Book Review: Quiet Anchorage by Ed Lynskey

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Quiet Anchorage, Virginia, looks like paradise. When she's accused of murdering her fiance, however, the small town is anything but heavenly for Megan Connors. With her fingerprints on the murder weapon, it looks like an open-and-shut case, and Sheriff Fox, running for reelection and anxious to get credit for 'solving' a murder case, intends on ramming through charges and getting a conviction. Megan's only champions are her aging aunts. They don't believe she's guilty, but what can two senior citizens do against the powers of the state and the evidence against Megan?

Isabel and Alma Trumbo may be aging, even worried about memory loss, but they've read just about every mystery published in the past half-century. They're sure they've picked up the skills and knowledge they need to prove Megan's innocence. Starting with the town's gossips and loafers, then scaling up when the sexy ex-girlfriend of one of the Sheriff's deputies joins them, they search for alternate suspects, possible motives, and any evidence that might exonerate their niece.

My Thoughts:  I love a good cozy mystery and this one fit the bill!  The characters were fun and the book was a fast and easy, yet extremely entertaining read!

Isabel and Alma Trumbo are sisters.  They are upset when their niece, Megan, is accused of murdering her fiance and the two set out to clear Megan's name.  However, Sheriff Fox is not going to let it go that easily.  The aunt's will stop at nothing (and I do mean nothing) to help.

I enjoyed the small town atmosphere (very much like the town I live in) and the characters were eay to connect too.  The author kept you guessing as to who the killer was and I was pleasantly surprised at the end. 

This book was a fast read but kept me interested throughout the whole story.  I read it quickly simply because I did not want to put it down.  I found the book funny and can't wait for more from this author!

Winners of Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway!

I want to thank everyone for visiting my blog and entering to win these two great books!  The winners were chosen using Random.org and they are...

For Deadly Cool:  Gabriella

and

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children:  Freda

Both winners have been notified and have responded to the email.  Thank you all again so much!

Book Review: Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Little else in life is as dangerous as fire jumping. Flying past towering pillars of smoke, parachuting down to the edge of an all-consuming blaze, shoveling and sawing for hours upon hours, days at a time, all to hold the line and push back against the raw power of Mother Nature.

But there's also little else as thrilling - at least to Rowan Tripp. The Missoula smoke jumpers are one of the most exclusive fire-fighting squads in the nation, and the job is in Rowan's blood: her father is a legend in the field. She's been fighting fires since her eighteenth birthday. At this point, returning to the wilds of Montana for the season feels like coming home - even with reminders of the partner she lost last season still lingering in the air.

Fortunately, this year's rookie crop is among the strongest ever - and Gulliver Curry's one of the best. He's also a walking contradiction, a hotshot firefighter with a big vocabulary and a winter job at a kid's arcade. He came to Missoula to follow in the footsteps of Lucas "Iron Man" Tripp, yet he's instantly more fascinated by his hero's daughter. Rowan, as a rule, doesn't hook up with other smoke jumpers, but Gull is convinced he can change her mind. And damn if he doesn't make a good case to be an exception to the rule.

Everything is thrown off balance, though, when a dark presence lashes out against Rowan, looking to blame someone for last year's tragedy. Rowan knows she can't complicate things with Gull - any distractions in the air or on the ground could be lethal. But if she doesn't find someone she can lean on when the heat gets intense, her life may go down in flames.

My Thoughts:  Rowan has grown up with fire.  Her father was a fire jumper and now she jumps fires as well.  Last year, Rowan lost her jump partner.  She still has nightmares and thinks about him often but she comes back to jump fires again. 

Rowan meets Gull, one of the new recruits.  She has an instant attraction to him but has a strong rule never to get involved with anyone that she jumps with.  Gull, however, will not take no for an answer and continues to pursue Rowan. 

Then funny things start happening at the post.  The ready room gets trashed, equipment is not working right.  While jumping a fire, Rowan finds a body and things start to get dicey.  The last thing you want when fighting a raging fire is defective equipment or not being able to trust the ones you are with.  This is now what Rowan has to deal with.

I didn't know a lot about fire jumping but Nora Roberts did a great job explaining everything.  I almost wanted to go skydiving to see what the experience was really like after reading Roberts' descriptions of it.  Almost...but not quite.  Yep, I'm a chicken!  While Rowan and Gull were in the middle of a fire you could feel the heat and smell the smoke.  You could see the blackened areas where the fire has consumed everything and yet you could see the meadow of lupines on the other side where the fire didn't touch anything.

The mystery was good but not as suspenseful as some of Roberts' other books.  It wasn't a super huge part of the story.  The story mostly revolved around the jumps, Rowan and Gull's relationship and Rowan's father, Luke's relationship with his new girlfriend.

I thought Rowan was a strong, stubborn and brave character.  I thought she acted pretty childish when Lucas told her about his new relationship.  After all, she was a 20-something or 30-something woman who didn't even live at home all the time with her father and she expects him to not live his own life.  I was irritated then but she got over it.

All in all, it was a fast read with some good romance, great action and a little bit of mystery and suspense added in!

Book Review: How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

**Book received from Around the World Tours for review**

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Jill MacSweeney just wants everything to go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends--everyone who wants to support her. You can't lose one family member and simply replace him with a new one, and when her mom decides to adopt a baby, that's exactly what it feels like she's trying to do. And that's decidedly not normal. With her world crumbling around her, can Jill come to embrace a new member of the family?

Mandy Kalinowski knows what it's like to grow up unwanted--to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, she knows she wants a better life for her baby. But can giving up a child be as easy as it seems? And will she ever be able to find someone to care for her, too?

