I joined a large group of people in a buddy read of Steelheart earlier in this month andThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
4 Stars!
I joined a large group of people in a buddy read of Steelheart earlier in this month and absolutely loved it. I love to listen to audiobooks while I workout. The problem is that I don't really love to work out so it can take me forever to finish a book just because I have a hard time getting to the gym. With the next book in the Reckoners series coming out soon, I thought that this short story would be great for today's trip to the gym.
I was completely entertained by this story. This story should only be read after Steelheart as there are some spoilers to that book within this story. This was a fun story that focused on David. I hadn't really given a lot of thought as to how the city would have changed after the events in the first book. This story really shows how much has changed and how fearful the residents still are. This town is actually quite vulnerable when you stop to think about it.
This story started with the simple act of grabbing a hot dog. It really is the little things that can really make a difference. David soon encounters an Epic. This epic is called Mitosis and he is very dangerous. He has the unique ability to make copies of himself. During some of the description of Mitosis's abilities, I found myself thinking about that Micheal Keaton movie from the 90's, Multiplicity.
[image]
Things get exciting and David finds himself in quite a bit of trouble. He does some quick thinking and with some help from others he is able to deal with the situation. He even gets help from a large group of everyday citizens before the story is over.
I did miss some of the group in the story. Prof has a very brief appearance and Cody is completely absent in this one. This is really David's story. I would recommend this story to anyone who has read Steelheart and has an hour or so worth of free time.
I have been a fan of Rachel Gibson for a long time and have read quite of a few of her wThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
3 Stars!
I have been a fan of Rachel Gibson for a long time and have read quite of a few of her works. When I saw that I had the opportunity to get my hands on an advanced copy of this novella, I jumped at the chance. I ended up enjoying this nice little story which should appeal to other fans of Rachel Gibson.
There was a lot going on in this novella, maybe a little too much to be honest. Many of the characters from Gibson's previous books make and appearance in this short little story. One couple is busy having a wedding and another is busy having a baby. The new romance in this story is Nate and Becca. Becca is a local hairdresser who is doing the bride's hair for the wedding. Nate is Daisy and Jack's son from an earlier book, Daisy's Back in Town.
I think the relationship between Nate and Becca seemed to move a bit quickly but I really enjoyed them on the page together. I thought they had a lot of chemistry and worked well as a couple . Any doubts that I had about Nate were erased by the end of the story. Gibson won me over with this ending but I would have loved to see their story expanded on a little more.
It was really nice to see some of the characters from previous books in the Lovett, Texas series. I have read some of the books in the series but not all of them. I had no trouble following this story even though I missed some of the earlier books.
I would recommend this book to fans of the Lovett, Texas series who are wanting to visit some of their favorite characters. This is a smartly written, nice little story that can easily be read in a single evening. I hope to get a chance to more from Rachel Gibson soon.
I received a copy of this book from Avon Impulse via Edelweiss for the purpose of providing an honest review....more
I received an advance reader edition of this book from the author via Net Galley for the purposeThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from the author via Net Galley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
4 Stars
There were other men who could keep her alive, but he was the only man who made her feel alive.
I really enjoyed this action packed story. Every once in a while I find that I am in the mood to curl up with a good romantic suspense. The right combination of action and romance can just be tons of fun if it is done well and I think that this book hit the mark very well. I have not read any of the other books in the Devlin Group series and I thought that this book read just fine as a stand alone but I could tell that there was some events in the characters' past that was probably the focus of prior books.
The book starts with a bang. Isabelle is the target of a gunman and when she gets a chance to call for help, she calls Jack. Isabelle and Jack met during her rescue which is most likely the focus of a prior book and you really get enough information in the story about it that you never feel lost. Jack immediately goes to protect Isabelle. Both have feelings for each other that they have been trying to suppress. The Devlin group sends a second man, Ty West, to help keep Isabelle safe when it becomes apparent the gunman is extremely dangerous.
