Lisa Edmonds: Heart Of Malice

In the first of a series, Lisa Edmonds shows that darkness follows no matter how hard one tries to run:

The first time that Alice killed, she was six years old and she was ordered to do it by her grandfather. Alice was not always her name, but it is the one that she possessed now and she will do anything to keep from being discovered. She escaped from her grandfather's crime syndicate after being a prisoner there for 20 year and there is no looking back. Alice now tries to make her living as a private investigator that specializes in the supernatural. Hired to determine what objects are missing from a young girl's grandma's library, Alice soon discovers that the object missing is one of immense power that could slaughter the entire city.

I don’t know why I have not heard of Edmonds before but I am extremely happy that I have discovered her. Heart of Malice is what I want from the UF series that I read. It was dark, gritty, the FMC didn’t know who she could trust, has quite a horrible background, faced paced read where you don’t really know where the author was going to take everything. As well there are side stories/plots that need to be explored in future books. There is enough there to keep you wanting more after the book is finished.

Loved that it had witches with different types of Magic each for the elements but also blood Magic and of course Blood Magic is the most dangerous/powerful one and the on that Alice has along with some others. Alice is extremely powerful but she goes to great lengths to not let anyone around her know the power that she has as if she does she will be discovered.

Alice is pretty badass when it comes to magic, she also has the grit, determination and survival instinct that sometimes you don’t often see in FMC. I mean she will lay her life on the line to protect innocent people (for the most part) but at the same sense she wants to survive and live. When you get glimpses of her past you cannot question her will/need to live.

I love that Alice has a ghost side kick Malcom, he provided some of the comic relief in the book and who wouldn’t want a ghost sidekick. I also liked that Malcom had his own powers and knowledge as well that he could share with Alice.

Could have done without the instant lust, yes, as this is not always my thing, especially in series, I do like more of a slow burn but at the same time it made sense in context of the story and what having sex can help with.

Loved loved loved how Dark this book was. There is torture that occurs (mainly off screen) but enough detail is given to know what occurs. There are also deaths that occur onscreen that some may find disturbing.

I'm extremely happy that I found this series, and I cannot wait to continue on in this series, to see how some unresolved aspects within this book play out. Plus cant wait to find out more about Alice and what she is able to do. Just a fantastic start to a UF series.

Enjoy!!!!

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Katherine Center: The Rom-Comers

Katherine Center show what is truly takes to write a good Rom-Com movie:

When Emma’s father got sick she knew she had to step up to take care of him and her younger sister. She put her dream of being a screenwriter on hold. For 10 years she has put others before herself until an old friend wants to bring her back in. A well known screenwriter needs help writing a Rom-Com and it just so happens that Charlie Yates is Emma’s favourite screen writer. When she reads the screenplay it is horrible and she cannot believe he wrote it. When Emma meets Charlie, well maybe one shouldn’t meet their hero. Worst Charlie doesn’t want to fix the screenplay and Emma knows rom com and know she can help him fix it, but it will take all of her to get it done and maybe just maybe she can find her own happy ending.

Center is the author that reintroduced me to Contemporary Romance, and is still a go to author for me when I need a change of Pace. I find that she has the ability to suck me in to her characters and stories right from the start and I need to know how this relationship is going to play out. The Rom-Commers is no different. When we meet Emma I already feel like I know her and the hardship she has gone through with giving up ehr dream so her younger sister can achieve her's. 

When I saw that this book gave me all the emotions and feelings, I am not lying. It made me laugh, cry, feel dispare and hoepful, and sometimes all of these at the same time. I will say that I felt that this was a bit lighter in topic than some of the other books that I have read by Centre but I was okay with it and it was what I needed at the time I was reading it. The concept is really cute and I was here for it

Emma is a pretty loveable character, she is very happy and very much no self-centred at all. She wants to do what is best for everyone around her even if it is detrimental to herself. There are times when i wanted to slap her for not thinking of herself first, but that is just who Emma is and she does go on a bit of the journey in the book to discover that it is okay to put herself first every once in awhile

Charlie (I am not writing his last name) on the other hand is basically an ass for most of the book. He puts Emma down (A LOT) and critisces her even more. I think Charlie has a hard time being around someone like Emma and he lashes out even more. When you first start reading Charlie he does not really have any redeeming qualities even though Emma searches for them. He has his moments and did I like Charlie by the end, Yes?

Grumpy Sunshine trope which was played perfectly, and honestly one of my favourite troupes when it comes to romance novels. I will say the third act I was not a fan of and it seemed a bit rushed towards the end, but this did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. One thing that did was the use of the MMC's full name every single time that Emma talks about him she uses his full name. We know by the tenth time who is it. I mean it's cute to begin with but then it was just annoying.

