It has been ages since I picked up a book of comic strips. I saw a couple of positive remarks abThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
It has been ages since I picked up a book of comic strips. I saw a couple of positive remarks about this book and grabbed it immediately. Once I started reading these comics, I couldn't put the book down. I had never seen the Sarah Scribbles character before and was really excited to see what this was all about. [image] I was surprised by how much I was able to related to this funny little book of comics. There were entries about books, being an introvert, clothes, and all kind of little things that come up in life. Some of the comics made me glad that I am not the only one that has noticed some of these things. These were comics that I found myself constantly sharing with my husband. He likes it when I try to make reading a group sport. [image] The artwork in this book wasn't complex but it worked well. I think that art really was perfect to illustrate this imperfect little character. I would recommend this wonderful book of comics. I think just about everyone can find something amusing in this awesome little book. I will be keeping my eye out for other Sarah Scribbles adventures. [image] I received an advance reader edition of this book from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts Such a fun little book of cartoons. It put the smile on my face that I needed to day.
I didn't expect to like this book nearly as much as I did. It is a rather short book thaThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life 4.5 Stars
I didn't expect to like this book nearly as much as I did. It is a rather short book that I easily read in a single evening but it tells a big story. I found myself really relating to just about everything in this book. I have spent more hours with family members at the hospital than I would have dreamed possible in my younger days. It is just a fact of life for most people that the people you love will get sick and need you while they are in the hospital. Or maybe you need to make sure that they are really okay so you go to the hospital just to make sure. Either way, it seems like large portions of some years are spent sitting in an comfortable plastic chair while tests are performed and surgery is completed. As you may have guessed, I have served my time in one of those plastic chairs.
I love the way that this story is told. I got to know Lucy Barton the way that I get to know people in my life - one story at a time. This book jumped all over the place, back and forth in time, from one story to the next. Sometimes the story focused on Lucy and sometimes it focused on a person from the town she grew up in. I could really relate to just about everything in this book. It almost felt like I was sitting in that room listening to all of the stories being told.
Every single part of this book comes together to paint a much larger picture. This was really a story of Lucy's life. One of the most powerful things in the book is how the relationship between Lucy and her mother is illustrated through their interactions in the hospital room. Is there anything more complicated than a mother-daughter relationship at times? There is a lot of insight about how Lucy became the woman that she is and how strong she really has proven to be.
This was one of those books that really was almost impossible for me to put down even though nothing overly exciting ever happens. I am in awe of writing that can grab hold of me like that. The writing in this book was superb and not a word was wasted. The depth of the story and characters in such a short book is actually quite amazing.
I would highly recommend this book to others. This is the first book by Elizabeth Strout that I have had a chance to read but I am definitely planning on changing that very soon.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts This one was really good. I love the way that the story was told through lots of smaller stories. It kind of struck me that the way you really get to know a person is through all of the stories of their life. In many ways, this book reminded me of the tales that I have heard my family members tell oftentimes while waiting at the hospital together. This book felt real to me and I love how I got to know Lucy Barton. ...more
I am completely disappointed with this coloring book. I grabbed my first coloring book designed This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I am completely disappointed with this coloring book. I grabbed my first coloring book designed for adults just a couple of weeks ago and promptly fell in love with it. When I saw that I had the opportunity to review another one, I jumped at the chance. I am very glad that this was not the first one that I had a chance to really see up close because I would have probably never picked up another one of these books again if this is what I thought they all looked like.
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I loved the description of the book. I loved the 80's and really looked forward to seeing some really fun items from my past worked into the artwork. I did see a few toys that I remember from my childhood including a Popple, Monchichi, Care Bear, and Rubik's Cube but these items were not in the book often at all and when they were it was in a way that didn't make any sense to me.
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I would say that the primary focus of this book was really animals. I love animals so that is not a problem. The problem was that these animals were poorly drawn. I seriously HATED the artwork. I could draw some of these animals better than what is shown in this book. I may have missed my calling.
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In addition to disliking the artwork, I found that the grouping of the designs to be strange. The randomness of the items sharing a page really didn't work. I expected a kaleidoscope of pattern but it is really just a collection of unrelated items thrown on a page. I also found that there was a lot of unused space in the book which I didn't like.
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The book is made of thick quality pages complete with a dust jacket. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this coloring book to anyone. I think that there are a lot of better options currently available on the market.
I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books for the purpose of providing an honest review....more
I didn't really know much about this story before I decided to give it a try. I think I really waThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
I didn't really know much about this story before I decided to give it a try. I think I really wanted to get lost in a story that was focused on a horse. I did end up getting completely pulled into this story but I quickly found out that this story really isn't about a horse. Sure, there is a horse in the story but this is really a story about a group of people tied to one another just trying to get through life. This book was very different that I thought it would be but it ended up taking me on a fantastic journey.
