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Original Review posted on <a title="Dance in Shadow and Whisper by Sarah Godfrey and Victoria deRubeis" href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/09/review-dance-in-shadow-and-whisper-by-sarah-godfrey-and-victoria-derubeis.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Original Rating: 4.5

Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste

<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> The authors provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.</i>
 
     Basically from the first chapter, I was pretty hooked. Actually, I would say the first sentence, but that could have changed from sentence two or even sentence three.

      Though if I said I nearly chucked the book across the room after sentence one, I would be telling a white lie.

      So I actually did like Dance in Shadow & Whisper. Really liked it. And I pretty much believed I was in for a good read from sentence one. In fact, I would have recommend it to my school book club but due to language, I would probably get whacked in the head. Literally.

      Yeah. Not happening. I'm the last fan of migraines and headaches (and bruises). I'm pretty sure the lot of us are as well.

      But here are a few reasons why I really liked the book and labeled it potential book club recommendation:

1. I think this tends to be the very obvious in a lot of books I read: the idea. Demons vs. Vampires. Finally vampires have a new group of people they don't really like that aren't called werewolves.
~ ABOUT TIME – in my very humble opinion. Not that anyone cares because they're probably too busy screaming “Team Jacob!” or perhaps “Team Teen Wolf!” (I probably made the Team Teen Wolf up. It is about werewolves after all.

2. I loved almost all of the characters' personalities, in which most are humorous and witty. But I particularly liked Kali, who is the main character in the book and seems to be a really fun person to be around (pigtails, lol).

3. Even though there are a few different POV changes throughout the book, it's easy to tell who's POV it is when it's not Kali.

4. The ending. Literally. If I say why I like it, I'll spill the milk and I might get haunted in the middle of the night. Because really...
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PewNyeCe7Do/TcGApe1JtjI/AAAAAAAABeU/2mvFe0wDB4s/s1600/cat-cats-kitten-kitty-pic-picture-funny-lolcat-cute-fun-lovely-photo-images-oh-god-why-would-you-do-that.jpg"; />

     It was flawless in the transition. That's all I'm going to say about the ending. But now I'm in another waiting room... just keep waiting.

      That's all I'm going to say and I refuse to say any more. But for Sarah Godfrey and Victoria DeRubeis's debut novel, Dance in Shadow & Whisper is definitely worth a read.
  
TS
The Secret Diary of Sarah Chamberlain
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).


When I read the blurb, I knew this was a book I wanted to read and review. I thought it'd be a YA (young adult) book since the main character is 15, but it read more like a MG (middle grade) book. Because it reminded me more of a MG read, I will be reviewing it as such. However, this was still a great read!

The title didn't catch my attention, but I think to a middle grade student, the title would be very catchy.

The cover is alright. It's nothing special, but I do feel it would appeal to a younger age group.

The world building was fantastic! Sarah Norkus does an awesome job at making the world building very believable. I'm no history buff, but Miss Norkus brings the Civil War era come alive. I enjoyed reading about life during the Civil War. It's obvious that Miss Norkus has done some research on this time period.

The pacing was slow at the very beginning. I really wanted to like this book, so I hung in there, and I was greatly rewarded. The pacing picks up when Em gets transported to Sarah Chamberlain's time, and after that, I was hooked on this book!

I loved the plot! Em finds a diary belonging to Sarah Chamberlain in an old house. When Em starts blaming God for everything, she is transported to the Civil War era. However, she ends up losing her memory and can't remember where she came from or anything from her modern life. Being Christian, I loved how the plot of this book had Christian themes.

I thought the characters were written fairly well. Em is supposed to be 15 years old, but I felt she acted and spoke like she was around 12 years old. I had to constantly remind myself that she was a 15 year old girl. Eventually, I just stopped reminding myself of her age and just thought of her as being 12. Em is a very likable girl even if she does act young. Sarah Chamberlain and Abby were both likable characters as well. I found them to both be very sweet natured. I loved how Moses was so protective of Sarah and her family and friends. My favorite character was Rachael. I loved how caring she was and how she would do anything for Sarah or for anyone for that matter. I constantly wanted to just hug her.

As I've said before, the dialogue suits a middle grade book more than it does a young adult book. I did find the way Em speaks, as in the words she uses, sometimes to be a little on the strange side. Other then that, the dialogue is good, and it does flow smoothly. It's just written a little young. There's no swearing and only some violence.

Overall, The Secret Diary of Sarah Chamberlain is a very enjoyable read. It could've been a bit better had the main character's age been lowered or if the writing had been more young adultish. It's a great story with a good message and interesting characters. Plus, there's a history lesson in it!

I'd recommend this book those aged between 10 - 14 although any age would enjoy it. Those who are interested in history and mysteries would enjoy this book the most.

I'd give The Secret Diary of Sarah Chamberlain by Sarah Norkus a 4.25 out of 5.


(I was provided with a free paperback copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
  
FL
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).

