BotW: The Night Circus

Happy Sunday lovelies!  Another week has begun and that means it is time to share with you the book of the week!  I know, I missed last week - I blame acute bronchitis.  Now, I have meds and all sorts of things that are making me feel loads better!  Thankfully, I am using my bullet journal for plotting and planning and hopefully getting myself back on track to ensure that I keep creating awesome things for all of you to indulge in! 

Anyway, this book of the week is one of my favorites so far of 2016, and I want to read it again.  However, not so much adding it directly to my tbr pile because well...we all know the state of my TBR pile. 

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is absolutely wonderful.  Charming.  Brilliant.  Engrossing.  I finished this book in two days, and I absolutely fell in love.  It can possibly be a little bit confusing at first with the shifting POV however, it is well, well worth the read.  

Any and everyone I can recommend this book to I greatly will!  Read this book.  OH MY GOD read this book! 

Yes, there is the circus aspect, however there is also a competition between two young illusionists.  That competition is an interesting little twist to things, and makes the book all the more enjoyable because it takes a little bit for them to realize who they are competing against. The imagery in this novel is absolutely stunning and I want to live in this world. 

Have you read this book?  Is it on your TBR? 

Review: Prudence

Title: Prudence
Author: Gail Carriger
Format: Hardback
Pages: 359
Date(s) Read: July 3-8, 2015
Rating: 5

Summary: 

Book the First in The Custard Protocol series.  We follow Lord and Lady Maccon's daughter, Prudence and her best friend Primrose on a trip from London to India.  The trip taken of course by dirigable, given to Prudence by her adopted father, Dama. However, when you are a metanatural (having the ability to take another supernatural's abilities with the merest touch) things very rarely go as smoothly as one would hope.  

Review: 

Okay, so I have read this one without reading all of The Parasol Protectorate series.  I will remedy that eventually, the books are on my TBR pile and will be gotten to eventually.  However, even with the minimal background I had about the individuals in this story, I truly did enjoy it.

It was within the first thirty or so pages that I realized that I was getting quite a few spoilers from the PP series, however, there has been enough time between reading this and the time that I ultimately get to the rest of the PP series that I will have likely forgotten them.  Don't judge me.  Yes, it is also killing my book OCD that I read a spin-off without finishing the ACTUAL first series. 

This story did get a bit ditsy for me, and the focus on proper fashion and reputation and things like that was not entirely unexpected for the time period that this is set in.  Steampunk, Victorian, etc it is quite expected for propriety and proper dress.  Prim tended to annoy the absolute crap out of me, but I did enjoy the character and how she interacts with Rue as well as her brother. 

The entire cast of characters were absolutely wonderful and entertaining.  I love the wit and snark between the quad on "The Spotted Custard," on their time in the air and even when they stop in various places along the way from London to England. 

I can understand some of the negativity that this book received, however, I can think that some of it might be around the hype for this particular book.  I went into it without all of that.  To be honest, the only reason I'd actually picked up the book initially from the library was the fact that I absolutely LOVED the cover, and to be honest I am a sucker for an awesome cover.  I was pleasantly surprised with the story, and definitely believe that this book is so much more than an interesting cover.

Review: Strings

Title: Strings
Author: David Estes
Format: Ebook
Pages: 354
Date(s) Read: Feb 9-10, 2016
Rating: 5

Summary: 
Pia, a sixteen-year-old girl, has always lived in a mysterious facility where her existence is controlled by mechanical strings.  Apprenticed to her father, Gio, she soon suspects diabolical human forces behind what she knows as her reality.  Will she be able to reveal the secrets of the Company, or will the risks she takes be too great?

Review: 

I was gifted an ARC of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. 

There is a reason David Estes is by far one of my favorite YA authors.  He has once again crafted a magical world that I want to be a part of.  Sci-fi twists on fairy tales have become some of my favorite things to read...it's the reason I enjoy reading Cinder and books of that particular genre.  Retellings with a spin crafted by the author are absolutely wonderful.  

