Saturday, March 20, 2021

Review: House at the Bottom of a Lake

 

A House at the Bottom of a Lake
Author: Josh Malerman
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis:

Both seventeen. Both afraid. But both saying yes.

It sounded like the perfect first date: canoeing across a chain of lakes, sandwiches and beer in the cooler. But teenagers Amelia and James discover something below the water’s surface that changes their lives forever.

It’s got two stories.

It’s got a garden.

And the front door is open.

It’s a house at the bottom of a lake.

For the teens, there is only one rule: no questions. And yet, how could a place so spectacular come with no price tag? While the duo plays house beneath the waves, one reality remains:

Just because a house is empty, doesn’t mean nobody’s home.

My Review:

I am both in awe of what I have read and baffled by it. I am left with so many questions; yet the amount of feelings, wonders, and thoughts that this work has provoked has somehow overwhelmed my desire to answer said questions. I don't need answers. I am content with this book as a whole and how it has left this sense of enthrallment when I think back to it. This was one of those books I will think back upon with a smile.


Find out more about the book and where to purchase it:

Goodreads
Author Website


-Brenda Franklin, Author of the Pulse Trilogy

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Cover Reveal for SERENE by Diana Nixon


SERENE 
by Diana Nixon
Shattered Series (Story, #3)
Blurb:

I used to think that my life was a picture of perfection. I had everything a twenty-five-year-old woman could wish for: a loving family, friends, a dream job and a fiancé who thought the world of me.

Until the day I lost it all… Including my ability to see.

The car accident took away not just my vision, but also a part of me that I was sure I would never be able to get back.

And then I met him… Stanley Burke. A kind of a man I thought didn’t exist anymore: understanding, loving, supportive and generally too good to be true.

Without effort, he breathed life into my frozen heart, making it beat faster than ever before.
He became a light that my eyes would never see again. He made me feel things that were long lost and forgotten.

Only I couldn’t give him what he deserved.

Because in my pitch-dark world, there was no place for love…

“I’ve never been so scared of losing someone in my entire life… Then again, I’ve never had anyone as important as you are to lose…”



Add on GOODREADS


Shattered Series
Book 1: Shattered
Book 2: Fragile
Book 3: Serene

About the author:
Diana Nixon, an International Bestselling Author of contemporary and paranormal romances. She was born in Minsk, Belarus. She has a Master of Law degree and speaks several foreign languages, including English, Polish and Spanish.

Diana’s writing career is like a roller coaster ride. It started with a fantasy novel named Love Lines, that was originally written in Russian and only later, it was translated into English. Since then, she has published 19 more books, both of contemporary and fantasy genres. Diana's books are being translated into Spanish, French and Russian.

Website: www.diana-nixon.com
Twitter: @DianaNixon9 https://twitter.com/DianaNixon9
Instagram: @authordiananixon https://www.instagram.com/authordiananixon/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordiananixon/?ref=settings
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/diananixon96/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5814368.Diana_Nixon
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Diana-Nixon/e/B007PY0IMO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1519224711&sr=8-1

Saturday, November 4, 2017

October Reads 2017

Eight fun reads down! 34 of 52. 18 more to go until my goal at the end of the year. I might not make it due to the fact that this time of the year is crazy busy. But I have discovered so many amazing authors this year and I look forward to discovering many more.

Adult Reads:

29984659
The Sleeping Beauty Killer by Mary Higgins Clark ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads synopsis:
The third thrilling installment in the bestselling Under Suspicion series from #1 New York Times bestselling author and “Queen of Suspense” Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke—television producer Laurie Moran puts everything on the line to help a woman she thinks was wrongfully convicted of murder.

Casey Carter was convicted of murdering her fiancĂ©—famed philanthropist Hunter Raleigh III—fifteen years ago. And Casey claims—has always claimed—she’s innocent. Although she was charged and served out her sentence in prison, she is still living “under suspicion.” She hears whispers at the grocery store. She can’t get a job. Even her own mother treats her like she’s guilty. Her story attracts the attention of Laurie Moran and the Under Suspicion news team—it’s Casey’s last chance to finally clear her name, and Laurie pledges to exonerate her.

