Fiction

Review: The Mum Who’d Had Enough by Fiona Gibson

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Cute premise but really more of a story about two people struggling in their marriage. I don’t want to say too much, but the mum was fine with motherhood, she just wanted more responsibility to be shared by her hubby. Loved the teenager in the story – Gibson must have a teen of her own because she wrote terrific teen dialogue – natural and smooth.

The other characters were fine but maybe not as developed as they could have been – which would’ve been fine if I wasn’t searching for a good reason why the husband and wife weren’t getting along!

Gibson provided some good laughs and poignant moments in this quick read. However, I settled for an “okay for now” instead of a happily ever after. The story was perhaps a little too realistic for this fluff-romance addict, and may be better suited for a reader who is going through their own difficult relationship.

– calliope

Buy THE MUM WHO’D HAD ENOUGH

Review: Liar, Liar by Lisa Jackson

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I’ve loved Lisa Jackson for a very long time. She writes one heck of a whodunnit. Her latest offering is no exception.

It’s been 20 years since Remmi last saw her mother. An explosion in the desert, a shooting, missing children, and then Didi Storm was gone. Nobody knew what happened to her, even her teenage daughter. A minor celebrity in her day, Didi slowly slipped off the radar. Interest is renewed, however, when a mysterious author writes a tell-all book about Didi’s life. And then there’s the jumper, a woman clearly trying to look like Didi leaping to her death. Or was she pushed? Oh and let’s not forget Remmi’s infant sister and brother, both missing since the night of Didi’s disappearance. And last but not least, Noah, an almost love interest who coincidentally also went missing that night.

Seems like a lot going on, I know. But trust me, it goes together. And everything fits, slowing coming together to complete the puzzle. A nice little mystery with a great storyline and interesting characters.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Liar, Liar

Review: Gracie’s Secret by Jill Childs

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Confession: At about the halfway point in the book, my brain was already writing the review and giving it three stars. For me, that’s a decent story. Good enough to finish, not particularly memorable, and probably not blog-worthy. But luckily I rarely review books at the midpoint because this is one that definitely moved up in the ranks by the end.

The story starts out in dramatic fashion. Little Gracie’s been seriously injured in a car accident. As Jen takes her place by her daughter’s bedside, she finds herself hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Gracie is her entire world, especially after her separation from Gracie’s dad. But Gracie does recover. And she has quite a story to tell. Thankful to have her daughter back, Jen loses herself in caring for her. When Matt comes into her life, she thinks her luck in life just may be changing. Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a story if things were wrapped up all nice and neat and tidy.

I was a bit thrown off by the tone of this story. For most of it, Jen’s talking to Gracie, narrating what happened right before and after the accident. It works in some places but is annoying in others. So maybe that’s why my initial impressions weren’t as favorable. But it redeems itself as the story hits a few twists and turns and then ends with a bang. Definitely worth reading!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Gracie’s Secret

Review: The Myth of Perpetual Summer by Susan Crandall

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I love stories like this. Historical, epic, tales of families and their pasts & presents. And of course, all families have secrets. Those secrets play a big role in this latest book from Susan Crandall.

Tallulah had a very unusual childhood. Growing up in a small town means being part of the gossip. And her family offered up much to gossip about. Her parents’ erratic, volatile relationship meant that she and her siblings were left to their own devices much of the time. It fell upon her shoulders to raise her younger siblings during the many times her mom was off saving the world.

So when Tallulah escapes and goes off to build her own life, she has little intention of ever returning. But she can’t stay away when her brother is accused of murder. And this family reunion of sorts will expose all kinds of secrets from her childhood.

Great story, wonderful characters, and beautifully written!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: The Myth of Perpetual Summer

Review: Ain’t She a Peach by Molly Harper

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Southern charm has a bit of a different meaning in Molly Harper’s Southern Eclectic series. I loved Sweet Tea and Sympathy for the big hug that city-girl-Margot’s extended family gave her when she arrived at their doorstep looking for a shoulder… and a job. In Ain’t She a Peach, Harper fleshes out the character of Margot’s goth cousin Frankie, a born and bred southern woman of many talents (including excellent makeup skills).

I really enjoyed getting to know Frankie. She is more than just silly clothes and rainbow hair and slitty eyes at the teenage troublemakers. Frankie is a pop-tart-lovin, jail-sleepin, cancer-survivin, Aunt-Tootie-toleratin lovable 30-something with a stubborn streak and a coroner’s license. With a nudge from Margot and company, Frankie learns how to speak up for herself, catch a crook, and finally let her guard down when it comes to love.

This book is funny, heartwarming, and filled with puppies. And okay yes, I also really liked that Sheriff Eric was part of the happily ever after. ❤

-calliope

Buy AIN’T SHE A PEACH

If you’d like to read book one first, here’s my review and a link … SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY

Review: The Restorer (Graveyard Queen #1) by Amanda Stevens

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** spoiler alert ** Okay, so I really enjoyed plenty in this book. However I had to take off major marks for the actual mystery. I don’t know. The whole concept just didn’t mesh for me.

Let me explain. I had no issues with the whole ghost seeing thing. I enjoyed the whole graveyard/ghost bit. I had no issues with most of the mystery. But I did feel like certain bits were thrown in just to misguide or to confuse the reader. They had no real purpose in Amelia’s story and they just showed up at just the right time. It was just too smooth. My other major issue (probably more so than any other) was the fact that at the end we find out that one of the players in the novel was actually a ghost and Amelia had no clue. So her and her father have went through their entire lives and met/seen countless ghosts and this has never came up before? Again, I felt that Stevens just threw this in there to confuse us and to lead us off track. That was the real purpose. It’s fine for an author to try to confuse us with FACTS, but not to just invent a different reality to lead us off course is not.

