I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll

 

Rating (1-5) - 📘📘📘📘
Genre - Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Murder Thriller, Mysteries
Format - Paperback
Length - 299 Pages

*Amazon Blurb*

What would it take to make you intervene?

When Ella Longfield overhears two attractive young men flirting with teenage girls on a train, she thinks nothing of it―until she realises they are fresh out of prison and her maternal instinct is put on high alert. But just as she’s decided to call for help, something stops her. The next day, she wakes up to the news that one of the girls―beautiful, green-eyed Anna Ballard―has disappeared.
A year later, Anna is still missing. Ella is wracked with guilt over what she failed to do, and she’s not the only one who can’t forget. Someone is sending her threatening letters―letters that make her fear for her life.
Then an anniversary appeal reveals that Anna’s friends and family might have something to hide. Anna’s best friend, Sarah, hasn’t been telling the whole truth about what really happened that night―and her parents have been keeping secrets of their own.
Someone knows where Anna is―and they’re not telling. But they are watching Ella.

 

*My Review* 

 

I did NOT see the ending coming!!! Although the book was slow and not all that suspenseful, I would've never guessed the ending. In a way it made me think in the beginning...would I have said anything? Honestly, I don't think I would have, or many other people. Mind your business is just how things are. I didn't really care for the main character, Ella. I mean bad things happen to good people all the time. Even if she had spoken up, teenagers will do what they want and I don't think it would've changed anything....except then there wouldn't have been a book.
Regardless, Ella becomes obsessed with the disappearance of Anna which makes her a bit creepy. The only reason I rated the book as high as I did is because of the ending.

The Friends We Keep by Susan Mallory

 

Rating (1-5) - 📘📘📘📘
Genre - Fiction, Women's Friendship, Women's Domestic Life
Format - Paperback
Length - 416 Pages

*Amazon Blurb*

After five years as a stay-at-home mom, Gabby Schaefer can't wait to return to work. Oh, to use the bathroom in peace! No twins clamoring at the door, no husband barging in, no stepdaughter throwing a tantrum. But when her plans are derailed by some shocking news and her husband's crushing expectations, Gabby must fight for the right to have a life of her own. 

Getting pregnant is easy for Hayley Batchelor. Staying pregnant is the hard part. Her husband is worried about the expensive fertility treatments and frantic about the threat to her health. But to Hayley, a woman who was born to be a mom should risk everything to fulfill her destiny—no matter how high the cost. 

Nicole Lord is still shell-shocked by a divorce that wasn't as painful as it should've been. Other than the son they share, her ex-husband left barely a ripple in her life. A great new guy tempts her to believe maybe the second time's the charm…but how can she trust herself to recognize true love? 

 As their bonds of friendship deepen against the beautiful backdrop of Mischief Bay, Gabby, Hayley and Nicole will rely on good food, good wine and especially each other to navigate life's toughest changes.

 

*My Review* 

 

No matter your group of friends, I'm sure you will find a Gabby, Hayley and Nicole in it. I
couldn't believe how connected I felt to one f the characters. It was almost like Susan was writing about me and not some fictional character.
The book bounces back and forth between each friend and their situation. It is very easy to follow and it helps see that, though your friends (even best friends) may seem fine on the outside, there could be things going on that you're not aware of.

Reading a Book Vs. Writing a Review

 

Reading -

I love to read, when I get the chance. With Covid many of us have had to make changes in our normal daily lives. I was turned into a home-schooling teacher and let me tell you something, having one child at home with no other kids to play with is not all it's cracked up to be. Guess who gets to do morning routine, school, after school and all the other in-between stuff? Yup, I do. I love my child, don't get me wrong, but I really miss that little bit of time that I got while waiting for her after I got out of work to pick her up from school. Now the only me time I get is the few hours I work at the library. Yes, I consider my working hours my me time. It's the only chance I get to have conversations with adults and read while it's slow. I can't even read much after my daughter goes to bed since that is the only time I get to spend with my husband. So I try to squeeze in reading any chance I get. Between school, child care, household chores and my online businesses it doesn't leave much.

