The River Between

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003AUTEI6/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  3 stars

This story would have been extremely enjoyable for me had it not been the extremely Christian overtones running through it.  Yes, I understand that it is a period novel, and religion was more of a prominent discussion then, but there is a point where religion becomes preaching.  I don't like my books to preach to me.  The characters were interesting, although I found the main character somewhat of a user, leading on the men she was involved with and then crying when something went wrong.  It is only remotely historical, with snippets here and there mentioning the Civil War.  It was an all right read, but it was very slow to get into, and I almost gave up, but kept reading.  Read this novel carefully.

The Reluctant Heir

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005H2SLOI/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  5 stars

This story was a quick, enjoyable read with just enough sexy fun thrown in to add to the story.  The characters really made the story, Adelinde over the loss of her brother, Clarke over his guilt from her brother's death.  The story between these two is electric, and their connection is instantaneous and inviting.  It's a quick read, which I enjoyed, and I felt myself wanting to read more of this story, but the author managed to wrap it up nicely and still make the reader feel like they were fulfilled.  Enjoyable.

The Reiver

 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004JN0GAI/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

 Rating:  2 stars

I received this book for free, like everyone else, and because it was free I wasn't expecting much, truth be told...but I was shocked at the pace that everything went, I was surprised at the quickness of the story, and not pleasantly so.  The story seemed to go well enough, a captive in a Scottish castle, but then it begins to just go in a very weird direction where the woman falls in love with her captor out of nothing in particular he did, then he lets her go...and then finds her again.  The entire story was just a blink and then done, and not very well explained.  It's a quick read, and an adequate way to pass a half hour, but for me the story was just too unbelievable.

The Road To Nowhere

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1105749460/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  4 stars

I enjoyed this book from the getgo.  The description of the book, from the description of zombies to survival, all sounded intriguing.  But, as the book was being read, it began to read more like the Walking Dead than anything.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it read a little too similar for my tastes.  I liked that Kurus were the explanation, instead of zombies, and I liked that it wasn't zombies specifically.  The characters were connectable, I just wish we would have found out more about our main character before the end of the book.  I liked the development, but the story was too similar to something already done for me. 

The Puzzle Master

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009AVD1BA/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  3 stars

This book held so much potential for me. I enjoyed the premise, and I enjoyed the story the author told, but something about the dates revealed kept pulling at me.  And then I realized:  all the dates said 2011.  The book is supposed to be set after Bin Laden was killed, well after the 9/11 attacks.  I tried to ignore the date issue, trying to get into the story more, but the dates just kept pulling me.  It was difficult to follow, and difficult to keep everything straight, especially with all the jumping around the author does.  It would have been fantastic, but I really think the author needed to do a little more streamlining with his timeline.

A Bookish Escape: Book Review : Traveler by Ashley Bourgeois & Kathr...

A Bookish Escape: Book Review : Traveler by Ashley Bourgeois & Kathr...: Traveler Authors:   Ashley Bourgeois & Kathryn McGowan Source:   Author 551 pages ( ebook ) Goodreads S...

The Shopkeeper

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ZVSCK4/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  5 stars!

This book grabbed me from the very beginning, enthralling me with its words describing the wild west of old.  I loved the main character right away, Steve Dancy seemingly a normal shopkeeper, though at the beginning of the book we don't know from where.  But then, all hell breaks loose and you see Steve for who he really is--a gunsmith, and one of great renown.  You begin to see the depth and the layers of this character as the story progresses, and the book sucks you in more and more as the pages turn.  I was beginning to think there would be a romantic element, and I was pleasantly surprised to not see the author go into that direction.  I loved the ring of authenticity of this novel, and I loved the way the author brought the West to life for me.  I recommend this book to anyone, and everyone.  If you haven't read it yet, you are missing out.

The Serpentine Fire

http://www.amazon.com/The-Serpentine-Fire-Flesh-ebook/dp/B002IC0KC6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1376836773&sr=1-1&keywords=the+serpentine+fire

Rating:  4 stars

I really liked the fantastic idea of this book. It took the things of magic and myth and turned them into reality in a way that was enjoyable and intriguing to read. The authors did a fantastic job in making this book a quick read and an edge of your seat enjoyable read of thrill with jus a bit of fantasy

The Witch's Stone

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XIFVPG/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  4 stars

From the beginning, this book grabbed me and wouldn't let me go.  From the setting, in Scotland, to the characters themselves, to the atmosphere, Ms. Brown does an absolute stellar job in creating the scene for her tale.  From the title, I was expecting something more paranormal in nature, but then I was pleasantly surprised to see the reality of the situation come out.  The main character, a previously broken woman, at war with the demons within herself, keeps the story driving in a direction where you are completely unsure of the outcome.  Caid, her male protagonist, is juicy in all the right places, and flawed in his own right.  This writer's ability to make flaws in her characters doesn't draw away from the story--in fact, the flaws she creates for her characters only proceed to drive them more energetically together!  The only criticism I would make for this book is that there were some jumpy scene changes, where a character would be in one place, and then in another, with no clear delineation of time.

The Witch's Book

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AAXZS1I/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  2 stars

Definitely not my cup of tea--way too similar to other things that have been written, and too psychoanalytical for my liking.  I struggled to get through it, even remotely.  The writing was choppy and not well done, which didn't help either

The Wedding Gift

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007BVNF4O/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  3 stars

I read this book in just a few hours.  It was a short read, and for the length of it it was enjoyable, but I felt that there could have been so much more done to it.  The romance itself was interesting, and Julie, the main character, had enough flaws to make following her story interesting, but I felt the story lacked a depth of character.  It's a good short little romance, but I don't know if I'd read the others. 

The Vincent Boys

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00907AVIU/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  3 stars

I was very surprised when I went to go put this book up for review that it was listed as a young adult or teen novel.  The things in this book, especially the sex and the stringing along of men, are certainly things I don't want my teen to be exposed to.  The story was good, and I like a good conflict as much as the next girl, but I don't think that labeling it as teen was appropriate.  Also, an editor was desperately needed.  I cringed every time a typo came up, or a fragmented sentence was used.  As the book progressed, the errors seemed to get a little worse, which disappointed me.  The characters were nice, though, and I think that a lot of people can relate at least to loving two people at once, but I think this book needed work. 

The Watcher

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/146113613X/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img


Rating:  5 stars

For this novel, all I can say is Wow.  From the first page, this novel immediately sucked me in, and it didn't let me go throughout the entirety of the story.  I loved the characters, both Myers and Slater were so realistic and layered that you couldn't help but connect with the characters, and you couldn't help but root for them. 

The way this author writes creates such a vivid experience that I found myself sweating, seeing every single detail as it happened, seeing the killer as he took his victims.  The author's attention to detail is outmached. 

The suspense of the book never lets up--it continues to build, until it explodes into a dramatic climax.  I love that the main heroes get injured--most murder mysteries leave everyone coming out unscathed, but I love how this author brings up the injuries his characters suffers.

There is plenty of romance between the psychiatrist and the detective, but it's not enough to deter from the story itself.  I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone!

The Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042RUKX4/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  4 stars

This novella was quite enjoyable--the connotations of the novels of a similar point are not lost, but it adds to the humor of the novella.  This was a pleasant read, and it brings to a new light the possibility of vampires existing.  From being a lowly PI to watching his first vampire attack, it follows the protagonist's journey and makes the reader want more at every turn.  The ending leaves you wanting more, but, as all good authors, it is to be continued in the sequel.  If you're looking for an enjoyable vampire read, this is for you!

The Vampire Club

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004W4MLNY/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

 Rating:  3 stars

Opening this novel, I was preparing myself for the vampire version of the Babysitter's club, as the title promised.  In that regard, I wasn't disappointed.  The book opens on a group of college students majoring in Vampire Studies, with the only interest of finding the existence of vampires.  I thought that this premise was an interesting one, and I hadn't read before any books about a club finding the existence of vampires before, so I kept reading. 

