Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” —Groucho Marx

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Sound of Sirens by Jen Minkman--A Review



SYNOPSIS:

An ancient land protected by a Tower of Light,
its people ever tempted by Siren song,
and a girl who falls for the wrong boy.


On the island of Skylge, electricity is only for the Currents – the rich ruling class who once came from across the sea and brought the holy fire of St. Brandan to Skylge. Ever since, the light in the Brandaris Tower has protected the islanders. Heeding the Siren's call will drown your body and steal your soul, but the sacred light in the Tower will chase the merfolk away.

When Skylger girl Enna welcomes her brother back from a long sea voyage, he gives her a special present from the mainland – an electronic record only playable on a Current device. The problem is that Royce Bolton, Current heartthrob and the town’s most gifted pianist, wants it too. After she stubbornly refuses to sell the LP featuring his favorite artist, he suggests sharing the record by secretly meeting up in his private summer house. Taken aback yet thrilled, Enna agrees – and discovers that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Current society and the history of Skylge. Why do the Sirens tempt the islanders to give themselves up to the sea? And where does the Currents’ monopoly on electricity really come from? 

While struggling with these questions, Enna begins to fall for Royce, risking everything to be with a guy who is clearly wrong for her. She will learn that the sound of Sirens isn’t the most treacherous thing out there to haunt her dreams.

(The setting of Tales of Skylge is loosely based on the Dutch island of Terschelling, or Schylge in the island’s dialect. Although the names and places in this book will sound very familiar to people living on the island, the characters and events are, of course, entirely fictitious in nature.)


FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:

Jen Minkman's  Sound of Sirens, is the prequel to the Tales of Skylge series and once again, Jen presents the reader with a thought provoking tale about our perception of history and how much is really as it has been recorded for us.    Jen is a master at character development and Enna is the female protagonist.    She is young and lives with her father and a brother who travels the seas.   She is of course envious of his travels and she loves the music he returns to their island with---for her.   But how can she play it and hear it when she is of the skylge culture and has no access to electricity?

Enter the male protagonist, Royce.   He is of the upper class known as the Currents and he has access to electricity, but he doesn't have a copy of the lp she has and he also wants to listen to it.   With very little in common, these two youngsters into an agreement that will achieve both of their goals.   And with their strange agreement comes information, a threat of repercussions and the finding of a lost book which depicts history has been changed  and recorded as something it was not.    So how will they reach a truth?   And how will history be corrected?   One night of celebration breaks into a cultural revolt and all heck breaks loose.   Young hearts are broken as is trust.

I love Jen's remarkable skill at storytelling and endearing the characters to the reader.    I look forward to more from this young Dutch author....I am hooked!

I rated this read a 4 wink read.



Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like. I received a complimentary copy from the author or the author’s representatives in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Release Day for Burnout by Shauna Allen with review


Release day for Burnout by Shauna Allen!

It's finally here! Burnout, Shauna Allen's prequel to her new Jack ‘Em Up series is now available for purchase!

Genre: Contemporary Romance




Burnout blurb:

The Temptation of First Love…

Blake Travers is a lot of things—rebel, grease monkey, tortured poor boy with a painful past. But the one thing he knows he’s not, is worthy…of success, of love, of a second chance.

And certainly not worthy of Delilah Jackson.

Delilah has the perfect life. Daughter of the Sheriff and County Judge, she has it all. Except the one thing she needs most…unconditional love.  Is her attraction to Blake a fluke? A way to breach the confines of her suffocating existence? Or is he The One?

One fateful encounter changes everything...

When these two collide, sparks fly, but their differences threaten to break them.

Can the resident bad boy and princess of Baybridge find their way? Or will the pain separating them kill their love before it starts?

Available now!

Buy at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PV5M5CA

Buy at Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/burnout-shauna-allen/1120793929?ean=2940150729575

Buy at iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/burnout/id943288093?mt=11

Buy at Kobo:

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/burnout-12

Buy at Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Shauna_Allen_Burnout?id=shRxBQAAQBAJ



Excerpt:

 Blake held out his hand. “Come here.”

