Audiobook review: I'll Give you the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Standalone
Unabridged
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Published: 9/16/14
Narrator: Julia Whelan, Jesse Bernstein
Length: 12 hrs. 57 min.
Source: Sync Audiobook

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways... until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah’s story to tell. The later years are Jude’s. What the twins don’t realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world. 

This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.

My thoughts:

I have been wanting to read this for quite a while and I had gotten the audiobook from Sync a couple of years ago but never tried it. I'm sorry I waited. Like so many, I found myself engrossed in what happened to the two twins and everyone who surrounds them.

I did take 1/2 a star off for the beginning. It was slow and I wasn't sure I really wanted to get into it, but by the time I hit Jude's part I was getting invested and shortly thereafter I was all in.

The book also deals with grief and I think that is one of the reasons I put it off. However, I really liked how they dealt with the heartbreak. It was sad, however it wasn't devastating even if the characters thought they would never heal and be broken forever. Although grief is the journey both kids make there is a HEA which might be a bit too easy as pieces fall into place. However, at the same time, I appreciated how easily it all fell together. In this way you felt good after the book ended and uplifted.

I also love how you are immersed in the way both kids saw the world. Full of metaphor and art. It was a way of understanding or controlling everything they experienced. The thoughts and feelings became art as well as the art they produced. All of it became catalysts in their healing.

I enjoyed the audio and did like the split between the two narrators. I think their accents were consistent and it really separated the voices between the twins.

I give the book 4 1/2 stars. After a slow start this is a great book full of metaphor, art and above all healing the heart. I highly recommend he book and I need to try the author's other work.

🎨

Audiobook Review: Alex Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Standalone
Unabridged
Published: 8/15/17
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Narrator: Amy Melissa Bentley
Length: 9 hrs. 58 min.
Source: Hoopla/Library

Classic movie buff Bailey "Mink" Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online by "Alex." Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush. 

Faced with doubts (what if he's a creep in real life-or worse?), Bailey doesn't tell Alex she's moved to his hometown. Or that she's landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she's being heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth-a.k.a. her new arch-nemesis. But life is whole lot messier than the movies, especially when Bailey discovers that tricky fine line between hate, love, and whatever-it-is she's starting to feel for Porter... 

And as the summer months go by, Bailey must choose whether to cling to a dreamy online fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realizes, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex . . . Approximately.

My thoughts:

This is a YA romantic comedy and a retelling of "You've Got Mail" which is perfect for these two movie buffs. This one had me completely engaged and invested in this romance. I really enjoyed the characters and how they move from hate to sorta friends to love. This was simply a fun ride and a great audiobook. Amy did a great job narrating the story and even though I did listen at 1.5 speed I enjoyed her voice and expressions.

My only real issue was a hint of a possible "bad guy" that never amounted to much. This was supposed to affect her and give her some slight PTSD but it was pretty much dropped and I found that disappointing. I also though there would be more about her anxiety but it was solved rather abruptly. However, these actually ended up being minor niggles and I didn't want the story to end.

I give this book 4 stars. If you are looking for a good romantic summer read, then this one might be a good fun read while at the beach (can I come too? LOL)

🎥

How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt

Genre: Political Science
320 p.
Publisher: Crown
Published: 1/16/18
Source: NetGalley and Publisher for review
Affiliate Link: http://amzn.to/2E5jvmT

A bracing, revelatory look at the demise of liberal democracies around the world--and a road map for rescuing our own

Donald Trump's presidency has raised a question that many of us never thought we'd be asking: Is our democracy in danger? Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt have spent more than twenty years studying the breakdown of democracies in Europe and Latin America, and they believe the answer is yes. Democracy no longer ends with a bang--in a revolution or military coup--but with a whimper: the slow, steady weakening of critical institutions, such as the judiciary and the press, and the gradual erosion of long-standing political norms. The good news is that there are several exit ramps on the road to authoritarianism. The bad news is that, by electing Trump, we have already passed the first one. 

Drawing on decades of research and a wide range of historical and global examples, from 1930s Europe to contemporary Hungary, Turkey, and Venezuela, to the American South during Jim Crow, Levitsky and Ziblatt show how democracies die--and how ours can be saved.

My thoughts:

No matter what you think about US politics right now, I do think there is a resurgence in learning about the political process and what these people in office can and can't do or even what they should or shouldn't do (if not in legal terms). This book does a good job at explaining a bit of that from lessons in the past in terms of what is happening today. Unfortunately I've seen some people dismiss this book without even a cursory read because it does criticize Donald Trump and his rise to becoming the current US president. While it does criticize the man and what he has done, it also brings a historical viewpoint in politics I have not read in quite a while. The book isn't just about Donald Trump even though he is the reason the book was written.

I think the most one word review I've seen about this book is depressing. While that aspect is present in the book, it is also hopeful. We get lessons from democracies that have perished but also those that were threatened and survived and became stronger. The US has had several threatening instances to our democracy and some were successful and corrected in later years which made it stronger and some gone uncorrected or partially corrected which has diminished our democracy. The book also shows what specific ideas were put in place by the founding fathers to prevent demagogues, those who use popular prejudices and false claims, from taking charge. Some ideas were explained in a historical context (ideas that eluded me like the electoral college) as to why they were put in place and also why those ideas failed in recent times. It also delivers a road map in how authoritarian figures come to power by examples of the past and how closely that map is followed in the present. It isn't a one sided book but well rounded as it shows how no one side (liberal or conservative) is immune to the danger of an authoritarian figure. Also, be assured, it shows how the authoritarian figures were subverted either before or after that person came to power.

So while I do see that aspects of this book are depressing I also see hope within the pages. I think it also helps to see that the tiny actions of "no" within the party in power might make a difference if it starts to grow. This book really helped me see that as a bit more positive than I had before (not much but I'll take what I can get). There is so much more I want to say as this book has really made me think. If you want to know a bit more about how democracies win or fail this is the book for you. It is, I think, better than the more tabloid book out there (no names and admittedly I haven't read it because there is nothing to back his claims) as it is a well written and a well documented thesis on how democracies die and also live.

