-they may have been traumatized for life.
Eve soon determines that Foster's homemade lunch was tainted with deadly ricin, and that Mr. Foster's colleagues have some startling secrets of their own. It's Eve's job to sort it out- and discover why someone would have done this to a man who seemed so inoffensive, so pleasant . . . so innocent.
Now Magdalena Percell . . . there's someone Eve can picture as a murder victim. Possibly at Eve's own hands. The slinky blonde-an old flame of her billionaire husband, Roarke-has arrived in New York, and she's anything but innocent. Roarke seems blind to Magdalena's manipulation, and he insists that the occasional lunch or business meeting with her is nothing to worry about . . . and none of Eve's business. Eve's so unnerved by the situation that she finds it hard to focus on her case. Still, she'll have to put aside her feelings, for a while at least-because another man has just turned up dead.
Eve knows all too well that innocence can be a facade. Keeping that in mind may help her solve this case at last. But it may also tear apart her marriage.


My Thoughts:
  I just finished this book. Eve Dallas has 2 murders on her hands to solve. I kind of had an idea who did it and I was right. While this is going on Eve's husband has a woman from his past show up to cause trouble in their marriage. Will it work? Read to find out Haha.

Review: Devil's Chair by Roy A. Teel Jr.

Devil's Chair by Roy A. Teel, Jr.
The Iron Eagle Series Book #6
Hard Boiled Suspense
Publisher: Narroway Press (August 11, 2015)
Rated 4/5 stars

Synopsis:
 Rollins Industries is one of the nation’s largest distributors of organic food products, but Adam Osborn, a highly successful sales manager and the head of their sales department, has disappeared. Amelia Farrell, the head of human resources and Osborn’s love interest, has just terminated Gaston Reed, a senior salesman with a less than stable personality, after he made threats against Osborn and others in the company. What begins as a routine missing persons report quickly turns into anything but as LA County Sheriff Jim O’Brian and FBI Special Agents John Swenson and Steve Hoffman are drawn into the investigation when the Osborn investigation reveals that he was brutally murdered. Reed tops everyone’s list as the prime suspect; however, a deeper mystery begins to unfold as bodies pile up, and an unseen force is suspected of pulling the strings. Just when the men think they are closing in on the killer, a stunning development sends them careening into an unforgiving world of cruelty and torture — a world so depraved that only the Iron Eagle dare tread.

***Content Warning: While the Iron Eagle Series can be read out of order as a stand-alone book the reader should be advised that backgrounds and details of the characters may be confusing if readers choose to do so. The Iron Eagle Crime novel series contains mature subject matter, graphic violence, sexual content, language, torture and other scenes that may be disturbing to sensitive readers. This series is not intended for anyone under the age of eighteen, reader discretion is advised.***

My Thoughts:
I received this from NetGalley for an honest review. I had not read any of the other books in this series and it might have helped me with the main characters. All I can say is WOW! What an intense and graphic book. Great detail even though it is very gory. The Iron Eagle deals with the bad guys in his own way and leaves a signature for the FBI when done. I would like to read the rest of the books from the beginning,

Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Dregs series book 1
Dystopian/Fantasy
 Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (September 29, 2015)
Rated 4/5 stars

Synopsis:

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price--and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...
A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction―if they don't kill each other first.

My Thoughts:
 Loved this book. At first I was lost with all the characters and things going on but then I couldn't put it down. Loved all the characters and how we were told their backgrounds on who and what they were and how they got to where they are now. Glad that I bought this book now as the page edges are black.

Review: Born in Death by J.D. Robb

Born in Death - J.D. Robb
#23 In Death series
Suspense
Thorndike Press (November 2006)
Rated: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:
  Eve Dallas has a grisly double homicide to solve when two young lovers—both employees of the same prestigious accounting firm—are brutally killed on the same night. It doesn't leave Eve a lot of leftover time to put together a baby shower for her buddy Mavis, but that's supposedly what friends are for.

