This is book 2 of the Ever After High series. This is a middle grade read and is so very delightful. This was not a planned read for me for this month, but I am so glad that I continued with this story.
SynopsisIt's the aftermath of Legacy Day, the day when the students at Ever After High are supposed to pledge to follow in their fairytale parents' footsteps, and everyone is in a huff and a puff! Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen, has refused to sign the Storybook of Legends, rejecting her story--and putting everyone else's in jeopardy.
The Royal Apple White doesn't want to think Raven is being a rebellious pain, but Raven's choice means Apple might never get the poisoned apple, Prince Charming, and a kingdom to rule. Behind Apple stands the Royals, those who want to play by the book and embrace their stories. The Rebels, supporters of Raven, believe in breaking free from destiny and writing their own stories.
But when the chaos and rivalry land wonderlandiful Madeline Hatter in trouble, Raven and Apple must bring the Royals and the Rebels together to shut the book on their feud before it threatens to end all of their Happily Ever Afters once and for all.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...Who's the Unfairest of Them All?
I just love the plotlines of these books. This one was even better than the first and I think it is such a great read for middle graders highlighting the importance of making our own choices and what happens because of those choices. I just think that it is brilliantly written where readers, especially middle grade, can grasp the meaning of what is being said. Everything is written with such great imagery that makes the entire story come to life. There are so many great adventures to go on as readers turn each and every page. This would be a make believe place that I would have loved to have escaped to when I was kid.
The characters are amazing, colorful, and so full of life. They are very easy to relate to even though they are deemed 'make believe' both in the story and out of the story. I can see a lot of kids being able to relate to every one of these characters. They are a lot of fun to read about and they make me wanna jump right into the story and be a part of them.
I recommend this book/series to everyone because we all need an escape and a little fun in our lives. If you love all the great children's fairy tales then you will love this series! Chock full of fun and adventure for everyone! I look forward to the final book of this series and maybe even the novellas as well.
This is book 1 of the Frank Harper murder series. I chose this book to read as part of the Read Your E-reader read-a-thon for April. I was feeling a bit burned out on Mystery but decided to go with this one anyway and I really quite enjoyed the story.
Synopsis
Ex-cop Frank Harper doesn't want to get involved. Harper is visiting the small Ohio town of Cooper's Mill, trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter and a grandson he's never met. But he finds the town gripped in fear-two young girls have gone missing, taken in broad daylight from a busy street. And the police are coming up blank. But once Harper is drawn reluctantly into the investigation, he'll stop at nothing to find the girls. And he doesn't care who gets in the way.
The plot is what pretty much drew me into the story. I liked how fluid the story telling was. There were some slow spots, but the mystery aspect of the story pretty much made up for that. I thought the story was going to be predictable at first because things were running along the way I thought they would, and I did try and figure out 'whodunit' but never quite hit the nail on the head. It is a great book that really turns readers into sleuths.
The characters were awesome, especially Frank. There were a couple of times where I wanted to slap him because he did not make a choice that I wanted him to, but it all worked out in the end. I found him to be a little soft at times but his strengths definitely showed through in the end. He is a pretty flawed character with many issues to deal with and I love those characters the best.
I am looking forward to reading book 2 in the series because there was on loose end that was not entirely tied up and I would love to see that happen in a sequel. I would recommend this book to those who love Mystery because this is definitely worth the read and was far better than imagined it would be.
I chose this book for the Read Your E-Reader read-a-thon because I found the plotline to be both very intriguing and interesting. I was wanting to read a mystery and this one seemed like the right choice, but I found this book to just be ok for me.
SynopsisA village, isolated by a severe storm, and a young officer, alone and out of her depth. A troubled priest is brutally murdered, leaving behind a journal of the resident's confessional secrets; secrets certain people would prefer he took to the grave.
As word spreads, the pressure rises as the eyes of the town watch her every move. With no forensic team, no support and a savage killer hiding in a turbulent town, is PC Sarah Gladstone up to the task?
I was pretty excited about the plot line to this story, but I found it to be a little bland and somewhat predictable. I was pretty much able to pin the tail on the donkey every step of the way. I also found the this story lacked depth, it seemed like things were just out of sorts. There was some action in the story but not enough to make the story memorable for me. I do have to say this book was more plot based than character based.
I really did not like the main character at all. She was not developed very well and I found that she lacked strength. She is a police officer and pretty much left to her own devices since a hurricane just went through the town but she just did not make good choices. She does not ever stick up for herself and lets these townspeople just have their way with her verbally and that bothered me a lot. So I found no real connection to her at all.
