Tag: Book Review

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Blog Tour (Review): The Best Man by A.S. Kelly

Everybody has favorite authors and look forward to their series, but sometimes it’s fun to find new authors and new places to explore. This is the case with Connemara in The Best Man.

The action starts with a bang as Alex interrupts his best friend’s wedding for, shall we say, personal reasons. From there, we get a long and winding story as Alex and Ellie try to find their way to each other as the pressures of their choices complicate things.

The story does is not rushed. There are a lot of internal monologues and even more angst on both parts. These are interspersed with scenes that could only be set in Ireland. I almost enjoyed the secondary characters more than the main ones, especially Ellie’s brothers.

I liked the setting. I could picture the towns and townspeople; the author made Ireland come alive. I also thought the business that Alex and Ellie worked in was creative – who doesn’t like a good Irish whiskey?

I did think that there were passages that seemed to go on a bit too long. It was almost like the author was trying to meet a word count instead of just getting to the point. However, when I looked at the front of the book, I saw that it was a translation; the wordiness makes a lot more sense in that context.

I do wish that I had seen that before I started reading because it certainly would have changed my mindset. That’s totally my fault. But now I know that for the next book. I am looking forward to it because it was a neat little place to visit. It was also pleasant to take time with a book instead of being rushed through it.

♡ Connect with A. S. Kelly ♡

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Books On Tour (Review): Little Whispers by K. L. Slater

In my opinion, good psychological thrillers lay a groundwork of “normality,” drop a few hints here and there to let the reader know that all is not as it seems, and then start unraveling everything building to what I call “the big reveal.” I’m happy to say that this book mostly succeeds in the formula.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3cKxlJm Apple books: https://apple.co/2zI94VP
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2X5gZod Google Play:  https://bit.ly/3670IDm

Right from the start, we know that there is some dark secret that Janey’s mom confesses to her from her death bed. It takes a long time to find out what that actual secret is, but there are clues dropped in the form of a few flashback chapters, as well as in Janey’s own memories. As the past takes shape, the question becomes how it fits into the main plot. And that’s where it gets a tad foggy.

I enjoyed the main thrust of the story. I could relate to Janey and how she felt moving to a new area where she didn’t fit in. With her mom’s recent death still fresh, her young son having to adjust, and a husband who had pushed it all to happen quickly, Janey had a lot going on. Safe to say that nothing is as it seems throughout it all.

Which of the Buckingham Crescent mummies is lying? Which is hiding something? Can any of them be trusted? And why is Janey’s husband Isaac being so cagey about everything? And really, what DOES the deathbed secret have to do with it all?

There are quite a few twists and turns along the way. The author does a good job of tying everything up by the end, and I was satisfied with the resolution. I did think that the first half was a tad drawn out; I kept waiting for something “bigger” to happen. But once the flashback chapters entered into the narrative, things took off at a rapid pace, and it was a page-turner for the rest of the book.

There were still a few stumbles. Janey’s behavior at school towards a student was shocking. Even in the face of what she was dealing with, it seemed very out of character (not to mention that she would have been out on her butt in a heartbeat regardless of the reason in most schools).

That, and I thought Rowan got a little left behind in the whole story as one of his actions was out of character, but then sort of glossed over. They didn’t distract me from the story (well, Janey’s kind of did), because the rest of the action was still swirling.

I also thought that the “big reveal” was good, but because of how it functioned within the main plot, I wish that there had been a bit more revelation earlier. As it stood, it seemed a little manipulative. Which now that I think about it, is precisely how it was used: to manipulate a situation.  So maybe that’s all okay then.

On a side note, I thought that the commentary on social standing and the importance of money was interesting and accurate. The author excelled at truly illustrating how money is at the root of all evil. I’ll leave it at that. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for summer reading.

Author Bio:
For many years, Kim sent her work out to literary agents but never made it off the slush pile. At the age of 40 she went back to Nottingham Trent University and now has an MA in Creative Writing.

Before graduating, she received five offers of representation from London literary agents which was, as Kim says, ‘a fairytale … at the end of a very long road!’

