Tag: book-review

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron by April Asher

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Not Your Crush’s Cauldron is the third installment of Asher’s adorable series Supernatural Singles. As with the first two, it follows the life and non-existent love life of the third triplet sister in a witch family. It’s funny, sexy and imaginatively creative. It’s an easy, enjoyable read if you are looking for something soft and feel-good.

Olive Maxwell is a witch who is a serious professor. She is always embarrassed by her two sisters’ antics. Especially when it comes to their love lives. Olive has no time for a love life. She is too busy with work and her students to look for a partner. Plus, she feels as if compared to her two beautiful sisters, she can’t compare anyway. But with that said, she has recently moved into an apartment (as roommates, of course) with the most handsome, sexy man she has ever seen, Bax Donovan who works as a guardian angel.

Of course, she realizes he could never see her as anything other than the person he lives with as Olive sees her life as very routine oriented even to the clothes she wears on certain days. But that begins to change when she assigns a project to her students having them make a list of items they want to do which are totally out of their comfort zone. Then do them and write a paper on what happened. But after overhearing two co-workers discussing her, she decides she too will attempt the assignment as well. Her list is honest, uncomfortable and awkward. Some items even terrifying. But she decides to close her eyes and take the proverbial plunge.

In the meantime, Bax, who finds Olive to be an absolute angel and beautiful gets his next assignment. It is to watch and protect Olive. At first Bax thinks, what a piece of cake! Olive follows the rules and always stays out of trouble. Until he realizes what she is planning on doing and she could get herself into a great deal of trouble.

So now he must somehow watch her without her knowing what he is doing. But what ends up happening is the more they are together, the more he discovers how terrific and wonderful she is. But this cannot happen! He is her protector not her boyfriend. He begins to assist her on her crazy schemes and enjoys what is on her list. But the challenge soon becomes very difficult as he begins to fall in love, an absolute rule breaker in his line of work. He also starts to learn more about himself and whether this job is truly what makes him happy. All because of Olive!

And then unfortunately Olive finds out and an angry witch is someone who does not play!

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron is laugh out loud hysterical, with a great story in which someone who tries to go beyond their comfort zone to try new things without feeling embarrassed or afraid and starts to learn many life lessons. It’s about finding out things you never imagined not only about yourself, but about others. And having a whole new world open up in front of your eyes. It’s just a great romp!

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’s/Griffin #AprilAsher #NotYourCrush’sCauldren for the advanced copy.

The Getaway List by Emma Lord

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Emma Lord’s newest Young Adult novel, The Getaway List is a heartwarming story about teenagers, their mothers and friendships. It’s a coming of age, rite of passage plot filled with all the angst which comes with growing up. It’s about two best friends, one of which moved away and how they attempt to reconnect on the same level as when they were younger. But they soon realize, their old selves are gone, and they must try and adjust to the new people they have become. But can they? As they try to find a balance between their new freedom, adult problems and still needing their moms in their lives, can they reconnect in a different way.

The day Riley graduated from high school was the day she decided to tell her mom she needed to spread her wings. Not being able to go to college the coming year, for reasons she doesn’t want to discuss, she makes the decision to go see her best friend Tom who now lives in New York City with his famous screenwriter mother. Since they moved a few years ago they have not seen each other, and their interactions have become less and less. So, Riley wants to get them back on track. Unfortunately, her mother feels that her being with Tom will only get her in trouble and forbids her to go. But, Riley, now feeling she is an adult and doesn’t need her mother’s permission goes against her wishes and ends up in New York.

What her mother doesn’t understand is that Riley and Tom had created a Getaway List of crazy things they wanted to do together. But then Tom moved, and they never had the chance to even start the list. So now, Riley wants to complete the list with Tom over a weekend.

But, when they get together, Riley finds they have become two different people than she remembers, although she sees a bit of the old Tom, he is more serious, adult-like. She realizes they have changed. They are not the same young kids with no problems who are just able to hang out and relax. Tom now has a job and with his mother away at the moment is responsible for an actual household.

But they decide to make the most of the time they have and start the list. Along the way, they get a bit of help from a couple of kids who they would have never even given the time of day. And as they all begin the list together, they begin to trust each other and tell their own pasts and fears and parental issues realizing they really aren’t any different from each other.

