Review: Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazaer

Title: Innocent Darkness
Author: Suzanne Lazear
Format: E-book - Galley
Read: May 13-14 2012
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommend: Maybe.

Summary: This book has a unique premise: Steampunk faerie tale.  Magnolia has been sent to a school for troublesome girls, but ultimately she is broken out of the school with the aid of a Faerie.  She is slated to be the sacrificial lamb to save Otherworld.

Review:  I was given this book as an ARC/Galley copy from Netgalley, and the prospect of Steampunk mixed with faerie did seem intriguing especially since it raises so many questions about how the two would intermingle especially with Fae being known for having a strong allergic reaction to all things iron and frowning on the inclusion of too much mortal world technology.
There were things that I liked in this book and things that irritated me with this book.  Multiple names for each character tended to get confusing, especially since each character had a nickname and their actual name but went by one or another name throughout the entirety of the book.  That was one of the things that rubbed me the wrong way, and I also disliked the sudden drop off of the steampunk part of the story.  The devices that were used at the beginning of the story were among my favorite and it upset me that once things shifted there was little to no more steampunk influence on the story.
Okay, so Noli is a hoyden, but there was no closure given to the harsh and unacceptable treatment she'd received at the school.  It kinda irked me that there were no lasting, lingering effects (as their should have been from such treatment) and everything was suddenly overshadowed by the fact that she had to be sacrificed to save Otherworld, and ultimately the romance took over as well.  While, I do like a good romance, it to me is not something that should have taken center stage when there were more pressing issues that needed to be dealt with.
Will I continue to read this series? I am on the fence about picking up the second book simply because there was a lot that had left me wanting with this one.  We will see, I may pick it up just to see what twists are in it and if there is further inclusion of the steampunk or if it has merely turned into another faerie story.

Galley Galore 3.0

Welcome to the third installment of Galley Galore here at Confessions of a Bibliophile.  Today's issue includes the reviews of four books that I absolutely adored.  All of which are available for purchase from Amazon.com and other fine retailers.  I received these books from Netgalley from the publishers for an honest and unbiased review.  I truly enjoyed all the books I am about to feature for you and highly recommend them to anyone who loves books with a touch of mystery, romance, and learning just how important one moment in our lives can be.

Now, enough idle chatter, on with the books! 

Book Blurb: Kendra, fifteen, hasn't felt safe since she began to recall devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, especially because she still can't remember the most important detail-- her abuser's identity. Frightened, Kendra believes someone is always watching and following her, leaving menacing messages only she understands. If she lets her guard down even for a minute, it could cost Kendra her life. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it's her only way of coping. Since her own mother is too self-absorbed to hear her cries for help, Kendra finds support in others instead: from her therapist and her art teacher, from Sandy, the close family friend who encourages her artwork, and from Meghan, the classmate who's becoming a friend and maybe more. But the truth about Kendra's abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl's frightening path to the truth.

This book made me cry, this book also gave me a more indepth understanding as to what drives people to cut, and how abusers use subtle manipulations to further harm their victims after the abuse has stopped.  This book made me sick at some points and yet I would greatly recommend this to anyone who cuts, anyone who has been a victim of abuse, or anyone who doesn't understand the mentality of a cutter or someone who has been sexually abused as a child.  I highly recommend not reading this without some tissues close at hand and forewarned you will get pissed off by the end of this book, but it will also touch your heart and it is one of those stories that will stick with you long after you've finished reading it.  Review: Scars by Cheryl Rainfield

Book Blurb: This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?
As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?
The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

This is another one of those books that will linger with you long after you've stopped reading.  It impresses upon you how important every single moment is, and how in the blink of an eye everything around you can change.  One moment things are going wonderful, everyone is happy and simply enjoying life and the next moment things have gone horribly, horribly wrong and the shroud of death hangs over a once happy gathering.  Friendships are tested, relationships are strained as Maggie tries to piece together those final moments up on the cliff, those final moments before Joey dies and her world is thrown into a spiral that she isn't sure she can get out of. Review: One Moment by Kristina McBride

Book Blurb: Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.
As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy? 
Harrowing and beautifully written, Elizabeth Wein creates a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other. Code Name Verity is an outstanding novel that will stick with you long after the last page.