There were some parts to the story that I did like, (the ending action scene in particular) so because of that I am giving this book a 2.5 star rating. I am not sure who I could actually recommend this books to. I am pretty picky when it comes to mystery stories so maybe I am just too hard on this and some mystery fans will enjoy it.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Romance is definitely not my genre of book to read, but for the most part it was good, and I think there was also a bigger story being told in this book such as how to overcome adversity and be who you are.
Synopsis
Olivia Miller is pretty sure she’d win the high school senior award “Most Likely to Never Figure Out What They Want To Do With Their Life”. Her critical father and neglectful mother have contributed to her anxiety and lack of direction about her future. She’s a model student with a big heart for community service, but her dad has belittled any ambition she ever had in pursuing something she’s interested in. College is a definite, but where should she go, and what should she major in?
But there’s a new guy at school, Cameron McClain, who becomes a fabulous distraction. He is positively swoon-worthy, and not just because he’s a gorgeous romantic who plays the guitar—he’s also thoughtful and respectful. He fits right in with Olivia’s circle of friends: future fashion designer Lyla, photographer Kate, and all-around popular Josh.
As Olivia and Cameron’s relationship deepens, he shows her the acceptance and encouragement she craves which helps her deal with difficult family issues and college decisions. Together, they navigate the exciting, though sometimes confusing, waters of a teen dating relationship that grows into first love.
She starts thinking for herself, setting personal boundaries, and overcomes limitations imposed by her overbearing parents, all while trying to set a good example for her younger sister, Emma, who is watching and learning from her. Thankfully, Olivia’s boss and mentor, Mrs. K, is looking out for her, offering much-needed guidance in life and Christian faith. She gives Cameron a thumbs up when she sees how he admires and cherishes Olivia like no other guy ever has.
Olivia gets the much awaited acceptance letter for the college she has her heart set on, which happens to be where Cameron is going, too. Based on her impressive community service record, she is awarded a scholarship for social and behavioral science majors. She chooses that path even though it’s going to disappoint her father.
As she is poised to leave for college, she works up the nerve to confront her father on Emma’s behalf about his anger problem. But will she ever be able to get him and his judgmental comments out of her head?
Even though this is not a Christian fiction it does have some of those elements throughout the story. I thought this book was written very fluidly and most of it was pretty engaging, even for those of who are not romance readers. The romance was very tastefully done, so that helps tremendously. I also found this story somewhat nostalgic when it came to the time period, the 1990's and music from that era. One problem that I had with this though, was the fact that outside of her family life, things rocked along a little too smoothly for a teenager, things came a bit too easy. It seemed like she could wish upon a star and it would come true, and that made it seem a little more unrealistic to me, but other than that I enjoyed the read.
The characters were ok, I did not relate to them as much as I had hoped I would but I am sure a young adult or teen would find them more relatable than I did. I think Olivia was pretty strong though and had to overcome a lot to pursue her own life and freedom. I respect that. And can I just say that I hated Olivia and Emma's parents. I could not even imagine having parents like these. Mom puts the 'D' in dysfunctional and Dad is a Narcissistic you know what. They were lovely to hate though that is for sure! The sad thing about this is that there are parents out there just like these two, who also called themselves 'Christians'. There is a lot more involved than just going to church and judging everyone around you. You have to set a good example and these 2 really set the wrong one.
This book is definitely worth the read I think and I am rating it a 3.5 stars. I think young adult and teens would appreciate this story far more than me so definitely recommend it to anyone who likes YA.
I read this book for the Read Your E-Reader read-a-thon/challenge. This is the sequel to The Forgotten girls. I was really looking forward to reading this book and I must say I did enjoy this one more than the first.
SynopsisThe brutally beaten body of a young girl is discovered in a marsh in Jamesport, one of New York’s most elite suburbs. Police comb the area, while many speculate her murder might be connected to the abduction, six months earlier, of three girls from Jamesport. The FBI has evidence of an underage prostitution and trafficking ring which may be related.
At the request of the FBI, Billy Dee, captain of the Ninth Precinct in the Bronx, head of its Sex Crimes Unit, sends two of his most seasoned detectives to Jamesport to conduct their own investigation: Bella de Franco and Jimmy “Mack” Menendez. They are sent north, back into the land of the beautiful.
