From Goodreads: Alan calls it a panic disorder, but if he can’t get a handle on his condition when his breath catches in his throat and his headache sets in, he breathes fire.

After a lonely childhood and adolescence, Alan accepts a job hunting individuals with similarly strange conditions as a self-preservation tactic; he hopes to keep the spotlight off of himself by working for Top, a man who would kill Alan without a second thought if he knew his secret.  But now, as the years pile on, Alan questions his own motives and wonders if he should try to escape the life he has and start anew.

When Alan meets an outspoken young woman named Gail, it’s hard to say whether his life will actually take a turn for the better or whether all the wrong he’s done will circle around and bite him.

__________________________

I’m in love.  This was such a great read, and I can’t get it out of my head!  Welsh has created a fantastic story with great characters, and I love it!  First person narratives are my favorite, and following Alan’s thoughts and feelings as he worked out his issues, including his fire breathing condition, was really fun.  The very beginning of the novel opens on Alan following one of his Subjects for extermination, and from the very first page I was pulled into the story, constantly spurred on as I needed to know what would happen next.  I was constantly reminded of one of my favorite TV shows, Heroes, as I read, and I think Welsh did a phenomenal job creating this paranormal suspense novel.  Although this is a short read, Welsh has created a very round character in the likes of Alan.  As the story progresses, he becomes real, and his fight against his condition is extremely tangible.  Everything about Alan seems normal, and I was, therefore, able to forge a connection with him, even though he is an extraordinary being with a deadly secret.  I really enjoyed his back and forth mentality, attempting to make up his mind and act, yet being held back by an unseen force—I feel like this often!

I also loved that Welsh doesn’t put all the cards on the table at once.  The novel opens in medias res, and it’s as the story progresses that the reader learns about Alan’s past and how he became what he is today, a hitman killing others with conditions just like him, while hiding his own condition at the same time.  This technique adds a lot of suspense to the novel, and by the end, my heart was nearly beating out of my chest.  I just loved the conclusion Welsh adds to his novel—he’s created a wonderful paranormal novel that will keep the reader engrossed until the very end.  Welsh is a very talented young writer and I highly suggest reading Catch, especially if you’re a lover of Heroes like me.  Five stars.

I received a copy of novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: Chloe’s older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can’t be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby’s friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.
_______________________

Penguin Young Readers Group has been extremely gracious to allow me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release today, and I’m sorry to say that this novel just wasn’t for me. I always finish a book once I start it, but I have to admit, I was sorely tempted to put this book down and move onto something else more my taste. I’m not sure what it was exactly about this novel that made me dislike it, but I do know that Chloe’s unhealthy worship of her older sister bored me. As I read, I felt like all Chloe did was talk about how great her sister, Ruby, was, and since I didn’t agree, it sort of struck a nerve. I don’t have any sisters, so maybe it’s just a personal thing that I can’t understand, but I found Chloe somewhat annoying and very naïve, which is not a quality I look for in my heroines. I also didn’t think Ruby was a very likable character. While it seems that she is worshipped by all boys, and obviously her little sister Chloe, I didn’t see any redeeming qualities in Ruby, and truth be told, I found her quite psychotic and obnoxious.

I also spent some of the novel confused—the paranormal aspects of the novel weren’t very well explained, in my opinion, and so I’m not 100% certain what really happened. The story itself was weird, and while I think it had a great premise, it just wasn’t my forte, though I do think that Suma is a talented writer. The prose were superb in this novel and I plan to read other books she has written; I just don’t think Imaginary Girls was meant for me. One star.

From Goodreads: She was like all the other victims. Naked, flawed, helpless… Fifteen years ago, Emily Wright barely escaped from a serial killer dubbed the Baby Doll Strangler. She wants nothing to do with the small town where she was abducted, but when her father is hospitalized she reluctantly returns home to care for her teenage sister.

When her sister’s friend is killed and left in front of Emily’s house, Emily begins to relive the nightmare she endured long ago. Soon she realizes that her sister, too, is in danger from the killer—and the only person who can help is the man Emily left behind: Deputy Bailey O’Neil. Together, Emily and Bailey must discover the killer’s identity before he claims his next victim…

______________________________

Carina Press has been extremely gracious to allow me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release today, and I am extremely grateful because this novel is phenomenal!  The synopsis itself peaked my curiosity and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it—the idea of a serial killer tracking down the “one that got away” intrigued me to no end, and I wasn’t disappointed in the least as I read.  I was pulled into the novel from the very first page and couldn’t put it down until I’d read straight through to the end.  Of course, I picked this novel up at nine o’clock at night just for a perusal and found it so riveting that foregoing sleep to finish it was absolutely necessary.  I couldn’t have put the novel down, even if I had wanted to (and I didn’t), as Lynn did such a magnificent job creating a twisted, dark thriller. 

I love a novel that keeps me guessing, and that is exactly what The First Victim did.  All the way through I kept pointing fingers at different characters, dubbing them the “Baby Doll Strangler,” and when I finally ended up settling on one character above all others, it ended up being the wrong character.  In fact, the actual killer wasn’t even on my list of suspects, and that’s how I know it’s a great novel.  As Lynn revealed the identity of the killer, everything clicked for me, and as I thought back on all the scenes involving this character, it all made sense.  This, in and of itself, proves to me that Lynn is a very talented writer, a pure genius able to keep the reader in the dark along with her characters—knowing just how much to reveal to keep the reader hooked, but never giving away enough to allow both the reader and characters to see the truth until it’s too late.  I loved it!

