Category: NetGalley

What About Us (Panic: Book 4) by Sidney Halston

What About Us (Panic, #4)

3.5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 20th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: Panic

Pull Me Close–book 1 (review here)

Make Me Stay–book 2 (review here)

Kiss Me Back–book 3 (review here)

What About Us–book 4

Where you can find What About Us: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Irresistible beats and tantalizing bodies heat up the night at South Beach’s most scandalous new club.

Alex: I hate doing business in clubs. Especially one like Duality. I’m here to seal a deal, not indulge in whatever hedonistic illusion they’re selling. Until, through all the skin and sex on display, I see her. Helen Blackwood. The girl who once filled my youthful fantasies, whose name is now synonymous with pain. Her father’s lies destroyed my family, leaving me with nothing to lose. And yet I can’t deny my electric response to her touch . . . or my urge to protect her when I see the bruise on her face.

Helen: Growing up, life prepared me for society galas and powerful men, not minimum-wage jobs or drunk exes with anger issues. But I’m a survivor. So here I am, practically naked, serving drinks at a Miami nightclub. I don’t mind the stares. Apparently, Alex Archer does. After twelve years, we aren’t exactly friends, but money is something we both understand. Something he knows I need. I’ll be his personal assistant, even if it means working with the man I hate . . . and the man I still want. 

No cheating. No cliffhangers. And no dress code.

Don’t miss Sidney Halston’s Panic series:
PULL ME CLOSE | MAKE ME STAY | KISS ME BACK | WHAT ABOUT US

My review:

Alex is in Duality, trying to close on a business deal. He has no interest in the façade of sex and hedonism that the club offers. He wouldn’t be in the club but his partner is recovering from a car accident. Alex is more than surprised when he sees Helen working. Helen, whose father destroyed his family. Helen, who has galavanted around the world on the money that her father stole from his family. But, if she had that money, why is she working at Duality? Why does she have a bruise on her cheek? And why is she treating him like a long-lost friend? Alex is determined to find out. But, what he finds out goes against everything that he has thought he had known for the past 15 years. Can Alex reconcile what he now knows with what he thought he knew about Helen?

Helen is a survivor. She was forced to grow up when she was 18 and her father was sent to prison. But she got her life back on track. It took hard work but she did it. Lately, life seems to be biting her in the butt. Her drunken, abusive ex-husband has decided to throw her out of the house after he assaulted her. Then she runs into Alex, her first love and old friend, at the club. Alex makes her an offer that she can’t refuse. The more time she spends in his company, the more she starts to care for him. But she is wary. Alex and his family left her high and dry when she needed them the most. Can she trust Alex? Will Helen be able to see the truth of what her father did? Or will it drive an even bigger wedge between her and Alex?

The one thing I loved about this series is that the author made her characters suffer from real life issues. Take Helen for instance. She was homeless for a while when she was a teenager. Later on in her adulthood, she was the victim of domestic violence. Or Alex. He had some pretty bad anger issues. It was how she handled those issues that made me want to read more of the book (and the series).

I wasn’t sure if I liked Alex and Helen as a couple. I felt that she was going from one bad situation to another. He harbored so much anger towards her that I found it hard to believe that it disappeared overnight. Plus, he acted like a jerk to her at her work. In front of her boss and co-workers. Even they were like “Ummm, you sure about this Helen?” He treated her horribly all the way to almost the end of the book.

I didn’t feel the sexual attraction between Alex and Helen at first. I was too involved in with the drama. I did catch glimpses of it. It didn’t smack you in the face but it was there. I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not.

I did like the sex scenes. They packed enough heat to make me fan myself. They were super steamy. Loved them!!!

The end of What About Us was bittersweet. I liked what Alex did for Helen. But it was what Helen did for Alex that made the end of the book. The author did a great job at wrapping up all the plotlines. I do wonder if there is going to be a book 5.

I gave What About Us a 3.5-star rating. I enjoyed reading this book. I liked how the author had her characters suffer from real life issues. It made them more relatable. I also thought that the sex was steamy. But, I didn’t like how Alex treated Helen for 90% of the book. I also didn’t see any sparks between them until after the first time they had sex.

I would give What About Us an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. There are trigger warnings. They are domestic violence and suicide. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread What About Us. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. But I would include a warning about the triggers.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review What About Us.

All opinions stated in this review of What About Us are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read What About Us?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Limetown: The Prequel to the #1 Podcast by Zack Akers, Skip Bronkie, and Cote Smith

Limetown: The Prequel to the #1 Podcast

3 Stars

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date of publication: November 13th, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Where you can find Limetown: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

From the creators of the #1 podcast Limetown, an explosive prequel about a teenager who learns of a mysterious research facility where over three hundred people have disappeared—including her uncle—with clues that become the key to discovering the secrets of this strange town.

On a seemingly ordinary day, seventeen-year-old Lia Haddock hears the news that will change her life forever: three hundred men, women, and children living at a research facility in Limetown, Tennessee, have disappeared without a trace. Among the missing is Emile Haddock, Lia’s uncle.

What happened to the people of Limetown? It’s all anyone can talk about. Except for Lia’s parents, who refuse to discuss what might have happened there. They refuse, even, to discuss anything to do with Emile.

As a student journalist, Lia begins an investigation that will take her far from her home, discovering clues about Emile’s past that lead to a shocking secret—one with unimaginable implications not only for the people of Limetown but for Lia and her family. The only problem is…she’s not the only one looking for answers.

Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie are first-rate storytellers, in every medium. Critics called their podcast Limetown “creepy and otherworldly” (The New York Times) and “endlessly fun” (Vox), and their novel goes back to where it all began. Working with Cote Smith, a PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize Finalist, they’ve crafted an exhilarating mystery that asks big questions about what we owe to our families and what we owe to ourselves, about loss, discovery, and growth. Threaded throughout is Emile’s story—told in these pages for the first time.

My review:

Lia is a high school senior when she hears the news about Limetown. Limetown is a town where three hundred people disappeared without a trace. Among those who disappeared, Lia’s estranged uncle, Emile. Fueled by the need to find out what happened, Lia starts an investigation. What she finds during her investigation makes her question everything that she has been told. What happened at Limetown? Why is Emile at the center of it? How is her mother involved? Who can Lia trust? Where did those people go?

I was pretty excited to start reading Limetown. Even though I haven’t heard the podcast, I figured that I could follow the prequel easy enough. I mean, prequels give information that’s isn’t known in series that follows. Yeah, well that didn’t happen. While Limetown was an interesting read, it left me with more questions than answers.

I didn’t care for Lia. She came across as self-centered the entire book. I did admire her tenacity. She stuck with finding out with what happened to the people in Limetown and her uncle Emile. But her personality was awful. There are very few times where I don’t like the main character and this is one of them. I also didn’t get why she treated her mother the way she did when she found certain things out. She failed to see that everything her mother did was for her. Saying that I do wonder what she is like in the podcast.

I did like Emile. Actually, I pitied him for 75% of the book. His ability made him an outsider. Anytime he even got close to someone, they either got hurt or turned out to be not what he thought they would be. Even his relationship with Lia ended up badly and she was a baby. I did wonder what happened to him at Limetown at the beginning of the book. I can’t say what I thought by the end of the book because I will give away the ending. Let’s say that any pity I felt for Emile went out the window.

I did find the storylines well written. But they failed to hold my attention. My mind kept wandering off mid-paragraph and I had to force myself to focus on reading. Which, in turn, took away from my pleasure in reading the book.

The end of Limetown confused the heck out of me. This is where I wish I had listened to the podcast because I had zero clue what was going on. But, I did know that Lia’s foray to Limetown wasn’t going to end up well. I didn’t expect it to go that bad.

I have Limetown a 3-star rating. I thought the book was well written and an interesting read. But, it failed to hold my attention and left me with more questions than answers. Even though it is a prequel, I would recommend listening to the podcast first.

I would give Limetown an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They are child abuse, drug use, parental abandonment, the death of a parent, unsolved disappearances of the loved one. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21.

I am undecided if I would reread Limetown. I am also undecided if I would recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Limetown.

All opinions stated in this review of Limetown are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Limetown?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Sleepover by Serena Bell

Sleepover

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 13th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Sleepover: Amazon | Barnes, and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

A brand-new contemporary romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Head Over Heels.

The girl next door is the one that got away. He just doesn’t know it yet. . . .

Sawyer: After my wife died, I promised myself I’d never go through the pain of losing someone again. Now I keep my flings neat, tidy, and one-time-only. Besides, my son needs me more than ever. He’s miserable in our new town, so I’m pumped when he makes friends with the kid next door—until I recognize his mom from a one-night stand. Perky and upbeat, Elle Dunning is not my type for anything other than tearing up the sheets. So why do I keep letting myself get roped into game nights and get-togethers?

Elle: It so hasn’t been my year. That’s my first thought when I see my new next-door neighbor. I never would have hooked up with Sawyer Paulson if my husband hadn’t left me for his high-school sweetheart, but because our eight-year-old boys have become best friends, I’ve got to make nice with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Silent. Yet the more time we spend together, the more Sawyer opens up. We’ve both been hurt—badly. So it’s one thing to send the kids off to sleepaway camp together. It’s quite another to promise each other a lifetime of sleepovers. . . .

My review:

Elle is fresh from a divorce that she didn’t see coming. Still reeling and hurt, she decides that the best thing for her to do is to go to a bar and forget her problems. And oh boy, did she. She met Mr. Tall, Dark, and Silent at the bar. Before she knew it, they were having sex up against the outside of the bar. The best sex she has ever had. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Silent leaves right afterward. Fast forward a few months. Elle has gotten new neighbors. Elle is surprised to see that her new neighbor is Mr. Tall, Dark, and Silent and his 8-year-old son.

Sawyer is still grieving the death of his wife from cancer. Selling the business and the house that they built together, he moves into a rental to start over fresh. He has never forgotten the blonde that he picked up at the bar a few months back. The blonde that had sadness in her eyes. The blonde that gave him the best one-night stand he ever had. Sawyer is surprised to see the blonde from that night is his next door neighbor. Even more surprising is that she has an 8-year-old son that immediately bonds with his son. He is surprised that he wants Elle as much as he did that night in the bar. He soon finds out that Elle wants him as bad. But, they are both hesitant. A chance encounter with Elle’s ex-husband draws Elle and Sawyer together. They make a pact. No sex until the wedding. Can they both hold out for the wedding? And is there hope for a lasting relationship.

I am going to start this review talking about sex. Or the lack of it. Sleepover did something very rare for a contemporary romance novel. The author had the main characters (Sawyer and Elle) from having actual sex until almost the end of the book. Well, besides the hookup which happened several months earlier. Instead, they kissed, sexted or had oral sex. There was so much build up that when they actually had sex, it was amazing. Put it this way, I needed a fan and a cold shower when the book was over.

But, what I liked the most, is that the author had Sawyer and Elle build up a friendship. They might have started off as sex but they became friends. I loved seeing them bond over the boys and their different hurts. Loved it!!

