Review: Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

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15790837Oh my word. I just love David Sedaris. I would love to try to match wits with him at least a few times…perhaps pick up trash with him on summer afternoon. I love to enjoy his books via audio simply because he is just so delightful. His voice and his delivery is half the fun when it comes to enjoying his book.

This one is no different than any of his other books. I love hearing about his family. I marval at how he has moved beyond his wayward youth…

I also never giggle more with any other author. I am often shocked and outraged. So much so that I can’t stop laughing! Outraged or not, he is spot on! That’s what makes him so brilliant! If only we were all so brave to be so honest and open with the things we see around us…

Until next time…

Urania xx

Buy it now Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

Review: Ramsay by Mia Sheridan

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01 aram“Sometimes forgiveness meant letting go. Sometimes forgiveness meant holding on.”

Mia Sheridan is an autobuy for me. Her stories are so unique and always leave me in awe. Her characters are real. Far from perfect, but so very real. And Ramsay definitely fits right in with the rest of them.

Brogan Ramsay came from meager beginnings. He worked hard to provide for his family. But, in an instant, a deception took it all away. He then had to make tough decisions and choices in order to stay alive. But he never forgot who put him in this position. He vowed to pay them back ten fold. Revenge is his goal.

Lydia De Havilland made a mistake that cost her dearly. She has lived with the knowledge all her life and when the chance for redemption comes to her, she’ll do anything she can to get the boy she loved back. No matter how she is treated, she sucks it up and does what she needs to be done, in order to make amends.

Goodness, my heart was aching throughout this story. The heartache. The sheer pain of loss. The actions of loved ones was truly a sight to behold. Love makes you do things that any sane person wouldn’t. Let’s be honest, when you’re in love, you go a little crazy. Brogan did things for love. He spent his entire adult life doing things because he loved.

I read this book in one sitting. I couldn’t tear my eyes from it. I was sucked in and I felt every emotion possible. There were times I wanted to scream and then I wanted to cry. Revenge has a way of making things intense. Intense and passion. Let me tell you. This story has passion. Man, oh man, did it ever. There’s a fine line between love and hate, and this story danced on that line.

“I wake up feeling hungry in that way I promised myself I’d never feel hungry again. Only this hunger can only be satisfied by you, and I’m…I’m not sure what to do about that.”

~Melpomene

Buy Ramsay HERE.

Review: The New Neighbor by Leah Stewart

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I love a book with an ambiguous title.  What exactly does “new neighbor” mean?  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  And who is the new neighbor?  Even better when the story itself is just as much of a conundrum.

Margaret is alone, but she prefers it that way.  Living for ninety years means she’s seen and heard her share of things.  So she’s fairly content (or so she claims) to live out the rest of her years in her little house by the lake with her mystery novels to keep her company.  Then one day she notices a new neighbor across the lake.  Mildly curious at first, she schemes her way into finding out who exactly this person is.

And Jennifer…who is she really and where did she come from?  Surely she and her young son, Milo, have some kind of history somewhere.  But when you change your name and cut ties to your past, that must mean you’re running from something.  Of course Margaret is intrigued as she fancies herself somewhat of a mystery buff.  The deeper she digs, the more questions she has.

The bigger mystery is, who has more to hide? Is it Jennifer with her new name and her desire to make her son forget everything they left behind? Or is it Margaret with her burning need to finally tell her story to someone who will listen?

This book was such a thriller from the beginning ’til the very end. The author does an outstanding job of dragging you along, feeding you little tidbits along the way to keep you following. You just know that some kind of big secret is going to be revealed, but you’re never quite sure who that secret is going to be about. It’s not until the last chapter that it all comes together. And it’s what you expected while not being what you expected. Intrigued? Good!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: The New Neighbor

Review: The Little Village Bakery by Tilly Tennant

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This was a cute rom com, short on the rom and com, though, in my opinion. I read it more like a slice of life in a small town. I loved the characters, except for the villainess who seemed a little overly wacky and cruel for a light book. Millie was quirky and emotional, Jas and Rich were a fun couple, Dylan and Spencer were good male characters who made tremendous growth and development by the end of the book. Millie’s potions should have been edited a little to make them either more important or not in the story at all. I felt like her “magic” was an afterthought.