Kim is a full-time writer and lives in Nottingham with her husband, Mac. 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimLSlater 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15622135.K_L_Slater
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimLSlaterAuthor/ 
Website: https://klslaterauthor.com/
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Books on Tour (Review): Winter Rising by Alex Callister

If you thought the first book was action-packed, you ain’t seen nothing yet! The author pretty much picks up where Winter Dark left off and keeps the high-octane plot going.

This time, Winter and other members of GCHQ are after a notorious hitman, the Guardsman. But is Winter off her game after her close encounter with Alek Konstantin? She certainly can’t shake him from her thoughts even as she knows he could be manipulating everything while on the run.

The author does a fantastic job of not letting up on the action, even in the “quiet” moments. There is always a feeling of…not exactly dread…but more of that you just know something big could happen at any second. To me, that’s the very definition of a page-turner.

I liked how Winter has become a more “full” character. She seemed to have more depth this time around. I loved her interactions with members of the CIA and her own team. I especially enjoyed her “mentorship” of Leon and Xiu. I think it made Winter realize a side of her personality she didn’t know she had.

That being said, she is still her caustic, cautious self. I enjoy reading about her messing with people because they never know if she is serious or not (the “Coming to America” reference comes to mind). She keeps people off-balance naturally, which is almost like a suit of protection for her.

As for the Konstantin, he is like a looming specter in both Winter’s mind and the overall plot. He is enigmatic (and apparently charismatic) which makes it difficult to decide whether to hate him for his evilness or appreciate his deceit.

I also thought it was fascinating and a little disconcerting to read about a world in chaos. There’s a different reason for it in the book (obviously), but the current global situation gave an added layer of tension. It’s not that much of a reach to think of looming possibilities. (That’s a tad bit dramatic, but the emotion is definitely there.

I’m pretty sure that I didn’t breathe much through the last third of the book. But that’s okay because now I’m primed for the next one!

Author Bio
Alex Callister is the pseudonym of an industry expert on media, telecoms and internet stocks. She studied history at Oxford and the British School at Rome and was set for a career in academia until the beginning of the tech boom woke a lifelong interest in internet shares. Alex has spent her career visiting high-security web hosting sites and speculating on what might go wrong. 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CallisterAuthor
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Blog Tour (Review): This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf

I’m not exactly sure how to classify this book. It’s not exactly a psychological thriller, but it’s not really a crime/mystery either. It’s twisted and has a LOT going on. It seems as if everyone is lying at one point or another, and as the story progresses, it becomes more difficult to tell who is telling the truth and when.

What I found especially interesting about this book was that none of the characters particularly grabbed me. I didn’t relate to any of them, but I think it actually worked better that way because I was able to read it with a detachment. This enabled me to have a more critical eye in looking for clues to the truth. It was a different experience in reading (and I always like new things like this).

I will say that I found Nora to be one of the most unpredictable characters I have ever “met.” I flip-flopped on whether she was just brilliant and misunderstood or a complete psychopath. There were several aspects to her character that could be interpreted in many ways. To be honest, I’m still not entirely sure about her.

The writer tackles multiple issues in this book, some of which may be difficult for some readers. Dating violence is one example, but the author does handle it tactfully. It’s not graphic and does not last through the whole book. There is another situation that could be disturbing to some, but to mention it would give away the plot. I know that’s unhelpful, and I’m sorry for it. But I’m sure you can find it in other reviews.

There is a mystery to be solved, and there are several possible suspects. At any given point, any of them could be guilty. There was a lot of build-up to the big reveal, which occurred in an extremely intense confrontation.

But then, it seemed like the end was very rushed. For example, one plotline was tossed off with an “I’ll never know who did this” when the action in question played a fairly significant part in one character’s story arc. There were also a few other summary sentences about important points that just seemed to fizzle. It was almost as if the writer wanted the story to be wrapped up quickly.

Ultimately, it was a story about an event in a small-town (the author did capture the claustrophobia of small-town living quite well), and how the impact of that event carries on over the years. Then it becomes a matter of revenge. How far would you go to enact revenge on an old wrong?  I recommend this book, but just know that this is only one of the questions you may find unanswered.

Author Bio

Heather Gudenkauf is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of many books, including The Weight of Silence and These Things Hidden. Heather graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in elementary education, has spent her career working with students of all ages. She lives in Iowa with her husband, three children, and a very spoiled German Shorthaired Pointer named Lolo. In her free time, Heather enjoys spending time with her family, reading, hiking, and running.

