Monday, August 31, 2020

Review: Chemicals and Christians: Compassion and Caution by Martha McLaughlin

About the Book
How many chemicals have you put in, on, or around your body today? How many have been used in your home, church, school, or workplace? Do you know how they’re affecting you? Do you know their potential impact on others?

Commonly used products may be harming you in surprising ways and keeping a large and growing number of people out of church. Seemingly small decisions about the use of consumer goods can profoundly influence physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Efforts to create a positive environment within a home or organization are incomplete without focusing on air quality, which affects everything that happens inside a building and to the people who enter it.

Chemicals and Christians will help you understand the risks of everyday toxins, learn how to protect yourself, and determine how to make public and private spaces more accessible and healthy for all. The message in two words is this: Take care. Take care not to let everyday chemicals harm you and take care of those who’ve already developed Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) or another illness associated with toxic exposure. Packed with information, biblical counsel, and personal testimony, the book offers both practical and spiritual help.


My Thoughts

I don't read much nonfiction but I couldn't pass this one up. I struggle with MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) and I found this book to be a great resource. It has a wealth of helpful information on the condition. Some things I knew already, but there was a lot that I didn't. I took pages and pages of notes.

I really appreciated the sections throughout the book of people talking about all of their different experiences with MCS. It was nice to know that I wasn't alone in my experiences, to have another source of validation, and to know there are other people dealing with the same things I am. For instance, I thought I was really weird because of my reaction to printed ink. My hands break out in hives and I have difficulty breathing. Whenever I've mentioned my issues with physical books and reading material, I'm usually looked at like I'm crazy. But there were multiple mentions of other people having similar issues with it.

I think this would be a great book for people who don't know much, or anything, about MCS too. I can't even tell you how many people, friends and family included, who have minimized the seriousness of this illness. I've been told it's not really all that bad; it's all in my head; I need to get over it. I even had one “friend” who was always “accidentally” exposing me to things that were known to cause bad reactions. I later figured out that she was “testing” me and if she didn't see an immediate reaction from me, then I must be faking it. I think this book would help people understand MCS, and me, better.

I seriously can't recommend this book enough. It's a must read for everyone. Chemicals are everywhere and we need to start paying attention to the harm they're doing to us.

Five Stars

Thursday, August 27, 2020

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams. I'm bummed that I'm probably gonna miss next week's Friday post, but I'm definitely planning to be back the next week. The past few weeks my reading time has seriously dwindled, this week especially. It's like the world is conspiring against me when it comes to my reading. But isn't that the way it goes sometimes? 

For the past couple months my Kindle hasn't been wanting to hold a charge. I can read for maybe a couple hours before it dies and I have to plug it in. I do have an extra Kindle, thank goodness, so I'll be using that one soon. I just hate to get rid of this one. I'm the type of person who will use something until it won't work any longer. I'm afraid that time is almost here for this one. 

And then, this week, to top it all off, we've been dealing with A/C issues and repairmen and all that fun stuff. We're about to have at least 5 days straight of 100+ degree heat and I'm praying the temporary fix they applied will last until they have the parts in for the permanent fix. 

About the Book
The Handmaid's Tale meets Wilder Girls in this unique, voice-driven novel from Kelly McWilliams.

Agnes loves her home of Red Creek--its quiet, sunny mornings, its dusty roads, and its God. There, she cares tirelessly for her younger siblings and follows the town's strict laws. What she doesn't know is that Red Creek is a cult, controlled by a madman who calls himself a prophet.
Then Agnes meets Danny, an Outsider boy, and begins to question what is and isn't a sin. Her younger brother, Ezekiel, will die without the insulin she barters for once a month, even though medicine is considered outlawed. Is she a sinner for saving him? Is her sister, Beth, a sinner for dreaming of the world beyond Red Creek?

As the Prophet grows more dangerous, Agnes realizes she must escape with Ezekiel and leave everyone else, including Beth, behind. But it isn't safe Outside, either: A viral pandemic is burning through the population at a terrifying rate. As Agnes ventures forth, a mysterious connection grows between her and the Virus. But in a world where faith, miracles, and cruelty have long been indistinguishable, will Agnes be able to choose between saving her family and saving the world?

