Review: Guarding Sophie (Love and Football #5.5) by Julie Brannagh

Hearts beat and sparks fly when two people find shelter in each other

Seattle Sharks wide receiver Kyle Carlson needs to escape and Noel, Washington, is the perfect place for him to do it and figure out his next step. He likes the seclusion and predictability of the small town…until the biggest surprise of his life turns up in the local grocery store.

Sophie Hayes has her own reasons for disappearing without a trace and moving to Noel. This mountain town makes her feel safe for the first time in a long time. But her quiet routine is threatened when Kyle walks back into her life. Growing up in the same Florida town, she always had a little thing for the sexy football player. This tie to her old life, though, could mean she has to run again, even if her heart wants to stay.

When the reason she fled shows up in Noel, Kyle and Sophie, with a little extra help from his teammates, must decide to stay and fight for the life, and love, they’ve found together.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Avon Impulse

Terri's Thoughts

**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher Avon via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is November 10th, 2015**

Although part of a series this can be read as a stand alone.  I have not read any of the others and it in no way impacted this story other than mentioning some character which I am assuming were introduced in previous stories.  This is a short novella which I believe was to add some additional storylines for some of these characters.

If you enjoy stories that deal with couple that always wondered what could have been and then have the opportunity to find out then this is the story for you.  It shows how time does not necessarily change feelings.  I really enjoyed how the couple proceeded with caution once they were able to connect again.

This story moves very fast and sometimes seemed a little over the top (Sophie's ex) however still gave that taste of romance one is seeking.  Also, the story is relatively clean for those who prefer the storyline a little less steamy.  It does have sexual content however Brannagh leaves it for the imagination mostly without going in to graphic detail.  This was a little bit refreshing.

Due to the short length I can't disclose anymore however I can say I really wish I knew this football team.  It seems like a great group of guys to spend some Saturday afternoons reading about.  Overall a good read.

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Julie Brannagh has been writing since she could hold a pencil. She lives in a small town near Seattle, where she once served as a city council member and owned a yarn shop. She shares her home with a wonderful husband, two uncivilized Maine Coons and a rambunctious chocolate Lab.

When she's not writing, she's reading--or armchair-quarterbacking her favorite NFL team from the comfort of the family room couch. Julie is a Golden Heart finalist and the author of six contemporary sports romances.

Website
Twitter

Feature and Follow Friday #72

Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme that allows book bloggers to interact with each other and find new blogs! It has two hosts, Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The rules are...
 
(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
If you’re new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog.

Question of the Week: What are your favorite books that have been made into a movie? - Suggested by Girl of 1000 Wonders

 

I might be overthinking this question because I am drawing a blank. I can think of a lot of books that have been made into movies but not a lot of favourite books. So I have come up with one that has been made into a movie and one that is being made into a movie.

 

  The Fault in Our Stars is a favourite of mine and I was actually pretty satisfied with the movie too. I just got back from Europe and I bought the Spanish, Italian and Turkish version of this book. :)

This next one is a favourite book of mine that is being made into a movie and I think it is coming out next year. I hope I like it!

That is our Feature and Follow Friday for this week! Comment down below if you're a new follower of ours with a link to your blog and we will make sure to follow you back. You can follow us via gfc, bloglovin, email, facebook and/or twitter.

 

Review: After You by Jojo Moyes

A NOTE FROM JOJO MOYES ABOUT HER EXCITING NEW NOVEL, AFTER YOU:

Dear Reader,

I wasn't going to write a sequel to Me Before You. But for years, readers kept asking and I kept wondering what Lou did with her life.  In the end the idea came, as they sometimes do, at 5:30 in the morning, leaving me sitting bolt upright in my bed and scrambling for my pen.

It has been such a pleasure revisiting Lou and her family, and the Traynors, and confronting them with a whole new set of issues. As ever, they have made me laugh, and cry. I hope readers feel the same way at meeting them—especially Lou—again.  And I'm hoping that those who love Will will find plenty to enjoy.

—Jojo Moyes


From the Hardcover edition.

Kindle Edition, 384 pages

Published September 29th 2015 by Pamela Dorman Books
Series: Me Before You #2
Genre: Fiction


Kristine's Thoughts:

** Please do not read this if you have not read Me Before You**

When I heard that there was a sequel to Me Before You I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I was either going to love it or hate it. Me Before You was the very first book that I read in digital format when I got my Kindle a few years back and let me tell you that it left a lasting impression. It literally destroyed me, it was so emotional. So I wondered...what would a sequel be like with no Will?