The book continued in a pleasant way, the storyline was engaging and the characters amusing, but for me there were definitely a few issues.  The author uses the word "for" a lot--"for this reason," "for that was why"...that drives me nuts.  There is a time and a place for the word for, and it's not in every other sentence.  Also, when the ending occured, I don't like the way the main character approached it.  It was the culmination of his goal--and yet he felt condemned?  I know that a drastic change like that can alter a person's perspective, but that seemed a little extreme. 

If you want a good read, though, with an amusing plotline and a twist on your traditional vampire novel, this one's for you!

The Uninvited

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006Q56PR0/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_img

Rating:  2 stars

This story could have been amazing, and judging by the cover art and the synopsis I was expecting to be swept off my feet in a breathtaking horror book.  But, I was disappointed.  The book left more questions than ones that were answered, and I found myself skimming for something significant to happen.  I wish the author had put a little bit more of themselves into this novel.  As it was, it felt like it fizzled out at the end.

Water

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005PY2U8Q/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  2 stars

This book for me was a very difficult one to admit my feelings about.  One one hand, Terra writes very vivid descriptions, and I found myself whisked off to various exotic places,which was fun, and her character descriptions were good...but the storyline itself had much to be desired.  The relationship between Micah and Kaitlyn was steamy, yes, and then when it got screwed up I wanted more elaboration on it, but then it...fizzled out. 

To label this novel as eco-friendly is very deceiving.  Eco consciousness was mentioned maybe five times in the book, self-sustaining, ok.  Recycling, okay.  But, being a Gaia and bringing balance to nature, with no real explanation as to the why, the how, the modus operandi of what she actually needed to do?  I thought that there was going to be this gigantic explanation that happened, to explain away why things were going on the way they were...but there weren't.

Don't get me wrong, I like psychological thrillers as much as the next girl, and I had a hunch from the get-go that Shawn was going to be up to no good...but the whole situation there I wish was elaborated on a little more, not just I am kidnapping you and then going to rape you repeatedly in various ways and then leave you on a volcanic island, only to be defeated by a sprained ankle.  I wish for so many things to have been different with this book that could have made it fantastic, and I can only hope that there are improvements on that in the next one. 

We Shall Rise

Rating:  4 stars

http://www.amazon.com/Shall-Rise-Misfits-Lore-ebook/dp/B005ZWPVZM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375712056&sr=1-1&keywords=We+Shall+Rise

I enjoyed this book a lot, but there were some things that were decidedly unclear for me in the story. They mention lots about hybrids and mating, and all of these things that would be normal...within one's own race. Now, the mating of vampires to non-vampires, or the creation of hybrids, the how and the why of that is unclear. They talk about purebloods and the mixed breeds, but the real meat and potatoes of what I want to see, the conflict, isn't really there. I know by the ending of the story ( I wanted to cry) I was heavily invested in the series anyway. I want to know what happens to Kaden and Reysa, how Tatiana overcomes everything she will grow to endure, and I want to know what happens now to the entire Misfit group faced with this new challenge. I liked the romantic elements of this novel as well, they were there but they weren't in your face...but I wish there had been more conflict in the book, or more explanation of conflict, instead of just boom! rebellion.

Warrior's Bride

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HYHH42/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  5 stars

From the get-go, this book warmed my heart.  The connection between the main characters was so real, so palpable, I felt myself pining for them when they left.  After their initial one-night stand, and the subsequent meeting much later, the story wove a tale of lost and found love, and it is a book I would highly recommend for anyone to read!

Walking on Broken Glass

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1426702272/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Rating:  3 stars

I opened this book with decidedly mixed feelings; the main character, Leah, does not seem very connectable to me in the beginning.  I have never been drawn to alcohol or drugs, and I find the way she handles her problems and the way she handles her relationship with her husband weak and superficial at best.  As the book went on, and Leah admitted herself into rehab and began to explore her relationships with the people there, a more Christian undertone went through it.  I am not a huge fan of Christian fiction, I feel that it ends up being too preachy, and I think that this book did just that.  Even halfway through the book, I had difficulty relating to the characters and the way that Leah was handling herself even in AA.  The ending was a redeeming quality, but I feel overall the book lacked luster.