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Review Date: 2/3/2021
All the Flowers in Paris was unexpected because I thought it would be like other stories from that time that just jump into the occupation and see more about what the soldiers do and how they treated people. This story shows that in some ways, but it goes much deeper.
We take a look inside two different worlds; one is modern times with a woman (Caroline) who lives in an apartment who has been in accident and has lost her memory. She is trying to piece her life together and figure out who she is, but along the way she not only finds herself, she also finds the other world that Celine lives in Nazi occupied Paris with her young daughter Cosi.
We learn about Caroline as her memory gradually comes back and she realizes who the people around her really are, all the while we are watching in horror and amazement as Celine persevere in an a world that many people would have given up and lost all hope. Both women in this parrell worlds that are so different yet so alike so that even in the face of unimaginable pain and evil we can overcome. There is a tomorrow and there is good in the world. Sometimes you just have to look ahead and find the good in the next day.
All the Flowers in Paris is a soul piercing tale set in WWII that is both beautiful and devastating.
We take a look inside two different worlds; one is modern times with a woman (Caroline) who lives in an apartment who has been in accident and has lost her memory. She is trying to piece her life together and figure out who she is, but along the way she not only finds herself, she also finds the other world that Celine lives in Nazi occupied Paris with her young daughter Cosi.
We learn about Caroline as her memory gradually comes back and she realizes who the people around her really are, all the while we are watching in horror and amazement as Celine persevere in an a world that many people would have given up and lost all hope. Both women in this parrell worlds that are so different yet so alike so that even in the face of unimaginable pain and evil we can overcome. There is a tomorrow and there is good in the world. Sometimes you just have to look ahead and find the good in the next day.
All the Flowers in Paris is a soul piercing tale set in WWII that is both beautiful and devastating.
Review Date: 12/4/2020
Anger is an Acid picked right up where we left off with Mildred, bent on revenge and making Tim feel her pain and loss. She does this by snatching his daughters and its a race to try to save them from this psychopathic entity who is a danger to everyone around her.
With the help of some unsuspecting characters we go on one final battle against Mildred and her rage that is more than this world can handle. Michael Clark has done a great job over the course of this series of letting us get to know these characters and bond with them through tragedy and terror.
Anger is an Acid was a wonderful conclusion to this series that never lets up.
With the help of some unsuspecting characters we go on one final battle against Mildred and her rage that is more than this world can handle. Michael Clark has done a great job over the course of this series of letting us get to know these characters and bond with them through tragedy and terror.
Anger is an Acid was a wonderful conclusion to this series that never lets up.
Review Date: 5/21/2021
Anne of Manhattan by Brina Starler is a retelling of Anne of Green Gables, basically giving it a more grownup modern flair. I didn't love it or hate I; I honestly was just okay with it; it didn't really do anything to wow me. I found myself losing interest in it and putting it down to do other things, which is not a good thing for me, because normally I am all in any story I am reading. I am not sure why I didn't connect with this story, Starler's writing was well-rounded and her characters were fleshed out. But for me something fell flat, I just can't put my finger on what it was exactly. The story was straight forward and flowed well. The character's dialogue with each other was believable and appropriate for the time frame this is set in. It bothers me that I cannot pinpoint what has me feeling disconnected with it. Usually I know why I don't flow with a story, but this one doesn't have anything that would normally turn me off. Overall, this is a good retelling of the classic tale, it just didn't connect with me. That is not necessarily the authors fault, I just think for some reason it just wasn't my cup of tea. I was suggest giving this story a chance and see what you think because it is a good retelling and it might be the right cup of tea for you.
Review Date: 4/19/2021
The Beautiful Ones are beautiful and sparkling outside, but inside, there is sinister darkness waiting just below the surface. It's not all beautiful parties and glamourous gatherings, but gorgeous people putting on airs to be more than they are. Nina steps into this world and tries to navigate it with her cousin Valerie's guidance, the most beautiful of The Beautiful Ones. But Valerie is not what she seems and has darkness in her heart. She looks like perfection to the naked eye, but she is an angry, lonely woman who is not happy with her life. Poor Nina unknowingly becomes pulled into a love triangle that is genuinely heartbreaking in more ways than one.