📖

Follow Me down by Sherri Smith

Standalone Thriller
352 p.
Publisher: Forge Books
Published: 3/28/17
Source: From publisher for review

Mia Haas has built a life for herself far from the North Dakota town where she grew up, but when she receives word that her twin brother is missing, she’s forced to return home. Once hailed as the golden boy of their small town, Lucas Haas disappeared the same day the body of one of his high school students is pulled from the river. Trying to wrap her head around the rumors of Lucas’s affair with the teen, and unable to reconcile the media’s portrayal of Lucas as a murderer with her own memories of him, Mia is desperate to find another suspect. 

All the while, she wonders, if he’s innocent, why did he run? 

As Mia reevaluates their difficult, shared history and launches her own investigation into the grisly murder, she uncovers secrets that could exonerate Lucas—or seal his fate. In a small town where everyone’s history is intertwined, Mia will be forced to confront her own demons, placing her right in the killer’s crosshairs.

My thoughts:

I have to admit I didn't like Mia for half of the book. I didn't connect to her and she kept making stupid mistakes. Then she had to complicate those mistakes with prescription drug abuse. I just kept wondering why she was making it harder for her brother to exonerate himself if he was innocent. If he was guilty, she seemed to be throwing away the key to any sort of fair trial. It was frustrating.

Then the middle of the book happened and I just became swept up into the thriller aspect of the book. I really became interested and invested in the outcome. I wanted to know who killed this girl and why so many things happened. Parts were still disconnected for me, but it no longer mattered... I had to know who done it.

There were several twists and turns in the book and things became clearer despite Mia's bungling. It also became more harrowing and while I did fall for the red herrings, I did suspect that the true culprit had something to do with the murder. It was an interesting ride.

I give this book 3 stars. If you stick with this one (and not everyone who reviewed it felt the same as I did about the beginning), there is a good payoff in the end. I am curious about this author now and I would read another thriller by her.

💊

Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano

Standalone
360 p.
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Published: 1/3/17
Source: NetGalley and Entangled for review
Amazon: http://bit.ly/LostGirls_MD
B&N: http://bit.ly/LG_MerrieDestefano

(from the publisher links above)

Yesterday, Rachel went to sleep listening to Taylor Swift, curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about geometry. Today, she woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life.

She doesn’t recognize the person she’s become: she’s popular. She wears nothing but black.

Black to cover the blood.
And she can fight.
Tell no one. 

She’s not the only girl to go missing within the last year…but she’s the only girl to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls.

But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And as much as her new life scares her, it calls to her. Seductively. The good girl gone bad, sex, drugs, and raves, and something darker…something she still craves—the rush of the fight, the thrill of the win—something she can’t resist, that might still get her killed…
The only rule is: There are no rules.

My thoughts:

If you don't know already, I don't often read YA contemporary, but I've read his author before and I enjoy her work plus this sounded intriguing. I was not wrong. In fact, I was captivated from the beginning and I could not wait to see how this played out. I also think that this book will go down as one of my favorite contemporary thriller YA books.

The story plays out and you are just as confused as Rachel waking up and trying to piece together why a year has totally gone missing. She was only gone for 2 weeks and a lot had changed within that year. New friends, a new look and a mysterious ability. Bits of information make it's way to Rachel and it is perfectly paced to relay a sense of foreboding and danger. I'm not sure I want to give away more than that. Don't want to spoil anything.

I will say that while I enjoyed the ending, it was probably the weakest part of the story. The reason is that it felt like it was very quickly wrapped up but then again, I'm not sure how it would be made better. Considering how strong the rest of the book felt to me, this was not a big problem. The ending also made me love the secondary characters more so you see how it really wasn't too weak it probably just felt that way in comparison to the rest of the book.

I give this book 4 1/2 stars. I really enjoyed this book and if you enjoy thrillers of all kinds, I do highly recommend this book.

Faithful by Alice Hoffman

Standalone
272 p.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: Nov. 1, 16
Source: From publisher and NetGalley for review

Growing up on Long Island, Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl until one night an extraordinary tragedy changes her fate. Her best friend’s future is destroyed in an accident, while Shelby walks away with the burden of guilt. 

What happens when a life is turned inside out? When love is something so distant it may as well be a star in the sky? Faithful is the story of a survivor, filled with emotion—from dark suffering to true happiness—a moving portrait of a young woman finding her way in the modern world. A fan of Chinese food, dogs, bookstores, and men she should stay away from, Shelby has to fight her way back to her own future. In New York City she finds a circle of lost and found souls—including an angel who’s been watching over her ever since that fateful icy night. 

Here is a character you will fall in love with, so believable and real and endearing, that she captures both the ache of loneliness and the joy of finding yourself at last. For anyone who’s ever been a hurt teenager, for every mother of a daughter who has lost her way, Faithful is a roadmap.

First... Happy Halloween! Not a part of the review, but wanted everyone to have a fun and safe time. :)

My thoughts:

I wasn't sure if this was going to have an element of magical realism in it or not and in the beginning of the book I was certain it would be more magical. It, in fact, is not and is more about Shelby and how one moment in time can devastate a person and how we harm ourselves more than what anyone else can do to you. As dark as this is, it is also the story to the road back to oneself and figuring out how to value oneself. It isn't a sappy story at all, but one where a woman finds pieces of her self and slowly puts them together.

All characters in the story have a purpose. Even the mysterious ones who you aren't at first sure aren't magical. However, the magic fades but that is a good thing as real life takes over and Shelby find that it isn't others who save her but she who saves herself even though others had a big part to play in it. I think the secondary characters were mostly there so she wouldn't slip further into the dark but to hold her head up until she could do it herself.

If you are an animal lover and love stories where animals get saved, than this book is for you. One of the things that helps Shelby is taking care of a motley crew of mutts she has saved throughout the tale. In saving them she is saving herself and eventually finds a calling though it all.