I really would like to get stranded on a deserted island for about 1 week with nothing but a stack of book and yummy treats.

Reviews -

I finished a book, yay!! Now what? Well normally I'd like to jump right in to writing a review while everything is fresh in my mind. Unfortunately, I am usually finishing while at work, in bed before or sometimes while I am simply not home. Basically it's not convenient for me to start my review at that time. However, I usually have another book within reach and just start that one. Then I kind of forget that I have a review to write. I tell myself that I will take a little bit of my reading time to get it done, but then I don't have much reading time to take away from. 

Also, writing a review is much harder than just telling someone about the book in person. Going back to my post about blogs, I don't visit book review blogs very often because I don't have time to read long reviews. I keep my reviews short....sometimes a lot shorter than I probably should, but I don't want to give too much away. Did I like the book or didn't I. Why or why not. I feel like if I start explaining everything that the book looses it's mystery. I don't want to say anything that might give away the "who done it" so I don't say much at all. Since I don't have much time to read to begin with, I also don't want to spend what little time I do have reading a review about a book that I might or might not read. If I am going to read it, then I don't need to have read a review about it telling me everything that is going to happen.

Summary -

What are your thoughts on book reviews? Do you read them? Do you prefer them short and to the point or a bit more in depth? I'd love to know.

Lies by T. M. Logan

Lies

by T. M. Logan

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘📘📘📘📘
Genre - Crime thriller, Psychological thriller
Format - Audio-Book
Length - 10 hours and 45 minutes

*Amazon Blurb*

Six days ago, Joe Lynch was a happily married man, a devoted father, and a respected teacher living in a well-to-do London suburb. But that was before he spotted his wife's car entering a hotel parking garage. Before he saw her in a heated argument with her best friend's husband. Before Joe confronted the other man in an altercation where he left him for dead, bleeding and unconscious.

Now, Joe's life is unraveling. His wife has lied to him. Her deception has put their entire family in jeopardy. The man she met at the hotel has vanished. And as the police investigate his disappearance, suspicion falls on Joe.

Unable to trust the woman he loves, Joe finds himself at the mercy of her revelations and deceits, unsure of who or what to believe. All he knows is that her actions have brought someone dangerous into their lives-someone obsessed with her and determined to tear Joe's world apart.

What if your whole life was based on LIES?


*My Review* 

There was just no way I could have ever figured this one out. I kept thinking it was 1 of 2 people (sometimes maybe both of them), but I was wrong. The ending just hits you out of no where and made me wonder if I had missed something along the way. This is one of those books that I can't really go into detail about because I am afraid that I might give something away. All I can say is that it a very good book if you enjoy thriller and suspense.

All Roads End Here by David Moody

All Roads End Here

by David Moody

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘📘
Genre - Dystopian, Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Horror
Format - Paperback
Length - 352 pages

*Amazon Blurb*

It’s taken Matthew Dunne almost three months to get home. Never more than a few meters from the Haters at any time, every single step has been fraught with danger. But he’s made it.
In his absence, his home city has become a sprawling, walled-off refugee camp. But the camp–and the entire world beyond its borders–is balanced on a knife-edge. During his time in the wilderness, Matt developed a skill which is in high demand: the ability to anticipate and predict Hater behavior. It’s these skills that will thrust him into a web of subterfuge and danger. As the pressure mounts inside the camp, he finds himself under scrutiny from all sides.
He’s always done his best to avoid trouble, but sometimes it can’t be helped. The shit’s about to hit the fan, and this time Matt’s right at the epicenter.


*My Review* 

I was introduced to David Moody when I read his book One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning. That book had me hooked right away. Unfortunately I didn't realize it was part of a series and of course I had read them out of order. Lucky for me it didn't matter and so I was super excited to read the next in the series.

