Review: Ghosted by Amanda Quain

Ghosted by Amanda Quain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a really cute YA retelling of Northanger Abbey (I've never read it so I can't compare the two) with a paranormal twist. Northanger Abbey is the most haunted high school, and Hattie has the privilege of attending the elite private school. Her mom also happens to be the headmistress. Hattie used to be really into the paranormal, but she gave it all up when her family moved to Northanger and has worked really hard to become the perfect daughter and student. She wears the mask well, but the façade is starting to wear on her as her senior year kicks off and college application deadlines loom.

Enter Kit Moreland, a laid back fun loving ghost hunter who has received a scholarship to the haunted high school, and Hattie has been assigned as his ambassador. She is supposed to help him acclimate and learn to navigate campus. On the outside the two couldn't be more opposite, but on the inside Kit reignites all of the things Hattie used to love about ghosts, legends, and the history surrounding them. As they spend more time together Hattie gains some perspective on her life and starts to think more about what she wants for her future instead of what is expected of her.

I really enjoyed this. I love a good paranormal story, and the author does a good job giving you just enough about the sightings mixed in with the history of the school to make it feel plausible. Every good legend is steeped in a bit of truth, and Hattie and Kit do a good job debating back and forth about believing and not believing in ghosts. While there was some ghost hunting, most of that was a metaphor for other issues happening in Hattie's life. There were great discussions about emotion and grief and finding out who you really are versus living up to someone else's expectations. This has a lot of hard hitting moments balanced with some humor and light romance.

I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading more from this author.

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Review: Abeni's Song by P. Djèlí Clark

Abeni's Song by P. Djèlí Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both a print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

Clark has quickly become one of my favorite SFF authors.  I love how he weaves culture into his stories and uses sci-fi or fantasy (or both) to deal with real world issues.  This is his middle grade debut and he really leans in to African Lore and storytelling.  If you pay attention he is really using Abeni's magical journey to tell you about the horrible things that were done historically in Africa.  It is one of the things I love about his writing style.  He tells you about big and important topics while taking you on an amazing adventure.

As for the narration, the narrator really did a wonderful job with the storytelling aspect of the audiobook.  She gave each of the characters a unique voice throughout the book.  It took me a few chapters to really appreciate her narration, as I didn't initially appreciate the cadence and pitch she gave to some of the characters.  I loved her "narrator" voice though.  As the book went on I realized she is the ultimate storyteller, and really gave life to Abeni and her companions.  I don't think everyone will appreciate her amazing voice acting, but I think younger readers will be delighted by her voice talents.  

This follows Abeni on quite the journey.  On her 12th birthday, her village is attacked and everyone she knows and loves is taken away.  Abeni alone is saved by an old woman who she comes to know as Asha, a spirit who has protected the village for many years.  Abeni wants nothing more than to find her family and loved ones, but to do so she must learn what Asha has to teach her.  Abeni has a good bit of character development as the story unfolds as she begins as any 12 year old girl, a bit stubborn and petulant, but she quickly discovers that she has to put aside her own wants and needs if she wants to find those she loves.  She is also put in many challenging situations where she has to be brave and make tough choices.  Does she always make the right choice?  No, but she is always trying to do the right thing, and the friends she makes along the way are there to help guide her and teach her.  There are quite a few lessons to be learned, and Abeni always takes them in stride.  

The worldbuilding in this book was excellent.  Clark gives us a luscious landscape and describes the characters in such detail that you can really get a sense of what they look like but he doesn't go overboard with the descriptions.  If you are a fan of folklore any mythology I highly recommend this for middle grade readers, adults, and everyone in between.  I think it is written such that any age group can enjoy it.

This is the first book in a series, but I really appreciated that this first part of Abeni's storyline ended with closure.  We see that there is more to her journey to come, but this part of the story feels complete.  I look forward to seeing what challenges Abeni and her companions faces on the next part of their quest.

