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

Friday, December 2, 2016

Evergreen Springs by RaeAnne Thayne--A Review




SYNOPSIS:

Celebrate the magic of Christmas in Haven Point with New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne, where hope, home, and happily-ever-after are as close as your holiday stocking...

Christmas is the last thing Cole Barrett is thinking about this year. He's barely hanging on trying to care for his two grieving children since his ex-wife died in a tragic accident. For the reclusive Cole, this is no time for gift-giving and celebration—and certainly not for a sunny-natured optimist to blow into his screwed-up life.

In the years since her cancer treatments, physician Devin Shaw has researched the curative powers of Lake Haven's mineral waters. Unfortunately, the hot springs are on Barrett property, forcing Devin to strike a bargain with the ranch's attractively gruff owner: she'll give Cole's children the magical Christmas they deserve, and Cole will allow her patients access to the springs. But can she work her holiday magic to heal the Barrett family's battered hearts—and her own?


FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:  

Evergreen Springs by RaeAnne Thayne was a magical Christmas read.   Both main characters, Cole Barrett and Devin Shaw, have their share of painful history and some of which they have no desire to share.    But Devin is resourceful and chooses to see the best in others...her neighbors, her patients, the sexy brother of her  pregnant patient Trisha.   She sees the best in the behavior's of Cole's children, shy Ty and aggressive little Jasmine.  

The setting is clearly Christmas in the beautiful mountains....the conflict finding love and being denied because someone doesn't feel good enough for the fair doctor.   It's an enjoyable read, lots of hope and the magic of Christmas and it is wonderfully clean romance at its best.

I rated this Christmas 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 this book for my own personal collection.










Monday, April 11, 2016

Maybe Not by Colleen Hoover--my review

   I wanted to follow up Maybe Someday with the story of Maybe Not, but I didn't necessarily read these one after the other.     This is a shorter story, (130 pgs) telling of Ridge and Sydney's roomies, Warren and Bridgette and how they related to each other.

SYNOPSIS:

Colleen Hoover, the New York Times bestselling author of Maybe Someday brilliantly brings to life the story of the wonderfully hilarious and charismatic Warren in a new novella, Maybe Not.

When Warren has the opportunity to live with a female roommate, he instantly agrees. It could be an exciting change.

Or maybe not.

Especially when that roommate is the cold and seemingly calculating Bridgette. Tensions run high and tempers flare as the two can hardly stand to be in the same room together. But Warren has a theory about Bridgette: anyone who can hate with that much passion should also have the capability to love with that much passion. And he wants to be the one to test this theory.

Will Bridgette find it in herself to warm her heart to Warren and finally learn to love?

Maybe.

Maybe not.


IN MY HUMBLE OPINION:

Maybe Not was a follow up novella of 130 pages.   Warren had been best buddies with Ridge since they were teens and he had both a warped humor and perspective which made him the most lovable character of the foursome.
Maybe Not was comical and sad and sexually explicit.   For all of the quirkiness of the two main characters, Warren and Bridgette, his seeming understanding of her emotional state is so right on and their relationship becomes so hot, I thought my kindle might melt. 

Hoover is one of the best at weaving a tale that surprises and delights.

I rated this 5 wink read....you just can't put her work down.



Friday, April 8, 2016

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover---A Review

Sometimes Readers, there comes a quirky author who just steals the breath right out of your body with her passionate words and quirky themes.   That is how I see and read Colleen Hoover's work.  How does she come up with these unique and intriguing tales?   If I could write a book, I would want to write like her....but my well is dry so she has nothing to fear from me.   LOL


SYNOPSIS:

At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her—and she’s forced to decide what her next move should be.

Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.

A passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance, Maybe Someday will immerse readers in Sydney’s tumultuous world from the very first page.


IN MY HUMBLE OPINION:

Colleen Hoover has got to be one of the quirkiest and yet unique authors on our planet.   Her writing is very straight forward and she develops full bodied characters who are well rounded and entirely too likeable or dislikeable as the shoe fits.   But she generally writes about what you would never expect to be reading.    There is always a twist you don't see coming and it is always something titillating.