Now Mavis needs another favor. Tandy Willowby, one of the moms-to-be in Mavis's birthing class, didn't show up for the shower. A recent emigrant from London, Tandy has few friends in New York, and no family—and she was really looking forward to the party. And when Eve enters Tandy's apartment and finds a gift for Mavis's shower wrapped and ready on the table—and a packed bag for the hospital still on the floor next to it—tingling runs up and down her spine.

Normally, such a case would be turned over to Missing Persons. But Mavis wants no one else on the job but Eve—and Eve can't say no. She'll have to track Tandy down while simultaneously unearthing the deals and double-crosses hidden in the files of some of the city's richest and most secretive citizens, in a race against this particularly vicious killer. Luckily, her multimillionaire husband Roarke's expertise comes in handy with the number crunching. But as he mines the crucial data that will break the case wide open, Eve faces an all too real danger in the world of flesh and blood.

My Thoughts:
 
Eve has to find a killer, a missing pregnant woman and throw a baby shower for her best friend and be a birthing coach for her friend. She does it all with sarcasm.

Review: Winter - Marissa Meyer

Winter - Marissa Meyer
#4 The Lunar Chronicles
Science Fiction/ Fairytale Retelling
Feiwel & Friends (November 10, 2015)
Rated: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:
 Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

My Thoughts:
 
The last book of this series and so hard to put down. I just finished it and have so many emotions right now. This books was sooo good. All the characters from the past books all come together to defeat Levana.

Review - Blue Moon - Laurell K. Hamilton

Blue Moon - Laurell K. Hamilton
#8 Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series
Paranormal Fiction
first published November 1st 1998
Rated: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:
 When she chose master vampire Jean-Claude over her ex-fiancé, alpha werewolf Richard Zeeman, Anita learned that sometimes love is not enough. But though she and Richard won’t be walking down any aisles, she can’t turn her back on him when he’s arrested on a rape charge in Tennessee. Anita knows firsthand that Richard has the morals of a saint—or at least a boy scout. But his guilt or innocence is not the issue. He’s behind bars, and in five days a full moon will rise…

My Thoughts:
 
Wow, Lots of violence and sex scenes. I have always been a big fan of Anita with Richard but sometimes he gets her into bad predictaments. I didn't miss Jean Claude as I am not a big fan of his. Some scenes were really eerie with the were packs and how they show their love for each other but the writing was all there in detail so you didn't miss out on anything.

Reviews: The One and The Heir by Kiera Cass

The One - Kiera Cass
#3 of The Selection series
YA fantasy/science fiction
Published May 6th 2014 by HarperTeen
Rated 5/5 stars

Synopsis:
 The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

My Thoughts: 
This book is my favorite so far. I laughed and cried. I watched America grow up and realize what her feelings really were and Maxon coming to the realization of his feelings. 

 The Heir - Kiera Cass
#4 The Selection series
YA Fantasy/Science Fiction
Published May 5th 2015 by HarperTeen
Rated 4/5 stars


 Synopsis: 
Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.

My Thoughts:
  Princess Eadlyn is nothing like her mom or dad. She is very independent and does not think she needs anyone in her life but her parents and her brothers. She has a lot of growing up to do. Having the selection for her has been nothing like it was for her dad. At the end she realized her mistake and you know there will be another book.

Review: The Bronte Plot - Katherine Reay

The Bronte Plot - Katherine Raey
standalone
Contemporary
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 3, 2015)
rated: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:

When Lucy’s secret is unearthed, her world begins to crumble. But it may be the best thing that has ever happened to her.
Lucy Alling makes a living selling rare books, often taking suspicious liberties to reach her goals. When her unorthodox methods are discovered, Lucy’s secret ruins her relationship with her boss and her boyfriend, James—leaving Lucy in a heap of hurt and trouble. Something has to change; she has to change.
In a sudden turn of events, James’s wealthy grandmother, Helen, hires Lucy as a consultant for a London literary and antiques excursion. Lucy reluctantly agrees and soon discovers Helen holds secrets of her own. In fact, Helen understands Lucy’s predicament better than anyone else.
As the two travel across England, Lucy benefits from Helen’s wisdom as Helen confronts ghosts from her own past. Everything comes to a head at Haworth, home of the Brontë sisters, where Lucy is reminded of the sisters’ beloved heroines who, with tenacity and resolution, endured—even in the midst of impossible circumstances.
Now Lucy must face her past in order to move forward. And while it may hold mistakes and regrets, she will prevail—if only she can step into the life that’s been waiting for her all along.

