[Review] Call Me, Maybe by Ellie Cahill

Call Me, Maybe by Ellie Cahill
Publisher: Loveswept
Publishing Date: Feb. 9, 2016
217 Pages
Format: ebook, ARC
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 5 stars

Synopsis 

Clementine Daly knows she’s the black sheep. Her wealthy, powerful family has watched her very closely since she almostgot caught in an embarrassing scandal a few years ago. So when Clementine’s sent on a mission to live up to the Daly name, politely declining isn’t even an option. Of course, the last thing Clementine does before departure is grab a stranger’s phone by mistake—leaving the hunky journalist with her phone. Soon his sexy voice is on the line, but he doesn’t know her real name, or her famous pedigree—which is just the way Clementine likes it.

Despite all the hassles, Justin Mueller is intrigued to realize that the beautiful brown-eyed girl he met at the airport is suddenly at his fingertips. They agree to exchange phones when they’re both back in town, but after a week of flirty texts and wonderfully intimate conversations, Justin doesn’t want to let her go that easy. The only problem? It turns out that Clemetine has been lying to him about, well, everything. Except for the one thing two people can’t fake, the only thing that matters: The heat between them is for real.

My Review

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. 

O.M.G. I loved this book! I cruised through it in just a few hours and didn't want to put it down - but it was after midnight last night and I couldn't stay awake any longer! Seriously, this was such a fun, romantic book. I wasn't sure if the meeting over the phone and falling in love that way would work, but it really did. Clementine and Justin are really cute together. They meet after they accidentally switch phones before flying to other states and soon they're talking each day. You can feel the emotion and the new romance budding while reading this book. It reminds me a little of when my husband and I first met. New romances are so much fun and I remember getting really giddy each time he would text or call me (we were doing a long distance relationship so I didn't get to see him much). To be honest, I still get giddy when he texts me (: I just loved everything about this story. It was cute, charming, and incredibly romantic. Plus, there were some steamy sex scenes! Even after the couple comes to a bump in the road, the story was still really cute and I couldn't wait for them to work it out. 

Both characters are easy to relate to. Clementine, though incredibly wealthy, has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She's gone to college, has hundreds of opportunities because of her well-known family, but still has no idea what she wants. I actually really love this about her - I have a few degrees, including my law degree, and I still feel like I don't know what I want with my life. Meanwhile, Justin knows exactly what he wants in life - to be a journalist, but he doesn't have the family business to help him. He works hard for what he wants and goes after it. Put both of them together and these two people are perfect for each other; they complement each other very well. 

Highly, highly recommend this book! I can't wait to read what else Cahill has written!

Buy Links:  Amazon | B & N |Google Play|  iTunes | Kobo

About the Author

Ellie Cahill is a freelance writer and also writes books for young adults under the name Liz Czukas. She lives outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her husband, son, and the world’s loudest cat.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Giveaway 

($25.00 Amazon eGift Card)

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[Review] Night by Elie Wiesel

Night by Elie Weisel
Publisher: Bantam Books
Publishing Date: April 1982
Format: paperback
109 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis 

In Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel's memoir Night, a scholarly, Orthodox teenager is wracked with guilt at having survived the horror of the Holocaust & the genocidal campaign that consumed his family. His memories of the nightmare worlds of Auschwitz-Birkenau & Buchenwald present him with an intolerable question: how can the god he once so fervently believed in have allowed these monstrous events to occur? There are no easy answers in this harrowing book, which probes life's essential riddles with the lucid anguish only great literature achieves. It marks the crucial first step in Wiesel's lifelong project to bear witness for those who died.

My Review 

I hate reviewing books like this. The story itself is incredibly heartbreaking; but I didn't like the book. Does that make sense? Maybe not, but it does to me. What Elie Weisel went through is absolutely awful and I can't imagine surviving anything like that. I truly think it's amazing that he survived the Holocaust, persevered, and is able to tell his story. However, I can't exactly explain why I didn't like this book. Please remember, though, that just because I didn't like the book doesn't take away anything from his story and experiences.  Everyone should read memoirs similar to this. I know there are many people who would disagree with me, but it's simply my opinion. 

[Review] The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Publisher: Scribner
Publishing date: March 2005
288 Pages
Format: paperback
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 4.5 stars

Synopsis 

The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette's brilliant and charismatic father captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn't want the responsibility of raising a family.

The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered.

The Glass Castle is truly astonishing--a memoir permeated by the intense love of a peculiar but loyal family. 

