This was such a great historical romance! I have been a big fan of Lisa Kleypas for manThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
This was such a great historical romance! I have been a big fan of Lisa Kleypas for many years so I was pretty eager to read this book. I had pretty high expectations for this book since I love the author's writing and have enjoyed other books in the series quite a bit. I was not disappointed. I really enjoyed reading Cassandra and Tom's story.
This is the sixth book in the Ravenels series but it works perfectly fine on its own. Readers of the series will appreciate the opportunity to check in with well-loved characters but this book tells its own story. This book tells Cassandra and Tom's story. Cassandra's twin has just been married and she wonders if she will have the chance to do the same. She wants to marry for love but most of her suitors only seem to see her as a pretty face. Tom is a self-made man. He is extremely wealthy and intelligent but many still look down on him because he lacks a title.
I loved Tom and Cassandra together. I thought that they had wonderful chemistry with each other and I loved the way they were able to learn from each other. They both seem to be the type of people to jump in and help when that is what is needed regardless of what others might say. They also try to do the right thing which was perfectly illustrated in how they were with the orphan boy who entered their life. At first, nobody believed that these two were suited for each other and it was interesting to see them try to stay away from each other. These two really were meant to be together.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of historical romance. This was a wonderful tale filled with fantastic characters, wonderful chemistry, a few laughs, and a swoon-worthy romance. I can't wait to read more of Kleypas's work very soon.
I received a digital review copy of this book from HarperCollins - Avon via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts This was great! I loved Cassandra and Tom. I think that Tom was an especially interesting character and Cassandra was perfect for him. These two thought that they couldn't have each other and tried to find someone that would be considered more suited but they were meant to be. ...more
I just loved this book! Jill Shalvis is an author that I tend to turn to when I am lookThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I just loved this book! Jill Shalvis is an author that I tend to turn to when I am looking for a fun, romantic read. Her books are reliably good and this book was no exception. Once I started reading this book, I found it hard to put down. This is the fourth book in the Wildstone series but each of the books in the series read as stand-alone novels so don't hesitate to jump into the series anywhere! I had a great time with this story and am thrilled that I decided to give it a try.
Piper takes care of people. She took care of her younger brother and sister after their parents and grandparents died. She works as an emergency medical technician where she works to rescue those in need of help. She has also made a habit of checking in on her neighbor who has been diagnosed with diabetes and trying to get him to eat better. The only person Piper doesn't take great care of is herself but she is finally ready to go after her dreams and get the degree that she has always wanted just as soon as she sells her grandparents' property.
Cam is used to taking care of people too. He works as a DEA agent and also is in the Coast Guard Reserves. He has a take-charge attitude and seems to be able to handle just about any situation. He feels responsible for making sure that everyone is safe. He is home to visit his dad, who happens to be the neighbor that Piper checks up on daily.
I felt like Piper and Cam were a great pair! From the moment that they met at the very beginning of the book, I felt a strong connection between them which only got stronger the more that I read. Cam never seemed to be phased by some of the crazy that was happening in Piper's life. They really seemed to understand each other and I loved their chemistry. These two just seemed to fit together perfectly.
The other characters in this book were equally amazing. Piper's siblings, Gavin and Willow, had some pretty major things going on in their lives. This book gave us not just one romance, but two! Gavin and CJ were such a great pair and I loved that their romance was such an important part of this story. Willow's life is at a crossroads with some major changes ahead. It was fun to watch her work to make changes and deal with some of the things that she has been through. Cam's dad was a fun character that also added to the story.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I think that this is this book is my favorite book in the Wildstone series yet. I fell in love with these characters and couldn't wait to see things work out for them. I cannot wait to read more of this amazing author's work.
I received a review copy of this book from William Morrow Paperbacks.
