New Releases

Review: Nest by Esther Ehrlich

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I generally don’t read children’s fiction, but I wanted to read Nest to get an idea of the usefulness of a book about children grieving. I can report with confidence this: I believe Nest would be helpful for 10-14 year olds with a mentally unstable or absent parent. They would see they are not alone, people grieve and cope in myriad ways, and anger is natural. Young readers could see that maintaining connections — family ties, friendships, or even looser relationships — help distract as well as move a person through his or her bucketful of emotions. Moving forward is key.

That’s my opinion as a mother and a former schoolteacher.

My emotional response to Nest was pretty much bawling my eyes out. A child without two loving parents just kills me… though I know it is so, so common. I felt for Chirp and her sister, for Chirp’s friends Dawn and Joey… Why did they have to suffer? Why did their lives have to be upended?

Yet they found ways to cope. They found ways to hope. They found ways to stick together to fill up a little bit of what was missing.

Nest is well-written, from the sentence structure to the easy flow to the authentic characters. The only niggling detail was about prayer: the author had Chirp uncomfortable saying grace before a meal, or saying the name Jesus. But I’m pretty sure Jewish people say grace (to G-d, not Jesus) and they believe Jesus existed, just that he wasn’t the Messiah. Besides that, Nest was wonderful. The 1970s were portrayed just as I remember them, without being contrived or hokey. And though the ending was sad, I finished the book with the thought that those children were going to make it. They had hope, they had strength, and they had each other.

-Calliope
buy NEST

Review: One More Chance, by Abbi Glines

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0101 Abbi has done it again. This book actually bumped my current top AG book down a notch. I was very anxious to read this, after the ending of Take a Chance. I wasn’t very happy with Grant. he needed to redeem himself.

This was emotional and had my heart breaking and skipping a few beats the WHOLE time. Over and over I was blown away by heartaches and spent the last half of the book in near tears. But by the end, they were spilling over.

I am glad Grant was able to get back on track. He is my favorite Abbi Glines BBF. I have loved him, from the moment Blaire pulled the gun on him, a loooong time ago. I knew he was special. I’m so glad we were able to hear his story and see just how special he was.

I may regret saying this, but I may even be a Nanhater no more. She is still cruel, but we get to see a glimpse into what she could be, if she chose to change.

01OMC

I can’t wait to read the next few books, in this series!!

~Melpomene

Buy One More Chance: A Rosemary Beach Novel (The Rosemary Beach Book 7)

But first, you must read Take a Chance: A Rosemary Beach Novel (The Rosemary Beach Series Book 6) It’s only $1.99 NOW!!!

Review: Personal by Lee Child

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personalhmmmmm….what can I say? I love Jack Reacher. I love Lee Child. I’ve been a massive fan from the very start. I’ve recommended his books to dozens of people…probably hundreds! I’ve shared countless books with neighbors, co-workers and friends. I pour a cup of coffee and I think of Reacher. I buy a new toothbrush and I think of Reacher…..

But I didn’t care for this book at all. Actually my least favourite book of Reacher. I’m the type of person that buys books on pre-order. Lots and lots of them. However….there are only two authors I actually READ on release day…..John Sandford and Lee Child…..Usually I read Lee’s in a single sitting….no more than two days….This one took me over two weeks to muddle through it.

I’ve been trying to figure out why this one is so different for me. It’s taken me a bit, but I think I figured it out finally. Reacher wasn’t on his own. I understand he’s been part of makeshift teams before. However, even as a team member he was always on his own….working for himself….because he wanted to correct some wrong in the world. This book was full of politics. It was just bogged down. The story line just got lost in all the politics and the conspiracy and back office deals. Reacher felt like a puppet in this novel. He had no personality.

I won’t continue on…except to say that I was totally bored with this novel. I wouldn’t have even finished it if it were not a Reacher novel. That makes it a very sad day in the life of a long time Reacher fan….

Will I wait for the next book? Damn right. Will I read it right away? Damn straight I will. This is one book out of almost 2 dozen…..it’s not the end of the world….I’m still a loyal fan and I still have massive love for Lee Child and Reacher…..I will still be putting on a pot of black coffee next time he comes to town…

If I could say one thing to Lee Child it would be this….Forget your editors….forget your fans…..go back to your one new book every May…..forget the second book in the fall….yes we bitch and moan about the wait…..yes, you can make more money by writing more books….but really, Christmas only comes once a year and we’ve all survived our childhoods of waiting for Santa all year long…….The Real Jack Reacher is worth the wait as well……please…please…..go back to once a year and spend that extra 6 months giving us the REAL Reacher….not just words on a page….