My thoughts:
 I received this from NetGalley for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it refreshing after reading the same kind of genre for awhile. Lucy had made some mistakes in her personal life and in her career. After losing the man she was seeing and then meeting his grandmother. Lucy and Helen go on an adventure to right their wrongs. I loved both of these strong women and the people that they encountered.

October Book Haul

I had to get the new Harry Potter Illustrated Edition and the big brown book is Grimm's complete Fairy Takes, that I have always wanted.

Review: The Elite - Kiera Cass

The Elite - Kiera Cass
Book #2 of The Selection series
Dystopian/YA Romance
HarperTeen; Reprint edition (May 6, 2014)
4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
 The Selection began with thirty-five girls.
Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book. The only thing that drives me crazy is America's fickleness. Does she want the Prince or not. Does she really have feelings for him or does she want a life with Aspen? I think she loves both of them and is confused. But I can't wait to see how the rest of the series works out.

Some book reviews

NOS4A2 - Joe Hill
standalone
thriller
Published 2013
4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
Victoria McQueen has a secret gift for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. On her Raleigh Tuff Burner bike, she makes her way to a rickety covered bridge that, within moments, takes her wherever she needs to go, whether it’s across Massachusetts or across the country.

Charles Talent Manx has a way with children. He likes to take them for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the NOS4A2 vanity plate. With his old car, he can slip right out of the everyday world, and onto the hidden roads that transport them to an astonishing – and terrifying – playground of amusements he calls “Christmasland.”

Then, one day, Vic goes looking for trouble—and finds Manx. That was a lifetime ago. Now Vic, the only kid to ever escape Manx’s unmitigated evil, is all grown up and desperate to forget. But Charlie Manx never stopped thinking about Victoria McQueen. He’s on the road again and he’s picked up a new passenger: Vic’s own son.

My Thoughts:
This is Stephen King's son and writes just like him. Wow, what a great book. I could not put this book down. What a great author and I had to go and buy another one of his books.

 H2O - Virginia Bergin
First book in series
Science Fiction
 Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (October 7, 2014)
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
 They don't believe it at first. Crowded in Zach's kitchen, Ruby and the rest of the partygoers laugh at Zach's parents' frenzied push to get them all inside as it starts to drizzle. But then the radio comes on with the warning, "It's in the rain! It's fatal, it's contagious, and there's no cure."

Two weeks later, Ruby is alone. Anyone who's been touched by rain or washed their hands with tap water is dead. The only drinkable water is quickly running out. Ruby's only chance for survival is a treacherous hike across the country to find her father-if he's even still alive.

My Thoughts:
 
I read this book while in SC during the rain but a few days after the flood. Finished it in Myrtle Beach and this book was creepy and made being in the rain scary. Very well written and makes you think a lot.

 The Storm - Virginia Bergin
2nd book of series
Science Fiction
5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

Ninety-seven percent of the population is dead. And the killer rain keeps falling. Ruby's not sure she can make it on her own much longer. So when a chance encounter leads her to a camp with the last boy she may ever kiss (it's not easy to date during an apocalypse), Ruby gratefully accepts the army's protection.
But safety comes with a price: If Ruby wants to stay, she must keep her eyes-and her mouth-shut.
Except Ruby stumbles across a secret she can't possibly keep. Horrified, she flips out and fights back-only to make the most shocking discovery of all...

My Thoughts:
 I received this ebook for a review, from NetGalley.
I loved this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I would yell at the character, Ruby. Loved her relationship with Princess and Darius. The way that her father treated her though wasn't quite as believable and no one told her where another family member was.

September 2015 Book Haul

These are the books that I bought in the month of September.

