Hilary Mantel meets Sylvia Day: the first installment in a deliciously erotic trilogy, set against the sumptuous backdrop of the scandal-ridden Tudor Court.

England, 1536

Bound to him against her will...

Lord Wolf, hardened soldier and expert lover, has come to King Henry VIII's court to claim his new bride: a girl who has intrigued him since he first saw her riding across the Yorkshire moors.

Eloise Tyrell, now lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne Boleyn, has other ideas. She has no desire to submit to a man she barely knows and who - though she is loath to admit it - frightens her not a little.

Then comes that first kiss...

It awakens in both a fierce desire that bares them to the soul. But as the court erupts into scandal around the ill-fated Queen, Eloise sees first-hand what happens when powerful men tire of their wives.

Dare she surrender her body and her heart? @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1239408103

Read from March 28 to 30, 2015

I would like to thank NETGALLEY AND SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of the book.

This book had me right out of the gate! I love this is set in Tudor times. I love all things Tudor. It starts out in Queen Anne's chambers, but this isn't about her and Henry, even though they are in the book. The main characters of this book are Eloise and Lord Wolf.

Eloise is one of Queen Anne's maids. She thinks she is in love with some jerk named Simon, he has her convinced they are to be married. Fortunately, her dad comes to court and announces she is to be married to Lord Wolf. They have to get permission from King Henry and Queen Anne since she is a maid of Anne's. Anne doesn't want to give her over but Henry lets her go.

Eloise is livid that her father has done this to her. She wants to marry Simon. When she is taking a walk with Simon talking about running away together etc, because they are in love, he says it will be ok they can be lovers when she comes to court with her husband. She is stunned of course, he tries to rape her, but alas her soon to be husband, Lord Wolf comes to her rescue.

As the story grows so does the lust and love Eloise and Lord Wolf have for each other. They have a very passionate and argumentative way of getting to know each other. Now they did know each other a little when they were younger so it's not exactly the first time they have ever seen each other.

During the book Queen Anne is beheaded. At one point Eloise has to make sure she isn't implicated in anything for being a maid. I'm thinking they will give little tidbits of the King Henry in the other books. It's just awesome!

I have to say again I love this book, it is not for the faint of heart and I wouldn't think for the younger generation. It's very erotic and down right narly. Either way, I loved it and I can't wait to buy it when it comes out and the others in the trilogy!  5 Stars

After divorcing her husband and moving to Arizona, Nancy is eager to build a brand new life for herself-but it's not until she meets Tim that she feels like she has a second chance at romance. He's boyish and fun, twenty years old to her thirty-two, and she feels herself blossom under his affection.

Even more unexpected is the development of a meaningful friendship with his mother, Lynda, who Nancy is drawn to from the start. They listen to each other without judgment, share their deepest secrets, and quickly become the best of friends.

Nancy soon learns that Lynda suffers from chronic pain due to old horseback injuries, however, and she's in a near-constant state of suffering. Relying on prescription drugs to get by, Lynda begins to lose hope that her condition will ever improve, as the pain becomes more and more unbearable.

But when life no longer feels like it's worth living, who has the right to say when enough is enough? "Nothing for Tomorrow" explores this controversial issue through a story of life-renewing romance, long-lasting friendship, and the everyday assumptions we make about life and death. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1227038447

Read on March 29, 2015

This was a FIRST READS/GOODREADS giveaway and I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to read the book.

I'm at such a loss for words after the ending of this book. It is so sad what some people have to go through, what can't seem to be done to help others. I just don't understand how someone in this country could be pushed to do what they have to do because there is no help. I'm not going to list any spoilers about the end of this book. I will just say it broke my heart for all involved.

I loved the camaraderie between Nancy and Lynda! They were hilarious together. Another one of those, I wish I had a friend like that, and they didn't even meet from childhood. There were a little older. Nancy was in her 30's and started dating Lynda's 20 year old son Todd.

No, that didn't last of course, but Nancy and Lynda lasted for many years through ups and downs. They had a good time with Nancy's daughter Robin, who is another great character. I would love to hear about her as an adult today :)

Nancy finally meets the man of her dreams and it all falls into place eventually.

I really loved reading the story of these two women. I still feel sad over how things ended. I can only imagine how Nancy felt. A very heart-felt journey. 4 Stars

They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. But sometimes, under extreme circumstances, it's exactly that which kills you that makes you stronger. And faster. And a member to a new, elite race of zombies.

Armed with a current address for his biological grandfather and a slightly unusual, yet loyal best friend, Doyle Hawthorne sets out to discover the truth about his past. But answers don't come easily, and the closer Doyle arrives to his destination, the more confusing things become. Disturbing alterations to his physical appearance as well as to his personality flicker on and off as Doyle searches for a logical explanation.

Despite the increasing severity of these uncontrolled flare-ups, Doyle is determined to keep his first date with Addy - a beautiful, young woman he has met upon his arrival into town. After narrowly subduing his raging impulses, Doyle quickly decides not even death itself can keep him from her. Unfortunately, he is about to test that theory.

Once initiated, nothing can alter the process of shading - the term given to the three distinct phases of becoming a higher classification of zombie, commonly referred to as "royals". Doyle must learn to control his tendency toward violence as well as his newfound royal powers if there is any chance of protecting those he loves from a mad scientist, the government, the colony of royals, and most importantly... himself. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1211979601

Read from March 09 to 29, 2015

I was given this book by the author for an honest review. That being said, I must admit I know this author, we worked together at the post office when we were some what normal. This in no way, shape or form has biased me toward the book.

I love reading different takes on zombies. This is for sure different. You can still get bitten by the zombies if they are let loose. But this form, even though was originally brought about by the government, can be inherited. Unfortunately for Doyle he inherited this from his family. His grandfather and father had the virus. His mom had him, so forth and so on. The thing about it is, if he stays far away from those that have the virus he won't activate his own and turn into a zombie. Well, we know you can't have a book without all of that happening :)

Doyle was looking through some boxes one day and finds out some information on his family. His adoptive father and mother never told him about any of this. They said his grandfather is crazy etc.