Critically acclaimed author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr delivers a heart-wrenching story, told from dual perspectives, about what it means to be a family and the many roads we can take to become one.

My Thoughts:  Mandy is 8 months pregnant.  She turns to Robin, a widow, to adopt her child.  Robin has a teen daughter, Jill as well.  Jill is still dealing with the death of her father and resents her mom for wanting to adopt, even though it was her father's wish. 

Jill is downright mean and vicious!  She is rude and yes, she is dealing with the death of her father but she is dealing with it horribly!  She is simply spoiled and bitter.  I did not like Jill when I started the book.  At all!  However, Jill was very realistic.  She was a teenage girl and her father did die.  It doesn't make her pleasant but it makes her real.

Mandy was needy.  She wants love and attention but the best thing about Mandy is she wants what is best for her unborn baby.  Mandy knows what it is like to not be wanted and that is not what she wants for her baby.  Mandy feels overwhelmed with everything that has happened to her in her life but she is still a much nicer person than Jill.

I liked the alternating narration as you get a feel for each girl and how she is feeling.  The ending was slightly predictable but it didn't seem to hurt the story any.  And, seeing as how my family is starting the adoption process and knowing people who have completed the adoption process, I know that it never works perfectly and it is hard, emotional and takes time.  But this is no reason to bypass this book.  It was simply incredible!

Book Review: Fracture by Megan Miranda

**Book received from Around the World Book Tours for review**

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  By the time Delaney Maxwell was pulled from a Maine lake’s icy waters by her best friend, Decker Phillips, her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead.

But somehow Delaney survived—despite the brain scans that show irreparable damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be fine, but she knows she’s far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can’t control or explain, Delaney now finds herself drawn to the dying, and when she meets Troy Varga, a boy who recently emerged from a coma with the same abilities, she is relieved to share this strange new existence. Unsure if her altered brain is predicting death or causing it, Delaney must figure out if their gift is a miracle, a freak of nature—or something else much more frightening...

My Thoughts:  Delaney is out in the snow and ice with her friend Decker.  While crossing the frozen pond, she falls in and is under for 11 minutes.  She should be dead and yet she's not.  The story begins with Delaney waking up in the hospital (although not yet able to move or show that she in conscious).  As Delaney gets better and tries to go back to her old life she realizes something strange.  She is now drawn to those that are dying. 

I liked Delaney.  She was smart and easy to relate too.  She was also very brave and yet still realistic.  She has breakdowns and emotions that are riding a roller coaster at times but she is a teen who has come back from a traumatic event.  I really enjoyed her and Decker and their relationship!  They have always been good friends but after Delaney comes back from her accident there is tension and more than just friendship. 

Troy has a lot in common with Delaney.  He has also been in a coma and is also drawn to people who are dying.  I did not like Troy however.  Troy is the dark "bad boy" in this book and he fits it well!  He was so creepy with how he was always around Delaney.  I liked how Delaney was attracted to Decker but didn't like it that she was attracted to Troy too.  I think he could have been added into the book without adding the attraction triangle. 

I really enjoyed this book!  It has some paranormal aspects to it but that isn't what the whole book is about.  I liked the relationship interactions with Delaney and Decker and Troy made for a creepy character.  I was slightly disappointed by how the ending seemed a little rushed but I can honestly say that this book gave me the creeps! 

Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop!

I am happy to be a part of the Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy & I Am  A Reader, Not A Writer.  This hop will start Dec. 2 and go until 11:59 PM on Dec. 6!

I have 2 great giveaways for this hop!  Yep, that means 2 winners!  The first prize is:

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday!

and the second prize is:

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs!

All you have to do to enter is be a follower through GFC and fill out the form below!  I will contact the winner via email on Dec. 7, 2011.  Winner will have 24 hours to respond or I will pick new ones.  Good luck!

**Open to international followers too**

Check out the other giveaways at these great blogs!

An exciting new journey!

My family and I have decided to embark on a new adventure!  One we have felt the call to do for awhile now but have finally decided that it is time. 

We are adopting a child from Ethiopia!  We are so excited and we are sharing this news with friends and family alike and while we have received a lot of support and excitement, we have also run into a lot of resistance.  I am hoping this is because it has come for a shock to some of our friends and family and let's face it, the cost is not exactly cheap but how do you put a price on a child's life?  We are determine to scrimp, save and work hard for what we want. 

The point of this post is to tell you that I have a new blog that will tell our story.  You can follow our story here:  http://impatientlywaitingethiopia.blogspot.com/ if you want. 

In the meantime, forgive me if I am not reviewing as many books as I am going to be busy with home studies and dossiers!  I will do my best to keep up though.

Book Review: Breadcrumbs by Anna Ursu

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  

Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. They had been best friends since they were six, spending hot Minneapolis summers and cold Minneapolis winters together, dreaming of Hogwarts and Oz, superheroes and baseball. Now that they were eleven, it was weird for a boy and a girl to be best friends. But they couldn't help it - Hazel and Jack fit, in that way you only read about in books. And they didn't fit anywhere else.

And then, one day, it was over. Jack just stopped talking to Hazel. And while her mom tried to tell her that this sometimes happens to boys and girls at this age, Hazel had read enough stories to know that it's never that simple. And it turns out, she was right. Jack's heart had been frozen, and he was taken into the woods by a woman dressed in white to live in a palace made of ice. Now, it's up to Hazel to venture into the woods after him. Hazel finds, however, that these woods are nothing like what she's read about, and the Jack that Hazel went in to save isn't the same Jack that will emerge. Or even the same Hazel.