Review: Candy Corn Murder by Leslie Meier

Candy Corn Murder by Leslie Meier
Lucy Stone series #22
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Kensington (August 25, 2015)
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
 Halloween is coming to Tinker’s Cove, Maine, and local reporter Lucy Stone is covering the town’s annual Giant Pumpkin Fest for the Pennysaver. There’s the pumpkin-boat regatta, the children’s Halloween party, the pumpkin weigh-in…even a contest where home-built catapults hurl pumpkins at an old Dodge! But not everything goes quite as planned…Lucy’s getting very annoyed that her husband Bill and his friend Evan have been working seemingly nonstop on their potentially prize-winning pumpkin catapult. But when the day of the big contest arrives, Evan is nowhere to be found…until a catapulted pumpkin busts open the trunk of the Dodge. Amid the pumpkin gore is a very deceased Evan, bashed in the head and placed in the trunk by someone long before the contest started.

Bill is on the hook for the Halloween homicide—he was the last one to see Evan—so Lucy knows she’s got some serious sleuthing to do. The crime’s trail seems to always circle back to Country Cousins, the town’s once-quaint general store that’s now become a big Internet player. Though the store’s founder, Old Sam Miller, is long gone, his son Tom and grandson Trey now run the hugely successful company. But whispered rumors say things aren’t going well, and Lucy finds that this case may have something to do with an unsolved, decades-old Miller family mystery…

With each new lead pointing her in a different direction, Lucy sees that time is quickly running out. If she wants to spook the real killer, she’ll have to step into an old ghost story…

My Thoughts:
I have read half of this series and read this for a review through NetGalley. I have liked the rest of the series so far and I enjoyed this one. Getting to know Lucy and her family again was fun. I could not stand one person in this book and that was the woman who was in charge of a daycare. I really wanted to slap her.  

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass
The Selection (Book 1)
Dystopian
 HarperTeen (April 24, 2012)
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
 For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

My thoughts:
I liked getting to know America and her relationship with Prince Maxon. Also her relationship with Aspen and what it means to her and what her future is and what she wants. A couple of the girls were catty but most of them were nice and tried to be friends through this.

Review: The Nightingale by Hannah Kristin

The Nightingale by Hannah Kristin
standalone
Fiction
St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (February 3, 2015)
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
 In love we find out who we want to be.
In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France...but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can...completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real--and deadly--consequences.

With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah takes her talented pen to the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France--a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

My Thoughts:
I loved getting to know Vianne and Isabelle and how they survived the war and what they had to do to survive and save their family and friends. Very well written and I listened to this on audiobook.

Review: Son by Lois Lowry

Son - Lois Lowry
Book #4 of The Giver Quartet
YA Fantasy
HMH Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (October 2, 2012)
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
 They called her Water Claire. When she washed up on their shore, no one knew that she came from a society where emotions and colors didn’t exist. That she had become a Vessel at age thirteen. That she had carried a Product at age fourteen. That it had been stolen from her body. Claire had a son. But what became of him she never knew. What was his name? Was he even alive? She was supposed to forget him, but that was impossible. Now Claire will stop at nothing to find her child, even if it means making an unimaginable sacrifice.
Son thrusts readers once again into the chilling world of the Newbery Medal winning book, The Giver,　as well as Gathering Blue and Messenger where a new hero emerges. In this thrilling series finale, the startling and long-awaited conclusion to Lois Lowry’s epic tale culminates in a final clash between good and evil.

My Thoughts:
  A clash between good and evil is the final book. Claire was a Birthmother to Gabe and they are in this book along with Jonas to tie up the books. I loved how she tied up the series.

Review: Four A Divergent Collection by Veronica Roth

Four A Divergent Collection - Veronica Roth
Novella from Divergent series
YA Dystopian
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books; 1st edition (July 8, 2014)
My Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
 Two years before Beatrice Prior made her choice, the sixteen-year-old son of Abnegation’s faction leader did the same. Tobias’s transfer to Dauntless is a chance to begin again. Here, he will not be called the name his parents gave him. Here, he will not let fear turn him into a cowering child.