The levels of anguish and heartache from so many characters are overwhelming at times. It had me crying on more than one occasion. This story has the feel of the great romance classics that leave your soul feeling tortured with every page you flip. But just like those great romances with the heartache comes great passion that ignites the pages. Nina grows so much through this journey and becomes a remarkable woman. I felt honored to travel with her as she found herself and navigated her way through her first heartache and love. Nina is much like a butterfly who is once an unattractive caterpillar. Still, she wraps herself and rebuilds herself, emerging into a beautiful butterfly that leaves the Beautiful Ones envious and unable to look away from her. Her beauty shines from inside and out when she finds who she is and becomes comfortable with her true self.
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is both beautiful and heartbreaking. It has a way of grabbing you and not letting go. Once again, Silvia spun a web that captures the reader like one of Nina's insects and plays with our emotions till the end. It is as much outstanding as it is maddening.
The levels of anguish and heartache from so many characters are overwhelming at times. It had me crying on more than one occasion. This story has the feel of the great romance classics that leave your soul feeling tortured with every page you flip. But just like those great romances with the heartache comes great passion that ignites the pages. Nina grows so much through this journey and becomes a remarkable woman. I felt honored to travel with her as she found herself and navigated her way through her first heartache and love. Nina is much like a butterfly who is once an unattractive caterpillar. Still, she wraps herself and rebuilds herself, emerging into a beautiful butterfly that leaves the Beautiful Ones envious and unable to look away from her. Her beauty shines from inside and out when she finds who she is and becomes comfortable with her true self.
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is both beautiful and heartbreaking. It has a way of grabbing you and not letting go. Once again, Silvia spun a web that captures the reader like one of Nina's insects and plays with our emotions till the end. It is as much outstanding as it is maddening.
Review Date: 7/26/2020
Welcome to the Veil! The story starts off when the angels are locked out of Heaven. Which has different effects on different Angels. I found it interesting to watch these angels evolve into their new species, some were light and some were dark. There is so much magic and mystery in this book that it envelops you like a warm blanket , you just want to snuggle into. I could get lost in this world that Danielle has created and never come out. Now don't get me wrong it's not all happiness and rainbows, there's alot of darkness and evil there too which is equally intriguing. Who doesn't like some danger in their mystery? The journey was long and mysterious but worth the wait.
Review Date: 11/20/2020
Catalyst is a stunning follow-up to Pandemonium, giving all the mystery and magic that we long for.
Willow Anderson picks right up where she left off. Lace is continuing with her life after all the havoc and sadness she had fought through previously to finally reach a place of peace and normalcy. Unfortunately, like we all know, all good things must come to an end. The same thing holds true for Lace as she finds herself in a new struggle with a mysterious red-haired woman who commands her own type of âchaos.â This mystery woman invites Lace and Pandemonium to her home to perform. Still, things are not as sweet and innocent as they seem. Lace and the rest of Pandemonium members are once again in a fight for their lives, facing odds that seems impossible to win. Unfortunately for Lace, she has to come to terms with the internal struggle she has with which Ringmaster holds the keys to her heart.
Willow really upped the ante with this sequel with more magic, more mystery, and so much more heartache. I found myself crying more than once while reading this and had to take moments to stop and catch my breath because it was all so overwhelming. It made me feel like I was there with the characters experiencing the terror and heartache. It was sometimes a bit too much for my senses to deal with but in a meaningful way. I love a story that makes you forget you are reading and pulls you in like an animal sinking its claws into you and pulling you close, making you feel everything it feels. This is what a great story is! Catalyst is a thrill ride for the senses that will make you feel love, hate, fear, and peace.
Willow Anderson picks right up where she left off. Lace is continuing with her life after all the havoc and sadness she had fought through previously to finally reach a place of peace and normalcy. Unfortunately, like we all know, all good things must come to an end. The same thing holds true for Lace as she finds herself in a new struggle with a mysterious red-haired woman who commands her own type of âchaos.â This mystery woman invites Lace and Pandemonium to her home to perform. Still, things are not as sweet and innocent as they seem. Lace and the rest of Pandemonium members are once again in a fight for their lives, facing odds that seems impossible to win. Unfortunately for Lace, she has to come to terms with the internal struggle she has with which Ringmaster holds the keys to her heart.
