I needed a book for "Q" for our A-Z challenge and found this one. Paranormal romance is so not my genre to read, but this one was not all that bad, it also had a urban fantasy feel to it. This is the first book in the Hungry Moon series.
SynopsisRavena MacAllister doesn’t want to admit what she is. She wants to continue pretending she’s just human … only human, like her mother, like her friends.
But she isn’t human.
Heartbreak and betrayal send her off rushing to Scotland, to a familiar haven where she has spent so many summers with her father, but she soon discovers that everything has changed.
From the moment she meets Quinn MacValdane, shock waves travel through him to her and back again, wrapping them in a tide of passion she had never dreamt possible. But if they are to have a future together, she must confront who and what she is, for she will need to call on the powers within her as she becomes embroiled in an adventure that will alter her life forever.
I really don't have much interest in paranormal romance but I found that this one was not too bad. The plot had a good pacing with quite a bit of action. The sex in the book was not over the top, thank goodness, but it was heavily dosed with instalove. I also could not stop imagining one of the main characters as being Jamie from Outlander since this did take place in Scotland. The author had the language and accent dead on so it made the book fun to say the least. I think that most fans of paranormal romance would like this one.
I did quite enjoy the 2 main characters in this, especially Quinn due to his likeness of Jamie, although there really was not much backstory for either of them. I am sure they will continue to develop throughout the series. I did not find them particularly relatable, but I did like their personalities. I also enjoyed Lassiter whose character was a bit deceptive leaving me wondering if he was good or not. That kept me thinking throughout the whole story.
I can recommend this to most paranormal fans. It is worth the read, even if you don't like paranormal. I am not sure if I will continue this series or not yet, we will see.
I went to our local library in search of a book I wanted to read, but instead I came across this one of which I had already heard a lot of mixed reviews on. So I decided it was time for me to decide for myself. So I took the plunge to judge for myself.
SynopsisA beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.
Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.
So I was not really sure what exactly this book was about when I read the synopsis. I soon discovered that the synopsis really does not give a lot of input as to what the 'complete' story is. I found the beginning to be kinda of slow and boring and it took it awhile to pick up for me. I almost put it down, but thought that since it was so short, I would just stick with it. Once it did pick up I felt like I was finally learning what the story really was. The first thing I thought was 'Well this should not be called We were Liars, it should be called something like Half Truths.' It would have made more sense. I did find it somewhat surprising when the story finally all came together.
I also felt like some parts of the story really did not add up and that people should have been able to figure some things out. So the story itself does not feel realistic due to that, it made it feel like it was incomplete to a point, the ending not really dramatic enough. It also made the characters in the story appear to be really ignorant and I felt like that took away from the story as well.
The characters were just ok. I, myself, did not really relate to any of them and I did not feel like I really knew who they were, but that could be due to the circumstances of the story itself, which will be understandable to those who have read it. I would have liked to have had a bit more backstory on each of them to make them feel a bit more realistic.
This is a quick read, therefore it is worth the time and effort to finish it, but it was also somewhat disappointing for me. I feel like this could have been so much more than what it was. I am giving this a rating of 2.5 stars.
I ending up getting this from one of our smaller local libraries because I enjoyed The Husband's Secret so much. I fell in love with this Author's reading style with that book, and this book was no different. She is so fluid in her writing skills.
SynopsisMadeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).
Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.
New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.
Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.
Wow this was a great book with a great plot that is so very gripping, thought provoking and entertaining. I enjoyed this one so much, probably more than The Husband's Secret. The excitement builds up so well throughout the book and has great climatic ending in my opinion. Once again the author hits readers with an amazing twist that is very unexpected, and I love that about her work. There is always something new and exciting coming right around the corner with the turn of each page. She is such a talented author.