Book Beginnings
Once, a girl lived in a double-wide trailer on ranchland, beneath a wide white sky tumbled with clouds.

Friday 56
Agnes woke gasping in the middle of the night from a vision of the bunker turning red - a vision of all her people, with hard, gem-like skins, wrapped in an infected embrace while they shivered like the tower of crows. The image singed her, charred her soul. She'd never been so badly frightened by a nightmare.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes

About the Book
Lucy Clairmont's family treasured the magic of the past, and her childhood fascination with stories of the high seas led her to become a marine archaeologist. But when tragedy strikes, it's Dashel, an American forensic astronomer, and his knowledge of the stars that may help her unearth the truth behind the puzzle she's discovered in her family home.

Two hundred years earlier, the seeds of love are sown between a boy and a girl who spend their days playing in a secret sea cave, while the privileged young son of the estate looks on, wishing to join. As the children grow and war leads to unthinkable heartbreak, a story of love, betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption unfolds, held secret by the passage of time.

As Lucy and Dash journey to a mysterious old estate on the East Sussex coast, their search leads them to a community of souls and a long-hidden tale that may hold the answers--and the healing--they so desperately seek.


My Thoughts

“In a world as dark as this, people forget how to see the light, so we need to remind them by telling the truth. Paying attention ... setting the stars alight.”

What a beautifully written story! I didn't think it possible, but I enjoyed this one even more than Amanda Dykes' debut novel Whose Waves These Are. And that was a tall order.

Taking note of the good, the true, the just, the miracles hidden at every turn is like ... a deliberate act of defiance against the darkness.

Anything I say will be inadequate to describe the absolute breathtaking wonder and magic of this story. It was such a beautiful and captivating tale. I was transported right into the pages. I felt like I was standing right there beside these wonderful characters experiencing all their ups and downs, their joys and sorrows. This is the type of book that can reignite a love for reading and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

“God is the pursuer of your heart, Lucy,” Dad had said. “He is coming, and coming, and coming after you. In every sunset, in every snatch of birdsong. In everything that stirs deep into you and makes you hungry for bigger things, eternal things. That is Him, pursuing you with tenderest grace. In the places so hard they wring your soul. In the places so beautiful they steal your breath. He is there, filling your soul, giving you breath.”

Five Stars

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday: Stealing Embers (Fallen Legacies #1) by Julie Hall

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Stealing Embers (Fallen Legacies #1) by Julie Hall releasing September 22. I LOVED Julie's Life After series and am so excited to finally have a new series from her to read.

About the Book
A realm of monsters. A world of lies. She belongs to both.

My name is Emberly, and everything I’ve ever been told is a lie.

Monsters don’t exist. Wrong.
The nightmarish spectrum world is just my imagination. Wrong.
In a few months, I’ll finally be free. Wrong.

It takes being dragged to a secret training academy in the mountains to unravel the truth. My captors--an elite race of angel-born warriors called Nephilim.

The deadliest of them all is an arrogant shape shifter, Steel. He’s gorgeous, lethal, hot-headed . . . and convinced I’ll be the death of them all.

Maybe he’s right. As soon as I show up, the monsters that have haunted me my entire life breach the academy walls. My only hope of saving my new friends is learning how to control my powers, but when a stunning betrayal hurts someone I care about, I have an impossible choice.

Stay and fight for a place to belong . . . or decide once and for all that I’m better off alone.

Enter the spectrum world, a realm in-between worlds where shadow beasts draw blood, reality is a maze of twisted lights and sounds, and life goals are whittled down to just one: survive.

Fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Cassandra Clare will love this Crescent City meets Crave mash up!

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Monday, August 24, 2020

Review: Banana Split Personalities (Crime á la Mode #4) by Christy Barritt

About the Book
Strawberry sauce. That’s what Serena Lavinia tells herself when something red is found splattered on the front of her ice cream truck.