Newly christened “Four,” he discovers during initiation that he will succeed in Dauntless. Initiation is only the beginning, though; Four must claim his place in the Dauntless hierarchy. His decisions will affect future initiates as well as uncover secrets that could threaten his own future—and the future of the entire faction system.

Two years later, Four is poised to take action, but the course is still unclear. The first new initiate who jumps into the net might change all that. With her, the way to righting their world might become clear. With her, it might become possible to be Tobias once again.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth comes a companion volume to the worldwide bestselling DIVERGENT series, told from the per-spective of the immensely popular character Tobias. The four pieces included here—THE TRANSFER, THE INITIATE, THE SON, and THE TRAITOR—plus three additional exclusive scenes, give readers an electrifying glimpse into the history and heart of Tobias, and set the stage for the epic saga of the DIVERGENT trilogy.

My thoughts:
 
I liked this novella and got to know Four(Tobias) much better and what he did and why?He found out his mother was alive and his reaction. He confronted his father for the first time.

Review Allegiant by Veronica Roth

                                                                                  Allegiant by Veronica Roth
 Divergent Trilogy Book #3
YA Fantasy/SciFi
Published October 22nd 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books
My Rating: 4out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered - fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningliess. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend to complexities of human nature - and of herself - while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.


My Thoughts:
 
I liked how each chapter was based on either Tris or Tobias's point of view. The ending did not come out the way I thought it would but it ended the way the characters should have. 

The first book was my favorite and then this book. I wasn't to fond of the second book.

Reviews: Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews

Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews

Contemporary Women

Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (May 19, 2015)

My rating: 4/5 stars

 

Synopsis:

 Greer Hennessy needs palm trees.

As a movie location scout, picture-perfect is the name of the game. But her last project literally went up in flames, and her career is on the verge of flaming out. Greer has been given one more chance, if she can find the perfect undiscovered beach hideaway for a big-budget movie. She zeroes in on a sleepy Florida panhandle town called Cypress Key. There's one motel, a marina, a long stretch of pristine beach and an old fishing pier with a community casino-which will be perfect for the film's explosive climax.

There's just one problem. Eben Thibadeaux, the town mayor, completely objects to Greer's plan. A lifelong resident of Cypress Key, Eben wants the town to be revitalized, not commercialized. After a toxic paper plant closed, the bay has only recently been reborn, and Eb has no intention of letting anybody screw with his town again. But Greer has a way of making things happen, regardless of obstacles. And Greer and Eb are way too attracted to each other for either of them to see reason.

Between an ambitious director and his entourage-including a spoiled "It Boy" lead actor-who parachute into town, a conniving local ex-socialite, and a cast of local fangirls and opportunists who catch the movie bug, nothing is going to be the same in Cypress Key. Now Greer is forced to make some hard choices: about the people and the town she's come to care about, and about her own life. True love is only for the movies, right? Can Greer find a way to be the heroine in her own life story? Told with inimitable heart and humor, Mary Kay Andrews' Beach Town is the perfect summer destination.

 

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book and want to go visit Cypress Key. Sounds like a small town where everyone knows each other and watches out for each other. Greer Really didn't trust her feelings and neither did Eb but they also had reasons to feel the way they did. Kregg is a spoiled young singer who is a diva.  Greeg learning to accept her father and bringing him into her life was big on her part and I was happy for the ending.

Review : The Carnelian Legacy by Cheryl Koevoet

 

 The Carnelian Legacy by Cheryl Koevoet
1st book in the series
YA fantasy
Published January 29, 2015 by Abbott Press
My Rating 5/5 stars

Synopsis:
Marisa MacCallum has always believed the man of her dreams was out there somewhere. The problem is, he's living in another dimension.

After the death of her father, eighteen-year-old Marisa only wants to find solace when she sets out on her daily ride through the woods of Gold Hill. But when a mysterious lightning storm strikes the forest, she is hurled into the alternate dimension of Carnelia where she is soon discovered by the arrogant yet attractive nobleman, Darian Fiore.