The trio find themselves in several very difficult situations but are determined to stop the gunman's plan. The chemistry between Jack and Isabelle is off the charts and eventually the pair quit fighting what seems inevitable. I loved Ty's character. He does what needs to be done without question but also seemed to know how to lighten the mood when necessary. Eventually, things get even more difficult and the Devlin group must change gears to stop Isabelle's attacker.
I really had a lot of fun with this story. There was no extreme plot twists but there were a few moments that popped up that I didn't expect. The pacing of the story was well done with enough action to keep the story moving. I really liked all the characters in this one. Jack and Isabelle really seemed quite perfect for each other and I almost cheered when they quit fighting it.
I would highly recommend this story to fans of romantic suspense. I have read some of Shannon Stacey's contemporary romance Kowalski series and have really loved those. I really think she nailed this romantic suspense story as well. I do hope to go back and read the prior books in this series. I would really love to read about Isabelle's prior rescue. ...more
Because sometimes, you need to help the heroes along.
When I saw a bunch of my friends on Goodreads were planning a buddy read for this book, I decided to jump right in and I ended up having a blast with this book. I really went into this book somewhat blindly. I didn't really look to see what the book was even about. I just know that my daughter had this book and I kept seeing how good it was. I like good books so I just went with it.
This book ended up being so much fun! I was immediately hooked on this book from the opening line. I think that this book does a better job of grabbing the reader right away than almost anything else that I have ever read. Seriously, the prolog of this book is absolutely amazing. I quickly figured out that this was a superhero kind of book but with a twist - the superheros, or epics, are the bad guys. Wow! That twist never crossed my small mind, not even once.
I didn't have many philosophies about life, but one of them was something my father had taught me: never throw the first punch. If you had to throw the second, try to make sure they don't get up for a third.
The Reckoners are trying to stop the epics. They target specific epics and carefully plan before exterminating them. David, who lost his father to Steelheart, hopes to become a part of the Reckoners group so he figures out where they might be and somehow gets himself noticed. The Reckoners are quite the group. I absolutely loved Cody and Abraham. The Professor was quite interesting and a great leader. Tia was a kind of behind the scenes characters who missed out on a lot of the action. I liked Megan at times and didn't like her at all at other times.
David quickly becomes a part of the group largely because of the knowledge he has about Steelheart. He has seen him bleed and has therefore seen his weakness. The question is can the group figure out what that weakness is? David was such a great characters. He would be brave on minute and take unnecessary risks the next. He would seem like a child at one point and wise beyond his years at others. David is incredibly smart and focused but can't seem to figure out how to make a decent metaphor.
"Wow," I said. "It's like...a banana farm for guns." "A banana farm," Megan said flatly. "Sure. You know, how bananas grow from trees and hang down and stuff?" "Knees, you suck at metaphors."
The beginning and the end of the book were filled with non-stop action. There were a few twists that I didn't see coming but I wasn't completely shocked either. The middle parts of the book contained a lot of planning and to be honest, I missed the fast paced constant action. I loved that this book was funny at times. David's inability to construct a metaphor and Cody's general personality made for quite a few laughs. The story was completely unique and the world building was fantastic.
I would highly recommend this book to others. This was the first book by Brandon Sanderson that I have read and I can't wait to read more of his work. I definitely plan to continue with this series. ...more
I enjoyed reading this novella. I loved the fact that the characters were a little diffeThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
4 Stars!
I enjoyed reading this novella. I loved the fact that the characters were a little different that I usually see. It was refreshing to see a story about a second chance at romance. This book is part of the Clan Sinclair series but I was perfectly fine reading it as a stand alone story. I am sure that some of the character may have been in previous books but this is a complete story.
Ceana is a widow and mother of 2 daughters. Her husband's family has taken control of her life in the time since her husband's death. She is at the point that she cannot take it anymore so she decides to leave her daughter in the care of family while she goes to visit her brother, Macrath, and his wife, Virginia.
Once she arrives at her brother's home, she meets Bruce, an American who is working to keep the family safe. Ceana and Bruce are drawn to each other. They have book suffered huge losses and have learned to continue living. They decide to act on their attraction even though they know nothing can come of it.
