Tag Archive | #BeatTheBacklist

Beat The Backlist 2018 + 2017 Recap

Dec2

2017 is nearly over and it’s time to start thinking about all the wonderful reading challenges 2018 has in store for us… or if you’re like me, you’re going to swear off ALL reading challenges for 2018, only to cave under the peer pressure from your blogger friends.

So here I am, declaring myself a member of the Story Bard team for Beat The Backlist 2018. Last year the challenge was really intense and I did really well for most of it, but I fell off the wagon toward the end. I had a hard time keeping up with what I had submitted and what I hadn’t. I mean, if you follow my blog at all, you know how behind I am at posting my reviews! I’m much quicker at reading than writing up and posting my thoughts! (They’re coming though, I swear!)

2017 Recap

So, first things first. Let’s see how I did in 2017. (I know the year isn’t over yet, but I quit submitting my reviews for points.)

I had a list of print books I wanted to work my way through, and I did pretty awful.

My print book list contained 24 books.
Of those 24 books I read 5 and have started and set aside another 4. So…. that’s not great, but not awful.

Ebooks I think I did a little better with. I didn’t “declare” any ebooks back at the beginning of the challenge, but I did read quite a few. Total #BeatTheBacklist books read for 2017 (including print) came to… 16.

Wait…. 16 total? I take it back. I did awful. I do have at least one more review to post that was a backlist, but still. I did awful.

2018 Goals

I’m getting clarification of the rules, but I had planned to do some re-reads in 2018. I’m nearly done with Twilight right now and want to re-read the entire series. Same with The Mortal Instruments, Vampire Academy, and Bloodlines. I haven’t reviewed most if any of those books, so if those count, I’m set to do well!

I’m still going to try to work my way through the rest of my 2017 list.

That means I’m looking at, for print books:

From the 2017 list….

Switch by Douglas Davey

– Goodreads win. It’s YA. It fits the LGBTQ reading challenge I took on. Also looks like it might be a relatively short read.

The Other Boy by M. G. Hennessey

– Goodreads win. Very short middle grade. It might bore me, but it might not. It’s about bullying. I might give it to my 4th grader to read when I’m done. Also an ARC…. I probably should have read sooner. I’m the worst.

The Black Sheep by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout

– Pretty sure this was a Goodreads win. One of the very few YA’s I’ve won. Plus it looks super cute with reality TV and teen romance mixed in.

Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard by Jonathan Auxier

– Goodreads win. MG I believe. Might be a good one to read with/to my kids. Been on my TBR list since I won it. Another ARC I feel guilty for not reading sooner!

Silence by Michelle Sagara

– Goodwill find. I paid money for it, I damn well better read it! Pretty cover.

The Wizard, The Witch & Two Girls From Jersey by Lisa Papademetriou

– Friends of the Library buy. I paid money for it, I damn well better read it! If the book is as good as the title I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

Legacy: A Private Novel by Kate Brian

– Friends of the Library buy. I have a feeling I won’t like this one about rich boarding school girls, but I paid $1.50 for it so I have to at least try.

Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix

– Friends of the Library buy. I’m iffy on this one. But it was cheap. And there are girls in tiaras. I like princesses.

The Best “Worst” president: What the Right Gets Wrong About Barack Obama by Mark Hannah

– Goodreads win. Fabulous cover. I need to read more about politics. And I love the Obama family. Big book with small print though…

The Courtship Basket by Amy Clipston

 

– Goodreads win. I’ve been trying to win an Amish romance since forever. Now I can find out if I even like Amish romances!

Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin

– On loan from a friend. From at least 3 years ago! EEP! Better read and return. Hesitant because it’s chick lit and my luck with that genre has been meh. (I DID START THIS ONE! But I set it aside so I’ll have to start again.)

A Night With Audrey Hepburn by Lucy Holliday

– Goodreads win. One of my FIRST wins. Keeps getting pushed back on the list because I haven’t had much luck with chick lit. Beautiful cover though!

Something Blue by Emily Griffin

– See book 1 for all reasons. If I hate Something Borrowed I will not be reading Something Blue.

Cat With a Clue by Laurie Cass

– Goodreads win. Cozy mystery. Cats. Sounds good to me! Was going to read summer 2016 but it got shuffled aside. 🙁 (I started this one! It didn’t hook me so I’m not very commuted to this one. Sorry Cat.)

A Boy in Barcelona by R. W. Mitchell

 

 

– Goodreads win. Meets 2 other reading challenges (LGBTQ & Tour of Europe). Main character is quitting social media? I must see how this plays out, I couldn’t do it!

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

– Goodreads win. I’ve heard good things about this one. I like libraries. And magic. It was an ARC and I feel guilty for not reading/reviewing yet! (BONUS: Counts for my European Reading Challenge!)

Drop Dead Beautiful by Jackie Collins

– Given to me by a friend to keep. I read most of the Lucky Santangelo series before this one. The first one, Chances, I thought I’d hate. But my friend insisted and boy am I glad I did! SO ADDICTING! I need to double check that I am up to date before starting this one, but I’m pretty sure I have at least one more to read first. Despite being HUGE books, these are totally addicting page turners. It’s good to have a little Jackie Collins in your life.

NetGalley / First Reads

I’m a bad little reader and here it is December and I have a number of books from NetGalley and First Reads that still need to be read. Sometimes I get a little greedy with the request / guarantee clicks….

First Reads:

Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi
– In my defense, I did START this one. I might have even finished the first chapter. Unfortunately it’s trapped on my old phone, and I’m not even sure where that is at the moment. I will read it though.

Ramses The Damned by Anne Rice & Christopher Rice

– I love Anne Rice so I really am looking forward to this. Unfortunately I have it in my head that I have to re-read the first book, The Mummy, so I’ll be doing that first. This one is also trapped on my old phone.

 

NetGalley:

The Girl in the Glass Box by Andi Adams

– It’s a fairy tale retelling. Hopefully a good one!