Doyle and his best friend Chuck decide to go on a road trip to find out if is grandfather is still alive. I love the camaraderie between the two. I would love to have had a best friend like that from childhood.

In one of the towns they stay in, Doyle meets this girl named Addy who becomes his love interest. Chuck ends up with one too. I don't want to give up too many more spoilers so I will just say the rest of this story takes you on a ride that is different that you could imagine. I did have moments of thinking of zombies as blue monkeys with large teeth. Lol, but that is just me.

Awesome book! 4 Stars

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

First Grave on the Right is the smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.

Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

This is a thrilling debut novel from Darynda Jones, an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense.



First Grave on the Right is the winner of the 2012 Rita Award for Best First Book. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1234879323

Read from March 23 to 28, 2015

I am so glad one of my book groups got me interested in reading this book! I am now going to get all of them that are out so far! Charlie Davidson is freaking hilarious! When I read she woke up at the butt crack of dawn, I almost keeled over! I have said that for many years :)

She is so snarky, I love it! And Reyes! Holy crow, that is one yummy ride right there. It's a shame when you find out what he is. I hope to read more about him in the other books and I hope it works out.

I just thought it was awesome how all of these spirits just wander around her apartment. I love the banter she has with them. She even has a dirty old man ghost down the hall! It's just great. She is the grim reaper but still, these ghosts and her relationships with them are hilarious! Mr. Wong who just hangs out in the corner, it would be awesome to have peeps, er, ghosts to hang out with you like that. Ok, not the pervs etc :)

It's great that she has been helping her Uncle Bob out with solving murders etc. I love the relationship between those two. Her father believes in her too, but I feel her Uncle does a little bit more.

At any rate, I loved it and I'm ready to get them all to keep me in stitches, in ghosts, and solving crime. 5 Stars

Reckoning by Lorenz Font (The Gates Legacy)

 The vampires of New York City are breathing easier after the demise of the tyrannical former head of the Vampire Council, Goran. Under Rohnert, the revered and newly ascended leader, their future looks promising. However, an unknown enemy is manipulating events, killing humans and vampires alike, and exposing their secrets to the human world.

This is bad news for new vampire Cyrus and his band of fighters at Tack Enterprises. Events derail his plans to find Zane, the sadistic vampire who tortured Cyrus and forced immortality on him. Armed with hatred deep in his bones, all Cyrus cares about is getting even, and Zane has it coming. Cyrus soon finds himself torn between the crippling desire for revenge and his responsibility to his friends. When he begins to spend time in the company of the beautiful and pureblooded vampire, Isidora, her presence in his life makes him rethink his priorities.

Isidora is able to read minds. The thoughts she hears from the respected and irresistible vampire, Cyrus, are filled with both anger towards Zane and a deep admiration for her. Being closeted all her life, Issy has no idea what to do in the face of the outside world’s war, death, and challenges. One thing is clear. She craves Cyrus, but his need for vengeance is clouding his mind. After discovering a previously hidden family member and being called to serve the Council, Issy is at a crossroads in her life and struggles to find the right path.

Both vampires face tough choices. Should Issy pursue her feelings for Cyrus or wait until he can return her affection? Will Cyrus deny his attraction to Isidora so he can kill the man who made his life a living hell on earth? Every decision leads to a reckoning.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1237782453

Read from March 26 to 28, 2015

I would like to thank Netgalley and The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I started this particular book with number four in the series. Therefore, it was a little confusing at first getting to know what was going on and piecing together things that had happened in previous books. There are a huge amount of people in this book. I could only keep a few in my head that were the front runners.

I liked what I read in this book. The characters all well played out with a great mix of bad and good guys and girls. I want to go back and read the first three books and I would love to continue the series.

There are several front runners in the book. There is Tack Enterprises which are the good guys. They fight for the good of all mankind in a sense. There are vampires and humans a like in the company. The two main characters are Cyrus and Isidora. They work for Tack and are slowly falling in love with each other. They both have painful pasts and try to work through it. They have some good times getting there I must say. Isidora (Issy) is also brought in as a new council member when a few were killed.

Rohnert is the new leader after the evil leader of the vamps dies in one of the previous books. He is the leader of the council as well. He is a good guy and wants to make things good, but he has his own demons from missing his wife Shelly who was killed as well.

You have Harrow who is the leader of Tack and a good guy. There are several other people, but I'm not going to bog the review down talking about each person.

The evil ones in the book are Bretania, who was Goran's wife. She wants to spread a disease and take over with Goran's children.

Drago wants to take over the council and everything else out there. He is the worst one and I hope to read his demise in a future book!

They have this new breed of vampires called the Neroc. They are a rare breed of vampire that are taller and stronger than the normal vampire. They are fast and lethal without the usual bloodlust taking over their senses. They are supposedly ugly as sin. The council members shunned them because of they could not be trusted. And of course, Drago, hires them.

They get a good ally in the form of a Shaman named Aemerria who takes over after Lukan, the old shaman, goes over to the dark side. There is also a secret surrounding her.

I'm not sure who developed it, but there is a lethal compound made into bullets that will kill or deform a vampire. It's called Dangeran. I never found it's origin mentioned in this book. I could have missed it but I think it was probably introduced in the previous books and the story about it.

I enjoyed this book and it was nice to read yet another take on different vampires and vampire politics. A great read from start to finish.  4 Stars

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1233776403

Read from March 21 to 27, 2015

I thought this story was great. The only problem I had was I wanted to smack Aurora and Niklaas through out the whole book, especially at the end. It's like get over it and get on with it. Other than that, I loved the story line. When Aurora had her powers from being fairy blessed, she was bad to the bone.

Aurora is trying to find an army to help save her brother Jor and fight the evil Ogre Queen Ekeeta. Jor is a prisoner of Ekeeta and being tortured to try to find Aurora.

She picks Niklaas up along the way and finds out he wants to marry Aurora so it will break the curse he has on him that will happen on his 18th birthday. He has no idea that he is traveling with Aurora because she is disguised as a boy, her brother Jor actually. It was confusing at first. I had to get used to them referring to her as a boy. And she also tells him to call her Ror for short so it's a little crazy.

Aurora and Niklaas spend some time together traveling and grow very fond of each other. He starts to care about Aurora as a brother. Aurora starts to have feelings for him but knows it won't work out. If she kisses someone it makes them lose themselves and become a slave to her.

Needless to say, there are some evilness going on, a little fighting, a few surprises that turn things totally around that I wasn't expecting. But it all turns out in the end. I really did enjoy the book. 

5 Stars

Spring has sprung in Crozet, Virginia—a time for old friends to gather and bid farewell to the doldrums of winter. Harry and her husband, Fair, are enjoying a cozy dinner with some of the town’s leading citizens, including beloved University of Virginia history professor Greg “Ginger” McConnell and several members of UVA’s celebrated 1959 football team. But beneath the cloak of conviviality lurks a sinister specter from the distant past that threatens to put all their lives in jeopardy.

When Professor McConnell is found murdered on the golf course the next day—gunned down in broad daylight by an unseen killer—no one can fathom a motive, let alone find a suspect. Just as Harry and her furry cohorts begin nosing into the case, however, a homeless UVA alum confesses to the crime. Trouble is, no one believes that the besotted former All-American could have done the foul deed—especially after Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker make another gruesome discovery.

As the questions surrounding Ginger’s death pile up, Harry’s search for answers takes her down the fascinating byways of Virginia’s Revolutionary past. The professor was something of a sleuth himself, it seems, and the centuries-old mystery he was unraveling may well have put a target on his back. As Harry edges closer to identifying an elusive killer, her animal companions sense danger—and rally to find a way to keep Harry from disappearing into history.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1237002218

Read from March 25 to 26, 2015

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Bantam Dell for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I have not read a Rita Mae Brown book in years. I loved Harry and the animals, Tucker, the Corgie and the two cats, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter. I always thought it would be funny seeing someone driving around and taking their cats places, the dog no problem. Don't forget the two horses, snake and opposum in the barn . It's cute how the author has the animals talk amongst each other.

This story goes back and forth from present, to the past during the American Revolution. I think maybe that is why I wasn't as into this particular book as a lot of her earlier works. I'm not into history too much in my books unless it's a memoir, etc. The thing I liked is the author puts in this particular story about a real place that was a prisoner-of-war camp. The place called Camp Security in York County, PA fought to become a historic landmark. By writing this into the story, people can go there and donate or whatever to help out. I think that was the nice part.

The book is about a friend that is murdered while out playing golf. Ginger McConnell was looking into old historical records, land aquisitions, etc. and this leads to his murder as there is always someone evil trying to hide something in these mystery cases.

I think people that love history and mysteries will greatly enjoy this book.  3 Stars

A year after her husband’s sudden death, ceramic artist Tilda Fordwells finally moves into the secluded Welsh cottage that was to be their new home. She hopes that the tranquil surroundings will help ease her grief, and lessen her disturbing visions of Mat’s death. Instead, the lake in the valley below her cottage seems to spark something dormant in her – a sensitivity, and a power of some sort. Animals are drawn to her, electricity shorts out when she’s near, and strangest of all, she sees a new vision; a boatful of ancient people approaching her across the water. 
On this same lake in Celtic times lived Seren, a witch and shaman. She was respected but feared, kept separate from the community for her strange looks. When a vision came to her of the Prince amid a nest of vipers she warned of betrayal from one of his own. Prince Brynach both loved and revered her, but could not believe someone close to him wished him harm, even as the danger grew.
 In her own time, Tilda’s grief begins to fade beside her newfound powers and a fresh love. When she explores the lake’s ancient magic and her own she discovers Seren, the woman in her vision of the boat. Their two lives strangely mirror each other’s, suggesting a strong connection between the women. As Tilda comes under threat from a dark power, one reminiscent of Seren’s prophecy, she must rely on Seren and ancient magic if death and disaster is not to shatter her life once more.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1200239888

Read from March 23 to 25, 2015

I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I thought the book and the characters were really good. I liked Tilda a lot, especially after she rescued the dog from some jerks who where abusing her. She brought her home and named her Thistle.

The book is told in two different stories, Tilda and Seren. Seren is a shaman, seer, witch that lived over a thousand years ago where Tilda chose to live. Originally Tilda and her husband were going to live in the beautiful cottage by the lake before a sad accident changed everything. Tilda decided she wanted to do what they had planned. She has a lot of issues to get through, a form of PTSD. She also starts having powers that makes her think she is crazy. I don't want to give too much away so that's all about that.

Tilda meets Professor Williams and his son Dylan, love interest. They all become fast friends and ultimately Dylan helps her with what she needs to do at the end of the book.

Seren is in love with the Prince and he with her, but he is married and you know the story, can't marry below your status. There are evil people involved in the down fall of Seren and their whole village. Although, there might be some that live to pass the line down through the years, I'm not going to say.

I thought this book was a good read. It didn't blow me away, but it is good enough to add to my collection at some point. I would love to read some more books by this author, this is the first one I have ever read. 4 Stars

In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s painted a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1234329992

Read from March 22 to 24, 2015

I saw the movie years ago and just ordered the blu ray actually.

You don't get as much detail in the movie of the foot binding as you do in the book. This is a horrific thing done to these children. Breaking their little toes and curling them into these tiny little things so you can find a better marriage! What is wrong with people? I know there are a lot of different things done in different cultures but I don't care. Moving on!