With Alex Buckley taking a break from the show—cooling his potential romance with Laurie—Under Suspicion introduces a new on-air host named Ryan Nichols, a young legal whiz with a Harvard Law degree, Supreme Court clerkship, experience as a federal prosecutor, and regular stints on the cable news circuit. He’s got a big reputation and the attitude to match it. Ryan has no problems with steering—and stealing—the show, and even tries to stop Laurie from taking on Casey’s case because he’s so certain she’s guilty.

An egomaniacal new co-host, a relentless gossip columnist who seems to have all the dirt (and a surprising informant), and Casey’s longstanding bad reputation: Laurie must face this and more to do what she believes is right, to once and for all prove Casey’s innocence—that is, if she’s innocent… The Sleeping Beauty Killer will keep you guessing until the very end.

31208858The Woman Who Couldn't Scream by Christina Dobb ⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads synopsis:
From the New York Times bestselling author comes the fourth novel of suspense taking place in Virtue Falls, Washington.

Beautiful Merida is married to a wealthy older man who takes her around the world as his trophy. Merida is everything a man could want. But a traumatic accident years before left her without the ability to speak. When her husband dies, she knows it's her chance to exact revenge on those responsible for her accident—and that vengeance begins in Virtue Falls. Reinventing herself, she slips into village life, biding her time. But someone knows exactly who she is and will use this chance to finish what was started years ago. And this time an accident for Merida will mean silencing her forever.


30671871
The Blackest Crimson by Debbie Webb ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads synopsis:
Detective Bobbie Gentry was psyched when she was offered the opportunity to work with the FBI on a special task force in the search for a heinous serial killer known as the Storyteller. What she didn't expect was for the serial killer to follow her home on Christmas Eve...

The Storyteller couldn't resist Bobbie no matter the risk. He murdered her husband and would have murdered her child but the little boy got away. Now Bobbie's fight for survival might just be more than he bargained for...

One of them must die.

The Blackest Crimson is the prequel to No Darker Place, the first in the stunning Shades of Death series!


30239118Craving by Helen Hardt ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads synopsis:
After being left at the altar, Jade Roberts seeks solace at her best friend’s ranch on the Colorado western slope. Her humiliation still ripe, she doesn't expect to be attracted to her friend’s reticent brother, but when the gorgeous cowboy kisses her, all bets are off.

Talon Steel is broken. Having never fully healed from a horrific childhood trauma, he simply exists, taking from women what is offered and giving nothing in return...until Jade Roberts catapults into his life. She is beautiful, sweet, and giving, and his desire for her becomes a craving he fears he'll never be able to satisfy.

Passion sizzles between the two lovers...but long-buried secrets haunt them both and may eventually tear them apart.

33998324A Snow Country Christmas by Linda miller ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads synopsis:
It's a Christmas affair to remember as a Hollywood mogul discovers his inner cowboy—and the woman of his dreams—amid the rugged beauty of Wyoming.

Raine McCall would take snow-covered mountains over a star-studded premiere any day. But when hotshot movie executive Mick Branson arranges dinner on Christmas Eve to discuss a work opportunity, she's intrigued—by the offer and the man. She's a no-makeup, no-frills single mom, who's happy with her quiet life. Sharing chili cheeseburgers and sizzling kisses with Mick is sure heating up her holiday, but country girl and power player don't mix…

It's not just work that's brought Mick back to Mustang Creek. Since he first visited to oversee a documentary, free-spirited graphic designer Raine has been in his head. Her approach to life is as unconventional as her quirky holiday ornaments. Their attraction is undeniable—and so are their differences. Putting down roots in the Wild West wasn't in the script. But there are some Christmas gifts you can't walk away from, even when they turn your whole world upside down…

28187The Lightning Thief ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads synopsis:
Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse—Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena—Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

1265291
Gill's All Night Diner ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads synopsis:
Bloodier than Fried Green Tomatoes!
Funnier than The Texas Chainsaw Massacre!

Welcome to Gil's All Night Diner, where zombie attacks are a regular occurrence and you never know what might be lurking in the freezer . . .