Doctor Who: Myths and Legends

– It’s The Doctor. Of course I need to read this one as soon as I can!

Begin Again by Mona Kasten

– I read a review of this on another blog and had to have it. I requested, they approved. I will read it probably in January. Pretty sure it’s a NA romance?

Artemis by Andy Weir

– I have no good excuse for not reading this yet! I LOVED The Martian so I’m sure Artemis won’t disappoint! I’m going to blame the 12 Books of Christmas Challenge I’m doing right now! I guess it’s appropriate that I read this for BTB 2018 since I read The Martian for BTB 2017!

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

– I won a print ARC of this one as well as the NetGalley copy and honestly, I’m not crazy about it. I’ll probably force myself to finish it. Maybe it gets better?

Beautiful Bodies by Kimberly Rae Miller

– I don’t remember what this one is about. I think it’s a memoir? It looked good though, the fiction books just keep getting priority from me.

The Falconer by Elizabeth May

– Started this one, but the formatting made it really wonky to do text to speech, so I have to read it when I can commit to reading with my eyes, not just listening.

Nessie by Nick Redfern

– Started this one, but took a loooong break. Might just have to DNF.

Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira

– I’ve started this book at least twice now, but the formatting is SO awful I may have to DNF. I’m not sure yet.

RoseBlood by A. G. Howard

– This one was started and set aside. I may come back to it, otherwise I’ll have to list DNF and report that to the publisher.

Others

I have some other books that need reading that I purchased ages ago and just never got around to….

Lost in Limbo by Angela Roquet

– In 2013 my friend had me buy this boxset of books 1-3 of the Lana Harvey, Reapers Inc. series, and I just never read it. Let that sink in. This book has been lingering for over 4 years now, just waiting for my attention.

Dark Swan series by Richelle Mead

– They had an awesome sale on this series this past year so I snagged it. I unfortunately kept grabbing NetGalley books so I haven’t had a chance to dive in yet. But I will, because Richelle Mead is my spirit animal. I want to be her when I grown up. I did actually read the graphic novel of the first book, and though it was very anemic (graphic novels just aren’t the same as novels! Sorry graphic novel lovers!) it gave me a taste of the story and I want to read more with all the details!

Vampire Girl by Karpov Kinrade

– A friend of mine is addicted to this book. She told me I HAD to read it, and since it was only 99c I bought it. I just haven’t found the time to start it yet!

 

….Everything else on my Kindle.

– I have so many books on my Kindle it’s not even funny. Seriously, it’s ridiculous. I’m hoping once I have my NetGalley list under control (hahaha! Funny, right?) I’ll be able to read one from my Kindle library for every 2 NetGalley/First Reads book. Doable? Maybe. We’ll find out won’t we!

So what about you? Are you participating in any reading challenges? If you’re taking part in this one, what team are you on? (If you’re not a Story Bard, best of luck, but don’t do better than my team please. haha!)

REVIEW: Pucked by Rachel Walter

Sep25
Pucked Book Cover Pucked
Rachel Walter
Contemporary YA Romance / Sports Romance
February 10, 2015
Kindle
328
The Author
Beat The Backlist
August 15, 2017

Does life get in the way of love or does love get in the way of life?

Riley Silk, captain of the Warriors Ice Hockey team at Dalesburg High, doesn’t think life can be lived if love is present. If there’s two things in life he knows to be true, it’s that love causes pain and hockey is his ticket to a better life. He’s worked hard to maintain his Frozen Silk reputation in order to stay focused on his duties and goals.

Audrey Jacobs, the Warriors’ number one fan, believes life can’t be lived without love. She can find love and beauty in the muddiest of situations. Her best friend, Riley, is under a lot of stress at home, so she does her best to brighten his mood whenever she can.

When lines cross and blur, they struggle to keep control of the simplicity their friendship once held. With Audrey’s outlook on life usually surrounded by light, the growing darkness of her doubts and insecurities threaten to deflect her toward the wrong path.

Can she find her true self before her world burns around her? When truths become lies, can Riley find the strength to fight his way through his own personal darkness that clings to his mind and soul? Can he win this face-off that life has dropped in his zone, or will fate take him out of the game completely?

Who keeps the puck?

**Warning- Several abuse topics are discussed in this story, which includes parental alienation, physical abuse, alcohol abuse, and mild drug abuse.**

Review

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

Let me start by saying I hate sports. I don’t “get” them and don’t follow them. I always work during the Superbowl because I could care less about the game. That said, I loved this YA sports romance! This book made me want to be a hockey fan. I mean, sports still bore me, but Rachel Walter made me feel like maybe I’m missing out on something.

This book is very deep, especially for a YA novel. Riley has a very shitty home life. His mom is a real piece of work and he has basically raised his little sister since his dad left 5 years ago. When his dad left he shut down. He turned to hockey as his only outlet, his way of making something of himself and getting out of his crappy situation.

Audrey is his best friend. She’s the only one who really gets him. She’s the only one he doesn’t ice out. Their friendship is perfect. And then he kisses her and things get weird.

Told in dual POV (Riley and Audrey) this book takes place over a long period of time. It’s not a quick romance, and I loved it that way. So much happens over a long period of time that I really got to know these characters. I was rooting for them. When Riley proclaimed time and time again that love gets in the way, my heart broke. I kept waiting for Audrey to fix him. But his issues ran so deep it wasn’t a quick fix and I think the author did the subject matter justice by not making it seem like one girl could fix a boy so broken. All she could do was help.

So yeah, I loved this story. I loved these characters. And this book made me want to love hockey as much as the Mighty Ducks movies did when I was 12! A+

So, should you read it? YA contemporary fans will eat this one up. And I can attest to the fact that you can hate sports and still love this story!

Quotes

The pissed off, Frozen Silk look comes back. The look that turns his iceberg blue eyes into sheets of steel. The same look that my dad says is rage turned to stone. But it doesn’t scare me on Riley.


