Book Review - The Tuscan Secret by Angela Petch

 

The Tuscan Secret by Angela Petch is about  a woman named Anna who is trying to cope with her beloved mother Ines's death. The only personal item she inherits is a box of old yellowed paper handwritten in Italian along with a few photos. She is desperate to learn more about her mother and to find a way to keep the connection they shared alive. As she reads the pages, Anna learns her mother’s truth about what happened during the war.

Anna decides that she has nothing keeping her from visiting Italy to be fully immersed in her mother’s past as she recently went through a breakup and lost her job. She travels to a small village of Rofelle, where she decides to enjoy the sights while trying to decipher her mother’s letters.

She learns that her mother lived a happy and quiet life. Ines spent most of her days herding sheeps in the meadows or helping her parents at the mill.  Until World War Two began and Nazi soldiers started to encroach on their land, Ines and her family lived quiet lives. After foreign troops entered their land, Ines joined the Resistenza, with her brother to help protect British soldiers and her homeland from the invaders. As Anna delves deeper into her mother’s story, she learns that Ines fell in love with a British soldier. She wonders what caused Ines to leave her beloved country and what happened to that soldier as Anna spent most of her childhood hearing her parents fight with each other. She has a hard time understanding how they ended up together. And Ines refused to talk about her life in Italy no matter how much Anna had asked her.

Anna visits her mother’s old house, in hopes that she can find something that belonged to her mother.  She meets an elderly Italian man who seems to know more than he is letting on.  He flinches when Anna mentions her mother and stares at the photos with Ines that Anna has shared with him. However, he refused to talk to Anna and claimed he doesn’t remember anything about the war nor does he want to talk about it. Will Anna be able to find out the truth about her family’s past?

The novel was a quick and straightforward read. It did have a few twists but most were predictable. The book was told from alternating narrators and times. I thought both timelines were interesting but I found myself enjoying Ines’s storyline more. I wanted to find out more about her past and how she  ended up being in a loveless marriage when it seems that she was happily in love during her youth. I did find the novel to be moving slowly at times and found myself wanting more to happen. If you are a fan of cozy romance novels that take place around World War Two, then you might enjoy this book.

 

Book Review - The Song of the Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning

 

 

The Song of the Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning is about a young woman, Alexandra, who is trying to find out the truth about her family’s past. In 1939, a young Jewish European refugee named Romy escaped to Shanghai with her family to escape from the growing Nazi influence. While Romy and her family try to acclimate to their new surroundings, Romy befriends her neighbor’s daughter, Li. The pair and their families become close friends and inseparable. However, Shanghai isn’t invisible to the terrors of World War II and its destruction comes to their little corner of the world.  After a devastating act of violence, Li and Romy find their friendship violently torn apart.

In 2016, Alexandra decided to leave her home in London to Australia after experiencing a bad breakup. She decides that spending time with her grandparents, Romy and Wilhelm, would be good for her soul and to help mend her broken heart. Alexandra wants to spend time with her grandparents as her grandfather wasn’t doing too well over the past week. Her grandmother fears that his death might be imminent.

While going in and out of consciousness, Wilhelm lets a secret drop from his past. Alexandra is desperate to learn how it fits into her own past and history. She knows that her mother had struggled in life because she didn’t know her own history of her adoption. Alexandra is determined to find out the truth about her family’s past, so she decides to fly to Shanghai and try to trace her grandparents' past.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the novel. The book was a long read but I enjoyed most parts of the book. I did wish at times that the story would pick up pacing wise. The book did go into a lot of details that I thought could have been cut down a bit.  It was told from alternating timelines and narrators. I loved reading about Romy and her time in Shanghai. I felt that those were the best part of the book. I was disappointed that it took Romy so long before she told Alex the truth. I felt that this could have been done earlier instead of drawing it out. I would be open to reading more books by this author.

 

Book Review - Unknown Threat by Lynn Blackburn

 

 

Unknown Threat by Lynn Blackburn is about two U.S. Secret Service agents who are racing against the clock to find out who is murdering their fellow agents.  US Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell was on a run with a colleague when they were attacked. Luke barely made it out alive and his partner is in critical care.  Luke’s attack has been one in a series of attacks against his colleagues. In the past ten weeks, three of his fellow agents had died in unusual circumstances. 