On autopilot, I grasped his warm hand and stood until we were face to face and body to body. He released my hand and cupped both sides of my face tenderly. “Please tell me you know what you’re saying. What you’re getting yourself into.”

I breathed in his air. Desire and confusion crowded every cell, but I could only listen to my heart. “I do.”

If it was possible, he moved in even closer, his body heat whipping up my chest. “Do you?”

I bit my lip and nodded. “I think so.”

“And what’s that?”

“You.”

With a tortured groan, his lips slammed into mine, giving me no room for thought. He consumed me, worshipped me with his mouth. And I dove right in.

We couldn’t get close enough as I tried to inhale him. He was so dark, so tempting, so perfect.

He finally drew back, his hands still on my cheeks, his fingers forked into my hair. “Delilah.” The way he said my name was like a warning. “Understand something right now . . . if you mean that, if you really mean it, then you’re mine. All mine.” His forehead tipped to mine. “I’m not sure I could let you go now. I’ve never had anything as perfect as you.”


 ***



Shauna grew up an only child with two open and loving parents in Central Texas. She’s married to her high school sweetheart and is the mother to three awesome teenagers, including one she’s about to send off to the Air Force. She is the award-winning author of the Cupid Chronicles series, including Charlie’s Angel and Cupid’s Last Stand. Shauna also writes emotional Contemporary YA novels as SC Montgomery, works as a freelance editor, and is personal assistant to two NYT Bestselling authors. She loves all things sexy, sassy, and Gerard Butler.

Shauna would love for you to visit her at her website and blog at: www.shaunaallen.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shauna.allen.12

Twitter: http://tiny.cc/s0dlmw

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6916632.Shauna_Allen

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/shaunaallen7/

You can also sign up for all the latest Shauna Allen news with her Angel Kisses Newsletter here! http://eepurl.com/D_RcP

And please learn more about her YA alter-ego at: www.scmontgomery.com

***

Praise for Shauna Allen’s Burnout:

Shauna has a wonderful talent of bringing a story to life. I love Shauna’s style of writing. She gets right to the heart with believable characters that you will love.

Cynthia, a Goodreads Reviewer

Shauna Allen has delivered again and fulfilled our wants and wishes for another great read from her! I could not put this one down.

Melanie Hutchinson, a Goodreads Reviewer
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:

Do you have a favorite author?   One who never lets you down?     Let me introduce you to Shauna Allen....By now anyone who knows my blog, knows I love, love, love her work!   Her latest release, Burnout, is a prequel to the jack 'em up series...Hot young men, their hot cars and their hot young ladies!


This prequel was short, but it was a fast fun read.   Reminiscent of many years ago and young love,  I could relate 
to the story of the tortured bad boy--what girl doesn't like the proverbial bad boy?   He's a rule breaker, a pusher of limits, a daredevil and his every breath says reckless!   He may have a lot of female followers, but he is never worthy of the "perfect" princess and she is always the one who wants him.

Shauna can write the most wonderful love stories where the two converge and find someplace in the middle to learn about each other's truths and secret desires and somehow, it works.    Her stories are definitely character driven and that is because we all know someone like her characters, or perhaps at some point in time, we were her characters.   I always feel like I lived their romance right along with them.


I love an author who can make me feel, make me laugh and make me cherish her characters and their story.   Shauna Allen, makes me feel her stories and I so look forward to this new series!   I have rated this a 5 star  read and invite you to join me as she journeys forward with these upcoming titles:  


Crank, the rest of the story between Blake and Delilah
Torque, the story between Jesse and Rachel
Throttle, Trace and Tori's story and
Rev, the story of Micah and Jewel

Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like. I received a complimentary copy from the author or the author’s representatives in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Where She Went by Gayle Forman--A Review





SYNOPSIS:

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.


FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:   (spoiler Alert)

Wow, this second book was so intense!    My first thought was such disappointment and so much relating to Adam's depression and his change in attitude toward the music.   And I thought, huh?   Not sure I like this at all.   But then, I came to chapter 16 and Forman started to deal with the real nit and grit of the story.    And my uh-huh moment was born.     Now I began to understand why these kids had gone their separate ways and how they each played a part in their separation and each was responsible in part for their own heartache.   And just when I thought they were at the final breaking point, the author began to mend the rift between these two vulnerable characters.   And my heart continued to beat.