What happens is this group of semi-lost young adults discover the value of true friendships, family and feelings as their lives take on different directions and they contemplate what is next for them once the list is finished…if they can even finish it!

The Getaway List is a powerful story about learning to become an adult, the heartbreak and heartache of not being understood, and the importance of true friendship and honesty with oneself and others you love.

Thank you #NetGalley #WednesdayBooks #EmmaLord #TheGetawayList for the advanced copy.

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead by Jenny Hollander

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Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead is a mind blowing, psychological thriller in which the reader has absolutely no idea where the plot is going and gleefully anticipates the next twist and turn as the pieces of this insane story are put together. Hollander puts the reader on a rollercoaster and doesn’t let them off until they are exhausted and completely spent and satisfied.

Charlie Colbert is a survivor. In college on Christmas Eve, she was a part of a horrific event at the school. Some of her friends died. It made the national news. It is notoriously known as The Scarlet Christmas. So, you can only imagine what happened…

But now, ten years later, Charlie is still trying to survive. Even though she has worked all those years to become the editor-in-chief of a prestigious magazine, she is still haunted by that young girl who saw what she thinks she saw that night, but can’t remember everything.

Back when it happened, Charlie was the only survivor who refused to talk to the press. When one of her best friends wrote a book about that night, she refused to even participate. Since then, she has distanced herself from those best friends whom she loved and adored.

And now, nearing the 10th anniversary of the incident, one of her classmates, a powerful woman in the media industry has decided to make a film of all things about what happened that night. And she announced there is more to what happened than has been said.

Now, you see, Charlie can’t let this movie happen. Yes, she has moved on. She is engaged to a very wealthy man and has a great life. But she is hiding horrible secrets about that night that even her therapist she’s been seeing for years doesn’t know about.

Now, for her own safety as well as that of her family and her fiancé’s very connected family she must do something she has never wanted to do. She must remember what really happened that night. Remember all those blocked out moments, even if it kills her, or someone else.

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead is a nail-biting page turner with believe it or not some humor infused into the story. But you will not be disappointed with the complex surprise ending which will shock you!

Thank you #NetGalley #MinotaurPress #JennyHollander #EveryoneWhoCanForgiveMeIsDead for the advanced copy.

Recipe For A Charmed Life by Rachel Linden

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Recipe For A Charmed Life is a beautifully crafted love story. But not your usual love story between two people, but a love story which goes so much deeper than that. It’s a story about losing love, rekindling love and realizing what’s important in life and who is important in one’s life. It explains how until you let go of your past which cannot ever be changed you won’t be able to eagerly look forward to a future you also will not be able to change.

Chef Georgia May Jackson is an American cooking in Paris. With Julia Child as her childhood in her head mentor, she believes she is realizing “their” dreams. Her goal, to open a restaurant of her own. Until one night she not only loses her temper, but also loses her dream, her boyfriend and her job. During this same time, she begins to also lose her tastebuds which in her line of work is tragic. Doctors are mystified and she is terrified.

On top of all this bad news, Georgia May gets an unexpected message from her mother who she has not seen since she was a young girl. She has never forgiven her mother for just up and leaving them and has never had the true reason why she left. She finds out her mother is now living in a small coastal town near Seattle and has invited Georgia May for a visit. She realizes she needs to regroup and find her old spark and perhaps she can finally put to rest what happened to their family all those years ago.

But when she finally meets her mother, she discovers a beautiful free spirit who has a magical relationship with making anything in a garden grow, who only wants to make things right with her daughter. Georgia May begins to see her mother in a different light. Not the person she imagined growing up.

Of course, her mother’s helper is a very handsome oyster farmer who is very mysterious, and Georgia May can’t figure out what his problem with her is. She gets the feeling he hates her and can’t imagine why. He also seems to have his own set of issues and secrets.

As they settle in and start to discuss the past, Georgia May begins to feel differently. She’s still angry with her mother about her past and doesn’t know what to think about their future. She is excited about perhaps a future with her. And just like that she gets a call from Paris with an offer. She is torn. What on earth would Julia do?

Recipe For A Charmed Life is a from the heart, passionate story about forgiveness, friendships, unforgivable issue and moving past the hurt and finding true love and enthusiasm for whatever comes next.