Willow really upped the ante with this sequel with more magic, more mystery, and so much more heartache. I found myself crying more than once while reading this and had to take moments to stop and catch my breath because it was all so overwhelming. It made me feel like I was there with the characters experiencing the terror and heartache. It was sometimes a bit too much for my senses to deal with but in a meaningful way. I love a story that makes you forget you are reading and pulls you in like an animal sinking its claws into you and pulling you close, making you feel everything it feels. This is what a great story is! Catalyst is a thrill ride for the senses that will make you feel love, hate, fear, and peace.
Review Date: 1/4/2021
The City on the Sea was a wonderful start to this young adult Dystopian series. The world is basically under water and the resources are scarce, so the inhabitants on the island have to get creative to survive. They are primitive in alot of ways but not as primitive as the watchers believe them to be. They are a thriving growing community who live each day to the fullest and are grateful for what they have. However they are dark and dangerous elements they live with each and every day. They are constantly watched and everything they do is carefully studied like fish in an aquarium to make sure they don't get out of line. They live in constant fear of doing something to anger the watchers because they might disappear.
Heather Carson did a great job building this world and letting us get to know the main character Brooke. We come to love her and her family. We feel for her and understand the pain she deals with on a daily basis from the struggles she has had to grow up with that are more than any child should have to face. My only complaint about this book was that it left me with a ton of questions and not a single answer. The entire story leads up like we are going to get a big pay off in the end and we will finally get answers to everything happening around us, however nothing is answered and we are left waiting for the next book. I am all for cliffhanger endings but I was left with irritation when I finished because it felt like nothing was answered. It made it hard for me to write this review ,but I decided to just be completely honest and try to explain why my score is not higher. If this story would have just wrapped up some of the loose ends and gave some closure, I would have felt better with the cliffhanger ending. I am sorry .. I hope the second book clears things up and I feel more at peace with the story
Heather Carson did a great job building this world and letting us get to know the main character Brooke. We come to love her and her family. We feel for her and understand the pain she deals with on a daily basis from the struggles she has had to grow up with that are more than any child should have to face. My only complaint about this book was that it left me with a ton of questions and not a single answer. The entire story leads up like we are going to get a big pay off in the end and we will finally get answers to everything happening around us, however nothing is answered and we are left waiting for the next book. I am all for cliffhanger endings but I was left with irritation when I finished because it felt like nothing was answered. It made it hard for me to write this review ,but I decided to just be completely honest and try to explain why my score is not higher. If this story would have just wrapped up some of the loose ends and gave some closure, I would have felt better with the cliffhanger ending. I am sorry .. I hope the second book clears things up and I feel more at peace with the story
Review Date: 2/3/2021
A Conventicle of Magpies is a Victorian mystery adventure that leaves the reader wanting more.
The tale follows Rook, a girl who lives an alternative lifestyle as a pickpocket and much more. She belongs to a group called Conventicle of Magpies thieving to help provide for her sick mother and sisters at home. The city is being hunted by a serial killer who drains his victims of their blood because in this world blood is a valuable commodity. No one is safe from the killer not even Magpie's girls.
The city is at war the poor and rich hate each other and show it throughout the book. The poor steal from the rich and the rich turn their noses up when the poor are near. The police will not help the poor when they become victims of the killer's blade. So, the only hope they have are Magpie's girls and the Jaguars. It's a race to try to survive in this hard-tough industrial world where everyone is out for themselves.
I felt the LMR Clarke brought a world to life that was fleshed out with the darkness and despair around every corner. Rich with Victorian style and flair that would make Sherlock Holmes feel at home, this would be one mystery he would be intrigued to find the killer.
The tale follows Rook, a girl who lives an alternative lifestyle as a pickpocket and much more. She belongs to a group called Conventicle of Magpies thieving to help provide for her sick mother and sisters at home. The city is being hunted by a serial killer who drains his victims of their blood because in this world blood is a valuable commodity. No one is safe from the killer not even Magpie's girls.
