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The Keeper (DCI Antonia Hawkins, #3)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Also read it here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-keeper-by-alastair-gunn

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<i>No interesting quote for this book I'm afraid...</i>

This started badly, for me. There’s nothing like starting a new detective book and being planted in the middle of a therapy session. Who would have thought a senior police officer who has enough baggage to need therapy? Well I never! That’s something I’ve only seen done 1 million times before… <i>sigh.</i> Thank God it picked up with the excitement afterwards because I wasn’t interested in Hawkins’ anxiety or love life.

This was by no means unique to other detective novels out there. They all have the same sort of plot and characters and themes, but this one did keep me more interested than some of the others I’ve read, purely because there was a humorous side to it as well as the serious side too.

This had some really exciting moments and it had some really drawn out, drab moments where we were repeatedly updated on how the case was going, even though we already knew… cause we were reading the book… so I think a lot of this novel could have been cut down to make a shorter novel. 400 pages is quite a lot for a detective series novel, especially one where there’s not a lot of evidence or leads to the case. This really was up and down, up and down, the whole way through. I lost interest so much in some places that I was completely distracted while reading it but then when we got onto a big reveal or breakthrough part, I rushed through it to know what happened next! There were some really great edge of the seat, nail biting moments! It was quite the hit and miss story.

As far as characters go, there weren’t any that I really connected with very well, but none of them were dislikable people. It could get a bit confusing to remember who was who because they’d go from their first name to their last name, back to their first name and then their last name again etc etc. It would have been nice to have some consistency with what the author called them.

This was by far a 3 star read until the twist at the end. I mean, really, I should have seen it coming, I’ve read a million crime thrillers before, but I just hadn’t suspected this one! Really, there were two twists at the end of this, the first one shocked me and then the second one I was expecting because of the first. The ending of this novel was really thrilling and nerve-wracking, it was a great way to finish it off.

Also, considering this is the third novel in a series (something Netgalley hadn’t made me aware of when I requested it!) this did really well as a standalone novel. I didn’t feel like I was missing any part of the characters stories, even when it came to the subject of Hawkins’ therapy sessions.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
  
The Book of Essie
The Book of Essie
Meghan McLean Weir | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Gender Studies, Religion
10
8.1 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
It's so hard to decide where to start with this book. First: it's amazing. Second: Content Warning. For a number of reasons. Rape. Incest. Gay Conversion Therapy. Suicide. Nothing extremely graphic; the most graphic concerns the conversion therapy, which is where the suicide occurs. That section was hard to read. A lot of sections were hard to read. But the book was SO GOOD. It's about Essie and Roarke's escape from all that, so ultimately it focuses on the future, and it's a hopeful, light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel kind of book. But daaaaang these topics.

I loved so many of the characters here. Essie and Roarke, Roarke's best friend Blake, Liberty, the reporter, her boyfriend and her camerawoman. They're all amazing. Essie's determination, Roarke's courage, Blake's understanding - every character has something to offer in this book. The way Liberty's history entwines with Essie's, so she knows where she's coming from and can offer advice from experience, and how Liberty flashes back to her childhood so the reader understands her conflicts - it's all just so amazing.

I identify pretty closely with a lot of this book myself; I was raised very conservative Christian, though at least not in a crazy cult like Liberty was. But the way Liberty talks about her boyfriend challenging her beliefs and waking her up from them hit very close to home. It was weird to see it on the page.

"I had been home as well, a painful few months during which I began to see my parents, our family, and our church as Mike might see them, as anyone who was not us would see them. I still loved my parents, very much, but I was also deeply ashamed. I began to wonder what would have happened if I'd seen it earlier....I decided that I would not go home again."

I was cheering for Essie as she broke free of her bigoted family. Every step of the way. And Roarke - oh, Roarke, who my heart broke for, who stepped up to the plate and loved Essie in his own way, and gave Essie what she needed. It helped that Essie offered him precisely what he needed, too, but I didn't expect how their relationship evolved.