My expectations were short lived. I hate leaving less that decent reviews on a book, but honestly this one felt like the horror version of Lord of the Ring. There was tons of walking. Tons of taking in the surroundings and staying out of trouble. It just wasn't what I had thought it would have been after reading the prequel.

Sorry David.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner : 

An Eclipse Novella (The Twilight Saga)

by Stephanie Meyer

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘📘📘
Genre - Teen, Young Adult, Werewolf, Fiction, Vampire, Paranormal Romance
Format - Hardcover
Length - 178 pages

*Amazon Blurb*

Bree Tanner, a self-described "vampire nerd" first introduced in Eclipse, lives in terror in a coven of newborn vampires. She is a member of Victoria's vampire army, and as that army closes in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, she finds her first friend and discovers a truth about daylight.


*My Review* 

If you've watched any of The Twilight movies or read any of the books, then this short side story might be something to read. Though it's quite sort and a bit unnecessary, it does provide a bit of insight of how Carlisle was able to figure out what was going on with Victoria. Honestly, it's been so long since I've watched the movie (yes I watched the movies instead of reading the books), maybe it does show how Carlisle figured it out and this book is not useful at all.

Athena's Choice by Adam Boostrom

Athena's Choice

by Adam Boostrom

Availble on Amazon

ARR

Rating (1-5) 📘📘📘
Genre - Dystopian, Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction
Format - Paperback
Length - 272 pages

*Amazon Blurb*

Athena Vosh lives just like any other teenager from the year 2099. She watches reality shows with her friends, eats well, and occasionally wonders to herself: what would life be like if men were still alive?

It has been almost 50 years since an experimental virus accidentally killed all the men on earth. However, a controversial project is currently underway to bring men back. There's just one catch. The project has been sabotaged.

So begins the award-winning novel, Athena's Choice. When the police of 2099 are tasked with finding the saboteur, they receive a mysterious command to investigate the otherwise innocuous Athena Vosh. After it becomes clear that the young girl might know more than she lets on, Athena is brought in to participate in the official investigation. Simultaneously, the girl begins to experience a series of cryptic dreams featuring a ruined library and an old book containing the saboteur’s true identity. As the police close in on their prize, Athena finds herself on a journey of her own. Her clue-filled dreams and incorruptible spirit bring her face-to-face with a pair of forgotten truths about happiness and gender. The world waits to see if men will return as Athena fights a separate battle, culminating in the choice that will define her and others' lives forever.


*My Review* 

Can you imagine living in a world without men? That's what has happened in Athena's Choice. There was a man made virus that was created to slowly kill off the "bad" men, but it accidentally rid the world of all men (and even some women).
Athena is called upon to help solve the crime, though no one is sure how she even fits into all this. She's not a detective or even a scientist, but rather a struggling artist. I was definitely kept wondering why her, until close to the end when pieces started falling into place.
Though I enjoyed the book, there were a few things I didn't care for. The first is the ads that were in the book. I know some people thought they gave more insight into the story, but for me it was like scrolling through my Facebook and seeing ads in my timeline (sorry Adam). The second was the ending. I am not sure why, but it just didn't satisfy me.

Cross Kill by James Patterson

Cross Kill : An Alex Cross Story

by James Patterson

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘📘📘📘📘
Genre - Crime Thriller, Psychological Thriller
Format - Paperback
Length - 113 pages

*Amazon Blurb*

Alex Cross, I'm coming for you-even from the grave if I have to.

Along Came a Spider killer Gary Soneji has been dead for over ten years. Alex Cross watched him die. But today, Cross saw him gun down his partner. Is Soneji alive? A ghost? Or something even more sinister?

Nothing will prepare you for the wicked truth.