The city is at war the poor and rich hate each other and show it throughout the book. The poor steal from the rich and the rich turn their noses up when the poor are near. The police will not help the poor when they become victims of the killer's blade. So, the only hope they have are Magpie's girls and the Jaguars. It's a race to try to survive in this hard-tough industrial world where everyone is out for themselves.
I felt the LMR Clarke brought a world to life that was fleshed out with the darkness and despair around every corner. Rich with Victorian style and flair that would make Sherlock Holmes feel at home, this would be one mystery he would be intrigued to find the killer.
Review Date: 7/17/2020
The Court of Miracles is a modern twist on the Robin Hood story with the glamour and mystery of the glittering court. The story pulls you from the first page when it explains the rules of the court. You follow our main character, the brave black cat, as she fights, steals and schemes her way into our hearts. She guides us through the dark world of the court of miracles through all the guilds and their members. She sneaks us into the palace where we join her to feast on sweets and join an over the top ball, but danger and treachery hide in every corner. We follow her as she steals from the rich to give to the poor. Kester Grant has an amazing gift, she can build a world and you feel like you are enveloped in it. You will not simply read this as the Court of Miracles will engulf you from the start, transporting you to be one in this world that Kit has created. It was like watching your favorite movie and being sad when it ended. I honestly do not have enough words to say how amazing this story is.
Review Date: 2/9/2021
Helpful Score: 1
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus is a twisty mystery with unexpected turns at every corner.Â
Every family has their secrets but it seems like the Story family have more than their fair share. The grandkids are invited to spend the summer working at their grandmother's resort, the catch is they have never met her and there is some hidden mystery as to why. The kids take it upon themselves to try to uncover the mystery and find out why their grandmother disowned their parents and cut them off.
What looks to be a simple cut and dry mystery soon turns into something much more complicated and noone will come out the same.
Every family has their secrets but it seems like the Story family have more than their fair share. The grandkids are invited to spend the summer working at their grandmother's resort, the catch is they have never met her and there is some hidden mystery as to why. The kids take it upon themselves to try to uncover the mystery and find out why their grandmother disowned their parents and cut them off.
What looks to be a simple cut and dry mystery soon turns into something much more complicated and noone will come out the same.
Review Date: 10/25/2020
I found the novel, Crystal, to be gripping because I don't typically gravitate to this genre very often with my reading habitats. I love them in my movies and television, so I figured I would give it a chance when I had the opportunity to read one. In the end, I am so glad I did because this story kept my interest right away with the mystery girl who is found in a field bloodied and disoriented. A group of kids goes on a journey to help her find out where she is from and find her way home. She finds friendship and love with strangers that she never expected in the most unlikely places along the way. They go on an adventure that is both dangerous and exciting. Still, unfortunately for them, not everyone will make it out in one piece. There are evil forces at play, and they are coming for Crystal, whether she is ready or not.
Darby Cupid's debut novel is a beautiful young adult read that would have any teen running out to buy the sequel when it arrives later this year. I know I look forward to finding out what happens with Crystal and hopefully see more of her friends in the next book. Crystal is a sci-fi romance with all the mystery and suspense that leaves you wanting more.
Darby Cupid's debut novel is a beautiful young adult read that would have any teen running out to buy the sequel when it arrives later this year. I know I look forward to finding out what happens with Crystal and hopefully see more of her friends in the next book. Crystal is a sci-fi romance with all the mystery and suspense that leaves you wanting more.
Review Date: 10/16/2020
Dead Woman Scorned was a refreshing change from the normal witchy reads you read today. This is the second book in The Patience of a Dead Man Series; however, it could be a stand-alone book. I found I enjoyed it much more than its predecessor.
Michael Clark did a fabulous job showing what made Mildred Wells the tormented soul she was in the first book. She wasn't always the mean, vindictive revenant she that she turns into but a once sweet innocent girl who was tortured and manipulated by a power-hungry man. That man broke something inside her and turned her into something that wasn't completely human long before she ever came to Sanborn or the house that she would one day haunt.
I found myself sympathizing with her as I read her backstory. How can you truly judge her for all the horrible things she has done when you find out the sinister backstory of her own life? This poor woman never knew true love and support that would end up making her the monster. When she finally discovers what she needs, it's pulled away from her harshly and she then shuts down and lashes out in a horrible manner. To make matters worse, due to the witchcraft that was performed on her she had to live her days in the afterlife with the guilt of her actions and never know any peace, driving her mad, making her worse monster than she ever was in her âhuman lifeâ, and that monster was set on performing her revenge on everyone who had ever wronged her.