As much as Serena wants to believe the liquid is from one of the banana splits served at a local children’s festival, she can’t. When the Lantern Beach police confirm that the substance is blood, Serena’s good vibes melt like ice cream on a hot day.

To make matters worse, both her ice cream truck and her dog seem determined to drag Serena into the heart of the murder mystery. With tourist season in full swing, there’s no shortage of personalities who might be guilty. Can Serena find answers? Or will the guilty party split before justice is served?


My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this final installment of the Crime a la Mode series. I'm sad to see it end, but it's been such a fun ride tagging alongside Serena and Scoops as they solve mysteries around Lantern Beach in her ice cream truck Elsa. And I loved meeting and getting to know Webster. He's such a great guy and a nice addition to the Lantern Beach gang.

This whole series has been such a blast to read. If you're looking for some quick and entertaining mysteries, I highly recommend them. They're so much fun!

4.5 Stars

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes, a really stellar dual timeline. 

About the Book
Lucy Clairmont's family treasured the magic of the past, and her childhood fascination with stories of the high seas led her to become a marine archaeologist. But when tragedy strikes, it's Dashel, an American forensic astronomer, and his knowledge of the stars that may help her unearth the truth behind the puzzle she's discovered in her family home.

Two hundred years earlier, the seeds of love are sown between a boy and a girl who spend their days playing in a secret sea cave, while the privileged young son of the estate looks on, wishing to join. As the children grow and war leads to unthinkable heartbreak, a story of love, betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption unfolds, held secret by the passage of time.

As Lucy and Dash journey to a mysterious old estate on the East Sussex coast, their search leads them to a community of souls and a long-hidden tale that may hold the answers--and the healing--they so desperately seek.

Book Beginnings
London, England
May 1987
The smell of cinders permanently etched the abandoned Bessette Match Factory into the minds of all who passed.

Friday 56
HMS Avalon
May 17, 1811
Imminent death was a paradox. Each moment lived in sharp relief, then engulfed into a rumbling blur.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Dust (Heirs of Neverland #1) by Kara Swanson

About the Book
The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale.

Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real—since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire’s desperate search points to London... and a boy who shouldn't exist.

Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins.

The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan—and herself.


My Thoughts

You were created for more than to bear the weight of your shadows - but you have to choose to no longer let them define you. You have to choose to let the light shine through the shattered pieces.

Oh my! What a wonderfully enchanting tale! I was never a huge fan of Peter Pan, but this book made me one. It's such an exciting and captivating journey.

The characters were awesome. So complex and layered. Narration switched between Claire and Peter, but I never got confused by who's POV I was reading. They were both very distinct and fascinating in their own way. When there's more than one POV, I usually have one I gravitate to more, but that wasn't the case here. They were both so great. There's no way I could pick a favorite.

I fully expected not to like Peter. And I didn't to begin with. But as the story progressed, he really grew on me. Yes, he's still that same mischievous, arrogant, selfish boy we all know, but his character growth from the beginning of the story to the end was huge. I couldn't help but like him in the end. I really appreciated the little glimpses of his backstory too. It really helped me understand him better.

I had a blast reading Dust and highly recommend it to anyone who has ever loved fairy tales. It was a great twist on a classic. I'm super anxious for the sequel!

4.5 Stars

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday: A Portrait of Loyalty (The Codebreakers #3) by Roseanna M. White

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring A Portrait of Loyalty (The Codebreakers #3) by Roseanna M. White releasing September 8. I've been loving this series and am so excited for this final installment.

About the Book
Zivon Marin was one of Russia's top cryptographers, until the October Revolution tore apart his world. Forced to flee after speaking out against Lenin and separated from his brother along the way, he arrives in England driven by a growing anger and determined to offer his services to the Brits.

Lily Blackwell sees the world best through the lens of a camera--and possesses unsurpassed skill when it comes to retouching and recreating photographs. With her father's connections in propaganda, she's recruited to the intelligence division, even though her mother would disapprove.