Maybe Someday is a lengthy -meaty read and I was thoroughly engrossed with the story and the resolution.    This is a young adult romance read and therefore holds some explicit love scenes, but overall, it is a wonderful story, told as only Colleen Hoover can.    I would love to share a secret about Ridge, but you will find out for yourself if you place a copy of Maybe Someday in your hot little hands and in front of your baby blues.    Enjoy!!   It's worth the read!

I rated this a 5 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 purchased this book for my own personal collection.






Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Blind Justice by Ethan Cross--a review

I am sooooo far behind in posting reviews.   I've enjoyed my reading to the exclusion of reviewing, but I must change my evil ways


SYNOPSIS:

Deacon Munroe is not your average investigator. He’s intelligent, cultured, well-connected.

And totally blind.

Washington DC is Munroe’s city. Now it’s a city shaken to the core by the death of a high-ranking general and his wife. All the evidence suggests that the general killed his wife before taking his own life. Deacon Munroe does not trust what other people see – only what he knows is true.

What Munroe soon knows is that the general's death is part of a far greater plan, a sophisticated and brutal plot to kill thousands of innocent people, including those closest to Munroe himself.

But with only a small team at his aid, and just hours to stop a devastating attack on the city, can Munroe unearth the truth in time to bring justice to the city?
 


FROM MY MIND'S EYE:

Ethan Cross is one of my favorite mystery/suspense authors and I thoroughly enjoyed his novel Blind Justice.    Hopefully it will not be the last we see of his star investigator, Deacon Monroe.

Deacon Monroe is smart, determined, and doesn't give in to threats.   He is also blind and depends more on what he knows to be true than what most folks 'see'.

Cross has developed some strong characters to assist Deacon as he journeys through life and crime.   His assistant, Annabelle,  an ex-con/marine named Black and countless antagonists who can't get one up on the blind investigator.

The story is fast paced and moves from one murder to the next with personal loss to our hero as well as common sense deductive reasoning.   Although I found it a bit challenging to believe in the expertise of this blind investigator, I found Cross'es writing to be plausible overall and very entertaining.

Well done Ethan Cross!

I rated this a four 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 copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.













Friday, April 1, 2016

March Reading Recap


March was a great month to satisfy my desire for romance reads, with four really good reads.   I loved them all.

















Angela Ford's Still was a short story/murder mystery that incorporated many twists and turns--quite interesting.



And then I read a cozy Christian mystery from Guideposts--Shadows of the Past by Emily Thomas.  These reads are entertaining but not too challenging...enjoyable.



Ethan Cross's Blind Justice was probably the meatiest read of my month.   This novel features a blind investigator whose friendsa and family are threatened by his delving into criminal/terrorist activities.....Very suspenseful with lots of twists and turns.

Last but not least,  Bette Lee Crosby's  The Loft made it into my reading list.    However I failed to read Memory House first as it was the first in the Memory House series.    Dang, I hate when that happens, but I am currently reading Memory House.    Bette Lee  writes what I call Women's Fiction and always leaves the reader stimulated and reflecting on the written word.    Love her writing!




Well that wraps up March and the reading I did.    I hope you had as an enjoyable Month with words and pages as I.     Keep those big eyes reading and so will I.

Hugs

Miss Beth













Monday, March 14, 2016

Could This Be Love by Kathy Ivan--a review




SYNOPSIS:

Injured during the last game of the season, Jesse Turner won't admit to anybody he's afraid his career is over. After surgery and months of grueling physical therapy, he's anticipating and dreading the opening of training camp. Football has been the one constant he could depend on, and the only thing keeping his mind off his traitorous ex-wife.

After earning her Master's degree in education, Emma Worthington relocated to Dallas to teach and leave behind painful memories. What were the odds that out of six and a half million people, she'd run into her ex-husband? Wed too young, their marriage ended in an annulment before the ink had a chance to dry on the license, and they haven't spoken to each other since.

When they reconnect, a tenuous friendship grows, but that old black magic won't be denied and their feelings begin to resurface. When the lies from the past that drove them apart are finally exposed, can they find forgiveness or is it too late for a second chance at love?


FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:

Deep sigh...I love romance stories. Kathy Ivan has a knack for writing some really heartwarming romance tales and I am becoming a fan of hers.    She does write some pretty explicit sexual scenes, so I recommend her work for those 18 and over.   