I really liked the fact that the main characters have lived, loved, and lost. I am so used to seeing only young virgins holding the lead roles in romances, especially historical romances. The book had a lot of excitement and action packed into just a few pages. I kind of wish that this could have been a bit longer. The relationship between Bruce and Ceana moved a bit faster than I wish it had and I didn't always feel the chemistry between them. That being said I did find it to be a very nice story.
I would recommend this story to fans of historical romance. This is the first story by Karen Ranney that I have had a chance to read and I look forward to reading a full length work soon.
I received a copy of this book from Avon Impulse via Edelweiss for the purpose of providing an honest review....more
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Bell Bridge Books via Net Galley for the This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Bell Bridge Books via Net Galley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
[image]
1.5 Stars
I was not impressed by this book at all. When I requested a book about vampire cowboys from Net Galley, I wanted a fun but quirky read. I like things that are a bit different and since I like cowboys and I like vampires, I thought this would be a blast. Boy was I ever wrong. The idea had potential but the execution was lacking.
This book seemed confused about what kind of book it wanted to be. After the main character's vibrator is mentioned several times early in the story, I actually stopped reading to check and whether or not this was actually classified as erotica. It never really went there but at times the story almost seemed like it wanted to cross the line into erotica. Don't get me wrong - I am not a prude. Not at all. I don't read erotica because I have found that books that fall into that category are often lacking a decent plot. Sex seemed to be the major focus of the book and it did nothing to strengthen the plot. To make matters worse, I thought the sex scenes in this book were actually quite boring.
The plot had some potential. A group of vampires that were all turned in the Old West return as a group to reclaim the town of Tombstone. In order to make that possible, they operate a vacation destination that will bring back the Old West for travelers. This group of vampires were all sired by the same vampire and once were part of an outlaw vampire gang. The whole group is in the town of Tombstone with the exception of their maker. This was interesting....but the story spent more time focused on Riley's sexual longing than this group of vampires.
I didn't care about the characters at all. I thought much of the story was ridiculous. For example, when Boone thinks Riley might be in trouble does he keep her next to him to protect her at all times - no....he puts her in a cave by herself while he searches for the villian. She literally spends a large part of the story in a cave by herself.
I really cannot recommend this story to anyone. There are too many well done vampire stories out there to waste your time with this one. I was able to finish the story but I didn't enjoy any of it. I actually read the whole book because I kept think that it had to get better soon but it didn't. ...more
I had so much fun with this book! This book is the third book in the Various States of UThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
4 Stars!
I had so much fun with this book! This book is the third book in the Various States of Undress series but I had absolutely no trouble reading it as a stand alone novel. When I requested this book, I thought it looked like a sweet romance and I was right to an extent. It was sweet but there was so much more to the story than I had expected.
I fell in love with Brett right away. Who wouldn't? He is a sexy athlete who happens to play minor league baseball for the best team in the United States - the St. Louis Cardinals (just in case you haven't guessed - I live in St. Louis and love my Cardinals!). Brett has worked hard to get where he is and has overcome a lot in his life. He is a genuinely nice guy in this story.
I liked Georgia just as much as I loved Brett. Georgia is one of the President's daughters. I have never given a lot of thought as to what that might actually be like before reading this story. Georgia is an overachiever in school and just needs to complete an internship before she can graduate with a degree in journalism. She signs on with the station in Memphis just to find out that they really want to exploit her celebrity status instead of letting her work on news stories that matter to her. Because of who she is, Georgia can't just go anywhere and do anything like most people. When Georgia goes somewhere it is news and she has to bring along her secret service staff and constantly think about security.
Georgia's main assignment for internship is to get a detailed interview with Brett who is a local celebrity. Brett has had a crush on Georgia for a long time but he really doesn't want to share his life on the local television news station. As the pair start spending more time together, sparks fly and they soon become a couple.