Duke and Earl are just passing through Rockwood county in their pick-up truck when they stop at the Diner for a quick bite to eat. They aren't planning to stick around-until Loretta, the eatery's owner, offers them $100 to take care of her zombie problem. Given that Duke is a werewolf and Earl's a vampire, this looks right up their alley.
But the shambling dead are just the tip of a particularly spiky iceberg. Seems someone's out to drive Loretta from the Diner, and more than willing to raise a little Hell on Earth if that's what it takes. Before Duke and Earl get to the bottom of the Diner's troubles, they'll run into such otherworldly complications as undead cattle, an amorous ghost, a jailbait sorceress, and the terrifying occult power of pig-latin.
And maybe--just maybe--the End of the World, too.

Gory, sexy, and flat-out hilarious, Gil's All Fright Diner will tickle your funnybone--before ripping it out of its socket!

Children's book:
31491773

Creepy Pair of Underwear ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads synopsis:
Jasper Rabbit is NOT a little bunny anymore. He’s not afraid of the dark, and he’s definitely not afraid of something as silly as underwear. But when the lights go out, suddenly his new big rabbit underwear glows in the dark. A ghoulish, greenish glow. If Jasper didn’t know any better he’d say his undies were a little, well, creepy. Jasper’s not scared obviously, he’s just done with creepy underwear. But after trying everything to get rid of them, they keep coming back!


Thursday, October 19, 2017

September Reads!

The month of September passed quickly. Like, I went to bed at the end of August and suddenly here it is October! what happened? I can tell you for sure that I finished seven books in this month, ate a lot of sonic when I wasn't supposed to be eating out a lot, got hardly any sleep thanks to a puppy, and still managed not to murder anyone. . . at least no bodies or cops have turned up so that's a plus! :D

Anyway, here are my September reads and my ratings.

Books I have read September:

Adult Fictions:


23014603
Those Girls by Chevy Stevens ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
thriller, suspense, horror fiction

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Chevy Stevens is back with her most powerful, emotional thriller yet— a story of survival…and revenge.

Life has never been easy for the three Campbell sisters. Jess, Courtney, and Dani live on a remote ranch in Western Canada where they work hard and try to stay out of the way of their father’s fists. One night, a fight gets out of hand and the sisters are forced to go on the run, only to get caught in an even worse nightmare when their truck breaks down in a small town. Events spiral out of control and a chance encounter with the wrong people leaves them in a horrific and desperate situation. They are left with no choice but to change their names and create new lives.

Eighteen years later, they are still trying to forget what happened that summer when one of the sisters goes missing and they are pulled back into their past.

This time there’s nowhere left to run.

As much of a thriller as it is a deep exploration of the bonds among sisters, THOSE GIRLS is an unforgettable portrait of desperation, loyalty, and evil.

32889533
The Marsh King's Daughter by Karin Dionne⭐⭐⭐⭐
thriller, suspense, psychology fiction
Synopsis from Goodreads:

I was born two years into my mother's captivity. She was three weeks shy of seventeen. If I had known then what I do now, things would have been a lot different. I wouldn't have adored my father.

When notorious child abductor - known as the Marsh King - escapes from a maximum security prison, Helena immediately suspects that she and her two young daughters are in danger.

No one, not even her husband, knows the truth about Helena's past: they don't know that she was born into captivity, that she had no contact with the outside world before the age of twelve - or that her father raised her to be a killer.

And they don't know that the Marsh King can survive and hunt in the wilderness better than anyone... except, perhaps his own daughter.

25644437Find Her by Lisa Gardner ⭐⭐⭐⭐
thriller, suspense, psychology fiction, mystery,
Synopsis from Goodreads:

Flora Dane is a victim. 

Seven years ago, carefree college student Flora was kidnapped while on spring break. For 472 days, Flora learned just how much one person can endure.

Flora Dane is a survivor.

Miraculously alive after her ordeal, Flora has spent the past five years reacquainting herself with the rhythms of normal life, working with her FBI victim advocate, Samuel Keynes. She has a mother who’s never stopped loving her, a brother who is scared of the person she’s become, and a bedroom wall covered with photos of other girls who’ve never made it home.