My Review

Captivating. That's the first word that comes to mind about this memoir. This book had been sitting on my shelf for a good couple of months... probably about a year. I had heard it was good, but was never in the mood for it and so I didn't get around to it. I finally decided to pick it up when I was going over to my in-laws for Christmas. I wasn't sure if I was in the mood to read it, but felt like I needed to since it was just sitting on my shelf. I immediately loved this book; Walls has a gifted way of telling her story. I felt so bad for her the entire time I read it. I know things like this happen all too often. But I still was shocked by some of the things her family went through and how her parents acted. I can't imagine growing up with this type of life, moving around constantly, not knowing whether you'll have food to eat, whether you'll go to school, or whether you have running water. 

Nevertheless, Walls perseveres. Her sister moves to New York, she follows soon after, and together they start a new life. She slowly gets on solid ground by having a stable place to live, having a job, and going to school. Through all of her hard times, Walls continues to land on her feet. It clearly wasn't an easy childhood, and many people, unfortunately, would fall into the same cycle that her parents did. But she and most of her siblings were able to overcome that. I wish we knew a little more about what happened to Maureen, but I guess it really just shows what Walls' life was like when she finished this book; she didn't really know much about Maureen either. 

I highly recommend this book! I can't wait to read more of her work, especially Half Broke Horses. I never thought I would like non-fiction and memoirs as much as I do, and this certainly won't be my last! 

[Review] One in a Million by Jill Shalvis

One in a Million by Jill Shalvis
Series: Lucky Harbor, #12
Publisher: Grand Central
Publishing Date: Oct. 14, 2014
368 Pages
Format: purchased, paperback
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 4 stars

Synopsis 

As the brains behind wedding site TyingTheKnot.com, Callie sees it all: from the ring to the dress, the smiles . . . to the tears. It's that last part that keeps her single and not looking. Getting left at the altar will do that to a girl. But when Callie returns to her old hometown, she finds that her sweet high school crush is sexier than ever. And he makes it hard to remember why she's sworn off love . . .

Tanner is a deep-sea diver with a wild, adrenaline-junkie past—and now his teenage son is back in his life. How can Tanner be a role model when he's still paying for his own mistakes? It's hard enough that gorgeous Callie has appeared in town like a beautiful dream, challenging his best-laid plans to keep his heart on lockdown. Though there's something about being around her again that makes him feel like he can be the man she—and his son—deserve. Little Lucky Harbor holds their past; can it hold a beautiful new future?

My Review 

I've been on a romance kick lately and can't get enough of it! It's always been my first love in book genres and my favorite fall-back when I'm not sure what else to read. I don't think I've read anything by Shalvis before but this certainly won't be the last! I really loved this story. Callie and Tanner are so much fun together. I love high school crushes that bloom later in life. It's great to see how they interact and how flustered Callie gets around him. This book had a little bit of everything you want in  a romance story. I really can't wait to get more books by Shalvis! She's definitely great at what she does. I highly recommend this book (and I'm guessing her others) if you like romance stories. Plus, Callie's grandmother is really funny (:

[Review] Meant-to-Be Mom by Karen Templeton

Meant-to-be-Mom by Karen Templeton
Series: Jersey Boys, #4
Publisher: Harlequin
Publishing Date: March 17, 2015
224 Pages
Format: purchased, paperback
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 3 stars

Synopsis 

LIFE, LOVE AND THE PURSUIT OF FAMILY

Sabrina Noble's Journal

Dear Diary,

You'll never believe who I spotted on my first day back in Maple River -- the one who got away, Cole Rayburn. He's definitely not the same kid I swung on the monkey bars with. In fact, Cole is more handsome than ever and has two adorable tweens.

There's definitely still something between Cole and myself…but I get the sense that his ex burned him and his kids pretty badly. Now that I'm back in New Jersey, I'm spending more and more time with the Rayburn clan, and I'm honestly loving it. But can I be the bonus mom these kids deserve and have the husband I've always dreamed of? Or is it true that you can't go home again?

My Review

I picked up this book because I wanted a quick, easy romance. And that's what I got. It was a short book about two former high school friends. They haven't seen each other in years, and haven't spoken for that long. Something happened between the two of them that we don't really find out until later in the book. But these two fit together well; Cole has two children from a previous marriage and Sabrina dotes on them. Cole's son is a little hesitant to get too close to Sabrina, but she slowly breaks down those walls. I wish there was a little more romance in this book, though. I felt like a lot of it was just building their friendship back up, which is obviously important, but then it's not until the very end that things start to heat up between them. I just wish it had happened sooner and we saw a little more romance with them! Overall, good, quick book. 