*My Review* 

I grabbed this book for 2 reasons. 1 - it was by and author I usually enjoy. 2 - it was short. Although it was a short book I thought it was well written and fit a lot of action into a short amount of pages. I enjoyed the entire thing, until I got to the end. It wasn't the book that I didn't enjoy, but the fact that I didn't check to see if it was part of a series before I started. I was rushing to finish to see how it ended only to find out that it didn't end because it was part of a series....seriously!?!
I don't start a series until I have all the books in it to make sure I can just continue the story when I am ready....and to make sure that I am able to get all the books. I also won't start a series if it has more than just a couple books. This one turned out to be a side story, number 24.4 to be exact. How do you even get a .4? Now I have my OCD wanting me to read the first 24 books, but my non OCD is telling me that there are way too many books out there to get caught up in a long series....decisions are real.

Sleep Martyrs by C. A. Wittman

Sleep Martyrs

by C. A. Wittman

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘📘📘📘📘
Genre - Technothriller, Psychological Thriller
Format - E-book
Length -495 pages

*Amazon Blurb*

Tori and her sister, Laila have recently moved to Santomon Village in Calabasas California to live with their mom’s new husband and his two children. But navigating around their controlling stepfather and their aloof new siblings becomes the least of their worries.


There is a vague sense of menace in their state of the art lavish smart home with its cutting edge calm technology. And something is not quite right with the bright, cheerful kids at Santomon's private school where the girls are enrolled.

Undergrads from prestigious universities and ivy-league colleges are vying for the coveted internships within Santomon Village. The mega-corporation is the darling of the tech world. But not everyone is singing Santomon praises. A growing number of parents are voicing concerns that at first seem vague.

As Tori and Laila's mother begins to have doubts about her marriage, there is talk of divorce. Tori yearns to return to Inglewood and the simple life they had. But Laila's not so sure leaving the village will be easy because what she has discovered is a treacherous web of lies unfathomable in their scope. What Laila wonders is if they can escape from Santomon before it's too late.

How can you discover the truth when you may be the lie?


*My Review* 

This book had me hanging on the edge....until the end. This was a fast paced thriller that kept me guessing every step of the way. I wasn't sure if I should be mad at the mom for putting her daughters into the situation she did, the new husband (it was his fault, right?) or the housekeeper (maybe she was behind it all).
Imagine being a child and noticing that all the children around you are different. Not the way the dressed or acted, but different as in their personality. Also, not different from each other, just you.
How would you like to live in a place that was so technologically advanced that it "knew" your preferences. The temperature of your shower, the firmness of your bed, the type of smell you loved most? Is there a point where technology becomes intrusive? Do you think living in a super advanced house would make your life easier? It didn't for Tori and Laila.
I really enjoyed the book, until the ending. For some reason I have not cared for the ending in a few of the books I have recently finished. This one was ok, but just got way too involved for my liking.

Cryptic Kingdom : The Civilands Series Book 4 by N.B. Austin

Cryptic Kingdom : The Civilands Series Book 4

by N. B. Austin

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘📘📘📘📘
Genre - Fantasy
Format - Paperback
Length - 259 pages

*Amazon Blurb*

The battle of the Riverlands has been fought. Its consequences must now be faced.
And nowhere in Duresia is safe. Even to the east in the city of New Berkeley, the seeds of resentment and turmoil are long past sown. Which structures will hold? What secrets will be unearthed?
In the Southern Murrieta a shocking capture sees the tables turn. What will it mean for the futures of the V'ahani clan, Tokali clan, and Keagan Gang? Calls for unity continue. But with so many changes and new discoveries in this cryptic kingdom, can each group hold even their own people together?
The fourth and penultimate book of the Civilands series, Cryptic Kingdom is a climax for the ages. The threads coming together will satisfy and surprise.


*My Review* 

As with the first 3 in the Cryptic Kingdom series, N.B. Austin was able to keep my attention throughout the book. I love how much the characters have grown throughout and became so mature. I never expected to see the unity of certain groups when I first started reading. I just wonder if they will be able to continue and if the people will be able to rebuild the lives that fell apart due to the Keegan Gang. So much was lost for such a long time. Will the trust be rebuilt?
Things start falling in place, but the story isn't finished yet. I can't wait to find out how the end in the final book.....2020 needs to get here quickly.