Luke is shattered by the death and loss of his friends. He feels that it’s his personal mission to find the killer and find justice for his colleagues.  Luke feels helpless that he can’t protect the people he loves, especially since they are good people who have spent their lives protecting others.

FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is driven and ambitious. She is confident that she will solve every case that she is assigned. However, when she is put in charge of the investigation of the attacks on Secret Service agents, she is worried that as she and Luke get to know each other on professional and personal levels, it raises stakes higher than any of her previous cases.

Faith and Luke have worked together before but he doesn’t feel that Faith is the right person for the job. He feels that his department should be handling the investigation since the attacks seem to be targeting his team. Faith feels that Luke is hiding secrets that could jeopardize the investigation and cause more people to get hurt. As more people they love are targeted, will Faith and Luke be able to put their disagreements aside and work together?

The book was a quick read. It was interesting to try and guess who the killer was and their motives behind the attacks. There weren't many clues and the story did feel slow at times. However, the ending seemed a bit weird to me and I thought the motive was a bit far-fetched. The romance element between the two characters felt a bit flat. There wasn’t much chemistry or cute moments between the two characters. I might read a few more books by this author but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get them.

 

Book Review - Dreams of Falling by Karen White

 

Dreams of Falling by Karen White is about a woman, Larkin Lanier, who returns home after her beloved mother goes missing. Many years ago, three young girls spent most of their lives together. Their childhoods were intertwined with each other and they were rarely apart. They decided to write their hopes and dreams on ribbons and stow it in a special tree for their wishes to come true. Their most important one was that whatever happens, they will remain friends forever.

Larkin left her home in Georgetown, South Carolina, nine years ago humiliated. She felt that she could never go back and face her friends after an embarrassing incident.  However, when she receives a call that her mother has gone missing, she realizes that she has no choice but to return back home. She is excited to see her family who missed her and wants her to come back home, but dreads running into her childhood friends who remember the incident that caused her to leave.

Larkin’s mother, Ivy, is discovered near the burned out wreckage of her family’s home. She is unconscious and badly injured when she is found. No one knows why Ivy decided to go to the house and Larkin is desperate to find answers. As she digs for answers, she discovers the reason why her mother went to the house. The secrets that she uncovers dates back fifty years ago and it began with those three girls whose friendship was tested in the most heartbreaking ways.

This was the second book I read by the author. I felt that the author is skilled at creating realistic Southern characters but it feels to me that her main female characters are always unlikeable. I didn’t care for Larkin’s storyline as much because I found her to be annoying. She was rude and assumed the worst of her best friends without any reason but she gave the benefit of the doubt to a guy who was constantly rude and mean to her. Larkin was dismissive when her childhood friends were trying to make amends or hang out but willingly hung out with a guy who was demeaning to her on multiple occasions. I didn’t understand why her friends were so loyal and understanding to Larkin when she wasn’t very nice to them in turn. Larkin acted like the entire world revolved around her and didn’t really care about anyone else’s feelings and she kept acting like “woe is me”.

The book was told from alternating points of view and timelines. I found it difficult to keep track of the different characters because there were so many and each one was related to each other. I felt that Ivy’s chapters didn’t add much to the story. In the majority of her chapters, she spent time trying to figure out what is keeping her attached to Earth, or she was pining for her dead boyfriend, Ellis. I felt like the chapters would have a bigger impact if we got more details about their relationship.

I didn’t like that the characters refused to share information with each other until Ivy woke up from her coma or there was another interruption that caused the delay. I felt that  caused the story to drag on longer than necessary. The book was slow moving with pages of nothing happening. Aside from the annoying main character and the predictable twists, I found the book to be an okay read. I would be open to reading more books by the author.

Book Review - The Spanish Diplomat's Secret by Nev March

 

The Spanish Diplomat's Secret  by Nev March is about a couple who set sail to England on a cruise ship and they witness a murder. In the summer of 1894, Captain Jim Agnihotri and his wife, Lady Diana Framji were going to England for a family visit. Jim is excited to spend some time with his wife as he feels that she has been distant lately.  He hopes that Diana will open up to him and they can repair their bond.