My biggest problem with the book would be the romance at the end. I think there is so much more to tell there and we get the barest mentions about this relationship. I would have loved that part to be much longer and it really needed to be longer. There were aspects of the boyfriend which mirrored her own and I think it would have enhanced the story further.

Now I will give this book 4 stars but toyed with the idea of knocking off a star for every time this book made me cry. I hate to cry and I had 3 times toward the end where I was crying and needing a tissue. This both makes me love it and hate the book for it. Okay, so I loved the compassion and love through those scenes so I'll be good and leave the rest of the stars up there for the book. *sigh* I do recommend it to those that love a journey story where a character hits close to bottom but finds away to her own redemption. It is also a story filled with rescue animals and humans as well as a bit of art around the edges. I did enjoy my time in the book despite the tissues I needed to get through it.

Wicked Sexy Liar by Christina Lauren with Giveaway!

Series: Wild Seasons #4
384 p.
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 2/2/16
Source: From publisher for review

For two people ambivalent about dating and love, they sure get naked around each other an awful lot ... 

London Hughes is very content to surf daily, tend bar, hang out with her group of friends, and slowly orient herself in the years after college. Everything’s going great and according to the non-plan. 

But when a wave knocks her for a loop one morning, then Luke Sutter’s flirtatious smile knocks her for another that evening, she veers slightly off course…and into his path. Sure, he’s a total player, but the Why not—it’s only one night is a persistent voice in her ear. 

For his part, Luke’s been on hookup autopilot for so long that he rarely ever pauses to consider what he’s doing. But after an amazing time with London, he realizes that he hasn’t been moving on from a devastating heartbreak so much as he’s been drifting to wherever—and whomever—the current takes him. With London he wants more. 

Every relationship involves two people…plus their pasts. And as much as she enjoys her fling with Luke, when London learns about his past—more specifically, who’s in it—everything becomes the brand of complicated she strives to avoid. It’s up to Luke then to change some things in order to try and ensure he’s not something she’ll outright avoid as well.

My thoughts:

Well, from reading the book before this one, I knew I didn't have to read the previous books to get into this one. Although some of the nuances of the characters were a bit more pronounced (since I only read the book before this one) that only means I want to read the first books but you don't have to at all. You could totally slip into this book without reading any of the earlier ones.

I liked the romance and how it played out. Although you know it was going to be more than a one night stand for London, she didn't figure that out until later. Not a huge spoiler since you figure that out quite early. Luke was another matter, but I did enjoy his fall into love for London.

My biggest problems came toward the end. Luke needed to prove by his actions to be trustworthy, but he failed. HOWEVER, he did come around, but for that period of time I really wanted to kick some hiney. I will say that I believe this to be intentional to make it more realistic. So take that problem with a salt lick. :)

I give this book 4 stars. I've really been enjoying this contemporary romance and highly recommend the books (even the one's I haven't read YET) and I plan on reading the other 2.

The publisher has allowed me to giveaway one Wicked Sexy Liar book! US only. Just fill out the rafflecopter form  below to enter to win. 

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Asset by Anna Del Mar

Series: Wounded Warrior #1
Publisher: Carina Press
Published: 2/22/16
Source: NetGalley, Kismet Book Tours and publisher for review.

Ash Hunter knows what it is to run. A SEAL gravely injured in Afghanistan, he’s gone AWOL from the military hospital. Physically and mentally scarred, he returns home to his grandmother’s isolated cottage—and finds a beautiful, haunted stranger inside. 

Like recognizes like. 

Lia Stewart’s in hiding from the cartel she barely escaped alive, holed up in this small Rocky Mountain town. Surviving, but only just. Helping the wounded warrior on her doorstep is the right thing to do…it’s loving him that might get them both killed.
Soon, Ash realizes he’s not the only one tormented by the past. Pushing the limits of his broken body, testing the boundaries of her shattered soul, he’ll protect Lia until his last breath.

My thoughts:

I loved the fact that there were two and not just one wounded character. Both have PTSD and both have to learn how to cope in a world away from the horrors that caused it. Then you add in a dog named Neil who is Ash's service PTSD dog. LOVED him so much. Neil really stole the show quite often and I was glad he did. He also incorporated Lia into his duties and never faltered for either of his humans. He was also the reason they got together. Not really spoiling anything since this is a romance and you knew they would be together at least in one part of the book.

I really loved how each person brought out the other's courage through their own trauma. There was a bit of "fixing" that Ash primarily did with Lia but it wasn't over the top and it was through gaining trust. However...

What I really didn't like was what Ash did toward the end. There was a reason given but I still felt it would have been a betrayal of big proportions. The reasons did not justify the means in this case. I would have felt differently if it was done with permission. It also could have been handled another way. Still despite this problem, I ended up enjoying the book.

I give this one 4 stars. I enjoyed the setting, the animals and for the most part... the romance. :) I recommend it to those that enjoy romantic suspense.

Resolution by J. S. Cooper

Series: Swept Away #3
240 p.
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 12/1/15
Source: From publisher for review

When Bianca and Jakob first awoke on a sandy shore in the middle of nowhere, their thoughts were only concerned with survival. But as they explored their surroundings and tried to find out who left them stranded on the island, electricity surged between them. Soon after, Bianca uncovered clues to her abduction, but was left with even more unanswered questions, especially about Jakob’s true motives… 

Now, Bianca just wants the truth. Nothing was as it seemed, especially with Jakob. As she discovers cross upon double cross, all she can trust is her instinct, her connection with him. So they decide to return to the island in hopes of finally learning the truth. Bianca and Jakob have been thrown together and torn apart by their secrets—but can she trust him enough to rescue her at last?When Bianca and Jakob first awoke on a sandy shore in the middle of nowhere, their thoughts were only concerned with survival. But as they explored their surroundings and tried to find out who left them stranded on the island, electricity surged between them. Soon after, Bianca uncovered clues to her abduction, but was left with even more unanswered questions, especially about Jakob’s true motives… 

Now, Bianca just wants the truth. Nothing was as it seemed, especially with Jakob. As she discovers cross upon double cross, all she can trust is her instinct, her connection with him. So they decide to return to the island in hopes of finally learning the truth. Bianca and Jakob have been thrown together and torn apart by their secrets—but can she trust him enough to rescue her at last?