Both Jesse and Emma were very well developed characters, with dreams, aspirations, buried love, and hurts.    Each had walked away from a life together 8 years previously and had never found anything to come close to what they had had together.

Each wanted answers as to why they weren't enough to satisfy the other.   Why their brand new marriage was forced to fail?   When after eight years they meet once again by accident, the  fire and the spark of their magnetism is still alive and well.  

To me, this was a story of endurance and forgiveness.   I enjoyed it tremendously, although I found the conflict between father and daughter somewhat weak and not as realistic as it could have been.

Overall, I rated this a 4 wink read and truly enjoyed the 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 copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.





Friday, March 11, 2016

Still by Angela Ford---A Review




SYNOPSIS:

The unsolved murder in the park of Brianna's sister becomes personal. Homicide has no leads but Brianna does. Signed into the same chat group her sister used, she lures the killer her way. What she discovers will change her life forever...


FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:

At only 23 pages, STILL is a short story.    It's a suspenseful mystery as the heroine, Brianna,  seeks to find her sister's killer.   She has been ordered away from her job as constable in order to have time to grieve, but she has other plans.    She knows no fear when seeking her objective and she recruits the help of a handsome guy she met in college.   It's a good story, entertaining,but it is also short.   Characters are very well developed and interesting.    There's also a twist, I sure didn't see coming.

I rated this a three 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 copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.


Wednesday, March 9, 2016

In the Wind by Lillianna Anderson---A Review




SYNOPSIS:

A storm raged the day she moved to our small town on the east coast of Australia. When we saw her, she was staring up at the sky with her arms outstretched, letting the torrential rain pour down on her as she laughed and spun around with absolute abandonment. Zeke and I watched her, mesmerised, until she spotted us and went still. It was that moment that everything changed for us. Up until that moment, Zeke and I were best friends - it was all we'd ever been, even though I’d always wanted more. Shea changed all that when she moved into the house next door.
If there was such a thing as magic then Shea held its source. She was light and laughter and everything everyone ever wished they could be. We were spellbound. Awestruck. Desperate to bathe in her light.
She would teach us about life. She would show us what was really inside our hearts, while forcing us to see the world through her free-spirited eyes.
She would teach us about love.
She would teach us about heartache.
She would teach us about loss on the day she disappeared...


She always said that one day she'd follow the wind again. Perhaps that's what happened, perhaps that's where she went - in the wind...
 


FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:

In the Wind by Lillianna Anderson has virtually left me speechless.   I have read Anderson's work before and I enjoyed the romantic reads.   But In the Wind provided more than just romance.

It was a coming of age story with a lot of different treacheries within it.   Dawn was the main character and she suffered the same fate many teens do----she wasn't accepted and so she rebelled and became as positively different and unique as a girl could get.     Her best friend had been that one friend since they were small and then it happened.    Hormones appeared and the best friend became a desirable guy in Dawn's eyes, but she couldn't share that info with him because her own self image suffered to such a low extreme.     Then when the beautiful neighbor moved in all kinds of challenges occurred.    Did Shea feel attracted to Zeke?    He certainly was drawn to her.    Or was Shea a quirky girl who liked girls ...like Dawn?    This only scared and enthralled Dawn at the same time and she called her own sexuality into question.    There was teen age drinking, drugging and sex on the rampage.   There was adult-daughter sex abuse and mental status was questioned.    Questions of abandonment and betrayal roused angst and reflections.     This dealt with many many issues and the sexual content was quite explicit.

Every bit and piece contributed to the suspense and the sorrow that three teens brought upon themselves and upon each other as they struggled to survive being a teen.   And those who were responsible for them as kids, weren't the best qualified to lead nor guide them  through to adulthood.

It is purely and simply human nature to hold onto the tiniest grain of hope and this story had plenty of heart blended in that hope.   It was romance, it was angst, it was tense, and it was mind blowing....all rolled into one book.

I rated it a four 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 copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.







Monday, March 7, 2016

It Happened in Las Vegas by Kathy Ryan-- A Review





SYNOPSIS:

It's party time in Las Vegas when four former college roommates and best friends converge on Sin City. Add in a crazy drunken bet about finding the "one that got away" to see if there's a spark still burning after all these years—how bad could it be? 

That's what Charlotte "Charlie" King thinks after agreeing to the foolish bet. Her friends convince her to reconnect with the one man she's been unable to forget. Only there's a catch—he's the older brother of her former fiance. 