Thank you #NetGalley #BerkleyPublishingGroup #RachelLinden #RecipeForACharmedLife for the advanced copy.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

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The Heiress is a mystery in whose characters are mostly unlikable, with a suspenseful curious plot about greed, deep secrets, narcissism and murder…lots of murder. With one shocking twist after another, it will continually keep you enthralled and on your toes! It is so juicy!

It all begins with the disappearance of a young girl named Ruby McTavish from a very, very wealthy family who live on estate named Ashby House in North Carolina. She disappears during a picnic. Gone as if she never existed. Her mother, devastated falls to pieces. But, months later, a man emerges with Ruby and says he took her because his own daughter had died, and his wife was beside herself. End of story, right? Well, not really…

With Ruby back and a new sister born named Nellie, the emergence of hatred between not only them, but other family members begin. It is obvious that this is not your regular family, and as time passes you see that the McTavish’s get whatever they want. And as Ruby grows up, she realizes she must follow in her father’s footsteps as she is the heiress apparent. At a young age Ruby marries her first of four husbands. You see, they all seem to die…and she also decides to adopt a son. His name is Cam. 

As Cam grows up, as close as he is to his mother, or as close as she allows him, he sees the spectacle of the McTavish clan and realizes there is something wrong with them and eventually leaves and marries a woman named Jules. But when his uncle passes away, he must return to the famous Ashby House estate because you see, he is now the heir as Ruby died a while ago. The rest of the family needs money and he holds the purse strings, so he must put his fears and memories aside and go visit a place he has not stepped foot in for years. So as Cam and Jules, who seems excited at the prospect of seeing the infamous house, ascend on Ashby, he feels the hatred coming off his relatives, Nellie, his cousins Ben and Libby. The only ones left with the McTavish name. And they have an agenda and it’s not good!

Through a series of letters Ruby has written, we begin to see what dark family secrets have been hidden for years. How Ruby kept them all at bay and how she was able to keep secrets from them never to be found. But who were the letters meant for?

And as the jealousy and greed of those still alive begin to become apparent, Cam decides he needs to walk away again from this dysfunctional, evil group of relations. But Jules isn’t so sure. You see she has her own secrets. 

Can evil run in a family? Is it genetic? The Heiress will not disappoint and will keep you guessing until the end. Which of these materialistic, self-absorbed, egotistical relatives will finally try to burn the McTavish name down? The answer will shock you!

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sPress #RachelHawkins #TheHeiress for the advanced copy.

On The Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe

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On The Plus Side is a funny, warm-hearted, empathetic look at the realities of not being what society defines as “normal”. It’s about personal introspection, insecurities, falling in love and re-falling in love with oneself.

Everly Winters is content with her life. She is a receptionist, loves art and creativity which bodes well at the company she works for. She has a bit of a crush on one of her co-workers. But she lives her life quietly, ever since her grandmother died.

Suddenly, she is thrust onto a reality show called On The Plus Side which helps overweight women with all aspects of their life. She loves the show but is horrified that someone nominated her (whose identity she is still looking for) to actually be a participant. The show tries to transform the person by giving them the tools to step out of their comfort zone with new ways of dressing, making them look inside themselves as well as having family involvement. This family thing makes Everly very nervous!

As Everly begins the process of having cameras film her all the time, she begins to open her eyes to the camera operator, Logan who is not only fabulously handsome, but kind and comforting.

But, having to look back on her life is not something she really wants to do. There is pain in that process. Her mother has always pushed her to lose weight so she could look and feel better, something she has always felt she didn’t need thanks to her late grandmother’s words of wisdom that she just always be her beautiful self both inside and out. She is nervous what her mother will say on camera!

Funny enough, Everly does begin the metamorphous process and starts to self-reflect and discover the person she used to be when her grandmother was alive. She also finds she and Logan have a great deal in common and begin having feelings, which because this is reality television, the fans as well as the producers think is fabulous!

But just as she is beginning to find the old Everly, and also perhaps love, it could all be taken away as the producers have a very different outlook on what is happening in her life! Is she strong enough yet to stick up for herself and every other past and future contestant of On The Plus Side?

This fantastic story is an honest, humorous yet serious look at being fat in today’s world which in this book is an ok word to use. Its thesis is to accept oneself, love everything about yourself because you don’t have to answer to anyone BUT yourself. Embrace who you are, not who others want you to be. And you are not alone!