My thoughts:

I'll make this review short especially since the book was so short. I think that is one of the reasons I didn't mind going on with the series when I wasn't enamored with the first one.

This one was a bit better in the mystery department. Although it was the strongest part of the trilogy, it seemed to lag in the other installments, especially the second book. In this one we go back and forth in the past and in the present and it did help move things along. I still didn't like the romance in the book. I did like Bianca better but not Jakob. Ugh. He could be such a jerk. There was a epilogue with the couple and I actually liked them in it! I just wished the romance was the same in the rest of the book.

I give this book 2 stars.  The mystery was solved for the most part. In fact I was thinking back and realized that the main mystery we started out with (I don't want to spoil so I won't say what) was sorta solved. The characters were satisfied with what they thought happened but no definitive evidence or arrest for that particular crime. Still, I had to think about it before I realized that nugget. :) Otherwise the rest of the twists you did get with the mystery did seem to be resolved.

Audiobook Review with Crafts: Disillusioned by J. S. Cooper

Series: Swept Away #2
Narrated: Carly Robins
6 hrs. 35 min.
Publisher: Tantor Media
Unabridged
Published: 3/31/15
Source: Hoopla/Library

Following on the heels of Illusion, indie sensation and New York Times bestselling author J.S. Cooper brings us the second novel in the Swept Away series, a trilogy of dark and sexy romances about a woman marooned on a desert island with a sexy stranger—but is he friend or foe? 

When Bianca and Jakob awake on a sandy shore in the middle of nowhere, their first thoughts are of survival. But as they explore their surroundings and try to discover who stranded them on the island, they can’t deny the electricity surging between them. Soon it’s more than just a campfire keeping them warm… 

But just as Bianca is starting to trust Jakob, she uncovers a clue to their abduction—and he may know more than he’s letting on. Was Jakob just as surprised as she to find himself alone with her…or could the man she’s fallen for be her captor?

My thoughts:

Well, I thought I'd try this one as well since it was only 6 hrs and I thought that was doable. I am sorry to say that I didn't find the romance or relationship any better than I did in the first book. Same problems and the same issues. Pretty much it goes like this: Bianca trusts Jakob, Bianca and Jakob have a hot time, Bianca gets thrown by something and distrusts Jakob, neither seem to have a clue to trust the other but each demands it from the other, add the mystery and repeat... often. A small progress was done on the mystery and I found that putting it on the fast speed really helped this one for me. It was my friend.

Yea, it is a mission now with me to find out what the heck happened since I have the last book and I'm determined to find out who is pulling their strings when they aren't demanding trust from the other. I give this audio 1 1/2 stars. I did enjoy Carly's narration, however and would listen to another audio by her. Also don't let me dissuade you from these books. A lot of people really enjoyed them so I would check out their reviews or check it out at the library and see if it is for you.

The Crafts!

This was a last minute Christmas gift I was determined to get done. I was sewing on Christmas day! :) This is for our veterinarian who does a lot for my pets and has a wonderful family. He noticed my zombie leash and liked it and so the seed of what was to come was born. :D  The embroidery says (in white) "Zombie Outbreak Response Team" and in red "K9 Unit". I hope he and his family liked it. 

Tough Justice #4-6

Trapped
by Gail Barrett
Series: Tough Justice #4
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kistmet Book Tours, Publisher and NetGalley for review

Can they get out of this investigation alive? 

Special Agent Lara Grant's team are racing against the clock to prove infamous crime boss Moretti is behind a recent series of murders. With each lead ending up in a body bag, Lara's trapped by the weight of her own guilt. How many would still be alive if it weren't for her troubled history with the villain? 

But he won't quit, so neither can Lara. The sniper is the key to finding the link between Moretti and the current cases. But before they can reach him, Moretti hits closer to home than Lara could have imagined…

My Thoughts:

This one really seemed to capture my attention and I finally realized that this serial reminded me of a tv series. One where you are trying to figure out the overall arc, but are presented with a mystery to be solved within the hour... oh and get a glimpse of what needs to be solved in the next. I think that is why the change of authors do not bother me and it felt familiar. I feel like I'm binging on a series. :)

In this one I really need to know what Moretti is playing. I'm even questioning if he has anything directly to do with what is going on. If he doesn't, then why does he know so much. Darn it! I want those answers but I know they won't come until the end. This episode was still very action oriented and I'm still not behind the coupling of Lara and her partner. I'm not against it, but just don't quite feel it yet. Still, too many secrets between the two of them (with one demanding answers but giving none himself) so at this point it doesn't work. Plus, with so much going on, it is hard to have a fully realized romance in the story. This one ends with another bang and I need to know what happens next...

Twisted
by Gail Barrett
Series: Tough Justice #5
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kismet, Publisher, and NetGalley for review

A mission that will turn this case on its head… 

With a sting set for a downtown bar, Special Agent Lara Grant and her team are on high alert to snare the most dangerous man in Manhattan. No one tears their team apart and gets away with it! Their aim: to get the perp's DNA from his shot glass… 

Mission accomplished, but each step forward in the case takes them two steps back into Lara's past—this time, to the years before her undercover assignment, and a family torn apart by a brutal murder. But Lara knows she can focus only on the present. Because when the DNA results come through, they shock the team and rock the very foundations of the case…

My thoughts:

Yea, all I can say is this... I KNEW IT! :D Okay, the reveal here wasn't a total shocker since it was all but told to you in the previous editions, but you never know when they will throw in something you didn't expect. However, if you don't think there was any surprise, you will be mistaken. Now to figure out how all the pieces fit together. Another great addition to this serial.