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.

My Thoughts:  Hazel was adopted as a baby from India and now her parents are separated.  She is attending a new school and has only one friend, Jack.  Jack's mom suffers from depression and Jack feels guilty for this.  Jack and Hazel are close and to escape from their harsh realities they make up fun fantasy worlds. 

However, Jack suddenly changes and distances himself from Hazel and Hazel can't understand why.  She won't accept her mother's explanation that sometimes these things just happen and sometimes people just grow apart, especially after Jack disappears. 

Hazel follows Jack to the land of between and finds him in the Ice Queen's frozen castle.  Now Hazel just has to save Jack!

I loved how Hazel was so brave and smart!  She was an avid reader and of course, I thought that was awesome too!  She was a fun character and I liked how she believed in her fantasies even if it meant that she was "weird".

Hazel encountered a lot of fairy tale characters and creatures.  She ends up in a flower garden where the flowers talk (Alice in Wonderland), the fate sisters and of course lots of wolves.  Her adventure in Between was a lot like Alice's adventure in Wonderland and I thoroughly enjoyed that! 

I really enjoyed this book and I think I will certainly go out and buy it to read to my kids.  It was so good that I finished it in 2 days and I loved every minute of it!  The only complaint I had was that the ending seemed slightly rushed.  Other than that, I thought it was awesome!

Book Review: Heart of Evil by Heather Graham

**I received an ARC of this book from Harlequin publisher via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for this review. **

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Emerging from the bayou like an apparition, Donegal Plantation is known for its unsurpassed dining, captivating atmosphere, haunting legends…and now a corpse swinging from the marble angel that marks its cemetery’s most majestic vault. A corpse discovered in nearly the same situation as that of Marshall Donegal, the patriarch killed in a skirmish just before the Civil War. Desperate for help traditional criminologists could never provide, plantation heiress Ashley Donegal turns to an elite team of paranormal investigators who blend hard forensics with rare – often inexplicable – intuition. Among them is Jake Mallory, a gifted New Orleans musician with talent that stretches beyond the realm of the physical, and a few dark ghosts of his own. The evil the team unveils has the power to shake the plantation to its very core. Jake and Ashley are forced to risk everything to unravel secrets that will not stay buried – even in death…

My Thoughts:  Heart of Evil is the second book in the Krewe of Hunters series (trilogy?) but this one focuses on Jake.  The "Krewe" consists of the same characters so we get to know each of them a little more but the main focus is on Jake and Ashley.

I've said it before and I'll say it again....I love Heather Graham!  I think there has only been one book of hers that fell flat for me.  I enjoyed Heart of Evil immensely!  It has the perfect blend of ghost story, romance and history.  And best of all (in my opinion), it takes place in New Orleans on a beautiful old plantation.  How can you go wrong?

There is a lot of history in the Donegal's past.  Every year they do a reenactment of Marshall Donegal's fight with the Yankees and his death.  This year however, the man portraying Marshall Donegal goes missing after the reenactment.  Ashley knows something is wrong but the police won't take her seriously since he hasn't been missing for 48 hours. 

Adam Harrison just happens to be friends with Ashley's grandfather, Frazier and so he sends his "krewe of hunters" down to see what is up.  Jake has known Ashley all his life and even had a brief romance with her that ended on a slightly sour note.  This doesn't stop him from heading down early and it's a good thing too since Ashley finds the body of the man portraying Marshall Donegal in her family's cemetery!  From there the mystery gets more intense and add that with the sweet romance between Jake and Ashley and the ghosts that show up and you have a fun, fast-paced book!

I liked Ashley's character a lot.  She wasn't weak or whiny at all.  She got things done and everyone listened to her.  Of course, she was beautiful and smart.  She also wasn't too horribly stupid...as in "I'm going to go down to the basement in the dark, by myself, knowing there is a killer down there because I can" kind of stupid.  She accepted help when she needed it and even during the climax of the story, she tried to be as smart as possible while being as safe as possible (sorry...this is confusing but I don't want to give anything away).

Jake is your typical hot, strong, studdly FBI agent.  But I say that in a good way!  He is protective of Ashley but only one time towards the end did he get overly protective where I thought "really?".  Otherwise he was pretty mellow.  I loved that his and Ashley's romance wasn't over the top and while it was present in the story, it wasn't too much.

The ending kept me guessing and this is what I love about Graham.  I was never able to guess who the villain was.  As soon as I thought it was someone a twist was thrown in and I would think it was someone else.  Turns out that I never did get it right and I was surprised at the end to find out who it was.

If you like a little bit of romance, some ghosts and history about the Civil War, this book is for you!  It was an easy read, kept me interested and on edge the entire time and was a complete surprise at the end.  I can't wait to start the next book in the series!

Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

**Received this book from Around the World ARC Tours for review**

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

My Thoughts:  Juliette has been in a prison cell for 263 days for having a powerful ability that she is not able to keep in check.  She hasn't talked to or touched anyone in those 263 days.  All that changes when she gets a new cellmate, Adam.

I wasn't sure about the strike-out thoughts that Juliette was having.  I just kinda found it annoying but if it isn't distracting to you, great!  I just personally found it slightly obnoxious.  I see the reason for it (it makes Juliette seem crazy for sure) but I just didn't really care for it.  It will go away so if it does annoy you like it did me keep going!  It will slow down.

Juliette was a confusing character for me.  She was pathetic, weak and crazy one minute and the next she is strong and threatening.  She spends a few hours in a room filled with guns and she's totally okay with them after that.  I mean, I've spent years with guns in my house (my hubby's a police officer) and I am certainly not comfortable with them but hey...whatever.  I can't stand how she is totally dependent on Adam either.  Seriously annoying.