The thing I found fascinating about this story was that even the most horrific and vile monster can still find their humanity sometimes. Just when you think Mildred Wells has lost all sense of good and is all lost, you see her interaction with Tim's girls. In those moments it was like that sweet and innocent girl came back to the surface and just wanted to be safe and loved once more.
Clark took me on a wild ride with this gothic enchanting read that would make any Salem witch proud to be included in this tale. I enjoyed the entire journey and cannot wait to read the conclusion to the series.Â
Michael Clark did a fabulous job showing what made Mildred Wells the tormented soul she was in the first book. She wasn't always the mean, vindictive revenant she that she turns into but a once sweet innocent girl who was tortured and manipulated by a power-hungry man. That man broke something inside her and turned her into something that wasn't completely human long before she ever came to Sanborn or the house that she would one day haunt.
I found myself sympathizing with her as I read her backstory. How can you truly judge her for all the horrible things she has done when you find out the sinister backstory of her own life? This poor woman never knew true love and support that would end up making her the monster. When she finally discovers what she needs, it's pulled away from her harshly and she then shuts down and lashes out in a horrible manner. To make matters worse, due to the witchcraft that was performed on her she had to live her days in the afterlife with the guilt of her actions and never know any peace, driving her mad, making her worse monster than she ever was in her âhuman lifeâ, and that monster was set on performing her revenge on everyone who had ever wronged her.
The thing I found fascinating about this story was that even the most horrific and vile monster can still find their humanity sometimes. Just when you think Mildred Wells has lost all sense of good and is all lost, you see her interaction with Tim's girls. In those moments it was like that sweet and innocent girl came back to the surface and just wanted to be safe and loved once more.
Clark took me on a wild ride with this gothic enchanting read that would make any Salem witch proud to be included in this tale. I enjoyed the entire journey and cannot wait to read the conclusion to the series.Â
Review Date: 3/5/2021
Spoiler Warning!
Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft is a paranormal fantasy about Wren Southerland, a girl in limbo.
Saft begins to weave a tale around Wren as the orphan niece to a cold, unfeeling Queen who rules with an iron fist. The Queen despises Wren and wants nothing to do with her, so she sends her to an abbey to let Nuns raise her for most of her childhood. Wren has magical abilities and can heal people, which makes her useful to the cause of the great war that the Queen is preparing for, but unfortunately for Wren, her heart is too big, and she cares too much. This kindness is her greatest downfall and gets her in trouble too many times.
The Queen becomes angry with Wren's weakness for their enemies' pain and banishes her back to the Abbey, exiled away from her friends that she holds dear. While in exile, an unexpected opportunity represents itself. It allows Wren to prove herself to the Queen and hopefully avoid the war to destroy her kingdom and the people she loves. Wren jumps feet first into this new adventure and finds that she may have found sinister layers that she is only starting to uncover. Can she uncover the malevolent plot before her world crashes down around her?
Overall, I enjoyed this novel once we got into the gothic adventure portion of the story. It was eerie and kept me guessing throughout, wondering what would happen next. It had the creep effect with the sounds and darkness that made me feel on edge, wondering if it was a haunting or if someone was tortured nearby. I understood why Wren was having trouble sleeping. I don't know anyone who could get a good night's sleep with that going on around them. I also appreciated Wren's inner conflict with the person she was trying to heal since he was not the most pleasant patient, and they both had their reasons for disliking each other. There were many hurdles for Wren to overcome to do her job and function daily in the environment Wren was put in all so she could get back in the good graces of the Queen.
Now I must be frank about what bothered me about this story--this novel felt like two separate books were slammed together. They don't fit completely to be a cohesive and fluid story. The first part of this novel is a paranormal fantasy with war and magic, blood and fighting. Then suddenly, we move to a gothic horror novel located in a dark, gloomy mansion without action, blood, or conflict. The magic is still there since Wren uses the magic to help her heal the injured man, but she ends up uses actual medicine from plants to help more than her magic in the end. It just doesn't flow from one genre to the other well; it feels disjointed and messy. However, the gothic horror portion of the book deserves praise. It wasn't easy to put down.