Ambushed
by Carol Ericson
Series: Tough Justice #6
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kismet, Publisher, and NetGalley for review

A sinister surprise is lying in wait… 

With her trusted team all focused on getting justice, Special Agent Lara Grant is relieved to finally see some progress, even if their investigation has now turned to delving into some gruesome events from over twenty years ago. 

An exhumation is necessary to unravel all the knots of this case, but Lara is surprised by how close their quarry is… In fact, he's just one step ahead, almost teasing them by how near he is…

My thoughts:

Oh this one not only has us feeling like things might actually get solved, there are a few surprises thrown in for good measure. I was questioning one aspect of the storyline and I think I was right! It was a small niggle and the fact that I read so many thrillers and watch them, I picked up on it. Yes, I know I could be a detective... if it was on tv. LOL Oh I can feel the ending and everything coming together. Immediately picking up the next one.

Don't forget that the blog tour is going on now for these books w/ international giveaway:

Just click on the pic above to go to the post here!

Tough Justice # 1-3

I decided to break these up into sections of the serial since I will review them separately on NetGalley. I'm doing more than one post on them since otherwise it would seem impossibly long. I'll try to keep the review sections short.

Exposed
Series: Tough Justice #1
by Carla Cassidy
85 p.
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: From Kismet Book Tour, Publisher and NetGalley for review

A new job. A new case. A new criminal... ? 

Special Agent Lara Grant will do anything to get her mark - until her last undercover case, infiltrating the notorious Moretti crime ring, forced her to get close to the top. Way. Too. Close... 

Now starting a new job in New York City, all Lara wants is to leave the ghosts of her past behind. Until a dramatic sniper attack leaves Lara's face - and real name - all over the media. In the blink of an eye, her cover is blown, her identity exposed. 

Then a woman's body is found, branded with the ritual Moretti tattoo. Someone knows who Lara is... and exactly how to make her pay...

My thoughts:

I normally don't do serials since I hate getting snippets of stories doled out at a snail's pace (can you say impatient?) but since these were all out and they were done by different authors, I was curious.

This series started out with a bang. As I was reading, I didn't think I'd get into Laura's character but as the book went on (and it was short) I found myself rooting for her. When the end came... and it ended with a "bang" and a cliffie (I have the next one YES!) I was totally captivated and I have to know what happens next. If you try this one (and it is free at the time of writing the review) get the second book. You don't want to be left hanging! :) It was a good start to this serial.

Watched
Series: Tough Justice #2
by Tyler Anne Snell
89 p.
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kismet Book Tours, Publisher and NetGalley for review

He's got his eye on her…and won't quit until she's dead! 

Special Agent Lara Grant is back in her enemy's sights, but this time she's not alone. She has a brand-new team and Lara knows she'll need to trust them with her life. Starting now. 

When a lead becomes a victim, Lara and her team are thrown. Lara put Moretti away for life—so how can a guy who is still in prison be pulling strings? There's only one way to find out. 

But when Lara comes face-to-face with the monster from her past, will she get answers? Or unleash hell? 

Part 2 of 8 in the chilling, high-octane FBI thriller TOUGH JUSTICE from New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy and authors Tyler Anne Snell, Carol Ericson and Gail Barrett.

My thoughts:

This one picked up right where the last one left off and didn't leave you hanging for answers to the last chapter of the last book. Thank goodness! :) It starts with a bang and doesn't quite let you catch your breath. The "flavor" of the character Laura was a bit different. While she was very rigid in the last book, she seemed more reckless. Not so much that she frustrated you, but just enough to see the difference in how the character was portrayed. It didn't bother me as it also felt like we got to know her better and that is why we perceived a change in her. This one also ends with a bit of a cliffie, but not as brutal as the last one. Still a good addition to this story.

Burned
Series: Tough Justice #3
by Carol Ericson
83 p.
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kismet Book Tours, Publisher and NetGalley for review

She burned Moretti…now it's his turn. 

Destroying Moretti was Special Agent Lara Grant's biggest coup, but she paid a heavy price to make the bust. She'll do anything to keep him—and her secrets—behind bars.
But Lara knows he's playing the FBI like a maestro even from jail. So when her boss's daughter is kidnapped, it's personal…and not just for Lara. 

With the team at breaking point, it's up to Lara to keep everyone focused. Until a chilling photo is delivered to her home address. Moretti knows where she lives. And he knows what she's hiding…

My thoughts:

I am thinking I can sense a change in the "flavor" of the characters through each author, but admittedly I'm not sure if that is because I'm aware of the change in author. I will say this, even though I can "feel" the change it doesn't bother me and it does bring out something in the characters and the secondary characters because of the difference. I like it. :)

Although I do perceive a change, the action and the author is true when keeping to the overall arc of the storyline. This one also ends at a sort of cliffie, but it is okay since all the books are out and it is more like getting a slice of the pie and knowing you can have the rest later (without bad consequences, of course... LOL). This one seemed to bring in a bit more of the team, but none of the big questions are answered. However all immediate questions are as they are in each addition to the story. I'm getting more curious about Moretti and want to know exactly what his role with Lara was in the past. I'm not the only one wanting to know, it has become a sore spot with her partner as well.

Onto the next...

Don't forget that the blog tour is going on now for these books w/international giveaway:

Just click on the pic above to go to the post here!

Audiobook Review with Crafts: Illusion by J. S. Cooper

Series: Swept Away #1
Narrator: Carly Robins
Unabridged
8 hrs. 50 min.
Publisher: Audible
Published 3/10/2015
Source: Library/Hoopla

The day started like every other day... 

One morning, Bianca London found herself locked up in a van with a strange man. Ten hours later, she and the man woke up on a deserted island, with no recollection as to how they got there. Bianca has no idea what is going on and her attraction to the man is the only thing that is keeping her fear at bay. 

The night ended like every other night... 

