Tag: book blog

Awakening Magic by Neely Powell

Title: Awakening Magic
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

Title: When Life Gets in the Way
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”

Pursuing Dreams by M. K. Clark

Title: Pursuing Dreams
Author: M. K. Clark
Pub. date: 30-June-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

Pursing Dreams by M. K. Clark is the first installment in a young adult sci-fi series that had me engaged from the very beginning. Hidden gems like this book are the reason why I accept review requests from debut and little known authors. The synopsis was enough to peak my interest and I am so very glad I choose this book to read and review.

The story is about Don O’Hara, in a lot of ways a typical sixteen year old, who just happens to be the son of a general. His father, who as a single parent, is domineering and has run Don’s life like he was one of his military subordinates. Don has always known that his father would insist that he go to Commander’s School even though all he wants is to be a Space Jumper.  Continue reading “Pursuing Dreams by M. K. Clark”

The Library of Light and Shadow by M. J. Rose

Title: The Library of Light and Shadow Author: M. J. Rose Pub. Date: 18-July-2017 Rating: 4 Stars

The Library of Light and Shadow by M. J. Rose is the third installment in the Daughters of La Lune series. The book can be read as a stand-alone and is a pleasant mix of historical fiction, romance and fantasy. The setting is during the roaring twenties, known in France as “annees folles” or crazy years. This was a time when excess was all the rage and women were just starting to redefine their role in society.

The story is about Delphine Duplessi, a gifted young artist from France living in New York City. Delphine makes her living as a party favor drawing “shadow portraits” at high society parties. The portraits reveal the darkest secrets of those she draws. While this ability is a gift, it is also a curse. It can, and did, wreak havoc in the lives of those whose shadow portraits revealed secrets not meant to be uncovered. Continue reading “The Library of Light and Shadow by M. J. Rose”

The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker

Title: The Day the Angels Fell
Author: Shawn Smucker
Pub. Date: 5-Sep-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker is a story of good versus evil and how one young person struggled with the very adult question of:  Is there life after death? The story is told in the present and in the past, through the eyes of the protagonist as an old man and as a young boy.

Sam was twelve years old when it happened. The summer had been particularly bad for storms. On this day Sam’s new cat climbs the old oak tree in the front yard. When an ominous storm starts approaching Sam climbs up the branches to rescue it. Sam’s mother bargains with him, if he comes down and goes inside she will retrieve his cat. Then the lightening strikes and Sam’s mother is killed and his whole world changes. Continue reading “The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker”

The Grid by Paul Teague

Title: The Grid
Author: Paul Teague
Pub. Date: 28-Nov-2015
Rating: 3.5 Stars

The Grid by Paul Teague is a dystopian sci-fi story of a post-apocalyptic society that chills the reader. However, before you start reading this book I must forewarn you of the massive cliff hanger. Not just one small thread is left hanging for the next book. The story just stops, as if someone has taken a sword and chopped off the ending.

The plot, at its most basic, is nothing new. A few elite, wealthy individuals have easy lives, as long as they play by the rules, the vast majority are repressed and live in horrid conditions. I know, sounds just like The Hunger Games. At least the similarities, for the most part, stop there. What is different is that the characters lack the depth you find in truly great dystopian stories. Oh, the world is different; don’t misunderstand me on that point. There is lots of action too and the plot moves along rapidly, more like an action/thriller novel. Continue reading “The Grid by Paul Teague”

Horizon by Tabitha Lord

Title: Horizon
Author: Tabitha Lors
Pub. Date: 1-Dec-2015
Rating: 4 Stars

Horizon by Tabitha Lord is the first in a series, of at least one more book, and ends with a cliffhanger. While it is a sci-fi story, it is also heavy on the romance but nothing sappy (thankfully). Actually, the romantic scenes were well done and therefore nothing for me to quibble about.

The story opens from Caeli Crys’s point of view as a ship crashes on her planet. She is empathetic and she feels the terror of the crew in the moments before the actual crash. When she goes to investigate she finds that, of the two people on board, only one has survived, Commander Derek Markham. As empathetic, Caeli possesses the skill to heal with her mind and she quickly sets about saving Derek’s life. Continue reading “Horizon by Tabitha Lord”

Crown of Stars by Sophie Jaff

Title: Crown of Stars
Author: Sophie Jaff
Pub. Date: 6-Jun-2017
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Crown of Stars is the second book in the Nightsong Trilogy. It can be read as a standalone, which I am thankful for since I have not read the first book. It is a mix of fantasy and psychological thriller and is a true good versus evil story. The plot shifts between Margaret in the 17th century and Katherine in the present.

Margaret is the daughter of a Traveler and has inherited supernatural gifts from her. The community is afraid of her and has shunned her. After her mother’s death, her father remarries and it is soon evident that Margaret will have to leave. She is finally able to secure a position as an alewife in the house of a young, wealthy lord whom she falls for. Tragically, her mother’s killer is now seeking her and she becomes determined to defeat him even at the cost of her own life. Continue reading “Crown of Stars by Sophie Jaff”

The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George

Title: The Confessions of Young Nero
Author: Margaret George
Pub Date: 7-Mar-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

The Confessions of Young Nero is the first installment of a two book series that follows the life of Nero, as he rises, at a young age, to become one of the better known emperors in Roman history. The story is fiction but the facts behind the story are very real. The author takes us into the world of Roman royalty in which greed, deception and murder are a part of everyday life.

We enter the story when Nero is a young child of four. He is not yet Nero, but Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus whose father is dead and mother has been exiled. At this early age he is introduced to the savagery that is part of his heritage when his uncle, the emperor, tries to kill him. Upon his Uncle’s demise, Nero’s mother, Agrippina, is able to return to Rome and reunite with her son. She sees young Nero as a way to achieve her ultimate goal of ruling the Roman Empire. All she needs is the right pawn. Continue reading “The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George”

The Heirs by Susan Rieger

Title: The Heirs
Author: Susan Rieger
Pub. Date: 23-May-2017
Rating: 4.5 Stars

The Heirs is an exceptional story about the complexities of family ties. The story starts with the death of the family patriarch, Rupert Falkes, a wealthy and prominent attorney in New York City.  He dies leaving behind a wife, Eleanor, and five sons. Six months after his death a woman comes forth and declares that she had two sons by Rupert. At first, the family dismisses the claim as a gold seeker looking for a way to make money. As the story progresses and more family secrets are revealed the truth is slowly uncovered but not before the whole family is pushed into turbulence.

The whole family is dysfunctional. Some of the characters I liked and some I didn’t. Eleanor’s character was the best by far mainly because she was the most believable. However, some of the sons lacked in development. They made stupid decisions, which all people make, I just never fully understood why and that detracted a little from the story. Nonetheless, it was not enough of a flaw to affect my overall rating of the book. Continue reading “The Heirs by Susan Rieger”