#The Promise of Us by Jamie Beck–Review -4 Stars-#NetGalley

Mar7

the promise of us.jpgNew from Jamie Beck–The Promise of Us–Coming 4/9/19

 

Claire has had a crush on her best friend’s brother, Logan, for forever.  Claire never thought, however, that she would ever be the recipient of his tender attentions. And, although Claire’s romantic fantasies, thrived, whenever, she was in Logan’s arms, Claire did her best, to hold onto her heart. Because, Claire knew, that she was not Logan’s type. Logan dated adventurous, beautiful women, who wanted nothing more than a casual fling. And, that was so not Claire. So why was Logan playing with her heart? 

Claire’s best friend, Peyton, Logan’s sister, had done the unthinkable to Claire. She had stolen Claire’s boyfriend, Todd.  Unfortunately, that was not the only tragic event that crushed Claire’s spirit. Claire was also the victim of a violent crime that affected her mind, as well as her body.

If Logan could have any woman he wanted, why was he interested in Claire? Were Logan’s motives pure? Claire didn’t think so. Claire, Peyton, and Logan experienced hard life-lessons in this book. Loyalty, forgiveness, and acceptance did not come easy, especially for Claire. 

The Promise of Us is a thought-provoking, captivating novel, filled with love and romance.

Thank you, Montlake Romance and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy.

~4 out of 5 stars~

 

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Bio (from author’s page on Amazon)

National bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than two million copies. She is a Booksellers’ Best Award and National Readers’ Choice Award finalist, and critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing novels, she enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking and hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family. 

Fans can learn more about her on the web (www.jamiebeck.com), which includes a fun extras page with photos, videos, and playlists. She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook.       

 

 

#The Ash Family by Molly Dektar–Review 4-Stars-#NetGalley

Mar6

The Ash Family::.jpg 850.jpgNew Release-The Ash Family-by Molly Dektar—4/9/19

 

Nineteen-year-old Berie was on her way to college when a charismatic man, she met, changed her mind. Bay represented everything that Berie was looking for, freedom, saving the environment, and belonging to a family. Even though Beri’s mother worked, scraped, and sacrificed to send her daughter to college, Berie followed her new friend Bay, instead. 

Beri was told she could stay at the Ash farm for three days or for the rest of her life. When Beri decided to stay on, she was accepted into the Ash family and given a new name. It was a culture shock, at first, for Beri, when she was required to relinquish her possessions, work long hours on the farm, and bathe only once a week. But, once Beri, aka Harmony, had the new routine down, she felt good. And, the longer Harmony stayed, the more comfortable she became with the leader’s strange thinking, and the Ash family’s backward way of doing things. It was all wonderful until Harmony realized that when people left the farm, they usually didn’t survive. 

I enjoyed this book and found the storyline fascinating. I am always amazed at how easy it is for some people to accept a cult’s teaching and then become trapped in that lifestyle. A friend tried to help Harmony escape, but it was the Ash family’s leader who had Harmony’s loyalty. 

Thank you,  Simon & Schuster and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy.

~4 out of 5 stars~

 

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Bio (from author’s page on Amazon)

Molly Dektar is from North Carolina and lives in Brooklyn. She received her MFA from Brooklyn College, where she was awarded the Himan Brown Award and the Brooklyn College Scholarship for Fiction. She is a graduate of Harvard College and was the recipient of the Louis Begley Fiction Prize, the David McCord Prize for the Arts, and the Charles Edmund Horman Prize for Creative Writing. The Ash Family is her first novel.

 

 

#The Night Visitors by Carol Goodman–Review–5 Stars!

Mar5

The Night Visitors:::.jpg 850.jpgDon’t Miss This Outstanding Novel by Carol Goodman-Coming 3/26/19

 

 

The Night Visitors is a compelling thriller, chilling, and unputdownable. I was hooked, from the very first page. 

Alice and ten-year-old Oren were running from abuse. Oren’s father, Davis, had hit his son and Alice for the last time. Alice had been warned, however, that if she ever took Oren away from him, he would hunt her down and kill her. But, what choice did she have? Davis was going to kill her and possibly Oren, anyway.

Oren was extraordinarily sensitive to people around him, and wise beyond his years. Alice didn’t understand how Oren knew the things he did. But, Alice didn’t ask him. She was afraid of the answers that she might receive. That was probably a good thing, since Oren, was also sensitive, to ghosts.

When Mattie a fifty-plus-year-old social worker invited Alice and Oren into her home, Alice was not comfortable. She had a strong feeling that Mattie was hiding something important from her. And, Mattie felt the same about Alice. Unbeknownst to Mattie, however, Alice and Oren were not the only visitors spending time, in her big old house. But, only Oren was aware of that. 

 This book is twisty, perfectly paced, and brilliant. I loved it.

Thank you, William Morrow Publishing and Carol Goodman, for my advanced review copy. I loved it!

~5 out of 5 shining stars~

 

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Bio (from author’s page on Amazon)

Carol Goodman graduated from Vassar College, where she majored in Latin. After teaching Latin for several years, she studied for an MFA in Fiction. She is the author of twenty novels, including The Lake of Dead Languages and The Seduction of Water, which won the 2003 Hammett Prize, and, under the pseudonym Juliet Dark, The Demon Lover, which Booklist named a top ten science fiction/fantasy book for 2012. Her YA novel, Blythewood, was named a best young adult novel by the American Library Association. Her 2017 suspense thriller The Widow’s House won the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Her books have been translated into sixteen languages. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her family, and teaches writing and literature at The New School and SUNY New Paltz.

 

#The Liar’s Child by Carla Buckley–Review 4.5 Stars–#NetGalley

Mar4

the liar's child::.jpg 850.jpgNew Exciting Thriller by Carla Buckley– Out 3/12/19!

 

 

The Liar’s Child is a well-written and compelling thriller. This story grabbed my attention and kept me engrossed until the very end.

Sara didn’t want to go to jail. So, she struck a deal with the FBI and played by their rules. Mostly. She took on a new identity, relocated to the Outer Banks, made herself invisible, and promised to testify in court. She found the FBI’s monitoring of her every movement, however, irritating and restricting. Sara stretched the FBI’s leash on a regular basis trying to find a way to break free.

When a category three hurricane hit the Outer Banks, Sara found her escape. But just as she was putting her plan into action, she spotted her neighbor’s kids, stranded. Sara tried to convince herself that having kids with her would work to her advantage, and throw the FBI off. It soon became evident, however, to Sara, that Cassie and Boon were more of a liability to her escape than anything else. She had a decision to make. Does she save herself or the children?

The Liar’s Child is a captivating psychological thriller, crafted with fascinating, complex characters, a clever plot, and lots of twists and surprises. This is the first book that I’ve read by this author, but it won’t be my last. Very well, done.

Thank you, Ballantine Books and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy.

~4.5 out of 5 stars~

 

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#In The Blink Of An Eye by Jesse Blackadder-Review 5-Stars #NetGalley

Feb22

In the blink of an eye::.jpg 850.jpgFive-Star Novel by Jesse Blackadder–Coming 3/19/19

 

In The Blink Of An Eye is a beautifully written poignant story about the Brennan family and how each member survived after being crushed by a catastrophic loss. 

After being betrayed, Bridget decided that a move to, far away subtropical Murwillumbah, NSW was necessary. Fifteen-year-old Jarred and two-year-old Toby had no say, in the matter. And, Finn, didn’t dare voice his opinion.  

The Brennan’s were just finding their rhythm and enjoying their new start in life, when a tragedy, so great, struck, forever changing each one of their lives.  

To protect his wife, from crumbling under the heavy weight of guilt, Finn took the blame for the horrific accident. Bridget could hardly look at Finn, and banned him, from their marital bed. Jarred coped by withdrawing into his lonely adolescent existence. That was, until a friend, comforted Jarred; opening his eyes, shattering his world, but setting him onto the road to acceptance. 

In The Blink Of An Eye is a gripping, heartwrenching story, crafted with larger-than-life characters, raw emotion, and hope. Although this story is poignant, it is also heartfelt and enlightening. Bridget bathes in the healing love of Finn’s selfless sacrifice, Finn rejoices in Bridget’s forgiveness, and Jarred discovers freedom in acceptance. And I, closed this bittersweet book, with a smile on my face. This is the first book that I have read by this talented author, but it won’t be my last. Highly recommended.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy. I loved it.

~5 out of 5 stars~

 

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Bio (from author’s page on Amazon)

Yes, Jesse Blackadder really was born with that surname. An award-winning novelist, freelance writer and budding screenwriter, she is fascinated by landscapes, adventurous women and really cold places.

Jesse’s forthcoming novel ‘In the Blink of an Eye’ is being published by St Martins Press in March 2019. (It was published in Australia as ‘Sixty Seconds’ by HarperCollins in 2017). The novel was inspired by her childhood experience of her sister’s death in a swimming pool. 

Jesse has recently been jointly awarded the 2018 Australian Antarctic Arts Fellowship to write a television series and a junior novel series set in Antarctica, in partnership with screenwriter Jane Allen. The pair will live at Mawson Station over the 2018/19 summer.

‘Chasing the Light’ (2013), is historical fiction based on the true but forgotten story of the first women to reach Antarctica. Jesse won her first Australian Antarctic Arts Fellowship in 2011 and travelled to Antarctica to research the novel. 

Jesse’s novel, The Raven’s Heart, came about when she’d finally had enough of people asking if she was related to Rowan Atkinson. She travelled to Scotland to find the origins of the Blackadder surname and discovered the ruins of Blackadder House on the banks of the Blackadder River. 

Her first novel, After the Party (Hardie Grant Books 2005), made the Australian Book Review list of all time favourite Australian novels in 2010.