Adam is good looking, there is no denying that.  In fact, he's downright hot but it's only on the outside.  His personality never really came out.  He was boring, in all honesty.  The relationship between Juliette and Adam had steam factor for sure but that is about the only good thing about their relationship.

Warner, the leader of the Reestablishment, is the other character that just fell flat for me.  He is totally obsessed with Juliette and really wants Juliette to want him and be his but alas, she has fallen madly in love with Adam.  However, there is just no depth to Warner for me.  He is just your typical evil villain, nothing more, nothing less.

The other annoying thing...is how EVERY guy that Juliette met fell in love with her.  If we could all only live in a world like that huh?  

So, I know I probably sound like I hated the book but I didn't hate it.  I just didn't like it.  I did not find it convincing at all and it just fell flat.  I know I am in the minority here as I have read a lot of good reviews before I picked it up so you should check it our for yourself.  Just maybe get it from the library.

Book Review: Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes

Publish Date:  January 3, 2012

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  She fell for him in a nighttime world. But the time for dreaming is past—and the here-and-now can be just as fragile their love…

When Theia Alderson first encountered a mysterious, handsome boy in her dreams, she never imagined how finding Haden Black—and falling in love—could change her life. To save Haden, Theia sacrificed everything. And the dangerous bargain she made could have lasting repercussions.

Now Theia has returned to Serendipity Falls, and she finds herself struggling with the same deadly hungers that have tortured Haden. When students at their high school fall prey to a mysterious illness, Theia can’t help but wonder if Haden’s control is slipping—and how much longer she’ll have a grip on her own.

And still the nightmare realm of Under won’t let them go. Someone from Haden’s past is determined to destroy Theia from the inside out, starting with those closest to her, forcing Theia to choose between family and friends and a love that may have been doomed from the start…

My Thoughts:  I don't think I have ever said this before (I could be wrong but don't think so) but I totally loved this book more than the first one!  I really enjoyed Falling Under but this one was amazing!

Theia has been recalled by her friends and is back in her world. All of Theia's friends are back and are helping her keep her demon side in check while also trying to fight Mara, the Mare Demon.  Haden is back as well and while Theia and Haden's relationship is heating up, he is keeping a secret from Theia.  Add that to the fact that something or someone is feeding off Theia's classmates and Theia has a whole lot of problems to solve!

I still love Theia as a main character.  She is much stronger and independent in this one than she was in Falling Under.  I love that her romance with Haden, while heating up, doesn't take over the story at all.  She is very bossy when she needs to be and stands up for what she wants and believes in.

I love, love, love Varnie!  He has got to be my favorite character and the only complaint that I have is what happens to him in this book but I will say no more since I don't want to ruin it for anyone.  However, he is just as fun and interesting as he was in the first book.  I just love his way of thinking and how devoted he is to Amelia. 

Amelia and Donny have got to be the best friends ever!  They not only bring Theia back from Under but they stick by her and make sure that her demon side doesn't show.  They help her fight Mara and even go to Under with her.  They are seriously amazing friends.  Donny is still as snarky as ever and I love that about her. 

This book was filled with way more action than the first.  The characters grew and I loved that Amelia and Donny were more involved in this story and the ending left me hanging just enough to want more but not enough to irritate me. 

**I received this book from Around the World ARC Tours for review**

Book Review: Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...
Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

My Thoughts:  I didn't love this book however I didn't absolutely hate it either.  Would I read it again?  Not a chance.  I'm not quite sure how to write this review so there's your warning.

Keiran and Waverly are your typical teens in love.  Well, except that they are on a spaceship heading towards a new earth so they can help repopulate it.  However, before the Empyrean can reach the new earth, the New Horizon, a sister ship to the Empyrean, overtakes it and kidnaps all the girls after they get rid of all the adults.

There were a lot of parts in this story that were just unbelievable and didn't flow well for me.  I mean, for instance, why did all the adults tell the kids to hide and yet not one adult stayed with them or hid themselves.  I am all for courageous people here but c'mon...we all know that there would have been at lease one or two cowards hiding not to mention the fact that at least one adult should have stayed to protect the children.  It was just a little off to me.

The book also started off slow for me.  It took me quite awhile to get into it despite the action when the New Horizon overtook the Empyrean.  After the slow start, the book turned extremely dark.  I mean, really dark, in my opinion.  You've got sexual violence, people being drugged, surgeries without consent and of course, murder. 

So, I didn't care for this book but that's not to say you won't.  I just suggest maybe getting it from the library or borrowing it from a friend first.  I really thought I was going to enjoy it but was disappointed all the way around. 

Book Review: Treasure by Christine Nolfi

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Petty thief Birdie Kaminsky has arrived in Liberty, Ohio to steal a treasure hidden since the Civil War. She’s in possession of a charming clue passed down in her family for generations: Liberty safeguards the cherished heart.

The beautiful thief wants to go straight. She secretly admires the clue’s author, freedwoman Justice Postell, who rose above the horrors of slavery to build a new life in Ohio. According to family lore, Justice left South Carolina at the dawn of the Civil War. Heavy with child, she carried untold riches on her journey north. As Birdie searches for the treasure, she begins to believe a questionable part of the story: a tale of love between Justice and Lucas Postell, the French plantation owner who was Birdie’s ancestor.