First of all, it is absolutely not fair to compare the books. Although they are both about Lou, they are about different times in her life and offered her different challenges. In my honest opinion it would be pretty hard to compete with the first book so I didn't let that happen. I made sure I didn't compare the two and took each page as it came.

I found myself getting emotional a few times throughout the story. The empathy I had for Lou and her struggle to move forward was stronger than I thought it would be. I could feel her sadness and her reluctance or inability to start over. Would I have been as emotional if I hadn't read the first book? I'm not sure. All I know is that I felt it.

As much as I adored Will, After You provided the possibility of a new love interest for Lou that I was routing for with every turn of the page. I'll admit that I wasn't sure how or if it would play out and there was a slight bit of frustration on my part. However, Moyes captured the grief perfectly by making it not so cut and dry. Most things in life seldom are.

Me Before You was an epic, emotional and beautiful book. People that go into After You may be disappointed because it is not more of the same. How can it be? Something that extreme cannot happen to the same person twice. Treat it as a separate story and as a glimpse into Lou's life after and readers will enjoy so much more. I truly did enjoy getting to revisit Lou, her family and to find out what became of her after Will.

About the Author

Jojo Moyes is a British novelist.

Moyes studied at Royal Holloway, University of London. She won a bursary financed by The Independent newspaper to study journalism at City University and subsequently worked for The Independent for 10 years. In 2001 she became a full time novelist.

Moyes' novel Foreign Fruit won the Romantic Novelists' Association (RNA) Romantic Novel of the Year in 2004.

She is married to journalist Charles Arthur and has three children.

Connect with Jojo

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads 

 

Review: The Lies About Truth by Courtney C. Stevens

Sadie Kingston, is a girl living in the aftermath. A year after surviving a car accident that killed her friend Trent and left her body and face scarred, she can’t move forward. The only person who seems to understand her is Trent’s brother, Max.

As Sadie begins to fall for Max, she's unsure if she is truly healed enough to be with him — even if Max is able to look at her scars and not shy away. But when the truth about the accident and subsequent events comes to light, Sadie has to decide if she can embrace the future or if she'll always be trapped in the past.

ebook, 336 pages

Expected publication: November 3rd 2015 by HarperTeen

 

Terri's Thoughts

**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher HarperTeen via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is November 3rd, 2015**

This was a touching story of friendship and how bonds can be torn apart from lies and tragedy and ultimately how these bonds can repair themselves.  This is told from the viewpoint of Sadie who suffered the worse physical injuries of the surviving members of the accident however it is the emotional scars that were worse than the physical.

While at no point did this story offer any surprises or major aha moments, it did tell a wonderful story of friendship and forgiveness.  This will make it appealing to the YA genre who is looking for stories of friendship with a little romance mixed in to the equation.

With the exception of a little bit of mild language (in which parents scold the language), this is also a very clean story.  This may appeal to parents;-)

Overall a pleasant read.

 

 

About the Author

 

Website:
Twitter

 

Sale Blitz: Soul of a Man by Jamie Begley

$0.99 for a LIMITED TIME!

SOUL OF A MAN

Dark Souls #1

Jamie Begley

Re-Released Oct 28th, 2015

Young Ink Press

Cara, a powerful Moirae, finds herself stranded on Earth made human by an enemy of her mother, Fate. Lost and alone, she is forced to accept the reluctant help of Jericho Hawk. Jericho is determined not to become involved with Cara, even as their sexual attraction for each other cannot keep them apart. When Cara's Cousin Grimm appears and proves Cara's crazy stories are actually true, he must overcome the horrors her mother is responsible for to gain an eternity with the woman he has come to love. 

BUY NOW ONLY $0.99

Amazon | Amazon UK | B & N | iBooks | Kobo

"I was born in a small town in Kentucky. My family began poor, but worked their way to owning a restaurant. My mother was one of the best cooks I have ever known, and she instilled in all her children the value of hard work, and education.

Taking after my mother, I've always love to cook, and became pretty good if I do say so myself. I love to experiment and my unfortunate family has suffered through many. They now have learned to steer clear of those dishes. I absolutely love the holidays and my family puts up with my zany decorations.