I love reading about different things concerning WWII and this book, though there is fictional elements to it, and the writer confesses to creating different jobs for the female roles in this story there is some level of truth to it.  I adored Elizabeth Wein's writing style and watching Verity struggle for survival in Nazi-occupied France while Maddie did her best to save her and further work for the resistance.  This book shows the development of a friendship through the struggles of War and how that friendship further blossoms as one friend tries to save another.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a fast paced, emotional read that will linger with you long after you've turned the last page. Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

The galley for this was originally titled The Bastard

Book Blurb: To some men honor is just a word... 

Jeannette Boucher, a young French beauty from a family left penniless by the revolution, must marry against her will to save them all from ruin. But almost immediately after the vows are spoken, she learns that her old English husband is impotent—and in his desire for an heir, he plans to compromise her in the worst way. Determined to escape such a fate, she stows away on one of His Majesty’s frigates. But a woman alone is in constant danger. 

To Lieutenant Treynor, honor means everything...
Born a bastard to a wayward marquise, Lieutenant Crawford Treynor was given to a poor farmer to raise and was maltreated until he ran away to join the Royal Navy. Treynor is determined to prove he’s as good as any other man and rise to captain his own frigate. But once he finds Jeannette aboard The Tempest he must decide whether to return her to the man he knows would abuse her—or risk everything, even his life, to keep her safe.

So, this is my romance novel of the selections, and I have to say, I did completely enjoy it and it was quite a fun read and I loved the development of the characters.  Jeannette did get on my nerves at times and Treynor was at times annoyingly too masculine (yeah, I went there), but beyond that they are quite a unique couple and the struggles that they face are quite fun, especially when Jeannette stows away on a frigate, pretending to be a sailor...how does a woman hide so well among a ship full of men? Read this stunning story and find out! Review: Honor Bound by Brenda Novak

Galley Galore 2.0

Hey all! Welcome to Wednesday.  On this spectacular hump day, I am featuring some reviews of galley copies of books that I'd been privileged enough to receive through Netgalley.  This edition of Galley Galore will be featuring five books total, four of which are in one singular series.  I've still got a couple of fantastic galleys to review for you, but for some of them you are just going to have to wait a while because they aren't due out for another couple of months yet.  The books featured in this edition of Galley Galore are: Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster, Moonstone, Moon Rise, Moon Spun, and Shadow Moon all by Marilee Brothers and make up the Unbidden Magic series.

Without further rambling from me, here is the first book up for review today...

Book blurb: When Grace's husband, Adam, inherits a cottage on the Yorkshire moors, they leave London behind to try a new life.  A week later, Adam disappears.  The following year, Grace returns with her baby daughter Millie.  She is desperate for answers, but resigned to preparing the cottage for sale.  With no one prepared to divulge their secrets, Grace finds herself unwilling to trust anyone.  Then, just as snow fall threatens to cut her off from the rest of the world, she makes a terrible discovery.  In the aftermath, she realizes that she has been looking in the wrong place for answers all along.  In the wild winter weather she sets out to reclaim her daughter from the one person seemingly intent on taking Millie away, praying that she will reach them in time.

This book was awesome and earned four stars from me, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves reading mystery and thriller books because while there are some gothic undertones, it is quite a thrilling read!  Review: Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

Moonstone book blurb: A sickly mother.  A tiny house trailer.  High school bullies and snarky drama queens.  Bad-guy dudes with charming smiles.  Allie has problems.  And then there's that whole thing about fulfilling a magical prophecy and saving the world from evil.  Geez.  Welcome to the sad, funny, sometimes-scary world of fifteen-year-old Allie Emerson, who's struggling to keep her and her mom's act together in the small-town world of Peacock Flats, Washington.  An electrical zap from a TV antenna sets off Allie's weird psychic powers.  The next thing she knows she's being visited by a hippy-dippy guardian angel, and then her mysterious neighbor, the town "witch," gives her an incredible moonstone pendant that has powers only a good-hearted "Star Seeker" is meant to command.  "Who, me?" is Allie's first reaction.  But as sinister events begin to unfold, Allie realizes she's got a destiny to live up to.  if she can just survive everyday life in the meantime. 