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Review: Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi

Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This would be a great fall/winter read as it is set in the cold winter of Pennsylvania farmlands.  There is nothing for miles surrounding the orphanage of St. Vincent's.  When evil comes knocking on the front door of the orphanage one snowy night, the poor boys of the orphanage and their souls are in danger.  You could really feel the buildup of suspense not only as the snowstorm was building but as the madness within the orphanage was taking over and reaching its peak.

This is my first book by Fracassi, but I grabbed it immediately when I saw it was available.  I will have to check out more of his books.  This wasn't overly gory, but it was the kind of suspenseful horror that I love.  The worldbuilding made me feel like I was in the orphanage and I really felt Peter's conflict between his faith and his worldly desires.   He really gave the story the atmospheric vibe it needed to go along with the terrifying acts that were playing out.  I think it was made even more horrific by the fact that it was children carrying out the acts and you weren't sure if it was just madness or if something more sinister and paranormal was at play.  

I really liked how the author played with the different perspectives in telling the story.  We get to see the story from a few different views as things unfold and each of the characters is tested as the chaos around them unfolds.  They struggle with faith, humanity, madness, and protecting those in their care as the storm around them rages.  

I really enjoyed this!  I highly recommend it!

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NEW RELEASE: A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

Only his memories can save her…

A Soul of Ash and Blood, the highly-anticipated fifth book in the Blood and Ash Series from #1 New York Times bestselling author
Jennifer L. Armentrout is available now!

A great primal power has risen. The Queen of Flesh and Fire has become the Primal of Blood and Bone—the true Primal of Life and Death. And the battle Casteel, Poppy, and their allies have been fighting has only just begun. Gods are awakening across Iliseeum and the mortal realm, readying for the war to come.

But when Poppy falls into stasis, Cas faces the very real possibility that the dire, unexpected consequences of what she is becoming could take her away from him. Cas is given some advice, though—something he plans to cling to as he waits to see her beautiful eyes open once more: Talk to her.

And so, he does. He reminds Poppy how their journey began, revealing things about himself that only Kieran knows in the process. But it’s anybody’s guess what she’ll wake to or exactly how much of the realm and Cas will have changed when she does.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout revisits Poppy and Casteel’s epic love story in the next installment of the Blood and Ash series. But this time, Hawke gets to tell the tale.

Fall in love today!

Amazon:
Kindle: https://amzn.to/3kxo54x
Hardcover: https://amzn.to/3Z42vnq
Trade paperback (5x8): https://amzn.to/3IXNkGA
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B&N:
B&N signed special edition hardcover: https://bit.ly/3ZmINTw
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Trade paperback (6x9): https://bit.ly/3Nx2KD1
Nook: https://bit.ly/3WwKpsD
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BAM:
Hardcover: https://bit.ly/3IHwYki
Signed hardcover: https://bit.ly/3Y7uIsa
Audiobook: https://bit.ly/3kukggs

Indigo:
Indigo exclusive paperback: https://bit.ly/43MUkye
Hardcover: https://bit.ly/3JjRoRr
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Ebook: https://bit.ly/42M9imL

Other hardcover retailers:
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Other digital retailers:
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For More Information about Jennifer L. Armentrout, visit her website: https://jenniferlarmentrout.com/

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Review: I Will Make You Pay by Teresa Driscoll

I Will Make You Pay by Teresa Driscoll
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, but I have since purchased both the ebook and audiobook versions.   I opted to listen to the audiobook, as always all opinions are my own. 

This book has been on my TBR for ages, and I'm glad I finally got around to it.  I needed a good phycological thriller that I didn't have figured out by the end of the 2nd chapter and didn't have insufferable characters.  The author does a good job giving you the run around and misdirecting you as to who the stalker might be throughout.  You kind of suspect everyone at one point or another, but no one seems like a likely candidate.  I appreciated that I didn't really know who it was until the reveal.  I also appreciated that the author was able to put her real life experience as a journalist into play in the storyline.

This is an older title so I won't go too much into detail as the synopsis give you a good summary of what the story is about with out too many spoilers.  Alice is a journalist, and it quickly becomes apparent that she has a stalker when every Wednesday something odd, creepy or terrible happens.  The stalker escalates each week, but the police and the private investigator that Alice and her partner hire can't find the stalker or any motive as to why she is being targeted.  Alice is forced to take time off from work but she is itching to get back out there and write the pieces she is passionate about.  Alice is determined to uncover the link between her and the person tormenting her.