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Books On Tour (Review): Into the Darkest Day by Kate Hewitt

Epic in every sense of the word, this book is one of the finest examples of historical fiction I have read. There is so much that I liked about it that I don’t know if I can cover it all, but I’ll try.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2YFDimH Apple Books: https://apple.co/2zmZh7h Kobo: https://bit.ly/3fs2qn1 Google Play: https://bit.ly/2W8DNnM

One thing I noticed right from the start was the attention to detail in both the contemporary and historical storylines. It is always easiest to picture something familiar, so getting an image of Abby’s apple orchard and the farmhouse was simple to imagine. The author was so descriptive with the WWII scenes that I could picture them almost as completely.

The author hits the other senses with her descriptions as well. From the pigeon coops to events during the war, I felt like I could smell and hear what the characters were; that’s how good they were. It must be said that with that depth of detail also comes the emotion that goes along with it, and I felt gut-punched by a few of them (no spoilers).

I liked how the story started out being about one thing but then took off a different direction. This felt realistic and added to the intrigue of the WWII portion of the plot. I did think that a few of the contemporary plot points were extraneous, but I understand how the conflicts were needed to give more depth to Abby and Simon. I think it was because the WWII sections were so compelling, I just wanted to get back to them.

I also liked how some of the questions propelling the plot were not answered until close to the end. That was effective because 1) it kept me reading to find out the resolution, and 2) the author was able to take the story in different directions to get to the final point (instead of just reaching it directly).

A word must be said about the history. I have often mentioned that I like historical fiction because I usually learn something new. This time I learned several things via Matthew’s experiences (again, no spoilers). His arc led me to a fascinating documentary, and also served as a reminder that even after D-Day, there was still a lot of war left to fight.

The author has spun a masterful story. If you are a fan of historical fiction, you definitely should have this on your TBR list.

Author Bio

Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives. 

Website: https://www.kate-hewitt.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateHewittAuthor/ 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1269244.Kate_Hewitt
Twitter: https://twitter.com/katehewitt1  
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Blog Tour (Review): Forking Around by Erin Nicholas

YAY! It’s the second book in the Hot Cakes series from Erin Nicholas, and it’s every bit as yummy as the first one (Sugarcoated). This time, we get the story of Dax and Jane, and, as always, the characters are realistic and likable.

I loved that Jane was curvy and proud of it (and also that she wasn’t afraid to start her day with a strawberry-cream cheese bar instead of coffee. A girl after my own heart). But what I particularly liked is that her size didn’t become a “thing.” She was who she was, and that’s what Dax liked. Period.

Dax was fun. Known as the member of the group who keeps it light (bean bag chairs and ping pong), he showed remarkable depth when it came to Jane’s family. THAT is what ultimately made him swoon-worthy in my eyes.

Secondary characters never get short shrift in Ms. Nicholas’ books, and this one is no exception. Cassie and Aspen were the awfulest of steps, straight out of Cinderella. (I know “awfulest” isn’t a real word, but they don’t deserve proper grammar). I adored Piper, and I’m pretty sure she is my spirit animal.

And even though we know that each of the guys will get their chance at love, their “background” status still allows them to interact with the banter that the author is so good at. I always end up laughing out loud multiple times (this time, the “sexual harassment” conversation about killed me).

Another thing the author does well is timeliness and current trends, but she does it without being obvious. The scene with the coloring books of swear words comes instantly to mind. That’s something everyone can relate to, especially these days.

On a personal note, I was also drawn in by Jane’s father. My dad was diagnosed with a little-known neural disease (under the Parkinson’s umbrella, but a separate disease) that was so unknown, the doctors could pretty much do nothing. This story ends before Jack progresses to the worst part of that kind of disease. The descriptions of him before the disease, and his mannerisms during, reminded me a LOT of my dad.  

I think that’s part of the reason that Dax is currently my favorite. He just “got” it, and he knew that he wanted to be there to help Jane. I know it’s only book two, but the other guys of Fluke are going to have to work hard to knock Dax out of the top spot for me. Can’t wait to see how they do!