For now, my days are spent writing, writing, and writing. I have two children who both graduated this year from college. My daughter does my book covers, and my son just tries not to blush when someone asks him about my books.

Currently I am writing five series of books- The Last Riders, The VIP Room, Predators MC, Biker Bitches, and The Dark Souls.

All my books are written for one purpose- the enjoyment others find in them, and the expectations of my fans that inspire me to give it my best.”

 Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Want more of the Dark Souls?

Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | Kobo

Release Blast & Giveaway: Wishes for Christmas by Fern Michaels

Enter to Win a 

Paperback Copy of WISHES FOR CHRISTMAS

WISHES FOR CHRISTMAS

Fern Michaels

Releasing Oct 27th, 2015

Kensington Books

New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels brings together the beloved heroines from two celebrated series—the Sisterhood and the Godmothers—for a holiday to remember…

This Christmas, instead of finding and punishing bad guys, all Maggie Spritzer wants is to bring a little more joy to the world—especially to a beloved teacher from her past. And as the Sisterhood unites to find her, they learn that no holiday treat is as fulfilling as giving to others…

Meanwhile, with a little help from the other Godmothers, Toots Loudenberry is preparing for Charleston’s annual holiday showcase of historic homes. But when the Godmothers sense trouble with one of the decorators, they must tackle a mystery and hope for a happy ending…

When Sisters and Godmothers unite, the result is a warm and wonderful holiday—with a special touch of magic…

BUY NOW

Amazon | B & N |Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FERN MICHAELS is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the Sisterhood and Godmothers series, and dozens of other novels and novellas. There are over seventy-five million copies of her books in print. Fern Michaels has built and funded several large day-care centers in her hometown, and is a passionate animal lover who has outfitted police dogs across the country with special bulletproof vests. She shares her home in South Carolina with her four dogs and a resident ghost named Mary Margaret. Visit her website at www.fernmichaels.com

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Framed and Burning by Lisa Brunettette Pre-order Book Blast!

Lisa Brunette is gearing up for her new release of Framed and Burning: Book Two in the Dreamslippers Series. Release date is November 27, 2015 and pre-orders are being taken now for this new novel.

Framed and Burning, Book Two in the Dreamslippers Series

Published by Sky Harbor LLC
# of pages TBD since it's a pre-order
November 27, 2015 pub date
Genre: Mystery

Book Synopsis:

The Dreamslippers are a family of private investigators who have the ability to "slip" into your dreams. The first book in the series, Cat in the Flock, was published to critical acclaim and is trending at 4.5 stars on Amazon with 35 reviews. In Framed and Burning, someone sets fire to Mick Travers’s art studio, killing his assistant, and Mick won't give an alibi. His dreamslipping sister--the eccentric Amazing Grace--is convinced he's innocent, but her granddaughter and the police aren't so sure. Was it Mick, or is something darker behind the fire?

ADVANCED PRAISE

"Framed and Burning is the second book in the Dreamslippers series. It’s easy to follow and hard to put down, making readers who may not have read the first book race back to give it a try!"  - InD'tale Magazine

"Lisa Brunette continues to develop vibrant characters in a stunning story that will keep you reading well past your bedtime!" - On My Kindle

PRE-ORDER ON EBOOK NOW FOR $1 OFF!

Only $2.99 if you order before November 27, 2015 - price goes to $3.99 afterward.
 
In the U.S. - Amazon - Apple iBookstore - for all iOS devices - Barnes & Noble - for the Nook - Kobo - numerous devices - Smashwords - for Kindle, Android, and most other formats
 
Outside the U.S. - pricing and discount varies - Amazon Australia - Amazon Canada - Amazon UK - Nook UK - Kobo International
 
About the Author: 

Lisa Brunette is the author of the Dreamslippers mystery series. Book One, Cat in the Flock, is an indieBRAG honoree title that has been praised by Kirkus Reviews, Midwest Book Review, Readers Lane, and others.

Brunette is a career writer/editor whose work has appeared in major daily newspapers and magazines, including the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle Woman, and Poets & Writers. She's interviewed a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, a sex expert, homeless women, and the designer of the Batmobile, among others.

She has story design and writing credits in hundreds of bestselling video games, including the Mystery Case Files, Mystery Trackers, and Dark Tales series for Big Fish and AAA games for Nintendo and Microsoft platforms.