This is the first book in the Unbidden Magic series by Marilee Brothers, and I'd actually received all four books from the publisher via Netgalley and so did not get a chance to look at any of the cover art until after I'd read the books and added them to my completed reads over on Goodreads.  I do like the covers of all four books and am quite glad I got the chance to read this series.  Review: Moonstone (Unbidden Magic #1) by Marilee Brothers

Moon Rise book blurb: Her mom's still dating losers. Her boyfriend's gone back to Mexico. Dad still hasn't told his wife and kids that she exists. At school, the drama queens and bullies still rule. But worst of all for Allie Emerson--aka the Star Seeker of an old Gypsy prophecy--is that her powers have taken a hike. She can't read minds anymore. She can't move stuff just by looking at it. The other Star Seekers are counting on her psychic gifts more than ever, and the evil Tri-marks are closing in, eager to snatch her magic moonstone necklace while she's helpless. The hot new guy at school is ready and willing to fight her battles, but he comes with some wicked baggage. Dear Diary: I'm a little worried. My new BF is a demon.

Welcome again to Allie Emerson's funny, scary, amazing, and always unpredictable life, as the girl voted least likely to save the world from evil.

Moon Rise is the second book in the Unbidden Magic series, and is just as good as the first in the series.  We learn more about Allie, and in this part of her life her newly found powers have done what she initially wanted them to do - gone away - she can no longer do the things that she could before, and evil is closing in, but Allie has no way to stop them with her powers gone.  Oh, and lets start dating a demon while we are at it!  It yet another page turner by Marilee Brothers.  This one, like the first got four stars from me. Review: Moon Rise (Unbidden Magic #2) by Marilee Brothers 

Moon Spun blurb: Junior's back from Mexico with his movie-star entourage. Beck's using his half-demon charms to "heal" a new girl. Mom's still wacky and now she's dating Principal Hostetler. High school is still an obstacle course of drama queens, bullies and nutjobs. The Trimarks are still a menace, and the moonstone pendant has revealed even more mind-boggling powers. In other words, Allie Emerson's life as the Girl Voted Least Likely To Save The World From Evil has gone from Weird to Super-Charged Super-Weird, and it's about to get even weirder. You're a faery princess. So says the mysterious Ryker, whose handsome talents include turning himself into a hawk. By the way, he and Allie are destined to marry. In faery land--Boundless. If they can save it from forces even more deadly than Trimarks and high school. The third book in the Unbidden Magic series plunges readers into a rich other-world of danger, humor, romance, fable, fairytale and magical destiny.

Moon Spun is the third installment of the Unbidden Magic series, and another reason for me to love Allie all the more.  Lots of interesting things continue to happen to dear Allie since her discovery of her powers.  Oh, wait, now we add faery blood into the mix - as if she didn't have enough to worry about.  Thanks Ryker, who can turn himself into a hawk...and is destined to marry Allie (GAH! Boy #3 already!).  This book pulls you into a rich other-world, Boundless, the faery land that is under threat greater than the Tri-Marks and high school.  What will happen to Allie in this installment? Oh, and did I mention that JUNIOR IS BACK FROM MEXICO?! Beck is still around too.  Dreamy, dreamy, and dreamy that is what Allie's got before her. Review: Moon Spun (Unbidden Magic #3) by Marilee Brothers

Shadow Moon blurb: Allie Emerson is hoping for a few quiet months to catch her breath after a summer that included the discovery she is not only a twin and of faery blood, but also destined to play a pivotal role in faery world. School has barely begun when Allie must kiss her hope of a normal year goodbye.

She can't escape her unfinished business with the fae, the Trimarks, or Junior Alvarez, who is making it clear he plans to win her back. Signs, portents and whispers are pushing Allie to "find the girl" before it's too late. Hoping her twin can help her solve the riddle of their destiny, Allie uncovers old secrets and begins a cross-country journey that puts her in more danger than ever before. If she succeeds, she may just find the answers that can save everyone she loves.