Firestarter by Stephen King

Firestarter

by Stephen King

Available on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘 📘📘
Genre - Psychic Thrillers, Witch & Wizard Thrillers
Format - Paperback
Pages - 401

*Amazon Blurb*

Andy McGee and Vicky Tomlinson were once college students looking to make some extra cash, volunteering as test subjects for an experiment orchestrated by the clandestine government organization known as The Shop. But the outcome unlocked exceptional latent psychic talents for the two of them—manifesting in even more terrifying ways when they fell in love and had a child. Their daughter, Charlie, has been gifted with the most extraordinary and uncontrollable power ever seen—pyrokinesis, the ability to create fire with her mind. Now the merciless agents of The Shop are in hot pursuit to apprehend this unexpected genetic anomaly for their own diabolical ends by any means necessary...including violent actions that may well ignite the entire world around them as Charlie retaliates with a fury of her own....

*My Review* 

For some reason I found myself unable to really stay interested in this book. I knew before reading it that the girl, Charlie had a pyrokinesis and a general idea of how the story would go. I had not seen the movie, though, so I didn't know how it would end. This book starts out with lots of action and it never seems to slow down. Usually that will hold my attention, so I honestly don't know what happened.

Andy and Charlie are on the run from the "Shop" who want to capture and test both Andy and Charlie because of their unique abilities. The Shop will stop at nothing to get what they want. Once they capture Andy and Charlie they set to work on trying to get Charlie to start fires. Little do they know, she made a promise to her Dad that she would never make another fire. What will the shop do to this little girl if she doesn't cooperate? Will they torture her? Punish her? Will she make them their fires? Lots of questions that you can get answered by reading the book (or watching the movie if that's your thing).

Everything I Do by M.C. Frank

Everything I Do

by M.C. Frank

ARC

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘 📘📘📘📘
Genre - Medieval, Historical Romance, Fiction
Format - PDF

*Amazon Blurb*

A robber and a princess.
A girl disguised as a boy.
A medieval re-imagining of the legend of Robin Hood packed with adventure, sacrifice and romance.

Robin Hood, hidden deep in the Sherwood Forest, is fighting to restore the crown to its rightful king, surrounded by faithful friends, green leaves and clear skies. Burdened with secrets, betrayal and an incredible responsibility, he struggles to stay alive and keep the starving people fed. One day, a boy saves him from the Sheriff’s poisoned arrows. Robin, impressed by the slender youth’s courage and skill, takes the boy with him to the forest.

Only, the boy is not a boy.

In the castle of Nottingham, a maiden who used to be a princess is forced to obey the wishes of a tyrannical Sheriff. She dons on male clothes and trains to become a fierce assassin, vowing to catch the greatest criminal in the kingdom. But when she saves Robin Hood’s life nearly losing her own, she is rescued by the outlaws.

When Robin and the “boy” meet, two worlds collide, resulting in unimaginable danger and intense romance. Who will survive when they learn each other’s secrets? What happens when the assassin falls in love with her victim?

*My Review* 

M.C. Frank does it again! This author has a way to make you not only "see" the book, but feel like you're actually there. I've never read the original Robin Hood (gasp, I know) so I can't compare the two, but this version was amazing.

So there's Robin Hood, the guy who everyone knows...the whole steal from the rich and give to the poor. Then of course the rest of the outlaws that all live in the forest. But who is this young boy that finds himself saving Robin's life? It's not a young boy at all, but an a young girl who has been sent to kill Robin Hood. She has trained for so long to assassinate Robin and get the revenge that she seeks, yet she keeps letting each opportunity pass by. Why? She can't love him, he's the enemy, right?