That is all…..

Until next time….

Urania xx

ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review

Buy it now Personal by Lee Child

Review: Six Feet Over It by Jennifer Longo

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18769271So many reasons to love this book! The main character, Leigh, sells graves in the family-owned cemetery which earns points for plot originality. Leigh is a sympathetic teenager struggling through somewhat normal teen angst. There’s the tear-jerker factor in a sibling recovering from a potentially fatal disease. And there are Leigh’s parents who at first glance are not very likeable but kinda grow on you by the end of the story.

This is such a different kind of young adult novel. It has some of the common elements such as high school drama and bits of a love story. But the language of the story is so quirky and Leigh has such a deadpan sense of humor that the book stands out from many others that I’ve read lately. I also love that the story was inspired in part by events from the author’s life. A debut novel from Jennifer Longo that promises even better things to come in the future!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Six Feet Over It

Review: Bittersweet by Colleen McCullough

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This is the first novel I’ve read by Colleen McCullough, and I am quite impressed with the breadth of information she is able to weave into Bittersweet. It’s a family drama, but it’s also social and political commentary… It’s where romance and feminism meet, and where the power of money makes a difference (for once) in local and regional healthcare.

The history McCullough wrote in — not just dates and places, but people and culture and anthropology – was wonderful. I gleaned as much about Australian politics, economics and society as I did about people’s need for love and acceptance. And McCullough didn’t just stick in facts where she could; she made them part and parcel of the dramatic story.

And dramatic it was. Four sisters, each with wants and needs and quirks… grating on, supporting, loving, misunderstanding, and even betraying one another.

The women rise to meet their fates, and two sisters face life with acceptance… after a few tweaks. The other sisters slap fate in the face, turn around and walk the other direction until they find something better, something real, something they are proud to own.

I really loved the family part of this story. Though no one was perfect, they did love each other immensely, and the author was able to make me feel it and believe it. I liked the Latimer family – flaws and all – because their flaws made them real to me.

The men in the story were less relatable to me, but they had a purpose. Each character, male or female, was more than just him or herself; they represented “Everyman” in their realm. Think of a stereotype, and McCullough represented it via a flawed but likeable character. A widow, a clergyman, a politician, a salesman, a smart (oooooh!) woman, a shrew, a rich man… and so many more. Though it took a bit for me to get through the political descriptions, the cleverly written characters sold me on this solid 4-star read.

-Calliope
buy BITTERSWEET

Review: Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

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18920446Okay, so this is soooo not a typical Stephen King book. Reading this novel I suddenly understand why authors use pseudonyms. I mean, I loved this story from page one….but the entire time I was reading it, I kept thinking, “this isn’t like any Stephen King book I’ve ever read”….

This actually distracted me a great deal…I mean, I would have entire conversations inside my head…..

“Why does it matter if this is different, you like it, right?”

“How can it not be a SK book when SK wrote it, Idget!”

“Who are you to say what A SK book should be written like?”

“Of course he didn’t use a pseudonym AGAIN….been there….done that….got the grief for it tee-shirt”

I mean, it would go on for 20 minutes at a time…..

Yes….my life is indeed this sad….

This is a novel WRITTEN BY STEPHEN KING about a retired detective…..The detective is contacted after his retirement by a killer he was never able to capture whilst on the job…..The contact wakes up the detective from his numb numbing simply existence….Suddenly the retired detective has a reason to live again……along the way he recruits a few unlikely heroes to help him….

Stephen King has said that this will be a trilogy and I have to say that although I’m not 100% keen on the detective, that I absolutely love his recruits! I can’t wait to see them in the future books.

The one complaint I have over this novel is I can’t believe how far the retired detective pushed the limits. I found it hard to believe that he went so far out on his own without involving the current *real* police. I found it hard to believe that he didn’t turn over information when so many lives were at stake. Especially since the Detective was so highly decorated whilst he was on the force. He wasn’t known as someone who worked outside the law. He didn’t seem like the type of officer that had such little confidence in fellow officers or the system. He worked 40 years at a job and yet, didn’t involve them or seek their help. He even outright lied and withheld information AFTER an innocent victim was killed…..It didn’t make sense to me….