Jakob Bradley, wanted nothing to do with the strange woman he had been imprisoned on the island with. He was more concerned in figuring out why they had been put on the island and how they could get off. He didn’t care that as the days went by he was starting to enjoy her company more and more. 

But was everything as it seemed? 

Bianca and Jakob find themselves trying to figure out how they may be connected, but as they grow closer, secrets start being revealed that may destroy everything they thought they knew about each other and their budding love.

My thoughts:

Well, I received the 3rd book in the mail so I decided to try the first two books on audio to catch up. I could tell I needed to read these books in order. I was unsure how I would like it as I saw that it didn't quite meet up to expectations with other bloggers I trusted.

Well, I get why it didn't meet expectations. Even with my lowered expectations I got an eye workout. I know that might sound confusing when it is an audiobook, but my constant eyerolling at the characters and what happened to them gave me that workout. I was also frequently heard saying, "Really?!" and "No Kidding!" Yea, it wasn't the best audio experience I've had. 

I did like Carly's narration. That wasn't the problem, I just didn't like the characters. Bianca went from TSTL to intelligently sussing out the problems within the stories she was given. If there was more intelligence than TSTL, then I would have like it better. I also didn't like Jakob. He went from creepy stalker dude, to rapey in his statements to total gentleman. Yea, no consistency in either character. Therefore when it came time that these two really came together, it was just awkward. No real chemistry. It was not smexy at all and I would have ffwd these parts if I could have (I was in the middle of a project and so couldn't easily ffwd it). What kept me going was the mystery. Why were they on the island and what was going on. Only thing that seemed to work in the book and yet even that stretched my endurance. However, it did keep me from dnf'ing the book.

I give this audio 1 1/2 stars.Yea, I am listening to the second book. Like I said the mystery is what kept me going and while you don't get answers the book is short enough that I was willing to continue with the next short book. I'm determined to know what the heck is going on. I just hope I can make it through the second book. I do think that this book is good for some romance audiences, it just wasn't for me.

The Crafts!

This was for a Christmas pressie to the mom of the newest family member. It is a "Pram Caddy" by Muffy Duck Designs. The horse head is a free motion appliqué design by Winter Wear Designs. I reduced the size of the horse by 50% to fit on the lid. It was my first one and I had fun doing it. You cut out different aspects of the design in different fabrics and then outline with your sewing machine like you are sketching on the machine. I want to do more of them. I had to change a few small details (like the nostrils) but not much else. I hope she liked it.

A Murder in Mohair by Anne Canadeo

Series: A Black Sheep Knitting Mystery #8
304 p.
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 12/1/15
Source: From publisher for review

In Anne Canadeo's cozy eighth Black Sheep Knitting Mystery, a cold-hearted murder in Plum Harbor leads the knitters to investigate a new psychic who may be far more dangerous than she seems… 

When Jimmy Hubbard, the manager of the local cinema, is murdered in a robbery gone wrong, the residents of Plum Harbor are mystified. Everyone liked Jimmy, and the struggling theater seems an unlikely target for burglars. 

The Black Sheep Knitters are surprised and saddened by the crime, but are more suspicious of psychic-medium Isabel Waters, who has recently set up shop in town. Isabel has hoodwinked one of their friends into shelling out big money every week to keep the memory of a lost loved one alive. Determined to reveal Isabel as a fraud, the knitters are pulled in the web of Isabel’s world and find themselves in a tangle of secrets and lies. They must solve two murders before the truth about all of Isabel’s clients—past and present—are revealed. 

As in her previous books A Dark and Stormy Knit, The Silence of the Llamas, and Knit, Purl, Die—which Publishers Weekly praised for its “fast-paced plot that will keep even non-knitters turning the pages”—Canadeo brings her trademark style to this entertaining mystery that will psych you out and leave you wanting more.

My thoughts:

I haven't read the other books, but often you can come into a middle of a long running cozy mystery series and not feel too far behind. I felt that way here. While it was obvious that I missed some other shenanigans that happened to the group (or specific individuals) I didn't feel lost and so enjoyed the murder mystery unfolding in front of me.

The first murder happened and I immediately knew that several members of the knitting group involve themselves into what goes on in the town. Not just because it is a cozy mystery and that kind of thing is standard, but because the town's police were both at once annoyed, cautioned, and curious about what these ladies would think. They didn't want them involved but at least listened to a sound theory. I liked that because either the police seem to be totally bumbling and don't know what to do with a donut or so hard that you cannot like them. This was a nice balance in a small town where everyone seems to know everything.

The mystery doesn't twist too much that the end is unbelievable but it doesn't quite flow with the rest of the mystery. It does make sense but it just feels like there wasn't enough connection to those that "did it". Perhaps this is where reading the earlier books in the series would come in handy, but it also seemed that the characters most involved had just come to the town in the book previous to this one. At least that is what I lead to believe. However, despite this, I did enjoy the twist ending.

I give this book 3 1/2 stars. It is a good cozy and even though it is a knitting group, food is a big part of the story so those who love recipes at the end of the book will not be disappointed.

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

Standalone
336 p.
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: 11/3/15
Source: From publisher for review

In 1939, as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis, young Alma Belasco's parents send her away to live in safety with an aunt and uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco. There, as the rest of the world goes to war, she encounters Ichimei Fukuda, the quiet and gentle son of the family's Japanese gardener. Unnoticed by those around them, a tender love affair begins to blossom. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the two are cruelly pulled apart as Ichimei and his family, like thousands of other Japanese Americans are declared enemies and forcibly relocated to internment camps run by the United States government. Throughout their lifetimes, Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again, but theirs is a love that they are forever forced to hide from the world. 

Decades later, Alma is nearing the end of her long and eventful life. Irina Bazili, a care worker struggling to come to terms with her own troubled past, meets the elderly woman and her grandson, Seth, at San Francisco's charmingly eccentric Lark House nursing home. As Irina and Seth forge a friendship, they become intrigued by a series of mysterious gifts and letters sent to Alma, eventually learning about Ichimei and this extraordinary secret passion that has endured for nearly seventy years. 