Allie is a twin and part faery! Right, so much for being a normal teenager, and some downtime.  Seriously, I think my head would explode if I didn't at some point get a nice long vacation and some time to myself.  However, Allie's hopes for a normal year are dashed right at the beginning of the school year.  There is unfinished business abounding from the fae, to Junior, and the ever present menace of the Tri-Marks.  

Junior wants her back, like with a vengeance.  Also, everything is pushing Allie to find "the girl" and in the mean time, she ends up having to travel cross-country and hopefully save everyone she loves if she can find the right answers!  Definitely a fantastic installment to this series and by the Gods I want more! Review: Shadow Moon (Unbidden Magic #4) by Marilee Brothers

So, there you have Galley Galore 2.0.  Five EPIC stories that you must read! 

See you next time! 

Cae 

Review: Shadow Moon (Unbidden Magic #4) by Marilee Brothers

Title:  Shadow Moon (Unbidden Magic #4)
Author:  Marilee Brothers
Rating: 5/5

Summary:  Allie is a faerie princess, destined to marry Ryker, and she’s a twin.  After all these discoveries, all she wants is some down time to process it and catch her breath, however, that is not going to be allowed.  Any hope that Allie had of a normal school year is gone, and she has countless levels of unfinished business with the fae, the Tri-Marks and the returned Junior Alvarez, who wants her back in a major way.  This danger filled cross-country journey will provide more twists and turns into Allie’s already convoluted life and hopefully she will find the answers and save everyone she loves.


Review:  Two words: CLIFF HANGER! Dear god, I am restraining myself from tracking down Ms. Brothers and begging for an ARC of book number five that she is working on.  Seriously, I want it that bad.  This book was fantastic, this book was even more of a rollercoaster than the other books in the series.  The adventure and excitement in Moon Spun have NOTHING on the twists and turns of this book. 

The play on government conspiracies, the threat from our own government added to the mix, was something expected yet unexpected.  Something I once thought as filler has become its own full blown storyline, and there was absolutely nothing that I could find fault with aside from the fact that it ends on a cliff hanger and those drive me crazy with want for more.

I seriously had to struggle to put this book down and do other things, like work and tend to household chores.  It was that good, and you cannot look away. She has a twin, and an evil looking fae who pops in and out at the weirdest times.  Also, there is the fae posing as a preacher who has evil motives.  Then we meet Sammie, who Allie has a psychic connection to.  A suspension right before the holiday, Allie is vindicated by Nicole, and this opens up the path to begin searching for her sister.  A unique mix goes along for the ride: Junior, Faye and Sammie.  However, things take a drastic turn and this search soon becomes a fight for Allie and Sammie’s life.

I wish Beck had gotten a bit more page time aside from a phone call every now and then, but perhaps it  is a good thing, because of Beck’s succubus heritage.  Junior has fallen out of favor with me, but he regained a lot of it in this installment, and I’m looking to see what develops between him and Allie in the future installments.  Another beau that is absent in this installment is Ryker, but there are some hints that lead me to believe that there maybe some kin between he and Beck.  However, the hawk feather comes through.

Sammie has become one of my favorites and I love the connection between she and Allie.  One that we do not know how close it is until the very end of the story, and I can’t wait to see more of her.

If you’ve not read this series, it is never too late to start.  There is something in it for everyone, and I am anxious to see what else is in store for Allie and her band of merry misfits. 


If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
My reviews can be found here:
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Review: Moon Spun (Unbidden Magic #3) by Marilee Brothers

Title:  Moon Spun (Unbidden Magic #3)
Author:   Marilee Brothers
Rating:  4/5

Summary: Beck is healing a new girl.  Junior and his entourage are back from Mexico.  Mom is now dating Principal Hostetler.  Tri-Marks are still a menace and the pendant has revealed even more mind-boggling powers.  Allie Emerson’s life as the Girl Voted Least Likely To Save The World From Evil has gone from Weird to Super-Charged Super-Weird, and the rollercoaster ride of weirdness is not over yet.  Enter the mysterious Ryker, who can turn himself into a hawk btw, divulges that Allie is a faery princess and destined to be his bride.  Wait, what?! Yeah.  Oh yeah, and the faery land, Boundless, is dealing with a threat bigger than the Tri-Marks and Allie and Ryker gotta save it.