Rodeo star Jared Drake is in Las Vegas for the Grand National finals. He's shocked to see Charlie at the arena. The split between her and his brother wasn't pretty. Plus, he feels partly responsible for their breakup, since the chemistry between him and Charlie was off the charts from the moment they met. 

Misunderstandings and lies kept them apart four years ago. Can they find a way past all their obstacles and take a chance on finding a path to happily ever after or will the lies from the past drive them apart forever? 

From My Perspective:

Kathy Ivan is a new author in my list of author's to follow, so let me sum up how I felt about It Happened in Vegas.   In one word, enamoured.

There was just something charming about this first story in the Wicked Wagers series.  The sizzling attraction between photo journalist, Charlie King and rodeo cowboy, Jared Drake was combustible.  I have felt that connection and passion for the only man in my life and could relive that excitement in my head as I read this book.   

Ivan was able to show the growth in her characters in a steamy little tale which was believable and flowed smoothly from start to finish.  This was a quick read, but so filled with emotion and twists of misunderstanding.    Sometimes it is so frustrating to be young, in love, and  challenged by hurdles you face to be with the one you love.

I loved that the author made me feel young again and stirred my heart for her characters.

I rated this a four 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 copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.


Sunday, March 6, 2016

Rev by Shauna Allen--A Review




SYNOPSIS:

***WARNING: This book contains content that may be triggers for anyone who has been abused or raped. Please read with caution.