The gender swap of the traditional Pinnochio, by making Pia female was something that was refreshing.  I love her Papa, Gio!  Fig is absolutely wonderful as well!  I just love it all.  

Pia seeks to break free of her strings, however, in doing such she is forced to take so very many risks.  She must navigate the dangers posed by Mr. Davis who obviously does not want her to gain her freedom and expose the truth of the Company.  

I absolutely love that the book comes with it's own 'moral of the story,' like traditional fairytales usually do. The development of the characters throughout the story, the pacing in general are quite good and nothing less than I would expect from an Estes story!  The plot twists and turns definitely are enough to keep me enthralled.  

I will eventually have to lay claim to this one in audio as well, because I'm looking forward to hearing Kate Rudd read this fantastic story! 

Thank you to David Estes for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book before it was released!  

Review: Shatter Me

Title: Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Format: Ebook (Kindle)

Pages: 338

Date(s) Read: June 29-30, 2015

Rating: 5

Summary: 

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in 264 days.  The last time she did, the Reestablishment locked her up for murder.  Who would worry about a seventeen-year-old girl.  The Reestablishment said that their way was the only way, and so Juliette went into a cell.  Now, so many have died, that the people are whispering war.  Juliette now has a choice....be a weapon or be a warrior. 

Review: 

Okay, honestly, I've not been entirely known to see all the hype in most books.  There have been a few that have easily won the five star mark from me and lived up to the epic amount of hype.  I have read the hype, the amount of fabulous words written about this book and ultimately this series. It has earned some of it. 

There are things that drove me absolutely crazy about the first book, and there are things that I absolutely loved.  The constant strikethroughs of many things was at the absolute top of my maddening list.  Honestly, I think that could have been left out...with the words just left in.  Though, I do understand the visual it gives to the one reading this story and for that I chose to overlook them.  

The character development was interesting.  Getting to know the characters in this story was one of my favorite things.  There are some I love, Kenji and James.  There are some that got on my absolute nerves: Warner, Juliette.  There are some that I am still not entirely sure about: Adam.  

Beyond that, I will definitely be looking over the rest of this series!

Review: Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman

Title: Fortunately, the Milk
Author: Neil Gaiman
Format: E-book (Kindle)
Date Read: December 7, 2013
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: YES YES YES YES!

Summary: While picking up milk for his children's cereal, a father is abducted by aliens and finds himself on a wild adventure through time and space.

Review: The ability for this man to craft a story astounds me! Everything he writes, I fall in love with, and this one is no exception!  This one I read in a couple of hours, and it is such an adorable, whimsical story that had me sucked in from the very beginning, and the illustrations are just pure delight added to an already fantastic story. 

A father has to head to the corner store to obtain milk for his children's cereal so they actually have something for breakfast (and he has milk for his tea).  However, it isn't just a simple trip to the corner store for milk as the father is then abducted by aliens! 

This book features aliens, dinosaurs, time travel, strange jungle people, a volcano god, wumpires, and two children who ultimately can choose to believe or not believe their father's fanciful tale of what happened and why his trip to the store took longer than it should have.

Review: The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Title: The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things

Author: Carolyn Mackler

Format: E-book (Kindle Edition)

Read: July 15-17

Rating: 5/5

Recommend: OMG Yes!

Summary: Virginia Shreves is fifteen. She is larger-than-average, and has the plus-size inferiority complex to go with. Her best friend has moved to Walla Walla, Washington (as far from NYC as you can get) and she's just gotten to second base with Froggy Welsh the Fourth (yeah, that's his real name). There are moments of light-heartedness, and moments of seriousness that will take your breath away.

Review: This book has appeared numerous times on the American Library Association's banned/challenged book list for a variety of reasons, most of which are 'unsuitable to age group,' however that is a load of crap.