Can we talk about the characters please...lol...I loved them! All of them, through their faults, their good sides and bad sides, the personalities and attitudes. These characters are so relatable, especially Celeste for me, but I have to say Madeline is my favorite of all of them. All with completely different personalities and leading such different lives. They are all beautifully done and I really can't say enough about how well they are each developed. These characters are those types that you can imagine yourself sitting down to lunch with. Loved them.
I can again recommend this to everyone, especially those who like those very realistic contemporary novels. Reading this one makes me want to go right into another by this author. It is very deserving of the 5 star rating I am giving it.
I got this book out of the library and read it as a buddy read with several of my friends. This is book one to the Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan. I have read the Percy Jackson series by this author and enjoyed them, so I figured it was time to read something else by him.Synopsis
Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.
One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.
Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.
I absolutely enjoyed everything about this book, the plotline, which was so engaging, the pacing, so quick and how well it all flowed. There was so much adventure and excitement with the turn of every page and each page was filled with so many magical elements, it made it so fun to read. The imagery was so spot on you felt as though you were right there in the middle of all the action. I was completely whisked away by this story, and taken to places I would never in a lifetime get to see. I also enjoyed that the name of character was on each page so it was easy to tell when there was a switch in perspective. I loved that, it made the book so easy to follow. A lot of research went into the writing of this book with a very gifted Author.
The characters are all so very unforgettable. Such a wide range of very different, vivid characters. Some are eccentric and quirky characters, while others are terrifying and wicked. The author gives readers so many to love and hate. I also found that the author is very good at planting that small seed of doubt in the minds of readers when it comes to some of those beloved characters, so at times it was hard to decide on who to trust. For this being a fantasy, the characters were so realistic and so believable. I really enjoy that and being able to relate to them so well.
I can recommend this book first to anyone who loves Rick Riordan's work. Even if you have not read his stuff, you will still enjoy this if you love fantasy or magic. If you enjoy Egyptian Mythology you will also enjoy this book. It reads more YA than middle grade, in my opinion, so that may appeal to more of the YA audience. I look forward to the other books in this trilogy.
This is book one to The Raven Cycle. I have had this book for a little while and decide to read it with a buddy this month. I was pretty excited to finally get to it. It took a few days, but I did finally get through it and will continue on with the series.
SynopsisEvery year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.
His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.
When I started reading this, I found that the style of writing and the flow of the book to be a bit choppy and that made it harder to follow and understand. I felt like it was the transition between characters that made it feel this way. Almost like I had to ask is this real or not. It did finally level out some and it got a bit easier to follow. It was not until past halfway that I really started enjoying the story and figuring out what it was all about.
I did not relate all that well with the characters at the beginning of this book. I did like Blue though pretty much from the start because I found her to be a pretty strong character. I was confused though when it said she was so drawn to Gansey, I did not really find that to be all that true. I thought she was more drawn to Adam than anyone. Eventually though I did begin to find many things that I enjoyed with the characters and I am hopeful that they will continue to develop and grow throughout the series.
I am not sure who I can recommend this to because it seems that so many already have read this, but if you like fantasy stories you will probably enjoy this one. I did find plenty to this book to urge me to move forward through the series and hopefully get to the rest of it soon. I am rating this one a 3.5 stars.
This is book #7 in the Jesse Stone series. So far it is a decent series and I was hoping to get through the whole series this year, but whether or not that happens I am hoping it will be enjoyable throughout the whole series.