The first evening on the ship, Jim is feeling seasick. As Jim clings to the hand railing of the deck, he crosses paths with another traveler, Don Juan Nepomuceno. The passenger is a Spaniard and a fellow soldier. Jim feels a connection with him and spends a few minutes chatting with Don Juan. Within twenty four hours, Don Juan sent a note to Jim asking to speak with him privately. Before Jim can visit, it is discovered that Don Juan was brutally murdered.

When the ship’s captain learns that Jim is an investigator, he asks Jim to help find the killer before they dock in Liverpool. Jim has six days to find the person behind the crime otherwise the murder can lead to international consequences. Jim’s investigative skills are put to the test as he has to figure out who committed the murder in a locked cabin room and there are over a thousand passengers on board. There were no witnesses to the crime. And to make matters worse, Jim is experiencing seasickness and is struggling to find his sea legs. He doesn’t  want to put Diana in danger but he knows he can’t navigate the high society world of the first class passengers without her help.

When I first saw the book I didn’t realize it was a part of a series. It wasn’t clear to me until I looked up the book online. The book can be read as a standalone but I think certain references to Jim and Diane’s past would have made more sense if I read the previous books.

I was excited to read the book but disappointed at how slow and drawn out the story was. Pages upon pages would go by and nothing new would happen. The mastermind and motive was very obvious but a so-called detective couldn’t see it until the very end. I also didn’t like that the book had so many political details.  I found that it  took away from the story. I did like the historic details about the ship and passengers, though. I felt that I might have enjoyed this book if it was shorter and I got to learn more about the characters, i.e. if I had more details of them from previous books.

Book Review - The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy

 

The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy is about two lovers who were caught in the middle of World War II, and a daughter's search for the truth.  In Weimar, Germany in 1929, a group of young intellectuals gathered at a party to celebrate life. At the party, two artists meet and find themselves drawn  to each other.

Max Ehrlick is a skilled Austrian Jewish architect and Bettina Vogel is a celebrated avant-garde painter. After meeting at the party, Max and Bettina find themselves spending every moment in each others’ presence. Months later, they feel that their relationship starts to be threatened by the rising threat of the Nazis. As Bettina is a German woman and Max is a Jewish man, they are unable to marry, and have to keep their relationship under wraps. They move to Berlin hoping that they are far enough away to keep Max safe.

They moved to Dachau as life in Berlin had gotten too expensive and they were not able to afford their lifestyle any longer. They figured that Bettina would move back home with her mother and brother and Max would work at the porcelain factory to help save money. They decided that the Nazi regime’s influence had gotten too big and that they needed to escape before it became too late.

The pair decided that they saved enough money after Bettina sold some of her artwork and Max had been putting aside his wages from the factory. They agree to meet at the train station to plan their escape. Bettina patiently waits for him until late at night but Max never shows up. She finds out later that he was arrested by someone close to Bettina and was sent to a concentration camp.

As luck would have it, Max gets reassigned to work back in the factory where he was caught. Max is thankful for his stroke of luck as he managed to befriend someone in charge of the factory. He spends his day toiling away at creating elegant porcelain figures. The people in the Nazi regime love these porcelain figurines and they buy them to show loyalty to the Nazis.  Max knows that his talent is the only thing keeping him from certain death, or hard labor in the camps.

Bettina is desperate to find Max and reconnect with him. She meets with someone from their past and the pair together tries to find out where Max is. She decides to cook up a desperate plan when she finds out where Max is. Bettina is willing to risk everything to find Max and escape Germany with him.

In 1993 in America, Clara, Bettina’s daughter, travels across the country to search for the truth about her father. Her mother has kept her father’s identity a secret from Clara. Clara was never sure why Bettina thought it was important to hide her father’s identity but Clara didn’t want to upset Bettina by demanding that she tell her the truth. The only piece of the puzzle Clara has is a collection of small figurines that her mother treasured. As Clara digs further into  her mother’s past, she realizes that there is more there than her mother  was letting on.