This is going to be one of my favourite by Centreprobably in my top two now (my favourite is still Things You Save in a Fire) but this is a close second. You'll want to pick this one up if you are looking for a lighter read and if you are a fab of the grumpy Sunshine Trope.

Enjoy!!!

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Marcus Kliewer: We Used to Live Here

In his debut novel Marcus Kliewer shows why you should never have strangers in your home:

Charlie and Eve cannot believe the killer deal they got on an old house on a great piece of land, its like a piece of country in the city. Only problem is one road in one road out. Eve is working on the house alone when a stranger knocks on her door. It turns out not just one person but a whole family with a father who used to live there and wants to show them where he grew up. Eve is apprehensive but ends up letting them in. As soon as they are inside unexplained things start happening, starting with the youngest child going missing in the basement. New sounds, creaks and moans start to enter the house and the family cannot take the hint to leave and Eve now knows, she never should have let them in.

I love reading debut novels, I like discovering up and coming authors and when I saw this book was Kliewer's debut plus it was a horror book i was really excited to read it. I will say that Kliewer crafted a story that kept me guessing as what was occurring and I think that he was on point with the creepy atmosphere that he created in this book. You can tell there is something wrong with the house and family pretty quickly. The family just gives off those vibes of trying to appear normal, but they are not. I suggest reading this one in the dark if you are looking for a scare, or maybe a house/cabin far away from other people just to heighten it a bit.

But OMG, what the actual F happened here? Like I honestly have so many questions after finishing this book that I don’t know if that was Kliewer's intention or not. But i am so confused and I feel dissatisfied with that ending, I wanted a little more, maybe a little less of a cliff hanger as I do not know if this is going to have a sequel or not.

There are a few aspect in this book that caused me to struggle as I was reading it. I found that many of the chapters were overly long and I wish that Kliewer could have found a way to break them up a bit. Also, while reading it I felt like there were too many extra documents that were not part of the story. As to why they are there makes sense at the end but while reading them I felt it took away from the story quite a bit and made me feel less invested at times.

I will say that the book is much more of a slow burn book and it really picks up in many aspects around the 75% area. I was okay with the slow burn in the actual chapters of the story but man those extra documents really hindered it.

I don’t know whether to recommend this book or not. I mean when I was in it I was in it, but that ending, I just don’t know. I guess read this one if you are okay with something that feels incomplete and will have questions in the end. Best parallel example i can come up with is the ending to inception with the quarter at the end.

Enjoy!!!! (I think, I honestly dont know)

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Hannah Mary Mckinnon: Only One Survives

Hannah Mary McKinnon is back and questions how well do you know your friends:

All Vienna Taylor wanted was to make music as a drummer, it was part of her, her escape and when all the hard work pays off, along with her best friend Madison, they form an all female group, The Bittersweet. They are just starting to find a following, getting recognition when the unforeseeable happens, an icy road sends them on the fight for their lives. They take shelter in an abandoned cabin hoping to outlast the winter storm. But one by one Vienna's friends and bandmates meet a gruesome end and her best friend Madison disappeared into the night and Vienna struggles to come to terms with it and the end of the Bittersweet. What happened to the Bittersweet? Is Madison still out there? But do guilty people run?

Wow, this book really surprised me. I have read a few books by McKinnon and I have learned that she does not always take the road most traveled with her books and the twists that she employs along the way are amazing. Only One Survives is no exception. I really enjoyed this book and it kept me really entertained in wanting to know what happened to the band that night as well as what is going to happen to Vienna in the present.

I loved that McKinnon had two timelines in this book, I felt that it help keep the reader on their toes as we go back and forth to discover how the band came together but also what happened the night of the tragic accident.

With two timelines, I was surprised that we only got Vienna's POV, I thought that McKinnon would have more than one band member have a POV but it really worked in McKinnon's favour. The reader is really able to see the progression of Vienna through her story, of being a girl who loved drumming for the escape it provided her to the (almost) rockstar she wanted to be and the changes in her personality along the way and the way she interacts with the people around her. There were many times when I wanted Vienna to say something and stick up for herself, but it was just who she was. You will feel sorry for Vienna in both timelines with her different struggles.

I will say that the book felt a little long winded by the end as I knew how it was going to play out, but everything up to that point was really well done. Plus that ending was everything I wanted it to be.

I think this is now my favourite book by McKinnon so far. I was glued to my seat in both timelines to see how everything was going to unfold, highly recommended book if you are looking for one with suspense (I would say domestic suspense type book) or a music related book of the coming of age of a band.

Enjoy!!!!

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