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

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