This story is told from four different points of view. For Velvet, this book really is a coming of age story. Velvet starts the story as an eleven-year-old Dominican girl from a poor family. She goes to stay with a family for a couple of weeks in the summer as part of the Fresh Air fund. Ginger also learns a lot about herself during the course of the story. She is a recovering alcoholic who has never had children but decides to be a host family for the program. Paul goes through a lot of changes during the story. He is a professor and sometimes is a little more hesitant to be so involved with Velvet so much as compared to his wife. The fourth point of view comes from Velvet's mother who is a single mother trying to support her two children alone in a country where she is not able to speak the language. Velvet's mom is difficult to like but by the end of the story I felt that I understood her even if I didn't agree with how she chose to do things.
This book is beautiful in many ways and heartbreaking in others. I found at the beginning of the story that I really liked the parts of the book told by Velvet. I wanted hear her thoughts about riding horses and her attraction to that one special horse, Fiery girl. As I learned more about Velvet's life at home in the city, I found myself wanting to cheer her on and encourage her. Ginger took a while to grow on me but the more that I understood her the more I found myself able to understand why she was so determined to be a part of Velvet's life. She really did care about the girl and the connection between them felt very real to me. I loved the horses in the story and all of the people at the stable. Velvet's connection to the animals and the pride she had in riding them was beautifully written.
The four narrators of the audiobook did an amazing job. Each voice was very distinctive and really brought the characters to life. If I had been reading a paper copy of this book, these four voices would have been exactly as I would have imagined the characters to sound. The emotions of each of the characters really came through in the narration. Velvet and her mother both were very animated and their feelings were usually on the surface. Ginger and Paul were more guarded and the narrators did a wonderful job of expressing that aspect of their personality. I think that the four narrators really worked well when everything came together in the book. I really think that they all did an equally wonderful job and liked all of their styles. I never had a favorite of the group or one I didn't want to hear. I actually think that the alternating narrators really helped the different viewpoints work well in this audiobook.
I really enjoyed this story. All of the things that Velvet, her mother, Ginger, and Paul go through during the span of the story really kept my interest level high. I never felt like the story lagged at any point. The pacing was well done with parts of the book devoted to character development and others sections that moved the plot forward. There were more than a few parts of the book that made me cringe but I think that those parts really helped make the story feel more realistic. This is a book that really gets its strength from its characters. The characters in the book are all very flawed and seem very lifelike to me.
I would highly recommend this audiobook to others. I think that I got more out of the story by going the audio route because the narrators really did a superb job. This is the first book by Mary Gaitskill that I have read and I plan to look for her works in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Blackstone Audio via Audiobook Jukebox for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts I liked this one a lot. The story was very involved with a lot of layers. The characters were all very flawed and realistic. This book was narrated by 4 individuals and the narration was superbly done. Each of the narrators really helped bring the books characters to life and tell the story. ...more
Coloring books for adults? When I first heard about this new trend, I have to admit that I was aThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
Coloring books for adults? When I first heard about this new trend, I have to admit that I was a little confused. I mean I have spent many hours of my life coloring. I have colored everything from Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears to the Power Rangers. I spent hours coloring as a child and then again alongside my children. When I think about it, there really is something very soothing to the process of staying in the lines and loosing yourself in a task. When I saw this coloring book, I just had to see what this new generation of coloring books is all about.
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When I first got the book, I was immediately impressed. These are high quality pages with some thickness to them. The book is a nice size at 10 inches square. The book even has a dust jacket trimmed in gold foil. This really is a different kind of coloring book. It has a certain class and character that I didn't expect to see in a coloring book even with adults as the target audience.
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The artwork is beautiful. I am not any kind of artist myself. I am honestly doing really good to just stay inside the lines (and I don't always succeed with that simple task). I can still appreciate beautiful artwork and this is really just lovely. I loved the whimsy in the artwork and I felt myself becoming nostalgic for my childhood as I turned the pages and toured the little girl's room along with the fairy and her friend owl.
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Because it is coloring book, I felt like I became an active part of the story. I noticed details in every page that I most likely would have missed because I was helping to bring the art to life. I found myself looking for the owl on every page. I really loved the pages with detailed patterns. What is really wonderful about this book is that no two people will have the same experience. The end result will always be different and will reflect the individuals tastes and preferences.
I would highly recommend this book to others. This is the first coloring book for adults that I have had and I plan to try to get a few more. This book would also make a fantastic gift along with some nice colored pencils. I would definitely look for Daria Song's work again in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books for the purpose of providing an honest review....more
I am giving this one a very generous three stars. The story was rather predictable in almost eveThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I am giving this one a very generous three stars. The story was rather predictable in almost every way but nothing in the book really bothered me. It is a short little book that I easily finished in an evening. The book held my attention and entertained me sufficiently for a few hours.