The story is of the special bond between two little girls that are paired together as laotong, which means, "old same." They are like sisters and have a stronger connection than most. This is the story of Lily and Snow Flower from childhood through death. All of the trials they had to go through in life together and apart after marriage. They are so lucky to have a bond like that, especially when they have to live life being called worthless unless they can have good feet and find a good husband.

The story has some good things in it, but most is just so sad reading about this kind of culture. I still very much loved it. It's one that will really get to you.  5 Stars

Doll Face by Tim Curran

Six friends are returning home from a night out when they end up in a town called Stokes. They discover they are trapped there, as Stokes does not really exist. The actual town had burned to the ground more than fifty years ago. The Stokes they are in is a nightmare version of the former town, engineered by a deranged and undead mind, a supernatural machine of wrath that will destroy them one by one....unless they submit to its dominance and become living dolls.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1235006104

Read on March 23, 2015

I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this book.

I could not put this book down after starting it this morning. I need serious eye rest! But I loved it. I wasn't aware it was going to be so creepy. There is a good bit of gore, but the creepfest pulled me right into the book.

A group of friends are trying to get home and they take a short cut, never take short cuts people! Not far off the route Chazz hits a man that walks out into the road. They all freak out, some want them to just drive away but his girl friend, Ramona wants them to call 911. They end up following Ramona's lead, with a lot of complaining from Chazz, only the operator says they are in a town that doesn't exist any more. What? Stokes was burned in 1960, it doesn't exist any more.

And there is something really strange about the man they ran over. He's up walking, but he's just not right!

I won't give out any spoilers, just say Chazz, Ramona, Creep, Lex, Danielle and Soo-Lee are in for the scare of their lives. How many will make it out alive? :)

The book reminded me of some scenes from Silent Hill. It's totally creepy and when you find out the end there is always some crazy reason for all of the chaos.

I recommend to all horror buffs. 5 Stars

From international bestselling author Harriet Evans, an engrossing new novel about a woman who, on the eve of her eightieth birthday, decides to reveal a secret that may destroy her perfect family.
The day Martha Winter decided to tear apart her family began like any other day.

When Martha, a wife and mother of three, sits down one late summer’s morning to write out the invitations to her eightieth birthday celebration, she knows that what she is planning to reveal at the party could ruin the idyllic life she and her husband David have spent over fifty years building…

But she has to let her family know what she and David have sacrificed. She can’t live a lie any more.

The invitation goes out far and wide, calling her three children and their families back home to Winterfold, their rambling house in the heart of the English countryside. They are Bill, the doctor; Florence, the eccentric academic; and Daisy, the child who never fit in. As the story unfolds, each character reveals the secrets, joys, and tragedies they are wrestling with through the confines of the family. What will happen when Martha finally tells the truth?

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1232935666

Read from March 20 to 23, 2015

I want to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this book.

I really loved the cover of the book, it makes you want to take a walk through the flowers and gardens.

I was on the fence with this book the whole time. There are so many people involved and the telling of their stories started to get tedious. The premise is good and pulls you in, it was just a little too much in some areas.

I really loved the character of Cat and her son Luke. She went through a lot of stuff in the book, but she was still a very loveable character.

I had a hard time in the beginning keeping up with who was the children, the first wife, second wife, the cousin, and on and on with different characters. I know the author was trying to write each person's storyline which is great, but for me I got lost in the shuffle at times.

There is a lot of happiness, sadness, betrayal and pain in the book. I really did like it for what it was and like I said a lot of the characters I liked, I just wish I could have kept up more with some of who, what, when and who was it again? 3 Stars

TWO LOVERS WHO HAVE TRAVELED ACROSS TIME. A TEAM OF SCIENTISTS AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF MEMORY RESEARCH. A MIRACLE DRUG THAT UNLOCKS AN ANCIENT MYSTERY.

Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there’s a secret to Bryan’s success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. When Bryan awakes, he possesses extraordinary new skills . . . like the ability to speak obscure languages and an inexplicable genius for chess. All his life, he has wondered if his dreams are recollections—if he is re-experiencing other people’s lives.

Linz Jacobs is a brilliant neurogeneticist, absorbed in decoding genes that help the brain make memories—until she is confronted with an exact rendering of a recurring nightmare at one of Bryan’s shows. She tracks down the elusive artist, and their meeting triggers Bryan’s most powerful dream yet: visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer’s, died in a lab explosion decades ago.

As Bryan becomes obsessed with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the scientists’ deaths, his dreams begin to reveal what happened at the lab, as well as a deeper mystery that may lead all the way to ancient Egypt. Together, Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.

The Memory Painter is a taut thriller and a timeless love story spanning six continents and 10,000 years of history.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1231728991

Read from March 19 to 22, 2015

I would like to say thank you to the author and publisher for giving me an opportunity to read this ARC of the book.

I would liked to have given it more than three stars but it just didn't grip me like I was hoping.

I loved the premise of the book and some of the characters a lot, well, Linz and Bryan as themselves. I just couldn't get into living all of the lives they live and looking into the past. Of course, you throw in some evilness and there you go.

The way it ends leaves it wide open for a sequel because they are going to go on a hunt for a book.

I really wanted to love this book, and for a bit I was drawn into it, but then something about all of the different reincarnations and stuff have my mind in a state.

I know there will be plenty of people that will love this book. It's just not for me. If you love, time traveling, history, science, then you will love this book. Oh and a love story thrown in too. :)

3 Stars 

In this groundbreaking new biography of “Bloody Mary,” Linda Porter brings to life a queen best remembered for burning hundreds of Protestant heretics at the stake, but whose passion, will, and sophistication have for centuries been overlooked.

Daughter of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, wife of Philip of Spain, and sister of Edward VI, Mary Tudor was a cultured Renaissance princess. A Latin scholar and outstanding musician, her love of fashion was matched only by her zeal for gambling. It is the tragedy of Queen Mary that today, 450 years after her death, she remains the most hated, least understood monarch in English history.