Stranded in an ancient world teeming with monsters, maniacs and medieval knights, Marisa has no choice but to accompany Darian on a dangerous mission to negotiate peace with his cousin and archenemy, Savino da Rocha. Along the way, she starts to see his softer side and unwittingly falls in love. But after she discovers that Darian is locked into an arranged marriage, her heart shatters. When Savino falls for her charms and demands her hand in exchange for peace, Marisa is faced with an impossible choice: marry the enemy of the man she loves or betray them both and become the catalyst for a bloody war.

My Thoughts:
I received this from NetGalley for an honest review.

I loved the relationship between Marissa , Darian and Arrie. The ending had a twist which I did not see coming. I really want to finish the series.The dimension of this world was so much fun. The bad creatures were like some of our myth creatures in this world.

September TBR books

I am hoping to read most of these.

                                                          ebook from the library

                                                           library book

                                                          library book

                                                         library book

                                                                 library book

                                                       library book

                                                                I own

                                                           I own

                                                              library book

                                                                    ebook

August 2015 Book Haul

Blackfin Sky - Kat Ellis

A Hidden Affair - Pam Jenoff

The Mermaid of Brooklyn - Amy Shearn

Cinderella Screwed Me Over - Cindi Madsen

Island Apart - Steven Raichlen

Making Faces - Amy Harmon

Mechanica - Betsy Cornwell

X - Sue Grafton

Legacy of Kings - Eleanor Herman

Of Neptune - Anna Banks

Toxic Heart - Theo Lawrence

11 books, not to bad, that's not including all the ebooks that I got. I never post those. Might start doing that next month. I have not read any of these yet.

Review: Courage That Counts by Elison Grace

Courage That Counts by Elison Grace
Loveland Fire series book 1
New Adult, Romance
Published August 20, 2015 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
My rating 5/5 stars

Synopsis:
 Firefighters and best friends, Dylan and Roy, face death on a daily basis. Now they face death personally when Roy is diagnosed with a terminal disease. Lana, a nurse, becomes the strength Dylan needs when everything is crashing down around him. Will he have the courage to push past the unknown? When the life he has known goes up in flames will the love of his life rise out of the ashes? ***Warning not for anyone under 18 due to strong language and sexual situations ****Have tissues ready when reading

My Thoughts:
 I read this through Netgalley for an honest review. This debut novel had me crying from the start and then would have me smiling through the tears and laughing. I could not stop reading. Roy and Dylan are best friends and firefighters. When Roy finds out he has cancer he asks Dylan to take care of his wife and young daughters. As Dylan is going through this he meets the love of his life but screws things up. Can they make it work? There is swearing and sex scenes just as a warning but the big warning is that you will need kleenex.

I can't wait for this author's next book.

Review Rainy Day Sisters by Kate Hewitt

Rainy Day Sisters by Kate Hewitt
Hartley By The Sea Series - book 1
Women's Fiction
Published Aug. 4, 2015 by Penguin Group Berkley
My rating 4/5 stars
Received this from NetGalley for an honest review

Synopsis:

Welcome to Hartley-by-the-Sea in England’s beautiful Lake District, where two sisters who meet as strangers find small miracles tucked into the corners of every day....

When Lucy Bagshaw’s life in Boston falls apart, thanks to a scathing editorial written by her famous artist mother, she accepts her half sister Juliet’s invitation to stay with her in a charming seaside village in northern England. Lucy is expecting quaint cottages and cream teas, but instead finds that her sister is an aloof host, the weather is wet, windy, and cold, and her new boss, Alex Kincaid, is a disapproving widower who only hired her as a favor to Juliet.

Despite the invitation she offered, Juliet is startled by the way Lucy catapults into her orderly life. As Juliet faces her own struggles with both her distant mother and her desire for a child, her sister’s irrepressible optimism begins to take hold. With the help of quirky villagers, these hesitant rainy day sisters begin to forge a new understanding…and find in each other the love of family that makes all the difference.

My Thoughts:

  I loved this book. Lucy and Juliette are half sisters with a mother who is selfish and the sisters did not grow up together. Lucy runs to her sister when her mother ruins her life and her boyfriend dumps her. Lucy moves into her sister's B&B and they start to get to know each other. Lucy also starts to make friends. Juliette has always been standoffish and soon starts warming up to people. How their relationship develops kept me reading and not wanting to stop.