I loved this book, start to finish. This is definitely one of my favorites of 2018.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
  
Cross My Heart (A Legacy of Faith #2)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Can two broken paths lead toward God’s redemption?



When Ashley Showalter and Ben Henning meet on Ashley’s horse rescue farm, they quickly discover how much they have in common. Both were raised by single moms. Both want to help where they see a need. And both work with horses in the Boise valley. Ben needs Ashley’s help and expertise after starting an equine therapy barn on his great-great-grandfather’s farm—and the more time they spend together, both Ashley and Ben have the feeling that there could be something more between them.

They also carry the burden of past experiences that may drive them apart if the truth is ever revealed. Ben is a recovering alcoholic with five years of sobriety behind him, while Ashley’s brother is an opioid addict residing in court-ordered rehab. Holding fast to the belief that addicts can never be cured, Ashley has promised herself she will never walk knowingly into the chaos created by addiction. Ben knows that with God, all things are possible—but will Ashley find it within herself to give love a chance? Or will her brother’s mistakes and the pain of her past jeopardize her future with Ben?

Cross My Heart threads together a contemporary love story with the heartwarming tale of Ben’s great-great-grandfather, Andrew Henning—reminding us that God’s Word is timeless and that His promises are new every morning.



My Thoughts: This is such a wonderful story. The readers will love the story of Ben's family history and the wonderful woman Sashley who is all about rescuing horses. This is a story of healing, it's also about rescuing or saving those who are in a bad situation whether they be human or equine. God loves us so much that He sent His son to die on the cross for us. We are to love as He loves us and I do believe that is shown in this story. The way Andrew Henning took in 3 children to love on them as his own. It's about Ben's recovery and the forgiveness of his friend.


This story will win the hearts of its readers, I truly enjoy horses and the equine therapy is a wonderful idea for those who are hurting in any sort of way.


I look forward to more from Robin Lee Hatcher.
  
Delayed Justice (Hidden Justice #3)
Delayed Justice (Hidden Justice #3)
10
10.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Cara Putman has created another amazing novel. She filled this one with her trademark twists and turns and kept this reader very hooked from start to finish! I found myself on the edge of my seat on more than one occasion with this story.

Jaime and Chandler were beautifully chiseled. They were perfect for their roles and really became a part of me as I followed along side them. I felt their relationship grow like it was my own, I felt their hearts beating like mine as they helped the victim. And Aslan....oh how my heart loved that therapy dog! Of course, I'm a sucker for all animals!

Once again, 5 stars to the talented Mrs. Putman. Her story will take you on a journey you won't soon forget. The pages turned long into the night for me, and before I knew it, Jaime and Chandler's story came to an end. Definitely recommending this one with hats off and two thumbs up.

*I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE PUBLISHER AND WAS UNDER NOT OBLIGATION TO POST A REVIEW, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE.*
  
Things We Have in Common
Things We Have in Common
Tasha Kavanagh | 2017 | Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult (YA)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Pacing (1 more)
Plot
Main Character (1 more)
The Ending
An Okay Read
This was a book I couldn’t put down. Okay, I did put it down, but only because real life got in the way. Each page had me hooked. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

Yasmin really annoyed me though. She seemed younger than 15. In fact, she seemed more like she was 9 or 10. I couldn’t stand Yasmin. She annoyed me so much! One thing I wondered is why wasn’t she in therapy? The girl obviously has some mental issues going on. Also, the author wrote it as if she was very obese. While Yasmin is considered obese, I didn’t think she was super obese.

It was the plot that kept me hooked. I wanted to see if Alice was found and who did it. I kept reading to see if Yasmin would do the right thing.

I was not a fan of the ending though. I needed more closure.

I would recommend this book to those 14+. Even though Yasmin is really annoying, and I hated the ending, I still thought the plot was brilliantly written.
  
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