Down Comes the Night turns into a delicious dark gothic horror that makes you wonder what it is that is making those sounds that go bump in the night.
Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft is a paranormal fantasy about Wren Southerland, a girl in limbo.
Saft begins to weave a tale around Wren as the orphan niece to a cold, unfeeling Queen who rules with an iron fist. The Queen despises Wren and wants nothing to do with her, so she sends her to an abbey to let Nuns raise her for most of her childhood. Wren has magical abilities and can heal people, which makes her useful to the cause of the great war that the Queen is preparing for, but unfortunately for Wren, her heart is too big, and she cares too much. This kindness is her greatest downfall and gets her in trouble too many times.
The Queen becomes angry with Wren's weakness for their enemies' pain and banishes her back to the Abbey, exiled away from her friends that she holds dear. While in exile, an unexpected opportunity represents itself. It allows Wren to prove herself to the Queen and hopefully avoid the war to destroy her kingdom and the people she loves. Wren jumps feet first into this new adventure and finds that she may have found sinister layers that she is only starting to uncover. Can she uncover the malevolent plot before her world crashes down around her?
Overall, I enjoyed this novel once we got into the gothic adventure portion of the story. It was eerie and kept me guessing throughout, wondering what would happen next. It had the creep effect with the sounds and darkness that made me feel on edge, wondering if it was a haunting or if someone was tortured nearby. I understood why Wren was having trouble sleeping. I don't know anyone who could get a good night's sleep with that going on around them. I also appreciated Wren's inner conflict with the person she was trying to heal since he was not the most pleasant patient, and they both had their reasons for disliking each other. There were many hurdles for Wren to overcome to do her job and function daily in the environment Wren was put in all so she could get back in the good graces of the Queen.
Now I must be frank about what bothered me about this story--this novel felt like two separate books were slammed together. They don't fit completely to be a cohesive and fluid story. The first part of this novel is a paranormal fantasy with war and magic, blood and fighting. Then suddenly, we move to a gothic horror novel located in a dark, gloomy mansion without action, blood, or conflict. The magic is still there since Wren uses the magic to help her heal the injured man, but she ends up uses actual medicine from plants to help more than her magic in the end. It just doesn't flow from one genre to the other well; it feels disjointed and messy. However, the gothic horror portion of the book deserves praise. It wasn't easy to put down.
Down Comes the Night turns into a delicious dark gothic horror that makes you wonder what it is that is making those sounds that go bump in the night.
Review Date: 11/20/2020
The Easton Falls Massacre was an unusual read for me because I don't usually go for this kind of thriller, but I have to say I was impressed by it. It started off with a bang and just kept on going with relationship drama to mystery in the town and woods. For such a small book it packs a large punch and keeps on throwing them. I didn't put it down and felt like I was racing to finish it because I had to know what was going to happen next. The Garcia's did a great job of showing the world of Easton Falls instead of telling me about it. Not many new writers can do that so well on their first try, so kudos to them.
I was emotionally involved with the main character and truly felt bad for him when his life got turned upside down and went haywire. There were so many layers to this story which is amazing considering how small this book is and how much information you are given in such a short amount of time. Its impressive to have a novella feel like a much larger story and feel like nothing is lacking.
The Easton Falls Massacre is a fun quick read that shows you that there are consequences to our actions and karma is a vindictive bitch.
I was emotionally involved with the main character and truly felt bad for him when his life got turned upside down and went haywire. There were so many layers to this story which is amazing considering how small this book is and how much information you are given in such a short amount of time. Its impressive to have a novella feel like a much larger story and feel like nothing is lacking.
The Easton Falls Massacre is a fun quick read that shows you that there are consequences to our actions and karma is a vindictive bitch.