Just who am I to question an author's judgement?   My faith was reaffirmed in the two characters, Mia Hall and Adam Wilde and I will read more of Gayle Forman without so much doubt in my head.   So darned intense, I could barely breathe in places!

I rated this a five wink read....nothing keeps me going like raw emotion that I live when I read the written word!    Thank you Ms Forman.     Personally I believe book two surpassed the first one!



Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.  I purchased this paperback edition for my personal collection. 

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Winter's Legacy by Andre Alan--A Review

Title: Winter's Legacy
Author: Andre Alan
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Epic Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, Action & Adventure
ISBN-13: 978-0-9908999-0-7

Mini-Synopsis:

Thame Elliot is the Legacy of Winter and with the magically enchanted Tundra Sword at his side, he must stop his evil twin, Miles Xavier from covering the world in darkness. Thame lost his mother before he was born and lost his father to betrayal at the age of ten. Now, they get the chance to meet each other and become a family.
 
The Orcs and Dark Elves have formed an alliance and with the help of the other evil races on planet Threa like the Goblins, Trolls and Frost Giants plan to end the humans, Elves, Gnomes and Dwarves once and for all.
 
Despite all of these threats, Thame must also protect his new family on Threa where his wife and baby girl are under the constant threat of death because of their bloodline and status. Thame must not only try to keep his growing family safe but also try to save the world from the coming war. 

Author Bio:

Andre Alan is from Hartford, CT and attended college in New Haven, CT. After graduating with a degree in International Business and a brief career as an IT Data Analyst, Andre Alan decided to follow his lifelong passion of creating fiction entertainment. With a small amount of artistic talent, he has released a comic book which is available only at the EVapor ENT official website. He has published a moderately successful Epic Fantasy novel titled Winter's Legacy which is currently available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. In his free time, Andre Alan is an avid video gamer (when time permits) and an lover of ramen noodles. Andre Alan is a sports fanatic and a lifelong student of business and entertainment.

Excerpt:

Chapter Eight – The Prophetic Message
 
 
 