I really liked everything about this story. The characters were smart and had a lot of depth. I thought that their love story was very realistic. They got to actually know each other before developing a relationship. The writing was smart and the pacing made the book hard to put down. I would highly recommend this story to anyone who loves contemporary romance. This is the first book by Laura Simcox that I have had a chance to read and I plan to look for more from this very talented author.
I received a copy of this book from Avon Impulse via Edelweiss for the purpose of providing an honest review....more
It is amazing how much action is packed into this novella. It is non-stop....and I loved it. I am not sure that everything would have worked like it did in the story in real life but who cares. This story is so much fun. This story had everything a romantic suspense should have - wonderful characters, lots of action, tons of chemistry, and even a few laughs.
Ward finds himself zip tied to chair at the beginning of the story and he has Tasha to thank for it. It doesn't take long for Ward to realize that Tasha is not just a bartender just as he is not really a businessman. Ward is actually a CIA operative on a mission, while Tasha is a MI6 operative from England that happens to be on a very similar mission.
Ward and his partner, Ford, convince Tasha that they need to work together. Tasha quickly proves that she is a force to be dealt with and is just as tough as any man. Ward and Tasha stick together and find that the chemistry they felt while watching each other has not gone away but has intensified. Against all odds, the pair successfully work together.
As I noted earlier, everything in this story may not be the way things would have worked in the real world but that is the case with most action stories. This story was hard to put down because you never know what was going to happen next. The writing was great and the characters were well fleshed out for such a short work.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense. This is the first story by HelenKay Dimon that I have had a chance to read but I plan to look for others soon. This is also the beginning of a new series that I look forward to reading.
I received a copy of this book from Avon Impulse via Edelweiss for the purpose of providing an honest review....more
I really enjoyed this book. I actually ended up reading the whole book in one day. It This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
4.5 Stars!
I really enjoyed this book. I actually ended up reading the whole book in one day. It was really that good. I was a little worried about reading this book because I have not yet had a chance to read the first book in the series but this book reads perfectly well as a stand alone novel. I ended up being completely captivated by this wonderful little romance and by the end of the book I was trying to convince my husband to move to the beach with me.
I really liked that this book did not have the main characters fall in love at first sight. They actually start out as adversaries in this book which is perfect. Camille works for the firm that is trying to buy the Happy Crab. She seems like an all work and no fun kind of woman at the start of the book. Reece is the owner of the Happy Crab and he has no plans to sell to Camille's firm regardless of the amount offered.
My first impression of Camille was not so good but when a giant iguana enters the scene she becomes much more interesting. I loved Reece on every page of this book. He is the kind of character that you cannot help but love. He is a laidback guy who obviously lives life to the fullest. I loved how he teased Camille and even went so far as to only call her Cami even though she initially hated it.
The chemistry between the pair was really wonderful. These are two people who don't want to be attracted to each other but can't seem to help it. It was a lot of fun to watch them finally give in to their attraction. I thought the relationship between the pair seemed completely authentic.
I really liked the fact that this book was able to be funny at times, a little quirky, completely romantic, and heartbreaking at different points. I really could not put it down and highly recommend this story to anyone who likes a good romance. This is the first book by Toni Blake that I have had a chance to read and I look forward to many more in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Avon Books via Edelweiss for the purpose of providing an honest review....more
I received an advanced reader edition of the book from Avon via Edelweiss for the purpose of provThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
I received an advanced reader edition of the book from Avon via Edelweiss for the purpose of providing an honest review.
4 Stars!
This was a wonderful little story that can easily be read in a single evening. I found this story to be quite enchanting and loved the fact that so much story was packed into just a few pages.
Penelope and Ethan have known each other since they were children. Having both lost a parent during their childhood, they have been very close friends for a very long time. They live next to each other, see each other all the time, and have dinner together several times every week. Penelope is twenty five years old and has reached the point in her life where she is ready for something more. Ethan would like for things to stay just as they are - he is not a fan of change.
