Tag Archives: Book Reviews

Review: Pups in Tea Cups: Tales of “Littleness” overcoming BIG odds

Blog, ,


Pups in Tea Cups: Tales of “Littleness” overcoming BIG odds by Carolyn McCray
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“Littleness” isn’t just a size. It is a condition!

Enter the world of “Littleness,” where tiny pups worm, wiggle and lick their way into your heart. From Chihuahuas to Mini-Cocker Spaniels, these stories focus on real pups that entered the life of the author and her patients and made a lasting impression.

Trying to explain the phenomena of “Littleness” is no easy task. These pups have attitude and aren’t afraid to show it! Resisting eating when they are hungry, insisting on squirming into the tiniest spots that they’re not supposed to get into, or bringing the young and old out of their depression, the persistence these tiny pups have is highlighted in these quick tales of canine mischief, daring and triumph. Sprinkled in with the tea cup pups were tales of “Bigness” overcoming similar situations fit for a pup full of “Littleness” attitude.

Mini-stories told by a veterinarian well-experienced in “Littleness” and “Bigness” alike, the stories themselves were quick reads, though sometimes the language was a tad repetitive. While these tales are sure to make you laugh and shake your head, be sure to keep a tissue handy – some are real tear-jerkers.

View all my reviews

Review: Waiting On Hope

Reviews, , , ,

Waiting On Hope
Waiting On Hope by T.M. Souders
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lexie left her home in rural Ohio to come to Pittsburgh to find a better life. Afraid that her life was playing itself out before her eyes, she needed to get away and find herself. Now, ten years later, events unfold that send her running back to that small Ohio farm she once called home.

Forced to rekindle relationships she had once left behind, Lexie is met with a combination of joy, trepidation and anger. The broken shell that was Lexie must find a way to cope with her rape, her pregnancy and feelings for her former fiance, Elliot, whom she had left all those years ago yet never stopped loving.

The story is told using four different yet strong perspectives. The reader is brought along as Lexie struggles to regain control over her life while keeping her rape a secret from some characters for much of the story. As Elliot comes back into her life, she thrives a little more each day, though still struggles with her feelings. They both realize that they never stopped loving each other, and Lexie makes peace with her old self and her new self, creating a happy Lexie content on being with Elliot and raising their daughter, Hope.

A touching, heart-wrenching story about love lost, emotional torture and recovery, Waiting On Hope overcomes adversity and shows the true resilience of the human spirit.

View all my reviews

Review: A Little Push

Reviews, , , ,

A Little Push
A Little Push by Jennifer Steen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nothing is going right for Jess today. The mother of three is simply trying to get her oldest to school when her van doesn’t start. Upon calling her husband to come take him to school, Jess learns that he’s been let go from his job 2 days short of getting benefits and severance pay. To top if off, because of this news Jess is now unable to make her trip back home to see her dying father.

Just when everything seems impossible, the silver lining shines out in one of the smallest characters in the book – Micah, her oldest son. He reminds her that her family is there to support her through all these bumps in the road and that they would be ok.

Short and sweet, A Little Push reminds the reader of what is important – family. These ‘tiny, little blessings’ that are with us every day, even when we don’t slow down enough to see them. Steen’s characters are easy to relate to and full of life and feeling, rolled into a tight story that, while short, is captivating.

View all my reviews

Review: Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum

Reviews, , , ,

Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum
Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

They’re not telling you everything.

Zach dreams of investigating Rosewood Asylum, the haunted facility in Chicago. As host for Sci-D TV’s Xavier Paranormal Investigators, Zach and his team go into haunted areas to learn the science behind the haunting and to exorcise any ghosts on the premises. But as Zach gets his wish of investigating Rosewood, his team’s unity is tested by adding the Demon Hunter team into the mix – the “catch” for getting access to Rosewood.

The large cast used in this book covers every range of person imaginable, blending together to increase the tension between the characters. Along with Zach, the reader finds out details of the haunting, the lies, the deceit, and the paranormal, all while trying to get to the bottom of the mystery of Rosewood.

While there were some predictable moments, they didn’t distract me from the story – I was compelled to find out the true reason of the haunting and what the characters were going to do about it, causing me to devour this book. It is a fast read with easy language and enough intrigue to keep you interested. Zach is a deep character, full of conflict and insight, though I do hope that further installments delve a little deeper into the characters, since they have been so well set-up here.

Mystery, ghosts, possession, personal conflicts and behind-the-scenes TV production, Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum is a fast-paced trip into the paranormal realm that will leave you asking: Who’s next?

View all my reviews

Review: The Vampire Empress Chronicles: Caroline’s Path

Reviews, , , , , ,

The Vampire Empress Chronicles: Caroline's Path
The Vampire Empress Chronicles: Caroline’s Path by A.S. Johnson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Caroline is born into a royal line of vampires from Italy. Destined to rule them as the Vampire Empress, Caroline faces one trial after the other until she takes the vampire throne.

The concept for this story was original. The vampires were the original race, with humans their de-evolved state. Once reborn, the vampires go through a transformation period, learning about being a vampire and honing their abilities. Caroline finds love with Nerio, and finds strength within herself to protect her family and govern the vampires.

While the story had such potential, for me if fell flat of achieving what it set out to do. There were several issues that I had with the actual telling of the story: Too much repetition, information forced down the reader’s throat, POV flaws, and plot loopholes. These issues were just too many issues for me to ignore. I got tired of Caroline telling me (the reader) that she could communicate telepathically; I scoffed when she stated that vampires have no emotions after she had already confessed her love for Nerio to the reader; I found it hard to swallow that Charlotte could go from mourning her dead husband to the giddy, love-swept relationship she has with Uros; I found a use for my high school Latin class, pointing out incorrect phrases used in the ceremony.