For me, the story was chillingly real and all the characters were very well written.  I feel like they all grew in one way or another throughout the novel, and that’s a feat in and of itself since I feel like many writers, especially those with multiple characters end up creating some static or flat characters.  That is not the case in The First Victim, and I highly enjoyed getting to know each and every character—even the twisted ones.  Lynn truly is a phenomenal writer and I cannot wait to read more of her work.  I highly suggest reading this novel, as it will blow you away!  Five stars!

From Goodreads: One suburban night. One stubborn corpse. One golden opportunity.

Burklin had it all: a spacious two-story house, a shapeshifting wife, a wide open future. That is, until his father ripped out his soul and trapped it inside an opinionated dachshund. Now he’s lost everything, leaving him a slave on mop-up duty for a homicidal teenage demon. His father is sleeping with his ex, the possessed dachshund won’t stop talking, and the cleanup jobs keep getting messier. Burklin would give anything to have his life back–even if it means turning against his manipulative father and destroying their chance of winning the Nether’s Demon Lord Sweepstakes.

Opportunity knocks with a dead woman’s hand. When the demon’s latest victim won’t stay dead, the rules of life and death change. Freedom lies within Burklin’s reach, but to get it he’ll have to defy his father, the ex-wife he still loves, and the Nether itself.

Just how far is he willing to go?

Warning: This title contains sex, violence, human cuisine, a smart-ass dachshund, teenage demons, and fun with corpses.

________________________________________

I really enjoy Beymer’s writing.  I find his stories hilariously crude and interesting, and his characters never cease to amaze me.  Beymer’s characters tend to be the extreme—overweight, whiney, witty, horny—and I love them all.  The extreme that these character represent adds to the off kilter humor within the novel, and it makes me giggle aloud as I read.

Yes, there is sex, and yes, a lot of the aspects are crude, but it’s no different than watching a new comedy in the theater, and to be able to transfer that same wit and hilarity from the big screen to a novel is rare—or at least, I rarely laugh when I read books, but Beymer gets me every time.  The background to his stories is always interesting as well, and the Nether sweepstakes and murderous demon kept my attention as I read.  With Beymer, you never know what is going to happen next, and I love the fast-paced action that takes place within this novel.  Beymer has a wonderful imagination and his writing is captivating.  Read it.  You won’t be disappointed!  Three stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: In his confession, Ben McCloud told Detective Chief Inspector John Walker about the four murders that took place at Black Hill Farm. But what about the others? There are two sides to every story and this is Andy’s.

‘Andy’s Diary’ the second book in the paranormal romance series: ‘Black Hill Farm’. For young adults aged 16 years and over.

_______________________

This sequel to Black Hill Farm is just as amazing as Black Hill Farm itself!  I was reeling at the end of the first book, and here I am reeling again at the conclusion of the second and final novel in this series.  WOW.  O’Rourke is a superb writer and I loved having Andy’s viewpoint as it put a lot of information from Black Hill Farm into perspective.   The first half of the novel explains Andy’s life, thoughts, and feelings prior to Ben moving to her home, revealing events that help explain Andy’s touch and go mentality and erratic behavior in the first novel.  The second half of the novel rehashes events from the first, but this time it’s all from Andy’s viewpoint, shedding light on important scenes and giving the reader a front row seat to the craziness surrounding Andy.  I loved it! 

Like Black Hill Farm, this novel is a psychological thriller told through a transcript of a police interview, but this time, John Walker, the retired police detective who interviewed Ben, is being questioned in regards to Andy’s murder.  It’s a very interesting way to tell a story, and I love that O’Rourke always stops the police interview at the height of the suspense!  I was surprised through the many twists and turns in the novel and the ending shocked me!  It all comes together and explains details that I didn’t even know I needed in order to put the first novel into perspective!  I highly recommend reading this novel right after you finish Black Hill Farm, but make sure you read Black Hill Farm first, as you will need that information to understand events in Andy’s Diary!  Four and a half stars!

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads:  Detective Chief Inspector John Walker hasn’t a suspect or motive for the murders at Black Hill Farm.  That is until sixteen-year-old Benjamin McCloud walks into Beechers Hope Police Station, asking to be arrested for the killings.  During twelve police interviews, Benjamin gives a disturbing confession about his relationship with Andrea and how his love for her became a dangerous obsession. 
Finding themselves alone on a remote farm and desperate to stay together, Benjamin and Andrea’s world spirals out of control.  And as they fight for survival, every step they take leads them into an ever darker world of deceit, blackmail, and murder. 

A dark romance for young adults recommend for sixteen-year-olds and over. 
_______________________

I’m still reeling an hour after finishing this novel—this was a superb read and I just can’t get over how incredibly creepy it is.  I feel a little like I’ve been kicked in the gut… a little queasy… but not in a bad way, if that makes sense?  It’s riveting and surprising and I still can’t catch my breath.  Black Hill Farm is a crazy psychological thriller, and I found it impossible to put down, especially as events began to pick up as Ben McCloud’s world sputtered out of control.

I love the way O’Rourke put this novel together; it’s the transcript of the police interview John Walker conducted with Ben McCloud as he confesses to the murders at Black Hill Farm.  Walker begins the story explaining that, in order to find peace, he feels the need to share the transcript, along with his thoughts and feelings, in order to clear the air.  From there, the novel takes off in rapid succession as McCloud starts his tale from the very beginning; from the first time he ever saw Black Hill Farm.