Review : Season of Salt and Honey by Hannah Tunnicliffe

Season of Salt and Honey by Hannah Tunnicliffe
standalone
Women's fiction
Publish date Sept.1 , 2015 by Touchstone
my Rating 5/5 stars

Synopsis:
A NOVEL OF LOVE, GRIEF AND ANTIPASTI.

Francesca 'Frankie' Caputo has it all figured out. She's finally going to marry the man she loves and then they will live happily ever after. But when a freak accident cuts her fiancé Alex's life tragically short, all of Frankie's future plans suddenly disintegrate.

Drowning in grief, Frankie flees from her overbearing Italian-American family, and escapes to an abandoned cabin owned by Alex's parents in a remote part of Washington forest.

As her heart slowly begins to heal, Frankie discovers a freedom that's both exhilarating and unsettling to everything she has always known for sure. So when her old life comes crashing back in, Frankie must decide: will she slip quietly back into her safe, former existence? Or will a stronger, wiser Frankie Caputo stand up and claim her new life?

My Thoughts:
 
I received this from NetGalley for an honest review.
Francesca 'Frankie' Caputo was supposed to marry the love of her life, Alex. But an accident takes Alex away from her and she runs to come to terms with her life. I loved this story and yes it is sad but I so wanted to be a part of her family and friends. She need time to grieve and figure out where to go from there.
Also filled with Italian recipes.

Review: Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier
Book #3 of Ruby Red trilogy
Fantasy, Romance, Time travel
Publisher: Square Fish (October 7, 2014)
My Rating 5/5 stars

Synopsis:
 Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is. She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along. Emerald Green is the stunning conclusion to Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red Trilogy, picking up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate

My thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Some romance, danger and a twist. I had a hard time putting the book down. It was a lot of fun reading about the time travel and the outfits they had to wear. 

Review: Sapphire Blue - Kerstin Gier

Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier
Book #2 of Ruby Red Trilogy
YA Fantasy , Time Travel
Published October 2012 , Square Fish
Rated 4/5 stars

Synopsis:
 
Gwen's life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she's been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.
At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he's very warm indeed; the next he's freezing cold. Gwen's not sure what's going on there, but she's pretty much destined to find out.

My thoughts:
 This book was really good. I love the connection with Gwen and Gideon. Also the gargoyle is very funny and I like Gwen's best friend Lesley and how she helps Gwen. The time traveling is so much fun and the gowns that are made for Gwen for the different time traveling sounds so beautiful. Still can not stand her cousin Charlotte or Charlotte's mom. Such snobby witches.

Mad About the Hatter by Dakota Chase review

Mad About the Hatter by Dakota Chase

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I received this from NetGalley for an honest review. I found it cute and a quick read. This is the story of Alice's brother, who never believed she ever went to Wonderland. He ended up in Wonderland and meeting The Hatter and having feelings for him. As Henry and The Mad Hatter try to get back into the real world and face all the obstacles that is put in their path.



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His Wicked Desire (Vieux Carré Witch Sister, #2) by Dawn Chartier review

His Wicked Desire by Dawn Chartier

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received this from NetGalley for an honest review. This was a paranormal romance and very good. Witches and Warlocks that kill each other. Warlocks are bad. Brye is half witch and half warlock with a Warlock wanting her to join him and the other Warlocks. He threatened her family and the love of her life. But she finds out more secrets about her family. Brye will do anything to protect those she loves.




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Here All Along by Crista McHugh review

Here All Along by Crista McHugh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is an ARC I got from Netgalley to read for an honest review.

I really enjoyed getting to know Sarah and Gideon and watching their relationship grow. This read like a typical romance and already knew how it would end but I loved reading how they got to the end of the story. Gabe helping them along the way made it quite funny.

Sarah was a child star and had ruined her life and career with booze and drugs. Then an accident happened and woke her up. Now she wants nothing to do with being an actress. Can Gideon and Gabe change her mind?