AUTHOR BIO

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

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Books on Tour (Review): Her Last Mistake by Clara Kovach

Detective Gina Harte is back, and this time the investigation hits a little closer to home than she would like.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B084PCXX53Cover Apple: https://apple.co/2SCUzIF
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2uv50pR Google: http://bit.ly/2HfEzHh

One thing this author does well is setting incredibly detailed scenes. But Ms. Kovach goes a step beyond several other authors and sets active scenes. Not only are static details enumerated, but dynamic moments are as well (the flash of a camera at a crime scene, the sounds of the squad room, etc.). It gives a whole different dimension to reading.

I also like how the people involved in the investigation proceed, especially how they talk things out before an official statement is made, spitballing ideas or general thoughts on the case. This type of discussion is something that happens in real-life investigations, and the author captures it perfectly.  

As to the investigation itself, it’s more personal because aspects of it remind Gina of her own past trauma. These moments do serve to catalyze Gina and drive her to find the killer while adding depth to her character.  However, there were a few times I felt that Gina’s memories bogged the plot down. I wanted to get back to the action of the story.

The crime(s) are pretty gruesome, but not gory. The close proximity of the killer and victims proves that it mostly involves the power the killer feels, and that is detailed in sporadic chapters from the killer’s point of view.

As always, the author does a fantastic job of throwing red herrings and twists in that mimic a real investigation (thinking that it’s suspect A, but maybe it’s suspect B, what does suspect C have to do with it all, anyway?). And just when you think you have it all figured out, you don’t. This author is a master at partial guilt. And that’s all I am going to say about that.

Even though this is part of a series, the sixth to be exact, it can absolutely be read as a standalone. You will just have a better sense of Gina’s (and her team’s) backgrounds if you have read the others.

Author Bio:

Carla Kovach was born in Birmingham, UK and now resides in Redditch, Worcestershire. Author of supernatural drama ‘Flame,’ psychological thriller ‘To Let,’ crime thriller ‘Whispers Beneath the Pines,’ and holiday comedy, ‘Meet Me at Marmaris Castle.’ Carla also writes stage and screenplays, some of which have been produced in the Worcestershire area. Her feature film ‘Penny for the Guy’ is being made and is set for release in 2019.

Her latest book, Her Last Mistake is the sixth book in the DI Gina Harte crime series.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarlaKovachAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CKovachAuthor
Website: https://griffbuck.wordpress.com/
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Books On Tour (Review): One Mistake by Rona Halsall

Hands down, one of the most zonko crazy psych thrillers I have read in recent memory. And how fitting that a book about how far a woman will go to protect her family is posting on Mother’s Day!

Amazon: https://geni.us/B084HQ2672Social Apple: https://apple.co/39dTn5i
Kobo: http://bit.ly/39aVJlm Google: http://bit.ly/2unhD69

The set-up was a little bit slow at first, and I thought it was going to be more of an everyday type of story. I could not have been more wrong. In hindsight, I realized that the details at the beginning were vital to build a foundation for the rest of the wild events to rest upon.

Sara also seemed weak at first, but it became apparent that she had been emotionally beaten down by life – first while growing up and then by her marriage. I think many readers will relate to the feeling of doing everything they can for their families only to feel unappreciated. I loved her growth and may have actually pumped my fist with a “YES!” in her final conversation with Matt.

Once the action got going, it was difficult to know who to trust, which was all set up perfectly to keep the reader off-balance. Does James have ulterior motives? Is Hailey more involved than it appears? Can Fiona be too good to be true? Why is Matt such a jerk?

All of those questions (and then some) are answered, but not always in the way you might expect. By the end, I’m pretty sure that Sara was wishing that her initial suspicion about her husband had been correct. I’m not saying more than that.

I will say that this book had one of the strangest plot twists and went to a pretty dark place. Some might find it far-fetched, but I thought it addressed a wide-spread problem that is rarely mentioned. It also illuminated how the digital age has made it so much easier to ruin lives – with literally a click of a mouse.

So, in summary, it starts slow but then zooms off around corners and blind spots to take you on a wild ride. Hang on!

Author Bio:

Rona lives on the Isle of Man with her husband, two dogs and three guinea pigs. She has been a bookworm since she was a child and now she’s actually creating stories of her own, which still feels like a dream come true. 