Thank you #NetGalley #Griffin #JennyL.Howe #OnThePlusSide for the advanced copy.

Our Cursed Love by Julie Abe

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Our Cursed Love is an adorably sweet, young adult story which captures the essence of being a teenager in love and all that comes with it. In youth, the journey begins with self-esteem issues, peer and parent pressure, and the learning process of becoming who you want to be. The book especially encompasses first love and all those feelings of awkwardness which can drive any teenager crazy! But in Our Cursed Love, the transformation of the main characters is magical!

Remy Kobata and Cam Yasuda are high school seniors who have been best friends since their childhood. They sometimes know each other better than the other does. But both hold one secret from the other. Remy has deep feelings for Cam and Cam thinks he might be falling for real for Remy. But he is lost at what to do.

As they go on vacation to Japan to meet Remy’s sister and her boyfriend and also for Remy to interview at a prestigious college there, both knowing full well that Cam will be staying in the United States for college and Remy will hopefully get in to this college, this may be the last time for quite a while they will be together. So, they want to make the next six days heading up to New Year’s Eve the best of their lives. But there is an awkwardness between them as they both want to say something to each other, but it just never happens.

As with young adults, they fear their feelings will not be reciprocated. And Remy just needs to make sure Cam is her soulmate before she opens her heart to him. But unfortunately, when she goes to a mystical tea reader, he not only tells her she will never have a soulmate, but she will never fall in love. She is devastated.

But she hears there could be a potion which has been banned by the government that could help her in her search to see if Cam is the one. They take the potion. Unfortunately, it is disastrous! Cam begins to lose all his memories of Remy! And as of now there is no antidote. By New Year’s Eve if they can’t find one, Cam will never remember who Remy was to him.

As they are helped by magical scientist friends, they are in the race of a lifetime. Remy feels like perhaps she really does not have a soulmate, but can she let Cam go? Even if they find a remedy, will they even be together? As the clock ticks down to New Year’s Eve, the pressure is on them. They truly are cursed!

Our Cursed Love is a charming love story filled with humor, magic and real-life teenage dilemmas which will resonate with young readers.

Thank you #NetGalley #WednesdayBooks #JulieAbe #OurCursedLove for the advanced copy.

The Couple in the Photo by Helen Cooper

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Who could imagine an innocent vacation photo could lead to deadly secrets being exposed, murder and lives being changed forever? Well, in this new thriller, The Couple In The Photo that is exactly what occurs! And be warned! Once you begin the book, you will not be able to stop until you find out the truth!

Lucy and Adam, Cora and Scott have been best friends for years. Adam, Cora and Scott were besties in college. They and their children do everything together. They have even bought a cottage which they are fixing up so they can spend even more time together. 

But something changes this friendship when Lucy sees a picture taken by a co-worker during her Maldives honeymoon on her phone. It seems to be a couple they met and it’s her friend Scott and the woman beside him is not his wife Cora! She asks her friend their names and even though she is absolutely sure this is Scott; the name is not his. As a matter of fact, he was supposed to be on a work trip in Japan when the picture was taken.

With her interest piqued, of course she goes home and tells her husband, Adam. But he thinks she perhaps made a mistake because of course Scott would never cheat on Cora and he was in Japan.

But that all changes when she confronts Scott and discovers some suspicious clues. Then, her co-worker ghosts her as she once again tries to see the photo. Why on earth would she avoid her? But once the Pandora’s Box is opened, it cannot be closed and when the mysterious woman ends up dead, murdered in the Maldives, well Lucy knows she must go to the police.

She begins to suspect not only Scott of nefarious behavior, but Adam and Cora as well. Lucy must make some very hard choices which could not only ruin all their lives, but could possibly put her in danger as well.

Perhaps she has unknowingly become the next victim in a pact made years before which she never knew existed. But what happened back then which could possibly affect what is happening today?

The Couple In The Photo is a jaw dropping read which will continually shock you and the ending? Well, picture perfect!

Thank you #NetGalley #G.P.Putnam’sSons #TheCoupleInThePhoto #HelenCooper for the advanced copy.

The Engagement Party by Darby Kane

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Are you ready to get on a rollercoaster ride? The Engagement Party is an exciting mystery story with characters you don’t know whether to love or hate, an ending which will drive you mad getting to because it was completely unexpected!