Between local politics, fractured families, a heroin epidemic and a dark secret that the wealthy town strives to keep hidden, the unspeakably dark and twisted reality lurking behind Jamesport life is uncovered. As they learn that everything is not what it seems in this wealthy suburb, Bella and Mack must race against the clock to save one last girl before she is sold across state lines, where she will vanish forever.
The plotline to this installment of the series was a little brutal and not for the faint of heart. It touches on a very sensitive subject matter involving children, so take that into account before deciding to read this book. I found this story both engaging and very well written and full of great imagery. It was realistic and believable and also very fast paced and I found that I had a very hard time putting the book down. The mystery in this story has a great build up with a lot of great unexpected twists and turns.
I have to say that I absolutely love Mack and Bella so much. I think they are perfectly paired up in this story. They definitely compliment each other very well. They are both flawed and well written. I think all of the characters are well developed and they just keep on getting better with each book. Again there are a lot of great characters to hate in this book as well. I think she introduced each new character into the story really well so that readers do not get overwhelmed.
I have to definitely recommend this book/series to anyone who appreciates mystery. I am very eager for the next book in the series to come out, it is due to be released very soon.
I decided to read this book for part of the Read Your E-reader read-a-thon/challenge. This a new author for me and I enjoyed the story. Glad that I got to this one and will continue with the next book.Synopsis
In an elite suburb of New York City, girls are dying. That doesn’t happen in Greenvale, with its immaculate lawns, exclusive yacht clubs and multi-million dollar mansions. But behind its perfect façade, its trimmed hedges and luxury cars, a darkness lies. Girls, dependent on Adderall, outmaneuver each other to get into top colleges, while the mothers’ need to live vicariously only makes it worse.
Bella DeFranco is one of the Bronx’s top SVU detectives. At only 37, she disarms everyone with her stunning good looks, yet she is as tough as most men—and a lot smarter, too. Yet when is summoned to Greenvale, she finds herself getting lost in a case that even she can’t comprehend. She stumbles into a land of secrets, a place where husbands hide their pasts from their wives, where friends are not what they seem, and where no one wants to know too much. As she digs deeper into layers of suburban dysfunction, she comes to learn that, behind all the fake smiles, there is a subtle violence--rivaling even her crime-ridden streets of the Bronx.
With a killer on the loose, time running out, and a new partner who never recovered from his washed-up alcoholic days, the odds are stacked against Bella. She is determined, though, to save these girls, whatever the cost. Yet as she gets close, the depth of psychosis she discovers shocks even her.
I liked the plotline of this story a lot which drew me to the book. I found that it was very engaging, I also found that it flowed very well, but there were parts that felt a little rushed, a little too clean. I was worried though, as I began reading, that it might be a bit predictable, but that was not the case at all. There were plenty of times that I had guessed wrong. I was so sure that I had the bad guy nailed. and then something new would come to light. This was more along the lines of a pretty dark read with a lot of sleuthing. It did however lack a lot of excitement that I crave when reading a mystery, but the dark side of the book gave it an edginess that I enjoyed.
I liked the wide range of characters in this book, you had your humble, smart, and talented characters, your high end snobby and uppity characters as well. I found that there were more 'love to hate' characters than there those you just love. Many of them I just wanted to slap around for their lack of emotion and just for being annoying. Reading it also made me thankful for who I am as a person.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery and a lot of sleuthing because this book certainly had that. I am giving it a 3,5 star rating because it does have plenty to enjoy, but could have so much more.
I chose this book for the Read Your E-reader challenge for the month of April. This is for the challenge of reading a book out of your comfort zone and this one definitely was, but I ended up liking it much more than I thought I would because it was much more than romance and sex. It was about addictions and they can affect others lives.Synopsis
She’s addicted to sex. He’s addicted to booze…the only way out is rock bottom.
No one would suspect shy Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own.
Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment.
But as they sink beneath the weight of their addictions, they cling harder to their destructive relationship and wonder if a life together, for real, is better than a lie. Strangers and family begin to infiltrate their guarded lives, and with new challenges, they realize they may not just be addicted to alcohol and sex.
Their real vice may be each other.
I was not sure about the plot of this story at first since I am really not a romance reader, but I did discover while reading it that it was so much more than that. There was a real story here and parts of it really broke my heart. My own life has been affected by alcoholism so parts of this story strikes close to home, so it can get difficult to read some of it for those who have been touch by addictions no matter what they might be. I did find the story very fluid and engaging. It was easy to follow and is sure to pull you into the story from page 1.