After Captain Blackwell invites Zivon to dinner one evening, a friendship blooms between him and Lily. He sees patterns in what she deems chaos; she sees beauty in a world he thought destroyed. But both have secrets they're unwilling to share. When her photographs reveal that someone has been following Zivon, his loyalties are called into question--and his enemies are discovered to be far closer than he'd feared.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Monday, August 17, 2020

Review: Mercury for Hire (Mercury Hale Book 2) by Steve Rzasa

About the Book
Mercury Hale is out of a job. That’s not stopping him from fighting crime in San Camillo – for a fee, of course.

His much simpler yet financially unstable situation is interrupted when Procyon Foundation comes to him with a problem: one of their top Tracking specialists is missing.
The good news? Mercury may have found a way to get back into his employer’s good graces.

The bad news? A new breed of monster is terrorizing his city.

Couple that challenge with the emergence of a rival force to Procyon that wants astral fiends for experimentation, and the appearance of a mysterious stranger who’s traveled across dimensions, Mercury has his hands full juggling dangers – and grappling with a lovesick heart.

And if he drops anything, he could lose it all.


My Thoughts

It was so good diving back into this series. I enjoyed this second installment just as much as I did the first one. It was another crazy, fun read. It's so unpredictable, I never knew what to expect next.

This time around Mercury is out of a job and is trying to make ends meet by being a superhero for hire. He's got his own business cards and everything. If he saves you, be sure to remember to donate to his paypal account. Superheroes have bills too, ya know. :)

The pace was lightning fast and hardly ever slowed down. And the last part of the book? Wow! It was so intense I could barely catch my breath. The ending? What a doozy! I'm eager to check out book three!

Four Stars

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Dust (Heirs of Neverland #1) by Kara Swanson

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring Dust (Heirs of Neverland #1) by Kara Swanson, a Peter Pan retelling/sequel.

About the Book
The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale.

Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real—since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire’s desperate search points to London... and a boy who shouldn't exist.

Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins.

The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan—and herself.

Book Beginnings
When did this fairy tale become a nightmare? 

Friday 56
I clutch my head, trying to push away the memories. I fight back the stinging tears. If Ben and Lily truly knew what I could do, they wouldn't want to help me.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Molly (Sewing in SoCal #1) by Sarah Monzon

About the Book
If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I absolutely refuse to tell a lie no matter the consequences. So don’t ask me a direct question unless you’re prepared for a direct answer—that’s something my SoCal sewing girlfriends have learned the hard way.
But who would have thought my honesty policy would get me fired from my job at the preschool? Or that a desperate—and not to mention devastatingly handsome—single father of one of my (now-former) students would hire me that same day as a nanny for his daughter?
I’m an education professional. How hard can taking care of a four-year-old and her over-stressed, over-worked father be?


My Thoughts

Molly was a ridiculously fun read. I needed a good laugh and this provided many. But there was also a lot of depth there too. I loved the balance.

Molly tells the truth no matter what, almost to a fault sometimes. We see just how much trouble her unfiltered honesty can get her into within the first few pages. She's an entertaining and unpredictable character, that's for sure.

I loved Dr. Ben. He's such a good and caring man. He wants the absolute best for his daughter, but he's being pulled in so many different directions it's hard to give her the attention she deserves. It's so sweet the lengths he goes to for her.

Each chapter switches the narration between Molly and Ben, and because they're both told in first person I'd sometimes get confused about which one of them was narrating at the time. But all in all, I had a really great time reading this book and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

Four Stars

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright releasing September 1. Release day can't come soon enough for this one. I've got it preordered and am beyond eager to dive into it. I always love Wright's books and this one sounds right up my alley. 

About the Book
1928
The Bonaventure Circus is a refuge for many, but Pippa Ripley was rejected from its inner circle as a baby. When she receives mysterious messages from someone called the "Watchman," she is determined to find him and the connection to her birth. As Pippa's search leads her to a man seeking justice for his murdered sister and evidence that a serial killer has been haunting the circus train, she must decide if uncovering her roots is worth putting herself directly in the path of the killer.