Flora Dane is reckless. 

. . . or is she? When Boston detective D. D. Warren is called to the scene of a crime—a dead man and the bound, naked woman who killed him—she learns that Flora has tangled with three other suspects since her return to society. Is Flora a victim or a vigilante? And with her firsthand knowledge of criminal behavior, could she hold the key to rescuing a missing college student whose abduction has rocked Boston? When Flora herself disappears, D.D. realizes a far more sinister predator is out there. One who’s determined that this time, Flora Dane will never escape. And now it is all up to D. D. Warren to find her.

21535784The Cinderella Murder by Mary Higgins Clark
book 2 in under suspicion ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thriller, suspense, mystery, fiction

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Television producer Laurie Moran is delighted when the pilot for her reality drama, Under Suspicion, is a success. Even more, the program—a cold case series that revisits unsolved crimes by recreating them with those affected—is off to a fantastic start when it helps solve an infamous murder in the very first episode.

Now Laurie has the ideal case to feature in the next episode ofUnder Suspicion: the Cinderella Murder. When Susan Dempsey, a beautiful and multi-talented UCLA student, was found dead, her murder raised numerous questions. Why was her car parked miles from her body? Had she ever shown up for the acting audition she was due to attend at the home of an up-and-coming director? Why does Susan’s boyfriend want to avoid questions about their relationship? Was her disappearance connected to a controversial church that was active on campus? Was she close to her computer science professor because of her technological brilliance, or something more? And why was Susan missing one of her shoes when her body was discovered?

With the help of lawyer and Under Suspicion host Alex Buckley, Laurie knows the case will attract great ratings, especially when the former suspects include Hollywood’s elite and tech billionaires. The suspense and drama are perfect for the silver screen—but is Cinderella’s murderer ready for a close-up?

25111011All Dressed in White by Mary Higgins Clark ⭐⭐⭐⭐
book 3 in under suspicion
Thriller, suspense, mystery, fiction

Synopsis from Goodreads:
The second thrilling novel in the New York Times bestselling Under Suspicion series following The Cinderella Murder, featuring intrepid television producer Laurie Moran as she investigates the case of a missing bride.

Five years ago Amanda Pierce was excitedly preparing to marry her college sweetheart in a lavish ceremony at The Grand Victoria Hotel in Palm Beach. Then, with their guests and families on site, Amanda disappeared.

In present-day New York City, Laurie Moran realizes a missing bride is the perfect cold case for her investigative television series, Under Suspicion. She and her team set out to recreate the night of the disappearance at the Florida resort with Amanda’s friends and family in attendance, hoping to shed new light on the mystery as the series has done in past episodes. With a jealous sister, playboy groomsmen, Amanda’s former fiancĂ© now married to a bridesmaid, and rumors about the “beloved” bride herself, Laurie and Under Suspicion host Alex Buckley quickly realize everyone has a theory about why Amanda vanished into thin air.

One thing is certain: whoever was behind Amanda’s disappearance plans to keep the truth hidden “until death do they part…”

The bestselling Under Suspicion series from Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke offers “plenty of intrigue and excitement” (Publishers Weekly, on The Cinderella Murder). Featuring the chilling suspense and elegant settings readers have come to love, All Dressed in White is not to be missed. 

Children's books


854402The Kitten Named Moonlight ⭐⭐⭐⭐
by: Author Martin Waddell and illustrator Christian Birmingham

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Martin Waddell and Christian Birmingham's nostalgic picture book about an adored pet is also a tender celebration of family storytelling. 

"I'd like my story again, Charlotte said. The one I like best, about Moonlight and me." Once, Charlotte's mother tells her, a very small white kitten was alone and lost. But then a little girl, driving along the coast with her mother, saw two eyes shining brightly in the darkness. "I know who saw them!" says Charlotte, and together she and her mother describe a cold winter night by the sea, a lost kitten, and a brave rescue by moonlight. 

Martin Waddell's magical story and Christian Birmingham's luminous paintings tell a warm and evocative tale--one sure to inspire young children to chronicle some of their own family adventures.
33158525 

Wishtree by Applegate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
by: Author Katherin Applegate and illustrator Charles Santoso

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Trees can't tell jokes, but they can certainly tell stories. . . .

Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood "wishtree"—people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red's branches. Along with her crow friend Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red's hollows, this "wishtree" watches over the neighborhood.

You might say Red has seen it all. Until a new family moves in. Not everyone is welcoming, and Red's experiences as a wishtree are more important than ever.

Friday, September 1, 2017

August Reads

With three months down in my new job I feel amazing. Not only that, but my husband and I got a puppy! Her name is Ursulina. She is a ball of energy and exactly what our older Lab needs. Amazingly enough our two cats actually really like her. So I am all around in bliss. Most of the time. :)

Below are a list of books I read this month in no particular order.

In August:

Fiction

19322169Bones never lie (Book 17)
Author: Kathy Reichs
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In the acclaimed author’s thrilling new novel, Brennan is at the top of her game in a battle of wits against the most monstrous adversary she has ever encountered.

Unexpectedly called in to the Charlotte PD’s Cold Case Unit, Dr. Temperance Brennan wonders why she’s been asked to meet with a homicide cop who’s a long way from his own jurisdiction. The shocking answer: Two child murders, separated by thousands of miles, have one thing in common—the killer. Years ago, Anique Pomerleau kidnapped and murdered a string of girls in Canada, then narrowly eluded capture. It was a devastating defeat for her pursuers, Brennan and police detective Andrew Ryan. Now, as if summoned from their nightmares, Pomerleau has resurfaced in the United States, linked to victims in Vermont and North Carolina. When another child is snatched, the reign of terror promises to continue—unless Brennan can rise to the challenge and make good on her second chance to stop a psychopath.

But Brennan will have to draw her bitter ex-partner out of exile, keep the local police and feds from one another’s throats, and face more than just her own demons as she stalks the deadliest of predators into the darkest depths of madness.

In Bones Never Lie, Kathy Reichs never fails to satisfy readers looking for psychological suspense that’s more than skin-deep.


34997211In a Whisper
Author: Diana Nixon
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis from Goodreads:

There are things that are so hard to say aloud. Especially when it comes to something that you never thought your heart was capable of feeling…
In Ashton Bright’s life, there is no place for feelings. A successful surgeon, he knows how to make hearts beat faster, yet his own heart is as cold as a scalpel. He doesn’t know how to do romance, and he knows even less about love.
The day Nicola Holt comes to work as Ashton’s assistant, everything he believed was right for him becomes wrong. For someone whose everyday job is saving lives, Ashton finds himself too weak to stand against Nicola’s charm.
But most of all, he hates that she makes him feel things – the things he once swore to never allow himself to be submerged in.
“I have spent my whole life searching for what I have found in you. I do not want to let it go...”


29203612Sting
Sandra Brown
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Jordie Bennet and Shaw Kinnard lock eyes across a disreputable backwater bar, something definitely sparks. Shaw gives off a dangerous vibe that makes men wary and inspires women to sit up and take notice. None feel that undercurrent more strongly than savvy businesswoman Jordie, who doesn't belong in a seedy dive on the banks of a bayou. But here she is . . . and Shaw Kinnard is here to kill her.

As Shaw and his partner take aim, Jordie is certain her time has come. But Shaw has other plans and abducts Jordie, hoping to get his hands on the $30 million her brother has stolen and, presumably, hidden. However, Shaw is not the only one looking for the fortune. Her brother's ruthless boss and the FBI are after it as well. Now on the run from the feds and a notorious criminal, Jordie and Shaw must rely on their wits-and each other-to stay alive.

Miles away from civilization and surrounded by swampland, the two play each other against their common enemies. Jordie's only chance of survival is to outwit Shaw, but it soon becomes clear to Shaw that Jordie isn't entirely trustworthy, either. Was she in on her brother's scam, or is she an innocent pawn in a deadly vendetta? And just how valuable is her life to Shaw, her remorseless and manipulative captor? Burning for answers-and for each other-this unlikely pair ultimately make a desperate move that could be their last.

With nonstop plot twists and the tantalizing sexual tension that has made Sandra Brown one of the world's best-loved authors, STING will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final pages.