No Vain Loss (No Ordinary Star book #3) by M.C. Frank

No Vain Loss

by M.C. Frank

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘📘
Genre - Teen & Young Adult Dystopian, Science Fiction Romance
Format - E-book

*Amazon Blurb*
A soldier is summoned to the North Pole, days before the year changes, told to fix the great Clock for a celebration. He has no idea what to do.
A girl, hunted for the crime of being born, almost dies out on the ice. She is rescued by the last polar bear left alive.
A library waits for them both, a library built over a span of a hundred years, forgotten in the basement of an ice shack.
The world hasn't known hunger or sickness in hundreds of years. It has also forgotten love and beauty.
This is the One World.
The year is 2524.

Inspired by the short stories of Ray Bradbury, this futuristic young adult novel in three parts is set in a world where Christmas -among other things- is obsolete and a Clock is what keeps the fragile balance of peace.

Written in three parts, this is the breathtaking story of how two unlikely people change the world, and each other, one book at a time.
In No Vain Loss, the world is on the brink of the greatest war humanity has ever known. Lives will be lost. New truths will be revealed.



*My Review* 

After really enjoying the first two books in this series, I was quite disappointed in this one. The fight scene (which was basically the entire book) seemed to drag out much longer than necessary. I appreciate the authors extreme descriptiveness, but the fight lasted way too long. Honestly, I think it could have been cut down down just 1/4 off the book, but then there wouldn't have really been a book. There was a lot of repetition and lots of conversations that happened between Felix and Astra simply by looking at each other.

The answer to everything seemed to come much too easily for Felix and Astra considering how hard they fought to understand what was really going on with the New World. The book seemed to be just a long drawn out battle and then....here's the answer and done.

Trying To Hate The Player by Tia Souders

Trying To Hate The Player

by Tia Souders

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘📘📘📘
Genre - Romance, Sports Romance
Format - E-book

*Amazon Blurb*

Jinny Kimball just scored her dream job as a sports therapist for her hometown team, The Pumas. Everything is finally looking up until she discovers that her first patient is none other than Emmett Hall, the player who thinks the only reason she scored her job was due to her family’s connections. Now she has to play nice with one of the most conceded players in the NBA. Which she can do. She’s a professional. Right?
Emmett Hall couldn’t imagine his life going any better. As a rising star in the NBA, his future is set. Until he tears his ACL. Now he has to put his career on hold to be cared for by the one girl that has piqued his interest—but he can’t have. Not when she’s the little sister to his best friend and teammate. If only he could get his heart to stop pounding every time Jinny’s around, he just might get through the therapy sessions with his player status intact.
Tensions arise, and both find themselves doing anything they possibly can to deny their feelings. But when a stolen kiss in Jinny’s childhood bedroom startles both of them, they can’t help but want more. Suddenly, the biting comments and witty retorts aren’t enough to hide their feelings for each other. If only their relationship were that simple. But with family and a career on the line, Jinny and Emmett have to decide if love is worth the risk.


*My Review* 

I enjoy romance books that are not all mushy. This is definitely one of those. Jinny and her brothers best friend/teammate are constantly bickering at each other so it makes you wonder if it's a romance book at all.
I love you, but you're off limits so I am going to do everything I can to annoy you and make you hate me. This is what Emmett tries to tell himself when it comes to how he feels about Jinny, but unfortunately it doesn't work. It almost seems like the more he tries to push her away, the harder he works on pulling her closer.
I don't understand why brothers and sisters always say that their best friend is off limits to dating. I mean. normally your best friend is someone that you care about and trust so wouldn't you want them to to be with someone (assuming the brother/sister is a good hearted person) that would treat them right?
The only thing that I didn't care for was towards the end and it had to do with a choice that Emmett makes. I think it was quite a stretch for that to happen as quickly as it did.