She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from University of Miami, where she was a Michener Fellow. Her short stories and poetry have appeared in Bellingham Review, The Comstock Review, Icarus International, and elsewhere.

She's also received many honors for her writing, including a major grant from the Tacoma Arts Commission, the William Stafford Award, and the Associated Writing Programs Intro Journals Project Award.

She blogs at www.catintheflock.com and has been a guest-blogger for Author magazine and Dr. Chris Michaels's blog.

Brunette is a member of Mystery Writers of America and the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.

Connect: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Google+ | Instagram |

Review: Paint My Body Red by Heidi R. Kling

They think I'll be number seven. Unlucky number seven.

Dead teenager number seven. With the rash of suicides at my school, I've been shipped off to my dad's Wyoming ranch for “my own safety.” My mom worries I'll be next—another depressed teenager whose blood will end up on the train tracks. But she doesn't know my secrets...or what I did.

Everything has changed at the ranch since I was there last. The staff is gone, and there aren’t any visitors. The place is struggling, and ALS is destroying my dad. The one bright spot in this mess is his new—and only—ranch hand, Jake. He’s gorgeous, cheerful, healthy and sane. Shadows don't haunt his eyes and eat away at him in the night.

But the ranch and Jake can't save me from the darkness inside, or the knowledge of what I've done. This time, it's up to me to save myself...

Kindle Edition, 350 pages

Expected publication: November 2nd 2015 by Entangled Publishing, LLC (Teen) 

Genre: Young Adult

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

This book is both dark and uplifting at the same time. Told in the now and then the reader follows Paige as she tries to find her way through a very traumatic and difficult time.

The story is told in the "now" which is obviously after something serious happened and Paige is trying to recover and move on from it. As the reader you don't know exactly what happened until it starts going back to the "then".Little bits are revealed throughout the story. I have to admit that I was really drawn to the "then" part of the story which also happened to be the darker side of the story. Don't get me wrong, the "now" was also good but in a more wholesome way.

I can really see young people liking this book and the characters in it. Although Paige was a bit of a mess I can see people liking her and relating to her. I know readers will love Jake and the budding relationship between the two of them. The family connection and Paige's relationship with her dad was also extremely moving.

I found myself getting a little emotional at different points in this story which surprised me. I wasn't expecting that and it spoke volumes. Obviously I was invested in the story if it moved me. At times it felt like two different stories altogether but somehow it came together in a very entertaining way. I really enjoyed it.

About the Author

After earning her BA in Literature & Creative Writing Literature from UC Santa Cruz and finding her voice in YA, Heidi went on to earn her MFA in Writing for Children from The New School. She has directed and written children's theatre on both coasts and lives with her husband and two children in Palo Alto, CA.

Connect with Heidi

Website/Twitter/Goodreads 

 

Review: The Lake House by Kate Morton

Living on her family’s idyllic lakeside estate in Cornwall, England, Alice Edevane is a bright, inquisitive, innocent, and precociously talented sixteen-year-old who loves to write stories. But the mysteries she pens are no match for the one her family is about to endure…

One midsummer’s eve, after a beautiful party drawing hundreds of guests to the estate has ended, the Edevanes discover that their youngest child, eleven-month-old Theo, has vanished without a trace. What follows is a tragedy that tears the family apart in ways they never imagined.

Decades later, Alice is living in London, having enjoyed a long successful career as an author. Theo’s case has never been solved, though Alice still harbors a suspicion as to the culprit. Miles away, Sadie Sparrow, a young detective in the London police force, is staying at her grandfather’s house in Cornwall. While out walking one day, she stumbles upon the old estate—now crumbling and covered with vines, clearly abandoned long ago. Her curiosity is sparked, setting off a series of events that will bring her and Alice together and reveal shocking truths about a past long gone...yet more present than ever.

A lush, atmospheric tale of intertwined destinies, this latest novel from a masterful storyteller is an enthralling, thoroughly satisfying read.

Hardcover, 595 pages

Expected publication: October 20th 2015 by Atria Books

 

Terri's Thoughts

First I want to say a huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.  It was an extreme pleasure to be one of the early readers of this story. 

Second, this book was just released this week and I suggest everyone go out and get a copy.

Third, it is no secret that this is my favorite genre of book.  It is also no secret that Kate Morton is my favorite author in this genre.  After reading all of her previous work to say I was anxious for this one would be an understatement.  We had to wait a while for it since her last story.