Review:  This one is just as compelling as the first two in the series, but this one has a flavor all its own.  It picks up shortly after where Moon Rise left off, summertime is here and the faeries are out to play.  Beck is in Seattle and with his departure Junior returns.  However, we also have mysterious boy number three, Ryker, who is now after Allie’s heart.

The threat in this book, thankfully is not the Tri-Marks, but in a whole new world, the Faerie Land of Boundless.  Allie’s grandmother needs her help to free the faeries of the forest from the prison they’ve been in for years.  There is a changling who wants to return to Boundless, and oh yeah, if Allie goes to Boundless, the land of her grandmother, she may never be able to return to her home.  Sounds good right?!  We learn more about her heritage in this book, her grandmother is a faerie queen, and her father has a mysterious heritage as well.

Another well written installment to this series, and kudos to Ms. Brothers for creating such a wonderful world and delightful characters – that I adore! Also, I do have to feel for Allie, I mean, the boys keep coming out of the woodworks to woo and protect her regardless of what she wants.  Allie would be just peachy settling down and being a normal teen, but that isn’t in her cards.  I love that we get this glimpse into her grandmother’s world and what it means for Allie’s future.  I love how she is further coming into her own as she bargains and stands up for what she wants.  I am more than ready for the next book in the series to see what twists and turns Allie comes across and if any more woo and protect hotties come out of the woodworks.


If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
My reviews can be found here:
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Review: Moon Rise (Unbidden Magic #2) by Marilee Brothers

Title:  Moon Rise
Author:  Marilee Brothers
Rating: 4/5

Summary:  Allie’s powers have taken a hike, she can no longer read people’s minds and move things by looking at them.  Junior is gone off to Mexico to become a soap opera star (not something I’m thrilled with), however, Allie’s got enough to worry about.  The evil Tri-marks are closing in, wanting to grab the moonstone necklace while she is helpless, the Starseekers need her more than ever, and there is a new guy in Allie’s life that is ready and willing to fight her battles.  Oh yeah, and new hottie is a demon, always a plus right?


Review:  This was an exciting follow up to Moonstone, and a wonderful continuation of Allie’s story in the Unbidden Magic series, however, my one pet peeve is that Junior got shipped away to Mexico.  Sadness there.  However, that sadness faded away at the introduction of the new hottie on the block, this story is filled with twists and turns that are prevalent on every page and it was hard to put down once I started it.  Allie is starting to learn more about her powers, but much like her mother Faye, her grandfather will reveal nothing of what he knows, and she also has the potential to reveal secrets about her mother’s past.

Allie’s grown up quite a bit in this one, she’s growing stronger and more mature as the story goes on, and the timid Allie has been left behind.  Brothers did a fantastic job growing her up in this second book, allowing her to become a strong equal in the war of good versus evil.   Also, I truly enjoyed the introduction of some new faces Beck and Nicole, the twins.  The mixture of a nun and a succubus, with some Shaman training, that is the yummy Beck.  I also liked the inclusion of Grandfather Claude in the mix, however, saddened that he may not be around much longer, and it did annoy me that he is as closed mouthed as Faye. 

There were some questions I had about Allie and Beck’s relationship and not understanding the reason for the “pretending” of boyfriend/girlfriend when they were clearly both into each other.  Perhaps there was something more along the lines of Allie’s age, as she’s only fifteen and Brother’s is skirting the line for a more realistic setting.  The message sent to young adults by having innocents discovering the opposite sex for the first time. 

I do look forward to reading more installments of this series, this book is definitely one I would recommend along with the first, because with this series, if you do not read them in order you will miss out on important information.