I read the blurb to this book, and I was instantly hooked! A spooky ghost story involving ghost hunters? Yes, please! Luckily, I wasn't disappointed by this book.

Kaylyn and her sister Cole both work for a company called Aicil as paranormal investigators. When Kaylyn gets the opportunity to investigate the creepy and old Teague Hotel, she jumps at the chance. However, bad things start happening to Kaylyn. She's being attacked by an unseen force, having blackouts as well as very strange dreams. Kaylyn can't understand whys he's being trageted specifically, but with her job, as well as her life on the line, she'd better figure it out...and quickly.

I love the cover of Fractured Legacy! It has a really creepy look to go with the rest of the book. I think the cover suits the book well, and with a cover like that, you know the contents will be creepy as well.

The world building was definitely believable. I felt like I was Kaylyn, and it was a book about me. That's how great of a job the author did. I was feeling scared right along Kaylyn and feeling frustrated when she did. I also loved the setting. A creepy hotel is one of my top places for spookiness.

The pacing did start out a bit slow, and I was wondering if I had made a mistake in agreeing to review this. Then, I felt as if the pacing just zoomed, and I was left wondering what had happened. Thankfully, after the first few chapters, the pacing settles down, and I couldn't read this story fast enough. It's definitely a page turner!

The plot was fantastic! Creepy stories with bad entities in them have been done a lot, but Skye Callahan turns that classic plot into her own. There are also a few plot twists which I didn't predict until a few chapters before they are revealed. As for the ending, it's not a big cliff hanger, but since this is going to be a series, it is left open for another book (which I can't wait to read). Oh, and there isn't much romance in this book. In fact, I can't think of any, but I'm not a big romance fan so I enjoyed that this story focused solely on what was going on with Kaylyn.

I loved Kaylyn. There were times I just wanted to hug her because I liked her that much. She endures a lot and often times feels like she is going insane. However, she's a very strong character and bounces back. I also like Jonah. At first, I found him to be a bit arrogant, but my heart melted towards him, and I found myself thinking what a kind and caring man he was. I was hoping he and Kaylyn would get together throughout the book because they seemed so great together. I did like Cole, but there's not a lot of her after the first few chapters. She does seem like a very caring sister though.

I enjoyed the dialogue and found that it flowed smoothly. It goes back and forth between Kaylyn's point of view and Jonah's. There are a few grammatical mistakes but nothing major. There are a few swear words, but nothing over the top.

Overall, Fractured Legacy is a creepy read that will leave you wanting more...and wanting to leave the lights on! It has a fantastic plot, a creepy setting, and well rounded characters.

I'd recommend this book to those age 17+ who truly want to read something spooky!

(I received a free ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
  
Cryptid
Cryptid
Michael Kott | 2018 | Young Adult (YA)
6
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Cryptid by Michael Kott is the second book of these series. It is a sequel to the Piasa, and you can find my review on that here. I have to admit and say that I didn’t enjoy Cryptid as much as I would like to, and you’ll find out why soon.

About the book:

Cryptid continues to tell the story of Sara, a girl that survives a car accident, when all her family dies. While in the first book she meets Mike, who gets her a job as his assistant in his adventures, in this book we will see Sara still maintaining that position, but a little bit from the background. When a few cats that look like leopards will appear at the museum, people start to get scared, and the police wants to shoot the animals. Then Mike and the team come to the rescue, to try and identify what the cats are, and save them from dying.

Review:

In Cryptid, we will be introduced to a couple new characters, some of which I happened to be very fond of (Hi Xenia!). The good thing for me was, that I could get a bit of a break from all the Sara moments. The thing I didn’t like was the fact that their background was too short and untold, and they kept making decisions based on the past that we didn’t know (I will mention Shannon’s decision here).

My favourite moments of the book, were, of course, those where Sara wasn’t there. Followed by my previous review of the Piasa, I sometimes like the character of Sara. But I also couldn’t agree with her. I couldn’t understand her character, behaviour and decisions. Maybe it is because of my own childhood. I mean, luckily, I haven’t lost any of my family, but I have lived without both parents in those crucial years, raised by grandparents, while having a little sister to look after, and having an aunt similar to Pamela to guide me through my worst. But I was never this arrogant, self-centered and desperate for ME-ME-ME attention like Sara. Whoa, that lady really can push my limits sometimes.

The same goes with everyone around Sara that constantly tries to please her, and make sure she’s not upset.

And what is the reason that all of the characters are losing their shoes somewhere?

Unlike Piasa, in this book the focus is only on one big event, at two main places – the park and the museum. Apart from a few places in the introduction, the whole story keeps us around these places, which I particularly didn’t mind, but some people may or may not find it boring.

I was a bit sad because I really like Mike, and he wasn’t as present with his story as his was in the other book. I expected to see and learn a bit more of him.

Not to be all negative though, there were a few moments that I really enjoyed! I loved to read about the sisterhood of Pamela and Xenia, and the beginning of the book was fantastic. Xenia is also such an incredible character, and I really admired her. I also loved the explanations on the different kinds of cats and their latin names and meanings.