Crescent Heart by N. B. Austin

Crescent Heart

by N. B. Austin

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘📘📘📘📘
Genre - Fantasy
Format - Paperback
Length - 248 pages

*Amazon Blurb*

The negotiations with the natives of the Riverlands have failedas Clovis Keagan heads north. However, the truth will finally be revealed to Daniel Keagan about the fire at the Morrell home. How will he maintain the order he seeks in the Riverlands? At the same time, Jeannie, Dominic, and Harrison make their return to Harran. Will their presence and the coming threat of Hanzah's vengeance-hungry V'ahani impact Daniel's goals?
In Fayette, William and Henry must cope with a devastating loss. On the other hand, further south, Latera must strike while the iron's hot after a successful escape. She's already come so far, but could her journey just be getting started?
The third book of the Civilands series, Crescent Heart provides edge-of-your-seat tension, with no shortage of surprise or excitement as it sets a grand stage for the penultimate installment of the series.


*My Review* 

Just like the previous books in this series I was unable to put it down. I don't even know where to start with my review. The book is so well written that it is easy to read and flows perfectly even when switching between characters and scenarios.

Daniel has really grown as a character. Will he stand up and help the people of Harran or will be step back and let Clovis do as he pleases? Speaking of Clovis, what a horrible man he is. Even though we get insight on why he is the way he is, I still don't like him and hope he gets killed of in the next book (that just sounds evil of me).

Once again the author has been able to make me feel sorry for a villain. Poor Henry has lost so much. I really thought he was going to just loose it all, but his plans are great and I am really hoping that he will succeed.

Latera is growing quickly as she is trying to help her small group learn everything they can before they will have to fight to save their people. The question, will they learn enough before that time comes?

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest by Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest

by Stieg Larsson

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘📘
 Genre - International Mystery & Crime, Thriller, Political, Murder
 Format - Audio Book

*Amazon Blurb*

In the third volume of the Millennium series, Lisbeth Salander lies in critical condition in a Swedish hospital, a bullet in her head. But she's fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she'll stand trial for three murders. With the help of Mikael Blomkvist, she'll need to identify those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she'll seek revenge--against the man who tried to killer her and against the corrupt government institutions that nearly destroyed her life.


*My Review* 

I was quite disappointed in this book for the Millennium series. There were so many characters, the book jumped all over the place and all in all, left me feeling confused for the majority of it.

I almost feel that there was no "main" character this time, but a combination of main characters. It almost seems like the author knew how he wanted the book to end, but wasn't sure how to get there so he threw a bunch of scenarios together until the book seemed long enough and then added a nice ending.

Villains Never Die by Nick DeWolf

Villains Never Die

by Nick DeWolf

Availble on Amazon

Rating (1-5) 📘📘📘📘📘
 Genre - Science Fiction, Fantasy, Superheros, Adventure
 Format - Ebook

*Amazon Blurb*

"In this world, the lines of good and evil are not so stark. Here, heroes are remembered, but villains never die."
It started when the warehouse exploded. But not really. The moment when Japan was nearly destroyed. But not quite. When the world's greatest heroes came together to fight the Triad of Evil, it began. But still, no. The moment Doctor Dendrite became the world's most feared man.
Almost there.
History is coming to a head. The military is moving in the shadows. Evil, thought to be long gone, reemerges, while plans made decades ago are set in motion. The world is crumbling, and at the center of a hurricane of chaos are three people who will change everything.
An old villain.
A new hero.
And a wayward girl.
One's been planning. The other's been training. And the third?
She's in way, way over her head.


*My Review* 

I never would have imagined myself reading a book about superheros, but then, some of the best books you read are ones you never thought you would. I always thought that the good guys were good and bad guys were bad. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be? What if there's more to it than that? What if good guys aren't always good and bad guys aren't always bad? This book will have you picking sides, then rethinking your decision. I enjoyed how the characters really differ from each other. It makes it easy to follow their side of the story, which also makes it hard to choose a favorite character. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a sequel at some point and I'd definitely want to read it.

Turtles All The Way Down by John Green

Turtles All The Way Down

by John Green

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Rating (1-5) - 📘📘📘📘
Genre - Teens, Depression & Mental Illness, Anxiety Disorders, Coming Of Age
Format -Hardcover
Pages - 286


*Blurb*
Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.
   
