Month: December 2018

END OF THE YEAR REVIEW

Happy Sunday! It’s cold outside and very, very quiet. The cries of heartbroken Sooner fans are heard faintly in the air. I personally think they should be grateful they got to spend a week in Florida, but seriously did they think they could beat Alabama? I mean do you know Nick Saban? The man takes notes on the field so he can tear you a new one at halftime. And I counted at least 17 uses of the F word after he broke his headset.

I have completed my Goodreads Challenge with around 179 books. I’ve read others, I just wasn’t obligated to review them, thank the gods. No one wants to know what I thought of new LSAT study guide. Or the Nuclear Facility Policies and Procedures Manual.

Normally I would do a post on the best books but this year I can’t. There were so many good reads out there this year. This year I also branched out, reading new authors to me from the UK, Pakistan, India, Korea, Scotland and Ireland and Russia, Norway, Denmark too and I have yet to be disappointed in any of them.

A few things I would like to see change this year from Amazon is letting us post on Amazon UK. Why must I have a different account to do that? So if you would fix that little problem I would greatly appreciate it.

Also whoever does those blurbs….stop comparing authors. You know what I mean. “If you loved Gone Girl, you will love ________ (fill in the blank). Well I hated Gone Girl but I loved this book and it wasn’t even in the same genre as Gone Girl. And you don’t have to tell the entire story in the blurb. Why do I need to read it when I already know what happens?  I actually told an author that on Goodreads they were comparing her to another author who isn’t even a thriller author. She was not amused. So let’s stop that mess. Also if you disagree with someone else’s review you don’t have to attack them. This isn’t Kindergarten. You aren’t required to comment. Reading is subjective. Every reader puts their own interpretation on a book, based on their own experiences and knowledge, so grow up and stop that.

And that’s all I have to say about that. I wish you a new year full of hope, peace and love. Be Kind. It’s free. Don’t judge. That position is filled. Stand up straight, hold your head high and own your shit.

Thanks for coming over!  Happy New Year to you all. And don’t forget to re-tweet other reviewers posts. Thank you for everyone who does this for me and I’ll keep doing it for all of you!

Much love  P

THE TRUTHS AND TRIUMPHS OF GRACE ATHERTON by ANSTEY HARRIS

The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton

Grace Atherton is not only an exceptionally talented musician, she also creates beautiful works of art in her shop. Her dream was to play professionally but was devastated when a professor kicks her out of his class and tells her she has no talent.

Now her world is her violin shop and her boyfriend of eight years, David. David who is married with children. But he and his wife have an arrangement. Keep it quiet. So the day David jumps in to save a woman in the train stations, photos appear and David is keeping a low profile. Finding out that he has lied to her for years and she wasn’t the only one leads Grace down a destructive path.

Her saving grace will be an elderly musician and a smart mouth teen, Nadia. They all are broken in some way. Which made me love them so much.

I have to admit I didn’t like Grace. I don’t like adultery and I don’t like women who fall for lies wrapped in pretty packages. I was very happy with the way the book played out, especially all of the beautiful music you could almost hear. But for the most part I didn’t feel sorry for her and felt she was rather cold.

Netgalley/January 10th 2019 by Simon & Schuster

 

Bones Behind the Wheel by E.J. Copperman

Bones Behind the Wheel: A Haunted Guesthouse Mystery

This is Book 10 in the Haunted Guesthouse Mystery Series

Alison is running the guesthouse having made it clear she is no longer assisting Paul Harrison, in any more murder investigations. Paul is her resident ghost detective.

But when a simple excavation  in her backyard to help shore up the beach uncovers an old Lincoln Continental with a dead passenger.

Alison’s backyard may be off-limits but she is still hosting guests and trying to repair the bullet damage done to her beam in the kitchen when the crew finds a treasure. Now her kitchen is a crime scene. Things are quickly getting out of hand and it doesn’t help that now Maxie wants to redecorate the room.

Even Josh is getting in on the investigating having learned how to text to speak to Paul.

It doesn’t take long for Alison to put her detective hat back on. But this one may be too much for her, even with her resident ghosts.

These ghosts make the series. They are always evolving and now Maxie is determined to start designing again. And a ghost puppy? Who could resist this colorful and funny group of characters. All living together under one roof. You can read it alone but I warn you you’ll go back and read the rest. I am very fond of the way the writer tells the story. It’s not traditional, more conversational. Very nice.

Netgalley/Expected publication: January 8th 2019 by Crooked Lane Books

Sisters of the Fire (Blood and Gold Book 2) by Kim Wilkins

Sisters of the Fire (Blood and Gold, #2)

I am pretty sure this is the only Historical Fantasy series that I read. All five of the Princess Sisters are back, but alas, not together.

Each has her own path to follow and gifts to learn to control before they meet again in a fight that will pit sister against sister.

Bluebell is watching over Rowan and fighting the good fight for her father, but when she finds out there is a sword out there forged for the sole purpose of killing her, she sets out to find it. Along the way she will meet her sister Ash, searching for a dragon, Ivy, being Ivy, Rose, who is living so many lies sometimes I can’t keep up, and Willow.

Willow who has embraced the Trimartyr faith, believing the voices in her head are the mighty Maava. She has hooked up with Hakon now and is causing all kinds of trouble!

It took me a bit to get into the first book, but when this one came to me I was hooked from the beginning. Luckily this is a fast paced read and even the evil characters are interesting.