Find me one teenage girl who is the 'fat girl' and tell me she doesn't have self-esteem issues. I know, I was that teenage girl. I was the 'fat girl,' 'the nerd,' and pretty much anything else you could call me. No, my life was not as tragic as Virginia's is, but I still dealt with my fair share of weight bashing from my peers, I had the places that I could 'hide' when I didn't want to be seen, that sort of thing. It took me ages to finally accept myself, accept who I was, and learn what -I- had to do to change things.

After Virginia's brother, Byron, falls from grace and comes home from Columbia for a semester. Things are tense and at the most a failed attempt to be 'picture perfect' in the Shreves household. A trip to Seattle and other life changing events continue to open up Virginia's eyes until she is completely (or as close to completely) at ease with herself. There is a happy ending, and purple hair, and an eyebrown piercing, and even a forbidden public display of affection (that goes against the Fat Girl Code of Conduct!).

All in all, this is a very well written story of every overweight teenage girl who strives to 'fit in' in high school and fill a role that was originally carved out by their older siblings in a picture-perfect family.

I recommend this to anyone who has ever had self-esteem issues for weight, or whatever other reason, and ultimately needed to learn to be true to themselves no matter what others may think of them.

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

Feature Friday: Guardians of Vesturon Series

Hey everyone! Welcome to today's Feature Friday.  Yeah, I like names for my features especially when I do them like this.  Today I will be focusing solely on the A.M. Hargrove series The Guardians of Vesturon.  As of right now, this series has three books: 

1. Beginnings: Prequal to the Guardians of Vesturon
2. Survival
3. Resurrection

These books are fantastic, and you can find most at least two of them for free at a couple of different locations: Amazon.com and Smashwords.com.  The third one is relatively cheap, and it is WELL worth the purchase price.  Why am I focusing solely upon this series today, well it goes hand in hand with a post I've got coming tomorrow! If you've been following it, currently there is a cover release tour for the next book in the Guardians of Vesutron series, and I will be revealing that here tomorrow. However, there will be reviews of the first three books in this series, as well as my favorite picture from the A.M. Hargrove Fan Group on Goodreads.com, in the "What does your Guardian look like?" thread.  So, look out for the eye candy coming up in a bit. 

Blurb: You met the Guardians of Vesturon in Survival and Resurrection. Now read about how their parents, Rowan and Annalise met in Beginnings, the novella Prequel to The Guardians of Vesturon. Learn more about Rowan and how Annalise unwittingly captured his heart and how his chance meeting of her took him on a journey of forbidden love.

This is a fantastic introduction to this series, providing some back story to Rowan and Annalise's relationship.  This is Ryan Yarristar's history, how his parents met and fell in love.  Annalise worked in the cafeteria and Rowan fell in love with her, he had to save her.  However, being heir to the leadership of Vesturon, Rowan is forbidden to mate with a woman beneath his station and Annalise most certainly is below his station as she is a member of the working class.  Review: Beginnings: Prequel to The Guardians of Vesturon

Blurb: "Maybe I was caught between the two worlds. I was having serious trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality."

While on a backpacking trip in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, nineteen-year-old Maddie Pearce finds her world has been thrown into a vortex and is madly spinning toward the impossible. Abducted by a mad psychopath, Maddie narrowly escapes with her life. But that is only the beginning. Her mysterious rescuer introduces her to a world that Maddie has difficulty accepting as reality. Will this strikingly gorgeous stranger be the key to her future or will she return to her mundane world, scarred from her experience? Follow Maddie as she is forced to make difficult decisions that carry her to mysterious places.

Book one of the Guardians of Vesturon starts us off into the story of Maddie, who has been abducted by a psychopath, and narrowly escapes.  However, things will not be going back to normal, considering her mysterious rescuer has now introduced her to a world that she can't quite wrap her head around and accept it as reality.  Can Maddie return to the mundane world knowing what she currently knows, and what role does this mysterious stranger hold for her future?  Review: Survival by A.M. Hargrove

Blurb: Rayn Yarrister, the first-born son and Leader of The Guardians, has been imprisoned on Vesturon for breaking their most sacred of covenants. He is suddenly jolted by Maddie's telepathic pleas for help, as her life hangs in the balance. Can he alert The Guardians in time to save his soulmate? Or will he face his trial alone and broken without his one true love? 