Present Day
The old circus train depot will either be torn down or preserved for historical importance, and its future rests on real estate project manager Chandler Faulk's shoulders. As she dives deep into the depot's history, she's also balancing a newly diagnosed autoimmune disease and the pressures of single motherhood. When she discovers clues to the unsolved murders of the past, Chandler is pulled into a story far darker and more haunting than even an abandoned train depot could portend.

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Monday, August 10, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Loved but Never Reviewed


Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week's topic is Books I Loved but Never Reviewed. I review pretty much every book I read now, unless it's a super short story, but back a few years ago I was a lot more sporadic with reviews. So most of these books are ones I read five or more years ago.
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About the Book
When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious Witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?

Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly, and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.

An astonishingly rich re-creation of the land of Oz, this book retells the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, who wasn't so wicked after all. Taking readers past the yellow brick road and into a phantasmagoric world rich with imagination and allegory, Gregory Maguire just might change the reputation of one of the most sinister characters in literature.

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About the Book
Young lawyer Jonathan Harker journeys to Transylvania to meet with the mysterious Count Dracula only to discover that his nobleman client is a vampire who is thirsty for new blood. After imprisoning Harker in his castle, Dracula travels to England to seduce Jonathan’s fiancée, Mina, and the battle against an ineffable evil begins.

Led by philosopher and metaphysician Professor Van Helsing—Dracula’s most indomitable adversary—Harker, Mina, and a band of allies unite, determined to confront and destroy the Count before he can escape.

Bram Stoker ingeniously modernized gothic folklore by moving his vampire from traditional castle ruins to modern England. With Dracula, which has been interpreted and dissected by scholars for generations, Stoker changed the vampire novel forever.

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About the Book
The world of Faerie never disappeared; it merely went into hiding, continuing to exist parallel to our own. Secrecy is the key to Faerie's survival—but no secret can be kept forever, and when the fae and mortal worlds collide, changelings are born. 

Outsiders from birth, these half-human, half-fae children spend their lives fighting for the respect of their immortal relations. Or, in the case of October "Toby" Daye, rejecting it completely. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the fae world, retreating into a “normal” life. Unfortunately for her, Faerie has other ideas...

The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose, one of the secret regents of the San Francisco Bay Area, pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening’s dying curse, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant to the Duke of Shadowed Hills and begin renewing old alliances that may prove her only hope of solving the mystery...before the curse catches up with her.

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About the Book
In this action-packed story of supernaturals, a werewolf talk show host for the supernaturally disadvantaged has bitten off way more than she can chew.

Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station. She's also a closeted werewolf.

Her new late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged is a raging success, but it's Kitty who can use some help.

With a sexy werewolf-hunter on her tail -- and a few homicidal undead following her every move -- Kitty's about to face the fight of her life.

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About the Book
One hundred years ago, eleven powerful ruling Houses consolidated all of the world’s resources and authority into their own grasping hands. Only one power wasn’t placed under the command of a single House: the control over the immortal galvanized...

Matilda Case isn’t like most folk. In fact, she’s unique in the world, the crowning achievement of her father’s experiments, a girl pieced together from bits. Or so she believes, until Abraham Seventh shows up at her door, stitched with life thread just like her and insisting that enemies are coming to kill them all.

Tilly is one of thirteen incredible creations known as the galvanized, stitched together beings immortal and unfathomably strong. For a century, each House has fought for control over the galvanized. Now the Houses are also tangled in a deadly struggle for dominion over death—and Tilly and her kind hold the key to unlocking eternity

The secrets that Tilly must fight to protect are hidden within the very seams of her being. And to get the secrets, her enemies are willing to tear her apart piece by piece...

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About the Book
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

With high-stakes action and a smart, resourceful heroine, Cinder is a Cinderella retelling that is at once classic and strikingly original.

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About the Book
Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

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About the Book
A gripping historical thriller set in 1930s Munich, Prisoner of Night and Fog is the evocative story of an ordinary girl faced with an extraordinary choice in Hitler's Germany. Fans of Code Name Verity will love this novel full of romance, danger, and intrigue!