I am not going to waste a lot of time going over plot details because I feel even with the best of intentions to avoid giving something away, it can still happen.  Fans of Kate Morton are going to be pleased with this story.  It stays true to her regular style of mixing multiple generations over a great period of time and weaving a complex story by spinning it back and forth in time through various points of view.  This is what I fell in love with her style and she delivers solidly again. The way I went through emotions ranging from happiness to utter devastation was exactly what I was looking for.  I won't even talk about how the story sticks with you long after it is done.

For those who have not yet discovered the work of Kate Morton and enjoy a good historical fiction novel, I say pick this story up!  And when you are done, go back and read her other stories.  They are all fantastic.

In this day and age when a lot of reading is done digitally, my bookshelf has actually shrunk and I save it for truly treasured books.  I can say that I have a copy of every single one of Morton's works and I will be going out to buy a copy of this one as well.

One of my favorite stories of the year.

 

 

About the Author

 

KATE MORTON grew up in the mountains of south-east Queensland and lives now with her husband and three young sons in Brisbane. She has degrees in dramatic art and English literature, specialising in nineteenth-century tragedy and contemporary gothic novels. Kate harboured dreams of joining the Royal Shakespeare Company until she became sidetracked writing novels, and still feels a pang of longing each time she goes to the theatre and the house lights dim.

Kate used to hide to read when she was small, and still believes that reading should be so pleasurable it feels almost illicit. Her favourite novels are the sort that you can disappear inside, and the thing she most likes hearing from readers is that they stayed up far too late turning pages.

Kate Morton has sold over 10 million copies in 26 languages, across 38 countries. The House at Riverton, The Forgotten Garden, The Distant Hours and The Secret Keeper have all been number one bestsellers around the world, and Kate's fifth novel, The Lake House, will be published in October 2015.

Website
Instagram
Facebook

 

 

Review: Breaking Him by R.K. Lilley

SCARLETT

It was the kind of relationship where I invested more than I had to spare.

I gave it everything.

And so when it failed, I lost myself.

It changed me. He changed me.

I went down with the ship.

My soul, burnt embers in the aftermath.

The fire of him ravaged it all.

He burned me.

Broke me.

—

Scarlett had always dreamed big. She was headed straight for Hollywood. Destined for silver screen greatness.

But in her wildest dreams she never imagined she’d be broke and single at twenty-eight, doling drinks at thirty-five thousand feet.

She was a glorified waitress in the skies.

It had been years since she’d seen him.

But one day, there he sat, gazing intently at her, ready to set everything ablaze once more.

Dante wanted her. Again.

Sure, she’d play along…but this time, it was his turn.

She was breaking him.

After all, love is war.

Kindle Edition, 268 pages

Published October 11th 2015 by R.K. Lilley
Series: Love is War #1
Genre: Romance

Kristine's Thoughts:

This book was pure angst. There was so much anger and resentment on the pages that I wasn't sure what to think at first. My initial reaction was that Scarlett and Dante were completely dysfunctional and poison to each others health. Then I kept reading...

This story began after the fact. By saying that I mean that Scarlett and Dante are no longer together but there is an obvious love/hate relationship topped with an over abundance of lust as well as a complicated history. As the reader, I didn't know exactly what that history was but learned bits and pieces as the story progressed. It told the present day story but also went to the past to give us a glimpse at that history. I won't lie...it was the past story that intrigued me the most. In fact it is what sold me on the story. I wish there had been more of it and less of the bitter, angry present story. I'd be crazy to feel any other way because whatever their history was is what made them so spiteful and angry in the present. I was dying to know. From the tidbits throughout it is obvious that their history was filled with misunderstandings. lies and dark secrets.

As the story progressed I found myself in their corner, wanting them to find their way back to each other even though I still didn't know what happened to make them so hateful but...

There was a cliffhanger!!!

I still don't know everything and I want to know everything. I can't even tell when the next book will be coming out. All I know is that it is called Breaking Her. I guess good things come to those who wait...

About the Author

R.K. Lilley has been a writer since she can remember, but has held down some interesting jobs to pay the bills. For several years she was a first class flight attendant, and she always swore that she just had to write a book about it. Mixing her love of romance and all things BDSM, the Up In the Air Trilogy is her debut into the world of contempary romance and erotica. She is currently working on the final installment in the series.