[Review] The Good Nurse by Charles Graeber

The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber
Publisher: Twelve
Publishing Date: April 15, 2013
276 Pages
Format: hardcover, library
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 3 stars

Synopsis 

After his December 2003 arrest, registered nurse Charlie Cullen was quickly dubbed "The Angel of Death" by the media. But Cullen was no mercy killer, nor was he a simple monster. He was a favorite son, husband, beloved father, best friend, and celebrated caregiver. Implicated in the deaths of as many as 300 patients, he was also perhaps the most prolific serial killer in American history.

Cullen's murderous career in the world's most trusted profession spanned sixteen years and nine hospitals across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. When, in March of 2006, Charles Cullen was marched from his final sentencing in an Allentown, Pennsylvania, courthouse into a waiting police van, it seemed certain that the chilling secrets of his life, career, and capture would disappear with him. Now, in a riveting piece of investigative journalism nearly ten years in the making, journalist Charles Graeber presents the whole story for the first time. Based on hundreds of pages of previously unseen police records, interviews, wire-tap recordings and videotapes, as well as exclusive jailhouse conversations with Cullen himself and the confidential informant who helped bring him down, THE GOOD NURSE weaves an urgent, terrifying tale of murder, friendship, and betrayal.

Graeber's portrait of Cullen depicts a surprisingly intelligent and complicated young man whose promising career was overwhelmed by his compulsion to kill, and whose shy demeanor masked a twisted interior life hidden even to his family and friends. Were it not for the hardboiled, unrelenting work of two former Newark homicide detectives racing to put together the pieces of Cullen's professional past, and a fellow nurse willing to put everything at risk, including her job and the safety of her children, there's no telling how many more lives could have been lost.

In the tradition of In Cold Blood, THE GOOD NURSE does more than chronicle Cullen's deadly career and the breathless efforts to stop him; it paints an incredibly vivid portrait of madness and offers a penetrating look inside America's medical system. Harrowing and irresistibly paced, this book will make you look at medicine, hospitals, and the people who work in them, in an entirely different way.

My Review

A co-worker of mine told me about this book because she's been meaning to read it for a while. And because I work in the legal field and medical field a little, I was very interested. I grabbed a copy of this from my library and dove right in. I didn't know too much about this book when I started except that it was about a nurse who killed patients, but I soon found out a lot more. 

This was an interesting book. Charles Cullen first started as a nurse in the late 1980's and continued to practice until the early 2000's. Throughout that time, he worked in 9 or 10 different facilities, and killed people at all of those. I found it very intriguing how he stole the medication, how he chose patients (sometimes chose them, sometimes left it up to whoever got a specific IV bag), and how he didn't get caught for so long! So many facilities had concerns about him and he was often involved in internal investigations. But because of the lack of technology in those times, and the nature of the medical field, they couldn't prove that he was actually killing patients. It took many years before everything was out in the open and he finally admitted to killing about 40 patients, though some experts say it was as many as 400. 

It's always fascinating to get into the minds of killers even though many won't admit to why they did it. I thought this author did a pretty good job laying out all the facts, keeping my interest, and showing Cullen's true, cold character. Interesting read and if you like true crime or medical crime, I would suggest picking this up. 

[Review] Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Series: Infernal Devices, #1
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publishing Date: Aug. 31, 2010
479 Pages
Format: paperback, won
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis 

In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them...

My Review

I won a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster in 2014 for a 31 days of reading giveaway. Unfortunately, it's been sitting on my shelf since then! I decided to pick this one up recently, and I'm really glad I did! I really liked this book and I'm very interested in reading the rest of this series and the Mortal Instruments series as well. It's full of fantasy and interesting characters. I wasn't sure if I would be super interested in this steampunk world. But once I started reading, I was hooked. I really liked the characters, especially Tessa, Will, and Jem; they were unique in their own ways. Will was a tough character to figure out, and I'm not sure I quite have, even after the book ended. And I feel really bad for Jem, but I can't elaborate without giving anything away! This book was full of adventure and suspense. I wasn't sure what was going to happen or which characters I could trust. Overall, it kept me interested and wanting to know more. 

[Review] The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Publishing Date: Oct 1, 1999
546 Pages
Format: paperback, purchased
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 1 star

Synopsis 

The Poisonwood Bible is a story told by the wife and four daughters of Nathan Price, a fierce, evangelical Baptist who takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. They carry with them everything they believe they will need from home, but soon find that all of it -- from garden seeds to Scripture -- is calamitously transformed on African soil. What follows is a suspenseful epic of one family's tragic undoing and remarkable reconstruction over the course of three decades in postcolonial Africa. The novel is set against one of the most dramatic political chronicles of the twentieth century: the Congo's fight for independence from Belgium, the murder of its first elected prime minister, the CIA coup to install his replacement, and the insidious progress of a world economic order that robs the fledgling African nation of its autonomy.