In the beginning I thought that Ben McCloud and John Walker were just two regular people, one doing his job, and one confessing to the atrocities the police are still trying to piece together.  However, as McCloud began explaining his revelations about Andy, his beautiful female cousin, it becomes apparent that McCloud isn’t just another run of the mill teen.  As the story progresses, and Walker learns more about Ben and Andy’s relationship, it become blatantly obvious that, psychologically speaking, both Andy and McCloud are somewhat deranged.

It’s a slow progression, going from sane to psychologically unstable, but it became more obvious, and at one point I was physically sickened by the events McCloud spoke of concerning the first death on the farm, yet those events are necessary to show just how truly psychotic Andy is, and how easily McCloud was sucked in to it all.  Yet, it’s the last quarter of the novel that really got me.  Nothing is as it seems, and McCloud’s revelations threw me off balance as new evidence came to light.  I can’t get over the ending.  I was shocked by it all—up until the dinner party I was just thinking that these kids were deranged and bad things kept happening, but everything changed once the party began—learning the truth made my jaw drop, and the intensity of the novel still has my gut in knots.  I really liked the ending, the twists, the entire novel was riveting, especially as Walker begins to explain exactly why he retired, and why he’s not necessarily a regular guy just doing his job…

You don’t want to miss this book, and you won’t want to miss the sequel either, which will be released shortly.  I cannot wait to read Andy’s Diary, a sequel that promises to shed light on the inner being of Andy.  Four and a half stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: Seventeen-year old Clara Williamson, reluctant princess and daughter to Queen Ada, lover of wine…who exchanges Clara’s liberty for free trade of grapes with another sphere…

Bracus, who as a protector of the Band, must save his clan’s people from extinction Outside…

Charles, Clara’s long-time companion, keeps his love for her tightly veiled…

Prince Frederic, her sadistic betrothed…bent on having her, and she, escaping his grasp…

Suddenly, with both the clan and sphere peoples’ destiny in her hands, Clara finds herself torn between love and duty…

_____________________

This is a very well written novel.  I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting; I’ve read Blodgett’s other book, Death Whispers, and I knew she was a great writer, but she still blew me away with this novel.  It’s completely different from Death Whispers and, if I didn’t already know that Blodgett wrote them, I’d never think that the same writer was responsible for both novels.  They are so completely different, yet both beautifully written.

What I really love about this novel is that Blodgett keeps the story fresh and original—I’ve never read anything like it—and she maintains an almost archaic tone throughout the prose and dialogue, never straying into modernization or slang, which I’ve noted a lot of authors do accidentally when trying to write a novel from another time period.  It is obvious that Blodgett has put a lot of time and love into this novel, perfecting the language and causing the reader to transport to another world entirely, becoming lost within the pages of this epic novel.

Although the story takes place in the future and is superior in terms of technological advances (a sort of steampunk novel), the society seems to have backtracked as well, at least in terms of language, giving it a historical feel while at the same time lending itself to both the paranormal and fantasy genre.  I thought it was ingenious that 19 states in the USA are kingdoms within themselves, set inside a sphere, as the outside air is tainted and savages roam the land.  Although the background concerning the Guardians/Evil Ones is not fully disclosed, including how the divide between the sphere and the outside world truly came to be, the story will maintain reader interest through the constant action and fascinating love triangle of sorts—and the sequel is set up to answer any ensuing questions one might have.

While more of a romance story than that of suspense, Blodgett still captures the reader and creates suspense in terms of character actions, withholding key information until the perfect time to drop it upon the reader.  On more than one occasion I found myself fretting for Clara, the kindhearted princess subjected to abuse from Queen Ada and her betrothed, Prince Frederic.  These two characters set my teeth on edge and their interactions within the novel made me cringe.  Yet, juxtaposed with these two evil characters is a cast of dashing young men forever at the aide of Clara, and I honestly cannot pick a favorite.  I think I switched loyalties at least five times within the novel, constantly going back and forth between the characters as new information was provided.  And as of yet, I still haven’t decided where my loyalties lie!

Blodgett does not end her novel hanging by a thread, but she does leave it open for a sequel, for which I am very excited, as there are new mysteries waiting to be solved.  I cannot wait to find out who Clara chooses and how the Guardians/Evil Ones come into play, forever changing the earth.  This novel, set to release June 16th, is completely different and a truly wonderful read that you won’t want to miss!    Four stars!

From Goodreads: Can there truly be love after death? Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she’s dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she’s trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won’t want to miss.

__________________________

HarperCollins has been extremely gracious to allow me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release today, and I’m so thankful because this was a really good read!  I was completely drawn into the novel from the very beginning; Hudson creates suspense from the very first page and maintains it throughout her phenomenal novel.  She’s a master at storytelling, and Hereafter is a breathtaking novel with vivid details and intrigue.  I love ghost stories, and Hudson creates such a beautiful love story between Amelia, stuck in the afterlife, and Joshua, a human seer intent on helping Amelia remember who she was in life.  The fact that both Joshua’s grandmother, another seer determined to exorcise Amelia, and Eli, a master spirit guide, do everything in their power to keep Amelia and Joshua apart adds to the suspense of the novel and makes it that much more intriguing.