This was a sweet little romance with very little heat. Maddie's husband died serving in the Marines. Her sister is currently on a tour of duty and Maddie is busy taking care of her nephew, Andrew. Andrew loves playing football but his team needs a coach since last year's coach is overseas. Maddie tries to find a replacement but ends up taking the job herself...with a little help from Lieutenant David Sterling.
David is a Marine. He happens to be the Marine in charge of the unit that Maddie's husband was a part of when he died. David was also a star football player in college so he offers to help Maddie learn everything she needs to know to successfully coach Andrew's team. This story does have a lot of very elementary football in the story at times. I like football so I can't say that I learned anything new and I am not sure that the lesson really helped the story.
David and Maddie are attracted to each other and there is a lot of chemistry between the pair. Maddie is not interested in dating another Marine. David feel responsibility for the death of Maddie's husband so they both try very hard to keep things platonic. When they decide to go ahead and try thing between each other, everything moves very quickly and anything steamy happens off of the page. I am of the opinion that less is more in many cases but if you are looking for a steamy romance you may want to look elsewhere.
I thought that both Maddie and David were a little too perfect. Maddie has to be the most understanding person that ever lived. David was just too perfect to be real. Nobody is that perfect. The romance is really an insta-love situation but there is some chemistry between the pair. When they have problems to solve, these perfect people do handle things very poorly but things are forgiven pretty easily.
The writing was good enough that I found myself engaged in the story despite its predictability. I did like both Maddie and David despite the fact that they were too good to be true. I thought that Andrew's character added a lot to the story and really liked the fact that his feelings were an important part of the plot.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet simple story. This is the first book by Blaire Edens that I have had a chance to read but I would be open to reading some of her future works.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts This was a sweet little story. It was rather short and predictable. The characters were a little too perfect but it was entertaining enough. ...more
I think that my expectations for this book were set way too high. I was really needing to read oThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I think that my expectations for this book were set way too high. I was really needing to read one of those books that grab a hold of you and refuses to let go. On Goodreads, the reviews are amazing so I decided that this would be the next book that I fell in love with and it almost worked. I liked it but I didn't fall in love with it. I am giving this book a very generous 4 stars but it comes very close to being a 3 star read for me.
The overall premise of the story was very interesting. Natalie starts seeing things wrong. Things in her town seem to appear and disappear but she is the only one who seems to notice. She has been visited by Grandmother for much of her life and has been in a lot of therapy as a result. Grandmother spends her visits telling stories which I found to be very engaging. Natalie meets a young man named Beau just as things start happening rapidly. When Natalie learns that she has three months to save him, she must figure out what is going on and who she needs to save.
This book did have a lot of things going for it. It was truly a unique story that kept me guessing. This book actually kept me up past my bedtime more than once just because I felt like I needed to figure out what was going on. The pacing of the story was nearly perfect with information being share piece by piece in a manner that really kept my interest. I did enjoy the overall writing style.
There were also a few things that I didn't care for as much in this story. I was able to figure out the two main mysteries in the book very early on. I was actually very disappointed when my predictions were correct. I did get a little tired of the focus on the romance in this story. There were so many other things going on that were more interesting that I really wanted to stay focused on. I honestly did not care for how this book ended...at all. When I turned the last page and realized that the book was actually ending as it did, I wanted to throw it across the room.
I would recommend this book to fans of Young Adult novels. I do think that this book will prove to be very popular largely due to its uniqueness. This is the first novel by Emily Henry and I look forward to reading her future works.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin Group - Razorbill via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts I am wavering between 3 and 4 stars on this one. It was an unique story that kept me reading past my bedtime. I liked it well enough and had to find out what the heck was going on but I was ultimately somewhat let down at the conclusion. My guess very early in the book regarding the two big mysteries in the story ended up being absolutely correct which my prediction which was a bit disappointing.
I have mixed feelings about this book. Young adult fantasy with a fairies? I was ready to love itThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
I have mixed feelings about this book. Young adult fantasy with a fairies? I was ready to love it and I thought it started out really strong but everything started to fizzle out for me as the book progressed. I liked the overall story but I had a lot of trouble connecting with the writing style. I really wanted to see where things were going in the story but I found that I kept checking how much I had left to read like I was eager for it to be over.
Clare and her father return to their home in Ireland after spending the past several years in the United States. Clare was born in the house as were her ancestors on her mother's side of the family. The house is unique with open windows, dirt floors, and a huge yew tree growing in the center of the home. Clare's mother died before they left the country originally so it is just her and her father. She soon starts to rediscover all of the things that her mother had taught her about the strange and finds herself pulled into the world of the fae.
I was really sucked into the story as Clare started to piece everything together but as the plot really got moving I found that the writing style overpowered the story. There were some elements of the story that could have used a little more definition such as the totem and the balance between the human and fairy worlds. I found that I was often reading passages a second time trying to figure out what I had missed. I would have liked to dig a little deeper into the world of faerie to learn about their world and get to know some of the characters better. Some very interesting characters were introduced but then were quickly gone such as the beast and the girl from the yew tree.
