I had two gift cards and I spent them on books. Most women would buy clothes or shoes. Not me. Books! Always books!
The Resurrection of Joan Ashby by Cherise Wolas
Author: Cherise Wolas
Pub. Date: 29-Aug-2017
Rating: 3 Stars
After reading reviews of The Resurrection of Joan Ashby by Cherise Wolas, I was so excited to get an ARC. Once I started reading that excitement turned to disappointment. I found it verbose and agonizing slow. It actually took me three tries before I could finish.
Joan Ashby is a young and up-and-coming writer. Her first two books, collections of short stories, have already secured her a place in the literary world. She is working on her first novel and is excepting to become the next great American novelist. She has sworn off relationships, love and marriage as well as vowed to never have children in order to focus on her writing. That is until she meets Martin and falls in love. She discovers that marriage and writing do not have to be mutually exclusive. Continue reading “The Resurrection of Joan Ashby by Cherise Wolas”
The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso
Author: Melissa Caruso
Pub. Date: 24-Oct-2017
Rating: 5 Stars
The Tethered Mage is the debut novel of Melissa Caruso and is the first book in the Swords and Fire trilogy. This book is truly a great way to start a new series. The author has built a wonderful magical world full of intrigue and characters to die for.
Lady Amalia Cornaro just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is the Cornaro heir and will one day take her mother’s place on the Council of Nine. Therefore, when she inadvertently binds a young fire warlock to herself while trying to aid her it goes against all convention. The Empire does not allow a member of the council to be a Falconer for this could tip the balance of power. Continue reading “The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso”
Artemis by Andy Weir
Author: Andy Weir
Pub. Date: 14-Nov-2017
Rating: 5 Stars
Artemis by Andy Weir is the story of the struggle for control of the first lunar city and how a young smuggler got caught up in the deadly fray. There is lots of action and a main character I loved but would get so exasperated with. I have to give lots of kudos to Mr. Weir for another great story.
Jasmine, aka Jazz, immigrated to the moon with her father when she was just six years old. She is a bright young woman but suffers from poor life choices. She currently works as a porter, though she could have chosen almost any career path given her intelligence. Being a porter allows her to smuggle in contraband from Earth with the help of her friend Kelvin. But Jazz has standards, no guns or drugs, just a few harmless items to make a bit of extra cash on the side. A girl has to make a living. Right? Continue reading “Artemis by Andy Weir”
Retrograde by Peter Cawdron
Author: Peter Cawdron
Pub. Date: 12-Sep-2017
Rating: 5 Stars
Retrograde by Peter Cawdron is a sci-fi novel with the emphasis being on science. In addition, it is intensely suspenseful and it contains some of the elements of a thriller novel. Though it is a work of fiction, I could easily see the events described occurring within the next one hundred years.
The story is about the first human colony on Mars. The colonists consist of scientists and support personal, from a variety of countries, working together as a team to study Mars. They are almost an equal mix of male and female and represent a wide range of ethnic groups. Therefore, when the unthinkable occurs on Earth and the colony is left essentially to fend for itself it will be easy for individuals to think of themselves first and their country of origin next and not as a Martian. They will need to set aside their differences and think like Martians and use their collective intelligence if they are going to survive what is to come. Continue reading “Retrograde by Peter Cawdron”
Bella Reads
My fur baby Bella loves to read with me. Here she is reading The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle.
August Finds
Did someone say SALE! I could not resist. I just have to figure out where to put them. My shelves are overflowing, I have stacks on my desk, in the floor and on the night stand. Even I am now forced to admit it is starting to get out of hand. Let me take that back, the book piles are out of hands.
No worries, I have a solution. All I need to do is move to a bigger house with more room for my collections.
Awakening Magic by Neely Powell
Author: Neely Powell
Pub. Date: 14-Dec-2016
Rating: 4 Stars
Awakening Magic by Neely Powell is a paranormal story, with a touch of romance, about a family of witches that have carved out a safe haven for themselves and others like them in north Georgia. When an old enemy returns to their normally quite community they must use their strength as a family unit to protect and save the ones they love.
Brenna Burns, one of the Connelly coven witches, has recently returned to New Mourne after spending several years in Atlanta. She is not the only entity that has returned to the small town. You see, every generation a Woman in White demands a sacrifice of one of the coven’s own as a tribute. As a precursor to the sacrifice of one of the Connelly witches an evil settles over the town causing death and destruction. Continue reading “Awakening Magic by Neely Powell”
When Life Gets in the Way by Ines Vieira
Author: Ines Vieira
Pub. Date: 1-Aug-2016
Rating: 4 Stars
When Life Gets in the Way by Ines Vieira is the coming-of-age story of Cassandra (Cass) MacKenzie and Isaac Silva, told in alternating POVs, and how each of them struggles with adversity during those trying teenage years. It is also a sweet love story with an emphasis on family dynamics and the important of family to relationships.
Cass is totally driven. She has one goal in mind and that is getting into Berkeley. She has been planning this life since she was a young girl and she is so close to her goal she can taste it. There are only two small problems. The first is her mother who has recently been extremely depressed and then there is her unexpected and unwanted desire for Isaac whose family has recently returned to Plymouth from Arizona. Continue reading “When Life Gets in the Way by Ines Vieira”
The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse
Author: Amanda Prowse
Pub. Date: 18-Jul-2017
Rating: 4 Stars
The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse is the story of how one family dealt with the devastating double whammy of losing a loved one and financial security in one fail swoop; therefore, a reverse rages to riches tale. The story is intended to remind us that family is the most important thing in our lives and we can live, rich fulfilling lives, without the “stuff” that so many individuals focus their attention and hard earned money on acquiring.
Nina McCarrick has the perfect life. Two wonderful boys, a loving husband, big house, fancy car and all the trappings that go with the wealth that her husband’s successful business allows. Yet, behind the beautiful manured lawn lies secrets that will destroy all of this and reduce it to ash as sure as any conflagration. Continue reading “The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse”