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I downloaded this novel free from Amazon because I was looking for a lighthearted paranormal romance to distract me. I assumed it was along the same vein as other paranormal romances I have made like Karen Chance’s Cassandra Palmer Series or Patricia Brigg’s Mercy Thompson series. I wasn’t too far off.

My favorite part of this book had to be the diversity of characters. Each character had their own personality, that it felt like you were reading about real people instead of caricatures. It seemed to come naturally too. There were no page long paragraphs tediously describing each character. You picked up bits and pieces along the way.

The world and story that Chase created were also pretty interesting. I am partial to ghost stories, which is what drew me to the book in the first place, so that whole aspect and how they dealt with the ghost was fantastic. The rest of the Chase’s mythology, however, is what was really interesting. After looking at future novels in the series, however, I feel that the series will become way to complicated and in depth for me. I also don’t enjoy reading about angels v. demons.

The novel has a couple twists. The one concerning the ghost didn’t feel like a twist to me. I figured it out much earlier in the novel so when it was confirmed I really didn’t even notice. The secret surrounding Kane, however, was pretty surprising. I wasn’t expecting it even though I knew he had a secret.

All in all, Haunted on Bourbon Street is a well-rounded novel with engaging characters, an interesting world, and plot that keeps you reading til the very end. I cannot think of a single thing I didn’t like about the novel. I am not sure I will read the rest of the series, however, after reading the synopsizes and seeing where the story is headed.

If you are looking for an enjoyable quick read, I highly recommend downloading it, especially since it’s currently free!
  
The Broken Girls
The Broken Girls
Simone St. James | 2018 | Horror, Thriller
10
8.5 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Spooky Ghost Story and Mystery in One!
When I first read the synopsis for The Broken Girls by Simone St. James, I knew it was a book I had to read. I was going to wait for it to come down in price, but the more I thought about the book, the more I knew I had to read it as soon as possible. Luckily, it was such a fantastic read!

The Broken Girls has such an interesting plot with everything I love such as a creepy boarding school, a scary ghost, and very big mystery. It felt like I was reading two different stories at the same time whilst reading this book, but it worked very well. Two mysteries at different time frames within the same book made for a great read. I loved reading about the mystery of Deb, the main character's sister, as well as Mary Hand, the ghost that haunts Idlewild Hall. I enjoyed how the two desperate stories came together brilliantly. Nothing felt rushed. It just flowed together so well. I also loved the little bit of true life history in the book. I had never heard of Ravensbruck prior to reading The Broken Girls. That tidbit was interesting. Although there were a few plot twists, I found them to be easily predictable. Saying that, this didn't take away my enjoyment from the book.

The characters in The Broken Girls were written fantastically! Almost every single character was fleshed out perfectly. I felt as if I was reading about real life people instead of fictional characters. The character that felt the most real to me was Sonia. My heart went out to her the most after all she had endured at such a young age. I admired Katie's leadership qualities. I also admired Fiona's thirst for the truth throughout everything. Mary Hand made such an excellent ghost! I enjoyed her backstory as well. She was so spooky to read about and what she could make people see was even more scary! The only character I would have loved to read a little more about was Rose Albert. I felt as if she could have had a very interesting back story as well.

The pacing for The Broken Girls was done very well. Nothing ever felt rushed nor was the pacing too slow where reading the book felt tedious and like it had to be done. Everything flowed so well.

Trigger warnings in The Broken Girls include violence, murder, attempted murder, ghosts, profanities, and drinking alcohol.

All in all, The Broken Girls was such a thrilling read that held my attention throughout. I loved the Gothic feel as well as just how beautifully written this book was. I would definitely recommend The Broken Girls by Simone St. James to those aged 16+ who enjoy a fantastically written mystery with a bit of the paranormal. This is one book that won't disappoint!
  
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Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) Jan 31, 2019

I have this. I just need to get off my butt and read it!

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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) Jan 31, 2019

I made myself buy it finally after just looking at it on Amazon day after day, haha.

I really enjoyed this cozy! It was my first trip to Sweet Pepper Tennessee, even though this is book 4 in the series. There was plenty of explanation along the way regarding people and places, so I didn’t feel at all lost jumping in at this point.

In this story, Stella has to find her kidnapped ghost friend, Eric, and investigate a string of illegal still explosions and fires. There are an abundance of suspects, some within the police department itself, and as she gets too close to the truth, Stella finds her own life may be at risk.

I always enjoy a story with a strong, intelligent female lead character, and Stella fit the bill perfectly. She is not perfect, and needs her circle of volunteer firefighters, friends, and her ghost-roommate to keep her out of trouble, but she has a good head on her shoulders and does a decent job taking care of herself.

As with many cozy mysteries, Sweet Pepper Hero includes some great looking recipes in the back. Personally, I am a big fan of the sweet / hot combination of chocolate and chilis, so I can’t wait to give one of these a try!

<u>Recipes include:</u>
Chocolate Cookies with a Bite
Tennessee Whiskey Cake with Cherries
Lemon Habanero Cookies

<i>Note: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review</i>
  
Haunting You (Bewitching Women #2)
Haunting You (Bewitching Women #2)
Viola Estrella | 2014 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
It is bad enough trying to pass exams at the best of times, let alone when it is the Bar exam and you're being distracted by an angry ghost. This is what happens to Rachel all the time. Since someone very close to her died and she helped him to move on, she can't stop seeing ghosts. She pretends like she can't but some are very persistent. Enter Ella, a control freak ghost who needs someone to keep an eye on her irresponsible brother who is looking after her two sons.

This story is fun from the very start, although that is not to say that it is all light and fluffy. There is a dark element to this that I won't go into too much detail about so I don't ruin the book. The sexual tension is between Rachel and August from the start and Nicholas and Zach are there to help things along too.

It is well-written with plenty to keep you interested page after page. The characters develop as the story moves on and one of my favourites was Nicholas. There is suspense, family obligation and pressure, humour, and nosy neighbours - what more could you want?

Definitely recommended.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
 
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
September 14, 2016