I did really like the underlying connection between Clare and the yew tree. Clare did seem to accept her new reality very quickly and was more than willing to try to make things better. I never developed any kind of connection with Clare and never felt truly invested in the story. I was actually quite thrilled that this story did not have a focus on romance. The conclusion to the story was well done and I felt like everything was really wrapped up quite nicely.
I would recommend this book to fantasy fans looking for a book written in more poetic style. This is the first book by Katherine Catmull that I have had a chance to read but I would definitely be open to other works by this author.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin Group - Dutton Books for Young Readers via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts Meh. I didn't care for this book. I came really close to not finishing it but stayed with it until the end. ...more
I liked the overall story. This is a short story so I was able to read it in a single sitting. SThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I liked the overall story. This is a short story so I was able to read it in a single sitting. Sometimes short stories leave me rather unfulfilled and wanting more...like the story isn't quite finished. This story was really a very well contained story that wrapped things up very nicely. I was surprised by the strong emphasis on faith that was present in the story. I actually stopped reading at one point to check if this book was actually categorized as religious fiction. The faith in the story didn't bother me but its not a genre that I would normally choose.
The main focus of this story is Teri, her son, Aiden, and Tom, the new doctor. Teri is a single mother and the owner of the local florist. She spends a great deal of energy caring for her son, Aiden, who has special needs. Aiden has Asperger's syndrome which cause him to look at things a little differently. He hates the color red and isn't a big fan of Christmas overall. Teri meets the new doctor in town, Tom, when Aiden is taken in for a huge splinter lodged in his thigh. Tom seems to just know how to work with Aiden and they get through the ordeal with minimal difficulty.
I liked the characters and thought that they were well represented. Teri is a fiercely protective mother but who could blame her. She seems to be the only one willing to give Aiden the support that he needs. Tom has his own story which helps him relate to Teri and Aiden. There were more than a few moments where Tom seemed just to perfect to be realistic. I thought that Aiden's character was well done. The parts of the story that were from his point of view really helped me understand the dynamics of the situation.
There really was a lot going on in this short story but nothing felt incomplete. I liked the romance between Teri and Tom and thought that they really deserved to be happy together. This short story is part of a series but can be read very easily as a stand along. I have a feeling that some of the characters that made appearances will be familiar to readers that have read the series.
There was a lot more religion in this story than I had expected. The town even has a religious miniature golf course, Golfing for God. I would have preferred the religious parts of the book to be toned down. I really wanted to focus on the couple and Aiden. Overall, I would recommend this sweet romance to others.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Forever - Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts Decent romance but I didn't expect such a strong emphasis on faith. ...more
I really enjoy Jennifer Crusie's writing so when I saw that I had the chance to review this storThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I really enjoy Jennifer Crusie's writing so when I saw that I had the chance to review this story, I didn't even think twice about it. Of course, I would love it. I always love Jennifer Crusie's work. But then a strange thing happened while I was reading it, I found that I didn't really care for it. It actually made my head hurt a little to read it. I even stopped to check that I was really reading a Jennifer Crusie story a couple of times while I was reading this story just to be sure. I have to admit that this story was kind of meh for me.
I expected this to be a romantic story but I didn't find a lot of romance in this one at all. It is Christmas Eve and Trudy is determined to find this year's hot toy for her nephew. When she finds the shelf where the toy should be bare, she doesn't give up like most people would do. She proceeds to tear the store apart looking for a misplaced toy all while being shadowed by Nolan, a man she dated a few times until he stopped calling. One thing leads to another and Trudy finds herself on a wacky adventure with Nolan and Reese but will she be able to find the toy she is looking for?
This story was a bit too wacky for my tastes. I don't usually mind it when a story is far fetched but this one was just over the top silly in a way that wasn't very entertaining. Much of the story was simply chaotic with Trudy talking to people in the store while she talks on the phone with her sister. I don't know how she kept anything straight because I sure couldn't. Trudy drove me a little nuts. She waits until Christmas Eve to buy the year's big toy and then proceeds to tear the store apart looking for one when she doesn't quickly find it. I didn't find it funny at all and I kind of wanted to smack her while she was doing it. The whole spy thing was just over the top crazy.
This is not a new story. It was previously released as part of the anthology, Santa Baby. I honestly cannot recommend this one. I didn't find it romantic or funny. I still plan to continue reading Jennifer Crusie's work since I usually really enjoy her brand of romantic comedy. This one was a miss for me.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts Meh. I think that this was supposed to be a silly and fun story but it just felt chaotic and weird to me. I didn't think it was really funny or romantic. ...more
I have to say that the first thing about this novella that really grabbed my attention was the tiThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
I have to say that the first thing about this novella that really grabbed my attention was the title. Christmas with the Billionaire Rancher sounded pretty specific and a little bit silly. I was in the mood for silly and fun to start of the month of December so why not throw in a bit of sexy? I could use more sexy in my life anyway.