My Review

I first heard of this book when I was at my aunt's house and she told me how much she liked it. So I borrowed it from her and started reading. I got about 1/3 or 1/2 way through and put it down. I can't remember exactly why I stopped reading it, if it was another book I picked up, lost interest, or what. But regardless, I had my aunt's copy a long time and I needed to give it back to her. So when I saw this at my local used book store, I picked up a copy for myself because I was really interested in reading it (and finishing it this time). 

My book club picked it for last month's read, so it was the perfect time to get back into it. But the problem was, I couldn't! It was a really slow start for me and I never really got into the story. I struggled to read it, often putting it down, and couldn't concentrate on the book when other things were going on, like my husband watching tv next to me. I didn't enjoy it at all. I found some of the characters to be annoying and their chapters dragged on for me. 

It's disappointing because I really wanted to like this book. Unfortunately, it didn't do it for me. 

[Review] Lip Service by Susan Mallery

Lip Service by Susan Mallery
Series: Lone Star Sisters, #2
Publisher: HQN
Publishing Date: June 1, 2009
366 Pages
Format: paperback, purchased
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis 

Skye Titan's wealthy father thinks he can still dictate his daughter's choice in men. Now widowed and a single mother, Skye isn't the yes-girl she once was. Especially since the love of her life is back in Texas after eight long years. He won't like the answers to the questions he's asking. About why she left him at the altar. And about her eight-year-old daughter.

Former navy SEAL Mitch Cassidy comes home to find nearly everything different. His wounds from battle have changed the way people treat him. His cattle ranch is suddenly organic. But time hasn't touched his desire for Skye -- or the sting of her betrayal. Forget lip service. He's asking that luscious mouth of hers to reveal the truth. But will Mitch be able to put the past aside to help Skye get out from under her father's thumb and help himself recover from a broken heart?

My Review

I was really in the mood to read a romance novel, so I went to the book store and picked one up that sounded interesting. I had heard of Susan Mallery before as a romance novelist, but haven't read any of her work. 

This was a pretty good book. I love stories about couples that knew each other/date previously, lost touch for whatever reason, and then get back together. I just find it so sweet and makes me think that if you're meant to be with someone, somehow it will happen. Yes, I understand it's just fiction, but it still gives me a little hope for all those people out there! 

Skye has an interesting lifestyle; she's very wealthy and lives at home with her dad, sister and young daughter after her husband died. Despite being very wealthy and not needing to work, she starts a non-profit foundation for feeding hungry children. She leads a very different lifestyle from what her father wants for her. And to sum it up, he's a jerk. He just wants to bully his kids and everyone he knows into doing what he wants. While this is all going on, there's a little something else with a long-lost family member, but I can't divulge to much without spoilers! 

On the other hand, Mitch is an injured Navy veteran who has a big chip on his shoulder and he doesn't care who he hurts when he comes home, especially Skye. But he soon realizes that there's more to life than being angry all the time. It's really interesting to watch him and Skye interact with each other. We watch as they both let go of anger and learn to trust each other and while it's sometimes heartbreaking, it's fun to watch!

Break in Two by MJ Summers

Break In Two by MJ Summers

Publisher: Indigo Group

Publishing Date: Nov. 5, 2013

Format: ebook

420 Pages

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Goodreads rating: 3 stars

Synopsis 

Thirty-one year old Claire Hatley is running from Seattle having just discovered that her live-in boyfriend has traded her in for a twenty-two year old hostess. Devastated and alone Claire must make a fresh start. She answers an ad for a chef at a guest ranch just outside Colorado Springs and finds herself face to face with Cole Mitchell, quite possibly the sexiest man to ever ride a horse. Common sense tells them to stay away from each other, but their attraction is not to be denied. He gives her a glimpse of what love should be, but just as she starts to trust him, the past comes back to tear them apart.

Join Claire and Cole as they embark on the stormy love affair of a lifetime.

My Review

I grabbed this book when it was free on Amazon a while ago.  I found the characters to be a interesting and I was really hooked in the beginning. They characters had really strong chemistry and I loved reading about them. The setting in Colorado was beautiful, too. Or what I imagine would be really beautiful. 

But I felt that the book dragged out a little too much for me. It was a pretty good book, but unfortunately wasn't my favorite. I felt like when the book should have wrapped up, or at least been close to ending, it was actually only about halfway through. Normally I don't say that about books, but sometimes you  just know when a story should end. Maybe it's just me, but I felt something was taken away from the story by having it so long. 

[Review] Dirty English by Isla Madden-Mills

Dirty English

by Isla Madden-Mills

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**Dirty English is a modern love story inspired by Pride and Prejudice**

Synopsis 

A scarred fighter.

A girl with rules.

One night of unbridled passion.

There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Bennett: she’s smart as a whip, always in control, and lives by a set of carefully crafted rules. She’s learned the hard way that people you love the most always hurt you in the end.

But then she meets Declan Blay, the new neighbor at her apartment complex.

A tattooed British street fighter, he’s the campus bad boy she’s supposed to avoid, but when he saves her from a frat party gone bad, all her rules about sex and love fly out the window.

She gives him one night of unbridled passion, but he longs for more. 

With only a cardboard-thin wall separating their bedrooms, he dreams of possessing the vulnerable girl next door forever.

One night. Two damaged hearts. The passion of a lifetime.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills writes about strong  heroines and sexy alpha males that sometimes you just want to slap.

She's addicted to all things fantasy, including unicorns and sword-wielding heroes in books. Other fascinations include frothy coffee beverages, dark chocolate, Instagram, Ian Somerhalder (seriously hot), astronomy (she's a Gemini), Sephora make-up, and tattoos. 

She has a degree in English and a Master's in Education.

When she's not pecking away on her computer, she shops for cool magnets, paints old furniture, and eats her weight in sushi.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

You can stalk her on her website as well as get signed books: http://www.ilsamaddenmills.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorilsamaddenmills?pnref=lhc

IG: https://instagram.com/ilsamaddenmills/

Twitter: @ilsamaddenmills

Ilsa Madden-Mills’ other books:

VERY BAD THINGS

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VERY WICKED BEGINNINGS

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VERY WICKED THINGS

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VERY TWISTED THINGS

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1cvvkkh

iBooks: http://apple.co/1eN7Clh

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[Review] Broken by Cynthia Eden

Broken by Cynthia Eden
Series: Lost #1
Publisher: Avon
Publishing Date: March 31, 2015
384 Pages
Format: paperback
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 4 stars

Synopsis 

The first novel in New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden's sizzling LOST series introduces the Last Option Search Team, an elite unit that must protect the only surviving victim of a serial killer.

Ex-SEAL and LOST founder Gabe Spencer is accustomed to the unusual in his job. But when knockout Eve Gray steps into his office, he's rattled. For the mysterious woman is a dead ringer for the heiress thought to be the latest prey of the serial killer who goes by the name Lady Killer.

When Eve awoke in an Atlanta hospital, her past was a blank slate. Then she recognized her own face in the newspaper and vowed to learn the truth. Determined to confront the nightmares hidden in her mind, she never expects to find a partner in Gabe.

As Gabe and Eve work together, their explosive attraction becomes irresistible. Gabe knows that his desire for Eve is growing too strong, bordering on a dangerous obsession, but nothing pulls him away from her. And when another Eve lookalike disappears, Gabe vows to protect Eve at all costs. While Eve may have forgotten the killer in her past, it's clear he hasn't forgotten her.

My Review

I won this book as part of a program that Avon Romance was putting on. I had no idea what the book was about, but I really love romances and suspense novels, so romantic suspenses are usually a great choice for me. I was in the mood for a romance book, so I picked this one up off my shelf. I was immediately drawn into the story. Gave is an Ex-SEAL and created the company LOST to help find missing people. But this case is a little different for him since Eve is alive, but missing her memory.

We learn along with Eve who she is and what has happened to her. Like many other suspense/mystery novels I read, I had an idea of who the killer was, but I couldn't be sure. And then the plot twisted and my theory went out the window. I love those kinds of books. I don't want to know from the beginning what happened; I love being surprised throughout the story. This book kept me hooked from beginning to end. I can't wait to start the second in this series!

[Review] The Drowned Boy by Karin Fossum

The Drowned Boy by Karin Fossum
Series: Inspector Konrad Sejer, #11
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publishing Date: Aug. 25, 2015
Format: hardcover, ARC
240 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis 

A new addition to the captivating Inspector Sejer series, the first since The Caller, from Norway’s finest crime writer.

Carmen and Nicolai failed to resuscitate their son, Tommy, after finding him floating in their backyard pond. When Inspector Skarre arrives on the scene, Carmen reports that Tommy, a healthy toddler with Down syndrome, wandered into the garden while Nicolai was working in the basement and she was cleaning the house. Skarre senses something is off with Carmen’s story and consults his trusted colleague, the famed Inspector Sejer. An autopsy reveals Tommy’s lungs to be full of soap.