I really enjoyed the characters in this story. Their bond with each other was so amazingly strong that I did wonder how Ethan was unable to see what was right in front of him. I love that Penelope decides that she is tired of waiting and decides to take action even if it is not the direction that she really wants to go. The parents obviously knew that they should be a couple but let the pair figure things out for themselves instead of pushing them together. I had a great time watching Ethan figure out that something had to change or he would lose Penelope.
I think this novella is the perfect story to grab for any romance reading looking for a nice sweet read. I would recommend this story to all fans of historical romance. This is the first work by Vivienne Lorret that I have had a chance to read plan to look for her books in the future....more
I received an advance reader edition of this book from the author for the purpose of providing aThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from the author for the purpose of providing an honest review.
[image]
1.5 Stars
I have been procrastinating. I should have wrote this review weeks ago but I hate writing bad reviews. I feel like I should apologize or something for not liking this book. Maybe that is going too far but I really wanted to enjoy this book and I tried really hard but this was not the book for me. This ended up being the kind of book that you just cannot wait to finish. When I finished this book, I was so happy to be done just because I wanted to move on to something else - something I might actually like. I do think that this book could work for some audiences. I just couldn't relate to really anything in this book.
Katie is the president of her sorority. She is dating a popular boy in school and they make such a cute couple (or at least she keeps telling us how perfect they are as a couple). Her best friend, Chelsea, is murdered and shoved into a closet inside a classroom. Her body is discovered when it falls out of the closet during class at the beginning of the story. I had high hopes of the mystery in this book but Katie seemed more focused on keeping up appearances than anything else.
Did I put on waterproof mascara this morning? I simply couldn't remember. I hoped I had.
The above quote is a shining example of type of important stuff that runs through Katie's head during this book. I wanted to slap her. I wanted to shake her. I pretty much hated everything about Katie. I thought that this book was going to focus on solving the mystery of Chelsea's death but instead there is a lot of focus on putting on a fashion show, discussion of what Katie was wearing. Who cares what Katie is wearing? Who cares about putting on a fashion show? One of the sorority members has been killed - shouldn't that sorority skip the contest this year? But, no. Katie must look strong and keep up appearances.
If my best friend tries to look cute and put on a fashion show after my murdered body is found, I will haunt her.....forever. To be fair, there is some mystery solving in the book but it never seemed to take center stage. The only character that is remotely likeable is Josh but he constantly lets Katie treat him horribly throughout the book so I kind of wanted to smack him too.
To be fair, my life is so different than any of the characters in this book. I went to college but I never lived in a dorm and I was never part of a sorority. I wore sweatpants without any make-up during my college days. Okay, I will be honest that is usually what I still wear unless I have to put on real clothes. I never wear high heels but I do have a lovely pair of custom orthotics to put in my shoes - I am sexy like that. I don't remember ever trying to date anyone simply because we would make a cute couple. I would have kicked that jerky boyfriend of hers to the curb on about page 2 of the book. And you know what? I would have mourned the death of my best friend. I would have screamed and cried ugly tears for DAYS. I would have been a mess and I wouldn't have cared because my best friend would be DEAD. Not just dead but MURDERED.
Let's just say that I was the wrong audience for this book. I actually thought about quitting the book early on and I really wish I had followed through with that feeling early in the book. This is a really short book and I finished it hoping I would find something I liked in the book. The end of the book was better than the beginning but not enough to overcome my distaste for all things Katie. I cannot recommend this book to others. ...more
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin Group via Net Galley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
3 Stars
As with most anthologies, I felt that some of the stories were very good and some I wish I had skipped. I originally sat down to read a romance novel the night I read this book but I realized that I was not in the mood to read romance so I decided to start on this book of horror short stories instead. These stories are very short with the entire book being only around 100 pages so the authors really do not have a lot of time to develop the stories. I really liked the Stephen King and Kelley Armstrong stories. I thought that Bill Pronzini's story was okay but I didn't enjoy Simon Clark or Ramsey Campbell's at all.