Gretchen Müller grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her uncle Dolf—who has kept her family cherished and protected from that side of society ever since her father sacrificed his life for Dolf's years ago. Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler. And Gretchen follows his every command.

When she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen, who claims that her father was actually murdered by an unknown comrade, Gretchen doesn't know what to believe. She soon discovers that beyond her sheltered view lies a world full of shadowy secrets and disturbing violence.

As Gretchen's investigations lead her to question the motives and loyalties of her dearest friends and her closest family, she must determine her own allegiances—even if her choices could get her and Daniel killed.

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About the Book
What do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives among the romantic hills with their archaelogist parents. Stuck among the rubble of the medieval castles in rural Tuscany, on yet another hot, dusty archaeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds...until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

Suddenly Gabi's summer in Italy is much, much more interesting.

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About the Book
Bold, sophisticated, and flirtatious, Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, leaving men pining in airfields all across Europe. So how can ruggedly handsome C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper be all but immune to her considerable charms? In fact, he seems to do everything he can to avoid her.

Still, as they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer to where they don't want to go. Can they confront the fears and misunderstandings in their pasts?

Sarah Sundin seamlessly weaves together emotion, action, and sweet romance into a tale that transcends time and calls us to believe in the power of love.

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About the Book
On a bitter December day in 1785, Silas Ballantyne arrives at the door of master blacksmith Liege Lee in York, Pennsylvania. Just months from becoming a master blacksmith himself, Silas is determined to finish his apprenticeship and move west. But Liege soon discovers that Silas is a prodigious worker and craftsman and endeavors to keep him in York. Silas becomes interested in both of Liege's daughters, the gentle and faith-filled Eden and the clever and high-spirited Elspeth. When he chooses one, will the other's jealousy destroy their love?

In this sweeping family saga set in western Pennsylvania, one man's choices in love and work, in friends and enemies, set the stage for generations to come. Love's Reckoning is the first entry in The Ballantyne Legacy, a rich, multi-layered historical quartet from talented writer Laura Frantz, beginning in the late 1700s and following the Ballantyne family through the end of the Civil War.
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Have you read any of these books? What did you think about them?

Review: The Practice of Prying (The Sidekick's Survival Guide #4) by Christy Barritt

About the Book
Apprentice P.I. Elliot Ransom has almost lost her life, her family is being targeted by bad guys, and her love life is a confusing mess. Can anything else go wrong?

Her newest case has her posing as an assistant coach for a local charity softball game in order to figure out if the previous coach was murdered. The problem is that Elliot, who grew up in the jungle, knows nada about softball.

More than one mystery haunts her, and it’s hard to know which clue leads to potential answers. But one thing she does know: danger is close—too close. Whoever thought a little prying could lead to so much distress?


My Thoughts

This fourth installment of The Sidekick's Survival Guide ramps up the intensity yet again making for an action-packed and impossible to put down read.

The mystery left me stumped. I couldn't figure it out, but once it was revealed it made perfect sense. How did I not see it? It always amazes me how Christy Barritt consistently writes mysteries that surprise me every single time. I love an author who can do that. No wonder I can't get enough of her books.

There were some good developments in this book, especially in the romance department. I love where things are headed there. Hopefully it'll continue along nicely. It also feels like we're inching ever closer to figuring out the mystery surrounding Elliot's dad. I'm excited to see what new revelations come up in the next book.

Four Stars

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Molly (Sewing in SoCal #1) by Sarah Monzon

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring a cute romantic comedy, Molly (Sewing in SoCal #1) by Sarah Monzon.

About the Book
If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I absolutely refuse to tell a lie no matter the consequences. So don’t ask me a direct question unless you’re prepared for a direct answer—that’s something my SoCal sewing girlfriends have learned the hard way.

But who would have thought my honesty policy would get me fired from my job at the preschool? Or that a desperate—and not to mention devastatingly handsome—single father of one of my (now-former) students would hire me that same day as a nanny for his daughter?

I’m an education professional. How hard can taking care of a four-year-old and her over-stressed, over-worked father be?