I can’t hear anymore. Not everyone has a happily ever after. And not every couple stays together.


“Why do you keep apologizing?”
I sit back on my knees and help her up. “Lots of reasons. First, I just pucked you.”


He doesn’t get to kiss me and then give me away to his best friend. Not me. Not him. I turn away from my locker, fully preparing to lay into Riley.


“I was beginning to think you wanted me to be the next crazy, cat lady.”
He smiles gently. “Never, you deserve more than cats. Maybe a ferret, they’d keep you on your toes by hiding your keys.”


Love gets in the way of everything. If I could kick my heart to the curb, I bet I could get through life easy.


“Wear the yellow dress, and he’ll do anything you say.”
“You’re trying to thaw him out, not heat him to a boil. Do not ever wear that dress around Riley again!” Candy argues.


Love is pain.
Love is empty.
Love hurts.
Love isn’t in my house. My house is a hellhole.


In my head, this is a play. It’s a one on one with interference, I feel like the puck. I’m passed, I’m sliced, I’m shot, I’m backhanded, and I’m blocked from both nets. The net minders are in control.


Ice is relatable. It’s unforgiving but freeing.


“I wasn’t sure if we would ever give our relationship a name-,”
“A name? It’s not a pet, Audrey.”


There’s ice in my head, ice in my lungs, and ice in my heart.


“Louise was right about you,” he says softly. “You’re too young to be this old.”

My (Writing) Life

I just got done with the loooongest weekend in a while. 7 hour shift on Friday, 12 on Saturday, and 8 on Sunday. Whew! It feels good to just stay home today!

Of course, my work at home is never one either. I’ve spent my morning so far setting up Amazon ads for some the books at my pub house. I’ve still got a few more to set up, not to mention covers to design, files to format, and so on.

I got word this weekend that the Peace group is planning some fun writing projects for October. So stay tuned and I’ll post more details about that soon. (Or you can just follow our Facebook page!) All I know for sure is that I’ll be writing a short flash fiction Halloween tale involving JoJo (Summer of Peace – Feb 2018) and Valerie (Peace in Flames – April 2018) which takes place before the events of both novellas. It should be fun!

I finished my proof reading job last night (woohoo!) and will have a review for that book in the future. Seriously, getting paid to read is the best. And now that I’m done with that project I can really focus on finishing the editing on Peace in Flames and the re-writing of Summer of Peace. THEN I can dive into my YA contemporary romance series, hopefully just in time for NaNoWriMo!

But enough about this. I’ve got work to do!

Did you have a long, busy weekend like I did? Or were you able to sit back and relax?

REVIEW: Paper Hearts by Ali Novak

Aug21
Paper Hearts Book Cover Paper Hearts
The Heartbreakers Chronicles #2
Ali Novak
YA Romance
Sourcebooks Fire
July 4, 2017 (Originally published 2014)
E-ARC
384
NetGalley
Beat The Backlist
June 1-3, 2017

"I'm sorry," he said, slowly untying the ribbon that held his mask in place. "It's just-I didn't want you to think of me any differently."

Somehow I kept my mouth from falling open. I knew his face, but my mind couldn't accept that he was the person looking down at me.

"My real name is Alec."

Felicity has her entire future planned. Ever since her older sister ran away, she's had the full weight of her mother's expectations on her shoulders. So she works hard to get straight As and save for college.

Except sometimes the best things in life are unplanned-like when Felicity meets a handsome, masked stranger while she is volunteering at a charity masquerade ball. She never thought he'd flirt with her. And she certainly never thought he'd turn out to be a member of the world-famous Heartbreakers band, Alec.

Then Felicity uncovers a shocking family secret. Suddenly, she, Alec, and her two best friends are off on a road trip to find Felicity's missing sister. And she's about to discover that unexpected turns have a peculiar way of landing her right where she needs to be...

My Review

This book sounded way too cute to resist requesting from NetGalley. Lucky for me, I was approved, and shortly thereafter dove in. Let me tell you, the story is as cute as the cover!

I was once a fangirl who dreamed of falling in love with the cute boys in the boybands I obsessed over. Lucky Felicity in this story actually gets the chance! When Alec Williams, lead singer for The Heartbreakers accidentally spills his drink on her during a charity ball, an unlikely romance and adventure begins.

Felicity likes Alec, but more important than starting a relationship, she wants to find her sister who disappeared three years ago. When she gets a lead on her sisters whereabouts, it’s Alec to the rescue, driving her and her two best friends across 3 states.

I loved the characters in this book. Felicity is very smart and driven, she doesn’t think twice about Alec’s fame and fortune. That means nothing to her. Alec is shy and quiet, nothing like she imagined from his public persona. Asha, Fel’s best friend, is the ultimate fan girl. She makes questionable choices, but her heart is in the right place. Boomer, her other bestie, is great comedic relief as well. Each character was utterly their own person and I loved them all in their own ways.

This is just an utterly feel good kinda book. The ending was very nicely done and everything came full circle.

The only negative thing I can say is that there was a portion of the book that took place with the rest of Alec’s band members and it just seemed to drag on and not move the story forward. Aside from that single scene, I loved this story and would love to read more from this series and this author!

Quotes

Aaron instantly backtracked, waving his hands in defense, “Crap. I didn’t mean it like that. You have a lovely face…er…I mean, you’re really pretty.”

 

His eyes were breathtaking, really, and I decided that gray was my new favorite color.

 

Every few pages were dogeared. It drove my mom crazy when I did that. She likes to keep her novels in top condition, as if they’d never been opened, but I was of the opinion that books were made to be loved and worn.

 

A magnetic energy of sorts swelled between us. It was charged and electric and impossible to ignore.

 

It was possibly the most romantic thing a guy had ever said to me, that he wanted to read the book because it was my favorite.