The writing style is just exquisite, and I loved the characterization throughout the novel.  We learn about Amelia’s life alongside of her and Joshua as they try to piece together her life and death, and I really love novels in which the main character is in the dark alongside the reader.  There is just something about gaining insight alongside a character that makes the novels that much more endearing to me.  Hence, I really enjoyed learning about Amelia’s life before her accident, and as she becomes more aware of her life before the afterlife, details fall into place and create such a wonderful tale that I couldn’t put it down—not even to eat!  I am excited that this novel is the first in the series as there is much room to continue the story, and I cannot wait to read more about Amelia and Joshua; they’re a beautiful couple.   Four stars!

From Goodreads: Rylie’s been bitten. She’s changing. And now she has three months to find a cure before becoming a werewolf… forever.

Rylie’s parents force her to attend summer camp, but she’s just as miserable at the girls’ camp as she was at home– there’s nothing vegetarian for her to eat at the mess hall, she hates hiking and archery, and the other campers taunt Rylie mercilessly. One night, the bullying goes too far, and Rylie runs away. She doesn’t get far. It’s a full moon, and she isn’t alone in the forest.

She wakes up unharmed in her cabin the next morning with no memory of what happened. The only sign something has changed are the healed scars on her chest, her increasingly keen senses, and her sudden craving for raw, bloody meat.

A boy from the other camp seems to know what’s happening to her, but Rylie isn’t sure if she can trust herself with Seth. He’s way too cute and he knows way too much.

Rylie soon learns that she only has until the end of summer before she becomes just like the monster that attacked her: a man-eating werewolf hungry for human flesh. Unless she can find a cure, she’s going to transforming at the end of the summer and lose her life to the hunger.

_________________________________________

I enjoyed this novel.  Rylie, the main character, is just like me, so I really loved reading her perspective of things.  Like Rylie, I don’t like being around lots of people, I want to do my own things, I don’t like when someone tries to tell me what to do, and I hate camp.  I really feel like we’re one in the same!  Having all these similarities to Rylie helped me to connect with her as a character, and I completely take her side in all things in the novel, especially when it comes to the bratty girls she had to deal with at camp.  I was not as connected to Seth as I was to Rylie, but I think part of the reason for that is the fact that he is very aloof.  He manifests and disappears just as quickly, and I don’t feel like I got to know him as well as I’d liked to.  Because of this, I had a little difficulty with Rylie’s “love” for him, as I feel like their time together was rushed, but, I do believe Seth is going to be a key character in the next segment of the series, and I am very excited to see him back in action, hopefully at the forefront of the novel.

I found the werewolf aspect of this novel very interesting and I highly enjoyed that it stepped away from the traditional werewolf story and took on a presence of its own.  Reine has created a world in which the shift to werewolf is a slow descent that allows the person changing to come to terms with their new life.  I also really loved the descriptions Reine gave in terms of the shifts during each moon phase.  Until I picked up Six Moon Summer, I’d never read a werewolf novel that truly allowed me to see the changes in my mind’s eye.  Reine is a very talented writer and her descriptions hit home, causing me to see, and feel, the changes as Rile undergoes different segments during the moon cycles.

The end of the story has a nice conclusion; no cliffhangers here, and I am very thankful for that.  It seems many novels in a series are currently leaving the reader hanging, and I am not a fan of those types of endings.  Six Moon Summer has an ending that, while allowing closure, also allows speculation and room for the upcoming sequel, for which I am very excited.  Three and a half stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: Born into a family with artistry in their fingers, Lyza laments that her only talent is carving letters into wood. That is until her life is turned upside down when her mother succumbs to the influenza pandemic of 1918, which is devastating their small coastal town in Maine. With her mother gone, Lyza must protect her eccentric father, who runs the risk of being committed, especially now that he claims he’s waiting for the return of his dead wife. Can Lyza save her father and find her own path in the process?

_____________________________________

Milkweed Editions has been extremely gracious to allow me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley, but I am sorry to say that I really didn’t care for this book.  The synopsis quickly attracted my attention, but upon reading the story, I found myself often confused and uninterested in the life of the characters.  I think my confusion added to my dislike of the novel because it held me back in terms of getting to know the characters and understanding the true plotline of the story.  I had a hard time following Lyza’s train of thought, as she seems to go from one subject to the next, and I felt like an outsider as I read—it was difficult for me to make connections between the different topics Lyza brought to light, such as her father, her family, her schooling, etc.  I think the choppy style of the narrative is one of the main aspects that I struggled with, though the amount of description in the beginning of the novel was also daunting to me, as I live for action, and felt like the story thrived more on description than actual events.  Although the paranormal is present in this novel, and it is usually my forte, I have to say that overall, this novel just isn’t for me.  One star. 

From Goodreads: Adrian Loft sees a strange “vision” ordering him to do something that may subject him to vicious public ridicule and perhaps ruin his career and even his life.  Adrian tries desperately to write off the vision as some psychic quirk, but things keep happening to him, things he can’t ignore.  Soon Adrian embarks on a journey that will forever change his life.  The Falling Ascent of Adrian Loft is a psychological thriller for a new generation of readers.

______________________

This is an interesting novella, but for me, it’s a little too religious.  I highly enjoyed Gracie and the Preacher, another novel by T.L. Peters, which also deals with religion in the form of a wandering revival preacher, but I didn’t feel the overbearing presence of religion in that novel, like I did in this one.  While the sheer amount of religion brought up in the novel made it difficult for me to read, personally, I feel that many may find solace in this novella.  Adrian’s vision sets him on a course to read the entire book of “Numbers,” from the Bible, aloud to strangers.  His reactions to such a request are indeed very real, as many do ridicule Bible thumpers, and such a task is frowned upon in our society.  As Adrian is not a believer, he tries to push the task off and forget about it on many occasions, wrapping himself up in his work at his law firm.  However, as the story unfolds, he has a change of heart, based on the circumstances around him, and his entire life changes as he begins to search out ways to read the Bible to those around him.  Personally, as I had difficulty with the religious aspect, I can only give this novel two stars.    

