Tag Archives: Reviews

Review: Made Up

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Made Up
Made Up by Emma Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Besides, you know how it is – it’s your choice whether to believe everything you read or not.”

Katia sets off across the ocean to follow her dream – to be a makeup artist – when an assistant position falls in her lap. Excited, nervous, and determined to do a good job, Katia leaves her past troubles behind her. But her demons come back into play as she finds herself falling for the star of the show, Owen, and trying to help her sister out of a deep depression.

Suddenly, surviving her demon boss isn’t the only thing on Katia’s mind. She figures time and space will put things into perspective. But her perspective is skewed by her past relationship, her ongoing family issues, and what the media, and others, say about Owen.

Is she ready to take a chance on him being true, or is she still too scarred?

Complex and “real,” this delightful tale follows Katia as she comes to terms with her past, reconstructs her life, and journeys towards happiness. Her past is slowly brought into play, teasing the reader along to find out just what did happen to her to make her the way she is. As her relationship with Owen blooms, she learns to believe in herself and not in everything she reads.

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Bestseller for a Day 1/6

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Just wanted to let everyone know about this great deal from the Bestseller for a Day program. This wonderful program is a way to get new books at a great price. They also feature Indie writers, giving them valuable exposure.

Here’s a little more info to entice you:

Anyone who buys the feature book and signs up for a newsletter on Bestseller for a Day website can qualify to have the purchase price refunded for any of the bonus buys that they purchase.  They will also have their name entered into a draw for Kindle. That’s a great deal!  This month there are 5 bonus buys!!!  This means that in a nutshell, readers can get 6 books and potentially a Kindle for 99 cents this month! Continue reading Bestseller for a Day 1/6 →

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

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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.

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Review: Waiting On Hope

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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.

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Review: A Little Push

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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.

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Review: Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum

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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?

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Review: The Vampire Empress Chronicles: Caroline’s Path

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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.

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Review: Whiteout

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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.

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Review: Masquerade

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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.

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