I don’t suppose many would see an issue with something like this, but I did. I really would have enjoyed the book more if I didn’t feel everything was just so forced and convoluted just for the sake of trying to make it more interesting and more of a hard solve. The storyline was already interesting by Amelia herself and also with the added tension between her and Devlin. It didn’t need more. The actual story and enjoyment I could have gotten from both the characters and story was lost in all the added details that really added nothing to the story except more words and misguidance.

Not sure if I’m really vested in continuing this series. I want to see more of Amelia and see her relationship with Devlin evolve, but I don’t fancy another cheat by Stevens to do so…

JMHO

Until next time…
Urania xx

buy it here The Restorer by Amanda Stevens

Review: Bring Me Back by BA Paris

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There’s a thread of commonality in most psychological thrillers. Jilted lover, mental illness, murder and mayhem…it almost reads like a recipe. Many of them are still very good, though. However, I’m always excited when I read one that’s so far off that path that it rocks my reading world.

It’s been 12 years since Layla disappeared. Suspected at first of causing her harm, Finn has finally moved on. Quite unexpectedly, he’s found love and happiness with Ellen, Layla’s sister. But just as they are ready to begin planning their wedding, the memory of Layla rears its head. At first they brush it off as coincidence, maybe even someone playing a cruel joke. Eventually, though, there’s no denying that Layla, or someone pretending to be her, is back. The question is, what does she want? And where has she been all this time?

Outstanding. That’s about all I can say about this one. It’s dark and foreboding and you just know something bad is going to happen. And I gotta admit, I’m pretty good at figuring things out before the very end. But even I didn’t see this one coming!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Bring Me Back

Review: The Sugarhouse Blues by Mariah Stewart

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Book two in a series, The Sugarhouse Blues continues the sister drama among Des, Cara and Allie, while filling in the family tree with their Aunt Barney and third generation Nikki.

Reading this is like watching a home renovation show on HGTV, the Real Housewives of Small Town America, and a Hallmark movie all rolled into one. You’ve got your historical theater renovation, the dwindling inheritance, a spitfire auntie, the cute-no-nonsense-friendly-yet-alpha sheriff, a boyfriend or three, and the sisters who love each other – most of the time – and have very little patience for each other’s antics. I love it all.

Read book one first so you’re not lost, then get a hold of this one, pronto. And then you can wait with me – watching Housewives and eating popcorn – until Ms. Stewart releases book three.

-calliope

Buy THE SUGARHOUSE BLUES

Review: The Burning Room (Harry Bosch #17) by Michael Connelly

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I just don’t know…I loved Harry Bosch years ago before he became a household name. Now, I just don’t have strong feelings for him. I don’t hate the books, but I certainly don’t love them. I’m oftentimes bored. I also feel that it all just fits in together too nicely at times. The detail to the crimes and the whole solving of them just isn’t the same as it used to be. I felt more involved and more present step by step. Now I just feel like an outsider that is watching everything fall into place in a nice neat pattern. It just doesn’t do anything for me. Maybe it’s because it’s cold cases now? I don’t know. I only know that although I will probably eventually get caught up in the series, that I am no great rush to hurry up and start the next book. I’m perfectly fine waiting a year or two to start the next one…and in the past I was always chomping at the bits waiting for release dates.

Harry Bosch used to be a very complex man who fought his inner demons. Now he’s just a mellow guy that’s biding his time…

Until next time…
Urania xx

Review copy provided by Netgalley for an honest review

Buy it now The Burning Room by Michael Connelly

Review: Ocean Light by Nalini Singh

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I have read all of the Psy-Changelings books, including the first in the spin off Trinity series, Silver Silence. These books have so many characters and side stories going on, I love it. Since I have the memory of a gnat, I was worried, since I couldn’t remember who Bo was exactly. I have a vague memory of him, but I can’t remember specifics. But that did not deter me from reading or enjoying this story. In fact, I couldn’t put it down. There was something about Bo and Kaia that grabbed me. I couldn’t look away.

After being injured Bo is taken in by the BlackSea for his recovery. Unfortunately there are some that don’t want him there, because of his relationship with the Human Alliance. But there is more to him than people know. Because of the chip inside his head, he may only have two weeks to show them this.

Kaia has lost everyone she’s ever loved. The BlackSea has given her a place of comfort and safety after all that’s lost. She is content here and doesn’t like the fact that she feels a connection to this human. But changelings can’t stop the bond when it finds it’s mate. So while she’s trying to keep Bo alive, she discovers that her heart is willing to take another chance, even if it means she has to face her greatest fear.

I loved how Bo reacted to Kaia and her clanmates. He’s in security, so he’s used to keeping people safe, but this time, since he’s human, he’s limited in what he can do, both in time and body. Since he’s human, he can’t protect her from the sea and all it’s dangers. But he’ll do anything in his power, even if it means opening himself up to his personal nightmares and allowing someone inside his head.

I like the way Nalini writes these books as if they’re interconnected standalones. There is no cliffhanger, but there is an aspect that will keep you wanting more. In fact, I can’t wait to see where the next one will go. To be honest, after reading this one, I’m dying to start the series over. I miss all the characters. Perhaps during Christmas Break will be the perfect time to dive back into the Psy-Changelings world.

~Melpomene

Grab
Silver Silence~ https://amzn.to/2sqmjDt
Ocean Light~ https://amzn.to/2slzIMK