The novel is a love story that spans across continents and decades between lovers that were torn from each other because of World War II. The book is told from alternating points of view: from Bettina in the past and Clara in the present. In the beginning, it was confusing to distinguish the change in time periods and narratives. When Clara was remembering a moment in the past with her mother, it then switched to another moment from the past and it was confusing to me. The story had mentioned conflicting information but I was also reading the uncorrected draft of the novel and perhaps this was fixed when the book is going to be published. 

It was an interesting and emotional read at times. I like reading the dual timelines and trying to figure out who Clara’s father was. Also, I  liked reading about Bettina’s and Max’s romance blossoming and then withering under the Nazi regime. I enjoyed Clara’s portion as she tries to be a dutiful daughter and respect her mother’s wishes but she wants to find out about her own past. I felt for Clara and at times, I wished she pushed Bettina a bit harder to find out the truth as I felt that it could have been a moment for the two of them to bond. I feel that the two women had a fractured relationship. Clara always seemed to be walking on eggshells around her mother and this secret was a missed opportunity to heal past trauma.  If you love epic love stories with a hint of mystery and history, then you might enjoy this book.

Book Review - The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan

 

The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan is about two teenagers surviving a mass murder at a summer camp. Sloan was excited to start her new summer job as a counselor at a local summer camp. It was her chance to get away from her overbearing adoptive mother. At the camp, she meets another counselor there, Cherry. Cherry has everything going for her and is the center of attention at camp. Sloan finds herself drawn to the electric Cherry.

The pair find themselves bonding and are drawn to each other from the first few days of meeting. A few days into the camp session, a group of masked men stormed the summer camp and murdered everyone except for Cherry and Sloan. Months later, the Cherry and Sloan lean on each other as they process their traumatic experience.

Sloan is working with a professional to help her cope with the experience. Sloan’s mind has repressed the traumatic event and she doesn’t remember much from the night, other than what Cherry has told her. As Sloan begins her sessions in hopes of getting answers to what happened, she feels that there is something missing from her newly surfaced memory and that Cherry is keeping a secret from her. Sloan fears that Cherry might have been involved with the murders and isn’t just a survivor like she claims to be. Cherry claims that she doesn’t have any idea what Sloan is referring to and that she (Cherry) was lucky to have gotten out of the camp alive. Will Sloan be able to remember the events from that fateful night?

I was very excited to read the book when I saw the cover. It’s always the perfect time for a good horror or thriller. However, this book was an utter disappointment. The characters were all dull and boring. Even when Sloan found evidence that Cherry might be lying, she still went back to her. She kept acting like a defenseless child and would run into the arms of someone who might actually end up hurting her. The book goes on like this for a while and then the ending comes out of nowhere. The ending in itself was very confusing and I had a hard time understanding what was going on. I felt like the author didn’t know exactly how to end the book. It left so many unresolved questions and I felt like I read an incomplete book. I thought this was going to be a thriller or murder mystery but it was more about two teenagers dealing with trauma. The book could have been executed a bit better.

Book Review - The Woman Inside by M.T. Edvardsson

 The Woman Inside by M.T. Edvardsson is about an affluent couple who is found murdered in their house.  Bill Olsson recently lost his wife to cancer. He has tons of medical bills and is struggling to provide for his daughter, Sally. He is unable to find a job and is not able to pay rent by himself. He decides to rent out Sally’s room to help cover expenses. Bill rents out the room to Karla.

Karla is a law student and aspiring judge. In her spare time, she is a housekeeper to the Rytters. The Rytters are an incredibly wealthy couple. The wife is ill and she hasn’t been able to leave the house for months. The husband is a well respected doctor. He has tendencies to be controlling and obsessive when it comes to his wife. Is he a worried husband that is concerned about his wife’s well being, or does he have malicious intent?

As Bill’s financial situation becomes more dire, Karla is empathetic to his plight. She understands what it’s like to have a rough childhood, and doesn’t want Bill’s financial strains to affect Sally’s outlook. She feels that she is forced to make a difficult choice between helping someone or doing something bad. 

When the Rytters end up dead, Karla is questioned due to her employment in the household. They bring up parts of her past that she would rather keep a secret.  Every character in the novel seems to be hiding something or isn’t what they seem, but is one of them desperate enough to kill to keep their secret?