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Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel - review

Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


received this from NetGalley for an honest review. I loved this book. It starts out with Lauren almost hitting Bo on the highway. Then he disappears not to long after that. Being a former drug addict and having a brain injury from a falling accident, makes her wonder what really happened. Lauren helps out Bo's sister with a search party.
Meanwhile at the same time, Lauren's husband Jeff, her sister and her boyfriend are at the family farm to see what needs to be done to sell it.
Once the weekend is over everyone is acting funny. Lauren's sister won't see her or talk to her. Jeff is acting weird and accusing Laura of doing drugs again which is making their kids mad and distrusting Lauren. Lauren keeps finding packets of oxys in the house but doesn't remember going and buying any.
So many secrets and lies in this book. I had an idea of what was going on but not to the extent that it all did. I highly recommend this book.



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Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King review

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Wow, this book grabs you right from the beginning. A retired cop tries to solve a case he was on and ends up involving a teenager and a mentally disturbed adult. What they did together was awesome. Don't want to say to much without spoiling the story. I liked Hodges, Janey, Jerome and Holly. Great characters.



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Dream A Little Dream by Giovanna Fletcher review

Dream a Little Dream by Giovanna Fletcher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I received this from NetGalley for an honest review and I loved it. Sarah has a great group of friends, including an ex boyfriend. He had dumped her several years ago for someone else and she was now also a part of the group. They meet weekly. Sarah also has a job she is not happy with and talks to her boss for a promotion, and he listens and tries to come up with a solution. Sarah also has been dreaming about a guy from her past and all of a sudden he is back in her life. This book had me mad at first and then laughing a lot.



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Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

 This is my favorite book this year.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


OMG this is the best book that I have read in a long time!!! Thank you to 3 Book Tuber videos who recommended this book. If you like video games and things related to the 80's like music, movies and video games.

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines—puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.
   But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.



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Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

3rd book of the Grisha Trilogy

This book was amazing. I loved all the characters except for The Darkling and I felt sympathy for him. I cried and I laughed and the ending was great. Not how I expected it to go but it was a good ending. Some of the characters did not end up the way I thought they would but everything was tied up. I love Alina, Mal and Nikolai.



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Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell review

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I listened to this on audio and loved it!! Set in the 80's, Eleanor and Park become friends and then romantic feelings happen. Eleanor comes from a troubled home which makes her hard to like at first but then you start feeling bad for her situation. Would have liked a little more closure with the end but it was good.



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February Books Read

What I read in February:
16. Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson - 4 stars
17. A Quest of Heroes (The Sorcerer's Ring #1) - Morgan Rice - e book - 5 stars
18. Animal Farm - George Orwell - e book - 3 stars
19. The Maze Runner - James Dashner - e book - 4 stars
20. Cress - Marissa Meyer - 5 stars
21. Braile House - James Wayne King - won this off of Goodreads- 4 stars
22. Fairest - Marissa Meyer - 5 stars
23. Witch and Wizard - James Patterson - 4 stars
24. The Darkest Part of the Forest - Holly Black - 4 stars
25. A March of Kings ( The Sorcerer's Ring #2) - Morgan Rice - e book- 4 stars

February Book Haul

This was a huge month of book buying. I bought a lot through BookOutlet for the President's Day sale.

Splintered trilogy - A.G. Howard
Anna and the French Kiss Trilogy - Stephanie Perkins
Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard
Inherit Midnight - Kate Kae Meyers
Truth or Dare trilogy - Jacqueline Green
The Midnight Queen - Sylvia Izzo Hunter
The Bells - Richard Harvell
The Countess Captive (Book2) - Andrea Cefalo (my cousin-in-law)
If You Find Me - Emily Murdoch
Elsewhere - Gabrielle Zevin
Siege and Storm - Leigh Bardugo
Glow - Amy Kathleen Ryan
Mystic City - Theo Lawrence
The Rithmatist - Brandon Sanderson
Chronicles of Nick books 1-5 - Sherrilyn Kenyon
A Wicked Thing - Rhiannon Thomas
The Sin Eater's Daughter - Melinda Salisbury