In Resurrection (Book 2), The Guardians of Vesturon are facing their biggest challenges as Earth is threatened by an invading species from a distant planet intent on destroying it for its resources. The Guardians, as protectors of the universe, have been assembled to defend not only Earth, but other vulnerable worlds as well. The Yarrister family is threatened by an unknown entity intent on discrediting them. Will they uncover this plot in time to save themselves from ruin? Will The Guardians succeed in stopping the Xanthians, or will Earth be invaded and ravaged by this marauding species?

This is the second (or third depending on how you look at it) book in the Guardians of Vesturon series by A.M. Hargrove, and is just as epic as those that came before it.  There is more Rayn and more Maddie and did I mention more Rayn? Things of course go from bad to worse, what with Earth being threatened by an invading species intent on destroying it for resources.  Guardians now must be assembled to defend Earth but other worlds as well.  Oh, and there is also a threat against the Yarrister family as well, so what's going to happen? Review: Resurrection by A.M. Hargrove

Now, I promised you eye-candy, and you shall have eye candy! These are some of the images that portray "What our Guardian looks like..."

 

These images were gathered from sources around the world wide web, and I do not hold any of the copyrights to these images.  All are sourced to their original owners.  The model in images one and four is Jesse Pavelka, and is omg smoking hot.  

Review: Resurrection by A.M. Hargrove

Title: Resurrection (The Guardians of Vesturon #2)
Author: A.M. Hargrove
Rating:  5/5

Summary:   Earth is being threatened by an alien species, threatening to destroy the planet for its resources.  Also, there has been someone trying to bring the Yarrister family to ruin.  Will they be discredited or will they uncover the plot?  More importantly will Earth be saved?


Review:   This is the second book in this series and I fell in love all over again with these characters.  The progression was something that I loved and the way that the characters came together.  The flow was very natural and organic.  Resurrection picked up right where the first book, Survival, left off.  Maddie needed help, she was seriously injured and the only way to help was to again break all the rules and bring her to Vesturon to be healed.

A.M. Hargrove’s skill at world building is something I absolutely adore, because we get to see more of Vesturon, Rayn’s home. The descriptiveness of the world makes me want to be able to go there and experience the richness of the world myself.  It is such a wonderful place and the overall descriptiveness of the book is something that I enjoyed.

I loved the fact that the character growth continued through this book, and everyone that I loved came back in this book to continue to grow through the different struggles and learn more about themselves.  Also, I adored the fact that the relationship between Maddie and Rayn was not rushed, but allowed to grow naturally and that you could actually feel the connection between them. 

Definitely enough action to keep you entertained and most definitely going to leave you wanting more!

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
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Review: Survival by A.M. Hargrove

Title: Survival (The Guardians of Vesturon #1)
Author: A.M. Hargrove
Rating:  5/5

Summary:   Nineteen-year-old Maddie is abducted by a psychopath, and manages to narrowly escape with her life.  However, her rescuer is an enigma, and opens up Maddie to a world that she has trouble accepting as reality.  She then has some choices to make, to return to the mundane world, or to follow this mysterious stranger who may have some key to her future.


Review:    This book is by far one of my favorites, and it is so full of emotions.  I laughed and cried and laughed again.  It also helps that there are some swoon-worthy sexy men in this story (Rayn and his brothers).  With the amount of well thought out characters in this book, A.M. Hargrove, did an epic job of ensuring that we knew who was speaking and when, especially during the final scenes of this book when the point of view constantly jumped around. 