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: I killed a girl last night.  I did it with my bare hands and an old piece of pipe I found lying next to the dumpster.  But that’s not the part that got me.  The part that scared me, the part I can’t seem to wrap my head around and still has me reeling, was that when she charged me, her body shifted – and then she was a wolf.  All snapping teeth and extended claws.  But by the time I stood over her lifeless body, she was a girl again.  That’s about the time I went into shock…  And that was the moment he showed up. 

Now, all I can do is accept the truths that are staring me in the face.  One, Werewolves do exist.  And two, I was born to kill them.

__________________________

Dirty Blood is a really great YA novel, and I enjoyed every minute of it.  I was enamored from the very first page and found the overall story of hunters and weres fascinating and fast paced.  I love a good story with plenty of action, and Dirty Blood does not disappoint.  Tara is a very head strong protagonist, and though I wanted to shake her a few times, due to her ill decision making skills, I love that she is, in fact, a wonderful representation of many teens today.  Her self reliant, stubborn demeanor creates a very strong female lead juxtaposed with the tall, dark, and handsome Wes as he tries to help Tara understand her hunter instincts and the danger they bring—to her, and everyone she knows.  Of course, like all of us thrown into a situation we do not understand, Tara struggles with herself and her newfound abilities, and I loved watching her come of age as the novel unfolded.

The action was ever present and I had a hard time putting the novel down to attend to life duties, as I was so enamored with the novel.  While I did find some similarities to the Twilight series, I think Hildenbrand does a great job making this story her own and creating wonderful characters and situations for readers to latch on to.  The idea of a half were, half hunter was intriguing, and I really enjoyed it.  Four stars.

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Netgalley: Every morning, Christine awakens beside a stranger in an unfamiliar bed. She sees a middle-aged face in the bathroom mirror that she does not recognize. And every morning, the man patiently explains that he is Ben, her husband, that she is forty-seven-years-old, and that an accident long ago damaged her ability to remember.

In place of memories Christine has a handful of pictures, a whiteboard in the kitchen, and a journal, hidden in a closet. She knows about the journal because Dr. Ed Nash, a neurologist who claims to be treating her without Ben’s knowledge, reminds her about it each day. Inside its pages, the damaged woman has begun meticulously recording her daily events—sessions with Dr. Nash, snippets of information that Ben shares, flashes of her former self that briefly, miraculously appear.

But as the pages accumulate, inconsistencies begin to emerge, raising disturbing questions that Christine is determined to find answers to. And the more she pieces together the shards of her broken life, the closer she gets to the truth . . . and the more terrifying and deadly it is.

_______________________________________

HarperCollins has been extremely gracious to allow me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on June 14^th, 2011.  Although it’s already out in the UK, it hasn’t yet hit US bookshelves, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a hardcopy of this novel… it’s AMAZING!  Imagine waking up every morning not knowing where you are, not recognizing the man in your bed, or the face in the mirror?  What if, each morning, you had to be reintroduced to your husband, learn what a cell phone is, trust a strange man who says he’s your doctor, but won’t let you tell your husband about him… what would you do, if you couldn’t remember?  Who would you trust?

I spent the entire novel glued to the pages—the story was so gripping and filled with suspense that I couldn’t put it down.  Watson is a genius; her writing floats off the page and captures the reader, making it impossible to do anything else but read on to find the truth.  Chrissy suffers from amnesia, unable to remember more than a day at a time, and as the story progresses, Watson creates a magnificent “who done it” suspense novel.  At one point or another, like Chrissy, I accused each character, making them the prime suspect, only to find out I wasn’t even close to the truth.  I really love novels that cause me to change my opinions so rapidly, and I loved the suspense behind it all—my chest actually ached as I read; all the pent up anxiety for Chrissy had me so nervous that I couldn’t put it down.

I love this story, as you can tell, and Watson’s writing style and characterization are both beautiful.  I can’t get over how well the story flows together, and how perfectly the pieces all fall into place.  I loved being in the dark along with Chrissy, trying to figure it all out, and it wasn’t until the very end that I finally had that “aha” moment, only one half step ahead of Chrissy.  I can’t get over the finale and the suspense leading up to it… there is so much betrayal and intrigue within this novel, and it’s just superb!  I especially love that this novel takes place over the course of one day.  Chrissy wakes up disoriented, meets her husband, learns a little about her life and amnesia, and is then directed to her journal, where she writes down each day’s proceedings in hopes of remembering.  Most of the book revolves around Chrissy reading the sections of her journal, beginning with November 9^th, and it is as Chrissy reads her own story that she begins to piece together her life.  Yet, not everything adds up, and it’s the constant shocks the reader has as snippets are revealed that make this novel amazing.  I would recommend this novel for adults, mainly because Chrissy journals a bit about her sexual escapades with her husband, and some of it is intense, so I feel like this novel would be best suited for 18+.  Five stars!

Read it now:

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble

From Goodreads: How do you defy destiny? Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it’s getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she’s haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they’re destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

________________________

HarperCollins had been extremely gracious to allow me to read an ARC of this novel prior to its release today, via Netgalley, and I must say, I’m in love with this book!  Starcrossed is an amazing adventure, pulling the reader in from the very beginning.  Although it’s a 496 page novel, I read it extremely quickly because it’s just that good. 