Linda Porter’s pioneering new biography—based on contemporary documents and drawing from recent scholarship—cuts through the myths to reveal the truth about the first queen to rule England in her own right. Mary learned politics in a hard school, and was cruelly treated by her father and bullied by the strongmen of her brother, Edward VI. An audacious coup brought her to the throne, and she needed all her strong will and courage to keep it. Mary made a grand marriage to Philip of Spain, but her attempts to revitalize England at home and abroad were cut short by her premature death at the age of forty-two.  The first popular biography of Mary in thirty years, The First Queen of England offers a fascinating, controversial look at this much-maligned queen.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1188998888

Read from February 15 to March 21, 2015

I love anything about the Tudors and people surrounding them. I thought this book was very well written, although I want to find more on Mary and others. I feel like I got lost in some of it.

I was very sad for Mary and her upbringing. Obviously being Henry's child is not all it's cracked up to be. She went through so much with her father. That being said, she did have his Tudor blood and stood up for herself at all possible times. You would think that Henry would at one point think, she is definately my child!!

I am glad that he FINALLY saw reason and brought her back into her rightful place along with her sister Elizabeth. Then the little jerk brother takes it all away from them again and she has to fight to get her status back again! The brat! But she did and so did Elizabeth.

I was so sad to read in this book of Anne of Cleves passing. I know they all pass away at some point, but I really loved her and it was a little sad to read of her passing. Mary mourned her passing, along with many others.

I look forward to many more Tudor books.  4 Stars

Seven thousand meters below the ocean’s surface, the crew of the BathyTech 3 mineral mining facility has found something remarkable: a rock-like sphere of unknown material and origin.

For Mo Rees, the discovery calls to his inner explorer and adds color to his dull miner’s life. Even better than the promise of new knowledge is the unexpected connection he forges with Dr. Armin Savage-Hall, leader of the team brought down to study the thing.

For Armin, the object is the find of a lifetime. It could prove his controversial theories and secure his scientific reputation. And Mo is a fascinating bonus.

Then crew members start behaving strangely. Worse, they start to change: their eyes glow purple, their teeth sharpen. Then the violence begins, the brutal deaths. As BathyTech descends deeper into chaos, the surviving crew works desperately to find the cause of the horrors around them. What they uncover could annihilate the human race. And they can’t stop it.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1231720398

I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I have never read anything from this author before. I thought the picture on the front of the book looked really creepy and the synopsis sounded even creepier.

I think anything at the bottom of the ocean would freak me out anyway, but throw in some weird contagion changing people and that would just make it complete!

I wasn't too sure about the book at first because it seemed like the love interest portion was taking over most of the beginning of the book. I realized why all of this happens at the end.

I must say this was one wild ride. The idea the author had for this book is really cool and I would love to see this have a sequel!

There is not too much I can say without giving out spoilers so I'm just going to say if you love books under water that contain some kind of horror to it that leads to a whole new world then you will love this book.

I'm going to look for more from this author for sure! 4 Stars

Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1215014596

Read from March 01 to 20, 2015

I'm not sure why I only saw the movie and never read the book. I loved the movie so much it makes no sense, but back in the day, not many things make sense to me.

I will have to go back and watch the movie again to see all of the different little changes. Now I know why some things happened. You know those things, the little things that are only in the head, written in the book, but doesn't show up in the movie part. Wow! I know the book messed with my head but I didn't realize it would make me write that way! I hope anyone reading this can understand what I meant.

I don't like to write spoilers about a book if I can help it so I guess this will be a short review.

There are so many questions I have about the book versus the movie but I will have to leave that to the book group.

I really did enjoy the book, although I did feel a bit crazier than I am at times with all of the voices in everyone's head! :)

I didn't want one of the bad things that happened in the movie to NOT happen in the book. I didn't want to read that part and lo and behold, it didn't happen! Yay!

The ending in the book was a lot better than the movie. Once again, I really did enjoy this book and look forward to reading and re-reading more of the golden oldies! 4 Stars

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1165667757

Read from March 16 to 18, 2015

Wow! I can see where Levana turned evil from all she went through from childhood etc. But she didn't have to turn evil, it just takes over if you let it. I see all the reasons she became sad, tired of it all, jealous, whatever you want to call any of it, it's just that I feel she could have become so much more. She seemed to be the happiest when she was the most evil though.

I did not read the first few chapters that were added from Winter. I'm waiting for my pre-order in November and the way time flies, that will not be long! Bring it!

I'm glad Marissa Meyer put out this little book so we could see what all started Levana on her rampage of evilness!

And I absolutely love the name Winter! It's my favorite time of year so of course. I loved Solstice and I felt sorry for Evret. I think Channary was was evil and ignorant! 5 Stars

A witty, tender memoir of a son’s journey home to care for his irascible mother—a tale of secrets, silences, and enduring love

When George Hodgman leaves Manhattan for his hometown of Paris, Missouri, he finds himself—an unlikely caretaker and near-lethal cook—in a head-on collision with his aging mother, Betty, a woman of wit and will. Will George lure her into assisted living? When hell freezes over. He can’t bring himself to force her from the home both treasure—the place where his father’s voice lingers, the scene of shared jokes, skirmishes, and, behind the dusty antiques, a rarely acknowledged conflict: Betty, who speaks her mind but cannot quite reveal her heart, has never really accepted the fact that her son is gay.

As these two unforgettable characters try to bring their different worlds together, Hodgman reveals the challenges of Betty’s life and his own struggle for self-respect, moving readers from their small town—crumbling but still colorful—to the star-studded corridors of Vanity Fair. Evocative of The End of Your Life Book Club and The Tender Bar, Hodgman’s debut is both an indelible portrait of a family and an exquisitely told tale of a prodigal son’s return.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1226703320

Read from March 13 to 16, 2015

I got this book from the author through one of my book groups for an honest review. Thank you!