If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
My reviews can be found here:
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Review: Moonstone (Unbidden Magic #1)

Title:  Moonstone (Unbidden Magic #1)
Author:  Marilee Brothers
Rating: 4/5

Summary:  Allie lives in Peakcock Flats, Washington with her mom.  Every day life has the typical filler of every fifteen-year-old’s life: high school bullies, snarky drama queens, bad-guy dudes with charming smiles.  Oh, Allie also has this prophecy to live up to about saving the world from evil.  Her psychic abilities are jump started by an electrical jolt from a TV antenna which brings forth a hippy-dippy guardian angel and the gift of an incredible moonstone pendant from the town “witch,” who just happens to be Allie Emerson’s next door neighbor. 


Review:  The story starts off a touch strange, but it quickly becomes exciting and more suspenseful as you progress.  Kudos to Marilee Brothers on her first attempt, and as a self published book there are a few flaws, but that is to be expected, and they did not bother me too much, except for the failure to set the ‘rules” so to speak for the many magical talents Allie is now in possession of by the end of the book. 

Allie’s powers are telekinetic and they are amplified by the moonstone pendant that she is given by her eccentric neighbor, however, there are others that want the pendant as well, and now Allie’s world is filled with quite a bit more than your average high school drama, she has now started her part in the age old battle between good and evil, however she isn’t sure who she can trust. 

The characters are pretty well developed, and they are the type you can either love or hate.  Allie just wants a normal life, and actually wants her powers to go away when they first manifest themselves.  She is also more grown up than her mother Faye, who you just want to shake and smack some sense into.  Junior is the local bad boy, former gang member and now trying to right his wrongs and keep himself out of trouble.  I love the interaction between Allie and Junior and the potential for a budding relationship is so strong, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.

If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
My reviews can be found here:
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Review: Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

Title:  Beneath the Shadows
Author:  Sara Foster
Rating: 4/5

Summary:  A year after her husband, Adam, vanishes outside their Yorkshire moor cottage, Grace returns with her infant daughter Millie.  However, when the weather turns nasty and the winter storms threaten to cut her off from the rest of the world Grace makes a discovery and now must attempt to get her daughter back from the one person intent on taking her away, praying she can get to them on time.


Review:  North Yorkshire has been setting to some of my favorite stories throughout my reading career Dracla, Wuthering Heights, and that in and of itself gives this story brownie points in my book.  After Adam’s mother dies of cancer, he moves in with his grandparents, after attending University and meeting Grace, he marries her, their daughter born within their first year of marriage.  Adam’s grandparents die, and leave him the cottage, so they move from London to the cottage in North Yorkshire.  After they move into the cottage, Adam takes Millie for a walk – Millie is returned, Adam however is not found. 

The tiny village near the cottage is pretty much deserted; however, there is still an old schoolhouse where Meredith and her daughter Claire live. Claire is fine, however, there is something being masked by Meredith’s perfectly polite demeanor.  Ben, the handyman/contractor Grace hires to renovate the cottage is also hiding something…and no one is willing to divulge their secrets.  Winter’s approaching, and this often means snowstorms that keep drivers from being able to see the road, along with a grandfather clock that stops and starts at 3am, and we can’t forget the stories in Ghosts of the Moors – all of these things are slowly doing their best to drive Grace slightly mad. 

The sense of menace is real in this story, and the setting only adds to it and brings it more into being.  The mysteries surrounding Adam’s disappearance, Ben’s secret, and Meredith’s less than honest welcoming attitude are all eventually revealed.  My only disappoint me is that it didn’t have a bit more touch on Wicker Man/Harvest Home theme to it.  My only complaint that dropped this down from a five star review was the constant use of “tears streaming down her face” in reference to Grace when she was crying (which happened frequently).


If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
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Scheduled Events for the Bibliophile

Things have again been quiet for me.  While I'd planned out a full two weeks of blog posts, it's going to be slightly shifted in its initial posting dates.  I've got about five reviews to write before the first day goes up, and I've also got to get those reviews sent through netgalley.com to the publishers and let them know that they are live, and see about getting the trailer that I'd wanted for one of the books. Beyond that I've still been reading, and already been forming my top 100 books of 2012 list from what I've read so far this year, including what I am waiting for to come out as the year continues toward its end.