 

“Basically you need someone to suffer alongside you?” I asked, and satisfaction shot through my chest at my witty, almost flirty response.
His mouth quirked into a crooked grin. “Exactly. It will be terrible, I promise.”

 

“Can you give us a moment?” Then she pulled me out of earshot and hissed, “Did someone hit you over the head? There’s a fin-ass boy offering to take you on a road trip, and you can’t say no fast enough. What is wrong with you?”

 

“Alec, I can’t not go to Harvard.”
“Sure you can,” he replied. “Your problem isn’t that you have to go. It’s that you’re afraid of not knowing what you’ll do if you don’t.”

 

What in the world was a Poseidon? Clearly he wasn’t talking about the Greek god, which made me wonder if Oliver’s uncle kept some sort of finicky sea monster in a backyard pond.

 

“Hatred takes up more space in your heart that you realize, and it doesn’t leave room for things like love and joy. Trust me.”

 

“Don’t worry about me,” I replied. “Never been much of a frosting fan anyway.”
JJ gasped. “Told you she has no soul.”

My (Writing) Life

I’m very excited to announce that I’m THIS close to sending Peace in Flames, my YA contemporary romance, to my editor. I’m currently going through all of the feedback provided by my beta readers and cleaning things up and clarifying things I didn’t get across properly the first time.

The release isn’t until February (I’ll post the OFFICIAL date when it gets closer!) but I’m eager to finish this one so that I can move on and do the re-writes for Summer of Peace, my new adult contemporary romance in the Peace Novella Series. Then I can move on to the many OTHER projects I have planned!

Things would probably go faster if I quit getting distracted. Like that time I stopped mid-chapter to make the following teaser. haha

I (and the other Peace Series) authors would LOVE it if you’d be willing to support our Thunderclap here.

Oh, and we’ve launched a website for the series (I designed it!) that you can check out here: www.peacenovellaseries.com

 

REVIEW: Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick

Jun30

Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick

Series: Black Dog Bay #1

Read: June 22-28, 2017

Format: Hardback

My Book Rating: 4.5 Stars

Publisher: Penguin

Release Date: May 6, 2014

Genre: Chick Lit / Womens Fiction / Romance

Pages: 336

Reading Challenge(s): Beat the Backlist 2017

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Welcome to Black Dog Bay, a tiny seaside town in Delaware known as “the best place in America to bounce back from your breakup.” Home to Better Off Bed-and-Breakfast, the Eat Your Heart Out bakery, and the Whinery bar, Black Dog Bay offers a haven for the suddenly single.

Flight attendant Summer Benson lives by two rules: Don’t stay with the same man for too long and never stay in one place. She’s about to break rule number one by considering accepting her boyfriend’s proposal—then disaster strikes and her world is shattered in an instant.

Summer heads to Black Dog Bay, where the locals welcome her. Even Hattie Huntington, the town’s oldest, richest, and meanest resident, likes her enough to give her a job. Then there’s Dutch Jansen, the rugged, stoic mayor, who’s the opposite of her type. She probably shouldn’t be kissing him. She definitely shouldn’t be falling in love.

After a lifetime of globe-trotting, Summer has finally found a home. But Hattie has old scores to settle and a hidden agenda for her newest employee. Summer finds herself faced with an impossible choice: Leave Black Dog Bay behind forever, or stay with the ones she loves and cost them everything…

REVIEW

I won a copy of this book from Goodreads with no expectation of a review.

This book is as utterly delightful as that cover. It is a laugh out loud ’till you cry, unputdownable joy of a book.

This book throws you right into the thick of the plot. To be honest, I didn’t care for the beginning. It felt rushed and Summer felt like such an over the top cariacture I didn’t think I’d like this book.

Then she arrived in Black Dog Bay. And ran over the mayors rose bushes. And blamed it on turtles and Taylor Swift. From this point on I was 100% sold on this charming rom com.

I ended up absolutely loving Summer. She has her baggage, and at times it felt like she fell for Dutch too quickly (specifically because of all that baggage!) but I can look past that. Summer is charming and brass and fearless.

I loved Dutch. He’s a great hero. He’s a sweet, no-nonsense kind of guy. I hate politicians on principal, but Beth Kendrick had me falling in love with this mayor.

The chemistry between Summer and Dutch was amazing. The little inside jokes and flirtations they had were hot, hot, HOT — especially for such a clean book!

The side characters were all so charming. I was able to quickly give them all unique voices and even imagine my dream cast for the movie playing in my head. (Kelly Bishop [aka Emily Gilmore] as either Hattie or Pauline – can’t decide which! Diane Wiest as Marla, Lennon Stella [Maddie from ‘Nashville’] as Ingrid, Leslie Mann [from ‘Knocked Up’, ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin’, and ’17 Again’] as Summer—that voice of her is perfect.)

Every single chapter had me wishing I could read JUST ONE MORE, to the point where I accidentally read 50% of the book in one night. I only went to bed because my eyes refused to stay open and the words stopped making sense.

And here’s a word to the wise, don’t read this book anywhere you can’t let out a good belly laugh. Because I was holding in laughter while reading this late at night while my husband slept, and it just wasn’t the same.

I need to find out what happens next in Black Dog Bay.

If you’re in the mood for a light, comedic, romantic page turner, THIS is the book to read!


Get the Book here:

Amazon | Nook | iBooks

~ Add to Goodreads ~

 

QUOTES

 

Summer had never been accused of being sensible.

 

Rustic outdoorsmen weren’t Summer’s type, but something about him… He looked like he could ravish you so right and then stride off to chop a cord of wood.

 

“I promise you, I’m coming back to fix your landscaping situation.”
“Please don’t.”

 

If Barbie hired Hello Kitty to decorate her dream house, the result would be the Winery.

 

He caught her gaze and held it, and in that moment, she saw him as everyone else in Black Dog Bay did: strong and stern and quietly authoritative. Someone who took his responsibilities seriously. Someone who was not to be trifled with.
And it only increased her desire to trifle with him.