Initial Thoughts This was really good. Probably a 4.5 star read for me. I am going with 4 for now but might round up after I have some time to process the book. I loved the characters in this book and it was nice that we got to see each of them grow over the course of the story. Cam and Piper were meant for each other and had really strong chemistry. Everyone in this book is dealing with some pretty tough issues and they all handled them in their own way. I loved that there were two romances told in this wonderful book....more
I loved this book! Last year, I read David Joy's previous novel, The Line That Held Us,This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I loved this book! Last year, I read David Joy's previous novel, The Line That Held Us, and was blown away and knew that I needed to read more of this amazing author's work. Well, I finally had the chance to sit down and read his newest book and found it to be equally impressive. This was one of those books that I did not want to put down once I picked it up and felt moved by the story.
This book deals with the difficult topic of drug abuse. I found the descriptions to be incredibly vivid and sometimes eye-opening. Several different perspectives come together to tell this tale of desperation. From an addict, we see the uncontrollable need for the next high and how the entire focus on his life has become centered on doing whatever necessary to get the drugs he needs. From the parent of an addict, we see how much they want to help and their frustration with how little they are able to actually do. We get to see law enforcement take steps to cut off the supply and how slowly the system move.
This book is set in the mountains of North Carolina and I really felt those mountains come to life in this story. The characters were very well-developed and the descriptions were incredibly vivid. The writing was beautiful despite the rather harsh reality of the story. I was really drawn into the story and wondered how things would eventually work out for these characters that I had grown to care about.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I found this to be a beautifully written tale of desperation and the need to take steps towards change. I am now considering myself to be a card-carrying member of the David Joy fan club (is there such a thing?) and will definitely be planning to read more of his work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from G.P. Putnam's Sons via Edelweiss....more
This was great! This book threw me right in the action from the very beginning and the This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
This was great! This book threw me right in the action from the very beginning and the pace never let up. It was one of those stories that are almost impossible to set aside. As horrible as the case they were dealing with was, I couldn't help but think about the fact that something like this could actually happen and the authorities would probably have a difficult time getting to the culprit. This was a really entertaining read from beginning to end.
The culprit in this case was truly frightening. The Midnight Man has entered several family homes in the middle of the night while the family is sleeping. He kills the father and then the mother leaving the children with a message. The victims appear to be random and the criminal takes all evidence from the scene. The whole community is on edge. The more that Caitlin and her team along with the local authorities learn about the individual responsible for these crimes the scarier it becomes.
I love seeing Caitlin and the rest of the team at work. It was great getting to see how each piece of the puzzle fit into the making of their profile. There are some pretty intense scenes that left no doubt as to how tough Caitlin really is. The FBI team is a really cohesive unit and they all put everything they had into finding the suspect. I thought that some of their ideas were pretty creative and I liked the way that everything came together.
I really liked the way that the story was written. We spend most of our time in the book with Caitlin's point of view but there are are few other points of view that do show up at times that I think had a really strong impact on the story. I liked that we got to see more of Caitlin's personal life including some scenes including Sean. Some of the murder scenes were rather brutal and I thought that the author's descriptions made everything feel very vivid.
I would highly recommend this book to others. This was a really exciting story that kept me glued to the pages. This is the third book in the Unsub series but could work as a stand-alone. I can't wait to read more of this exciting series.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Blackstone Publishing via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts This was great! This continues to be an excellent series. I loved the complexity of the case that Caitlin and the rest of the team were faced with. There were more than a few surprises worked into the story that I did not see coming. Definitely an intense and exciting read!...more
I enjoyed this book! I have been a fan of James Grippando's work for a long time. I havThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I enjoyed this book! I have been a fan of James Grippando's work for a long time. I haven't read all of his books yet but I have read the majority of them. I have found his books to be consistently good and I look forward to each new release. I had a great time with this book from beginning to end.
I did want to mention that this story is a political one. I tend to go into books blindly if it is at all possible so I was a little surprised by this fact once I started reading. If I had read the book's description, I would have expected to see a lot of politics. I thought that the story raised an interesting question regarding the duty of the electors. The President in this story looked a whole lot like our current President. Too close in my opinion. I tend to enjoy characters that don't so closely resemble actual individuals but that is just my preference.