This story ended up being just okay for me. I thought it started out way over the top and silly was quickly turning into ridiculous. I am not a fan of ridiculous. As the novella progressed, it did settle into a decent little story. Of course, the beginning was really mostly sex with very little opportunity to get to know the characters. Once there was some real interaction between the pair that did not involve body fluids, I actually started to like them together.
The story does contain a lot of sex. I like sexy times as much as the next guy. I don't mind it at all when the characters that I am reading about jump into bed with each other after just meeting. It is imaginary sex so it's pretty safe as far as I know. But please stay out of the coat closets, especially at funerals. That's not sexy...at all.
It seems that as the story progresses Nate and Chloe do actually start to care about each other. There really was a lot going on in this short little piece. Nate just inherited money but doesn't want it. Chloe needs money to save her organization. It isn't as easy of a problem to solve as you might think.
I was expecting this to be a Christmas story. I was actually kind of promised that in the title now that I think about it. There is almost no talk of Christmas in this story. There is some thrown in at the end but there is no mention of the holiday for 90% of the story or more. I almost feel like a Christmas dinner was thrown in just so this could be marketed for Christmas.
My rating may be a little generous but to be fair the coat closet at the funeral scene was a major turn off for me. I did end up thinking it was a decent story and would recommend it to anyone looking for a short and sexy read. I haven't read anything by Mandy Baxter before but would like to she what she can do with a full length novel.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts This was okay. It started out a little over the top for me but settled into a decent story....more
I thought that this was a decent short story. It didn't knock my socks off but it was entertainiThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I thought that this was a decent short story. It didn't knock my socks off but it was entertaining enough. I have been trying to get myself in the mood for Christmas this year by doing a little bit of holiday reading. It was a given that I would need to fit a historical romance into my Christmas reading schedule. I hadn't read anything by Amelia Grey before so this story seemed like the perfect choice.
Everything that happened in this story seemed to happen fast. There was a bit of insta-love but in this case I am going to forgive that....mostly. I think that everything really had to move quickly due to the length of the story. I also tend to forgive insta-love in historical romances a little more quickly than I would in a contemporary romance. The difference is really the changes in how the world works. During this time period, decisions were made quickly and many times without the input of the individuals involved.
I did like the characters. Miss Christmas, Gwen, was fiesty. She doesn't hesitate to protect her younger sister. The Duke, Crispin, isn't the stuffy man that one might think of when they hear he is a Duke. He takes things in stride with a bit of humor. I thought the chemistry between the pair was tame at best. It did seem like they were building a foundation to build upon. The secondary characters, including Gwen's younger sisters, were a lot of fun. The way that the Duke interacted with them really helped establish his character.
The major problem with the story that I had was the one and only sex scene. I am still a little confused about it. It didn't make sense. One minute the Duke and Gwen are taking her sisters on an outing and the next minute a few kisses move quickly to a roll in the hay....or the field to be more precise. I just don't buy it. It felt completely out of her character that she would so easily lose her virginity without a lot of thought. This probably would have been a 4 star read for me without this scene.
I would recommend this to readers looking for a short Christmas story. This was the first chance that I have had to read Amelia Grey's work and I am definitely interested in reading one of her full length books after this story. I liked her overall writing style and I would be very interested in seeing more character development that would be possible in a longer story.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts I thought that this was a decent short story. There was a bit of insta-love but with only a few pages there isn't a lot of time to do otherwise. I thought a few things seemed rushed and I would have loved to see the character's emotions instead of being told how they felt. I did enjoy the opening scene in the book quite a lot. ...more
I really enjoyed this one. There is just something about a second chance romance that really getThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I really enjoyed this one. There is just something about a second chance romance that really gets to me. I think that this kind of story actually can work really well in a novella or short story format largely because there is no need for the dreaded insta-love since the pair already know each other. I thought this story was wonderfully told with a lot of depth and wonderful characters. I have to admit that when I finished the story I had a big old grin on my face.
The cover and title made me think that this was going to be a very Christmas focused story but there really wasn't a lot of talk about the holidays. Some but not a lot. It does take place in the winter but I wouldn't hesitate to pick this one up during any time of the year.
The story starts out at the local Snowflake ball which has been notorious for leading to 49 weddings so far. Piper isn't really interested in being at the dance or being part of the 50th wedding. She's there but she isn't having a great time as she is matched up to dance with a few less than ideal partners. Then her name is called with a name from her past, Noah, and everything changes. Piper and Noah split up 7 years ago but neither one of them has moved on. It is obvious right away that they both still love each other. They agree to go on a shopping trip together and end up snowed in for the night at a small diner. Can things be different for them now than they were 7 years ago?