When a group of former college friends reluctantly agree to go to “another” engagement party for their commitment phobic friend Will who has once again met the love of his life in a woman named Ruthie whom none of them have met, no one really wants to be there. The tie which seems to bind these friends is a terrible tragedy which happened a few days before their college graduation. One of their group, Emily Hunt was murdered. Hence, they seem to feel the guilt of what happened and bonded them for life. The party is on a secluded island of the coast of Maine. They know it won’t go well, but what they never could imagine is that not all of them would be alive by the end. 

The cast of characters include:

Will and Ruthie who met just a few short months ago and have decided to get married. Ruthie has not met Will’s friends and quite frankly doesn’t really care about them. Ruthie has an agenda and she’s sticking to it. Will just thinks he’s in love. Again.

Alex and Cassie who met in college and have a young daughter have amazing careers. A great life. Although they felt obligated to attend, they would rather have stayed home. Too bad they didn’t listen to their instincts.

Mitch and Sienna are friends. Sienna comes as Mitch’s plus one. Mitch is one of the friends from college and because of his past, they treat him with kid gloves. As for Sienna, she has feelings for Mitch, but he seems clueless.

The weekend immediately gets off to a rough start as they are the only ones on the island, there is a storm brewing and oh! they find a dead body in the trunk of a car. And it’s someone they know. Then of course someone goes out of their way to block the Wi-Fi and they are unable to get help. If that doesn’t get your attention, perhaps the severed head found in the shed will.

They realize someone is on the island with them and it looks like they are all in danger of being killed. But here is the question, why? Why them? As they begin to plan how to escape, their uninvited guest makes an appearance and seems to know all their secrets. But who is he? What are their secrets?

As they try to lie their way off the island, violence ensues and it’s everyone for themselves. But what they are hiding will kill someone. And of course, that’s when they begin to turn on each other.

The Engagement Party is an agonizingly exciting story with unbelievable twists and an ending which you will never see coming and never forget! Note to self…engagement parties are way too stressful!

Thank you #NetGalley #WilliamMorrowPaperbacks #TheEngagementParty #DarbyKane for the advanced copy.

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

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The Curse of Penryth Hall is a wonderful compilation of genres rolled together in a terrific dark murder mystery with a heroic female heroine and a handsome sage set in gothic times. There are hidden past secrets, curious characters with dashes of intrigue and magic and of course a bit of romance all rolled into one. You will think you have won the lottery with this story!

Ruby Vaughn works at a bookstore in Exeter who has been asked by her co-worker to bring a box of books to a man in the woods. He is no ordinary person, and she is not allowed to look into the box. She knows this place and is hesitant to go because there is someone there, she would rather not see. 

But she goes and meets this seer whom she immediately dislikes. She then goes to visit her best friend, Tamsyn who lives in Penryth Hall with her now husband Edward Chenowyth. She and Tamsyn have not seen each other in years due to a bit of a falling out. Upon meeting Tamsyn’s husband, she immediately takes a dislike to him He is gruff and treats her friend badly. Convinced to stay the night, Ruby soon regrets the decision.

Suddenly she awakens to church bells ringing. She finds out that someone has died and the bells which have not rung for years mean a previous curse has been renewed. Then she discovers the dead person is her friend’s husband Edward. What? Can this be true? A curse?

Now Penryth Hall is thrown into chaos as there seems to be two sides, those who believe he was murdered by someone and those who believe the curse has killed him. Enter the handsome soothsayer Ruan Kivell who is convinced the curse has come back and will kill again. Ruby feels someone murdered the man because he was nasty. But then the doctor tells them that not only was he poisoned but after he was dead, he was stabbed.

Now it is up to Ruby and Ruan to investigate the death even though each believes the death was caused by something different, and Ruby herself seems to be a target! Who would want to kill her and is there really a foolish curse? As the town awaits the next death, it seems all are suspects!

As the investigation continues, the one person who seems to have a reason to kill Edward is her dear friend Tamsyn. But would she try to kill Ruby too? Haste is a necessity now as clearly someone else will die. Can Ruby and Ruan agree to disagree and find out what is really going on in this small town? Is this a crime or a curse?

The Curse of Penryth Hall will keep you enchantingly engaged throughout the mysteriously engrossing story!

Thank you #Net Galley #MinotaurBooks #JessArmstrong #TheCurseofPenrythHall for the advanced copy.