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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t think it was capable for the series to get better. Haskell is such a talented writer and story teller that the second installment not only expands on the first, it enriches it. In this novel, we are treated to more in-depth look at the world and mythology, which are both intricate and original.

Plus I absolutely love Rio. She is a solid character, it’s hard to not like her. She has such a strong, dynamic personality, and yet we are allowed to see the inner workings of her mind where her insecurities are evident.

A steady paced novel with an interesting world and entertaining characters, Sanyare is an immediate favorite that I tend to follow to its end.
  
Well, I've found yet another cozy mystery series to add to my must-buy list! I really enjoyed the setting - a working historical farm - and learned everything I could want to know about maple syrup production. Not in a clinical way, but as interesting bits of information presented during the story.

Our heroine Kelsey has her hands full trying to run the farm, raise her kindergarten-age son, and solve a murder before the police can pin it on one of her young employees. There was an interesting cast of characters, and that homey, small-town feel that I love in a good cozy.

While previous events are mentioned, it's not necessary to have read book 1 to know what's going on.

NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
  
Silence of the Lamps is book #5 in the Caprice De Luca mystery series, and while previous cases are mentioned, you do not need to have read the earlier books in the series to enjoy this one. The interaction between Caprice and her sisters is so realistic you almost feel like part of the family while reading the story. And when one of her sisters is the prime suspect in a murder investigation, how can Caprice stay out of it? The more she asks around, the more she finds that her sister Nikki was far from Drew’s only enemy. With lots of clues to keep you guessing at the identity of the murderer, this was a fast paced, fun read.

NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts / opinions are my own.
  
I was very impressed with this new approach to drawing lessons. Fresh and different there is a lot to learn. There are several "Chapters" touching on subjects such as: Shading, Using Negative Space, Checking Proportions, Simplifying Things, and more. Seeing the examples and poor David's frustration at constantly having to redraw lines, helps me feel a little more normal in my artwork. I love the interaction between teacher and student. David's eagerness to learn and study...And his teacher's guiding hand, bringing him back to earth. I recommend this book for those who have a basic concept of drawing, but would like to learn more. Have fun with it, and remember, art is NOT like math!

I received a free copy of The Drawing Lesson through Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
  
Drawn (Moon Claimed, #1)
Drawn (Moon Claimed, #1)
Lilou Roux | 2013
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**

3.5 stars.

I really like the books cover, which is always a good thing :)

So, this is the debut story from the author and I was intrigued from the beginning. Why did she have these dreams? Why did she recognise the lake in the picture?

I liked Nathan. He seemed like a really nice, sexy guy who had his eye on Tess right from the start. And some of the sex scenes were fairly steamy... ;P

The story concept was different to any other I've read in the "mates" sense, though I wont spoil it by telling you how and let you read it for yourself.

There are a few minor wording issues but considering the author is from France, it is overall very good.
  
NC
Nightmare City
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
(This review can also 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 to Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan, I knew it was a book I had to read! While it wasn't a fantastic read, it was still decent enough.

I think the title of this book suits it quite well. What the main character is in is a city made from his nightmares!

At first I wasn't sure if I liked the cover, but it's kind of grown on me. Now I do like it. I like how we see the monsters coming out of the fog. Definitely creepy!

I thought the world building was done really well. It has a super creepy and sinister feel about it. In fact, the world felt so real at times, it was like I was Tom.

The pacing does let the book down somewhat, I felt. For the first three quarters of the book, I felt that the pacing was a bit slow. In fact, there were times when I would just skim paragraphs as I became bored. However, the pacing did pick up in the last quarter of the book, of which I was thankful. From there until the end, I couldn't put the book down!

I thought the whole idea for the plot was interesting. It's not an original idea, but Klavan put his own spin on it making it a bit different. I'd go into more detail, but I don't want to give any spoilers away. Oh, and as for the mystery part of the book, I would've never guessed who the culprit was! There's no cliff hangers, so I believe this book may just be a stand alone.

I thought all the characters were written superbly! Though most of the book, the only character featured is Tom. Tom seemed to me like a typical 17 year old male. He likes cars and girls, but he also quests for the truth which puts his life in jeopardy. I liked how down to Earth Tom was and how he couldn't be intimidated when it came to letting the truth be known. Even though she isn't featured very much, I did like the character of Lisa. I liked how friendly she was, and I felt like she was just a very warm person. There's also the character of Marie, Tom's crush, which I liked to begin with, but I'm not going to say anything due to spoilers.

The dialogue flowed very well, as did the character interactions. Nothing felt disjointed or awkward at all. There's no swearing in this book and only mild violence.

Overall, Nightmare City is a decent read. The pacing does let it down a bit, but I think most people would like the book.

I'd recommend this book to those aged 14+ who are fans of horror or those who want to be a bit creeped out.

I'd give Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan a 3.5 out of 5.


(I received a hardback copy of this book for free from booksneeze.com in exchange for a a fair and honest review).