Book Beginnings
Just call me George Washington.

Friday 56
Wakefulness gradually settled upon me like an optometrist settling a pair of glasses on the visually impaired. My hazy brainwaves came into focus and I reached for my real glasses on the nightstand. Pushing them onto the bridge of my nose, I blinked my eyes.
And swallowed a scream.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Written in Red (The Others #1) by Anne Bishop

About the Book
Enter the world of the Others in the first novel in New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s thrilling fantasy series: a place where unearthly entities—vampires and shape-shifters among them—rule the Earth and prey on the human race.

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.


My Thoughts

What a brilliant urban fantasy! Written in Red has been in my TBR pile for way too long and I'm so mad at myself for taking so long to get to it. It was so compelling and so hard to put down. It's a long book, but I zoomed through it as fast as I could.

Meg wasn't the typical type of heroine found in this genre. She's quieter, calmer, and not much of a fighter, but she's just as fierce and brave. She gets things done not with violence but with kindness. She was an endearing and likable character who I was rooting for from page one.

There was a big cast of characters, all complex, layered, and distinct. At first introduction, the Others were downright scary. They weren't the watered down versions of themselves we're used to reading about, but the actual stuff of nightmares. They'll literally take a bite out of you if given the opportunity.

This was the perfect book for me at the time. I enjoyed every second of it and can't wait to check out the next one!

NOTE: This book does contain some strong language.

Four Stars

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday: Twin Daggers by MarcyKate Connolly

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Twin Daggers by MarcyKate Connolly releasing August 25.

About the Book
Aissa’s life is a web of carefully constructed lies. She and her twin sister, Zandria, are Magi spies, a magical people most believe to be extinct. And they’re on a mission for revenge.

This action and adventure spy thriller—a fantasy spin on “Romeo and Juliet” from New York Times bestselling author MarcyKate Connolly—is perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer and Elly Blake and is about to become your new obsession!

By day, Aissa and Zandra play the role of normal young Technocrats eager to fulfill the duties of their new apprenticeships. By night, they plot their revenge to retake their city from the Technocrats. But then Aissa is given a new mission: find and kidnap the heir to the Technocrat throne, who is rumored to be one of the Heartless—a person born without a working heart who survives via a mechanical replacement—and has been hidden since birth.

Aissa is more likely to be caught than to be successful, but she's never been one to turn down an assignment, even if the hunt is complicated by a kind Technocrat researcher who is determined to find a cure for the Heartless. But when Zandria is captured by the Technocrats, Aissa will do anything to get her sister back. Even if it means abandoning all other loyalties and missions … and risking everything by trusting her sworn enemies.

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Monday, August 3, 2020

Review: Badlands Witch (Cormac and Amelia) by Carrie Vaughn

About the Book
In brand-new stories spun off from the New York Times Bestselling Kitty Norville series, dark mysteries push the bounds of sanity. Cormac Bennett, ex-con and former bounty hunter, is a paranormal investigator with an edge: his partner is the disembodied spirit of a Victorian wizard, Amelia Parker. Together, they solve problems no one else can.

Cormac and Amelia travel to South Dakota, where an archeologist has hired them to examine an artifact for possible magical qualities. Cormac is skeptical, Amelia is intrigued. And it turns out – the whole thing is a trap. Cormac used to make his living killing monsters, and he made more than a few enemies back in the day. Who from his past is out for revenge, and can he and Amelia survive?


My Thoughts

Badlands Witch is the second Kitty Norville spinoff featuring Cormac and Amelia. I love these two characters. They have such an interesting and unique relationship. The dynamic between the two is so great.

This time around, on a new case in South Dakota, Cormac walks right into a trap. His past has come back to haunt him, but he has no idea who set the trap or why. That's the problem when you have as many enemies as he does. But when he does start piecing the clues together, they don't make any sense. Can he figure it out before something dire happens to him or Amelia?

This was a quick read that I read in one afternoon. It held my full attention and helped me get out of a reading slump. I hope there are many more stories featuring Cormac and Amelia. They're such a fun pair to read about.

Four Stars