 

“Can you talk sense into a bunch of adolescents sloshed on Alabama slammers?”
”Like a professional hostage negotiator.”

 

“Just make me look like I’m a lobotomized lady who lunches. On something other than grilled cheese.”

 

He took in the activity pages and the facial expressions and the iced tea before asking, very slowly, “What are you doing?”

“Connecting the dots,” Jenna said.

“Coloring a frog,” Hollis said.

“Making this word search my bitch,” Summer said.

Dutch glanced behind him. “Is this… am I missing something here?”

 

He made her laugh. He made her think. He made her want to stay.
Oh no.

 

REVIEW: Her Darkest Nightmare by Brenda Novak

Jun26

RoamHer Darkest Nightmare by Brenda Novak

Series: The Evelyn Talbot Chronicles #1

Read: May 21-June 21, 2017

Format: Paperback ARC

My Book Rating: 4.5 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Release Date: August 30, 2016

Genre: Romantic Thriller

Pages: 407

Reading Challenge(s): Beat The Backlist 2017

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

THE HUNT FOR A SERIAL KILLER

Evelyn Talbot knows that a psychopath can look perfectly normal. She was only sixteen when her own boyfriend Jasper imprisoned and tortured her—and left her for dead. Now an eminent psychiatrist who specializes in the criminal mind, Evelyn is the force behind Hanover House, a maximum-security facility located in a small Alaskan town. Her job puts her at odds with Sergeant Amarok, who is convinced that Hanover is a threat to his community…even as his attraction to beautiful Evelyn threatens to tear his world apart.

BEGINS WITH AN ESCAPE FROM HER PAST

Then, just as the bitter Alaskan winter cuts both town and prison off from the outside world, the mutilated body of a local woman turns up. For Amarok, this is the final proof he needs: Hanover has to go. Evelyn, though, has reason to fear that the crime is a personal message to her—the first sign that the killer who haunts her dreams has found her again. . .and that the life she has so carefully rebuilt will never be the same…

REVIEW

I received a copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads. I am in no obligation to review this book, let alone give it a good review.

  

Word to the wise: Don’t read two thrillers concurrently in which a teenage girl is the sole survivor of a massacre.

This was a book I won through Goodreads. (Yay!) I don’t read a lot of straight up romance, but this is a romantic thriller. And though from the very beginning I was hesitant, I wound up absolutely loving this book. I need to get my hands on the prequel and the next one in the series!

Evelyn Talbot is an interesting character. Having survived being tortured and left for dead by her psychotic high school boyfriend—after he killed all her best friends—she’s spent her life dedicated to unraveling the minds of psychopaths as a psychiatrist. Now running Hanover House, a prison in the wilderness of Alaska meant to house the most dangerous psychopaths in America, Evelyn must face her past.

In this book, one of Evelyn’s dearest friends at Hanover House is murdered, her dismembered head the only thing found. Evelyn is sure it’s Jasper, her psychotic ex-boyfriend, toying with her before finishing what he failed to do when she was sixteen. From there, the clues keep piling up.

This was a very fun, dark, and twisty ride. There were so many red herrings it was hard to know who the killer really was. And just when you think it’s going to end — BAM!! Another twist!!

The romance was really good too. Evelyn is emotionally scarred because of Jasper and has never been with a man since. The sexy and fierce state trooper, Amarok (a nickname, which means wolf), is determined to break through her shields though. She doesn’t think she’s worth the hassle, but he begs to differ. The chemistry between them is awesome. I can’t wait to see what happens next for them.

I also really loved all the quotes from real psychopaths which preceded each chapter. Those plus the story itself had me looking at every person I know with a “could they be a psychopath?” filter on.

I absolutely recommend this to readers who enjoy mysteries and thrillers. This was a real treat and won’t be my last Brenda Novak novel.

Get the Book here:

Amazon | Nook | iBooks

~ Add to Goodreads ~

 

QUOTES

 

Looking down at their entwined hands, he moved his thumb over her palm in a seductive circle. “You realize you’re giving me conflicting signals.”

 

Maybe he was as attractive as sin, but they were worlds apart in every other way.

 

Psychopaths dismissed murder as easily as most people dismissed neglecting to send a thank-you card.

 

“I haven’t seen you with anyone since I’ve been here. So. . . Who is your type?” She held her breath after she asked. She’d opened herself up, knew he had to understand she wanted to be his type ….

“Apparently I like uptight psychiatrists.”

 

“I can’t—I can’t be restrained.”

“I’m not restraining you. This is called comfort. There’s a difference.”

 

“I don’t want to fall in love with you.”

“Because of my age, Evelyn? Really?”

“No, because love is the biggest risk of all.”
 

REVIEW: Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan

Jun20

Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan

Read: May 11-30, 2017

Format: NetGalley E-ARC

My Book Rating: 2.5 Stars

Publisher: Clarion Books

Release Date: April 5, 2016

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Pages: 360

Reading Challenge(s): Beat The Backlist 2017, Flights of Fantasy 2017, Retellings 2017

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

In a city divided between opulent luxury in the Light and fierce privations in the Dark, a determined young woman survives by guarding her secrets.

Lucie Manette was born in the Dark half of the city, but careful manipulations won her a home in the Light, celebrity status, and a rich, loving boyfriend. Now she just wants to keep her head down, but her boyfriend has a dark secret of his own—one involving an apparent stranger who is destitute and despised.

Lucie alone knows of the deadly connection the young men share, and even as the knowledge leads her to make a grave mistake, she can trust no one with the truth.

Blood and secrets alike spill out when revolution erupts. With both halves of the city burning, and mercy nowhere to be found, can Lucie save either boy—or herself?

Celebrated author Sarah Rees Brennan tells a magical tale of romance and revolution, love and loss.