I fell in love with Maddie as a female lead, she is fun and carefree, but she has her own skeletons to deal with – the death of her parents and keeping her emotions bottled up instead of talking about them. She is one of those characters that are easy to like, however, there were a few inconsistancies with her that I was able to get past for the most part. 

Rayn, how could you not fall in love with him?!  He is sweet and caring and pretty much everything that a girl could want.  I love reading his point of view, his love for Maddie and the conflict that it creates in him, and yet you still know that he would do anything for her.

The different points of view was well managed, and the transitions between the points of view was handled in such a way that there was no confusion. One of my biggest issues was the initial switch from Maddie to Rayn and we had to once more experience everything all over again but from a different perspective.  It however, did nothing ot chance the story or give us new information other than further show us Rayn’s feelings for Maddie, which didn’t need quite so far a trip back in time. 

I have to bow down to A.M. Hargrove for her absolutely wonderful imagery.  The descriptions of the scenery, mountains, and etc, was so very beautiful, and it made me wish that I was there.  The creation of this world made me want to hike again and there is no such place here where I could adequately hike and emerse myself in something as vivid as this world that she’d created.  Her writing style, is definitely one that I enjoyed and kept the flow of the story done quite well.  In truth the only issue I had with this book was the cliff-hanger ending! Seirously?! GAH!

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: Beginnings: Prequel to The Guardians of Vesturon

Title: Beginnings: Prequel to The Guardians of Vesturon
Author: A.M. Hargrove
Rating:  5/5

Summary:  Annalise is a member of the working class.  She works in the cafeteria.  Rowan, soon to be leader of Vesturon sees her and falls in love with her.  However, since she is beneath his station he is not permitted to marry her.  This is a fantastic love story that tells the story of Rowan and Annalise parents to Rayn Yarrister.


Review:  This is a heart-felt love story.  Telling the story of how Rowan and Annalise, parents to Rayn Yarrister met.  This is a story of individuals who conquer society’s boundaries, fall in love and ultimately create a family.  It is a fantastic prequel to Survival and Resurrection, the next two books in the Guardians of Vesturon series.  This story inspires hope in fairytale type love, that when you find the right person for you, you will be willing to do anything and everything within your power to be with that person. 

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

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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Author Read and Review Corner

Alright, so through various groups that I am part of on Goodreads, I have come across some epic books that I've been given a chance to review by the author.  Today's blog post will feature a handful of books by various authors that I've been given the pleasure of reading their books.

Alright, are you ready for a showcase of four fantastic books?  I know I am! So, let's get started.

First book on the list, is A Story not Wished to be Read by Nicola Black.  This is a collection of poetry and is actually quite good, nothing about it ruffled my feathers like some poetry is known to do.  My review was short, but this is by far a four star book, and one that will keep you thinking long after you've read through this short collection.  Review: A Story not Wished to be Read by Nicola Black.

Now, from poetry we venture off into some Dreadful Beginnings, which is the first in the Penny Dreadful series by Marty Shaw.  This book is cute, and I'm looking forward to reading more about Penny and Dr. H. as the series progresses.  Epic book here.  I mean you've got a teenage heroine with pink highlights, strange and mysterious Doctor (complete with nifty and mysterious suitcase of epic demon slaying things), and Penny's new "company car" is a hearse! Review: Dreadful Beginnings by Marty Shaw

From a teenage demon slayer and the strange Dr. H we go to the story of Heather Robbins who has finally escaped her hometown and is beginning her freshman year of college, her own apartment, and so much more, but wait, it's all been a dream?  Spending time in a coma, Heather has created this life in a dream.  She must now press forward and begin finding out the truth, but will she lose all that she has fallen in love with when she finally finds it? Review: Reflection by Jessica Roberts