Let’s start with the characters.  Lucas is my favorite; he is a kind, caring, strong male lead, and I really enjoyed him (love him).  I am jealous of Helen’s relationship with him, even as rocky as it is.   All the characters are beautifully written, and I really enjoyed getting to know them throughout the novel.  Even the secondary characters were diverse and rounded out, and I really enjoyed this aspect of the novel. 

The writing itself is phenomenal.  Angelini takes Greek mythology to the next level in her novel, creating a wonderful story of intrigue.  The flow of the novel is perfect, and I was captivated throughout the entire novel, never wanting it to end!  I love how the story is fleshed out and explained in increments, keeping the reader guessing, and then pulling it all together at the end.  It is definitely set up for the sequel, for which I am highly excited, and although it somewhat leaves the reader hanging, wondering about the trustworthiness of some of the characters, it’s a good place to end.

Overall, this is a phenomenal read and I highly recommend it.  Whether you have a background in Greek mythology or not, Angelini will pull you in and explain everything so well that you will become an expert on the topic.  Five stars.

From Goodreads: Brianna Karp entered the workforce at age ten, supporting her mother and sister throughout her teen years in Southern California. Although her young life was scarred by violence and abuse, Karp stayed focused on her dream of a steady job and a home of her own. By age twenty-two her dream became reality. Karp loved her job as an executive assistant and signed the lease on a tiny cottage near the beach.

And then the Great Recession hit. Karp, like millions of others, lost her job. In the six months between the day she was laid off and the day she was forced out onto the street, Karp scrambled for temp work and filed hundreds of job applications, only to find all doors closed. When she inherited a thirty-foot travel trailer after her father’s suicide, Karp parked it in a Walmart parking lot and began to blog about her search for work and a way back.

________________________

Harlequin has been extremely gracious to allow me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley, and so I’m sorry to say that I wasn’t really pulled in by this memoir.  I think I expected something completely different from this novel.  As it’s titled The Girl’s Guide to Homelessness, I was expecting the novel to focus on Karp’s homelessness and how she coped, and though it technically did, I don’t feel like that was a main purpose of this novel.  The first thirty percent of the novel gives Karp’s background story, and while it’s interesting, I also felt like it was mainly written to bash her family and Jehovah’s Witnesses.  I love the sarcasm, I do, and I don’t doubt that Karp has had a horrible life and dealt with may difficult situations, but this is a very pessimistic viewpoint of life and reality, and it’s a little more depressing than I’m used to.  I don’t necessarily enjoy reading a completely pessimistic viewpoint about all the negative in someone’s life.  I don’t know, because I’m not Karp, but I feel like with all the bad, there always has to be some sort of good, and focusing solely on the bad creates a morphed viewpoint of the world—it creates pessimists, and I don’t really enjoy reading negative memoirs, though I guess that is what most memoirs tend to be nowadays?

When Karp wrote about her experiences living in the parking lot at Walmart, I was really interested.  She offers great insights into the life of the homeless while also giving great tips.  Let’s face it, no one really plans to be homeless, but Karp’s situation could be any of us out there.  Losing one’s job is the tip of the iceberg, but what if you don’t have a family to go back to, and what if you don’t have any friends to put you up until you get back on your feet?  Karp argues her points on homelessness very well, and I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the story, and I wish more of the memoir dealt with this part of her life.

Karp spends most of the memoir either talking about her deranged mother and the abuse she endured, or explaining how she became a famous homeless person, using her blog as a way to meet other homeless people and make connections.  Her story mainly follows Matt, a Scottish blogger she falls in love with and becomes engaged to, even though they spend minimal time together, as he’s in Scotland most of the time.  While I found this section interesting, I was also concerned by the naivety that Karp seems to employ—if you are homeless, and your fiancé is not, why are you paying for everything when he comes to visit, including his plane ticket?  Yet, I do love Karp’s candid writing, where she lays it all out on the table, including her mistakes, and though I could easily spot the warning signs, I have to remember that when in a relationship, we tend to be blind to the truth.  However, the fact that Matt pays for nothing, among other warning signs, paled my respect for him, and the more I read, the more I felt like this novel was written as more of a slap in the face for Matt and Karp’s family than it was to explain her life as a homeless woman.  Of course, this is all perspective, and I know a lot of readers out there really enjoyed this book—I think going in with different expectations is what lowered my rating of this book, since I really thought it was going to focus on being homeless more than it really did.  Two stars.

From Goodreads: On a soft summer night in Vermont, twelve-year-old Lisa went into the woods behind her house and never came out again. Before she disappeared, she told her little brother, Sam, about a door that led to a magical place where she would meet the King of the Fairies and become his queen. Fifteen years later, Phoebe is in love with Sam, a practical, sensible man who doesn’t fear the dark and doesn’t have bad dreams—who, in fact, helps Phoebe ignore her own. But suddenly the couple is faced with a series of eerie, unexplained occurrences that challenge Sam’s hardheaded, realistic view of the world. As they question their reality, a terrible promise Sam made years ago is revealed—a promise that could destroy them all.