Synopsis
Police Chief Jesse Stone faces his most fearsome adversary in the latest addition to the celebrated series. The last time Jesse Stone, chief of police of Paradise, Massachusetts, saw Wilson "Crow" Cromartie, the Apache Indian hit man was racing away in a speedboat after executing one of the most lucrative and deadly heists in the town's history. Crow was part of a team of ex-cons who plotted to capture Stiles Island, the wealthy enclave off the Paradise coast, by blowing up the connecting bridge. Residents were kidnapped, some were killed, and Crow managed to escape with a boatload of cash, never to be seen again. Until now. So when Crow shows up in Jesse's office some ten years after the crime, it's not to turn himself in. Crow is on another job, and this time he's asking for Jesse's help-by asking him to stay out of his way. Crow's mission is simple: find young Amber Francisco and bring her back to her father, Louis, in Florida. It should be an easy payday for a pro like Crow, but there are complications. Amber, now living in squalor with her mother, Fiona, is mixed up with members of a Latino gang. And when Louis orders Crow to kill Fiona before heading back with Amber, he can't follow through. Crow may be a bad guy, but he doesn't kill women. It's up to Jesse to provide protection. Meanwhile, Jesse's on-again, off-again relationship with ex-wife Jenn picks up steam as Jenn investigates the gang problem for her TV station. As they dig deeper, the danger escalates. The life of a young girl hangs in the balance, and saving Amber could be the miracle Jesse and Jenn need for themselves, too.
One thing I really enjoy about this series is the pacing and how well the books flow, and this installment is no different. I love that these cases are in a small town environment, makes it feel more relatable to me since I am in a small town myself. I also enjoy the Authors use of dialogue. He is so good with that. I love all of the interaction between characters and it keeps the story moving along, makes for a quick fun read, and also it allows readers to keep track of the characters and who they are.
The characters are really fun for me as well. I enjoy Jesse a lot, mostly because he is so flawed, but I think besides him, I love Molly and her quirkiness and her mishaps, while she is still able to get the job done. She is always there for Jesse along with Suitcase, his right hand man. There is a full cast of very colorful characters in this series and they are developing very well. They are all a very enjoyable part of the series and I look forward to meeting many more characters throughout the series.
I had first downloaded this as an E-book a few years ago and never got around to reading it. It just happened to be at our small local library so I decided it was time to read this book because I thought the synopsis of this book was pretty interesting. Boy am I glad I finally decided to read it. This is such a great contemporary.Synopsis
At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that’s not meant to be read
My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died...
Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. . . .
Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.
When I first started reading this and discovered that there was more than one story going on in this book I was a little disappointed. I picked up the book because I wanted to read about the Husband's secret not about these other peoples lives. I soon discovered that these other stories were a huge part of the overall story and were definitely needed to make the story as intriguing as it was. Wow the twists in this story were unexpected and well placed. The story was very well paced and I could NOT get my nose out of the book.
I loved every single one of these characters for their originality and their relatability. They were so well developed that you felt like they came from a series and not just a single stand alone. They all had their own individual issues to deal with and then come face to face with other people's problems as well. Meeting them and then learning about them was like walking into the lives of real people. I loved that so much. One my most favorite parts of the book eas the epilogue. WOW is all ican say about that.
Reading this book makes me excited to read more of this authors work and share it with everyone. It is so well written that the majority of readers could enjoy this story, therefore I recommend this to everyone.
So glad that I was able to get ahold of this book and finish this
trilogy out. This is book #3 to the Bill Hodges trilogy. Each book in
the trilogy carries over to the next book which, to me, kept the story
very exciting which kept me glued to the pages. I found this one was
such a great wrap up to the trilogy. It had such great pacing and was
very easy to follow and get totally immersed into the story. As I read I
truly felt like I was there with all of them. King used a lot of great
imagery to allow readers to really experience what was going on in the
story.
The characters are probably my favorite part of the story.
They are exceptionally well developed and by the time you get through
this final book, you feel has though you know them on a very personal
and realistic level. I loved the flawed characteristics of Bill in this
trilogy, it makes him very relatable and also very realistic. There are
also plenty of people to hate in the series as well, one of them be
Brady Hartsfield. I would just be seething with hatred for him when I
would finish a chapter where he was the star player. A great cast of
memorable characters for readers to love and hate.
I recommend
this trilogy to anyone who likes Stephen King of course, but also to
those who love a very fast paced thriller/chiller, because you get both
of those with this one. Very well written and very deserving of the 5
star rating that I am giving it.