The main plotline was Elle and Sawyer’s relationship. Even though the book was told in 1st person, I couldn’t tell what Sawyer felt for Elle for the longest time. I don’t even think he knew what he felt until Brooks pointed out the obvious. I knew everything that Elle felt for Sawyer. She wasn’t as hidden with her feelings…lol.

I loved the storyline with the boys. What they did for that transgender girl brought tears to my eyes. I also loved their friendship. Right from the get-go, they were inseparable.

The end of Sleepover was what I expected. It was a true HEA. I loved that Elle and Sawyer were able to talk about things and get things straight. What Sawyer wrote in that journal touched my heart. I was crying with Elle. Also, the end of the book made me smile. Loved how it came full circle!!

I gave Sleepover a 4-star rating. This was a cute book with a realistic romance. The plotlines were great. I loved how the author held off on the sex until the end of the book. The only thing I didn’t like was Elle’s ex. I thought he was a jerk (Mr. Yap perfectly described him….lol).

I would give Sleepover an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is mild violence. There are triggers. They would be divorce and death of a spouse. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Sleepover. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Sleepover.

All opinions stated in this review of Sleepover are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Sleepover?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

You Are The Everything by Karen Rivers

You Are The Everything

3 Stars

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Date of publication: October 30th, 2018

Genre: Young Adult

Where you can find You Are The Every Thing: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Can you want something—or someone—so badly that you change your destiny? Elyse Schmidt never would have believed it, until it happened to her. When Elyse and her not-so-secret crush, Josh Harris, are the sole survivors of a plane crash, tragedy binds them together. It’s as if their love story is meant to be. Everything is perfect, or as perfect as it can be when you’ve literally fallen out of the sky and landed hard on the side of a mountain—until suddenly it isn’t. And when the pieces of Elyse’s life stop fitting together, what is left?

My review: 

Elyse Schmidt is flying home from a band trip to Paris. Having argued with her best friend, Kath, Elyse is sitting next to her crush, Josh Harris. The unthinkable happens when their plane crashes into the side of a mountain. Elyse and Josh are the sole survivors of the crash. A year after the crash, Elyse and Josh are living in Wyoming, dating, and trying to forget the crash that changed their lives. Elyse starts to notice that her perfect world isn’t as perfect as she thought. There are inconsistencies that she keeps noticing. What is happening to her world? Will Elyse figure it out?

You Are The Every Thing is an odd book. First off, it is written in 2nd person. That is something that I am not used to. I have read only one other book where it was written in 2nd person and like this one, I had a hard time following it.

The other thing that I didn’t like about this book was that Elyse insisted on calling Josh by his full name. Josh Harris. Even to his face. It was cute the first few times that it happened. After that, it got repetitive and boring. And it went the same way with Josh calling Elyse by her last name. I wanted to go into the book and yell “Just call him by his and her by their first name, darn it“. I know, overreaction for a book. But man, it drove me nuts.

I didn’t care for Elyse. I couldn’t connect with her at all. Her actions at the beginning of the book started the ball rolling with that. I couldn’t bring myself to like her after that. I can’t say why I didn’t like her but I didn’t.

There were things that I did like about the book. I thought it was very well written. I loved the storyline. The author did a great job at creating a world around Josh and Elyse that I didn’t question. And let’s not forget the ending.

Speaking of the end, I was not ready for it. I should have known what was going to happen because of the hints dropped in the book. Talk about a mind screw.

I gave You Are The Everything a 3-star review. I thought that the book was well written with a great storyline. But, I couldn’t get past that the book was written in 2nd person. I also didn’t care for Elyse. I also didn’t care that she called Josh by his full name….all the flipping time.

I would give You Are The Everything an Older Teen rating. There is sex (not graphic but is mentioned a few times). There is mild language. There is violence. There are no triggers. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread You Are The Everything. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review You Are The Everything.

All opinions stated in the review of You Are The Everything are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read You Are The Everything?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Dragonfire (Dark Kings: Book 14) by Donna Grant

Dragonfire (Dark Kings, #14)

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: October 30th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Series: Dark Kings

Dark Craving—Book 0.1

Night’s Awakening—Book 0.2

Dawn’s Desire—Book 0.3

Passion’s Claim—Book 0.4

Darkest Flame—Book 1

Fire Rising—Book 2

Burning Desire—Book 3

Hot Blooded—Book 4

Night’s Blaze—Book 5

Soul Scorched—Book 6

Dragon King—Book 6.5

Passion Ignites—Book 7

Smoldering Hunger—Book 8

Smoke and Fire—Book 9

Dragon Fever—Book 9.5

Firestorm—Book 10

Blaze—Book 11

Dragon Burn—Book 11.5

Constantine: A History—Book 11.6

Heat—Book 12 (review here)

Torched—Book 13

Dragon Night—Book 13.5

Dragonfire—Book 14

Where you can find Dragonfire: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Passion burns hot in Dragonfire, the next Dark Kings novel from New York Times bestseller Donna Grant. 

It was a soul-deep longing, one that got into his bones and settled there, sending whispers of desire through him. The need, the hunger, grew tenfold with every breath. . . .

As a Dragon King, Roman is sworn to protect all mortals–even though they no longer believe in dragons. But deep in the Carpathian Mountains, he discovers a beautiful and mysterious gypsy who possesses the power to see into his very soul. To reignite the fire in his heart. And to help him find the long-lost sword that could save the dragons forever…

Sabina remembers the stories her grandmother told her. Legends of dragons and kings, fire and ice. And she’s never forgotten the dark prophecy that filled her ancestors with fear–a fate they tried to prevent by stealing a Dragon King’s sword. Sabina knows that helping Roman is dangerous. He is a dragon betrayed, and more powerful than any man. He could destroy her in a single fiery embrace. But how can she resist the longing in his eyes–or the feelings in her heart–when their destinies are bound by desire?