If the stories are true, Justice bore a child with Lucas. Some of those black relatives might still live in town. Birdie can’t help but wonder if she’s found one—Liberty’s feisty matriarch, Theodora Hendricks, who packs a pistol and heartwarming stories about Justice. Birdie doesn’t know that an investigative reporter who has arrived in town will trip her up—as will her conscience when she begins to wonder if it’s possible to start a new life with stolen riches. Yet with each new clue she unearths, Birdie begins to discover a family history more precious than gems, a tradition of love richer than she could imagine.

My Thoughts:  I really enjoyed this feel-good story!  It was a fast and easy read and kept me entertained the entire book!

Birdie is a thief and is searching for a family treasure.  She meets Hugh, a reporter while trying to find the family heirloom in Ohio.  They must share the only rental in town and so Birdie has a hard time hiding her secrets.

I loved Birdie's character!  She was sassy and really just wanted to have a normal a.k.a. legal life. I loved reading about how Birdie was beginning to learn to trust people and trying to make amends for the life she led.  Birdie is really a good person and wants to show people that side of herself.

I wasn't crazy about Hugh right away.  He was so confusing with first warming up to Birdie and then being angry with her but I guess that's what helped provide the tension in their relationship. 

My favorite characters were the ladies from the Second Chance Grill.  Theodora was so much fun and fiesty! I loved that she carried a pistol around with her and she really wasn't afraid of anything!  They kept me entertained and I want to read more about them for sure! 

I thought the mystery and all the history in the book was amazing!  It kept me guessing and was completely entertaining the entire book!

This book captivates you from the beginning and you fall in love with each and every character and the town of Liberty.  It is a fast and easy read that makes you feel good when you finish it.  I think this would make a great Christmas present for those who love mysteries and chick lit!

Happy Haulidays from Chronicle Books Giveaway!

Chronicle Books is having their 2nd annual Happy Haulidays giveaway!  They are so generous giving up to $500 worth of their books for you, a friend and best of all, your favorite charity!

I had so much fun going through their books and chosing what I would pick.  I homeschool my 3 young children so it is so important that we have a good library to read from.  These are some of the books I would chose:

Eye-Popping 3-D Bugs by Barry Rothstein and Betsy Rothstein
Ivy & Bean Boxed Set by Annie Barrows
The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino with Jon Nelson, Ph.D
The Whitby Witches by Robin Jarvis
Vincent's Colors by Vincent Van Gogh, published by MoMA
The Nutcracker by Michael Hague
Over & Under the Snow by Kate Messner
One Love by Bob Marley
Twelve Dancing Princesses by Brigette Barrager
The World Almanac for Kids for Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades (3 seperate books) by Molly Smith,Christine Economo and Lynn Brunelle
The First Christmas an Angel Came to Nazareth by Anthony Knott
Sylvia Long's Thumbelina by Sylvia Long

and I am sure there are many more!  This would be an awesome giveaway to win for the Holidays!  If I won I would choose Doernbecher's Children's Hospital as my charity.  I would love to give those children new books to read while they deal with their illness.  And remember, if I win I get to choose one lucky commenter on this post to receive the same haul of books!  Don't miss out on this one guys!

 

Book Review: Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

My Thoughts:  This book started out good for me.  Sadly, after the third or forth chapter, it went downhill quickly.  As soon as Megan meets Adam, it gets really corny.  It is also SO similar to Twilight!  Really....it could be a Twilight remake in Ireland. 

Megan and her dad move to Ireland after her dad takes a job at a yacht club.  Megan immediatley makes friends with Caitlin and Jennifer.  However, she notices the mysterious Adam DeRis and can't get him out of her mind despite her friends telling her that the DeRis family is slightly odd and that they don't mix with the other kids (sound familiar?). 

On the way to a Halloween party, Megan is attacked and Adam comes to her rescue.  From that moment on, they are madly in love and nothing is going to tear them apart.  Seriously?  When I saw my husband for the first time, I told my bff

Megan is taken to meet Adam's family (consisting of an adoptive father, a brother and a sister) who immediatley tell her that they are "marked" and so is she.  They have powers over the elements and guess what?  So does she!  Now, instead of being slightly freaked out or unbelieving, Megan jumps into this and accepts this news with wide open arms.  She is anxious to start practicing right away.  I personally found the history behind the Marked, Royal Bloodlines, etc. to be slightly confusing.  There were several things that were not very clear to me.

Adam and his family then take Megan to meet some members of the Order (again, sound familiar?) and Megan and Adam are given some bad news.  Once they get back to Kinsale, things go back to normal except for the tracker.  Yep, a tracker! 

The whole tracker/kidnapping/element thing did not go over well for me.  It just didn't mesh at all.  I felt it was rushed, not explained very well and just not well thought out. 

So, this book did not go over to well for me, sadly.  I have read some other great reviews so by no means take my word for it.  Read it for yourself and see what you think.  However, just be prepared for the many similarities to Twilight!

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Book Review: You Are My Only by Beth Kephart

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Emmy Rane is married at nineteen, a mother by twenty. Trapped in a life with a husband she no longer loves, Baby is her only joy. Then one sunny day in September, Emmy takes a few fateful steps away from her baby and returns to find her missing. All that is left behind is a yellow sock.

Fourteen years later, Sophie, a homeschooled, reclusive teenage girl is forced to move frequently and abruptly from place to place, perpetually running from what her mother calls the "No Good." One afternoon, Sophie breaks the rules, ventures out, and meets Joey and his two aunts. It is this loving family that gives Sophie the courage to look into her past. What she discovers changes her world forever. . . .

The riveting stories of Emmy and Sophie—alternating narratives of loss, imprisonment, and freedom regained—escalate with breathless suspense toward an unforgettable climax.

My Thoughts:  I started this book the other night only planning to read the first chapter.  I read the first 150 pages instead.  I could not put this book down!  I wasn't even sure after the first chapter that I would like it but something kept pulling at me to keep reading and by the second chapter, I was completely engrossed in the story.

Sophie is fourteen.  She lives with her mom in a rental house.  She is homeschooled and isn't allowed to leave the house for fear of the "no goods".  One day, while Sophie's mom is at work, Sophie watches the boy next door out of the attic window.  Soon, she is outside playing catch with him.

The next day, while her mom is at work, Sophie meets Joey's two aunts.  I loved the aunts!  For some strange reason (and seriously, I have no clue why except for their physical appearance) they reminded me of the aunts in James and the Giant Peach.  They were not mean or magical but one was tall and thin and one was short and round.  I loved their love for each other, their love and sacrifices for Joey and their interest in Sophie. 

Sophie continues to visit Joey and the aunts and one day, she gets up the courage to go to the basement and go through her mother's "personals".  Two cardboard boxes that are taped up and moved from house to house hold the secrets to Sophie's whole life.  Those two boxes will change Sophie's life in ways she never expected.

Meanwhile, we are taken back in time to Emmy.  Emmy was a young mother in a loveless marriage.  The only thing Emmy lived for was Baby.  Until the day when Emmy ran inside for just a moment and came back out to find Baby gone.  As I followed her on her search for Baby, I connected with her.  I felt her panic and heartbreak when she found Baby missing.  I felt her helplessness when she was put into the hospital and I felt her pain when she lost one of the only people close to her.

I loved how the story went back and forth between Emmy and Sophie.  It kept the reading fast and interesting and you were able to piece together the different stories easily.  There was absolutely no confusion.

I really loved this book!  The writing was beautiful and the descriptions were vivid.  The characters were very well developed and you couldn't help but connect to each and every one of them.  You won't be able to put the book down because you will have to find out what happens next.  It was amazing!

Book Review: Before the Last All Cleary by Ray Evans

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  

Some recall it as the greatest adventure of their lives. For others, being a wartime evacuee was a nightmare. These are the witty yet deeply poignant memories of a man still haunted by the cruelties he endured. During World War II, around three and a half million British children were evacuated away from possible air raids in the big cities in one of the largest social upheavals Great Britain has ever seen. One of those children was Ray Evans. This is the story of a young evacuee from Liverpool sent to live in the Welsh town of Llanelli. Separated from his mother, brothers and sisters, six-year old Ray was dispatched to a series of families who ignored, exploited and brutalised him. Pushed from pillar to post, he finally finds happiness with a family who make him so welcome that he is reluctant to leave when war ends. Set in a world of ration books, air-raid sirens and ever-present danger, this is a candid and direct account of wartime Britain as seen through the eyes of a child.

My Thoughts:  This was one of those books that you should definitely read!  It is not a "feel-good" book but it is a worthy read for sure.  To see this time through the eyes of a child is eye-opening.  I have a 6-year-old so this one hit me a little harder and I imagine my little one going through this.  Get the box of kleenex and spend some time with this book!

At the age of 6, Ray was evacuated out of Liverpool to South Wales, along with his 9 siblings.  The siblings were split up (boys with boys and girls with girls).  Ray and his brother Frank were sent to live with Mrs. Jones, who was very strict and not very loving. 

The stories were told in the fashion of a grandfather telling his grandchildren his memories.  The flashbacks were not always in order but then, when telling old stories, when are they?  I did not find it confusing and actually liked it.  The memories weren't all sad and hard to read about.  There are some fun memories as well which help to break up the hard memories.

I learned a lot from this book as well.  I honestly never really knew a lot about the evacuation of the children in Britain.  To see it through the eyes of a child was heartbreaking but again, it was a must read!  If you like history, want to know more about WWII, this book is for you!

Book Review: Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  

Now that she’s settled in at Shadow Falls Camp, Kylie Galen’s determined to discover the extent of her supernatural abilities.  But with a ghost insisting someone Kylie loves is about die, a rogue vampire on a murdering rampage, and her sixth sense telling her someone is watching her, Kylie’s quest for answers is quickly put on hold. 

To make matters worse, just when she’s about to give her heart to Derek, a half-fairy, he starts pulling away.  When Lucas, a werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past, returns, Kylie’s feels more conflicted than ever. Her weekend with her mom should have been the just the break Kylie needs, but it turns out to be her breaking point.  Someone from the dark side of the supernatural world has plans for Kylie--and it'll take all her resources to get back to Shadow Falls alive...

My Thoughts:  Awake at Dawn picks up right where Born at Midnight left off.  There was no "6 months later" which I appreciated.  For me personally, it took a little while to get into the book but I think it was because it had been so long since I'd read the first one so I was trying to remember it all! 

Kylie is still at Shadow Falls Camp.  Her roommates, Della and Miranda are still her friends and she is still having feelings for Derek.  However, she is also still dreaming of Lucas...good dreams....sexy dreams.  So she is trying to figure out all this as well as trying to figure out what, exactly, she is.  She is still a strong character and I liked her just as much as I did in the first book.  She has a very sarcastic attitude that I love! 

Della and Miranda are also some of my favorite characters in this book.  Della is still angry at her parents and at becoming a vampire but she is so fun too.  She really has a sarcastic and snippy attitude that kept me laughing throughout the book.  Miranda is sweet and I felt her pain when she was going through her issue (sorry...no spoilers here!).  I thought they were great friends for Kylie and were honestly always there for her...even when she thought they wouldn't be. 