I thought the book was an okay read. I felt like the story was drawn out with no unexpected twists or turns. The book is narrated by three different people: the cash strapped Bill, the housekeeper Karla, and a young woman named Jennica. Bill and Jennica are connected by his late wife. We got each of their views but they were biased and didn’t give the entire story. I wish the author went into more details about Bill’s wife. 

The story is littered with police notes from interviews with and news snippets regarding everyone related to the case.  The novel is a slow burn as it slowly hints at who might be the culprit. I felt that the ending was predictable and boring. I didn’t care for any of the characters. They were all selfish and acted entitled. I didn’t like Bill the most and felt like he was completely responsible for his situation but doesn’t have any accountability for his actions.

Book Review - Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban

 

Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban is about a young woman who tries to escape her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend who betrayed her. Jade is looking forward to the adventure of a lifetime. She will get to visit 11 countries in 4 months aboard a luxurious cruise ship.  She couldn’t wait to move on and experience all that the cruise has to offer, only to find out that the people she is trying to escape are also on the trip with her. 

Her obsession with the couple begins to grow as she spends every moment trying to analyze what went wrong in the relationships. She tries to analyze what went wrong with her relationships with her ex and ex-best friend. Her obsession becomes an issue when someone ends up murdered. Then more of her friends are dying and Jade has become the prime suspect. She will have to figure out who is behind these crimes before anyone else ends up in a body bag.

This young adult novel is a closed room thriller with a few twists and turns. I thought Jade was an annoying main character. She was too stubborn and stuck in her own head. When she wanted to find out the truth over her relationship, she was basically stalking the couple. To me, her character seemed stereotypical: The sweet and caring character that everyone seems to love. She always tried to see the best in people even when there were so many clues pointing to them being the bad guy. When she realized that one character could have prevented another from dying if they spoke up earlier, she still tried helping that character instead of having them face any consequences.

Some of the dialogue and characters seemed one dimensional and juvenile. They seemed to make silly mistakes that I would assume someone younger would do. I was also surprised that a scene in the book mentioned the characters doing meth. I feel like that seems out of place for college students.  The book did reel me in the beginning but then it started petering out towards the end because it seemed unbelievable and far fetched.

Book Review - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

 

 

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow is a spellbinding fantasy about a young girl trying to connect with her estranged father and finding her place in the world. In the early 1900’s, January Scaller was a curiosity and an outsider. She looks and acts different from everyone else. She lives in a giant mansion with her caretaker, Mr. Locke. The house is filled with treasures and priceless artifacts, and January sometimes feels that she is something that Mr. Locke has collected. She is well looked after thanks to Mr. Locke being wealthy, but she always feels ignored and out of place.

One day, January was searching through Mr. Locke’s treasures when she came across an old book. She finds herself drawn towards the book and she spends every free moment reading her newly found lifeline. January is entranced with the characters and wants to use the book as a way to escape from real life.

 

The book tells of secret doors to other worlds that allows people to travel between them. The worlds are vastly different from January’s current world and some worlds even have magic. As January delves deeper into the book, she realizes that the story is connected with her. She first thought the story was a work of fiction but then realizes the story might be true. January decides to follow her heart and search for her own magical door.

 

I thought the book was an interesting and magical read. The story did move slowly during some parts of the book where it describes January getting older but nothing noteworthy would occur. The author wrote in a beautiful lyrical prose that was overwhelming at times. I felt that it covered up the fact that there was little story progression.

 

The first two thirds of the book does move very slowly. The story starts picking up in the last few pages and the twist is very predictable. The evil mastermind is easy to guess very early on. While the book was an entertaining read, I felt like I had a hard time connecting with the protagonist. Instead of the magical doors being a gateway to an exciting adventure, the majority of the time the characters use the doors to reconnect with a loved one. The book does have an opening for a second book which seems like it would be a good read if it focuses on January’s adventures in different worlds.

 

Book Review - The French House by Helen Fripp

 

In 1805, Reims, France Nicole Clicquot is grieving her beloved husband. He left behind a vineyard and a little girl. Nicole must work hard to support her daughter and secure their future even if it means ignoring the gossip about her. As Nicole tries to ignore them, she hears a rumor about her husband and that he died with a terrible secret. His secret can cause the entire town to turn against her.