________________________________

HarperCollins has been extremely gracious to allow me to read a copy of this recently released novel, via Netgalley, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is highly suspenseful and fast paced, and the alternating chapters between past and present were fascinating. Told in the third person narrative to give the reader access to all the characters’ thoughts and feelings, McMahone creates a beautiful story of love and betrayal. I especially enjoyed the juxtaposition of past and present, giving the reader a glimpse into the days leading up to Lisa’s disappearance, yet still focusing on Phoebe and Sam’s present struggle to find the truth, fifteen years later. As this novel tends to focus on the adult world, Sam and Phoebe being grownups, I wouldn’t necessarily classify this as a YA novel, though it has been categorize as such. Here’s why: the opening of the novel describes a sexual encounter between 20-year-old Phoebe and her 40+ something boss—who’s married. That, and the dark twisted background that rises to the surface within the novel, makes me a firm believer that this is for an older crowd. I was a little stunned going into the novel as I thought it was YA, so I think it’s pertinent readers are aware of what they’re getting into here. I enjoyed the novel thoroughly, but personally, this isn’t something I’d give a fourteen year old; some of this is very heavy.

This novel is a rollercoaster ride. Faeries exist… no, they don’t exist… yes, they exist… no, they don’t? What I really loved about McMahone’s story was that it kept me guessing. Each time I thought I had it figured out, I was pulled in another direction, and this lasted all the way up to the final page. As I write this, I’m still sitting here trying to decide what is truth and what is fiction. There is a very fine line that McMahone creates within the novel, and it will have you turning the pages, frantically trying to figure out if this is indeed a paranormal novel, or just an everyday story of betrayal and intrigue. I suggest you pick up a copy and decide for yourselves. Three and a half stars.

From Goodreads:  In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the “thing” inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch….

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she’s special, says she’s one of them.The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin’s investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff’s little company of strays apart, and it isn’t long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she’s on—even if it seems no one believes her.

______________________________

Harlequin has been extremely gracious to allow me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley,  prior to its release at the end of this month, and I must say I really enjoyed it.  The more steampunk I read, the more I really like this fantasy genre, and I can’t believe I wasn’t aware of it before I picked up this series.  The Girl in the Steel Corset was a really interesting novel, though I have to say this: it reminded me of The Great Mouse Detective.  Did you see that Disney cartoon from… I don’t know, about twenty years ago?  I’m not sure if it’s even still in circulation, but I have it on VHS, and I must say that there are a lot of similarities between that cartoon and this novel.  No spoilers, I promise, but if you’ve seen that cartoon, then you’ll have a pretty good understanding of what takes place in this novel.  That being said, I’m not sure if it’s because of that movie, or because of the foreshadowing Cross uses in her novel, but I was able to decipher the Machinists plans early on in the story.  That didn’t take away from the intensity of the novel in any way, and it was still suspenseful, but I wasn’t as surprised as I would have liked to have been.  I think Cross’ writing style makes up for the fact that I wasn’t as surprised, as she kept me interested and turning the pages through her action packed prose, and I had a great time getting to know the characters as well.  I like Finley a lot, though I do believe she has a bit of an inferiority complex, which I hope disappears in the next installment of the series.  Finley second guesses herself a lot, and believes herself an outsider in nearly all situations.  She is still a very strong character, with amazing strength and agility, but I wasn’t a fan of her disposition, on many occasions, when she dealt with Griffin and his band of misfits.

I read and reviewed the prequel, The Strange Case of Finley Jayne yesterday, and I really enjoyed that novella as well, though I was surprised that The Girl in the Steel Corset seemed very disconnected from the novella.  Perhaps the novella was just created to shed light on Finley’s character, but I was under the impression that she knew about her strange abilities and could control them.  Yet, in The Girl in the Steel Corset, Finley seems to be struggling with her identity much more than she did in the prequel.  That aside, though, I enjoyed both the novella and the novel, and recommend them both, though you do not need them in any particular order.  Three stars. 

From Goodreads:  Finley Jayne knows she’s not ‘normal’. Normal girls don’t lose time, or have something inside them that makes them capable of remarkably violent things. Her behavior has already cost her one job, so when she’s offered the lofty position of companion to Phoebe, a debutante recently engaged to Lord Vincent, she accepts, despite having no experience. Lord Vincent is a man of science with his automatons and inventions, but Finley is suspicious of his motives where Phoebe is concerned. She will do anything to protect her new friend, but what she discovers is even more monstrous than anything she could have imagined…

­­­­­­­­­­­­_______________________

This is my very first time reading a steampunk novel, and I must say, I really do like it.  I wasn’t sure what to think, and I even researched steampunk online and on twitter because I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the term, but after having read The Strange Case Of Finley Jayne, I finally understand!  And, I like it.  The use of steam power is present throughout the novel, as there are steam carriages, robotic horses, and even automatons with pincer-like limbs, yet the novel is set in 1897 London.  This alternate era and steam technology is what classifies the genre as steampunk, as it has dealings with excessively technological advances, yet set in the past—or so I gather from my research.

I liked this prequel novella.  It’s a completely new genre for me, and I liked the kick-butt heroine Finley a lot.  I was very interested in the plotline, though I do think that the story is a little too obvious.  I knew exactly what Lord Vincent was up to once Finley visited his house early on in the novel, yet the style of writing and the unfolding events still kept my interest.

The writing style was interesting.  I liked the amount of sarcasm that Finley possesses, though I did feel like some of the language was too modern, while at other times it was more archaic.  However, since this is an alternate world were technological advances exceed our own, regardless of the year, it didn’t bother me as it’s not technically a historical novella. 