#1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sandra Brown jolts the reader from the first page of this heart-pounding story of corruption, treachery, and ceaseless deception . . .where nothing is what it seems and every truth brought to light exposes a darker lie.

18107951Midnight Crossing
Author: Charlene Harris
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis from Goodreads:

Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and Davy Road. It’s a pretty standard dried-up western town.

There’s a pawnshop (someone lives in the basement and is seen only at night). There’s a diner (people who are just passing through tend not to linger). And there’s new resident Manfred Bernardo, who thinks he’s found the perfect place to work in private (and who has secrets of his own).

Stop at the one traffic light in town, and everything looks normal. Stay awhile, and learn the truth...



2509372Renegade Son
Author: Lisa Jackson
My Rating: ⭐
Synopsis from Goodreads:

The prettiest single mom in Montana
With unscrupulous enemies, a rebellious child and a ranch that was slowly being sabotaged, Danielle Summers had to shore up her defenses! If she wasn't careful, rugged Chase McEnroe would invade more than just her property -- he'd trespass on her heart.

Chase wasn't planning on seducing Danielle for her land. His reasons for wanting the sexy single mom in his bed had more to do with desire. But that didn't mean this renegade son was ready to settle down. It would take more than a beautiful woman with a pretty piece of property to make this confirmed bachelor change his tune.

But then, Chase had never counted on falling in love...

18143968I've got you under my Skin
Author: Mary Higgins Clark
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Laurie Moran's husband was brutally murdered, only three-year-old Timmy saw the face of his father's killer. Five years later his piercing blue eyes still haunt Timmy's dreams. Laurie is haunted by more: the killer's threat to her son as he fled the scene: Tell your mother she's next, then it's your turn . .

Now Laurie is dealing with murder again, this time as the producer of a true-crime, cold-case television show. The series will launch with the twenty-year-old unsolved murder of Betsy Powell. Betsy, a socialite, was found suffocated in her bed after a gala celebrating the graduation of her daughter and three friends. The sensational murder was news nationwide. Reopening the case in its lavish setting and with the cooperation of the surviving guests that night, Laurie is sure to have a hit on her hands. But when the estranged friends begin filming, it becomes clear each is hiding secrets . . . small and large.

And a pair of blue eyes is watching events unfold, too . . .

Young Adult Fiction

8621462A Monster Calls
Author: Patrick Ness
My Rating: 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis from Goodreads:

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.

But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…

This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.

It wants the truth.

Friday, August 25, 2017

July Reads

I recently got a new job working at the library and I am proud to say that I have finally found time to read all the books I want that are sitting at my finger tips! At my job before I was constantly under stress (which I did enjoy at times) and unable to pull away from work, even at home. Now, I can separate the two and I find that my stress levels have gone down exponentially. Which means I will live longer! Or, so I hear. :) With all that being said here is a list of book I finished in July.

Fiction reads

32019356
You Will Pay
Author: Lisa Jackson
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis from Goodreads:

It starts as a prank a way to blow off steam after a long summer at Camp Horseshoe. Among the teen counselors, tensions and hormones are running high. No wonder the others agree when Jo-Beth Chancellor suggests they scare Monica O Neal a little .or a lot. Monica has it coming, and no one will really get hurt. What could go wrong?

Everything.

Twenty years later, Lucas Dalton, a senior detective with the sheriff s department, is investigating the discovery of human remains in a cavern at what used to be Camp Horseshoe. Lucas knows the spot well. His father, a preacher, ran the camp, and Lucas worked there that infamous summer when two girls went missing. One is believed to have been killed by a convict on the loose. Monica O Neal is thought to have drowned and been washed out to sea.

Lucas knows he should step down from such a personal case. He s already jeopardized his career by removing evidence of his involvement. But maybe it s time to uncover the whole truth at last. That s why five former female counselors are coming back to the small Oregon town among them, Bernadette Warden, the woman Lucas has never forgotten. Each one knows something about that terrible night. Each promised not to tell. And as they reunite, a new horror unfolds. First come notes containing a personal memento and a simple, terrifying message: You will pay. Then, the murders begin.