Derek and Lucas are still up in the air for me.  I think Derek is a hottie and so sweet and I think him and Kylie would make a cute couple but Lucas is dangerous and passionate.  So, I like them both but haven't decided who I want Kylie to be with yet. 

I love the tension between Burnett and Holiday!  I think Holiday is probably my favorite character besides Kylie.  She is the big sister Kylie never had and even when she was disappointed in Kylie, she was still loyal and there for her.  Burnett is a great match for Holiday and he is stubborn so I think if they get into a romantic relationship it will be fun to read about!

I enjoyed how we are still trying to find out what Kylie is.  It kept me interested throughout the book plus the mystery of who was killing girls in town.  By page 100, I couldn't put the book down at all!  I wanted to continue to find out what was going on and I was kept on the edge of my seat.

So, while I had a little bit of a hard time getting started, I certainly did not have a hard time finishing it!  It was fast-paced, mysterious and suspensful!  It was a great sequel to Born at Midnight and I am anxiously awaiting for the third book!

Book Review: Between by Jessica Warman

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Elizabeth Valchar--pretty, popular, and rich--wakes up the morning after her eighteenth birthday on the yacht where she'd been celebrating with her closest friends. A persistent thumping noise has roused her. When she goes to investigate, she finds her own drowned body is hitting the side of the boat. Liz is dead.

She has no memory of what happened to her, and can only observe in horror the fallout of her death. She's also soon joined by Alex Berg, a quiet boy from her high school who was killed by a hit-and-run driver. The two keep each other company, floating in and out of memories and trying to piece together the details of what happened to each of them.

In her regular life, Liz was a runner. It wasn't abnormal for her to run 8-10 miles per day. But as memories from closer to her death begin to surface, Liz finds that she'd been running much more than normal, and that she'd all but stopped eating. Liz's mother, who died when Liz was nine, had battled with anorexia as well, and those around her worried Liz was following in her mother's footsteps. But something more sinister was consuming Liz from the inside out. . . .

From critically acclaimed author Jessica Warman comes a shocking mystery, a heartbreaking character study, and ultimately a hopeful tale of redemption, love, and letting go.

My Thoughts:  This was a perfect book to read around Halloween.  Not that it was scary but it was an amazing mystery that had me hooked from page one!

Liz has it all...or so it seems.  She's beautiful, popular and rich.  What more could you ask for huh?  Unfortunately for Liz, these things don't keep her alive past her 18th birthday.  Liz wakes up on her family's boat the night of her 18th birthday and is annoyed by the continuous thumping on the side of the boat.  She goes out to investigate only to discover it's her own dead body! 

From there Liz is kept company by Alex who has died his own mysterious death.  Neither of them know why they are paired together since they have nothing in common (she's rich and popular, he's middle-class and a little nerdy) but they have the feeling that they must find out.  As Liz takes a look back at her life and realizes that it wasn't perfect and neither was she, she is able to slowly piece together the mystery behind Alex's death and her own. 

I had this book figured out about half way through for the most part but there were still some things that kept me guessing until the end.  Even though I had it figured out, it still had me completely enthralled through the whole book!  I loved how the book went back and forth between present and past.  It was not confusing at all!

Liz was a character that you loved to hate.  She was selfish, conceited and mean.  Her group of friends were superficial and flaky.  Throughout the book though, you find that you are connecting with Liz and you see how she grows and changes.  I connected with both Liz and her mother as I have suffered from anorexia.  I understand the need to control the one and only thing you think you can control.  I felt Liz's pain and stress and she fought both with starvation and running.

I loved Alex too.  He didn't hold a grudge and the scene at Homecoming (won't say anymore about it) was so sweet!  I liked how Alex and Liz worked through their relationship and ended up connecting and I really liked how Alex deals with what he already knows.  He lets Liz figure out what she needs to figure out on her own while being there to support her and guide her through it. 

This book was long...454 pages but totally worth it!  You won't even notice how many pages are in it as it was so gripping.  I highly recommend this one!

Book Review: Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

Synopsis(from Goodreads):  A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

My Thoughts:  I really wanted to like this book.  I mean, the cover is gorgeous right?  Well, unfortunately, the cover was the only good thing about the book. 

First, the whole story was so unbelievable.  And not unbelievable in a paranormal kind of way but more corny like.  I just kept thinking "Really?  Is this how the whole book is going to go?"  Yeah, corny is a great way to describe it.  Izzie is totally in love with Mark who is the "king" of the school.  I found it very annoying that he was the one and only person who could determine your popularity.  At one point, Izzie tells us that if she wants Mel (an annoying character) to be exiled, all she had to do was tell Mark and he would tell his "posse" not to talk to Mel and therefore Mel would be exiled.  Yeah, I'm serious here!

Izzie is very conceited, self-centered and arrogant.  I did not like her nor could I connect with her.  She decides to mess with her best friend's love life by stealing one of her mom's love potions and having her best friend and a new guy, Tristan, drink it.  Only after Tristan drinks it, Izzie ends up drinking the other half instead of Branna.  Instantly, Tristan is telling Izzie how much he loves her and how he will die for her.  Izzie, while not vocalizing her feelings, is feeling the same way for Tristan. 

Then, Izzie tells Mark that Branna is in love with him and he should be with Branna since Izzie is still being affected by the love potion and immediately (although only 30 seconds before he was madly in love with Izzie), Mark is in love with Branna.  So, can you say unrealistic?