As usual, I was glad for the romance that eventually developed, and for the happily ever after, even as neatly tied up as it was.  
I did enjoy reading The Little Village Bakery, but wished there were more pastries, fewer psych problems, and a smidge more focus on the magic.  

-calliope

Buy THE LITTLE VILLAGE BAKERY

Review: The Last Days of Summer by Sophie Pembroke

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Wow. I thought this was just going to be a bit of fluff based on the publishing imprint (Carina) and the title. But no. It’s almost a saga. There are juicy family secrets, tensions between siblings, eccentric writers, hidden woodland hideouts, varied buildings on the family estate, and the sudden appearance of an assistant, an envelope, and a diary. 

The Last Days of Summer explores deeper issues, too. I especially loved the discussion of the blurred line between truth and fiction — and the ways it can help or hurt a relationship. Pembroke also broaches the topics of forgiveness, honesty, and loyalty. 

My favorite character had to be carefree Caroline, though she was followed closely by her older sister, main character Saskia. I was enamored by their dad and grandfather… their warmth came right through the pages. 

Pembroke really showed her talent for weaving a complicated tale that reads easily. From the arguments to the embraces, the clothes-horse auntie to the raggedy writer, this story had threads of consistency throughout. Pairs of characters on benches, the office, the woods… Every repeated instance kept the storyline tight and moving forward. Brava! 

I sort of want to keep talking and writing about this book, but I don’t want to end up giving away spoilers… so I’ll end here! Don’t miss this excellent read. 

-calliope 

Buy THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER

Review: A Hard and Heavy Thing by Matthew J Hefti

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26542105This is a story about those left behind by war. It just so happens to be that instead of the family left behind it is about the man who was at war who one day finds himself left behind. How he attempts to pick up the pieces after his combat days are over. A story where the young man finds out that although he might have left the war, he now finds himself in a different type of combat…now with enemy soldiers, but with his own personal demons and his feelings about himself. Novels like this do much to show how the image some see of people are never the images that they see of themselves. It also makes it clear that although War Heroes do exist, it is rarely the hero himself that views it as heroism.

Was this the best book I’ve read this year? No, sorry to say it’s not even close. However, it is an important book and I’m glad I invested the time to read it. Does it change my views on war and the destruction it causes? Not on the enemy, lands, or even countries. or on the men and women themselves. But it does reinforce my belief that not everyone can be judged by the outside image they display. Nor can they be defined by the labels that have been placed upon them. We should all give just a moments more time to really try to see and to help the people before us. Lest the masks they wear for us truly hide them until they are suddenly gone as is the person that wore them…

Until next time…

Urania xx

ARC provided by Edelweiss for an honest review

Buy it now A Hard and Heavy Thing by Matthew J Hefti

Review: Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen

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01 abit “She and I were a dangerous combination. We needed cautionary signs like the ones hanging in the tractor shed over the cans of diesel fuel. WARNING: COMBUSTIBLE.”

Honestly, this book shocked the crap outta me. I had NO IDEA I was going to like it so much. Who knew farmers would be so sexy? Plus silly thing, like learning some of the ins and outs of organic farming, was quite fascinating to me. Not to mention that this romance was a bit like a second chance romance, which I love, I was completely drawn in and fell for this entire family, extended and non. In fact, I found myself thinking of them, after I was done, forgetting that they weren’t real. In fact, I still am, and it’s been weeks since I’ve read it.

Now that the summer weather is here, I am looking forward to hitting up all those farmer markets and give them my support. Honestly, I never thought, when reading a book, that I would feel this compulsion. Who knows, maybe I’ll see some sexy farmers there. 🙂

Also I was completely taken in my Jude and his story. I can’t wait until the next book to see what happens next in his world. I have a feeling it’s going to be a bit more emotional than this one.