I really enjoyed this thriller.  Alice was stubborn at times and didn't always make the best choices, but after thinking about it I have to imagine that anyone under those conditions in real life might not make the best choices given the circumstances.  I thought the author did a good job portraying the frustrating truth about law enforcement when it comes to stalkers.  There isn't much they can do until a crime is committed and they have an actual suspect, which is very frustrating and terrifying for the victim.  I also liked that we got perspectives from Alice, Matt (the PI), and "Him" (the stalker).  We really get to understand each of them and their motivations throughout.  You often don't get the perspective of the villain, but we got to see "his" side and you almost sympathize with him a bit.  I thought that was a creative touch.

Overall, this was a quick read with good pacing and decent action.  

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Review: The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon

The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an audio arc of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This is going to be  hard book to review, only because it was a hard book to follow.  First off the cover is stunning, which was immediately what pulled me into the book.  The book is filled with amazing ideas and concepts, unfortunately I found it really hard to follow on audio.  I was able to get my hands on the ebook from my library which made it a bit easier to follow along as I could look up things, but the way this is written it jumps around from POV to POV and from past to present.  I had a hard time keeping details straight.  The details are extremely important as the story progresses.  I think the audiobook was very well done and the narrator does a fantastic job with voicing all of the characters.  Personally I had a hard time keeping up with all of the very important details with only the audiobook on hand.  I had a much easier time finishing the book with both the print and audiobook on hand.  

Would I continue on with the series?  Yes, but I would would want both the print and audiobook versions so I could go back and look up references to things I was confused about in this complex story.  This is not an easy book to keep up with, but I still enjoyed the creative concepts.   This is such a unique novel, I don't think I've read anything quite like it.  You've got a bit of everything in here, sci-fi, a post apocalyptical future setting, a strange religious aspect, some horror elements (body horror FYI), and so much more but I don't want to spoil anything.  

Despite this being a sci-fi flavored book, it is very character driven.  I tend to prefer plot driven stories, and this focuses much more on the characters and how they intertwine with each other.  The author does a good job eventually unravelling the twisted story of how they are all connected.  This doesn't have the epic sci-fi robot battles at every turn that one might be expecting from this book.  This book is not going to be for everyone.

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COVER REVEAL: The Proposal by Adriana Locke

 

Adriana Locke has revealed the gorgeous cover for The Proposal!

Releasing: July 27, 2023

Model Cover Design: Kari March Designs

Photographer: ©Regina Wamba

Special Edition Cover Design: Staci Hart

Breaking News: Rugby’s bad boy marries his best friend’s little sister

If Renn Brewer would’ve asked me to marry him, I would’ve said no.

Why?

One, his reputation precedes him. His name is in the headlines at least once a month. Two, he’s not just my brother’s best friend. They’re teammates. And three, I’m in my self-care era. 

Unfortunately, a version of me equates self-care with bad choices.

The cocktail in my hand—similar to the one that got me into this situation—is the prettiest shade of pink. It’s almost the same color as the giant rock on my left hand. And instead of discussing an annulment, I’m considering a 90-day marriage of convenience to the man I accidentally married in Las Vegas.

Renn didn’t propose marriage. But he does deliver a proposal I might be unable to turn down.

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/43D5Snn

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/TheProposalAL

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3J9vq3t

Meet Adriana

USA Today and Amazon Charts Bestselling author, Adriana Locke, writes contemporary romances about the two things she knows best—big families and small towns. Her stories are about ordinary people finding extraordinary love with the perfect combination of heart, heat, and humor.

She loves connecting with readers, fall weather, football, reading alpha heroes, everything pumpkin, and pretending to garden.

Hailing from a tiny town in the Midwest, Adriana spends her free time with her high school sweetheart (who she married over twenty years ago) and their four sons (who truly are her best work). Her kitchen may be a perpetual disaster, and if all else fails, there is always pizza.