When Sejer and Skarre revisit the couple, Carmen, an epileptic, changes her story, confessing that she’d been knocked unconscious by a seizure while bathing Tommy. When she came to, she found him drowned in the tub and, horrified and frightened, threw him into the pond.

But Skarre and Sejer’s doubt is not appeased and the case is reopened. What more could Carmen be hiding? And what lengths will she take to cover her guilt? As Carmen’s own family starts to doubt her, Skarre and Sejer work to find the truth.

My Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

I was immediately drawn to this book after seeing the cover and reading the synopsis. I knew I had to read it even though I haven't read anything else by this author. I was a little concerned at first that I hadn't read the other books in this series, but after reading this, I'm guessing they can be read out of order. I didn't feel like I had missed anything by not reading the others. Though reading this definitely makes me want to read some more of Fossum's work. 

This was an interesting book and I really enjoyed reading it. It's a little slower paced than some other mysteries that I've read, but it was a nice change. But even though it was slower, I didn't lose interest and it wasn't missing anything. Inspector Sejer is a really unique character; he lives alone with his dog but there's definitely a lot that has gone on in his life. Carmen absolutely drove me crazy in this book; I didn't like her from the very beginning. It was her mannerisms and personality that just didn't fit with mine. She was too blasé about her child dying and wanted to move on too fast after. And poor Nicolai; he was clearly torn up about Tommy dying and I felt so bad for him. 

It's interesting to watch this story unfold and find out what happened to Tommy. It's definitely a book that kept me interested and I'm glad that I was given the chance to read this!

[Review] Barbara the Slut and Other People by Lauren Holmes

Barbara the Slut and Other People by Lauren Holmes
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Publishing Date: Aug. 4, 2015
Format: library, hardcover
272 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis 

Fearless, candid, and incredibly funny, Lauren Holmes is a newcomer who writes like a master. She tackles eros and intimacy with a deceptively light touch, a keen awareness of how their nervous systems tangle and sometimes short-circuit, and a genius for revealing our most vulnerable, spirited selves.

In “Desert Hearts,” a woman takes a job selling sex toys in San Francisco rather than embark on the law career she pursued only for the sake of her father. In “Pearl and the Swiss Guy Fall in Love,” a woman realizes she much prefers the company of her pit bull—and herself—to the neurotic foreign fling who won’t decamp from her apartment. In “How Am I Supposed to Talk to You?” a daughter hauls a suitcase of lingerie to Mexico for her flighty, estranged mother to resell there, wondering whether her personal mission—to come out—is worth the same effort. And in “Barbara the Slut,” a young woman with an autistic brother, a Princeton acceptance letter, and a love of sex navigates her high school’s toxic, slut-shaming culture with open eyes.

With heart, sass, and pitch-perfect characters, Barbara the Slut is a head-turning debut from a writer with a limitless career before her.

My Review

I'm generally not one to read short stories; I've never been too interested in them. But I heard about this book and wanted to give it a chance because people were raving about it. It's a very interesting collection of stories from Holmes and I enjoyed most of them. I wasn't entirely impressed with the first few short stories because they didn't capture my attention. However, that being said, they were still full of honesty and humor. 

The last half of the book was much better for me. I really liked the stories and couldn't wait to keep reading more. I really think the one story told from the perspective of a dog was one of my favorites! Crazy, right?! I wasn't sure if I'd actually like that one because I've never read anything from an animal's perspective, but it was a lot of fun. The namesake of this book, Barbara the Slut, was another great story that I wish I had more of. I really liked her character and wish I knew how her life turned out! She's a fun girl! And the story about the law school graduate working at a sex toy store? So much fun. 

Even though the first few stories weren't my favorite, I really enjoyed this book. It makes me want to pick up some more short stories and start reading The Art of Racing in the Rain (a book from a dog's perspective that has been on my shelf for too long). 

[Review] *Tour* Delayed Penalty by Sophia Henry

Delayed Penalty 

by Sophia Henry

Pilot's Hockey, #1

Synopsis 

She closed her heart long ago. He just wants to open her mind. For fans of Toni Aleo and Sawyer Bennett, the debut of Sophia Henry’s red-hot Detroit Pilots series introduces a hockey team full of complicated men who fight for love.

Auden Berezin is used to losing people: her father, her mother, her first love. Now, just when she believes those childhood wounds are finally healing, she loses something else: the soccer scholarship that was her ticket to college. Scrambling to earn tuition money, she’s relieved to find a gig translating for a Russian minor-league hockey player—until she realizes that he’s the same dangerously sexy jerk who propositioned her at the bar the night before.