 
Storming away from the house, Thame climbed into the waiting hover car and slammed the door shut.  His customary frown was plastered on his face with renewed vigor.  It hurt Thame to keep secrets from his wife.  However, he felt as if there were no choice, what he was doing was entirely too dangerous to risk getting her involved.  Yet, Thame knew that he needed these people on his side if he wanted to be successful in striping power from the pope and the admiral. 
The hover-shuttle touched down in the Ardile suburbs where two and three story houses mirrored one another.  Once inside the home, he was escorted to a basement deep within the bowels of the one story house.  Entering the sand colored, sound proof room, sealing the five meter thick steel door behind him, Thame Elliot let a half smile creep across his deeply shaded face.  He looked around the dimly lit room at the assortment of brown, white, grey and black hooded cloaks pulled down low, obscuring faces in deep shadows.
Men and women stood clustered together shoulder to shoulder, eagerly murmuring to themselves in wonderment at the new arrival.  Even without the large hoods, Thame would not have been able to identify anyone underneath their masks.  He wanted it this way so that each participant in attendance identities’ could remain anonymous.  Whether his guests worked in the Tarrin Bastion, located on the small island in the Gulf of Saint Paul which was only a few hundred kilometers off the eastern shore of Ardile or spent the majority of their time worshipping in the Pope’s Palace which was in the nation to the east, Villus, he knew they would eventually come into contact with one another since they were all priest belonging to the Tarrin faith.
               “I’m glad that you all could make it here tonight,” said Thame.  Removing the hood from his head, he could hear audible gasps of shock and awe sweep across the room.  Clapping his hands together, fingers intertwined in intricate patterns to form ancient hand seals to channel his mana.  Thame cast a spell to amply his voice so everyone in the room could hear him clearly.  “I wanted everyone in this room to see me and know my face.  I want everyone here to know who I am and why I’m here.  I want each of you to understand who is bringing you this information.”  Double checking that the door was locked behind him, Thame jumped down the short flight of steps to stand on even footing with the people gathered at his request.  “It’s of upmost importance that what I say to you in this room remains secret.   Some of you may think that what I’m about to say is blasphemous but I implore you to hear me out.  I believe deep down in my soul that it’s necessary to get this information out to the people.  I’ll try to keep this as brief as possible.”  Thame walked through the crowd and gently touched a shoulder or arm in passing.  He paused in his speech and took a deep breath before continuing.  “The Pope, Ren Saint Paul is corrupt and must be removed from power.”
After hearing that, many people in the room gasped aloud and talked amongst themselves in hushed voices.  Some of them almost fainted and would have hit the floor if not for the room being packed like pickles in a jar.
Thame was unsure if he had made these initiate priests angry enough to harm him physically but either way, he could not stop.  Unperturbed, he continued his speech.  “Despite the rumors that many of you have heard or have been led to believe, my aunt, Empress Autumn Augustus is not at fault for the East Coast assault by the Orcs.  This predicament our nation currently finds itself in, who some may call war, is due to the acts of Pope Ren Saint Paul and his secret society, Epsilon Eridini.  I was on the classified mission to Heldefolan and present when several powerful paladins of your order were killed.  Inna, Joshua, and Liam were my brothers; we shed blood together and they gave their lives so that I could be here today.  This tragedy need not have happened.  All of the ill fortune that has befallen our great nation of Eioda could have been avoided if the Pope was not consumed by greed.”
Additional shocked gasps and rumbling murmurs swept across the room.
“Yes, that is correct.”  Thame continued with sweeping hand gestures to emphasize his points while walking through the crowded room.  “The holiest man on this planet is one of the greatest sinners in human history.  I implore each of you to search your heart for what you know to be right.  If you still don’t believe me then search the archives for the hidden facts.  Have none of you wondered about the spectacular gifts and powers that the Church has obtained in such a short period of time.  Well I can tell you, it’s due to the covert mission I went on with Inna, Joshua and Liam.  We traveled to the other side of Threa, to the eastern hemisphere and encroached onto the Orc homeland of Heldefolan.  While in the Orc capital city we broke into an ancient temple of Enigmone.  We located the ancient and long lost treasure: the Consummate of the Trust.”
The room exploded with groups breaking into shouting matches at the revelation Thame had brought to their awareness.  Thame waited for the people gathered to quiet down before continuing.
“That’s right, the Consummate of the Trust is not just a legend,” said Thame with a broad smile. “The ancient and powerful artifact spoken of in the holy book, The Tales of Arcadia which is the basis of the Tarrin faith has been found.  What they have told you is nothing more than malicious lies and cover-ups undertaken by a rogue faction of the government in conjunction with the Tarrin faith.  The Epsilon Eridini society has infiltrated every facet of our lives and if we let them, they will destroy this world.  Each of you must leave now and never speak of what has taken place here tonight.  Go your separate ways and return to your homes with the serious thought in mind that we must force the Pope to step down.”
At the completion of his speech and before Thame could reach the exit, an explosion rocked the basement and sent people flying across the room along with blood and body parts.  Two men emerged from the chaos of people running and screaming towards the exit.  They threw off their hoods and masks.  Two young men with clean shaven heads and golden eyes rushed towards Thame.
“The EES sends you a message Snow!” yelled an ebony skinned young man with tattoos covering his face and hands.  He pulled a dagger from his waist with a blade the size of his forearm.
“They say for you to die now traitor!” shouted the other pale skinned youth as he produced a curved dagger of his own.  “Just like your father!”
Converging on Thame simultaneously, they thrust their daggers at him but were stopped short by the instant cast spell of the Ice Shield by the Tundra Sword.  Rising slowly with a frown and death blazing in his brown eyes, Thame unsheathed the Tundra Sword and quickly dispatched the two would-be assassins.  Standing there in a daze, staring down at the two dead men, Thame knew they were sent by the pope due to their golden eyes which were only attainable by going through the Tarrin faith Paladin introduction ritual.  They were not full-fledged Paladins since they were not wearing the designated blonde top-not or else he might not have made it out of this room alive.  His thoughts instantly went to the words of his wife when he had left their home earlier that night.  Approaching sirens shook Thame from his pondering.  He sprinted out of the house and thrust himself into his awaiting hover shuttle which streaked away into the night sky traffic.