It started years ago. But it will end here as a web of lust, greed, and betrayal is untangled to reveal a killer waiting to enact the perfect revenge.

7159515Still Missing
Author: Shevy Stevens
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Synopsis from Goodread:
On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Still Missing interweaves the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfold through sessions with her psychiatrist, with a second narrative following the events after her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

Still Missing is a shocking, visceral, brutal and beautifully crafted novel.



26263487If I Run
Author: Terry Blackstock
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis from Goodread:
Casey knows the truth.

But it won’t set her free.

Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they have failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore.

But what is the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up. Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?

Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.


30649227If I'm Found
Author: Terry Blackstock
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis from Goodread:
Is Dylan hunting Casey to prosecute her or protect her?


Casey Cox is still on the run, fleeing prosecution for a murder she didn’t commit. Dylan Roberts—her most relentless pursuer—is still on her trail, but his secret emails insist that he knows the truth and wants to help her. He’s let her escape before when he had her in his grasp, but trust doesn’t come easily.


As Casey works to collect evidence about the real murderers, she stumbles on another unbearable injustice: an abused child and a suicidal man who’s also been falsely accused. Casey risks her own safety to right this wrong and protect the little girl from her tormenters. But doing so is risky and just may result in her capture—and if she’s captured, she has no doubt she’ll be murdered before she ever steps foot in a jail.


In this riveting sequel to the USA Today bestseller If I Run, evil lurks, drawing Casey out of the shadows . . . but there is light shining in the darkness. Is Dylan a provision from the God who loves her, or another heartache yet to happen?

Non fiction

23848559Furiously Happy, A funny book about horrible things
Author:Jenny Lawson
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Synopsis from Goodread:
In LET'S PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENED, Jenny Lawson baffled readers with stories about growing up the daughter of a taxidermist. In her new book, FURIOUSLY HAPPY, Jenny explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. A hysterical, ridiculous book about crippling depression and anxiety? That sounds like a terrible idea. And terrible ideas are what Jenny does best.

According to Jenny: "Some people might think that being 'furiously happy' is just an excuse to be stupid and irresponsible and invite a herd of kangaroos over to your house without telling your husband first because you suspect he would say no since he's never particularly liked kangaroos. And that would be ridiculous because no one would invite a herd of kangaroos into their house. Two is the limit. I speak from personal experience. My husband says that none is the new limit. I say he should have been clearer about that before I rented all those kangaroos."

"Most of my favorite people are dangerously fucked-up but you'd never guess because we've learned to bare it so honestly that it becomes the new normal. Like John Hughes wrote in The Breakfast Club, 'We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it.' Except go back and cross out the word 'hiding.'"

Jenny's first book, LET'S PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENED, was ostensibly about family, but deep down it was about celebrating your own weirdness. FURIOUSLY HAPPY is a book about mental illness, but under the surface it's about embracing joy in fantastic and outrageous ways-and who doesn't need a bit more of that?

Children books

31145060Stay: A girl, a dog, and a bucket list
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Eli the dog has been with Astrid since her parents brought her home from the hospital as a baby. Now Astrid is getting older, and so is Eli. Before he slows down too much, Astrid wants to make fun memories with him. So she makes a bucket list for Eli, which includes experiences such as eating with him in a restaurant, and taking him down a slide at the playground.

But in the end, what is most important to Eli is the time he spends with Astrid, whom he loves dearly. Sisters Kate and M. Sarah Klise have created a story that reminds readers of all ages that time with our loved ones is the most precious gift of all.




Young adult

272320Define Normal
Author: Julie Anne Peters
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Antonia is eager to participate in the new peer counseling program at school—until she learns the person she's supposed to counsel is Jasmine Luther. "Jazz" is anything but Antonia's peer. She's a punker, a druggie, a gang hanger. As their peer counseling sessions progress, Antonia and Jazz discover they have more in common than they could ever have imagined. Can a "normal" person like Antonia trust a psycho freaky whacked-out punker like Jazz? Does she dare?








Friday, April 28, 2017

Diana Nixon, an International Bestselling Author of contemporary and paranormal romances, is a woman of contradictions. She was born in Minsk, Belarus. She has a Master of Law degree and speaks several foreign languages, including English, Polish and Spanish.