This book is sad and hilarious all at once. I really feel for the author having to take care of his mom while she is going through dementia.

George comes from his home in New York to his hometown in Paris, Missouri. His mom Betty has turned 91 years old, but she's not doing well at all. Her eyesight is bad, she's slowly getting dementia. It's such a sad thing to me. You want your parents around forever, but you don't want them to go through anything bad or to suffer in any way. He had already lost his dad to cancer.

The small town they live in is sort of becoming a ghost town. All of the old cool places have shut down and boarded up as we have all seen across America. I like one of the things the author says in the book, "Things are different now. A book I read said three things changed rural America: the breakup of the family farm; Wal-Mart; meth." I totally agree.

All of the older people are passing, nothing new is coming in. It's sad.

Betty and George have this witty banter with each other, it seems to have been there all of their lives. Sometimes it's very heart-breaking, but most of the time I found myself cracking up at the things they would say to each other!

Betty was feeling her world collapse around her, like everything was getting lost, going away. It's like having no control over your life any more.

I give kudos to George for taking care of her, and even though he was going back and forth whether to put her in a home or not, he chose to do what he could until he could not. I think that is wonderful. 

5  Stars

The psychologist with a troubled past…
 
Dr. Christopher Kellan spends his days at Loveland Psychiatric Hospital, overseeing a unit known as Alpha Twelve, home to the most deranged and psychotic killers imaginable. His newest patient, Donny Ray Smith, is accused of murdering ten young girls and making their bodies disappear. But during his first encounter with Donny, Christopher finds something else unsettling: the man looks familiar.

The killer with a secret…
 
Donny Ray knows things about Christopher—things he couldn’t have possibly learned at Loveland. As the psychologist delves deeper into the mysterious patient’s case, Christopher’s life whirls out of control. The contours of his mind are rapidly losing shape, and his grasp on reality is slipping even faster. Is he going mad, or is that what Donny Ray wants him to think?

The terror that binds them…
 
In this taut psychological thriller from Andrew E. Kaufman, bestselling author of The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted, a tormented man must face his fear and enter the mind of a killer to find the truth…even if it costs him his sanity.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1225928378

Read from March 12 to 14, 2015

I received this book through Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for an honest review. Thank you.

This book absolutely blew me away! It is psychologically twisted! No pun intended! For some strange reason I didn't think I would like this book very much. I was quite surprised at how much I loved it.

There is so much crazy stuff going on I'm not sure how to even write a review without giving any good stuff away. I will try my best.

Chris is a psychologist that gets called in to check the mental status of a man who killed these little girls. He thinks it may be something from the killers childhood that caused him to be this way. He goes through a lot of weird stuff with this man, Donny Day Smith.

One evening on his way home, Chris slides off the road to keep from hitting a boy who ran out into the road to get his ball. He passes out for a little bit but refuses to go to the hospital. His wife and friends try to get him to go but he doesn't.

He starts to see weird things after this so he decides he will go in for an MRI scan, that maybe something did happen in the accident. His worse fear is that he has inherited schizophrenia like his father.

All I'm going to say now is this story gets so crazy with Chris seeing things, trying to act normal around his wife and son, his dog acting crazy, his best friend Adam acting crazy. People are going missing, he has a voice in his head telling him stuff.

Closer to the end I was wondering if the story was leading where it did and I was right, but let me tell you it's a wonderful story. Makes you feel like you want to get frantic with Chris, running all around trying to get if figured out. I now have what I have heard others call a book hangover. I thought I would finish it tomorrow but could not put it down until I found out what happened.

I recommend to all thriller fans! 5 Stars

Every autumn, Kenny Porpora would watch his heartbroken mother scribble messages on balloons and release them into the sky above Long Island, one for each family member they'd lost to addiction. As the number of balloons grew, his mother fell deeper into alcoholism, drinking away her sorrows every night in front of the television, where her love of Regis Philbin provided a respite from the sadness around her.

When their house was foreclosed upon, Kenny's mother absconded with him and his beloved dog and fled for the Arizona desert, joining her heroin-addicted brother on a quixotic search for a better life. What followed was an outlaw adolescence spent in constant upheaval surrounded by bizarre characters and drug-addicted souls.

In the wake of unspeakable loss, Kenny convinced a college to take a chance on him, and turned to the mentors, writers, and poets he found to rebuild the family he lost, and eventually graduated from the Ivy League with a new life.

Porpora's memoir is the story of a deeply dysfunctional but loving family, and follows his life from the chaos of his youth to his triumphs in the Ivy League. At times darkly comic, at times elegiac, The Autumn Balloon is a beautifully written testament to the irreplaceable bonds of family, even under the most trying circumstances, and one that marks the debut of an exciting new writer.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1194780688

Read from March 09 to 13, 2015

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway for an honest review. Thank you!

I don't even know where to begin! I totally fell in love with this book. Kenny has a most dysfunctional family, but there is love under all of the craziness.

His mother is an alcoholic and his father is so much older, people think he is his grandfather. He has an older brother as well. And a sweet beloved little dog that he names Wolzels. The Regis and Kathy Lee show had the North Shore Animal League on one of their programs with the dog up for adoption. Kenny really wanted her and his mother got her for him. They live a long and happy life together.

Kenny and his brother Stephen get separated for a bit of time. Kenny with is mom and the dog and Stephen with his father.

His father ends up getting custody of both boys, even though they would rather live with their mother. The thing I don't understand is how in the world can you take the kids away from a mother that is an alcoholic and the dad takes them to live in the basement of some creeps, the man being a pedophile that hurts the little girl that lives there. They have a pig in the house and nasty filth everywhere. It takes their mom fighting and the boys finally saying they want to live with her for them to get back. I mean when the people come to investigate this stuff and the smell hits them at the door they don't think it's a place children shouldn't live! I feel bad and angry for children that the system don't help very well.