Connect with R.K. Lilley

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodread 

 

 

Promo Blast: Doc's Codicil by Gary F. Jones

Book Description: 

When Wisconsin veterinarian Doc dies, his family learns that to inherit his fortune, they must decipher the cryptic codicil he added to his will—“Take Doofus squirrel-fishing”—and they can only do that by talking to Doc’s friends, reading the memoir Doc wrote of a Christmas season decades earlier, searching through Doc’s correspondence, and discovering clues around them. Humor abounds as this mismatched lot tries to find time in their hectic lives to work together to solve the puzzle. In the end, will they
realize that fortune comes in many guises?

Doc’s Codicil is a mystery told with gentle humor. It tells the story of a veterinarian who teaches his heirs a lesson from the grave.

Purchase on Amazon.   

About the Author: 

It seems my life has been a testament to questionable decisions and lost opportunities. However, my wife of 39 years says she knows of nothing in the record to justify such unfettered optimism.

I am a member of the last generation of rural veterinarians who remember working with cows that had names and personalities and dairymen who worked in the barn with their families. I’m also part of the first wave of the Baby Boomers, crusty codgers who are writing their wills and grousing about kids who don’t pay attention to what old men say, and can even be damned condescending at times.

I was raised on a dairy farm in West-central Wisconsin and exhibited Holstein cattle and Clydesdale horses from the time I was ten-years-old until I graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State in 1969. I practiced veterinary medicine on Wisconsin dairy farms until 1988, when my wife and I packed up our four children and I entered graduate school at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul.
I developed the first ante-mortem diagnostic test for proliferative enteritis, a diarrheal disease of swine caused by Lawsonia intracellularis. The test is now the standard diagnostic test for the disease. With adoption of the test, it was also found that L. intracellularis is the most common cause of post-weaning diarrhea in horses.

After 19 years of work on the research and development of bovine and swine vaccines, I am retired. I’m using the scraps of what I can remember to spin stories of a family and veterinary practice, stories that could almost be true. Some of the true stories that didn’t make it into my books can be found on this website.

My first novel, Doc’s Codicil, will be published in October 2015. I have two published short stories: Valentine, published in Straightjacket, the 2012 spring issue, and The Attempted Armed Deposit, in the 2009 California Writers Club Chap Book. http://garyfjones.com/

Review: The Girl With No Past by Kathryn Croft

A gripping psychological thriller for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train.

Leah Mills lives a life of a fugitive – kept on the run by one terrible day from her past. It is a lonely life, without a social life or friends until – longing for a connection – she meets Julian. For the first time she dares to believe she can live a normal life.

Then, on the fourteenth anniversary of that day, she receives a card. Someone knows the truth about what happened. Someone who won’t stop until they’ve destroyed the life Leah has created.

But is Leah all she seems? Or does she deserve everything she gets?

Everyone has secrets. But some are deadly.

Kindle Edition, 300 pages

Published October 15th 2015 by Bookouture 

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Kristine's Thoughts:

I enjoy a good psychological thriller but lately I've had a hard time connecting with one that leaves me truly satisfied...until now. I began this book knowing very little about it and having no expectations so I was more than pleasantly surprised once I got into it.

This book weaves between Leah's past and present. The reader knows that something happened in her past to make her emotionally disconnect and keep her distance from people in the present but we don't know what. So not only did I want to know who was harassing Leah in the present but I wanted to know the big "what happened?" in the past that created her present day situation. It was two stories woven into one with many twists and turns to create one giant, page turning story.

I was pretty much useless for anything else while I was reading this book. I had to find out what happened and I was dying to know who was tormenting Leah. There were some things that I was able to guess but then there were some shocking things that I did not see coming. I had her tormentor/stalker figured out pretty early but was blindsided by some of the other events. Both past and present were equally entertaining and kept me on my toes. I can't and won't say anything else about it because I think it is important to go into this book knowing as little as possible about it. You won't regret it!

The Girl With No Past is an extremely entertaining, well written book that fans of psychological thrillers will e sure to enjoy. I know I did!

About the Author

Author of psychological thrillers, Behind Closed Doors, The Stranger Within and The Girl With No Past. Rep'd by Madeleine Milburn and published by Bookouture.

Connect with Kathryn

Twitter/Goodreads

Review: Underneath Everything by Marcy Beller Paul

Mattie shouldn’t be at the bonfire. She should be finding new maps for her collection, hanging out with Kris, and steering clear of almost everyone else, especially Jolene. After all, Mattie and Kris dropped off the social scene the summer after sophomore year for a reason.