Honestly, the best part of this book was when I (finally) finished it!  I really had to make myself sit down and read it every night.  I kept thinking maybe it would get better but the characters were not developed well (you couldn't connect to any of them), the plot was corny and unrealistic and the "magic" is just out of place.  Maybe this book would be better for younger (ages 12-14) girls to read.  For me, it just didn't work!

**Book received from Around the World ARC Tours**

Book Review: Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.

My Thoughts:  I loved the first book in this series, Paranormalcy.  It was just about as perfect as a book could get for me so I was kinda expecting this one to not live up to the first and sadly, I was right.  It wasn't as good as Paranormalcy but it was still really good and a super fun read.

I just love Evie!  She is super funny, not too moody although a little more "feel sorry for me" than in the last book.  She didn't have as much fun finding paranormals in this book since she has left the IPCA but we did see some bag & tags.  I didn't like how much she was dependent on Lend in this book.  She lost a little of her appeal here but still a great character!

I was sad that we didn't see as much of Lend in this book as we did in the last.  I loved how in Paranormalcy he was fun and quirky.  In this one, he seemed grown up, serious and tended to nag a lot.  I wanted him to be his funny, invisible self but it just wasn't quite there for me in this book.

I liked the other characters, Ariana, Raquel and even Reth but there were some things in this book that just didn't make sense to me really.  I didn't really think Jack was a needed character, although he was fun until the end.  I wasn't sure what the deal was with Nona and the other paranormals, the Dark Fairie Queen and Evie's father.  These things were brought into the story and then were just kinda left hanging there.  I can only hope that all this is to set up the third book, Endlessly. 

So, while I did still enjoy this book and I found it fun and a quick read, it wasn't nearly as good as Paranormalcy.  I can't wait to read Endlessly and see how all of this comes together.

Book Review: Deady Cool by Gemma Halliday

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  

First I find out that my boyfriend is cheating on me. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And now he’s depending on me to clear his name. Seriously?

As much as I wouldn’t mind watching him squirm, I know that he’s innocent. So I’m brushing off my previously untapped detective skills and getting down to business. But I keep tripping over dead bodies and I’m still no closer to figuring out who did it. And what’s worse: all signs seem to point to me as the killer’s next victim.

I really need to pick a better boyfriend next time.

My Thoughts:  Deadly Cool is a fun and fast paced mystery that was a great change from the paranormal books I've been reading lately.  Don't get me wrong here...I love my paranormal stories but once in awhile I need a break and this was a refreshing read!

I loved Hartley, who always seem to get herself into the craziest situations.  She was determined and strong-willed and even though her boyfriend Josh cheated on her, she was willing to help clear his name.  I loved how snarky she was and found her quite entertaining.

Sam is Hartley's sidekick.  She is a great partner-in-crime for Hartley and together they make a hilarious team.  She is always there for Hartley and I enjoyed her charcter almost as much as I liked Hartley.  She was a strong and loyal friend.

I did figure out who the killer was before the end but for the most part, the book kept me guessing.  It took awhile for me to figure it out but I did.  However, despite this little downer, I thought the book was quirky and fun.  I couldn't put it down because I didn't want to miss another crazy situation the girls got in.  I laughed throughout most of the book and really enjoyed this light and fluffy read!  I would highly recommend it to those who like a mystery that is full of fun!

**I received this book from Around the World ARC Book Tours**

Book Review: Heist Society by Ally Carter

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

My thoughts:  This was such a cute and totally fun book!  It was a really easy read and as soon as I started I had to finish it!  Seriously, I could not put it down!

Kat finally has a "normal" life.  She stole her way into one of the most prestigious schools and is just trying to be your everyday, normal teenager.  We won't mention the fact that her family is full of thieves.  Kat however is blamed for a prank played on the Headmaster and is soon kicked out.  She soon finds out why.

Kat is picked up by her old friend Hale.  He has a message for her.  Her father is in trouble.  It seems that he has stolen some very valuable art from a mobster and that mobster wants it back yesterday!  Kat must find out if her father really did this and regardless of his guilt or innocence, she must rejoin the family "business" and get the art back!

I loved Kat.  She was strong, smart, didn't let romance or her feelings get the best of her and was just all around awesome!  I loved her attitude and the underlying romance between her and Hale.  Kat was determined to make things right all the way around and I loved how she accomplished that.

I loved the boys!  Hamish and Angus were just a bunch of goofballs.  They knew what they had to do and did their job well but they also had fun.  They kept things entertaining and fun throughout the book.  They were a great comedy team.

Hale and Gabrielle and Simon were also great characters.  Hale was smart, hot and always there for Kat.  The romance between them is just beginning so I hope to see more of that in the next few books.  Simon is the smarty pants of the group.  Gabrielle was the beautiful drama queen and Kat's enemy.  I enjoyed how they overcame their hostility toward each other though when things got serious.

The author made this book so vivid.  I could actually see Simon in his "office" during the heist and actually laughed out loud.  The description of Hale's mansion was perfect and I can also see Marcus very clearly.  The book made me feel like I was right there.  In fact, at the end, when everything goes down I was actually so tense that I couldn't sit still while reading. 

There were a few things that I didn't really get like what Nick's character was really there for.  He just seemed like he was kind of thrown in there and I thought the book could have easily gone on without him.  The only thing he provided was another potential love interest for Kat and someone to make Hale jealous. 

I would also have liked some more history on how exactly Kat got into Colgan (the private school) but that isn't a huge thing for me.  The history surrounding the art could have had some more detail as well but all in all, it was a fun and light read.  It has the perfect amount of romance, humor and action.  I have already ordered the second book and can't wait for a third!