All in all, I am a bit sad to say that this will be a 3 out of 5 stars. Especially because the author, Michael Kott, is a dear friend of mine, and I greatly enjoyed the Piasa. I may have expected a bit too much of this book, that left me disappointed. But I do believe that some of you might greatly enjoy it! If you like Young-Adult fiction, and stories about mystery animals and cryptids, you will definitely enjoy this book!

Thank you Mike, for sending me a copy of the Cryptid, in exchange for an honest review.
  
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The Dangerous Kind
The Dangerous Kind
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
1 in 100 people

We all recognize them. Those who exist just on the fringes of society. Who send prickles up the back of our necks. The charmers. The liars. The manipulators. Those who have the potential to go that one step too far. And then take another step.

WOW... is what I have to say for this thriller. This book grabbed me from the first chapter and never let me go. It tackles some difficult topics and it was quite uncomfortable to read in places but it was written well and not overly explicit.
I had tears while reading this; at times I wanted to scream in frustration at the characters. by the ending I was doing the mouth hanging open in surprise!
This story is told mainly from four different view points the story follows Jessamine, a radio presenter, her adopted daughter Sarah, Jitesh an intern at the BBC radio studios in present day London and Rowena in 2003.
I myself would love to see this turned into a movie.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
  
A Stranger on the Beach
A Stranger on the Beach
Michele Campbell | 2019 | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
10
8.0 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book was EXCELLENT. I was hooked from the very first line and I could not stop reading. Fun, fast-paced, and completely intriguing - Michele Campbell has done it again!

There is a stranger outside Caroline's house.

Or is he?

This story was so well-written. It's told from two perspectives: Aiden's and Caroline's. Neither is a particularly reliable narrator, and you will find yourself questioning SO MANY THINGS. There were quite a few scenes which seemed to happen one way when Caroline was narrating, but then seemed to happen a completely different way when Aiden was narrating. Who's telling the truth? What actually happened? How do Caroline's husband, Jason, or her sister, Lynn, figure in to the story? Discovering all of this is half the fun, and I'm being very mindful of spoilers so as not to take that fun away from prospective readers! ?

A Stranger on the Beach is a twisted (and twisty), gripping, page-turner releasing July 23rd - just in time to take it to the beach. Add it to your TBR list now!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to preview this title early in exchange for an honest review.
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) Mar 23, 2019

Great review! I’m excited to read this!

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MelanieTheresa (997 KP) Mar 24, 2019

Thanks! I'll be excited to hear what you think! ?

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Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Envy in Books

May 22, 2019  
Envy
Envy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
She wants your life – and she’ll do anything to get it…
Erica has always wanted to be exactly like her neighbour, Faye: beautiful, thin, and a mother. But Faye’s life isn’t as perfect as it seems – she has a terrible secret, and slowly but surely, it is threatening to destroy her and everything she holds dear.
When Faye’s daughter Tamsin goes missing after school, the police turn to Erica. But is Erica the only one who has been enviously watching Faye? Or is there another threat hiding in the shadows…?

Well this is a right tale of stalking,obsession, fury, longing and ENVY!
This story is very well written and flows easily.
The novel is broken down into several small chapters which makes this an easy fast read.
I really enjoyed the evolution of the characters throughout the book.
Be warned the story is told from 4 different POVs' which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I thought this was as an amazing thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed reading and can wholeheartedly recommend.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
  
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had no idea what I was getting into starting this novel. I have read a handful of Ancient Rome romances, and they all seem to be lacking. There seems to be one element missing, whether it be historical accuracy, a tangible storyline, or realistic romance. This novel had everything and more. The author really knew her history, using jargon that gave the story a more authentic feel.

What really got me was the story line. Most of the romance I have read begin with the couple either meeting, or coming together again after a separation, then their progression to falling in love. This story differed in that, you get to read their story, but it’s more about them fighting the fates to be together instead of learning about each other. It was a nice change of pace but every challenge they faced broke my heart. I feel that the ending made up for all the torment the author put me through, however.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an emotional read to go with their steamy scenes and historically correct jargon.
  
GO
Girl on the Run
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I love Daryl Wood Gerber's cozy mysteries, and was both curious and excited to get my hands on this, her first novel in the suspense genre. I was not disappointed!

At first glance, it appears to be a standard setup - woman found with her dead husband and accused of murder - but it quickly takes off in its own direction and never stops. Once Chessa decides that she is going to have to find the truth on her own and takes off running, the suspense doesn't stop. She doesn't know what is going on or who she can trust, and seems to encounter more questions than answers in her search for the truth. I was completely sucked in and had a hard time putting the book down.

Chessa is my favorite type of female heroine - strong and smart, but not perfect by any means. She's just too stubborn to give up.

I really enjoyed this new venture from a favorite author, and hope there will be more to come!

NOTE: I received a free advanced copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.