 

Connect with Adriana 

Website: www.adrianalocke.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8379774.Adriana_Locke

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Adriana-Locke/author/B00NPBY8FE/

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrianalockewrites 

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/adriana-locke

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authoradrianalo

Other: https://www.youtube.com/adrianalocke

Verve: https://ververomance.com/app/adrianalocke

   

Review: The Prince & the Apocalypse by Kara McDowell

The Prince & the Apocalypse by Kara McDowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was really cute.  This follows Wren, a highly organized over planner on a senior trip abroad to London.  She has planned this trip so well that even her itinerary has an itinerary.  The moment her flight lands, her plans are shot.  Her friends have been able to experience England while she ends up stuck in her hotel room ill for most of the week.  On her last day, she is finally feeling better and has one more item on her list that she might actually be able to check off.  Even that doesn't go as planned.  Wren ends up running into the missing Crown Prince and saving him from the paparazzi.  He is grateful for the help and offers her a favor if she ever needs one.  Wren ends up missing her flight home and is stranded in the airport when news of the impending apocalypse breaks.  She calls in her favor to Theo in the hopes that he and the royal family might be able to pulls some strings to get her home before the world ends.  Again things do not go according to plan.

I really loved going on this adventure with Wren and Theo.  There were alot of discussions about being worthy, vulnerability, and being free to make your own choices.  While they both had their own agendas, at the end of the day they were both on a journey of self discovery and grew up alot in the last 10 days of Earth's existence.  There put themselves in some unlikely situations, but that made it all the more fun.

This is perfect for YA readers who want a fun dystopian story that stays hopeful and has a bit of romance.  

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Release Day Launch: Dead & Breakfast by Emma Hart

Dead and Breakfast (Fox Point Files, #1)

Genre: Romcom Mystery 

Tropes: Second chance romance, small town, amateur sleuth

Add to Goodreads: https://geni.us/DeadAndBreakfastGR 

Amazon Universal Buy Link: https://geni.is/DQIO

BLURB

I remember the first time I ever saw Detective Inspector Noah George.

We were seven, stupid, and he threw sand in my eye. I’m pretty sure that’s when I fell in love with him. Hey—I did say I was stupid.

Summers in Fox Point, my grandfather’s seaside hometown, were all we had together. Then we turned eighteen, life happened, and he never spoke to me again.

Until my grandfather’s death calls me back to the small town, only for his lawyer to tell me he’s left me my family’s dilapidated bed and breakfast that was home to many things—my first sleepover party, where my grandma taught me to cross-stitch, my first kiss with Noah…

And apparently, my first dead body.

My name is Lottie O’Neil, and I’m on the hook for the murder of a man I’ve barely met.

And the one who’ll have to arrest me is the only man I’ve ever loved.

Unless I find the real killer first.

About the Author:

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author, Emma Hart, has written more than seventy romance novels in the last decade. She loves writing snarky, swoony romcoms with a side of chaos, occasionally venturing into romantic mysteries. Which are exactly the same as her romcoms, just with a dead body or two. That’s the reason for her questionable Internet history—at least that’s the story she’s sticking to.

She lives on a smallholding in North Wales with her husband and their two children, a clowder of very fluffy cats, one giant German Shepherd, and an undisclosed number of chickens and ducks. Don’t ask her to count them. She will not, thank you very much.

When she’s not writing or chasing ducks in her pyjamas, you can find her creating cosy gaming content for her Youtube channel.

Find her online:

Amazon: https://emmahart.pub/books 

Youtube: https://emmahart.pub/youtube 

Facebook: https://emmahart.pub/Facebook 

Instagram: https://emmahart.pub/Instagram 

Tiktok: https://emmahart.pub/TikTok 

Twitter: https://emmahart.pub/Twitter 

Website: https://emmahart.pub/site 

Review: Beyond the Thistles by Samantha Young

Beyond the Thistles by Samantha Young
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an audible code of this book via the author and Valentine PR, all opinions are my own.

The narrators did a wonderful job bringing Sloane and Walker to life.  

