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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