While this novella does leave the reader with a few questions in terms of who Finley really is, and where her powers come from, I think that it stands alone very well, and I’m sure that The Girl in the Steel Corset will explain Finley in more depth.  This prequel is really just to whet the appetite, and I think it certainly did just that!  I am really looking forward to reading The Girl in the Steel Corset next, so stay tuned for my review of it tomorrow.  Three stars.

This is currently a free eBook download at Amazon and Barnes and Nobel, though I do not know how long that will last!  Pick up your copy today!

From Goodreads: If she’d only turned her head, she would have seen the car containing her daughter, struggling to escape her kidnapper.  Despite years determining the fates of families, family court judge Hope Willis couldn’t save her own.  Now she’s grasping at any hope for Krissy’s rescue.  She calls Casey Woods and her team of investigators, Forensic Instincts.

A behaviorist.  A techno-wizard.  An intuitive.  A former Navy SEAL.  Unconventional operatives.  All with unique talents and reasons for joining Casey’s group.

Able to accurately read people after the briefest encounter, Casey picks up signs of a nervous spouse, a guilty conscience, a nanny that hides on her cell.  She watches as secrets creep into the open.

But time is running out, and the authorities are bound by the legal system.  Not Casey’s team.  For they know that the difference between Krissy coming back alive and disappearing forever could be as small as a suspect’s rapid breathing, or as deep as Hope’s dark family history.

_______________________________

Harlequin has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, through Netgalley, prior to its upcoming release on May 31, and I must say, I really enjoyed it.  Now, I will admit that I was wary when I began reading.  As this novel revolves around the kidnapping of five year old Krissy, I was worried that it might deal with pedophilia, and if that was the case, there was no way I was reading it.  I was very happy to find, however, this is not one of those the break your heart, can’t finish reading, gruesome kidnapping novels, and Kane makes this clear fairly early on in the novel.  So, if you’re anything like me, rest assured; it’s a safe read.

There were many side stories in this novel, and while it mainly focuses on Casey and her Forensic Instincts team, I enjoyed reading about the FBI’s involvement, the skeletons in the Willis family closet, and even the mobs perspective within the story.  As it’s told solely from the third person omniscient point of view, Kane is also able to easily glide into Krissy’s thoughts and feelings, and even those of the kidnapper, reminding the reader of the imminent danger while the mystery unfolds and the characters learn vital information about the case and each other. 

While the kidnapper’s identity is not revealed until the end of the novel, I found his/her identity fairly obvious due to the sheer amount of allusion and foreshadowing in the story.  I was a little disappointed that I was able to figure it out so quickly, yet Kane still adds suspense to the novel, and keeps the reader engaged through the mechanics of the kidnapping.  The hows and whys, and the fact that there is an accomplice no one would suspect, make up for the early foreshadowing of the true kidnapper.  Four stars. 

From Goodreads: Since she was a little girl, Marisa Angelo has been haunted by the image of her mother walking away, suitcase in hand, to return to her Amish roots.

Marisa and her “Englischer” father never saw or heard from her again.  Now Marisa has received a shocking call from police.  Her mother’s bloodstained suitcase was found hidden inside the wall of a Pennsylvania Dutch farmhouse.

Desperate for answers, Marisa heads to Lancaster County.  But no one—not the police or Marisa’s tight-lipped Amish relatives—can explain what happened to her mother.

Only one man is as determined as Marisa to unravel the mystery—Link Morgan, the handsome ex-military loner who found the suitcase in the house he inherited from his uncle.  Now both Link’s and Marisa’s family members are implicated in the decades-old disappearance.

The secret lies somewhere in the quaint Amish settlement.  But someone will do anything to ensure the truth remains hidden forever.

______________________________

Harlequin has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, through Netgalley, prior to its release (available now), and I am eternally grateful as this book blew me away!  It’s such a good murder mystery, and as I am highly intrigued by the Amish lifestyle, this was the perfect novel for me.  Perry is an extremely talented writer and I was drawn into the story from the very first page.  I couldn’t put it down, and I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting!  The prose, the dialogue, the characters, the mystery… it’s all beautifully written, and I can’t get over how wonderful the novel really is. 

Perry is a fantastic writer and the amount of research she puts into her novels is amazing.  Her facts and information pertaining to the Amish was eye opening, and the prose is beautiful.  The story was very fast paced, and at one point or another, every character seemed a suspect, and I loved how much action and how fast paced the story really was.  Usually I have an inkling as to who the responsible parties are within a mystery novel, but Perry does a phenomenal job keeping the reader guessing, and I was flabbergasted by the reveal—I never saw it coming.  Although the novel is close to four hundred pages, it doesn’t feel like such a long read—Perry keeps the novel shrouded in suspense and mystery and I was so wrapped up in it that time just flew by as I read. 

The best news about this book, I think, is that it’s actually the second novel in the Amish Suspense series.  I was not aware of that until halfway through the novel, and as it’s such an amazing read, finding out that there’s actually another book in the series made my day.  Yet, what I really love is that the order you read these novels in does not matter, as each novel can stand alone.  Both Murder in Plain Sight and Vanish in Plain Sight take place in the same Amish community, and some of the characters do overlap, however it’s not so extensive that you have to read them in order.  While Vanish in Plain Sight does allude to events in the first novel on occasion, it does not take away from either novel, as nothing is revealed to ruin book one if you haven’t already read it, and it’s still very easy to understand the events in book two.  I cannot wait to get my hands on Murder in Plain Sight, as I’m expecting it to be just a phenomenal as Vanish in Plain Sight!  Five stars!