Twitter: @AndreAlanAuthor


FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:

Winter's Legacy is the second book in the newly named Heaven's Trilogy series.   I have not read the first in the series, Heaven's Fate.   But if the second book in the series is anything to go by, I would recommend the series to fans of fantasy and high adventure.   It is a combination of fantasy, sci-fi, mythology and after-life adventure.   

Although this is a genre not at the top of my reading preferences, I enjoyed reading the story and following the adventures of Thame and his pre-ordained life and death.   The character of Thame is probably the best developed character in the book but I enjoyed meeting his wife and newborn daughter as well as his wife's parents and brother, Cyrus.   I had a little trouble identifying who Thame's real enemies were, since he seemed to be friends with those who were not so loyal to him.   But again, Thame was considered Winter's Legacy and had been foretold of in prophecy.   He was a decent man and sought to do right for his society.  He was also a learned man and well suited to leadership, although he was also hot headed and lacking the wisdom of the mature.

His adventures after his death as he tried to return to the land of the living and protect his wife and his daughter, was heroic and full of wild adventure.   His journey meant traveling through the nine levels of hell and making conquest after conquest in order to succeed in his mission.   Many befriended Thame and many tried to stop him and send his soul to hell forever.

I rated this fantasy tale a 3.5 rating and will recommend that my grandsons consider reading it.    I would love to know their take on this writing by Andre Alan.


Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like. I received a complimentary copy from the author or the author’s representatives in exchange for an honest review.



Monday, November 10, 2014

If I Stay by Gayle Forman--A Review



SYNOPSIS:

Just listen, Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel.

I open my eyes wide now.
I sit up as much as I can.
And I listen.

Stay, he says.


Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.

If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful book about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:


I did something in August  of this year, that I never do.    I went to the movie of If I Stay.    I so seldom go to a movie in the first place.   And I prefer to read the book before I see the movie--That way, I can crucify the troubling parts of the movie where they took liberties from the book.


After my daughter and I saw the movie, I bought the movie tie in version book from Target.    The cover is different from that above, the text supported the movie version(for the most part), the actor and actress were interviewed by Gayle Forman and there was an excerpt from the second book, Where She Went.


Then I purchased an Amazon copy...just to see if there were any real differences.    I really do not get why such a relatively new book has to come out in more than version.   However, maybe I succumbed to the marketing ploy!    Yeah, I would do that to satisfy my own curiousity.

So this was my result of seeing the movie and reading the book twice.   I found that both editions of the book were the same.   And as far as the movie went, there were only a couple of changes for dramatic affect.

I liked that this story was told from Mia's point of view.    I liked that she had no comprehension of what control she had of her out of body experience and the choice of staying or leaving.    I felt like Forman was honest and direct with the reader.  Her characters were strong and quirky and so delightful.    Other than Mia and Adam, I truly enjoyed the rest of her family...Mom, Dad and Teddy, a truly great representation of family life and the love between family members....so different and yet so well connected.

I enjoyed Mia and Adam's love story and the connection they shared.   Sometimes contentment allowed them to roll through the times with little effort on their part and others were frought with maybe thinking it through just a little too hard.   The story was very real and although Mia suffered through one of the greatest losses in life, she found she had more "family" that would see her through.

This was a very poignant and real story that made this reader feel and break and hope.    It was also very thought provoking and I shall remember for a very long time to come.

I gave this read 5 Winks!


Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.  I purchased both books for my personal collection.  

Friday, November 7, 2014

The Fellowship of the Ring by J R R Tolkein---A Review

The first book of my challenge from Noah has been read.    Good for me!   As this is not my genre of choice, it took a good while for me to get into reading The Fellowship of the Rings, but I did it.   Partly because when I got beyond the prologue and into the adventures of Frodo, the book called to me to be read in entirity.   Yes, it did.   Now Noah and I will watch the film together.    He has already started the second book and I will start it soon as well.   But I am not sure what I can add to the existing  reviews for this book.   We'll see.