I bear the wounds of battle.
I suffer the scars of shame.
A shell of the man I once was, I survive now only to honor my fallen friends.
I have been hardened by war and fractured by guilt, but Jewel Jackson has found a way into my heart, and I’d die to protect her—even from myself.
~~~~
I have been hurt. My body and my spirit have been beaten down.
I’m struggling to pick up the pieces.
To have a life.
To find my strength.
So what am I to do with Micah Christian—the only man who’s ever truly threatened my heart?

***All books in the Jack 'Em Up series are standalones with HEA but if you'd like to enjoy them in order... 
Burnout (Prequel - Blake & Delilah: The Beginning) 
Crank (Book I - Blake & Delilah) 
Torque (Book II - Jesse & Rachel) 
Hitched (A Jack 'Em Up Wedding - Jesse & Rachel) 
Throttle (Book III - Trace & Tori) 
Rev (Book IV - Micah & Jewel)


FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:


I love, love, love Shauna Allen's writing!   Did anyone know that already?    Has anybody heard me?   Well, it's true!

Rev is the fourth book in the Jack 'Em Up series, but it may not be the last, I have heard whispered.  And I love to believe in whispered words.   The characters in this book were both broken....viciously broken.    Shauna has presented us with a domestic violence subplot and a PTSD subplot as well as the tender love story that brought two wounded souls together.   She created a very believable, troubled romance where healing had to begin in order for love to survive and it was a riveting book.

This book released on March 4th 2016 and was well worth the wait.    As I read each and every book in the series, I felt like each successive book was better then the previous and the very last book(IV), did not break that thought at all....it was the best of them all!

Shauna is notorious for hiding little quirky nuggets within her penned stories, or a twist you didn't expect to see.    She builds suspense in a very intense manner and you sigh in relief as you read that very last page, but you also regret it because it's just never enough when you bond with her wonderful characters.

I think I have read all of her published works and I am amazed at her growth in writing and developing exactly what I love to read.

I rated this wonderful book, Rev, a five wink read!



 ABOUT SHAUNA ALLEN:
Author Shauna Allen's Profile Photo


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 fantastic children, including one she recently sent off to the Air Force. 

When she’s not reading or writing, Shauna is a freelance editor and lover of all things Gerard Butler.

She also writes Contemporary YA under the pen name SC Montgomery.

Shauna would love for you to visit her at her website at: www.shaunaallen.com
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/shauna.allen.12
Twitter : http://tiny.cc/s0dlmw



 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 copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.





Saturday, March 5, 2016

FEBRUARY Reading Recap

Happy March my friends!  It has been a long February with those 29 days and my plans for reading just really suffered due to this cancer thing I have been drawn into.    Somehow, doctor appointments to hurry up and wait, steal the time I have to read and create away and there isn't so much time to read...nor the incentive to review and blog.    Lately it has become a mental challenge for me to get much of anything productive done.

In February I did indeed finish five books.   The first four were romance stories.   Shauna Allen's book REV and Kathy Ivan's IT HAPPENED IN VEGAS, are yet to be reviewed and posted.

JULLIETTE by Anita Claire, THE MISDEMEANOR SUSPENSE SERIES by Joanne Jaytanie,
Angela Ford, Jackie Marilla, and Lauren Marie, were a lot of fun to read but all had some pretty explicit sexual pages.   Still, they were enjoyable.

The fifth book I read in February was quite disappointing to me--NEVER NEVER Part III by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher.    Basically a paranormal wrap up to this three book series by this pair of authors, it was short and should have been compiled into one book.

   












Hopefully, March will be a better reading month, although I will be starting chemo on St Patrick's Day and the doc thinks that will kill about four days of the month for me.    So time will tell, as it does in all things!

If anyone prays, please pray for strength as I undergo chemo.   No one wants to entertain a cure that seems worse than the disease itself, but it is what it is, and I will need God's help to do this.   I thank you in advance!

God Bless and keep those beautiful eyes reading.   I'll try to also!

Miss Beth! 

Friday, February 19, 2016

Welcome Steven Manchester--Guest Blog re: The Changing Season

Welcome author, Steven Manchester as our guest blogger today.    In THREE days, his latest book, The Changing Season will be released!!    It is more than awesome!!!

My review of this coming of age story can be found here:  http://bethartfromtheheart.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-changing-season-by-steven.html



In 1991, I served in Operation Desert Storm—and experience that proved to be a brutal one for

me on all fronts. I remember making myself a promise in the desert, “If I make it home, I’m

going to chase my dream of becoming an author.” And I did.

After returning home from the war, I worked as a prison investigator in Massachusetts. Needless

to say, there was great negativity in my life at that time. I decided to return to college to finish

my degree in Criminal Justice. During one of the classes, the professor talked about police work

but nothing else. I finally raised my hand and asked, “The criminal justice system is vast. What

about the courts, probation, parole – corrections?” He smiled and told me to see him after class. I

thought I’d finally done it! In his office, he explained, “There’s no written material out there on

corrections or prisons, except from the slanted perspective of inmates.” He smiled again and

dropped the bomb. “If you’re so smart,” he said, “why don’t you write it?”

Nine months later, I dropped the first draft of 6-5; A Different Shade of Blue (under the pen

name, Steven Herberts) on his desk. From then on, I was hooked. I was a writer.

Fast forward 24 years and I’ve written a dozen and a half books, with four of them (The Rockin’

Chair, Twelve Months, Pressed Pennies and Gooseberry Island) becoming #1 national

bestsellers.

In the spring of 2014, I met with my publisher (as well as mentor and friend), Lou Aronica in

Connecticut to discuss my next project—an emotional, highly-relatable novel for you and old, as

well as male and female. After a two hour lunch, I drove home story boarding The Changing

Season in my head.

I decided I wanted to write a coming-of-age story that addresses the time frame between high

school and college (which two of my children have recently experienced, while a third on his

way). I’d set the story in New England and create an endearing tale between a boy (Billy) and his

loyal dog (Jimmy), as they experience a summer of firsts: first love, first job and the first time

the weight of responsibility is felt. Amidst the twists and turns, I’d make Billy (with Jimmy by

his side each step) learn how one wrong decision can change the outcome of a lifetime and how

the right decision can bring as much pain as it does joy.

After several months of research, I started the writing to discover that the greatest challenge for

me would be time. First and foremost, I am a dad and my children come first. After that, there

are other responsibilities that need my attention. To overcome the obstacle of time, I made

writing a priority over watching TV and sometimes even sleeping. Once my family is taken care

of and the world closes its eyes, I’m up for a few more hours each day—creating Billy and

Jimmy’s world on paper.

In the end, The Changing Season took me eight months to complete. It is, by far, one of my

favorite novels to date—as I truly believe it is a tale that most people can relate to and feel

deeply.







On Sale Date: February 23, 2016
9781611882261, 1611882265
$26.95 USD, $26.95 CAD
Fiction, Coming Of Age
The Story Plant
300 pages - 6 in | 9 in