Equal parts muscle and scar tissue, Aleksandr Varenkov knows about trauma. Maybe that’s what draws him to Auden. He also lost his family too young, and he channeled the pain into his passions: first hockey, then vodka and women. But all that seems to just melt away the instant he kisses Auden and feels a jolt of desire as sudden and surprising as a hard check on the ice.

After everything she’s been through, Auden can’t bring herself to trust any man, let alone a hot-headed puck jockey with a bad reputation. Aleksandr just hopes she’ll give him a chance—long enough to prove he’s finally met the one who makes him want to change.

Link for Tour:

http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/06/delayed-penalty-pilots-hockey-1-by.html 

Purchase Links: 

  Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

My Review

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. 

I'm a pretty big hockey fan, so any change I get to read a book about hockey players, I'm in. I knew this is one that I wanted to read right when I saw it. Aleksander plays for the Detroit Pilots and Auden translates for her grandpa's business when she has a month off of school over winter break. She assumes she'll be translating documents again, like previous job assignments from him, but she learns that she finally gets to be a Russian translator for a real person, and she couldn't be more excited when she learns its a hockey player. 

This was a fun book to read. In addition to being a hockey fan, I'm a sucker for guys who can speak a foreign language. And Aleksander is hot. They're both struggling with things from their past, and they've learned to trust each other with these secrets. I really liked watching these two characters grow and learn who they really are. Although they have a really fast romance and fall in love quickly, they still spend time apart and aren't completely obsessed with each other, which I appreciate as a reader! 

About The Author

Sophia Henry, a proud Detroit native, fell in love with reading, writing, and hockey all before she became a teenager. She did not, however, fall in love with snow. So after graduating with an English degree from Central Michigan University, she moved to North Carolina, where she spends her time writing books featuring hockey-playing heroes, chasing her two high-energy sons, watching her beloved Detroit Red Wings, and rocking out at concerts with her husband.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

[Review] The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen 
Publisher: Books on Tape
Publishing Date: March 22, 2011
Format: audio, library
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Length: 7 hours 38 minutes
Goodreads rating: 3 stars

Synopsis 

It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather and once the finest home in Walls of Water, North Carolina—has stood for years as a monument to misfortune and scandal. Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite Paxton Osgood—has restored the house to its former glory, with plans to turn it into a top-flight inn. But when a skeleton is found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, long-kept secrets come to light, accompanied by a spate of strange occurrences throughout the town. Thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the passions and betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover the truths that have transcended time to touch the hearts of the living.

My Review

I'm not sure when I first saw this book or what draw me to it. I really love the cover so maybe that's it. Regardless, I got the audiobook from the library and wanted to start it right away. I don't think I really knew what the book was about before I started it, and didn't look at the synopsis until I was about halfway through. It's a pretty interesting book; there are a few big things going on, but overall anticlimactic. That's not necessarily a bad thing, either. It's a book with a steady story and two women learn to live the lives they've always wanted and find out who they are meant to be. It's a book about friendship, love, family, and history. While a skeleton is found at the Blue Ridge Madam, it's not really a mystery; the man whose body is found is just another part of the story and just another part to Paxton's and Willa's lives. Maybe I would have felt differently about this if I had read the book, or listened to it over a shorter period of time; it took me a while to get through this one. 

[Review] Ten Tiny Breaths by KA Tucker

Ten Tiny Breaths by KA Tucker
Series: Ten Tiny Breaths, #1
Publisher: Atria Books
Publishing Date: Sept. 24, 2013
Format: paperback, library
288 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 5 stars

Synopsis 

Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

My Review

I'm so glad I finally read this book! I've been seeing reviews constantly since this book came out and I've been so anxious to read it, but never had the chance. I finally requested it from the library and read it in 2 days! I stayed up so late last night just to finish. My husband was sleeping and I was blubbering while finishing the last 50 pages or so. Seriously, this book made me go through so many emotions! 

Kacey and her younger sister just moved to Miami after sneaking out of their aunt and uncle's house in Michigan. While Livie needs to finish high school, Kacey tries to make enough money to keep them fed. She meets their apartment neighbor and they have an instant connection, but she tries so hard to deny it because of her past. But the more time they spend together, the more Kacey and Trent realize how much they have in common and how good they are for each other. 

I honestly figured out some of this book about half-way through, but that didn't keep me from being completely consumed in this book. I loved all of the characters; Kacey, Storm, Livie, Mia, Trent. They're all have complex pasts but work hard to put that behind them and work on the future. There were still quite a few things that surprised me throughout this book and kept me hooked. I really can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series. All of these characters deserve to find love (: 

[Review] The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Publishing Date: Jan. 13, 2015
Format: purchased, hardcover
323 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 5 stars

Synopsis 

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

My Review

I couldn't wait to pick up this book! I had a gift card to Barnes and Noble, and I couldn't pass up buying this one! I had heard so many good things and my aunt read it and loved it, so I needed to start it immediately. I've heard it compared to Gone Girl, and since I really enjoyed that book, I thought this one would be a good read as well. 