SYNOPSIS:

Frodo Baggins knew the Ringwraiths were searching for him - and the Ring of Power he bore that would enable Sauron to destroy all that was good in Middle-earth. Now it was up to Frodo and his faithful servant Sam to carry the Ring to where it could be destroyed - in the very center of Sauron's dark kingdom.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:

The prologue was overwhelming to me as it was a basic lesson in the difference cultures and races of middle earth.....which consisted of hobbits, elves, dwarves, and men...otherwise known as big people.   I found the prologue, long and rather like a history lesson.    To me it was a bit confusing with names and descriptions as I had no reference point at that time.

Once I got into chapter one, and the adventures of Bilbo and Frodo Baginess and enterauge, My attitude soon changed as I enjoyed one frightening adventure after another with the hobbits, the one ring, and their extensive travels.    I felt the pain in their feet after miles and miles of walking.   I felt their fears as they entered the old forest and escaped just barely.   I enjoyed studying the folks they encountered along the way.   Who was friend and who was foe?

I loved old Tom Bombadil, Strider and Galadriel and I appreciated the kindnesses shown to Frodo and friends and the friendships they made as they journeyed.    I also mourned with them the loss of a dear friend in Moira.

This first book in the series is full of adventure and lots of heart and J R R Tolkein is a master at creating a world of yesteryear.    His characters are absolutely well fleshed out, although the enemy remains a bit of a mystery.   I can totally understand why a teenager or a fantasy lover would be well endeared with this read.    Truly I felt a full range of emotions as I read and endured with the heroes at hand.

I rated this book 4 WINKS and I am thrilled with my grandson for having selected it for us to read together.    I have requested a hold for the second book in this series as well.



Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.  This series was purchased for my Grandson, Noah who challenged me to read the series with him.   Gotta love these grandkids!  






Saturday, November 1, 2014

October Reading Recap

Morning my friends!

I can't believe I got out of bed before noon on a Saturday morning!    I lead a very unstructured life, but maybe that will change shortly.   I'll take getting up at eight o'clock as a good sign in that direction.

I only finished ten books in October.   Snow Daze and The Unfinished  Gift were my selected Christmas reads and you will find my reviews in my December 2014 posts.   I also post on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes and Noble if you really can not wait.

I think the challenge from my buddy Noah, is what did me in for October.   I am currently about 3/4 through The Fellowship of the Rings.    It is not my favorite genre', but I feel it is important to challenge him to read, so when he challenges me, I have to follow through.   My mom who reads only romance, says I am a better grandma than her....now that is a laugh!

He is fourteen years old and when I have completed the entire Lord of the Rings series, then I will challenge him to read Colleen Hoover's Slammed series.    How's that for an ornery grandma?
I am enjoying this prospect beyond words!



I was truly fortunate to be able to read two new authors's books this month....Lorna Peel's, Only You and S C Montgomery's, Two Blue Lines were delightful reads.    Both were romantic reads and S C Montgomery writes Young Adult stories about the issues facing young people as they step into romance and adulthood.    Both were enjoyable and satisfying reads







I read four romance novels that are each very near and dear to my heart.   Elvis Is a Keeper by Shauna Allen is one of my favorite love stories from a very favorite author.    Can you imagine falling in love with an Elvis look alike?   And then being loved back by the same?  My heart was swooning over this young man.

Peace By Piece, a story of settling for less and longing for more, was open and frank about issues within a marriage.   The heart wants what it wants, regardless of how our brains tell us differently.

Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover, another very favorite author was a delightful story....laugh out loud funny and yet sad to the point of biting your knuckles.    I thought this was perhaps the best read of my month.

And Debbie Macomber's third in the Rose Harbor Inn series, Love Letters was a fun relaxing read I enjoyed immensely.

Last but not least I read another of the paranormal mysteries by Dale Mayer, Hide N Go Seek and a Christian romantic mystery by Dani Pettrey, Submerged.   So totally different, but such very satisfying reads......Indeed, October was a good month for reading!!!!

Make the most of your November and vote  on the fourth!    Read on all other days and eat well on Thanksgiving!    May God bless us all!

Miss Beth