"Weeds" by Stephen King I noticed that this story was originally published in 1976 before starting the story. That did not change my enjoyment of the story but just a warning that you may have already read this one to all the King fans out there. I am very new to reading Stephen King and have exactly one book under my belt right now and I found that I really enjoyed this short story. I felt that this story really should be classified as science fiction rather than horror.
"The Price You Pay" by Kelley Armstrong I have always wanted to read Kelley Armstrong's work so I was eager to read this short story and it turned out to be one of my favorites in the book. It was the story of two young women who have been friends since they were small children. The way this story ended was really surprising to me. I am convinced that I need to read more of Armstrong's work.
"Magic Eyes" by Bill Pronzini This story was told as journal entries of a man in an insane asylum. I really liked having the story told in such a unique manner. I think that the author was able to write the paranoia the main character felt quite well.
"Murder in Chains" by Simon Clark This story was not one of my favorites. It was about a man who finds himself chained to a murderer. I did not understand the point of the story and to be honest felt a bored while reading it. There was a lot of action in this one but it was not for me.
"The Watched" by Ramsey Campbell I fell asleep reading this short story....twice. It is about a young boy living with his grandmother who is asked to watch his neighbors. I found this story to be quite boring.
I would recommend the Stephen King and Kelley Armstrong stories to other readers. This set of anthologies is one that I would recommend reading only the stories that appeal to you. I will keep my eyes open for other Dark Screams anthologies and depending on the authors included would pick another set up at some point. ...more
I received an advance reader edition of this book from the author via Net Galley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
[image]
4.5 Stars!
I picked this book up and was immediately hooked. It is a very good thing that I did not have any plans on the day I started this book because this was the kind of book that is almost impossible to put down. This book first came to my attention on Goodreads where I noticed it was getting great reviews so I immediately requested a copy from Net Galley. I avoided reading any reviews that gave away any part of the plot and I am so glad that I did because this book really surprised me with the direction it took.
I loved the characters. Tate Sullivan is a tough 16 year old girl. She is in no way helpless and is willing to fight when necessary. She has not lead a life of privilege prior to being thrust into the world of the Guild. Where other girls would be dazzled by fancy dresses and servants, Tate misses her family and her previous life. Her cousin, Zoe, whose life has taken an almost identical path as Tate's, is equally tough while other girls, like Eva, are eager to enter the world of the Guild.
I was so happy to read a Young Adult novel that did not have a major focus on romance. There is just a bit of romance in this book. I really wish that the romance was not a part of this story. I actually think that it took a bit away from the main plot. I honestly do not believe that Tate would have been worried about any romantic feelings in the situation she is in - just my opinion. The bit of romance is really what stopped this book from being a 5 star read for me but it is really so minor in the total story that I think most readers will not be bothered by it at all.
I recommend this book to everybody. I suspect that this story can easily be the next big thing. I was only halfway through this book when I told my 14 year old that she needed to read this one. I really think that this book is one that can appeal to a very wide audience. This is the first book by Shawntelle Madison that I have had a chance to read. I can't wait to read the next installment in this series. ...more
It is really hard to believe but this is the first Stephen King book that I have This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
[image]
5 Stars!
It is really hard to believe but this is the first Stephen King book that I have ever read. I have really no idea why I never picked up a King book before now - I just didn't do it. Oh sure, I have bought a few Stephen King books over the years and I have several sitting on my kindle right now just waiting to be read. I am now a little mad at myself for never opening one of those books because this stuff is amazing. I am pretty sure that I did read a short story and maybe a novella years ago but that is a little like getting to second (or maybe third) base from my point of view. I have finally went all the way and consumed a Stephen King novel.
"Something happened."
I decided to read this book simply because I found it sitting on the shelf at my local library this past Wednesday. I have always wanted to read a King book so I picked it up and after noticing it was only about 400 pages I realized this would be an excellent book to see how I like King's writing. Don't get me wrong, I like long books but I wanted something a little shorter for my first time. I decided that this book had been waiting for me to take it home - so that is what I did.