But now Mattie is a senior, and she’s sick of missing things. So here she is.

And there’s Jolene: Beautiful. Captivating. Just like the stories she wove. Mattie would know; she used to star in them. She and Jolene were best friends. Mattie has the scar on her palm to prove it, and Jolene has everything else, including Hudson.

But when Mattie runs into Hudson and gets a glimpse of what could have been, she decides to take it all back: the boyfriend, the friends, the life she was supposed to live. Problem is, Mattie can’t figure out where Jolene ends and she begins.

Because there’s something Mattie hasn’t told anyone—she walked away from Jolene over a year ago, but she never really left.

Hardcover

Expected publication: October 27th 2015 by Balzer + Bray

 

Terri's Thoughts

**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is October 27th 2015**

It is with some regret that I have to say I really didn't understand this story.  I mean I did, but I didn't.  The actions taken by Mattie throughout the story were not logical.  Then I thought, well maybe this is a story about mental illness, but no it wasn't.

What I was able to decipher is that it was a story of a girl who was struggling with her own identity and in this struggle fixated on others and essentially took no responsibilities for her actions.  She was also a fan of being put down, lied to and being physically harmed.  She in fact would seek these things out.  This in turn made me dislike her and pretty much every character in the story.

While I get that this was about Mattie discovering who she was, I feel the story fell short in execution.  As the reader I feel like she never really learned a lesson.

This story may appeal to some of the YA audience however it simply wasn't for me.

 

 

About the Author

 

Marcy Beller Paul is a young adult author, former editor, and full-time mom who still has all the notes she passed in seventh grade (and knows how to fold them).

She graduated from Harvard University and lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children. Underneath Everything will be published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins, in Fall 2015. It is her first novel.

Website

Twitter

 

 

 

Review: The Many Lives of John Stone by Linda Buckley-Archer

An English teen questions all she knows about aging when she encounters a set of journals that date from the present back to the reign of King Louis XIV in this blend of contemporary and historical fiction from the author of the acclaimed Gideon trilogy.

Stella Park (Spark for short) has found summer work cataloging historical archives in John Stone’s remote and beautiful house in Suffolk, England. She wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and her uncertainty about living at Stowney House only increases upon arriving: what kind of people live in the twenty-first century without using electricity, telephones, or even a washing machine? Additionally, the notebooks she’s organizing span centuries—they begin in the court of Louis XIV in Versailles—but are written in the same hand. Something strange is going on for sure, and Spark’s questions are piling up. Who exactly is John Stone? What connection does he have to these notebooks? And more importantly, why did he hire her in the first place?

Hardcover, 544 pages

Expected publication: October 20th 2015 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Terri's Thoughts

** I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  The Expected publication date is October 20th**

I am really struggling with how to pen my thoughts on this story.  It really is not like any others I have read and I have read a lot of books.  It is a melting pot of genres which in my mind is really kind of cool.  It is part historical fictions which we all know is my most favored genres, then we also have a YA element (although not a short light read) and part fantasy or paranormal or I am not so sure what to label it.

There really are no mysteries to solve in this story as the synopsis suggests.  As the reader you know exactly what is going on and any questions are easily guessed or answered right away.  Also some advice for those who wish to read this story.  Be patient with it at first.  It started a little slow and I questioned my decision to take on this story.  It picks up speed and you are rewarded if you stick with it.

Given that the book synopsis does not give much of the story away, I feel I cannot as well.  To discuss some of the plot and storyline would be to give spoilers which I do not do.  Instead I will leave these parting thoughts

• This is a story that people are either going to love or hate.  I don't see many people falling in the middle
• The historical fiction aspect was my favorite part and what made the story rewarding for me
• Although I say this is a YA read, it is not a light and fluffy story.  I would only recommend it to YA readers who are serious about their books and enjoy a bit of history
• For everyone else I recommend

About the Author

Linda Buckley-Archer is a London-based writer. Originally trained as a linguist and subsequently a scriptwriter, she became a novelist after writing a story for her son, who was a reluctant reader. That story became the first volume of the time-traveling GIDEON TRILOGY, which featured the dark side of 18th-century London as well as the French and American Revolutions. The trilogy was translated into ten languages.

Website