This is one of the most solid, well written Adult Historical Fantasy books out  there and I can’t wait for the next one. There will be another one, right Kim?

Well Done!

Netgalley/ February 5th, 2019 by Del Rey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

her one mistake by Heidi Perks

Her One Mistake

It all started at the school fair…

Charlotte is surprised that Harriet is finally letting her four-year old, Alice, out of her sight for the first time and allowing Charlotte to take Alice and her own three kids to a fair at the school.

When Alice doesn’t come out of the Jungle Run Bouncy, Charlotte doesn’t understand. She took her eyes off of her kids for seconds. And now Alice is gone. Charlotte is being shunned, Harriet won’t speak to her and the police are hounding her as well.

Harriet comes off as a fragile and tightly wound woman. Someone who doubts their own sanity even. Her husband is an odd fellow and it looks as if he is manipulating everything she does or says and where she goes.

But is Harriet weak? Is she crazy? Does Charlotte know more than she is saying?

This is every parent’s worst nightmare. A missing child.

In this age of social media and people always checking their phones, this should be a wake up call! At first I wasn’t fond of Harriet but as the book went on my opinion of her changed. After all, how far will you go to protect your child?

I did not see that ending coming! The author has taken the biggest fear for parents and turned it in to a thriller of story!

Well Done!

Netgalley/January 8th 2019 by Gallery Books

THE LOST TRAVELLER by SHEILA CONNOLLY

The Lost Traveller (County Cork, #7)

This is the seventh in the County Cork Mystery Series


Pub owner Maura Donovan is settling into a charmed life in Ireland—until a mutilated body on her property ends her lucky streak. 

Maura has been in County Cork for a year now, running Sullivan’s Pub and adjusting well to life in Ireland after moving from Boston.

One busy afternoon she is sitting on a low wall behind the pub and discovers a body. No one seems to know who he is or why he was dumped behind the pub.

Maura seems prone to whining about problems rather than solving them, which I found annoying. Her pub seems to be empty most of the time and yet she is usually not even there, but out thinking about her problems of staff, putting in a kitchen and keeping the pub in the black. I just found her to be a bit flaky to tell the truth.

I really did like that the author used common Irish speak. I loved the travellers but there just wasn’t enough about them and the ending was a bit disappointing.

Netgalley/Crooked Lane Books January 08,2019

Dear Katherine Arden, Thank You

The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1) The Girl in the Tower (Winternight Trilogy, #2) The Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy, #3)

I have been trying to get my husband to read the first one of this series for a long time! He was always too busy until now. As most of the world knows now, the doctors have discovered a large mass on his pelvis. As we wait for surgery he has time.

Yesterday I walked in the den and he was half-way in to the first book. I quietly backed out of the room.  When he was almost to the end last night he looked over at me and said, ” This is great! Do we have the next one?”  Why yes we do! “And what about the third one?” Well, honey I have it in an ARC on my tablet but it’s from Netgalley and I don’t think I am supposed to share it. ” But, what am I supposed to do?” You wait dear, just like the rest of the world we wait and hope that there is more!

After a few of long and frightening weeks we went an entire day without tears or anxiety. So Ms. Arden, thank you from this frazzled reviewer and wife.

 

xx P

 

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL by GREER HENDRICKS AND SARAH PEKKANEN

An Anonymous Girl

The next novel of psychological suspense and obsession from the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us

Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed. 

Jessica Farris is a make-up artist. Not a lucrative job when you are just starting out. But her fate changes the day she goes to make up a girl named Taylor. Taylor has signed up for a study. That pays a lot! When she can’t be bothered to show up, Jess takes advantage and slides her way into the study.

Morals and Ethics questions force her to face some of her past behavior and then it’s over. Until the psychiatrist running the study decides to offer her a job testing the fidelity of men basically. The money is great but  something isn’t adding up and she is starting to feel that this could end badly.

This is one of those books that you need to read yourself. It jumped to the top of my list as soon as it landed in my inbox!  If you are a fan of The Wife Between Us by these authors you will really enjoy this one.

Never has the phrase Not What I Signed Up For been more appropriate! But this was manipulation at its finest!

Well Done!    Netgalley/January 8th 2019 by St. Martin’s Press

 

THE HANGING PSALM by CHRIS NICKSON

The Hanging Psalm: A Regency Mystery Set in Leeds

Introducing thief-taker Simon Westow in the first in a new historical mystery series set in Regency Leeds. 

This story begins with our main character Simon Westow giving testimony in the investigation into child labor and poor houses. It’s 1820 in Leeds. A dark and dangerous time. Simon may have started life in brutal conditions of a poor house, but he is a self-made man now with a wife and children and a home of his own.

He is also a thief-taker. I had to look that one up. What Simon does is returns stolen items to their rightful owner for a fee. 

When one of Leeds businessman comes to him for help in returning his daughter Simon isn’t quite sure, but the money is good. Soon he and his helper Jane are trying to find the girl and wondering if this is all tied in with something else. Something more sinister.

Someone is watching them. Someone who shouldn’t even be here. And as the bodies pile up the danger for Simon, his family and the intriguing Jane increases. This is personal. Someone wants revenge. Someone wants Simon dead.

Nothing I like better than a good historical mystery! Especially in the Regency period. I’m happy to have gotten in on the first book because the ending left me wanting more.

Netgalley/ January 1st 2019 by Severn House Publishers