The book opens on election night and once again, everything hinges on Florida. The current President ends up winning the electoral college even though he was behind by eight million votes in the popular vote. If just a few electors cast their votes differently than their state voted, there could be a very different outcome. Charlotte is an elector in Florida and she decides that she will cast her vote for the candidate that did not win her state. Let's just say that things get very interesting for Charlotte once this decision is announced.
I enjoyed this story quite a bit. There were a whole lot of twists and turns that I did not see coming and I found the story to be very exciting. I really enjoyed all of the legal ramifications and maneuvers in the story. There were several different mysteries throughout this book and it was great to see everything start coming together as the story progressed. This book can easily be read as a stand-alone but fans of the series will enjoy checking in with Jack, Theo, and all of the other characters from the series.
I would recommend this book to others. I found this book to have plenty of action and excitement along with a very relevant premise. This was one that I didn't want to put down once I started reading. I cannot wait to read more of this author's work.
I received a digital review copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishers - Harper via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts I enjoyed this book. I have been a fan of James Grippando's work for a very long time. The premise of this book felt like something that could actually happen. It was more political than I expected since I rarely read what a book is about before diving in. If I had read the book's description, then I would have known that this would be a story full of politics. The President depicted in this book was a little too similar to the one currently holding the office and I have a feeling that Trump fans will not be impressed. I am not a fan but I have to say that I didn't completely enjoy the portions of the book that featured this character and felt that the similarities were just too much. I read for entertainment and enjoy characters that are unique much more than those that based on any known individual.
I really like Jack and love the way he is able to remain impartial. Charlotte was brave but made some pretty foolish decisions. There were several different mysteries playing out in this book and I was very curious to see how things would work out in the end. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting. This book can be read as a stand-alone but fans fo the series will enjoy catching up with this group of characters....more
I had a really good time with this book. This is the second book in the Nightchaser serThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I had a really good time with this book. This is the second book in the Nightchaser series which is a series that is best read in order since this book picks up shortly after the events of the first installment. I really enjoyed the first book in the series and was pretty eager to see what Tess and Shade would face in this installment. I found this book to be enjoyable from beginning to end.
One of the things that I really liked about this book is that there was a lot of action from the start. Tess, Shade, and the rest of the crew seem to always find themselves in dangerous situations and it was fun finding out how they deal with each situation. There were times that it was almost impossible to set the book aside because I was so caught up in the action of the story. I thought that the action in this story found the perfect balance with the more romantic and character-focused parts of the book.
Tess and Shade are both characters and I think that they really do make a great pair. They work well together and seem to be able to handle almost any situation. They are both able to think outside the box and will do what is needed to reach their goals and keep each other safe. I liked that this story is told from both Tess and Shade's point of view because I feel like we really got to know exactly what each of them was thinking. It was fun to watch their relationship continue to develop in this installment.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a really well-done science fiction romance filled with wonderful characters. This story had a lot of action and more than a few twists and turns to keep things interesting. I cannot wait to read the next book in this exciting series.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts I really enjoyed this book. This book picks up shortly after the events in the first book so I do think that this is a series that is best when read in order. This story was exciting with a lot of action and I loved seeing Shade and Tess grow closer to each other. I really liked seeing the whole cast of characters interact and enjoyed the addition of a few new additions. There were a lot of pretty be revelations and developments in this book and I am eager to see how things will play out in the next installment. ...more
I really enjoyed this book! I have been wanting to read Darynda Jones's work for a veryThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I really enjoyed this book! I have been wanting to read Darynda Jones's work for a very long time but just haven't fit it into my reading schedule yet for one reason or another. As soon as I saw this book, I knew that this would be one that I would have to read. I really like the fact that this is the start of a brand new series and that is a very different premise than the books in her popular series. This story hooked me from the beginning and entertained me until the final page.
Sunshine Vicram is the new sheriff in town. She's not really sure how that happened since she didn't even know she was running but that is something that her parents will need to explain. She has moved back home with her daughter, Auri, and hopes to ease herself into her new position but that is not meant to be. Before she knows what is going on, she must lead a search to find a couple of missing teenagers and deal with a few other cases hitting her small town.
I found this to be a rather exciting story. There were several different mysteries that Sunshine had to deal with and I liked how she was able to juggle the workload. I really liked the characters and appreciated getting to know about their past slowly as the story progressed. I was delighted to not only follow Sunshine on her adventures but to also get the opportunity to see things from her daughter's point of view. I really liked that the characters in this story had a wonderful sense of humor. I thought that the added humor helped to offset some of the more serious moments.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. I found this to be a wonderful start to a very promising series. I fell in love with the characters and was captivated by the rather complex mystery. I look forward to reading future installments in this series.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Macmillan - St. Martin's Press via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts I really enjoyed this one. I feel like I would have flown through this book if the world wasn't such a strange place right now. I found this book to be a great escape. I loved Sunshine, Auri, and the rest of the characters. I really liked the fact that there were several mysteries in this book happening at the same time. The story was able to keep me guessing and I appreciate the fact that there was a decent amount of humor sprinkled throughout. I am looking forward to reading more of this series in the future....more
This was a fantastic novel! I read this author's previous book, The Roanoke Girls, and This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
This was a fantastic novel! I read this author's previous book, The Roanoke Girls, and fell in love with this author's writing so I knew I wanted to read this book just as soon as I saw it. I went into the book with rather high expectations and they were met. This was a book that I found very hard to put down. The story was surprising at times and emotional in others. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent reading this story.
The book opens with Eve receiving a visit from her brother Cal while working her shift at the local diner. Cal is a local police officer and is there to tell Eve that her 12-year-old daughter, Junie has been murdered along with another child. My heart broke right with Eve's. The descriptions of how she got through those first few days really got to me. Eve worked hard to be a good mother to Junie and only had her brother Cal to lean on. After Junie's death, Eve has nothing left to lose and decides she will stop at nothing to get justice for her daughter.
I thought that the characters in this story were very well done. There is a pretty eclectic group of characters represented in this story and they all felt very real to me. I found that while I was pretty shocked by some of the turns the story took, the actions of the characters always felt authentic. I really felt like I was in Eve's head and I understood her motivation to learn what happened to her daughter.
I love the fact that this book was able to surprise me. And it didn't just surprise me once because there were several times where the story took a turn that I didn't expect. I love that this story made me feel. There were times that this story really got to me. Eve was such a strong character who was put in one of the most difficult situations that I can imagine. I honestly don't know how someone could read this book and not feel for Eve. I also love that the mystery in this story really kept me guessing. I had no idea who killed those two girls but I was just as desperate as Eve to find out. I found the mystery to be complex and very well done.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I found this to be a wonderfully told story that was heartbreaking at times. I cannot wait to read more from this very talented author!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Penguin Publishing Group - Dutton via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts This falls somewhere between 4 and 5 stars for me. I am going with 4 for now but might bump it up after I have some time to think about it. I had a really hard time putting this book down. I couldn't imagine going through what Eve does in this story and reading about it made me uncomfortable at times. There were a few twists that I found to be rather shocking. This is one of those books that will stay with me for a while. ...more
I really enjoyed this book! I have been a big fan of this series from the start and reaThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I really enjoyed this book! I have been a big fan of this series from the start and really everything Ilona Andrews writes for a very long time so I went into this book expecting to love it so I was very pleased that it was just as good as I had hoped. I usually read any Ilona Andrews book in quick order just as soon as it makes its way to my hands but I was forced to take my time with this book due to things going on in the rest of my life and I think it was actually really nice to savor this story one piece at a time. I looked forward to the time that I did have to dedicate to this story and I found it to be a fantastic read.
The story starts off with a bang and the excitement held until the very end. I love how creative some of the enemies are in this series. As I read this book, I was reminded by just how well done the world-building in the series has been. It was really easy to slip into this story and focus on the mystery at hand and this mystery really kept me guessing. I had no idea how Catalina and Alessandro would pull it off but I knew that it would be fun to watch.