So, want a little idea of what is going to be coming up in the next couple of days? Oh, and I've also got a special surprise for you coming up on June 23rd.  I will be hosting a cover-reveal for A.M. Hargrove's new book, Book 3 in the Guardians of Vesturon series.  Are you excited yet?!  Okay, so here is the plan for the next few days (and hopefully the world will behave and I'll be able to stick to it without much divergence):

1. Galley Galore 2.0 - June 13th
• Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster
• The Unbidden Magic Series by Marilee Brothers (Galley under The Moonstone Series)
• Moonstone
• Moon Rise
• Moon Spun
• Shadow Moon
2. Galley Galore 3.0 - June 14th
• One Moment by Kristina McBride
• Scars by Cheryl Rainfield
• Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
• Honor Bound (Galley titled The Bastard) by Brenda Novak
3. Anticipated Releases - June 15th
• The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten) by Julie Kagawa 
• The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan
• The Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost
• Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear
4. Kiddie Corner - June 16th
1. Time Warp Trio Series
2. The Pain and the Great One Series

That's all the update you get for now :) Of course there will be more to be discussed on each of these topics especially the anticipated releases and the Kiddie Corner.  I've already started working on things, because I need to get the reviews up and sent to the publishers via netgalley, and I'm working on reading a couple of different books, including galley copies from different publishers.  One of which is on my list of anticipated releases, though I'm not telling you which one. 

Also, I'm always up for taking suggestion on books to read, my TBR list is probably going to cry if I don't start plowing through it, as it currently has just over 700 books on it and that only accounts for maybe two thirds of the books that I actually have at my disposal to read since I haven't listed all of the available options I have available through Kindle for PC until I can replace my Kindle. 

If you've a suggestion of a book you want me to read, or you have a favorite author that you'd like me to do a feature on her at Confessions of a Bibliophile you can email me at Bibliophile, or simply leave a comment and I will gladly take it into consideration and see if I can get a copy of the book in a reasonable time frame.  

Review: Turquoise: A Love Story by Ayshe Talay-Ongan

Title:  Turquoise: A Love Story
Author:  Ayshe Talay-Ongan
Rating: 2/5 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Sid Harta Publishers , via netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.  I thank the publisher for this opportunity.

Summary:  Yasmin and her Armenian classmate Ani were oblivious to ethnic differences during their school years in Istanbul. Years later they run into each other, and Ani introduces Renan, her husband, to Yasmin. At that moment under the blazing autumn skies, as Yasmin locks eyes with Renan, she knows that she has come upon her destiny. But political tensions in their land soon force Renan, her secret love, and his family to immigrate to Sydney.

A few years on, Yasmin's diplomat father is appointed as the Turkish Consul General to Los Angeles where the family faces a devastating tragedy that will impact their lives in ways unfathomable. She is now forced to make a choice between passion that defines her and reason that guides her. (Taken from goodreads.com)


Review:  This book didn’t sit well with me.  The characters were vapid, annoying and otherwise not all that interesting.  The self-centered attitudes of all the characters made this book difficult to finish, but I did finish it (still don’t know how I managed it).  This story is more of one of obsession, because the main character merely wants to covet her best friend’s husband.  She is in love with the idea of him, not so much in love with him, with the attraction not the person.  It is nauseating.

To have a character that is so empty and shallow that they go around saying things like “Dear God, let him be jealous of me!” makes me ill.  Yasmin, the MC is unredeemable in her use of her best friend in my mind.  The way she analyzes herself is mindboggling and does show that the author does have a background in the mental health field, but we get stunning gems like this:

It is not because I would wilfully (sic) deny myself the joy of a ripping orgasm - I am a child of the roaring women's lib, after all- but because I was perfectly self-sufficient and I truly could not be bothered teaching him how my body worked.

Or, this:

Times after the end of a relationship should be used as an opportunity to listen to one's self, to register the authentic voices that spring from the solar plexus. To seek one's pat to genuine wholesomeness towards a deep-seated sense of being at home with one's self. What have you done instead? Your best remedy when you were rejected by one man was to seek another without examining the rubble left behind. Tennis club to the rescue!

I’m not sure I’d read this again, or to whom I would recommend it to.  Again, not a favorite, and I’d say it was a grand adventure, but then I’d sound vapid.