Sabina is a Gypsy living with her brother near the Carpathian Mountains. When she was a child, her grandmother told her a story and made her promise to remember it. The story was about a kind Dragon King who’s sword was stolen by her ancestors. Because of that theft, her family was forced to leave their homeland and becoming Romani. She thought it was a legend until she met Roman and Vlad. Roman is helping his friend V find his stolen sword. Traveling to the Carpathian Mountains, they stumble upon Sabina and her brother Camlo. With urging from her brother, Sabina realizes that she needs to help the Kings find V’s sword. Their journey takes them to a mountain in Iceland where V’s sword might be. But there are wrenches thrown into their plans. A mysterious alliance between Druids and Fae threaten their quest. Can Sabina and Roman find the sword? Will they give into their attraction to each other? Or will everything fail?

I was pretty excited to read Dragonfire. I had read and reviewed Heat and enjoyed it. So I figured that I would like this book also. And I did. What I didn’t know was that Donna Grant is writing other series at the same time she is writing the  Dark Kings series. I figured it out when Eoghan and Thea from Dark Alpha’s Hunger were mentioned a few times in this book. As was the Light Elf Queen and the new Dark Elf King. Along with Rhi, Con, Ulrik, and Mikkel. Then a lightbulb went off over my head and I went “No, freaking way“. I am in awe that someone can do that. I have issues with keeping one thing straight in my head. So forget many series of books with many plotlines and characters.

I liked Sabina and Roman together. I will admit that at the beginning of the book, I was a little confused at who Sabina was supposed to be with. And yes, I didn’t read the blurb…lol. I thought it was going to be V for some reason. Because the book started off with the story that Sabina’s grandmother told about him. But once Roman and Sabina met, the sexual attraction and chemistry came off the pages. There was one point when they were in the caves, where I was chanting in my head “Kiss the girl. Kiss the girl” (and no, I didn’t sound like Sebastian from The Little Mermaid when I was saying it to myself).

When they finally did have sex, it was amazing. I will never look at hot springs in the same way again. What I liked, even more, was that the author didn’t let the sexual tension down. She kept it up. Which meant that the other sex scenes were amazing.

I also liked Sabina and Roman as people. They both had gone through some tough times. Sabina’s was losing her mother and stepfather and taking care of Camlo. She had to be strong and wary. Because of Camlo’s disability, she always needed to be on the defensive. Seeing her open up and trust Roman and V was powerful. Roman’s tough times were when he became Dragon King. When he told the story about how he became Dragon King and who he had to defeat, my heart broke for him. But, what made me like him, was his gentleness with Camlo.

I do wish that the author got more into Camlo and Sabina’s abilities. Sabina had the Sight. But what did that consist of? What could she see (other than people being dishonest)? I know that it came into play when she touched V in the cave but still, I would have loved a better explanation. Also, I would have loved a better explanation of Camlo’s abilities. I was also frustrated when it came to getting information out of him. I know that he had the mind of a child but man, that whole scene dragged out when Roman and Sabina were deep in the caverns. What other abilities did he have (other than talking to animals and the Sight)?

The plotline involving V and his sword was amazingly written. The author did a great job at keeping me guessing about where the sword was. Also the neat twist she put in that storyline, I liked. I wasn’t expecting it. But it did explain a whole bunch.

I also liked the storyline with Sabina and Roman’s journey to get the sword. Dangerous doesn’t even begin to describe it. And with the Others magic making it even more dangerous, my heart was in my throat during the entire journey. The end of that storyline had me in tears. But I forgot one thing. Only another Dragon King can kill a Dragon King.

The secondary storylines were good but man, they were vague. Take Con losing the weapon. That was a first for me. What was the weapon? It was something that Con and the other Dragon Kings feared. Because the “Oh Crap” factor went up when V and Roman got the message. The storyline with the Others infuriated me. Why were they doing what they did and how did they know what was going on it the future. Also, the book that Usaeil found in the hidden library. What is with that? And the very last chapter. I wanted to scream with frustration about that.

Like I mentioned above, I wanted to scream at the end of Dragonfire. But, I did like how the author ended or didn’t end the storylines. She ended Roman and Sabina’s happily and gave a hint about who her next book might be about. Which I can’t wait to read!!

I gave Dragonfire a 4-star rating. This was a well written 14th book in the Dark Kings series. I connected with the characters. The plotlines were well written with no lag or dropped storylines. I did wish that more explanation was given about Camlo and Sabina’s powers. And the end frustrated me. I enjoyed reading this book and cannot wait to read book 15.

I would give Dragonfire an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. There are no triggers. I would suggest that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Dragonfire. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Griffin, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Dragonfire.

All opinions stated in this review of Dragonfire are mine.

I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Dragonfire?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Black Diamond Fall by Joseph Olshan

Black Diamond Fall

4 Stars

Publisher: Polis Books

Date of publication: September 18th, 2018

Genre: General Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Where you can find Black Diamond Fall: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

From the acclaimed author of CLARA’S HEART and CLOUDLAND comes a rich, literary mystery based and united by two real events that occurred at Middlebury College; the disappearance of a student during winter break; and the vandalism of the Robert Frost Homestead on one of the outer campuses.

Luc Flanders has just finished playing a game of pond hockey with his college roommates when he realizes he has lost something precious and goes back to the ice to find it. He never returns, and the police department in Middlebury, Vermont are divided in their assessment of what may have happened to him. Some feel that Flanders left on his own accord and is deliberately out of touch. Others, including detectives Nick Jenkins and Helen Kennedy, suspect that harm may have come to him. As the search for Luc Flanders widens and intensifies, suspicions about several different people, including his Middlebury College roommates and ex-girlfriend arise. Unfortunately, Sam Solomon an older man with whom Luc has had a secret relationship, cannot prove his whereabouts during the hours when the younger man may have disappeared and Solomon, too, comes under suspicion.