I don't want to give too much more away but this story is so wonderful and so sad. There are many times I'm cracking up over the things their mom says. They have a crazy dynamic that just works for them. Their mother loves them so much and cleans up a lot of times and gets on track.

The good thing is the boys both get to go to college and become and Kenny gets to become what he wants.

There is plenty of heartache, deaths, victories and a lot of love. It makes you see that not everything is perfect in the world but if you have people that love you and fight for you then you have all that you need.  5 Stars

TWO GIRLS. (You're feminist.)
PROM NIGHT. (You hate prom.)
ZOMBIES. (You're vegan.)
OH, THE HORROR.

In this hilarious, action-packed, girl-powered thriller, Clarissa and Cokie go from a failed attempt at prom night feminist activism to being in a fight for their lives.
* * * * *
The story:
Clarissa Hargrove thinks prom sucks. She's been protesting it for weeks, but the conformist sheep that go to Redvale High could care less. Not one single girl has ditched her prom gown in the name of feminism, except for Clarissa's loyal, underappreciated BFF Cokie. But Clarissa is still on a mission to save more souls-she'll be at prom, with her bullhorn and picket signs, telling girls they have one last chance to ditch their hooker heels and claim their independence before high school is over. That night, Clarissa drags Cokie to school to protest, but almost everyone at prom has turned into flesh-eating monsters. Trapped in a high-school zombie hellhole, the girls realize they've never taken a chance on love, and set out on dangerous quest to save their crushes.

But there's one "teensy" little problem.

Clarissa is vegan and hates violence of any kind. Will Cokie and Clarissa survive?

A mashup of pop culture hits like "Daria," "Mean Girls," and "Shaun of the Dead," VEGAN TEENAGE ZOMBIE HUNTRESS will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1195524940

Read on March 12, 2015

I won this book in good reads giveaway for an honest review.

The book is a short, fast read. That being said, it's really good. So Clarissa is a feminist, vegan girl. Her best friend Cokie is the same but not as extreme, she's more on the quiet side and loves video games.

They plan on going to the Prom to boycott. Things certainly don't end up as they think it's going to. They end up locked inside with a classmate that has cracked his lid over being treated like crap from his peers. And that is still not the worst part! They knock him out and find out kids are going crazy and turning into zombies! Prom Zombies!

I won't add any more spoilers so lets just say that Cokie comes out of her shell and becomes bad to the bone. Clarissa ends up friends with her arch nemisis and finds a boyfriend all in the same night! The thought of finding a boyfriend with zombies trying to eat my face off cracks me up!

The book is funny and sad. And I won't even say where the virus started. I had a good laugh at that one, let me just say it's definately original!

I look forward to reading more from this author.  5 Stars

In the small town of Shadyside, don’t stay up late, because horrible things can happen...

Both day and night, Lisa Brooks is plagued with nightmares and hallucinations. Could they be caused by the horrifying accident that landed her in the hospital for weeks? When Lisa finds out that a neighbor is looking for a babysitter for her little boy, Lisa jumps at the chance to keep busy and take her mind off of her troubling thoughts. But then the murders start -- and her friends begin dying one by one.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1160258834

Read from March 10 to 12, 2015

I received a copy of this book for an honest review from NetGalley.

I used to read the Fear Street novels years ago and thought they were great!

Lisa takes a job babysitting Harry on Fear Street. Some of her friends tell her about Fear Street being haunted etc. But, after a horrible accident with her father she decided along with her counselor she needs to get out and do something.

She falls in love with Harry because he is just so precious. His mother, Brenda, needs her to watch him 3 nights a week while she works. During the day he gets home schooled right down the road at his aunt Alice's house.

Lisa keeps having nightmares and keeps seeing this half human, half monster in her dreams and for real in Harry's house. Or is it true? Her family, friends and therapist say these are just hallucinations due to trauma from the accident. Sometimes she believes them and other times she don't. A couple of people have been killed by a beast already so why not her beast?

The story is a cute little horror story, well, maybe not so cute if you are in it!

Lisa finds out the truth about the weird creature, the weird noises that come from the aunt Alice's basement, family ties, her therapist and wraps it all up on FaceTime so the cops and her mom will finally believe her! I thought that was awesome!

But then.... there is always an epilogue :) 4 Stars

She won't rest until she's sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that's all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real.

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn't careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1191376977

Read from February 05 to 07, 2015

This book was awesome!! I love Cole and Ali, especially Cole :-)

The whole group of slayers are awesome.

This has been a very different take on zombies I have ever read.

Looking forward to reading more of them! 5 Stars

Once upon a time, a mysterious plague beset a quiet village in the woods—a plague of the walking dead. Suddenly, beloved fairy tale characters are thrown into a world of stark violence and horror: Cinderella is worked to death before the ball, Pinocchio is made from children's corpses, and Little Red Riding Hood finds more than wolves in the forest.

Surreal and full of black humor, Zombie Fairy Tales is a genre-bending narrative of a world on the brink of apocalypse, a world with no happily ever afters.

Collected here are all 12 original Zombie Fairy Tales, plus a new 13th tale exclusive to this collection!

Books included:
The Zombie Pinocchio Hansel and Gretel Are Dead Blood Red Riding Hood Beauty Is a Beast Zombie Cinderella Zombie Cinderella II: The Ball Revenge of the Little Match Girl The Curse of Peter Pan The Little Mermaid of Death The Headless Horseman Skull White Sleeping Beauty Wakes in Hell The Screams of Pocahontas

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1089094513

Read from January 24 to 31, 2015

This book was good but a bit gruesome for me in some areas. I had my favorite ones picked out but as I read more and more they got lost in the shuffle. I know the beauty and the beast version was really good. There were so many that were really good and others I felt were just ok.

I thought the whole idea was awesome on the authors part. They all were really well thought up in how they intertwined together. 4 Stars

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1205292924

Read from February 19 to 22, 2015

I have a new hero!! She bad to the bone! Assassin Celaena Sardothien! She's the toughest assassin around and she loves books and plays the pianoforte. Imagine that :-)

I really liked Chaol, the captain of the guards. I loved Nehemia, she is a tough princess in her own right and a great friend.