This is a a new spinoff series to the Adair Family series. This reads as a standalone, however we are first introduced to Walker and Sloane in Only You. If you want to get to know Brodan, Monroe, and the rest of the Adair family I highly recommend checking out the books in that series.

This follows Walker and Sloane, and if you have read Only You it is no surprise that they are the next couple featured in Young's romance set at Ardnoch Estate and the charming Scottish Highlands. Walker has been friends and bodyguard to Brodan Adair for many years, so when Brodan settles back at home Walker takes a position at the exclusive members only estate as part of the security team. Sloane has recently relocated to Scotland, but no one knows why except the new hospitality manager. Sloane is bubbly and vibrant as well as a talented home baker. She is the exact opposite of the broody bodyguard. There is no denying the chemistry between the two of them, but they both have secrets that are keeping them apart. When Sloane's past comes to Ardnoch, Walker steps in to make sure she and her daughter are protected. As they spend more time together the lines between professional and personal feelings begin to blur and they both will have to face the demons from their past.

I really loved Walker and Sloane. Sloane didn't let her trauma impact her ability to live her life. She was terrified and always trying to keep her child safe, but she was always fighting. Walker was a little bit of a caveman, but as Callie Sloane's daughter says he's like a Mento hard on the outside and soft on the inside. I loved that comparison! We learn Sloane's backstory fairly early on, but Walker's takes quite a while to reveal itself. Both of their stories are heartbreaking. I thought their character and relationship development was done really well.

If you are a fan of the Adair Family series this is a must read. It has a good level of spice and a nice suspense element to add to the romance. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. I think I know who the next couple is going to be and I'm curious to see where their story takes us.

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Review: Dead & Breakfast by Emma Hart

Dead & Breakfast by Emma Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

This is a bit of a deviation from the other books I've read by Hart, but I love a good cozy mystery and this was the perfect read for my vacation.  It was fun and had great characters!  

This follows Lottie after the death of her beloved grandfather.  She finds that he has left her the family bed and breakfast in his will, and she has to decide what she wants to do with it as well as the rest of her life.  Faced with heavy life decisions, a neglected B&B, and unresolved emotions from her teen years, Lottie is a bit overwhelmed.  She is even more overwhelmed when she finds the man who offered to purchase her newly inherited B&B at her grandfather's wake dead in the sunroom.  While and unlikely suspect in his death, Lottie is still a suspect and is determined to clear her good name.  She and her old friend begin their own murder investigation.

This has all of the things I love about Emma's books.  It has great characters with fun banter and hilarious situations.  Lottie's impulsive nature fit the plot perfectly as she tries to solve the murder with her friend Ash.  They use their sleuthing skills as they sit in with the town gossips to gather information, thinking they can solve it before the police.  Ash and Lottie are on the right track, but they kind of make a mess of things on their way to finding the true killer.  In the meantime, Lottie has to face her feelings for her first true love Noah, who happens to be a detective on the case.  

This is the first book in a new series, which I'm sure will follow Lottie on many shenanigans as she gets the bed and breakfast up an running.  I can't wait to see what other mysteries she tries to solve in the next installment.  With Ash and Gwen at her side she will surely be unstoppable.  I see a second chance romance blooming with Noah in her future as well, and I'm sure he will be there to bail them out of any sticky situations. :)

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Review: Space Ships & Other Trips: A Short Story Collection: Book II by Raven Oak

Space Ships & Other Trips: A Short Story Collection: Book II by Raven Oak
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the first installment of short stories and this one was just as enjoyable. You don’t have to read one collection to enjoy the other. This has 11 short stories ranging from a few pages to a few chapters and is a bit more sci fi based but covers many different sub-genres. I really enjoyed Ol St. Nick, a space opera type of story with a mystery element; D.E.A.TH., a cool hacker mystery that anyone who works in software development can appreciate; and Hungry if you’ve ever owned a pet this one will resonate.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the author through these short stories. I really like that each story has an explanation at the end as to why it was written and where it was published initially. If you are looking for a great short story collection with a sci fi theme give this a try.

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