I loved the characters in this story. Piper is an artist who has stayed in the same little town while Noah is an adrenaline junkie who has traveled the world looking for his next thrill. Noah's quest for thrills is actually what tore the couple apart the first time and I wasn't sure that they would be able to make it work this time either. I haven't read a lot of romances where I wonder how they will make it work for most of the story. I was cheering for them but I wasn't sure how they would make it happen.
I really enjoyed the way this story was written. The characters were very easy to like and I could feel how much they both cared for each other. I really liked the fact that the story didn't rely on sex to illustrate the pair's feeling for each other. The pacing of the story was well done with quite a bit actually happening in this short piece. I really thought the story was very believable.
I would highly recommend this novella to anyone looking for a short romantic read. This is a very full story that can be easily read in a single evening. This is the first time that I have read anything by Maggie McGinnis but I plan to take a look at some of her other work. I would definitely be interested in reading more in the Echo Lake series.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts I can't believe how much I ended up enjoying this story. I love a good second chance romance and this one worked very well. I am amazed by how much depth this short novella had. Noah and Piper were wonderful characters and I found myself trying to figure out how they could make things work this time....more
I liked this novella length romance well enough. It isn't a story that will stay with mThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
3.5 Stars!
I liked this novella length romance well enough. It isn't a story that will stay with me for a long time or anything but it was entertaining enough. The story was a bit predictable but the overall tone of the story was really nice. I liked the little town of Jewell Cove and the Christmas theme was very well done.
Todd is a police officer who is out helping stranded motorists during a severe snowstorm. When he comes across someone from out of town, he takes the individual to the Evergreen Inn for a place to stay for the night. The inn is at capacity but Lainey finds a spot for the stranded out of towner. Todd will also need to stay in town to help out and ends up on Lainey's couch for the night. Sparks fly between the pair but can this thing between them go anywhere?
I liked Todd a lot. How could you not?!?! He was pretty close to perfect in every way. He was such a nice guy and went out of his way to be helpful. I liked Lainey but nowhere near as much as I did Todd. Lainey took pride in her work at the inn and she was very trusting and kind. My problem with Lainey was her insecurity. There were a few points in the story where I wanted to tell her to snap out of it. Of course, Todd being the nice guy that he is was much more patient with her. They did have wonderful chemistry together.
I would recommend this story to fans of contemporary romance who are looking for a nice Christmas themed story. This was the first time that I have read anything by Donna Alward and I really enjoyed her writing style. I would definitely be interested in reading more books in this series.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts This was a decent novella length romance. It was rather predictable but I still enjoyed the story overall. I liked Todd a lot but have to admit that Lainey got on my nerves at times with her insecurity. ...more
This book did something that I honestly did not think was even possible for me. When I started tThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
This book did something that I honestly did not think was even possible for me. When I started the book, I wasn't connecting with it at all. I was having such a problem with it that I seriously considered not finishing it about a third of the way through. The story just wasn't clicking for me. I decided to read a bit more....and the impossible happened....I couldn't put it down. I can't remember this happening to me before this book. I ended up liking the story quite a bit in the end.
I made the decision to read this story because the idea of it just really appealed to me. A murderer that spends their time online. Wow. I spend way too much time online so the idea behind this book is actually quite scary to be honest. We all know that the internet can be a dangerous place and this story sounded like it could be pulled for the headlines someday soon.
Freddie is a struggling journalist trying to jump start her career. When she runs into her childhood friend, Nasreen, who is now with the police, she hopes that she might have found her big break. Freddie is much more savvy with technology than any of the members of the police force and soon finds herself working to help catch a killer as a social media consultant. The stakes are high and she soon realizes that the most important thing is to catch the killer before it is too late.
Once the mystery really gained momentum in the book, I was hooked. All of the Twitter clues paired with regular police work really keep things interesting. I think that the way the police were divided over the importance of social media in this case was really well portrayed. The group of police were really interesting characters together. The frustration they all felt when things went poorly was intense and I thought that the author did a great job of showing their layers and complexity.
I do have to say that I didn't like Freddie in a lot of ways. I think that may be why the first part of the book was so hard for me to get into. She makes a lot of really bad decisions and doesn't always work well with the rest of the team. I disliked her less by the end of the book but I wouldn't say that I ever grew to like her. The relationship between Nasreen and Freddie was hard to figure out. The build up as to what happened in their past was intense. I really expected a lot of fireworks when the truth was revealed. The reality was a small firework that didn't have a lot of long lasting effects. Once it was out in the open, it wasn't really as much of an issue as I had expected.