I'm very interested to know more about Elena and hope she shows up in the other books.

This was just an awesome fantasy book with a great cast of characters!!  5 Stars

For over a decade, Jenna Metcalf obsesses on her vanished mom Alice. Jenna searches online, rereads journals of the scientist who studied grief among elephants. Two unlikely allies are Serenity Jones, psychic for missing people who doubts her gift, and Virgil Stanhope, jaded PI who originally investigated cases of Alice and her colleague. Hard questions and answers.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1050569045

Read from October 15 to 20, 2014

This is one of the best Jodi Picoult books I have ever read! Of course being an activist for wolves and elephants and many other animals, this was for me! One of the places I work with through donations is The Elephant Sanctuary here in TN and I was thrilled when they put out an email some time back that Jodi Picoult was researching for a book about elephants.

I cried and cried when as in regular Pioult style she throws you for a loop! Just when I thought I had it all down and figured out, noooppee, I get shut down. I called a friend right away and told them to get this book! It is amazing! The storyline is so beautiful and adding the plight of elephants with information to learn more about these wonderful creatures is very moving.

I am so in love with Jenna trying to find her mother and Serenity and Virgil she picks up along the way. I would never have imagined this book taking the turn that it did and it was just awesome, that is all I can say. Read it!! If you have never picked up a Jodi Picoult book you will love all of them and if your an animal lover you will definately love this one!

Thank you Jodi for an excellent book of large proportions! 5 Stars

After her encounter with the Cheshire Cat, Alice Wonder can hardly tell reality from imagination. But when kids have their head chopped off and stuffed in watermelons all over the city, it's clear that another Wonderland Monster has arrived, possibly scarier than the Cheshire. Alice, along with Professor Pillar, have to solve the killer's puzzles before a horrible event threatens the death of millions. Then Jack Diamonds appears again. This time, Alice must know who he really is.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1205716139

Read from February 26 to March 01, 2015

Wow! This series so far is definately wackadoo :-)

The author takes you on a crazy trip through madness!

Alice and Pillar are still living in the asylum but run around trying to stop Cheshire and now The Muffin Man. They get into some gross stuff!

Off with their heads is involved, among other things. I feel like I'm going mad at times with all of the cool, crazy things going on! The scene in the morgue was pretty creepy. The take down of The Muffin Man was ick and his back story is very sad. Alice wanted to help him but sometimes you can't.

We find out the deal about Jack, very sad :-(

Another great book in the series! 4 Stars

Insanity by Camercon Jace

After accidentally killing everyone in her class, Alice Wonder is now a patient in the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum. No one doubts her insanity. Only a hookah-smoking professor believes otherwise; that he can prove her sanity by decoding Lewis Carroll's paintings, photographs, and find Wonderland's real whereabouts. Professor Caterpillar persuades the asylum that Alice can save lives and catch the wonderland monsters now reincarnated in modern day criminals. In order to do so, Alice leads a double life: an Oxford university student by day, a mad girl in an asylum by night. The line between sanity and insanity thins when she meets Jack Diamond, an arrogant college student who believes that nonsense is an actual science.

MY REVIEWS:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1194016870

Read from February 15 to 19, 2015

This book is awesome! I thought it was a great twist on Alice. She's in an insane asylum for killing all of her friends.

She meets Professor Caterpillar who is in for murder too, but he gets perks from the warden because he is just too cool. He is for now at least. You never know the twist these books will take.

Alice is really cool but has no memories. She gets electric shock pretty regular. But with the help of a few friends she starts to remember things.

Alice and Pillar go on a quest to stop The Chesire, who also has a grim story about his family in the book.

We get to meet the White Queen who kicks butt and takes names.

So Alice and Pillar are out on their quest by day and in the asylum at night. It's just too cool

It's a really well written story that keeps you guessing. I will be reading the others in the series.

4 Stars

Around the world humans are hallucinating after sleepless nights.

In a sterile, underground institute the forecasters keep reporting the same events.

And in the backwoods of Texas, a sixteen-year-old girl is about to be caught up in a fierce, ethereal battle.

Meet Roya Stark. She drowns every night in her dreams, spends her hours reading classic literature to avoid her family’s ridicule, and is prone to premonitions—which are becoming more frequent. And now her dreams are filled with strangers offering to reveal what she has always wanted to know: Who is she? That’s the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. But will Roya live to regret learning the truth?

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1220536674

Read from March 06 to 09, 2015

First off I was going to get this book free from the author through one of my book groups until I told her I have it on kindle unlimited. Someone else could take the free one. So here is my review for this sweet author :-)

I'm not too much into time travel but this book is about the Lucidites, which are Dream Travelers! I think this would be awesome as long as you could control it all and some jerk couldn't mess with you. On that note....

Here is this bad guy named Zhuang that gets in a persons dream to give them nightmares and basically steal their life in one way or another.

Roya is recruited with a bunch of other Lucidites to see who will go up against him to try to kill him. She is the one chosen but she has a group of people helping.

I loved all of the training scenes. Love that kind of stuff. I love all of the talismans and animals that help as well.

I'm up in the air with the love triangle. I like both guys. Sigh.

They fight Zhuang but not sure if he is dead. They lose one of their own.

This book was really good with some unusual things that are original and cool. I look forward to the next book. 4 Stars

The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines 6)

The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here...

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1076214601

Read from February 15 to 23, 2015

This book in the series I felt was better than the last one. So many things were going on, but it wasn't confusing at all.

Someone said this was the last one. I was really hoping to see what happened when Declan got a little older.

I would also like to see if the miracle happened with Rose and Dimitri too.

This book had a good bit of action, but I would say more surprises.

I look forward to what comes next. 5 Stars!