BLACK DIAMOND FALL is at once a lush, evocative literary novel, a portrait of love between a younger and older man, and a riveting mystery that could only come from the mind of acclaimed writer Joseph Olshan.

My review:

Luc is a college student who had finished playing a pickup game of hockey with his friends. Realizing that he lost the class ring of his boyfriend, Luc goes back to find it. He disappears. Sam, Luc’s older boyfriend, comes under suspicion when he cannot provide an alibi for the night he disappears. Hurt in a skiing accident, Sam goes back to Vermont to recuperate and cooperate with the police in Luc’s investigation. What happened after the hockey game? What happened to Luc? Did Sam have something to do with it? Will Luc be found alive?

When I started reading Black Diamond Fall, I thought it was going to be a wham-bam-thank you ma’am mystery. You know the ones that it is obvious who the killer is from the beginning. That isn’t the case here. The author did a fantastic job of keeping exactly what happened to Luc that night under wraps until the end of the book. I was surprised at who it ended up being. Because that person wasn’t on my radar at all. I thought it was the other person that the police kept questioning. To add that twist added to my enjoyment of the book.

I liked how the author interwove Luc wandering around the woods with the police investigation. I was mentally going “Check the darn woods” everytime they brought Sam or Luc’s friends in for questioning. Saying that it was frustrating is an understatement. I also wanted to reach through the book and give Luc some food and a blanket. That was frustrating to read too.

I wish more insight was given into Luc and Sam’s relationship. What they had seemed to be true love, even though they broke up right before Sam went away on his trip. Their relationship was one of the more realistic ones that I have read lately.

I liked how the police investigation didn’t focus on one person. Instead, they had a sizable pool of suspects to question. What I enjoyed about that storyline was how the officers went about narrowing down the field of suspects. I mean, who would have thought that Robert Frost’s Homestead being vandalized would lead to a clue about what happened to Luc. I also like how they caught the person.

The end of the book was bittersweet. I am not going to say much beyond that. The author did a great job of wrapping up all the plotlines. He left nothing hanging. I am hoping that more books will be written with Sam as the main character. I did like him.

I gave Black Diamond Fall a 4-star rating. This was a great read with characters that I could connect with. The plotlines were wonderfully written. The mystery angle kept me on the edge of my seat.

I would give Black Diamond Fall an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is language (some homophobic slurs). There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Black Diamond Fall. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Polis Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Black Diamond Fall.

All opinions expressed on this review of Black Diamond Fall are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Black Diamond Fall?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

The Storyteller’s Throne by Jocelyn Bates

The Storyteller's Throne

2 Stars

Publisher: Independent Book Publisher’s Association, Member’s Titles

Date of publication: April 24th, 2018

Genre: New Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Where you can find The Storyteller’s Throne: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Grace was born a storyteller with a beautifully brilliant mind. Trauma twisted her reality into a tale of darkness. Now, at eighteen, Grace has found herself on the shores of a shadow world created to heal a generation. A world whose purpose is to release our emotions from the bonds of youth.

But she is not alone. It’s a world inhabited by others, those working on their own hearts and one other like herself. An amazing and yet afflicted empath and musician by the name of Kai that Grace feels inexplicably drawn to.

Will she be able to handle the suppressed memories of her youth? Accept the vulnerability necessary to explore her own heart and that of another? Fulfill the true purpose it seems she is destined to serve?

Come along with Grace as she learns to uncover her past, harness her gift, open her heart to love and embrace her future.

My review:

I was intrigued when I read the blurb for The Storyteller’s Throne. A woman, scarred by traumatic events that happened in her life, finds herself in a world that can help her heal. It caught my interest. I wanted to know how this world would help her heal. I also wanted to know who Kai was and why Grace had such a connection to him. So I decided to read the book. For the most part, I liked the book. But it was the direction the book took towards the end that made me go “WTH” and give it the rating I did.

Grace’s story disturbed me. She was raped by someone when she was 6 years old. I didn’t like having to read about a 6-year-old being raped. I understood why the author chose to have Grace react the way she did to the rape. Her unresolved feelings led her down a road of self-harm. But once she got into the Shadow Lands, she was forced to face and accept what she went through. But, then her story took a turn that I didn’t expect. Her romance with Kai wasn’t expected as was her traveling into the future. I will get into that later in the review. I couldn’t connect with her.

I felt bad for Kai. His story was different from Grace’s but it was also similar. Kai didn’t speak. He could speak but chose not too. He chose to speak through his music. His entire life, he had been compared to his older brothers and fell short. Falling into addiction, Kai ends up in The Shadow Lands the same time as Grace. I would have loved it if the author kept his character on that path. Instead, he went down a path where he fell in love with Grace. It almost seemed like an obsessive love, to be honest. He was more relatable to than Grace but I still didn’t have a connection.

I would have been fine with the book if it hadn’t gone into an anti-medication rant. Then Grace went into the future. There the adults were medicating themselves and the kids to keep them easy to manage. But the minute that mental health medication was blamed for the kids being zombies, I went “Oh no. This book didn’t go there.” That affected my rating.

Also, I didn’t like that there was Instalove. Instalove is fine in some books but in this one, no. I couldn’t with this book. I also couldn’t deal with Grace and Kai having sex. While I understand that it was healing, it didn’t do it for me.