I would recommend this book to others. I think that my inability to connect with the story at the beginning was really more me than the book. This is the first book by Angela Clark that I have had a chance to read and I look forward to see what else she comes up with in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from HarperCollins UK, Avon via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts Slow start but once it picked up, I didn't want to put it down. I don't think that I have ever enjoyed a book that I almost gave up on like this one....more
I feel like I should warn you before you read too much of this review that there will be gushingThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I feel like I should warn you before you read too much of this review that there will be gushing. Major gushing. You see, I am in love with Jamie Frasier. I can't help it. It just happened and I am powerless to stop it. I had to admit to my husband that I was in love with a fictional character. He just shrugged his shoulders and looked at me like I was crazy. Oh well.
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This is a story that is really all about the characters. And Jamie is one heck of a character. Oh sure, I like Claire well enough too but Jamie is in a whole different league. I think that the entire cast of characters in this novel are really very well portrayed and they simply come to life on the page. The characters are so realistic that many of them actually remind me of certain people that I have met just based on personality traits. All of the characters are flawed and make mistakes and I love them because of that.
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This isn't a book that really has one major plot but instead focuses on a time period during their lives. There are a lot of things that happen in this book. I must admit that I was a bit confused when I started listening to this audiobook because of how it started. I stopped and checked and then double checked that it was in fact book #2 in the series. I read this book years ago and didn't remember that it started the way that it does. The way the book begins really does take any surprise out of how it ends but the entire journey is wonderful. There are a lot of descriptions in the book that I am sure could have been edited out but I am glad that they weren't. I wasn't looking for a short book when I started this series. I was hoping to be swept away by an epic story details included.
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I think that Davina Porter has to be the perfect narrator for this series. The way this book is read really adds a lot to the overall experience of the story. She expertly handles a wide range of distinctive voices. She is the voice of Jamie which is somewhat odd to say. In most cases when a narrator is doing the voice of the other gender it feels wrong to me in some way. Davina Porter's range is so large that her male voices sounds as authentic as her female voices. Her execution of Jamie's Scottish accent and Claire's British accent are truly remarkable.
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I highly recommend this series to anyone. This book picks up right where Outlander leaves off so you do really need to read this series in order. I would also say that I recommend the audiobook version of this series because it is a absolutely wonderful way to experience this story. I couldn't wait to continue my journey with Jamie and Claire and have already started the audiobook for Voyager, which is book #3 in the series. I am really looking forward to all the time I plan to spend with Jamie this year as I make my way through this series.
Initial Thoughts I think that I liked this story even better the second time. The narration of the audiobook was absolutely outstanding. The story grabs you and doesn't let go. Plus, there is Jamie.
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I am completely in love with this fictional man. I love Claire just as much. Yes, there is a lot of descriptions in this book but I really enjoyed all of it.
Full review to be posted just as soon as I can collect my thoughts and stop swooning....more
This was the best little book that I didn't even know that I wanted to read. I have to say that I wThis review was also posted at Carole's Random Life
This was the best little book that I didn't even know that I wanted to read. I have to say that I would have probably never picked this book up for myself. I didn't even know that this book existed until it showed up at my house a couple of weeks ago. My initial impression of the book when I received was lackluster at best. I thought it was an advance copy of a book at first because the cover looks just so unfinished. Nothing about this book screamed "Read Me" at first glance. But then I decided to pick it up and my thoughts changed very quickly.
Whatever stars lined up on the day this book found its way to my home, I can't say but I am very grateful. This really is the perfect book for me. I have a slight fascination with death. My favorite class in college was Death Education. When the local coroner came to class to give a presentation complete with slides, I was completely impressed. I have never worked in the death industry but my husband actually has delivered caskets part-time for the past couple of years.
This book deals with a difficult subject in a way that really pulls the reader in. I think everyone could find something in this book that they would relate to in these pages. I liked that this book made me think and it also made me laugh. I didn't think that this was a sad or depressing book at all which is kind of surprising when you think of the subject matter. I learned a lot from reading this book. There are so many misconceptions regarding death and the funeral industry. I do think that most people really would appreciate this honest look at the subject.
Each of the people that are in this book really add to the overall story. Everyone from Caitlin's co-workers to the families who have lost someone they loved really had a story to tell. I liked the parts that featured Caitlin's co-workers because I feel like it takes a special kind of person to want to do this kind of work. People who work in the funeral industry really see people when they are at their worst but they must stay at their best. It has to be incredibly hard to do that day after day. I really appreciated the parts of the book that really let us see how much this kind of work affected the author.
I liked the way that this book was written. I was completely engaged in the book from the very beginning. I think it reads almost like one of your friends are telling you a story. Even the more educational sections that gave some history were completely mesmerizing. There was enough lighthearted and funny moments to balance out the sections that were really anything but funny.
I would highly recommend to others. I think that this is a topic that we need to know more about and this is an entertaining way to get a peek. This is the first book by Caitlin Doughty that I have read but I would definitely read more of her work in the future.