Jesse has been a writer in residence in Sitka Alaska, in the Australian outback and at Byron Bay, and has been a fellow three times at Varuna The Writers’ House, Australia’s leading residential program for writers. She has a Doctor of Creative Arts from the University of Western Sydney. Born in Sydney, she now lives near Byron Bay on Australia’s east coast. For more about Jesse please see her website at www.jesseblackadder.com

 

 

 

#The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer–Review 5 Stars–#NetGalley

Feb20

Things We Can Not Say 850.jpgOutstanding Historical Fiction Novel by Kelly Rimmer–Coming 3/19/19

 

The Things We Cannot Say is a bittersweet, unforgettable, and superbly-written novel. It takes place during the 1930s in Nazi-occupied Poland, and also in modern-day, America. This powerful novel is about loyalty, love, sacrifice, and perseverance. I quickly fell in love with the main characters and became engrossed in their lives. I was transported into the story with ease and found the book impossible to put down. I have never been disappointed by this talented and amazing author, and I don’t think that you will either.

In occupied Poland, the author develops for the reader, three main characters, Alina Dziak, her fiance`, Tomasz, and Saul, Tomasz’s friend. The author pens her larger-than-life scenes with enough authentic details that I felt as if I was living in occupied Poland. My anguished heart broke as I experienced life under the Nazis, as a Jew, a Catholic, and a rebellious outlaw.

The author transitions the reader into modern-day American life, seamlessly, with the same emotional pull and realism as she had with occupied Poland. With this portion of the book, however, the story revolves around Alina’s granddaughter, Alice, and her struggles with, Eddie, her beautiful but challenging autistic son, an absent but loving husband, and an entitled genius daughter. I loved many characters in this book, but my absolute favorite was Eddie. And in the end, it was Eddie’s words that brought me to tears.

 This book is a quality read, thought-provoking, and heartwrenching. I highly recommend it. —Five shining stars— from this reader.

Thank you, Graydon House Publishing and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy. I absolutely loved it!

~5 out of 5 stars~

 

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Bio (from author’s page on Amazon)

Kelly Rimmer is the USA Today best selling author of contemporary fiction novels including Me Without You, The Secret Daughter, When I Lost You, A Mother’s Confession and her most recent release, Before I Let You Go. She lives in rural Australia with her family.

For further information about Kelly’s books, and to subscribe to her mailing list, visit http://www.kellyrimmer.com.

 

 

#Ringside at the Circus of the Fallen by Roy M. Griffis–Review–4 Stars

Feb15

Ringside 850.jpgRoy M. Griffis’s Newest Release

 

Ringside at the Circus of the Fallen is the latest historical fiction novel in the, By The Hands of Men Series. It’s best to read these compelling books in order because each novel builds upon the one prior to it.  

Charlotte Braninov, a Russian nurse and Lieutenant Robert Fitzgerald, an English soldier, met for the first time, during the Great War, in France. Although they fell deeply in love with one another, unforeseen circumstances pulled them apart; leaving them both heartbroken. During their forced separation, Robert was told that his beloved Charlotte had died. And Charlotte assumed that she had been replaced because when they finally did see one another again, Robert ignored her. Charlotte wouldn’t learn until it was too late, that Robert had been suffering from an illness that caused temporary amnesia, at the time.

 In this latest novel, Charlotte and Robert find one another again. Their years apart had been difficult for them, however, leaving them both scarred. Robert spent years in Africa trying to heal his wounded soul by caring for exotic animals. And Charlotte’s scars ran deep after witnessing and being the recipient of monstrous abuse from the Russian Red Army.  Although she finally did escape, Charlotte was forever changed. But the one thing that remained constant for both Robert and Charlotte was their deep love for one another.  And in the end, that was all that mattered.

Thank you, Roy Griffis, for my complimentary copy of Ringside At The Circus of the Fallen.

~4 out of 5 stars~

 

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Bio (from the author’s page of Amazon)

I decided I wanted to be a writer when I was ten, and I’ve never looked back.

Along the way, I’ve done all the usual starving writer jobs: waiter, janitor, worked in a bookstore. In between that and college, I became the 62nd Aviation Rescue Swimmer in the US Coast Guard. 

But I’ve always written. In the broom closet or the ship’s galley underway, in the barracks and at my cubicle over lunchtime. Short stories, poetry, plays, screenplays (one of them winning “The John Milius Screenwriting Award” in 2018), and novels.

My current novels include my “By the Hands of Men” series, the globe-circling saga of a passionate, enduring love that begins in World War One and concludes in America in the 1930s. Concurrently, I have written a series journeying through a contemporary, post-apocalypse American shattered by attacks from within and without (“The Lonesome George Chronicles”). 

Regardless of the subject or the setting, I deliver gripping, emotionally immersive work that transports the reader to another time and place. At least, that’s what my readers have said on Amazon.

You can learn more about me at roymgriffis.com.