A sweet romance novel with age-old vampires which, if the flaws can be overlooked, shows an original spin on vampire love stories.

View all my reviews

Review: Whiteout

Reviews, , , ,

Whiteout
Whiteout by Cambria Hebert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I shut the door and waited to see what she would do. To my surprise she lowered the gun but kept it in her hands. “I’ll give you five minutes to explain.”

I opened my mouth to begin but she held up a hand. “First let me get you some pants.”

Alone in a world of white, Tristan was left to die. Was supposed to die, until Grace and a little red sled saved him. Caring for him without knowing what he truly is, Grace finds out the hard way that things just aren’t as they seem.

This tidy little story is full of romance and the holiday spirit, just in time for Christmas. The characters are surprisingly developed for such a short story, allowing the reader to share the pain of Tristan and cheer for Grace and her shotgun.

Action, suspense, romance and warm bread all wrapped into a short story that will leave you asking for more.

View all my reviews

Review: Masquerade

Reviews, , ,

Masquerade
Masquerade by Cambria Hebert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Everything was so much better Before.

Heven lead a charmed life Before. After that night that changed everything, Heven cannot remember what happened and is left with visible and invisible scars. Convinced she’s now a freak, Heven seeks to hide herself, though nothing could hide her from Sam. Mysterious and compelling, Sam forces his way to Heven’s side and shows her she is still beautiful.

But there is darkness watching over both Heven and Sam. As Sam fights to protect Heven, his secret is revealed. This new twist vows to either break their relationship or pull them closer together than they ever imagined.

Told from four different viewpoints, the reader gets to see how Heven and Sam grow and deal with a complex set of emotions, especially for a teenager. There is constant tension within Sam as he struggles each minute to be good enough for Heven, not knowing she’s already fallen for him.

Masquerade is full of real characters with complex emotions trying to make the best of their situations. Daily struggles between ‘good’ and ‘evil’ keep the characters on their toes and the reader turning the pages. Heven and Sam’s whirlwind romance grips you and doesn’t let you go.

View all my reviews

Review: In Wilder Lands: The Fall of Eldvar

Reviews, , , , ,

In Wilder Lands: The Fall of Eldvar
In Wilder Lands: The Fall of Eldvar by Jim Galford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Tell me I am not a slave, but put a leash on me and I will call you a liar.”

Estin just wants be left alone, in a world where his kind are hated and thought of as slaves. Haunted by memories of his mother’s capture and his father’s beating, Estin struggles to survive and keep from being captured.

Until the day he meets Feanne.

Estin finds himself doing things he never imagined his kind of wildling to do: fighting and protecting rather than running and hiding. Feanne touches Estin like no other, and he breaks through her hardened heart, showing her that there is more to life than fighting.

While the war rages around them, Estin and Feanne, along with the rest of the wildlings, face difficult challenges of their own. Estin’s relationship with Feanne changes vastly throughout the book, though his drive to protect her and her kits only grows stronger. Estin puts himself into several heartbreaking situations, breaking himself nearly to the limit, and somehow overcomes these challenges and becomes who he’s never known he wanted to be.

There is no lack of humor, love, or confrontation; they are all blended into the story effortlessly to create a very real picture of who these characters are and what they struggle with. While the story is very character-driven, the attention to details within the world itself are not forgotten, giving the reader a vivid look at the world of Eldvar.

Galford’s writing is beautiful. His descriptions of the characters, the surroundings, the internal struggles, and the world itself are magical, transporting the reader into the story to walk beside these characters. Anyone looking for an epic fantasy should not pass this book by.

View all my reviews

Review: The Beast Call

Reviews, , , , ,

The Beast Call
The Beast Call by Anne Tibbets
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dray Rena is a typical girl in the town of Genua…mostly. Her secret, kept hidden from all but her brother, is that she can do magic. Feared among the others of the continent of Madis, those with magical abilities learn quickly to hide them or risk being burned at the stake.

Rebelling against an arranged marriage, Dray runs off with her brother Lurin to join the army, intent on bringing down the evil King Nuro. Dray, in addition to her gift with animals, also finds herself skilled with a sword, much to the chagrin of Lurin. The two once inseparable siblings drift further apart as Dray’s talents are called into service more and more.

The Beast Call has so much potential, and could be fleshed out either into a full-length novel or a series. As is stands, the novella is fast-paced and a good mix of action and descriptions. While I also would have liked Dray to have more interactions with the animals she called and further development of her relationship with Milikan, The Beast Call is a great read for young fantasy lovers.

View all my reviews

Review: Before

Reviews, , , , ,

Before
Before by Cambria Hebert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Heven’s life was perfect. She is beautiful, popular, and just got voted cheerleading captain – all things that any teenage girl would dream about.

Then her world falls apart.

Sam’s life is dark. His only shining light is Heven, and the monster has forbid him to see her again. Even though he is anxious to escape the clutches of the monster, Sam can not forget about Heven. In his desire to see her ‘one last time,’ Sam inadvertently leads the monster right to her.

Before is the prequel to Masquerade and sets up the characters beautifully. The mystery surrounding Sam, and thereby Heven’s fate, captures the reader and draws them into the world, leaving them desperate for more.

View all my reviews