REVIEW

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This poor book sat on my virtual TBR shelf for ages. It sounded interesting, so I requested and was approved for it on NetGalley… but then I never quite felt in the mood for an urban fantasy. Unfortunately, when I finally made myself read it, I still wasn’t quite in the mood for an urban fantasy.

To start off with, this book is based on A Tale of Two Cities. I’ve never read that one, but I honestly don’t really like classics. I know. Blasphemous. But it’s true. Sorry, not sorry.

The atmosphere is really dark. Which makes sense, but it was darker than I was in the mood for. There’s another strike.

The characters just never pulled me in. I really didn’t care about any of them. The only character that actually interested me at all was the doppleganger, but we honestly didn’t get to know enough about him to really even care about what happens to him.

The plot moved at a snails pace. There were at least two instances where I thought about quitting, only for things to pick up again shortly after. I did make it til the end, and the ending was interesting, but like I said before, I wasn’t invested in the characters or the plot enough to actually care about the big “twist” that occurred.

In all, this was a rather lackluster read for me. Fans of both Dickens and urban fantasy may enjoy this one, but unfortunately it just didn’t do it for me.


Get the Book here:

Amazon | Nook | iBooks

~ Add to Goodreads ~

 

QUOTES

* From an advanced release copy. May differ from final text.

 

No normal Light magician would be trained to fight their own guards.
But I was.

 

The only thing standing between Ethan and death was me.

 

“Are you asking me out on a date?” asked Carwyn. “Because your boyfriend’s right here. Awkward.”

 

When his eyes opened they were covered with darkness, as if under a film of oil.

 

“The whole Dark city killed my other?” Ethan asked. “How did they all fit in the apartment?”

 

I wondered what my father really thought about me, about my lies, about my consorting with the Light Council, whose guards had killed mother.

 

People will come up with a hundred thousand reasons why other people do not count as human, but that does not mean anyone has to listen.

 

 

REVIEW: The Haunted Heist by Angie Fox

Jun17

The Haunted Heist by Angie Fox

Series: Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries #3

Read: June 5-7, 2017

Format: Kindle ARC

My Book Rating: 3.5 Stars

Publisher: Moose Island Books

Release Date: March 17, 2016

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 320

Reading Challenge(s): TBR 2017, Beat The Backlist 2017

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Just because she can see the dead doesn’t mean Verity Long wants to spend her days hunting ghosts. Instead, she’s over the moon to land a marketing job at the local bank . . . until she finds her new boss dead in the vault. Even her ghost friend, Frankie, knows that’s no way to start a career.

Relieved to let the police take charge, Verity steps aside, bound and determined to keep her ghost sightings to herself. But when she learns the main suspect in the murder is a very crooked, very dead mobster, Verity knows it’s up to her to solve the case.

She teams up with her ghostly gangster buddy Frankie, as well as the irresistible and charming Ellis, as the three of them search haunted mob hideouts, hidden passageways, and historic cemeteries for the facts behind the heist of the century—and a modern-day motive for murder.

Too bad uncovering the truth could very well make Verity the next victim…

REVIEW

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

I’m not sure why I put off reading The Haunted Heist for so long. I guess I just wasn’t in the mood for a cozy mystery? Regardless, I felt guilty staring at it in my NetGalley queue, so I bit the bullet and started reading.

This is the third in a series and I haven’t read any of the previous books. Unfortunately for me, that meant the first chapter was full if info dumping to catch me up on what I missed in books 1 and 2.

I read 99% of this book via text-to-speech (aka, listening to a semi-robotic voice read to me while I did other things, like exercise or fold laundry). Text-to-speech is great for multitasking, but I know I missed some things along the way, but it didn’t hurt the story for me.

I like the main character, Verity Long. She doesn’t want to have the ghost of an old mobster hanging around, but she’s stuck with him. (I’d have to go read the first books to find out exactly why, see the paragraph above!) The ghost, Frankie, was a blast. Seriously, his questionable morals and zero filter made the book.

This story revolves around Verity trying to get a job doing marketing work for the bank, but instead she finds herself at a crime scene. Sounds like this is something that happens to her fairly regularly.

I loved the subplot with sexy cop Ellis—and his overbearing mother who hates her. Apparently, Verity was supposed to marry Ellis’s brother, but she left him. It sounds like their Facebook relationship status should be ‘It’s Complicated’ because it is. But they’re soooon cute together!

So, basically, after a rocky start, I enjoyed this story full of southern charm and ghosts. I was never completely hooked, but as I said above, I just haven’t been in the mood for a cozy mystery, so I think that detracted from some of the enjoyment for this book.

If you’re into cozy mysteries, go pick up this series. It’s a cute, quick read, and book one is currently FREE on Amazon (and maybe other retailers?) at the time of this review posting.


Get the Book here:

Amazon | Nook | iBooks

~ Add to Goodreads ~

 

Catch up with book 1, Southern Spirits, for FREE here:

Amazon | Nook | iBooks

~ Add to Goodreads ~

 

QUOTES
(From an advanced release copy. Actual quotes may differ in final book.)

 

I felt my smile go wooden It was one thing to have a bad couple of days or even years, but to disrespect my town?

“Bless your heart,” I said, stepping past her desk, determined to end this conversation on a civil note.

 

“What do you want me to do?” Frankie huffed. “Embroider it on a pillow?”

 

“You got some natural talent behind the wheel,” Frankie said, approving from the passenger seat. “If you ever wanted a career in getaway—“

I clutched the wheel. “I don’t want to hear about it.”

“Just saying…”

 

“You mean like when I shot Crazy Louie in the leg to get your gun?” I challenged.

Frankie grinned wide. “You should have shot him in the balls.

“They chased us,” I said. “I had to dodge bullets. Ellis took us off road.”

“You’re just trying to make me jealous, aren’t you?”

 

“Who gets your house when you die? Your sister? God I, I hope not. I can’t break in another perky blonde.”