Nicole is heartbroken and her reputation is in tatters. She turns to her husband's oldest friend, Louis. He is eager to help with a warm smile and advice that eases her troubled heart. After a good harvest season and her first wine has been produced, Nicole feels her that her luck has  finally turned. She feels that she will be welcomed back into the local community and her future will be secure.

The ongoing war has caused complications and some of Nicole's friends are hiding secrets from her. She doesn't know who she can trust. Nicole is torn between trusting her head and her heart. She knows that she will have to pour her entire life into her business otherwise, she will face ruin.

I thought this was an interesting read about a person I never knew about. I assumed that the champagne house was actually owned by a man. It was interesting to read about Nicole's struggles to follow her heart while everyone was doubting her. However, I did find that the book was rather lengthy and slowly moved along at times. If the book was a bit shorter, I would have found it a lot more entertaining.

Book Review - Little Disasters by Randall Klein

 

Michael and Paul are on the cusp of being new fathers. They meet at the hospital where their wives, Rebecca and Jenny, give birth. For Paul, tragedy follows when his son prematurely perishes. He hopes to speed up his and Jenny's recovery and ease her dark moods by giving her something to look forward too. He turns to Michael and asks for a favor while unwittingly kindling an affair that would tear the two couples apart.

One year later,  their personal lives come to turning point when a mysterious incident occurs in Midtown Manhattan and shuts down the entire city. Both Michael and Paul are stranded and are desperate to find their way home. Michael is near the Cloisters while, Paul is in a dark subway tunnel under the East River. They both try to make the trek home in record breaking heat while nervously eyeing the thin plume of smoke painting the skyline. As they begin the journey home, we learn of their private and public turmoils that trouble them. 

I thought the novel was going to be an interesting read but, I couldn't quite get into it. Majority of the main characters were despicable people and I didn't really care for them. I found the woman who they had an affair with to be unlikable and downright annoying at times.She was cheating on her spouse multiple times and seemed to be quite proud on inflicting pain on him but, she wasn't sympathetic to his needs or indiscretion. She also kept withholding her feelings and parts of herself but, wanted everyone to be upfront and sharing with her. 

I didn't understand how two of the characters started their affair when one of the characters seemed to hate the other and wanted to avoid them at all cost. I didn't like that the author kept jumping between characters and time periods. At first it was hard to keep track of who was married to who. The story was also filled with a lot of useless details such as the break down of the each celebration meal. I didn't really understand why the author felt the need to tell the readers what the couple eat during each meal course and what they paired it with. At times, I did feel that the book was a bit of a love letter to NYC and it's wonderful perks and flaws. I did enjoy reading the different places they went but, I am a native NYCer and not everyone would love these details. Personally, I didn't like that most of the plot was spoiled early on and that the only mystery was what caused them to be stuck in the city.

Book Review - Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton

 

AnnieLee Keys has a story to tell. Each one of her song tells one of her stories. She becomes a raising star singing about leaving the hard life behind her. However, she is also on the run from the secrets from her past. Will she be able to find the light among the darkness that surrounds her?

This was my first James Patterson book and I am a fan of Dolly Parton so, I thought I would be in love with this book. I am actually quite disappointed how boring and long winded this novel was. Majority of the novel was dedicated to AnnieLee's rise to fame and the last few pages had majority of the action. I am not sure why this novel was billed as a thriller because there was nothing suspenseful or thrilling about it. I couldn't stand AnnieLee as a person. She kept so many secrets but, wanted to know everything about Ethan and refused to share anything about herself. She kept him at arm's length even after recognizing how reliable he was as a person.

Book Review - Just One Look by Lindsay Cameron

 

Cassie Woodson feels like her life is adrift after a mistake causes her to lose her prestige job at a law firm.She has to take a temporary job to help her pay her bills at another law firm. As she reviews the correspondence in a fraud suit, she realizes that her life is lacking stability, love, and friends. Her new job leaves her with time on her hands which  she spends ruminating on how she ended up in her current position.