The end of The Storyteller’s Throne confused me. I am not going to get into it but there were several situations that made me go “What!!” and “How on earth did she not know that?” and “Well, chaos didn’t happen, so now what“. None of the storylines were wrapped up. Which either was an oversight or the author is planning a book 2. I was left unsatisfied with the ending.

I gave The Storyteller’s Throne a 2-star rating. I could not connect with any of the characters. I would have been OK with the book if it hadn’t turned into an anti-medication rant. And there was Instalove.

I would give The Storyteller’s Throne an Older Teen rating. There is sex. There is violence. There is mild language. There are triggers. There are child rape, self-harm, and drug use. Also, there is a strong anti-medication for mental illness in the last half of the book. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would not reread The Storyteller’s Throne. I also would not recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Independent Book Publisher’s Association, Member’s Titles, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Storyteller’s Throne.

All opinions stated in this review of The Storyteller’s Throne are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read The Storyteller’s Throne?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

The Corner of Holly and Ivy by Debbie Mason

The Corner of Holly and Ivy: A feel-good Christmas romance

4 Stars

Publisher: Forever, Grand Central Publishing

Date of publication: October 30th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Where you can find The Corner of Holly and Ivy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Sometimes love is just around the corner . . .

With her dreams of being a wedding dress designer suddenly over, Arianna Bell isn’t expecting a holly jolly Christmas. Instead, her heart feels about three sizes too small. That is until her high school sweetheart Connor Gallagher returns to town and she finds his mere presence still makes her pulse race. But just when she starts dreaming of kissing under the mistletoe, he announces that he will be her opponent in the upcoming mayoral race…

Hot-shot attorney Connor Gallagher has something to prove. He’s tired of playing runner-up to his high-achieving brothers. So when the opportunity to enter the campaign comes up, he takes it. Even if it means running against the only woman he’s ever loved. But with a little help from Harmony Harbor’s local matchmakers and a lot of holiday cheer, Connor and Arianna may just get the happy ever after they both deserve.

My review:

I have read a lot of Christmas themed romances lately. I love reading these types of books. They get me in the mood for Christmas. Plus, they’re romances. And everyone knows how much I love romances. So when the publisher approached me to review The Corner of Holly and Ivy, I jumped at it. I was also excited to read a book by Debbie Mason. I have seen her books around the blogosphere but I never have had the chance to review one.

The Corner of Holly and Ivy is Arianna and Connor’s romance. Arianna was injured in a fire that destroyed half the businesses on Main Street, including her business. Harboring guilt over surviving the fire, she has sequestered herself in her house with her grandmother. Connor is an attorney who is back in Harmony Harbor after being blackballed by his ex-employer. Sparks fly when Arianna and Connor, who dated as teenagers, are forced to run opposite of each other in a mayoral race. Old feelings come back as they run against each other. But, Arianna has a secret. A secret that can threaten her and Connor’s love. Can they survive it?

I liked and pitied Arianna. She had been through so much before the book even started. The fire did a number not only on her body but on her self-confidence. She wasn’t able to do what she loved, designing wedding dresses. She was living in a state of depression until her grandmother forced her out of it by deciding to run for mayor. I loved her relationship with her grandmother. It was sweet and pure (as weird as that sounds). She would do anything for her Glamma. That includes stepping in for her when Glamma asked her. I also liked how she dealt with Connor and his being around more often. She didn’t want to fall back in love with him. She fought it. Her secret was heartbreaking too!!

I liked Connor. He was upfront with his feelings for Arianna right from the beginning. His distress at seeing her die and being brought back to life came off the pages. I also liked how loyal he was to his family. When Daniel had a “heart attack“, Connor was there to take over his mayoral campaign. I did think it was great that he was able to keep a sense of humor while running against Arianna. And he was in tune with his feelings for her.

I have to mention Glamma. I loved her. She was outspoken and she supported her granddaughter no matter what she did. I felt awful with what she was going through but I liked that she got a diagnosis. She was one of my favorite characters in the book. Her and Colleen. Colleen’s anger at Daniel and what she did to get back at him was hilarious. It was even funnier because she was a ghost and he had no flipping clue what was going on. Only Jasper and the cat.

I do have to mention Daniel. I didn’t like him. I thought he was a manipulator. What he did to his brother and his wife was unforgivable. But, he did get what was coming to him. I laughed that entire scene in the book. I might or might not have said: “You go Colleen“.

The secondary character in the book fleshed it out. They all had individual personality and quirks. I loved that these characters were so relatable (both secondary and main).

There were 3 major plotlines in The Corner of Holly and Ivy. What I enjoyed about the plotlines is that they went seamlessly from one to another. There is usually some choppiness when transitioning from plotline to plotline. Not here.

The first plotline was Arianna and Connor’s relationship, both past and present. I liked that while acknowledged, Arianna and Connor’s past relationship was kept in the past. I liked that the author had Connor work to be with Arianna. He had to show her that he wasn’t the jerk she remembered from her divorce. Just reading his escapades trying to win her over. I’ve gotta say that the puppy was perfect!!

The second plotline was Arianna’s relationship with her Glamma. I liked that Glamma was there for Arianna. She loved her unconditionally. She stepped up when Arianna’s mother didn’t. I sympathized with Arianna with Glamma’s issues with memory. I did laugh when Glamma asked Arianna to take over her campaign and her “help“. I loved it.

The third plotline was Arianna and Connor’s run for mayor. I wasn’t too sure how it was going to work out with them running against each other. I also wasn’t sure how much Daniel was going to be involved in Connor’s campaign. I thought the result of the election was hilarious and loved what the old mayor came up with. Then it was watching Arianna and Connor trying to one-up each other. I was a little surprised by the result.