Having said all of that, even with those bits gnawing at me, making me almost feel like I needed to suspend reality for a bit….well, I still loved the secondary characters enough to forgive SK this….ESPECIALLY since this isn’t his normal type of novel…..bwhahahhaahahahahaha

Highly recommend…and I’m not even really bothered about having to wait for the other books…..these characters were worthy of remembering well past the closing of the last page…..

Until next time….

Urania xx

Buy it now Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

Review: Ghosting by Edith Pattou

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20140629-124617-45977646.jpgWhere to begin with this review? First off, it was everything I expected while not being what I expected at the same time. Make sense? When I requested an ARC of this book, I had never heard of Edith Pattou so I wasn’t familiar with her work. The title of the book didn’t mesh with the description, so of course that made me curious enough to give it a try.

So exactly what is the story about? Think “butterfly effect” for the young adult audience. It’s a story about how quickly the world can go wrong, even if you’re young and have your whole life in front of you. Classmates, some friends and some not, thrown together because of a set of circumstances that all come together in one horrible moment. A night of partying, some drinking and drugs thrown in, guns where they shouldn’t be, a teenage prank gone horribly wrong, and nobody is brave enough to stand up for what is right.

My thoughts? In one word, wow. I was a bit thrown off at first because the story is written in free verse, which I wasn’t familiar with in narrative form. But once I got past that initial hurdle, I saw that this style of writing is part of what makes this story so engaging and easy to read. We hear from all of the main characters, almost as if we’ve been invited into their heads to hear their internal conversation. They’re not all likable. In fact, some of them are just plain horrible people. Still, we come to feel their pain and to see them as human as this tragic story unfolds. And this isn’t one of those books that leaves the reader wondering what happens, although those have their place on my bookshelf as well. We end the story with a good feeling of where everyone is, and where everyone is going after that final page. And we’re left thinking if only….

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Ghosting

Review: It’s In His Kiss (Lucky Harbor #10) by Jill Shalvis

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I love Lucky Harbor. The women are tough cookies even though they cry and glare and let a good kiss redeem bad behavior (well, not SO bad). Shalvis writes the best alpha men ever, EVER, and they are all different. How can there be so many smart, cocky, sensitive, charming, muscled men in one town? And all with distinct personalities and quirks and talents? I do not know, but I like it.

It’s in His Kiss is WONDERFUL. Becca moves to Lucky Harbor to get away from her wacky family, and she meets Sam. They ogle each other and work together at Sam’s boat chartering business for a while, until Becca realizes Lucky Harbor has avenues for her to use her musical talents. Meanwhile, they fall a little bit in love. And of course there’s a misunderstanding and a happily ever after.

That’s my kind of book: Relatable, likable characters; quick, smart dialogue; a forward-moving plot; characters who display authentic humor and poignant friendships; and a satisfying romance. And Shalvis further proves her writing talent by writing a series where each book can be read standing alone, yet if you read them together you enjoy nuggets of recognition and common threads. Just perfect.

I stayed up late to read this. I stayed up late to read #11. And I’ll stay up late to read #12. I can’t get enough of Lucky Harbor. 🌊☀️☔️😎💏

The subsequent books in the series will be released in September and October.

-Calliope
buy IT’S IN HIS KISS

Review: One of Us by Tawni O’Dell

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9781476755878I was intrigued by this new one from Tawni O’Dell based on one of her previous books I enjoyed, Back Roads. And I must say, as much as I liked Back Roads many years ago, this latest venture was even better for me.

Danny Doyle is a famous forensic psychologist who’s been involved in some very well-known cases. When he returns to his home town to check up on his elderly grandfather, he unwittingly becomes caught up in another mystery, this one seemingly spanning several generations. Deep in the heart of Pennsylvania coal country lies the mystery of not only the latest murder but also unsolved murders from Danny’s past.

This was an intriguing story for the mystery aspect alone. It’s very much a police procedural story but so much more. The author tells a great story, and her descriptions of backwoods Pennsylvania are hauntingly beautiful. It was dark and mysterious enough to keep me interested and will appeal to anyone who likes a good mystery.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: One of Us