Review Date: 5/6/2021
I try always give spoiler-free reviews but unfortunately with Ellipsis by Kristy McGinnis, it will venture into spoiler territory. I was really torn with this story because it is broken in two halves and those two halves have different writing styles. The first half has a major problem with telling instead of showing with is happening, what the characters are feeling, it feels more like a journal entry than a novel. It made it hard to connect with Nell and her boyfriend Narek. I was not emotionally invested with these two characters the way I should have been for the first portion of the story while they experience love, heartache that most relationships do during their years together. This portion of the story felt rushed like McGinnis was trying to get to the second part of the story which is the important part. I understand you need to set up backstory to the characters before the major even in their lives happens but you have to do it in a way that makes the reader care for the characters who are effected by those events. This is where it missed the mark for me. Now that is my main issue with this story, lets get into what it did right.
The first part eventually introduces us to Nell's and Narek's son Charlie, who we get to watch grow up with Nell and form the bound that a mother has with her child. Narek is not really in the story he is clearly an afterthought and just in this story for the purposes of being the father. I really believe this story would have been better if the author had just started the story with Nell and Charlie, she didn't need to go into the whole Narek history. Its not necessary, lots of fathers are not in the picture, it happens. Moving on⦠Nell and Charlie's interactions and emotional investment was there, because for the first time in this story McGinnis showed the reader everything instead of telling like prior. I could see and feel the love between this mother and her son. I could tell he was her world and Charlie adored his mother. That bond was clear on every page, which is what made the second part of this story the most heartbreaking tear-jerking part. If McGinnis did not take the time and patience to build that relationship on paper we would not have had that pay off with the emotions that are felt when the event happens and then after with the giant gapping hole that is left in Nell's life. But it is not all heartache and sadness there is survival and healing at the end. This story has taken a very real-life situation and made it about the parent's survival and how they continue when their worst nightmare happens.
Ellipsis by Kristy McGinnis is a shellshock to the system that will leave you at peace in the end.
The first part eventually introduces us to Nell's and Narek's son Charlie, who we get to watch grow up with Nell and form the bound that a mother has with her child. Narek is not really in the story he is clearly an afterthought and just in this story for the purposes of being the father. I really believe this story would have been better if the author had just started the story with Nell and Charlie, she didn't need to go into the whole Narek history. Its not necessary, lots of fathers are not in the picture, it happens. Moving on⦠Nell and Charlie's interactions and emotional investment was there, because for the first time in this story McGinnis showed the reader everything instead of telling like prior. I could see and feel the love between this mother and her son. I could tell he was her world and Charlie adored his mother. That bond was clear on every page, which is what made the second part of this story the most heartbreaking tear-jerking part. If McGinnis did not take the time and patience to build that relationship on paper we would not have had that pay off with the emotions that are felt when the event happens and then after with the giant gapping hole that is left in Nell's life. But it is not all heartache and sadness there is survival and healing at the end. This story has taken a very real-life situation and made it about the parent's survival and how they continue when their worst nightmare happens.
Ellipsis by Kristy McGinnis is a shellshock to the system that will leave you at peace in the end.
Review Date: 7/17/2020
First of let me say this book was entirely too long.. it was completely unnecessary. I would have given this a 4 star ratings if it wasn't so long. I don't say that because I have a problem with long reads, I actually like them, when it is necessary for the story. The problem with this one is it was like the publisher told the author they had to get to a certain word count so they just added alot of unnecessary stuff to the story to bulk up the book. It made me lose interest, but I stuck with it. Okay so my actual review. This a retelling of the 12 dancing princesses, overall once the story actually got going about half way through I enjoyed it. It had humor, love, and mystery. There is some danger and magic too. I cannot recommend this to everyone just because of the length issue, but if you can get past that it's a cute story. I think the cover is gorgeous though...
Review Date: 8/30/2020
This is an amazing sequel to Solstice, It continues with Solstice and Gavin on the run from the vampires and trying to figure out how to survive. I don't want to give too much away about this book, so I am going to make this a short review. This story took the Solstice Chronicles to a whole other level. There are twist and turns that no one would have expected. Not only do Solstice and Gavin have to be concerned with the vampires that are hunting them, but they also find out they are not alone in the abandoned plantation home they have taken residence in. Solstice is growing into her powers and she has a constant struggle to keep them in check while learning how to use them. This is by far my favorite vampire novel of all time, and I can only hope the author one ups himself on the third novel in this amazing series!