Diana’s writing career is like a roller coaster ride. It started with a fantasy novel named Love Lines, that was originally written in Russian and only later, it was translated into English. Since then, she has published 17 more books, both of contemporary and fantasy genres. Diana's books are being translated into Spanish, French and Russian.

If you haven't already heard the final for her Fantasy series, Love Lines, Upon The Stars is coming out soon. But we are not here for that today. Today we are elated to be revealing the cover for the second book in her Romance duet Set Me Free!
Book 1 Set Me Free

It was supposed to be just another day at work for a local newspaper reporter, Stella Holt. She had always loved her job, and believed she was good at it. Until one day when she was sent to interview the author of a worldwide bestseller who had made so many women fall in love with him.
James Collins is not just a word-painter. His every work is a masterpiece, a perfect blend of mystery and mind-blowing romance. Only in his own life, there is no place for romance. He knows everything about women, starting from what they like most, and to the ways to seduce them with only a glance. But there’s a secret that has been aggrieving him for years, a secret that has locked his heart forever…
“I thought I would never fall in love with you, Stella. And I didn’t… I drowned in you…”

--------------------My Review-------------------

Set Me Free is a Romance about a journalist, Stella, and a sexy romance writer, James, whose instant connection is both tantalizing and terrifying. The heat they feel for one another is the kind of fire that could either kill them or send them to the stars of happiness, if either one could fully commit and overcome their past to survive a future together.
Some relationships are about overcoming one’s past to find your future and this is one of those stories. Filled with laughter, naughty scenes, and pull at your heart strings moment, especially when it comes to James back story. As the story progresses James decides, like with all his other women he is going to take what he wants and be done with her. He will just use her as inspiration for his latest book. But it doesn’t turn out like he expected and she isn’t so easy to forget. He is drowning in all things Stella as she is falling pretty hard for a man that she told herself to stay away from! Darn her uncle for making her interview such a man as James. Just five questions, how bad could this be? Yep, it is bad. How is it even possible to resist such an enticing man and in the end there is no fighting him. She just has to hang onto and enjoy the joy that is, loving James. :)
This story is a fiery one with plenty of passionate scenes along with an array of humorous moments. What’s a good romance novel without a little fun? And it is crammed pack with it! From Stella’s hilarious sister and the moment they see James swimming in the nude, to her best friends betting against her in sleeping with James (I would be in on this bet), it’s all fun! There isn’t a duel moment and I expected no less from author Diana Nixon. She puts her heart and wonderful spirit into everything she writes and I can’t get enough of it. I would recommend this to anyone, be it your first time reading Diana’s work or someone familiar with her writing, it’s just too fun to pass up.
My favorite scene, as will be many others, would have to be the cooking lesson. Got to love a man that knows his way around a kitchen. ;)
And NOW! What you have been waiting for!! The next book in her Set Me Free duet is!
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Isn't it lovely!?

IN A WHISPER by Diana Nixon
COVER REVEAL

There are things that are so hard to say aloud. Especially when it comes to something that you never thought your heart was capable of feeling…
In Ashton Bright’s life, there is no place for feelings. A successful surgeon, he knows how to make hearts beat faster, yet his own heart is as cold as a scalpel He doesn’t know how to do romance, and he knows even less about love.
The day Nicola Holt comes to work as Ashton’s assistant, everything he believed was right for him becomes wrong. For someone whose everyday job is saving lives, Ashton finds himself too weak to stand against Nicola’s charm.
But most of all, he hates that she makes him feel things – the things he once swore to never allow himself to be submerged in.
“I have spent my whole life searching for what I have found in you. I do not want to let it go...”

ADD ON GOODREADS:

If you haven’t read the first story from SET ME FREE duet, DO IT NOW!!!
Available in Paperback, Kindle and e-Book formats.
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For more information on Diana Nixon or her books please visit her sites below:
Official pagewww.diana-nixon.com
Twitter: @DianaNixon9 https://twitter.com/DianaNixon9
Instagram: @authordiananixon https://www.instagram.com/authordiananixon/
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