She is an outdoorsy person and loves stomping up a mountain, walking the coastal paths and exploring the wonderful beaches on the Island while she’s plotting how to kill off her next victim. She also makes sure she deletes her Google history on a regular basis, because… well, you can’t be too careful when you spend your life researching new and ingenious ways for people to die.

She has three children and two step-children who are now grown up and leading varied and interesting lives, which provides plenty of ideas for new stories!

To find out more about Rona’s novels, go to www.facebook.com/RonaHalsallAuthor or follow @RonaHalsallAuth on Twitter.

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Blog Tour (Review): Family for Beginners by Sarah Morgan

Based on the first chapter, I thought that the book was going to go in a completely different direction. I was expecting flashbacks to how Clare and Becca got to that starting point. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised when the action instead jumped to Flora, with seemingly no connection.

Shortly, however, the connection became apparent, and that is when the book really took flight. The author has a special knack for creating whole scenes that make it feel like you’re watching the action instead of reading it. I was fully immersed.

Buy Links: Harlequin  Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble 
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I liked the way that the author split the narration between Flora, Izzy, and (later) Clare. Reading the story from the three different perspectives allowed me to compare their personality traits and try to get to the underlying issues that were causing the conflict.

What was most interesting to me was that each of them was ultimately more like the others than they could have imagined. Being able to connect the dots and see each woman’s strengths and weaknesses gave added depth to the story.

I appreciated that the author gave some realism to the males in the story. For the most part, they are relatively tangential characters (even though Jack is a catalyst for it all), but their interactions with the women were natural and not forced. They were typical men, but admitted it and tried to improve where necessary. There weren’t any male-bashing or shallow stereotypes. They were just real.

Ultimately, it is a book about family and all of the ugly stuff that goes with it. Families are never perfect, and they don’t necessarily only connect by blood. They also are not always what you think they might be. The importance of communication is another theme. If the characters had talked with each other, to begin with, a lot of misunderstandings would have been avoided. Of course, then there wouldn’t have been a plot. And it wouldn’t have been as realistic, because those missteps are part of human nature and we have all made them.

This book was emotional but not manipulative, and I could not put it down. Watching each of the characters navigate through the trickiness of death and new relationships was ultimately heartwarming, and I highly recommend it.

Author Bio: USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.

Romantic Times has described her as ‘a magician with words’ and nominated her books for their Reviewer’s Choice Awards and their ‘Top Pick’ slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family. Find out more at www.sararahmorgan.com.

Social Links:
Author Website
Twitter: @SarahMorgan_
Facebook: @AuthorSarahMorgan 
Instagram: @SarahMorganWrites
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Blog Tour (Review): The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick

After quite a few psych thrillers, I was in the mood for a change of pace, and this book fit the bill nicely. It took a little while to get into, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down.

Buy Links:  Harlequin  Barnes & Noble Amazon Books-A-Million Powell’s

I had a difficult time understanding Mitchell at first, as he was a little bit of an enigma. I couldn’t get a grasp on his character, because at times he seemed old and doddery, but I knew from the description (and his daughter) that he wasn’t as old as he came across. As his backstory became clear, so did his character. I loved the symbolism of how he enjoyed his job cutting locks (and how that related to his own broken heart).

I enjoyed the way the plot unfolded. A few different things were going on, but they all sort of related to each other, or at least influenced other events. It was an effective way to illustrate how easy it is to touch others’ lives and how one small event can set off a ripple effect for many people.

Back to Mitchell for a minute – I was satisfied to see his character grow throughout the story as he learned the importance of personal connections. It would have been easy to keep him uptight, but showing him reawaken was heartfelt and moving.

I also liked the secondary characters and how Yvette’s part of the action wove them all into the story. I was drawn in by Mitchell’s heroics, captivated by the letters he received, and eager to unravel the mystery that connected it all.

Do yourself a favor, take some time, and read this uplifting book about second chances.

Phaedra Patrick is the author of The Library of Lost and Found, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone and The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, which has been published in over twenty countries around the world. She studied art and marketing, and has worked as a stained-glass artist, film festival organizer and communications manager. An award-winning short story writer, she now writes full-time. She lives in Saddleworth, UK, with her husband and son.

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