The secondary storylines brought extra depth to the book. I loved the secret admirer one. I figured out who it was before it was revealed in the book. Arianna’s secret was another memorable one. I do wish that it had been introduced earlier in the book. I also didn’t like how her secret came out. It was heartbreaking and I don’t blame Connor for reacting the way he did. But still. She should have told him on her own terms.

There is no Instalove in The Corner of Holly and Ivy. While the main part of the story took place over a couple of months, Arianna and Connor’s relationship began when they were teenagers. I had no issue believing that they could fall back in love within a couple of months.

The romance in The Corner of Holly and Ivy was great. I liked seeing Connor work to win Arianna over. I liked seeing him admit that he screwed up. It made the romance so much sweeter.

There was chemistry between Connor and Arianna was there. I liked that it didn’t overwhelm the book. I understood that they wanted each other. Instead of being in your face, it was subtle. Sometimes you need subtle. Which brings me to the sex scenes. They were not graphic. Actually, I didn’t quite grasp that Arianna and Connor had sex until the end of the book. Then I was like “WHEN. When did you have sex?”

The end of The Corner of Holly and Ivy seemed rushed. I was confused at how certain events went down and certain characters reactions. But, I did like it. The author did a great job of wrapping everything up. She did leave a couple of storylines unended. I am hoping that will be a sequel to this book.

I gave The Corner of Holly and Ivy a 4-star rating. This was a cute read that got me into the Christmas spirit. I was a little confused at the ending. I felt that it was rushed. But overall, it was a great book that I enjoyed reading.

I would give The Corner of Holly and Ivy an Adult rating. There is sex but it is not graphic. There is mild violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Corner of Holly and Ivy. I would also recommend to family and friends.

I would like to thank Forever, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Corner of Holly and Ivy.

All opinions stated in this review of The Corner of Holly and Ivy are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read The Corner of Holly and Ivy?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

The Rain Watcher by Tatiana de Rosnay

The Rain Watcher

3 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: October 30th, 2018

Genre: General Fiction

Where you can find The Rain Watcher: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

The first new novel in four years from the beloved superstar author of Sarah’s Key, a heartbreaking and uplifting story of family secrets and devastating disaster, in the tradition of THE NEST.

The Rain Watcher is a powerful family drama set in Paris as the Malegarde family gathers to celebrate the father’s 70th birthday. Their hidden fears and secrets are slowly unraveled as the City of Light undergoes a stunning natural disaster. Seen through the eyes of charismatic photographer Linden Malegarde, the youngest son, all members of the family will have to fight to keep their unity against tragic circumstances.

In this profound and intense novel of love and redemption, De Rosnay demonstrates all of her writer’s skills both as an incredible storyteller but also as a soul seeker.

My review:

The Rain Watcher was one of those books that showed up on a Read Now email from NetGalley and I added it. Why I added it? Well, I liked the cover. I loved seeing the Eiffel Tower behind glass with rain on it. When I read the blurb, I figured “”Why not. The worst case scenario is that I don’t like it. The best is that I love it“. Well, my feeling for this book falls somewhere between love and hate.

I was not familiar with anything written by Tatiana De Rosnay. Since I like reading books by authors that are unknown to me, I was excited to start reading this book. My excitement was strong when I started reading The Rain Watcher. But as the book went on, my excitement started to go away. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the plotline, I did. It was the writing style. It was hard for me to get used to. That was a big consideration when it came to giving my star rating to this book.

As much as I hate saying this, I couldn’t connect with Linden, Tilla, or Lauren. It’s not that I didn’t like them, I couldn’t connect to them as a people. I did feel bad for Linden, though. He couldn’t come out to his father. Did he want to? Yes, but he was scarred by Lauren’s reaction when he told her. Tilla came across as unhappy in her life. That was the vibe I got from her. Unhappy with how her life has turned out. And Lauren, well, she wasn’t present for 90% of the book. How can I connect to a character who wasn’t there?

I did like that it was set in Paris. I didn’t understand what the author was talking about when she kept referring to the street names, neighborhoods. I had to google everything. I don’t mind googling one or two things. But when I have to google every French word/term that comes up (or use my Kindle’s translator), then it becomes tedious. Plus, I couldn’t get into the storyline as much as I wanted to.

I did like the storylines. I thought that the natural disaster that Paris went through during the book was fascinating. I also thought that the storyline with the unknown boy and his babysitter, Suzanne, was compelling. I did figure that out about halfway through who the unknown boy was. I loved how the author didn’t make the evacuation of Paris perfect and she didn’t bother to gloss over the flood.  I also did like Paul’s stroke and the fall out from that. It did force Linden to think about some things that he would have rather not have. Like his Aunt Candy and Hadrian.

But there were dropped storylines as well. Like Lauren and her ex-fiance. After Linden confronted her, it went away. I wanted to know what was going on. Also, the whole Oriel and touring the city with her. That went away towards the end of the book. I was wondering what happened to her. Same with Linden’s agent, who kept texting him about his important photo shoot. Did she reschedule it or what?

The end of the book was bittersweet. I was left feeling unfulfilled and a little disappointed. What I liked was that the author didn’t make this a normal happy ending. While there were some happy elements to it, it was mostly sad. The author did a great job at wrapping up the main storylines but didn’t wrap up the secondary ones. Even though I wasn’t fond of this book, I am curious to read other books by the author.

What I liked about The Rain Watcher:

  1. The main storylines
  2. The book was set in Paris
  3. Great job at wrapping up the main storylines

What I disliked about The Rain Watcher:

  1. The writing style made the book hard to read
  2. I couldn’t connect with any of the main characters
  3. Dropped storylines

I gave The Rain Watcher a 3-star rating. While I liked the storyline and the location the book was set, I felt that the writing style overwhelmed them. I couldn’t connect with any of the main characters. Which is big, because I need to be able to connect with at least one character to make the book enjoyable to read. I also didn’t like that there were dropped storylines.