While doing her daily mindless task of reviewing emails, something catches her eye and heart. She reads a tender and intimate exchange between a partner at the law firm, Forest Watts, and his wife, Annabelle. Cassie knows that she should be ignoring the message but, she can't help looking and finding herself entranced with their lives.

Everyday, Cassie looks forward to reading more emails between Forest and Annabelle. As Cassie falls deeper into their world, she finds a renewed purpose and happiness. She follows their lives with a fine tooth comb and decides to greedily follow their lifestyles. Cassie feels that she knows everything about Forest and Cassie.

Her admiration of the couple turns into a full blown obsession.  She wants to have their lives and she believes if continues to follow them, that it will turn into a reality. When Cassie tries to meet Forest in person, she realizes that Forest and Annabelle's marriage might be in trouble. Cassie is devastated to learn her fantasy is shattering. She decides that she will take Annabelle's place.

The book was boring and had almost no twists. I didn't care for any of the characters. The story slowly moved around and had too many eye roll moments for it to be enjoyable for me to read. The book had too much filler before it got to the main point of the story.

Book Review - The Songs That Could Have Been by Amanda Wen

 

Lauren Anderson has finally gotten her life back on track after a rough time as a teenager. She has her battle with bulimia under control, her career is progressing, and she has a strong support system. However, all that is threaten when she has a chance meeting with Carter Douglas. He was her first love and he also broke her heart when they were younger. Lauren starts to remember their past and everything she has worked hard to build could come crashing down.

Carter is a TV meteorologist, who is determined to make things right with Lauren. Lauren was his first love and he still loves her. However, the reasons why they broke up the first time is still present in the future. Carter isn't sure that he has enough strength to face his old demons and make a different choice this time around.

Rosie is Lauren's elderly grandmother and she's been having memories about a man named Ephraim. No one in Lauren's family has ever heard of him before. As Lauren begins to dig into Rosie's past, a forbidden love comes to light. Lauren and Carter work to uncover the story of Rosie's past while trying learn forgiveness.

I thought the book was an interesting read. I like the dual timelines and the dual romances but, I like reading about Rosie's history the most. At times, I got frustrated with Carter and Lauren's romance as they wanted to forgive each other and give their relationship a second chance but, they both refused to be honest about the past. They both recognized that they didn't want to relive their past mistakes but, then kept their main hangs up about the past a secret. I feel that no relationship is going to be successful if  one person keeps a part of themselves locked away. This book is the second in a series but, can be read as a standalone.  

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Review - The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

 

Mars always felt that he was the lesser twin. He was always in his sister, Caroline's, shadow. However, when Caroline dies in a horrible accident, Mars is determined to learn more about his twin. The pair were once inseparable but, sister has slowly grown distant from him.

Mars considers himself to be gender fluid. His politically connected family often excludes him from traditions and expectations because of it. He was excluded from attending the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy that her sister loved attending. Mars is still trying to cope with her death and insists on attending the academy in her place.

Mars realizes the camp atmosphere and what it stands for isn't for him. The adults and children still follow outdated old fashioned gender roles along with allowing predatory behaviors among the campers. Mars seeks out Caroline's old roommates, a group of girls called the Honeys. They were named after the beehives they maintain near their cabin. Mars feels drawn to them but he is certain that they are connected to Caroline's death.

I found the novel to be an entertaining read. Mars was a delightful character and I love his witty banter with Wyatt.  In the beginning, the description of the Honeys and certain situations pulled in readers and kept them there and left them wanting to know more. However, I felt like some parts of the book stalled and felt a bit disjointed. I did enjoy the story but, I can't put my finger on why I didn't love the story especially, since I liked Mars as a character. I would be open to reading more books by the author though.

 

**Disclosure - I received a free copy  of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

 

Book Review - The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

 

In 1965, Ellie Hockley was raised in a well-to-down of Round Hill, North Carolina, to be a certain type of proper Southern lady. She is enrolled in college and is in a committed relationship with a bank manager. However, Ellie wants more out of life. She decides to spend her summer break helping to register black voters. As Ellie fights for her ideals and the civil rights of the marginalized, her parents are scandalized by her behavior and her own neighbors turn against her. Things become worse when Ellie falls in love with a fellow volunteer and realizes the frightening true nature of the people she once knew.