 

 

REVIEW: My Delicate Destruction by Jillian Ashe

May29

Ahhh! Goodreads somehow flagged this book as READ before I wrote the review! There was a very real possibility this could have gotten lost in my incredibly unorganized Goodreads account and never reviewed. Good thing I realized I never wrote this review and hunted it down today! Whew!

What I love about well-written indie books, like this gem by Jillian Ashe, is that it fuels my own desire to finally finish my novel. Right now I’m working on a novella for a super-secret group project (actually, I’m not really sure how secret it is any more…)

You can learn more about that project here: https://www.facebook.com/PeaceNovellaSeries

Once I get through this story (which I’m really loving and proud of so far!) I’m planning on getting back to my paranormal YA series which I began during NaNoWriMo 2013. I won that year, but the book is still not where I’d like it to be. So… more edits!

Until I have more news about that, keep reading my book reviews. Let me know if you find a book from my reviews – I love sharing the gift of a good story and I’d love to hear from you!

My Delicate Destruction by Jillian Ashe

Series: Wolfgang #1

Read: April 16-18, 2017

Format: Kindle

My Book Rating: 4 Stars

Publisher: Self-published

Release Date: October 11, 2013 (originally published)

Genre: Sci-Fi

Pages: 266

Reading Challenge(s): TBR 2017, Beat The Backlist 2017

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

They Promised her Hope…

My name is Katerina Anderson. In 2016, a drug called Hope was created. Administered during suspended animation, the drug was supposed to cure the cancer my twin brother and I had. When an earthquake leveled Los Angeles, we were presumed dead.

Forgotten, we slept.

The day I woke up, I realized everything had changed. My brother was missing, and everyone else I knew was dead. I booked passage on a ship to find Kris. The government thinks I’m a criminal and the cure did more than just cure my cancer. My brother is the only one who might have the answers I need, but that drug and all its false hope set me on a path I’m not sure I can follow.

Will I find my twin and learn exactly what they did to me before it’s too late?

REVIEW

I was a little bit hesitant when I began reading My Delicate Destruction by Jillian Ashe because I just wasn’t sure this was the kind of book I’d like. Not to mention it’s self published, which is always a little scary for me as a reader, because I never know exactly what kind of quality of writing/editing I’m going to get. I had no need to fear with this book though, Ms. Ashe has put out a fine finished product!

Things start off strong with Kris coming out of a pod after having been cryogenically frozen. Though very cool, this seemed like it might possibly be too sci-fi for me. And then we jump back in time and meet his twin sister and the protagonist of this series, Kat, who is totally into racing cars. Which I’m sooo not into. But I stuck with it. And I’m glad I did.

Even though car racing just isn’t my thing, I was able to move past it and it really did end up being important to the story, aside from helping to give this character a personality. I really liked Kat, she was feisty and strong. Despite being thrown into a really scary and horrible situation, knowing her brother was out there somewhere really helped her through it all and forced her to push through it. Gave her a purpose in this new and confusing life.

I loved that the author could have chosen to have Kat, who is now so far in the future that everyone she ever knew or loved is dead, instantly fall in love (or at least in bed) with Captain Chase Wolf, but instead went for a more realistic approach. Kat is a little depressed, and rightfully so, over her situation. The man she was in love with is nothing but dust in the ground somewhere, along with her parents and friends. That’s a lot to wrap your mind around.

Despite that sadness, this book has plenty of lines that made me chuckle. And plenty of characters to fall in love with. (I’m personally a big fan of Ricky. Read the book and I think you’ll quickly find out why!)

The ending came upon me quick, and it was pretty epic, and I wish there was more! But this little segment of the story was clearly done, and I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next for Kat and the gang on the Wolfgang!

 

So should you read it? I think so! This is a fun and fast paced sci-fi space opera – and the story is just starting!

Get the Book here:

Amazon (Free on KU!)

~ Add to Goodreads ~

QUOTES

There was nothing like good friends to keep you out of trouble, or to get you into it depending on the situation.


Kris was dying and I needed to feel like I was living enough for the both of us.


Was I afraid to die? Truthfully, there were worse things than death.


I couldn’t help but think about every science fiction movie I’d ever seen and book I’d read. Which one did my life fall into now? Would it be a false utopian society or a war torn galaxy full of freedom fighters working against evil?


They went to all that work to arrest me, but for none of the things I was actually guilty of.


The fear was almost like a friend now. It wanted to keep me alive. It was like a stuffed animal that turned into a golem when I needed it. I read about that once in the Bible. Or was that Grimm?

 

I wanted the time of heroes to return—white knights and dragons. How desperately I used to dream of dragons. Now all I had was this steel ship and the vacuum of space.


I was playing at cowboys and aliens, and I had no idea how I was ever going to find Kris without getting killed.


I didn’t know why I ever thought I could stay out of trouble. It always seemed to come looking for me.


“Not bad,” she said. “For a human.”

 

 

REVIEW: Secret Vampire by L. J. Smith

May16

Secret Vampire by L. J. Smith

Series: Night World #1

Read: April 6-8, 2017

Format: Paperback

My Book Rating: 5 Stars

Publisher: Archway Paperbacks / Simon Pulse

Release Date: June 1996

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Pages: 242

Reading Challenge(s): Beat The Backlist 2017, 2017 YA

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

The diagnosis for Poppy was death. there was no hope—until James, her best friend and secret love, appeared in the hospital. But this was a James she didn’t know. He offered Poppy eternal life. Only he could open the door to the Night World. They’re soulmates—but can she follow him into death and beyond?

THE NIGHT WORLD isn’t a place. It’s all around us. The creatures of Night World are beautiful and deadly and irresistible to humans. Your best friend could be one—so could your crush.

The laws of Night World are very clear: humans must never learn that Night World exists. And members of Night World must never fall in love with a human. Violate the laws and the consequences are terrifying.

These are the stories about what happens when the rules get broken.