Sweeping through time and spanning generations and continents, The Japanese Lover explores questions of identity, abandonment, redemption, and the unknowable impact of fate on our lives. Written with the same attention to historical detail and keen understanding of her characters that Isabel Allende has been known for since her landmark first novel The House of the Spirits, The Japanese Lover is a profoundly moving tribute to the constancy of the human heart in a world of unceasing change.

My thoughts:

This is a book that really speaks to the times we are having right now. I don't know if Isabel Allende foresaw what would happen or if it was just the subject matter that spoke to her, but I feel that this hits on so many levels in the here and now and what is happening in the world.

She tackles the interment of both the Jewish people and Japanese Americans. Both shameful parts of both world and American history. She hit so many levels that at times I became angry since I see the world on the precipice of making the same mistakes. Things we should have learned. The author reiterates the attitudes of fear and detachment that caused people to turn their backs on those being tortured and terrorized and then turn on it's own citizens. Things that we need to see again through the eyes of history so we can become better world citizens and compassionate human beings.

The book just doesn't bring these things back into the light from the dark, but it also tells a story of true love and what we do to get in our own way. Interracial relationships are obviously a big part of this as you can tell from the title, but also other kinds of relationships just now seeing the light. The author also tackles what it meant to be gay in the 80s. She also brings in sex trafficking if that isn't enough issues for you to deal with in this short novel. However, thoughout the whole story you never feel overwhelmed by the subject matter because all the characters are so well rounded. I do seem to be more attached to Alma (who represents the past) than Irina (the present) but both brought me through the story in a way that kept my interest and actually find hope for the future. Ichimei and Seth also brought a lot to the story by mostly being present and bringing a different perspective to the table. The characters really made this book.

I give this boo 4 1/2 stars. I find this an interesting perspective not just of the past but also for the times we currently live.

Dark and Wild Night by Christina Lauren

Series: Wild Seasons #3
338 p.
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 9/15/15
Source: From publisher for review

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. 

But what didn't happen in Vegas seems to follow them everywhere.

Lola and Oliver like to congratulate themselves on having the good sense to not consummate their drunken Las Vegas wedding. If they’d doubled-down on that mistake, their Just Friends situation might not be half as great as it is now. 

... Or so goes the official line. 

In reality, Lola’s wanted Oliver since day one—and over time has only fallen harder for his sexy Aussie accent and easygoing ability to take her as she comes. More at home in her studio than in baring herself to people, Lola’s instinctive comfort around Oliver nearly seems too good to be true. So why ruin a good thing? 

Even as geek girls fawn over him, Oliver can’t get his mind off what he didn’t do with Lola when he had the chance. He knows what he wants with her now ... and it’s far outside the friend zone. When Lola’s graphic novel starts getting national acclaim—and is then fast-tracked for a major motion picture—Oliver steps up to be there for her whenever she needs him. After all, she’s not the kind of girl who likes all that attention, but maybe she’s the kind who’ll eventually like him. 

Sometimes seeing what’s right in front of us takes a great leap of faith. And sometimes a dark wild night in Vegas isn’t just the end of a day, but the beginning of a bright new life...

My thoughts:

I've heard so much about this author and have wanted to try her books. When this came in the mail for me to review I was excited. I was a bit worried that jumping into the series would confuse me but not worries, you can jump into this book without having read the others that preceded it.

Well, Lola is an artist of graphic novels and Oliver is a proprietor of comic books and the like. It made sense that they would have so much in common and it was no surprise that they would have crushes on each other. There is tension and there is frustration at the beginning for the reader because you can see both like each other but don't know how to proceed. Neither wants to ruin the friendship they have currently. Oh and yes, we get both POVs so we can see and not just guess how much Oliver likes, loves and respects Lola.

It is here where the book shines. I think Oliver's POV made the book for me. I loved Lola and how she was intelligent about what she was going through with her career but she lacked in emotional intelligence when it came to relationships. Oliver is aware and takes it slowly. What made me love him isn't how he took care when it came to Lola (although it did help) but when he respected and trusted her enough to save herself when she got herself in a bind. He wanted to save her but knew she could do it on her own and what that would mean to her. He was content to just be a sounding board and support. Oh yea, swoon worthy indeed!

I give this book 4 1/2 stars. It also has a LOT of sizzle for those that like it hot and steamy but also has a great relationship story with all the frustrations and victories that we enjoy in a romance. I highly recommend it and it is a great addition to the romantic genre.

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett

Standalone
304 p.
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Published: 11/3/15
Source: NetGalley and publisher for review

Artist Beatrix Adams knows exactly how she's spending the summer before her senior year. Determined to follow in Leonardo da Vinci’s footsteps, she's ready to tackle the one thing that will give her an advantage in a museum-sponsored scholarship contest: drawing actual cadavers. But when she tries to sneak her way into the hospital’s Willed Body program and misses the last metro train home, she meets a boy who turns her summer plans upside down. 

Jack is charming, wildly attractive . . . and possibly one of San Francisco’s most notorious graffiti artists. On midnight buses and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who Jack really is—and tries to uncover what he’s hiding that leaves him so wounded. But will these secrets come back to haunt him? Or will the skeletons in Beatrix’s own family’s closet tear them apart?

My thoughts:

One thing that can get me to read contemporary fiction is art. This one has at least 2 artists in it so I knew I was good to go. Plus, Jen Bennett? I ADORED her Arcadia Bell series (adult) so picking this book up with those two things going for it was a no brainer.

I was not disappointed with this book. While there were things in it that made you want to check the Bex and Jack's IQ, there were also times when I thought... "well, they are more mature than I would have been!" Both have lots of love and compassion going for them so they make a great couple. I found the romance to be a bit fast but I wouldn't say it was insta-love. You really root for them in the end and yes, I will say this... you do get an HEA that feels solid.