If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
My reviews can be found here:
http://www.caedyslibrary.blogspot.com
http://www.tumblr.com/caedy
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/caesreviews

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Sid Harta Publishers , via netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.  I thank the publisher for this opportunity.

Summary:  Yasmin and her Armenian classmate Ani were oblivious to ethnic differences during their school years in Istanbul. Years later they run into each other, and Ani introduces Renan, her husband, to Yasmin. At that moment under the blazing autumn skies, as Yasmin locks eyes with Renan, she knows that she has come upon her destiny. But political tensions in their land soon force Renan, her secret love, and his family to immigrate to Sydney.

A few years on, Yasmin's diplomat father is appointed as the Turkish Consul General to Los Angeles where the family faces a devastating tragedy that will impact their lives in ways unfathomable. She is now forced to make a choice between passion that defines her and reason that guides her. (Taken from goodreads.com)


Review:  This book didn’t sit well with me.  The characters were vapid, annoying and otherwise not all that interesting.  The self-centered attitudes of all the characters made this book difficult to finish, but I did finish it (still don’t know how I managed it).  This story is more of one of obsession, because the main character merely wants to covet her best friend’s husband.  She is in love with the idea of him, not so much in love with him, with the attraction not the person.  It is nauseating.

To have a character that is so empty and shallow that they go around saying things like “Dear God, let him be jealous of me!” makes me ill.  Yasmin, the MC is unredeemable in her use of her best friend in my mind.  The way she analyzes herself is mindboggling and does show that the author does have a background in the mental health field, but we get stunning gems like this:

It is not because I would wilfully (sic) deny myself the joy of a ripping orgasm - I am a child of the roaring women's lib, after all- but because I was perfectly self-sufficient and I truly could not be bothered teaching him how my body worked.

Or, this:

Times after the end of a relationship should be used as an opportunity to listen to one's self, to register the authentic voices that spring from the solar plexus. To seek one's pat to genuine wholesomeness towards a deep-seated sense of being at home with one's self. What have you done instead? Your best remedy when you were rejected by one man was to seek another without examining the rubble left behind. Tennis club to the rescue!

I’m not sure I’d read this again, or to whom I would recommend it to.  Again, not a favorite, and I’d say it was a grand adventure, but then I’d sound vapid.

If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
My reviews can be found here:
http://www.caedyslibrary.blogspot.com
http://www.tumblr.com/caedy
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/caesreviews

Review: Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer

Title:  Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony
Author:  Eoin Colfer
Rating: 4/5

I received a copy of this from the publisher, Disney-Hyperion, via netgalley.com for an honest review.  My thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Summary:  The fifth book in the Artemis Fowl series and another of my favorites.  This series does not seem to ever disappoint me.  Once again, Artemis will have to pair up with his old comrade, Captain Holly Short, to track down the missing demon and rescue him, before the time spell dissolves completely and the lost demon colony returns violently to Earth.  That’s all I’m sayin’ in my summary. 


Review:  Alright, so we have the fairy folk who moved underground to keep their world safe and secret from humans right?  Then we have the demons, who flat out refuse to join the fairy folk underground. Instead, these wonderful demonic creatures decide to move their whole island to another dimension.  Yup! Demons got it good, lets hop dimensions to keep our secret world safe from humans! This will work.  Failure on their part.

They are now stuck in Limbo! Such a wonderful place to be! Ain’t it? Especially when you are stuck there indefinitely…with nowhere else to go, right? No, something bad is bound to happen and it does of course, the spell weakened and now we are getting demons in present time – yup, always a good thing to have demons popping up in the present and causing demonic mischief and such!

Though, Artemis’ first attempt to capture one of the demons that come through is thwarted.  Someone got their first, leaving our hero flabbergasted, because that demon was supposed to be “his.” Oh, and did I mention it is a 12 year old GIRL that keeps Artemis on his toes.  She’s very pretty, and a French genius, her name is Minerva Paradizo. 

Will Artemis and his friends be able to save the world from destruction (again)?


If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
My reviews can be found here:
http://caedmoneries.wordpress.com
http://www.tumblr.com/caedy
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/caesreviews