I would give The Rain Watcher an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is language. There is mild violence. There is a rape scene, while not graphic, is still disturbing. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread The Rain Watcher. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends. I am open to reading anything else by the author.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Rain Watcher.

All opinions stated in this review of The Rain Watcher are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

A Nanny for Harry by Sylvia Mulholland

A Nanny for Harry by [Mulholland, Sylvia]

2.5 Stars

Publisher: Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Member’s Titles

Date of publication: April 1st, 2018

Genre: Parenting, Families, Women’s Fiction, General Fiction

Where you can find A Nanny for Harry: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

JUGGLING ON EMPTY? WHO’S YOUR NANNY?
Kali Miller hasn’t even given birth to baby Harry when doctor-husband Matt ‘helpfully’ hires a live-in nanny. Britta is svelte, blonde and beguiling, and Swedish enough to make any new mother insecure, especially one who looks and feels as ginormous post-delivery as she did the day before. But a nanny means Kali can go back to work at her law firm where she is desperate to make partner. The Millers’ seaside house will be nice and clean; their meals healthy and fresh, and Harry well looked after. It’s the only option, really, for career women like Kali.

But Britta’s idea of cooking is fiskpinnar (fish sticks) in the microwave. She leaves blonde hairballs between the sofa cushions and has cute, broken-English convos with Matt, leaving the dirty diapers and other chores for Kali. The only thing Britta has in common with those super-nannies that all Kali’s friends seem to have is that she’ll probably never quit. And of course, Harry adores her!

As Kali’s life becomes increasingly frenetic —not helped by a disgruntled client out to get her for a deal gone bad—she starts losing her grip on reality. The top brass at her firm now views her more as a potential liability, than partnership material. And Matt seems to have some mysterious ‘history’ with Harry’s nanny. Just who is this Britta Edvardsson? And what does she want with Matt… and little Harry?

My review:

Kali is a lawyer who is about to have her first baby. Her husband is a doctor who works crazy hours. After giving birth to Harry, Kali starts doing walk-throughs at the local daycares. What she sees doesn’t work for her and she mentions to Matt that it would be nice to have a live-in nanny. A few days later, he surprises her with Britta. Britta is slim, blonde and beautiful. That alone makes Kali insecure. But, she needs the help and allows her to stay. Kali thinks that with Britta there, the house would be clean, chores would be done and meals would be cooked along with the baby being looked after. Well, that was a dream. The only thing that Britta does is look after Harry. Everything else is left for Kali when she gets off work. Things come to a head when Kali suspects that there is more to Matt and Britta’s relationship than what he says. Will Kali get the truth from Matt? Or will their relationship implode?

I got the impression, from the blurb, that this book was going to be some sort of mystery/thriller. Instead, what I got was a book about how communication is good in a relationship and how assuming things always bites you in the butt. The blurb is not a great reflection on what this book is about.

At the beginning of the book, I felt bad for Kali. I remember those last weeks before I delivered my youngest child. I was miserable and swollen. I was snappy and emotional. I got it and sympathized with her. But, as the book went on, my sympathy started to turn to annoyance. Instead of taking charge, she wallowed in pity. She wanted a different nanny. Other than complaining about it, she did nothing. She complained about Britta not cleaning or cooking. She could have made it clear that it was part of her job. She didn’t talk to Matt when she had suspicions. Instead, she stewed on them. In turn, she made life miserable for everyone in that house. It carried over to her work and she made some serious mistakes. Instead of taking the blame for that, she kept blaming her home life for her mistakes. By the end of the book, I was frustrated and wanted to smack her.

My sympathy lay with Britta. That poor girl. Kali put her through the wringer. Of course, since Kali couldn’t speak Swedish, Britta was calling her a few choice names to her face. Which made me laugh. I didn’t blame Britta. She was living with a woman who didn’t like or trust her. If I were her, I wouldn’t have gone back. I would have given Kali the two-finger salute.

I couldn’t believe the lack of communication between Matt and Kali. I didn’t like seeing their relationship go downhill because they didn’t talk. But, to be fair, the times that Kali did try to talk to Matt about what was going on, he shut her down. I thought Matt was a bit of a jerk. His comment in the delivery room along with what happened at the end of the book sealed the deal for me.

The storyline about Kali and her job added nothing to the story except how stressed she was. I started getting stressed out when reading what was going on with work.

The end of A Nanny for Harry was your typical ending. But it didn’t ring true to me. I didn’t get that Kali could be so accepting about Britta. I mean, she didn’t like her the entire book. The sudden acceptance of her didn’t sit well with me. I couldn’t understand how Matt never mentioned certain things from his past and his relationship with Britta.

The author did a great job at wrapping up all the storylines. There was nothing left hanging. There were also there were no dropped storylines. I thought that the Kali and Britta storyline had good bones to it. If the author went the way I thought she was going to, this book would have gotten a higher rating from me. I also felt that the characters weren’t as fleshed out as they could have been.

I gave A Nanny for Harry a 2.5-star rating. The book was wonderfully written but I couldn’t get into it. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. The one thing that I liked about this book was that it did show that life after having a child isn’t always perfect.

I would give A Nanny for Harry an Adult rating. There is no sex (imagine that!!). There is mild violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would not reread A Nanny for Harry. I also would not recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Sylvia Mulholland, Independent Book Publisher’s, and Member’s Titles for allowing me to read and review A Nanny for Harry.

All opinions are stated in this review of A Nanny for Harry are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read A Nanny for Harry?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!