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. 
 
In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.


*Review*
Having previously read The Fault In Our Stars, I felt like Aza was a lot like Hazel. They were both teenage girls that had a disease that made their lives difficult. I can't imagine living with a disorder that makes you feel like you have no say in your simple day to day activities. No way to make your head stop questioning everything you did or say.

I didn't read the blurb before reading the book (as I tend not to with most books) and had no idea that there was going to be a search going on for Russell Pickett. I almost felt like that part of the book was a bit cheesy. I feel as if it would have been more relatable to real life if it had just been about the typical teenage life and not have some manhunt added into it.

I did find this book extremely easy to read and follow along with.

It by Stephen King

IT

by Stephen King

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Rating (1-5) - 📘📘📘
Genre -Suspense, Thriller, Mystery
Format -Paperback
Pages -1184


*Blurb*

Stephen King’s terrifying, classic #1 New York Times bestseller, “a landmark in American literature” (Chicago Sun-Times)—about seven adults who return to their hometown to confront a nightmare they had first stumbled on as teenagers…an evil without a name: It.

Welcome to Derry, Maine. It’s a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real.

They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But the promise they made twenty-eight years ago calls them reunite in the same place where, as teenagers, they battled an evil creature that preyed on the city’s children. Now, children are being murdered again and their repressed memories of that terrifying summer return as they prepare to once again battle the monster lurking in Derry’s sewers.

Readers of Stephen King know that Derry, Maine, is a place with a deep, dark hold on the author. It reappears in many of his books, including Bag of Bones, Hearts in Atlantis, and 11/22/63. But it all starts with It.

*Review*

This book took me forever, but it's also the longest book I've ever read. I've wanted to read this book for a long time too because there's so much hype about it as well as the movies. I promised myself that I'd read the book, watch the original movie and then the new one. I hope the movie is better than the book.

I give lots of credit to Stephen King for the time it took to write this book - September 9th, 1981 until December 28th, 1985. Anyone who loves an overly descriptive book would enjoy this. There was a lot going on. You read from the view of seven different children from two different time periods. You would think that would make it hard to follow, but it was quite easy to keep up with. That was the reason for 3 books instead of just 2. The issue I have was how much detail went into the book. There were some parts that I think could've been left out and it wouldn't have changed anything except the length.

Some people have considered this to be a very scary book. Not once was I scared nor did I find it suspenseful. Overall I was disappointed.

The Megarothke by Robert Ashcroft

The Megarothke

by Robert Ashcroft

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Rating (1-5) - 📘📘📘1/2
Genre - Science Fiction
Format - Softcover
Pages - 280

I am not a science fiction fan, but this book made me think that I should check more out in that genre. I received this book in my March PageHabit subscription box. As always, I enjoyed the author annotations throughout the book.

At first I was thinking that it was going to be another one of the stories (ok I haven't read a story like this before so I was thinking more like a movie, but still) where it's all going to be about robots and one person who does everything. I also thought that I might not finish it because its not a "thriller" or "suspense" book. Well, it wasn't about just one person and I did finish. As a matter of fact I was able to read it in just a couple days.

It's the future, 2051 to be exact, and after the Hollow War there are 50,000 people left in the world all living in Los Angeles. The billionaires had fled to the Orbital which was like a world above the city. Robot monsters know as fiends, harbingers and bruisers and bionic people are roaming everywhere and are said to be controlled by the Megarothke. No one knows where the Megarothke came from  or when it came to Earth. The only thing that people do know it that it needs to be destroyed. Theo wants to uncover his feeling of having had a part in the Megarothke and to rid the world of it. The story goes back and forth between the current year and Theo's past when him and his wife were together and their separation. I was able to stay with the story up until the end. I actually started to get confused when Theo figured out what he had to do. I thought the ending was dragged out a bit longer than it needed to be.

Although I didn't care for the ending I did still think it was a good book and that people who are more into the science fiction genre many appreciate more than me.