Catalina is a great character and I feel like she has grown a lot in this installment. She heads House Baylor efficiently and with authority and she is willing to make any sacrifices necessary to protect her family. She also plans to protect her heart, namely from Alessandro. Alessandro was more of a mystery to me. I liked him coming into this book and thought that his abilities were impressive but I feel like he opened up a bit in this book. I do think that he is the perfect match for Catalina and I hope to really see some sparks fly in the next installment.
I would highly recommend this book to others. This was just a fun read. It was great to catch up with all of the key players from the series, including Nevada and Mad Rogan. The mystery in this book was very well done and the characters were easy to care about. I cannot wait to read more from this talented writing pair soon!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Avon Books via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts I had a great time with this book. I really have enjoyed watching Catalina in the lead again. And Alessandro was fantastic in this installment. I thought that the story was exciting with plenty of action. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series....more
I thought that this was good. Years ago I read a ton of Linda Howard but I stopped pickThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I thought that this was good. Years ago I read a ton of Linda Howard but I stopped picking up her books for one reason or another. I decided to give this one a try and I found that I do still enjoy her writing. I found this to be a really enjoyable listen.
I really only have one main complaint with this book. I can't believe that I am going to say this but too much of this book was about the dog. I love dogs. My world revolves around my three dogs and I have to admit that they are incredibly spoiled. I love it when dogs are a part of the story. This book took things a bit far even for me. I felt like I had spent hours listening to how Tricks liked to play catch, how smart she was, how she liked to be fed, where she thought she needed to sit in the car, and the list goes on. Do you see that cover? It should have had the dog in the foreground with the humans in the background because that would have been more accurate.
Now, on to the humans. Morgan works for an elite unit and is enjoying some time off at the start of the story. He is attacked near his own home comes close to losing his life. Once he has recovered enough to leave constant medical care, his supervisor arranges for him to go to the home of his step-sister, Bo, who lives in a small remote town. Bo is the part-time police chief of a small town. It's is an administrative position and she fills in the rest of her time with computer work out of her home. She does not expect to find an incredibly sick man on her doorstep but he is in such bad shape she can't bring herself to send him away.
There is a lot going on in this book. Not only do they need to figure out who is responsible for the attack on Morgan at the start of the book, but Bo also has some issues in town that prove to be more dangerous than she counted on. It did feel like nothing happened with the mystery of who was responsible for trying to kill Morgan for the majority of the book and then everything came together really quickly at the end of the story. Bo's situation in town filled in the main part of the book nicely.
I thought that Morgan and Bo worked well together. Morgan was pretty open and shared as much with Bo as he could. Morgan was in pretty rough shape for a long time in this story but when he started to recover he seemed to do so very quickly and that is when things started to heat up between the pair. I thought that they had good chemistry with each other and I liked them as a couple.
I thought that Tanya Eby did a good job with the narration. It did take me just a bit to get used to her voice but once I did, I had no complaints. She handled all of the character voices very well and was able to add a lot of emotion to the story. I had no problem listening to her voice for hours at a time.
I think that readers who enjoy romantic suspense and love dogs will enjoy this one. I didn't think that this was Linda Howard's best work but it was an enjoyable story. I wouldn't hesitate to read more of her work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from William Morrow via Edelweiss and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.
Initial Thoughts This was probably closer to 3.5 stars but I am going with 3 for now. I love dogs. I have 3 dogs that mean the world to me and I do adjust my life quite often to meet their needs. I love dogs in books so it pains me to say that there was just too much of the dog in this book. If I talked about my 3 dogs as much as this book talked about, Tricks, nobody would want to be around me. I feel like the book was 50% about the dog with the rest of the story taking a back seat.
I liked Bo and Morgan well enough. It seemed like the book kind of forgot that Morgan was in danger for the bulk of the story until it came back into focus at the very end. Morgan went from being quite frail to almost superhero status in a blink of an eye which seemed odd to me. I thought that the story was interesting enough to keep me going. I listened to this story and thought that Tanya Eby did an acceptable job with the narration....more
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