I received a copy of this book from W.W. Norton & Company for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts I loved this book! This isn't a book that I would have ever picked up for myself but it was a great fit for me....more
I have been reading a lot of shorter pieces lately. When I saw this novella, it just appealed toThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I have been reading a lot of shorter pieces lately. When I saw this novella, it just appealed to me for some reason. It turned out to be a pretty decent little read. I have had a really hard time deciding if it is a 3 star or a 4 star read but I am feeling generous right now so I am just going to go with the 4 stars. I was pleasantly surprised when I reached the end of this piece and didn't find a huge cliffhanger. I had made the assumption that this story would continue in the next novella. This novella probably really earns that bonus star just for wrapping everything up for me.
This story revolves around a mystery involving Seth and Carly's family. Seth, the local detective, is called to investigate a murder but quickly learns that he actually knows the victim. The victim is actually his brother-in-law's girlfriend so she is practically family. It turns out the the brother-in-law, Bruce, is also missing. Seth works to find the killer and Bruce. He asks his wife, Carly, to deal with the murder victim's infant daughter since she is a social worker.
I really liked the characters in this story. They just seemed like real people that have to deal with their family, their jobs, and all the problems that go with it. The secondary characters were well done and I thought that they added a lot to the story. I did like Seth and Carly a lot more when they were in mystery solving mode. When the story tried to be romantic, I really just found it to be overly mushy without adding anything to the plot. This novella almost looses that 4th star for all the mushy scenes but once again, I am feeling generous.
There were a few twists and turns as well as a couple of pretty exciting moments thrown into the story. I thought that the mystery was surprisingly complex for such a short piece. The conclusion to the story was really very believable which is a huge plus. The pacing was well done with the exception of a couple of mushy moments that seemed to stall the story. I did expect some romantic scenes but the ones in this piece felt forced and rather out of place. The use of multiple narratives worked well in this piece with each part adding to the story.
I would recommend this novella to fans of romantic suspense. This is the perfect story to grab if you are looking for a shorter piece that can be read in a short amount of time. This is the first time that I have read Melinda Leigh's work but I will definitely be looking for her books in the future. I can't wait to read the second novella in this series.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Amazon Publishing - Montlake Romance via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts This was a pretty good novella. The characters were likable and the mystery was surprisingly complex for such a short piece. I had expected it to end with a huge cliffhanger so I am pleasantly surprised by how nicely everything was wrapped up. ...more
Once I started reading this novella, I didn't want to put it down until I had finished. The greaThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
Once I started reading this novella, I didn't want to put it down until I had finished. The great thing is that it really easy to do exactly that since this is a pretty short piece at only approximately 100 pages or so. I enjoyed the first novella in this series and decided to jump right into the second one. I actually ended up liking this one more than the first.
This novella picks up right after the events of the first in the series. There is some continuation of the story from the first novella so it is probably best to read these in order if at all possible. Although, I do think that readers who decide to read this novella as a stand alone will be okay since the bulk of the plot is contained within this installment with only a few threads taken from the first in the series.
This novella was really almost non-stop action which I absolutely loved. The more action the better. This story focuses on Stevie and Zane. Zane and Stevie work together in the police department which has been quite busy in this little town. They are called when a dead body is found at the local motel and before long they are trying to solve two different murders that are quite possibly linked.
I liked following Stevie and Zane as they worked to solve the murders. The alternating voices in this novella worked well and it was nice to be able to spend time in both Stevie and Zane's head. The relationship between the pair worked well for me this time. I never felt that anything was forced or sappy. The excitment in this story really built until the very end and I was almost holding my breath before it was over.
I would highly recommend this novella to others. This is the first time that I have read any of Kendra Elliot's work but I plan to look for her books in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Amazon Publishing - Montlake Romance via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts I liked this novella a little more than the first one. Lots of excitement for such a short piece....more
I didn't like this book at all. I am not really sure why I decided to request this one from NetGaThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
I didn't like this book at all. I am not really sure why I decided to request this one from NetGalley. I might have been on romance overload and this cover looks just spooky enough to grab my attention. The book had a pretty good start with prologue and I really thought that this was going to be the bloody story that I was wanting to read. Unfortunately for me, the book went downhill from there.
I realized pretty early on that I was not connecting with this book at all. I seriously considered not finishing the story and moving on to the next book. Since it was such a short book at roughly 100 pages, I decided to go ahead and finish it. I can honestly say that I wish I had followed my gut instinct at the very beginning of the book and just stopped because I gained nothing by finishing this book except for possibly a slight headache.
The story confused me. I am still not exactly sure what these dream beings really were (some kind of alien beings or something) and to be honest I don't think I care. The writing seemed awkward which made it really difficult to stay focused on the story. The characters were not well developed and I never connected with any of them. Even during the final scene when things looked rather grim for Jack, I found that I really didn't care if things worked out for him or not.
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this story to others. This is the first time that I have read anything by Aaron J. French and I think I will skip his writing in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Samhain Publishing, Ltd. via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts I liked the prologue but everything went downhill from there. I had a really hard time getting through this short piece. ...more
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