From dreams created in a coma patient to the New England Immortals, see, I told you this would be a unique and entertaining venture going all over the place!  Andrea Dayla is heading off to college, leaving her Uncle behind, and heading to the town of Hanover, however little does she know that the stories her Uncle has been telling her have been truthful, and not just superstitious nonsense. She meets Shane Brennen and falls in love, but being a teenager and being in love is only half of it right?  Something has to go horribly wrong doesn't it?  Yup, turns out Andrea is only one in a long line of immortal vampire hunters - wait doesn't that mean she has to kill her boyfriend? Just great! Review: Believe by E. Leighanne Grimm-Weever

All of these books are among my favorites and I will definitely be looking for more books in each of these series (save for the poetry book because it isn't in a series).  I've fallen in love with these characters as we are all inclined to do when we get our hands on a good book.  Take a look at all of these books and you will hopefully fall in love with them as well.

Review: Dreadful Beginnings by Marty Shaw

 Title:  Dreadful Beginnings
Author:  Marty Shaw
Rating: 5/5

Summary:  ~There are things out there. Dark and scary things that will kill you in strange and terrible ways. They live in shadows and feast on blood. They don’t belong in our world, but they’re here. You don’t have to freak out, though, because there’s this guy out there too. He calls himself Doctor Horror and he fights those bad things, but he needs help in his fight against the darkness.

Lucky for him, I’m the right girl for the job.~ (Taken from goodreads.com)

Review:  I received a copy of this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

Written in a teenage girl’s POV this story is absolutely wonderful.

One of my favorite set of quotes from this book:
"What's that?"
"the ultimate weapon for killing demons"
"It's a suitcase ."
"Well, yes, it is but it holds the ultimate weapon against killing demons"
Yeah, it actually happens, and yes it is actually a suitcase that is filled with all sorts of interesting things that will help Penelope fight demons. 

The cover of this book completely got my attention, like no joke, it is one of the best covers and so completely fits this story and series.  Dog.  Bone.  Enough said. This book is SHORT, but not super short.  It will have you most definitely begging for more by the time you get to the last page.  This series is bound to do well.

It begins with Penelope Dire, just out of high school, working a crappy telemarketing job, she doesn’t want a boring desk job, and can’t really conform to the “office life style” and thus quits.  However, she really doesn’t know what was waiting for her when she left that desk job and met Dr. Horror.  A spell for prosperity and love kinda goes wrong and releases a rather nasty demon, and Penny must now help Dr. Horror slay it. 

Teenage girl with pink highlights – just the image you want for a demon slayer right?  Oh, and seriously, you’ve got a kick-butt heroine, strange and mysterious Doctor complete with NIFTY suitcase, fantastic writing, the pacing was just perfect, oh yeah, and Penny’s new company car, a HEARSE!  Because that’s just the ride for the demon slayer right?! Come on now? You know you love it.

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: Coveting My Neighbor's Wife by Epic Sex Stories

Title: Coveting My Neighbor’s Wife
Author:  Epic Sex Stories
Rating: 5/5

Summary:  The hot wife needs money to save her husband's life, so enters a Faustian bargain with the horny neighbor: money for unlimited sex-on-demand. But he has no idea how long the sex freak has been denied pleasure, forcing him to step up his game to give her what she so badly needs. Their relationship blossoms, but what will the husband do when he finds out? (Taken from Goodreads.com)


Review:  Adult book.  Adult review.  This was a free book from the Author on smashwords.com, and if you are looking for a quickie story that has hot sex, a touch of blackmail and starts off with an indecent proposal then this is most definitely for you.  The witty dialogue helped move the story along easily, and the sex scenes had enough detail to keep me interested throughout the story as did the interactions that did not involve sex. Everything eventually falls into place for the couple and they do have a happily ever after spawned by their affair (though not that either of them were in happy places to begin with). 

This was a short book, and thus it is going to be a short review.  I love the sex in this book, the adventures that the couple have in the time that they are together.  It spans about ten months or so and highlights various events that occur during the ten months they were together.