Review Date: 7/17/2020
This was unlike anything I have read before. It was slow going at the beginning, but if you stick with it, it picks up the pace. I kept trying to figure out what was happening as I was reading,because the entire story is shrouded in mystery. You see this husband and wife attempting to live their lives but a mysterious visitor keeps showing up randomly and disrupting their routine. At times it seems like the wife knows the stranger but other times it seems like he is a stranger to her also. The main plot twist was really good and came out of nowhere. There was another twist that I saw coming, but overall this is a quick read that kept me guessing.
Review Date: 11/20/2020
The Game by Linsey Miller is a fun and harmless cat and mouse game that soon turns more sinister.
In her senior year of high school, we follow the main character, Lia, as she enters a fake Battle Royale like-game with other kids in her class. What should only be a fun, carefree water tag game with fantastic bragging rights, turns deadly when someone takes the game and puts in their own, murderous, rules. Lia finds that the antagonist is stalking her, and her teammates, to potentially frame her to take the fall.
This book was a super-fast easy read, and to be honest, it had a good concept but felt like the execution missed the mark. I saw a lot of the twists coming before they occurred. I didn't find any surprises with this story as it all felt very predictable and not very fleshed out. The writing was just okay, as it felt like this was the first story the author had ever written. Which, don't get me wrong, is not a bad thing, but read like a first draft to a level that could have been better as it read too matter of fact like and didn't flow well.
The story was okay as it didn't do anything to wow me. I have read other books and watched movies that are similar to this story and were much better. I feel Miller just needed more guidance from her publisher, and maybe she could have had a better novel in The Game. This writer, and book, deserved better. I am sorry to say; I just was not impressed.
In her senior year of high school, we follow the main character, Lia, as she enters a fake Battle Royale like-game with other kids in her class. What should only be a fun, carefree water tag game with fantastic bragging rights, turns deadly when someone takes the game and puts in their own, murderous, rules. Lia finds that the antagonist is stalking her, and her teammates, to potentially frame her to take the fall.
This book was a super-fast easy read, and to be honest, it had a good concept but felt like the execution missed the mark. I saw a lot of the twists coming before they occurred. I didn't find any surprises with this story as it all felt very predictable and not very fleshed out. The writing was just okay, as it felt like this was the first story the author had ever written. Which, don't get me wrong, is not a bad thing, but read like a first draft to a level that could have been better as it read too matter of fact like and didn't flow well.
The story was okay as it didn't do anything to wow me. I have read other books and watched movies that are similar to this story and were much better. I feel Miller just needed more guidance from her publisher, and maybe she could have had a better novel in The Game. This writer, and book, deserved better. I am sorry to say; I just was not impressed.
Review Date: 1/12/2021
The Glass Arrow is a unique take on an unsettling dystopian future that no woman ever wants to live through. It has been compared to The Handmaid's Tale but I don't know if I would really compare the two stories because the only similarity the two share is the imprisonment of women for procreation. The Glass Arrow goes a completely different direction and shows that not only the women are imprisoned and made to be less than second class citizens. So many people have their rights and civil liberties stripped from them, making them no more than slaves and servants to higher power men and even some women.
Kristen Simmons has created a terrifyingly realistic world that could become the future for any society if it fell apart and stopped treating people with their equal rights. It's scary to think this is a possibility and may seem like it's far fetched fiction that may never happen, but if there is one thing we have seen over the years throughout history, it is that when basic human rights are removed horror and far fetched fiction becomes reality. I throughly enjoyed this story and found myself unable to put it down at times.
Overall The Glass Arrow is a wonderful adventure of self discovery while overcoming major obstacles and prejudices, in order to get to some kind of peace in a world of chaos and hate.
Kristen Simmons has created a terrifyingly realistic world that could become the future for any society if it fell apart and stopped treating people with their equal rights. It's scary to think this is a possibility and may seem like it's far fetched fiction that may never happen, but if there is one thing we have seen over the years throughout history, it is that when basic human rights are removed horror and far fetched fiction becomes reality. I throughly enjoyed this story and found myself unable to put it down at times.
Overall The Glass Arrow is a wonderful adventure of self discovery while overcoming major obstacles and prejudices, in order to get to some kind of peace in a world of chaos and hate.
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