Buy Bittersweet HERE.

Interesting

Review: Cure by Brenda Zalegowski

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Warning:   If you are expecting an in-depth review of this book with complete character analysis and a detailed plot summary, you’ve come to the wrong place.  If, however, you’re looking for a simple directive to read an outstanding book, then carry on.

Let me also preface this very short, brief review by saying that you really must read Brenda’s debut novel, Behind the Falls.  Yes, it’s the precursor to this outstanding story.  And no, it’s not imperative to understanding and loving Cure.  But it will help you fall in love with the characters even more.

This is a story of love and loss, things that we are all familiar with.  Love never comes easy, but then most things worth having never do.  And young love, teen love especially, is that much more difficult.  There are tears and there are smiles.  There are lives lost and lives saved.  And there’s closure, of some sort at least.  Yes, you’ll recognize many of the characters from the first story.  And you’ll meet some new ones.

And that’s all you’re going to get.  I’ve never been one to write a synopsis of a story and call it a review, but I do usually give a bit more than you’re getting with this one.  But I just can’t with this one.  You’ll just have to trust me.  Read Behind the Falls.  And then read this one.

~Thalia

Buy It Now:  Cure

Review: The Tulip Factory by Kacie Davis Idol

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I loved waitress-turned-receptionist-turned-successful-you’ll-find-out Corinne. And I loved James, student of the school of hard knocks, climbing his way up and out and free. 

Though I liked the characters and the trajectories Kacie Davis Idol wrote for them, I struggled with some technical aspects of this book:

  • I don’t like chapters that alternate narrators, but I can get over it… unless the author also uses flashbacks and flash-forwards. One or the other may have worked. As it stands it’s confusing for the reader. 
  • The author took up pages and pages describing things that didn’t move the plot forward: Corinne’s outfits, her sister’s wedding, that night at the bar… If it doesn’t add to character or plot development, it’s not needed. Once I realized the chapters were 80% extraneous, I started to skim over the pages of irrelevant details. 
  • The tone for James was inconsistent. Sometimes his chapters made him sound like a sensitive, artistic, loving guy. Other chapters made him seem callous and cold. I’m not sure a man crassly talks about his “kid” one minute and then says he’s in love with the baby a few moments later. 

I think this book has promise. With some paring down of details, reformatting of the order of the chapters, and an editor helping with consistency, The Tulip Factory would have been an enjoyable cute coming-into-her-own story. 

Review: Only Beloved by Mary Balogh

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01 aonly It’s done. It’s over. I’m sad. This was such a beautiful and emotional series. It’s only fitting that we close it out with George’s book. I mean, he is the reason The Survivors’ Club was here in the first place.

After the death of his son and wife, George, the Duke of Stanbrook, took it upon himself to open his house to many men and women who suffered after the Napoleonic Wars. He grew close to six of them and watched them get healthy and find their happily ever afters. But after seeing them happy, he felt lonely. He was always content with just his friends, but now he feels that it’s time to see if he can fins happiness for himself.

Dora was content in her life. It didn’t turn out the way she was hoping, but she has no regrets. She has a job and a few close friends. What more does she need? Turns out, she needed George.

When she met George a year ago, she was dazzled, but didn’t think anything would come of it. He’s a friend of her sister and brother-in-law, and that’s it. But when he shows up unannounced, she must make a decision that will change the course of her life.

Now, of course, like all the survivors, George isn’t without a backstory. And his story is one of heartbreak and deception. But he hid it well, under the guise of friendship and mentor. He was the listener of the group, not the sharer.

So bittersweet to see this series end. But I am quite happy with how well everyone turned out. The epilogue is exactly what I needed to move on. Knowing these survivors are well loved and taken of, makes me very content.

I can’t wait to see what new series Mary has up her sleeves.