In 2010, architect Kayla Carter and her husband designed and bought a beautiful house for themselves in Round Hill's new development, Shadow Ridge Estates. It was supposed to be the perfect place for them to grow old and raise a family together. However, after an accident Kayla's husband died and leaves her and their three-year-old daughter behind. A mysterious woman who knew about his death has warn Kayla against moving in. People have claimed that the woods and lake behind the property is haunted and her house has been targeted by vandals. When Kayla meets her neighbor, Ellie Hockley, Kayla realizes that Ellie knows some of the long buried secrets and the dark history of the land.

I have a few books by the author but, this was my first book by the author. At first, the book moved a bit slowly and I did find some parts of the book to be predictable but, I found that the story stayed with me long after I finished the book. I like reading about Ellie and reading about her experiences with SCOPE and how she bonded with families she was helping. Overall, it's a heartfelt book and I look forward to reading more books by the author.

Book Review - The Prince and the Prodigal by Jill Eileen Smith

  

Joseph is the favorite son of his father, Jacob. His older brothers are jealous and resentful over Joseph's status as their father's favorite. So, when the opportunity arises to get rid of him, the brothers take the chance and sell him to slave traders. They told Jacob that Joseph was killed by wild animals. The brothers believe that their troubles are finally over but, for Joseph and his brother, Judah, they are just beginning.

Joseph becomes imprisoned when he is accused of raping his master's wife. Judah tries to escape the guilt of selling his brother into slavery. Decades has passed, when the brothers finally reunite again. Joseph  is in a position of power while Judah begs for mercy. Will the brothers be able to choose forgiveness?

I have read a few books by the author and I liked this book better than the others. I felt like the story flowed more smoothly even though at times, the book felt like it was moving very slowly. There was a lot of sex and scenes of rape that I didn't care for but, I understand that they were needed for certain parts of the story. I like that the story was told from alternating story lines. I like reading about how the brothers were dealing with the past betrayal. While, I know that Joseph is the main character and he  didn't want the preferred treatment of his father, I felt that when he got older he lost some of his humility. Overall, the book will be well received by readers who are  fan of the author's.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Review - We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange

 

Sunday Brennan wakes up in a Los Angeles hospital covered in bruises after being in a drunk driving accident. She realizes she will have to swallow her pride and go home to her family in New York. She is afraid to go home after abandoning her family and her high school sweetheart five years ago without any explanations.

Sunday wants to make amends and rebuild her life even if it means dealing with her resentful brothers and ex-fiancé. She starts to realize that they might need her as much as she needs them.  However, a dangerous man from her past is out to destroy their family business and their family. Sunday realizes that the only way to save the family from financial ruin is to tell her family her secrets. As Sunday tries to come to terms with her past, she realizes she isn't the only hiding something.

I picked this book because of the beautiful cover. However, I should know better than to do that by now because this book was super boring. The plot barely moved along and the big reveal was predictable. I thought the reason for Sunday leaving to be silly and found it hard that she didn't talk to her boyfriend before leaving since they had an unbreakable bond. If you like cozy romantic reads, you will enjoy this book.

**Disclosure - I received a free a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Review - Lights Out (The SNAP Agency, #1) by Natalie Walters

 

CIA analyst Brynn Taylor has created a new initiative to help fight terrorism. She collaborated with members  of foreign intelligence agencies to help foster cooperation between the countries. Everything was going as planned until an Egyptian spy Remon Riad goes missing.

Jack has been a member for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency for nine years. He has the expertise to find a missing spy. However, when he finds out Brynn is involved, he is worried because he knows he can't trust someone who betrayed you once before.

The pair try to follow every lead they can get to solve the disappearance. However, they realized that they onto something bigger. Can the pair learn to trust each other before its too late?

The book was an action packed read filled with thrills and suspense. I didn't really care for any of the main characters and found them to be a bit annoying. However, I liked Kekoa and I hope he has a bigger presence in the next book. I also liked the friendly banter between the entire team. If you like high intensity novels, then you will enjoy this one.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**