I did not actually relate all that well to the characters. I hate to say it but I really did not like them all that much. I found Lily to be too whiny and then I found Loren to be pretty hateful at times, but that is pretty normal for someone who is an alcoholic so he did fit the role well. I think the one thing that bothered me the most about Lily was that it was always 'okay', no matter what Loren would do. They did grow well throughout the story and I am sure they develop so much more throughout the series. I am undecided on if I will continue the series yet or not.
Can we just say WOW! This book #2 in the Bill Hodges Trilogy. I read this book as a buddy read with a few friends of mine. I have to say that I think this one was better than the first and I am so glad that we arranged this buddy read. Fantastic.
Synopsis
“Wake up, genius.” So begins King’s instantly riveting story about a vengeful reader. The genius is John Rothstein, an iconic author who created a famous character, Jimmy Gold, but who hasn’t published a book for decades. Morris Bellamy is livid, not just because Rothstein has stopped providing books, but because the nonconformist Jimmy Gold has sold out for a career in advertising. Morris kills Rothstein and empties his safe of cash, yes, but the real treasure is a trove of notebooks containing at least one more Gold novel.
Morris hides the money and the notebooks, and then he is locked away for another crime. Decades later, a boy named Pete Saubers finds the treasure, and now it is Pete and his family that Bill Hodges, Holly Gibney, and Jerome Robinson must rescue from the ever-more deranged and vengeful Morris when he’s released from prison after thirty-five years.
Not since Misery has King played with the notion of a reader whose obsession with a writer gets dangerous. Finders Keepers is spectacular, heart-pounding suspense, but it is also King writing about how literature shapes a life—for good, for bad, forever.
I LOVED the plot of this story. What could be better than a book about someone who loves books! This story is so fluid and so engaging and it had me hooked right from the very start. I have to say I had a hard time putting the book down. There were several 'gasping' moments for me, and the edge of your seat action and excitement. What a thrill it was to read this.
As most King readers already know, King is a master at character development, and the characters in this book/series are no different. All of them are beautifully created and developed, and Yes even our crazy, psychotic monster is too. I loved watching all of them evolve throughout the series and those who are in this book itself. I found them to be pretty relatable and very believable. King always gets it right in my opinion.
I have to recommend this book to anyone who loves a great thrill riding mystery and of course those who are fan s of Stephen King and even the ones who aren't because they don't like horror. Well this series is not horror, it is good old fashion mystery with a whole lot of action and excitement Mixed it. Well deserving of the 5 stars I am giving it!
I received this book from Bethan House in exchange for an honest review. I found this was a pretty great read for me. When I read Christian fiction I find most of it to be pretty unbelievable with unrelatable characters and that is because they make the characters unbelievable so I tend to stick to those Christian fiction books that are more good vs. evil with a lot of action and excitement. Well I decided to check this one out and it did not steer me wrong this time. Synopsis
Lillian Porter has always wanted to fulfill her mother's dream of going west, so when she hears about a nanny position in Angels Camp, California, she defies her grandfather and takes a chance on a new future. But she quickly wonders if she made the right choice. There are rumors in town that her new employer, Woodward Colton, caused the death of his wife. This accusation doesn't match the man Lillian comes to know--and Mrs. Goodman, Woody's long-time housekeeper, is decisively on Woody's side--but many in town stay far away from Lillian because of her association with the Colton family.
Lillian's six-year-old charge, Jimmy, was there when his mother died, and he hasn't spoken a word since. Gently, Lillian tries to coax him out of his shell, hoping he'll one day feel safe enough to tell her the truth about what happened. But the Colton olive farm is no longer a safe place. Lillian encounters suspicious characters on their land and mysterious damage done to the farm. Will Mrs. Goodman and Jimmy be able to speak what they know in time to save Lillian from tragedy?
The plot was what drew me to the book in the first place and I thought it was well thought out and captivating There were a mix of elements in this book that worked very well together, mystery, adventure, excitement, love and understanding. All of these elements made this book very compelling and heartwarming and sure to make you feel something. The writing style of these authors was very fluid and very easy to follow.
The characters were also very good, so well developed I felt like I could relate to several of them. There is a wide range of characters for the readers to get to know and love. There was a great mix of personalities among them all as well. I did not find them to be too forgiving or too perfect like most have felt in other Christian fiction that I have read and that was a breath of fresh air for me.