[image]
I really did not know what to expect. I know other readers love his work and I have seen some of the film adaptations of his work so I was hoping for a good story and that is exactly what I got. I actually opened the book just to take a look and had no plans to start reading it right away. Who needs plans anyway? I was instantly pulled into the book and cursed my life every time I had to put it down - sometime work, kids, dinner, and laundry just need to go away.
This book follows the life of Jamie Morton for about 50 years starting when he was only 6 years old. That is when he met Reverend Charles Jacobs. I absolutely loved the part of the book when Jamie was a child and teenager. I loved watching Jamie first pick up a guitar and fall in love with a girl.
"All that shit starts in E."
Jamie's life intersected with Jacobs years later when Jamie is at a low point. Jacobs is able to help Jamie but Jamie wonders what the actual cost is. Jamie becomes very suspicious of Jacobs but also very curious which keeps drawing him to the man until the conclusion of the story.
[image]
I really enjoyed the style of writing in this book. I will say that I liked the beginning of the book more than the end. The characters really brought a lot to the story for me and the images were incredibly vivid. I had also hoped for something a little scary and I did not find this book to be at all scary. I would call it suspenseful not scary. I think that if Stephen King writes a book the label horror is automatically slapped on. Even though it was not the horror that I had hoped for, this was one heck of a story and I am glad that I went along for the ride. I would definitely recommend this book to others and plan to read much more Stephen King myself. ...more
I received an advanced reader edition of this book from the author for the purpose of providing This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I received an advanced reader edition of this book from the author for the purpose of providing an honest review.
4 Stars!
I loved this sweet story! I have read a lot of sports romance and have found that the focus is almost always on the romance with just a glimpse of the sport. That is not the case with this novel. This is a true sports story with the sport being just as important as the romance. I love baseball so this story really appealed to me.
Heather is a softball coach after having been a great player herself. When she gets the call that her dad has had a heart attack, she rushes to his side. Soon she finds out that her father is planning to sell his struggling minor league baseball team and she fights to get a chance to manage the team and turn things around. Nothing Heather does ever seems to be good enough for her father but he eventually agrees to the plan.
Garrett is a recovering alcoholic who is trying one last time to fulfill his dreams of making it to the big leagues. When he finds out that his team will now have the first female manager, he is ready to find another team. He soon recognizes that Heather has what it takes to lead this team and gives the team his all.
There is a lot of chemistry between Garrett and Heather from the very beginning but there are also a lot of reasons they should not act on it. When Heather becomes the manager of the Falcons, she also becomes his boss so a relationship is not the best idea. An even bigger problem is that Heather does not feel that she can ever trust anyone who has ever been an addict because she watched her mother relapse too many times when she was younger.
The fact that this book is part of the Harlequin Heartwarming line is perfect! It is most definitely a heartwarming story. Garrett and Heather both have a lot of issues from their past to overcome and watching them do that in this story was wonderful. This story is wonderfully written and the character's emotions really feel authentic. I would definitely recommend this book to others. Baseball fans should find this story particularly appealing. This is the first book by Karen Rock that I have had the chance to read and I plan to look for others in the future. ...more
I am so very disappointed in this book. I tend to be a rather easy reader to please. There are quite a few books that I absolutely love that other seem to hate. I really just want to be entertained and I try not to over-analyze anything I am reading. So when I saw decent reviews for this book, I checked it out on Amazon and when I saw that it was only $1.99 at the time, I clicked that Buy Now button so quickly it could make your head spin. One of my friends on Goodreads was also planning to read this book so we decided to read it together.
This book was okay for really most of the book. I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. Sure there were some things that bugged me. I hated that Malorie kept calling the kids Boy and Girl. If my husband called me Woman all the time instead of Carole, we would have some problems. I really did not like how the book jumped around in time. Because of the way the book jumped around, I knew that I should not get attached to most of the characters because they are not around anymore during the scenes set in the present.