REVIEW

This is actually a re-re-re-re-re-etc-read for me. Its been roughly 20 years since I first discovered L. J. Smith and her Night World series. (Did I just age myself???) Unlike another favorite series from those days, which I re-read in recent years and then questioned my middle grade taste in books, this series is still as amazing as the day I read it.

Smith doesn’t waste time with describing every little nuance that her readers honestly aren’t going to care about, but within 2 pages I had a solid sense of who the heroine, Poppy, was as a person and how she felt about James, the hero of our story.

I was always a huge fan of the whole Soulmate trope and this series executes it perfectly. For me, there needs to be some kind of supernatural reason for Soulmates to exist, and in a world of vampires, witches, and shifters, it’s very easy to buy into that reasoning. Add in forbidden love and what teen girl could resist! Certainly not this one, even now that I’ve said goodbye to my teen years ages ago.

This is a short read, but it is utterly satisfying. There’s the star-crossed lovers, the villain, and vampires and witches galore! I seriously can’t wait to dive into the rest of these books. Who knows, maybe by the time I re-read the last of them, there will finally be a new release date set for the final book in the series. It’s only 17 years past due.

So should you read this one? YES. This was the book for the generation before Twilight. (And the author also created The Vampire Diaries – though the TV series took great liberties with the story. For the better IMO. But that’s a whole other book review!) So, what are you waiting for? Go sink your fangs into this amazing series!


Get the Book here:

Amazon | Nook | iBooks

~ Add to Goodreads ~

OR GET THE FIRST 3 BOOKS IN 1 VOLUME

Amazon | Nook | iBooks

~ Add to Goodreads ~

QUOTES

Looking at him, Poppy felt a pang—as always. It didn’t matter that she had seen  him every day, practically, for the past ten years. She still felt a quick sharp throb in her chest, somewhere between sweetness and pain, when first confronted with him every morning.

 

Until today she’d assumed it was her unconditional right to live. She hadn’t even been grateful for the privilege.

 

You don’t love a girl because of beauty. You love her because she sings a song only you can understand…

 
“There are two cardinal rules in the Night World,” he said steadily. “One is not to tell humans that it exists. The other is not to fall in love with a human. I’ve broken both of them.”

REVIEW: Leaving Yesterday by Zoe Dawson

Apr18

Leaving Yesterday by Zoe Dawson

Series: Laurel Falls #1

Read: April 6-13, 2017

Format: eBook ARC

My Book Rating: 3.5 Stars

Publisher: Loveswept

Release Date: February 9, 2016

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 268

Reading Challenge(s): TBR 2017, Beat The Backlist 2017

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

If you love Susan Mallery, Kristan Higgins, or Rachel Gibson, don’t miss the start of this captivating small-town romance series! Laurel Falls, Montana, features spectacular mountain scenery—but it takes a rugged cowboy to convince one woman to slow down and enjoy the view.

Rafferty Hamilton doesn’t plan on putting down roots anytime soon. With her divorce final, the hotel heiress has left Manhattan behind to scout new locations for her family’s chain of resorts. Which is why it’s so frustrating to be stranded in Laurel Falls while a good-looking, slow-talking, Stetson-wearing mechanic takes his sweet time with her overheated coupe.

A decorated vet who paid his dues in Afghanistan, Trace Black can fix anything with an engine and get it revving—even Rafferty’s ridiculous sports car. He couldn’t say the same for the knockout driver, who looks like she’s never gripped a gear shaft in her life. Women like Rafferty don’t usually stick around in Laurel Falls, but Trace finds himself showing her everything his hometown has to offer before she cruises on down the road.

As the days pass, Rafferty finds herself charmed by the pace of life and the openhearted warmth of the residents. She’s even tempted to trust again—and it’s all thanks to Trace. He’s not the kind of guy she’s used to falling for, but he just might be the man she needs.

REVIEW

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

Leaving Yesterday started strong with a hero and heroine I liked. Right off the bat I could tell they were both good people, each with their own set of baggage, each deserving to find real love.

Things I liked: The hero and heroine. They were both strong and independent and meshed well together. I loved the nickname he had for her (Commander Princess). I liked the town, I want to visit and see the mountains and springs and stay at that rundown abandoned old inn! This book also had great, fully developed side characters who have been set up to get their own novels.

What I didn’t like so much: Those side characters I mentioned? While I loved them all, I wasn’t a fan of the POV shifts into their heads. Call me a traditionalist, but I’d rather my romance novels stick with the h/H POVs and leave the side characters to the side. I don’t want in their heads yet, learning all the details of their personal stories. I think this would have benefited with either a revised blurb indicating that there were more stories here than just the main characters romance, or reclassifying this as…. something else. A contemporary drama maybe? I don’t know. It just wasn’t what I expected and that sort of put a damper on my reading experience.

All that said, this was an enjoyable story about enjoyable characters. I would gladly revisit Laurel Falls to see what happens for those secondary characters as well as to see how things are going with Trace and Rafferty. (I really hate her name by the way. But it is the perfect trust-fund baby name.)


Get the Book here:

Amazon | Nook | iBooks | Kobo

~ Add to Goodreads ~

QUOTES

“You don’t know how to fix my car. Do you?”
His eyes flashed. “Never said that. I can fix anything, sure as shootin’.”


“My bullshit meter has a low threshold. We’re bound to strike sparks off each other.”


“I don’t live here, Trace, and I’m not staying. We’ve established that. As soon as you put in my new transmission, I’ll be gone. So what if they do talk? Nothing happened, well, except for that kiss.”
“Except for that kiss? Doesn’t sound like I tried hard enough there. Maybe I should give it another shot.”
“Trace…”

 

“He needs help picking out a shirt.”
Reese looked puzzled. “Are the fashion police after you or something?”

 

“So tell me something bout yourself not many people know.”
“I believe in alien abductions.”
He huffed out a laugh.

 

You’re always so careful, holding back. Always doing some deal for your dad. You’re his closer, his hit woman.