One of the first things I noticed about this book is the unreliable narrators. A few of the main characters are so unreliable, but at the same time, I really enjoyed reading from their point of views. Rachel is one of those unreliable narrators, and while there were times I was absolutely annoyed by her, there were other times I felt so bad for her! Same with Maggie; a little unreliable, but really enjoyed seeing the story through her eyes. 

I loved that the story was told from three women's perspectives. It was so interesting to watch the story unfold from these three women. They were each able to bring something different to the story and filled in a lot of gaps that would be there if told from one perspective only. I really didn't like Anna in the beginning of this book, but the more I heard from her, the more I liked her. And then at the very end of the book? Oh, loved her! 

There's so much going on in this book. I was constantly trying to figure out what happened, who did what, and where the story was going. There was a time I thought I had it figured out, but then everything changed again. It wasn't until pretty close to the end that I figured it out. But even then, there were a few moments that I thought that something else was going to happen, but it didn't. I like that I wasn't able to figure out everything that had happened. This book just kept me hooked and I couldn't put it down. I truly had a fun time reading this book and I'm anxious to see what else Ms. Hawkins will write! 

[Review] Crash by Lisa McMann

Crash by Lisa McMann
Series: Visions, #1
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publishing Date: Jan. 8, 2013
233  Pages
Format: paperback, won
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis 

If what you see is what you get, Jules is in serious trouble. The suspenseful first of three books from the New York Times bestselling author of the Wake trilogy.

Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.

What she can’t handle is the recurring vision that haunts her. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode...and nine body bags in the snow.

The vision is everywhere—on billboards, television screens, windows—and she’s the only one who sees it. And the more she sees it, the more she sees. The vision is giving her clues, and soon Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it’s someone she knows. Someone she has been in love with for as long as she can remember.

In this riveting start to a gripping trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Lisa McMann, Jules has to act—and act fast—to keep her vision from becoming reality. 

My Review

I won this book back at the beginning of 2014 from the 31 Days of Reading giveaway. It was an amazing giveaway and I'm still getting through all the books I got from them! So I finally picked up this one (I'm trying really hard to read books that I already own before getting new ones). 

This was a pretty interesting book that kind of reminded me of the Final Destination movies. Did anyone else who read that get that feeling? Jules sees a vision of a terrible accident that kills 9 people. First she just sees it a few times, here and there. Then she starts seeing it everywhere she looks: on the tv, on stop signs, on store windows. It just won't go away. So she starts trying to figure out what's going to happen and when. She even confides in her brother and the person she's in love with. They're not quite sure what to believe, but one of them does believe her right away. 

This book takes us on a chase of trying to figure out what is going to happen and when. This book is pretty interesting! Like I said, it reminds me of the Final Destination movies as Jules tries to figure out whats going to happen and when. I really kind of liked it. I wasn't quite expecting that when I first picked it up. And then the end throws you for a curve ball a bit, so it makes me want to pick up the next one as well. 

And last thought - that cover is awesome, isn't it?! It's just so unique! 

Others in the Series

[Review] All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry

All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry
Publisher: Viking Books
Publishing Date: Sept 26, 2013
274 Pages
Format: paperback, won
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 4 stars

Synopsis 

Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last. 

My Review

I believe I won this book last year some time, but I honestly can't remember who I won it from or when, so if I won it from you, thank you!! 

This book sounded so interesting when I entered the contest, and when I won, I was very excited. I had read the synopsis, but when I started reading this book, it was so different from what I expected! This book takes place in another time (another world possibly?); Judith lives with her mom and brother. She was kidnapped and held captive for years but when she returns home, she doesn't receive a warm welcome. Her mom is ashamed of the fact that Judith can't speak, or speak very well, so she forbids Judith from communicating with anyone. 

This book is told from Judith's perspective in 2nd person point of view. I don't think I've read anything in this point of view before. It was really interesting to read and I thought it made the story much more compelling. The way the story is written is as if Judith is writing a journal to the boy she loves, Lucas. This story was also so different from anything I've read before. The setting of the story was very unique and original, and the characters were quite interesting. I empathized with Judith because she wanted so badly to fit in and make friends, but is terrified of what people will think of her. After a great deal of confusion and miscommunication, Judith finally gets the life that she's always wanted since she returned from being held captive. 

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to hearing more from Ms. Berry.