I give this book 4 1/2 stars. If you enjoy contemporary with an arty slant, pick up this book! I would say that this is YA (both HS seniors) but it does deal with some adult issues. I would say this is for the older YA crowd as well as NA. I recommend it to those that enjoy a good contemporary romance.

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

Standalone
320 p.
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Published: 9/1/15
Source: NetGalley and publisher for review

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla. 

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. 

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

My thoughts:
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. On the good side I loved the main character. I also loved that she is mixed race. I also loved the format in which the story is told. We get a lot of Maddy's drawings and doodlings which really brings her inner life to the forefront. This is unusually told and I really loved that about this book.

However, the unusual parts stop there.

I figured out what was going on really early on. First, confusing "allergic to the world" with extreme immunodeficiency was the key. To put it plainly, one process is the lack of a properly working immune system (or underreaction) and the other is an overreaction of the immune system. This was my first red flag and at this point I was more worried that it wasn't well researched. I also understand that not everyone would catch this, but for Maddy who has a rare disorder or disease I'm sure she would know all the ins and outs of her disorder. Maddy didn't seem to know much about it and she was smart and precocious. Too many blanks and mysteries when it came to her disease. My guess is that she would have learned everything about it to solve that puzzle. Why didn't she know of alternative treatments even if her mother disapproved? There were other red flags but that was the first and the most blatant. So, therefore, I knew what I was getting and that part seemed to follow the formula (I'm trying not to spoil so I say "formula" here). I wasn't surprised with the rest of the book. I should also mentioned that because of the formula, the research I worried about need not apply.

I did love the ending but I did wish for something more. I was hoping this one would be different. While the execution was different and inspired, the content followed expectations. I would read another book by this author however and I do recommend this book. I do love her imagination. I give this book 3 stars.

We Never Asked for Wings by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Standalone
320 p.
Publisher: Ballentine Books
Published: 8/18/15
Source: NetGalley and Publisher for review

From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Language of Flowers comes her much-anticipated new novel about young love, hard choices, and hope against all odds. 

For fourteen years, Letty Espinosa has worked three jobs around San Francisco to make ends meet while her mother raised her children—Alex, now fifteen, and Luna, six—in their tiny apartment on a forgotten spit of wetlands near the bay. But now Letty’s parents are returning to Mexico, and Letty must step up and become a mother for the first time in her life. 

Navigating this new terrain is challenging for Letty, especially as Luna desperately misses her grandparents and Alex, who is falling in love with a classmate, is unwilling to give his mother a chance. Letty comes up with a plan to help the family escape the dangerous neighborhood and heartbreaking injustice that have marked their lives, but one wrong move could jeopardize everything she’s worked for and her family’s fragile hopes for the future. 

Vanessa Diffenbaugh blends gorgeous prose with compelling themes of motherhood, undocumented immigration, and the American Dream in a powerful and prescient story about family.

My thoughts:
I don't read too many contemporaries, and when I do I often look for those with a specific cultural perspective or something to do with creativity (art, music, etc). This one had both. While the art aspect was really more in the background it did give a constant in which the characters revolved. The art was Letty's father's feather work which he turned into artwork mosaics. This isn't a story about art, but about finding one's own way through the confines and expressions of our past and our parent's past.

The cultural aspect was one of illegal immigration. While people often have strong opinions on this subject, you rarely hear it with any real knowledge of the situation. While this book tackles it, it does not give you a side to adhere, but a perspective to consider. Again, this was important but not as important as the characters growth into maturity.

I give this book 4 stars. It seems well researched and I love how all characters achieved growth. All of the characters had real problems they all thought they couldn't conquer, but knew the only way was forward and so chose that option. I recommend it to those that enjoy contemporary stories as well as those that enjoy chick lit. I think it would work equally well for those genres.

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

Standalone
400 p.
Publisher: Crown
Published: 6/23/15
Source: Blogging for Books for review

“There are books that are suitable for a million people, others for only a hundred. There are even remedies—I mean books—that were written for one person only…A book is both medic and medicine at once. It makes a diagnosis as well as offering therapy. Putting the right novels to the appropriate ailments: that’s how I sell books.”

Monsieur Perdu calls himself a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life. Using his intuitive feel for the exact book a reader needs, Perdu mends broken hearts and souls. The only person he can't seem to heal through literature is himself; he's still haunted by heartbreak after his great love disappeared. She left him with only a letter, which he has never opened.

After Perdu is finally tempted to read the letter, he hauls anchor and departs on a mission to the south of France, hoping to make peace with his loss and discover the end of the story. Joined by a bestselling but blocked author and a lovelorn Italian chef, Perdu travels along the country’s rivers, dispensing his wisdom and his books, showing that the literary world can take the human soul on a journey to heal itself.

Internationally bestselling and filled with warmth and adventure, The Little Paris Bookshop is a love letter to books, meant for anyone who believes in the power of stories to shape people's lives.

My thoughts:

This book sounded like a mix of magical realism with books! How could I resist. I had to review this one. :)

The book did have the magical realism aspect. That kind of etherial quality to it that makes unusual things happen. We are to marvel at it and move on as if it should be an expected part of life. In fact, it reminded me of Chocolat where Vianne can tell their favorite chocolate or what sweetness to life was missing from the person visiting her shoppe. It is the same here. Perdu can tell you what book you need in your life by a few questions and intuition. He is an literary apothecary which brings books to those who are in need. However, who helps the helper when it is needed?

The book's adventure really starts when it is Perdu's time to go forth and find something through books and beyond books to find what he has lost. This is a story about forgiveness, loss, redemption, and finding your own HEA. In fact, this story has more than one HEA.

I think my only complaint was that it at times felt a bit uneven in the pacing and that there were spots where I felt it jumped a bit in the story. It may have been just me, but I wonder since I do believe this is a translated version of the book, Das Lavendelzimmer, the original title.

I give this book 3 1/2 stars and recommend it to those that enjoy magical realism and moving on in life.