It wasn't all bad. The concept was different and I really like the books I read to be different. I liked the scenes set in the house with all of the residents. A group of people working together to survive the unsurvivable. People love that stuff, myself included. I liked the dynamics of the house and really liked some of the characters. I thought Tom was the kind of person you would want to have around in this kid of situation. He was a true leader willing to take risks. I found that the scenes featuring Tom and the other housemates were really the best in the book.
There were some things that really, really bugged me about this book. I didn't really care about Malorie which was a problem since she is the main character. I know I would have liked the book more if I had liked Malorie but as it was written I didn't really care if she lived or died. There was few scenes that still bug me. Malorie drove herself to the safe house only opening her eyes every once in a while. How did that work? I sometimes wonder if the drivers that I see on the road at times have the eyes closed but this does not make any sense. I HATED the final scenes of the book. I was waiting for that moment when I would finally see everything come together. I had high hopes for that moment and thought it was going to be great. It ended up being one of the most ridiculous things that I have ever read.
I can't recommend this book to anyone. If you are looking for scary, this book is not scary. It is weird. This is the first book by Josh Malerman that I have had a chance to read and I don't plan on seeking out any others to be honest. I am really a little mad that I spent real money on this one. ...more
I received a copy of this book from the author for the purpose of providing an honest review.
4 Stars!
This book ended up being a solid 4 star read for me. I have to admit that when I first sat down to read this book I had a moment where I wondered what I had done by requesting this book. I read another book earlier this year about something very similar and it really wasn't the right story for me. Just a few pages into this book and I was hooked. This story connected with me in a way that the other book hadn't and I found that I could relate to just about everything inside of these pages.
This story is set during the early days of online dating. I believe I am a little bit older than the author and I remember the even earlier days of meeting people online. I never signed up for an online dating service as the main character in this book did but I did meet a few people online. I think I met every single one of the men that are found in this story. It is mind boggling how authentic this book actually is. One of the things that I really loved about this book was how it reminded me so much of some of the best (and worst) days of my life. I never at any point in the book thought that something was far fetched or out of place.
The characters in this book are just wonderful. I realize that most of the characters were most likely based on real people and it shows because these people are real. They are not perfect and they have their flaws but they keep trying. Let's just say that K.J. Farnham absolutely nailed it with these characters. The writing style of this book was wonderful. I felt Chloe's frustration as she navigated the dating world right along with her and I cheered for her when things went well. All of the men, all of the dates, and all of Chloe's friends blended perfectly into a wonderful little story.
I would highly recommend this book to other readers. This is a captivating story that I consumed in just two days. This is the first book by K.J. Farnham that I have had a chance to read but I plan to watch for other books in the future....more
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin Group via Net Galley for the purpThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin Group via Net Galley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
[image]
4 Stars
I was completely sucked into this book right away. This is the second book in Melissa Cutler's Bomb Squad series but I believe that it could easily be read as a stand alone book. This series is focused on the players and friends of the Bomb Squad hockey team. Each book tells a different story based on the same set of characters. I tend to really enjoy stories that are a little different and this group of characters are anything but ordinary.
[image]
Marlena is the local yoga teacher who has just been enlisted to teach yoga to the Bomb Squad in an attempt to bring them out of their losing streak. This hockey team is composed of wounded warriors each facing their own set of challenges. Liam does not have any physical injuries from the war but struggles everyday with what he has seen and been through.
Liam and Marlena have known each other for years since Marlena and Olivia, Liam's twin sister, have been best friends from childhood. The first encounter between Marlena and Liam does not go well with each of them setting off triggers for the other. Marlena and Liam are both struggling to deal with events from their past and find strength in each other.
[image]
I really enjoyed this story. These characters were real. Marlena's denial of her past problems seemed completely authentic to me. The demons that Liam faced on a daily basis did not leave him acting like the nice guy. Liam was not the most likeable character but I felt that he seemed so real and I wanted Marlena to help give him strength. I love the members of the Bomb Squad and was thrilled that they were around a lot in this story.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance. This is the second book that I have had a chance to read by Melissa Cutler and I look forward to continuing with the series. ...more
Loading...