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: Philippa Fisher and the Fairy's Promise

Title:  Philippa Fisher and the Fairy’s Promise (Philippa Fisher #3)
Author:  Liz Kessler
Rating:  5/5

Summary:  Philippa is excited to spend her vacation with her friend Robyn, but she has no idea just how much excitement awaits. When a magic spell carved on a mysterious circle of rocks transports Philippa to fairy godmother headquarters, she learns that her own mother is in danger. To protect her mom from a serious accident, Philippa must pretend to be a fairy, while Daisy, her fairy godsister, returns to Earth as Philippa! And that’s just the beginning of their adventure. After passing a harrowing test of their loyalty to each other, Philippa and Daisy undergo a fantastic journey to rescue a lost fairy who has devoted her powers to maintaining the portal of the stone circle. With time running out, and the worlds of humans and fairies at risk of being severed, Daisy finds herself facing an extraordinary choice that has the power to change her life forever. (taken from Goodreads.com)

Review:  Okay, so I had my usual final book in a series anxiety with this one, because it is just that, the final book in the Philippa Fisher series, and I have to say it is my favorite book of the series.  Things get way more complicated than they have been in the books prior to this and there are more mysteries than ever before! The trio of friends in this book is something else, and I love them to pieces: Philippa, Robyn and Daisy. 

There is suspense in this book, something that isn’t so much in the others.  It isn’t a good or bad feeling, just the addition of a little drama that makes things a bit more interesting as the story progresses.  I also do like the way that this is written, much like the rest of the series there isn’t so much “chapters” but noticeable shifts from person to person, so we actually get to experience the thoughts and feelings of each character individually throughout the book.  Also, we meet some new faces, and the ending does leave the hope that there may be a fourth installment to the Philippa Fisher series.

The setting is the same as in the previous book, Philippa Fisher and the Dream-Maker’s Daughter, but the season is different.  This time the Fishers are visiting Robyn and her Dad over the winter holidays, and are going to be spending New Years with them.  Robyn’s dad doesn’t make much of an appearance in this one, and isn’t really a major player in the story, however we do get to see another side to the eccentric and artsy Mrs. Fisher in this story. 

The stone circle, Tidehill Rocks, is the scene of the event, which I am certain you can guess, if you know some of the mythology and magical history surrounding stone circles, and brings about the start of another adventure for this trio of best friends.  It is easy to read, and darn it I want more Philippa Fisher!

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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Book Review: Malice by Griffin Hayes

Title:  Malice
Author: Griffin Hayes
Rating: 5/5

Summary:  When a series of shocking suicides rock the small town of Millingham, Massachusetts, the authorities are left with a single burning question. Why are all the victims gouging their eyes out?

Only seventeen-year-old Lysander Shore knows these aren't suicides at all. There's a serial killer stalking the people of Millingham. One that murders at will and never leaves a trace.

Soon, the long trail of bodies leads Lysander to a dark secret. One that traces back to a witch's trial and execution 350 years ago. The deeper he digs, the more he realizes the victims aren't nearly as random as they seem. In fact, the killer has a list and Lysander is next (taken from Goodreads.com).


Review:  This book, is definitely amongst my favorites.  I was drawn to the cover, drawn to the story from the blurb and it made me pause and go, “Alright, now I have to read this…,” and got it from Amazon.com for my Kindle and read it in just less than a full day – it sucked me in and wouldn’t let me go. 

I love paranormal, I love thriller and everything in between.  His writing is fantastic and there was little problem keeping my attention considering how quickly I finished this book.  There is murder, there is mystery and a small sampling of romance.  While it is all those things, it is also a bit of murder/suicide, creepy, witches, paranormal thriller type of book (stolen from Tana's Review because the wording is exactly what I’d use to describe this book!)

Dark secrets and shadows abound, and Lysander is the key, but can he unravel everything before he himself ends up like everyone else connected to the past, dead.  This is definitely a MUST read for any young adult paranormal lover!


If you have any questions, comments or recommendations you can contact me at simplicity.kindreth@gmail.com
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