Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Erin La Rosa: The Backtrack

Erin La Rose takes readers on a journey of What if a person made a decision to go one way instead of another?

Wonder if you had done something different at a point in time, what your life would be like? Sam left her small hometown of Tybee Island, Georgia to not only pursue her dream of becoming a pilot, but taking her mom's words to heart not to get stuck there. When Sam arrives at her grandma's place her bedroom has not changed from when she was in high school. Walls covered in 2000s nostalgia including mix CDs. When she finds her old Walkman, with a CD she never played she decides to take a listen. The song transports her back to one moment in her life where she has always wondered What if? What if she would have kissed Damon, what if they would have become more than friends? With her magical Walkman Sam is about to find out.

This is the second book that I have read by La Rosa and I like that she keeps it real (I mean as real as one can with a time travelling Walkman) both the people and the relationships that she portrays in her books just feel real. I would not call this a romcom, this book will take a reader through a lot of emotions and not just happy ones, there are quite a few low points in the book, that you can’t help but feel for the characters. For Sam returning home, brings up the all the memories and questions of what could have been.

I'm not sure if I cheered for Sam and Damon in their relationship, in either timeline.

I honestly didn't feel the chemistry between them at all, I really just felt the friendship between them and nothing more. I understand that they love each other but not the same type as a more serious relationship. I like that La Rosa didn’t make it all rainbows and unicorns for the choices Sam and Damon did/didn’t make, there were tough times ahead in both timelines I don’t know if I even liked Sam or Damon in either timeline either as they both made some choices that I see as red flags for their relationship, from only caring about oneself, their own wants/needs to cheating, just added to not liking them or their relationship.

I will admit that I struggled with this book to being with, as it was slower than I thought it would be. However, the farther I got into the book I really wanted to know how each timeline would end up.

This book is a complete trip of nostalgia with all the song choices, the fashion and what was cool in the 2000. I question the song choices as it was supposed to be this big mixed CD that showed how much Damon wanted to be with Sam but a few songs in there were questionable for what Damon wanted to achieve.

Although I struggled at time with this book, overall, I enjoyed it. I may not have been a fan of the relationship between Sam and Damon I love the rawness and realness that La Rosa put in the book, not all relationships are easy.

Enjoy!!!

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Thursday, November 28, 2024

S.T. Abby: MindF*ck Series

S.T. Abby, shows what happens when they take too much from one woman:

They took too much from Lana and left her very little and nothing too loose, until she met Logan, someone who has dedicated his life to saving lives, while Lana is determined to end some. Lana needs to collect the debts for what was done to her and her family and she will no stop until the debt is paid or she is no longer breathing to see it through.

This is a complete series review, not something I normally do, but I completely binged this series from start to finish. Honestly, you just want to purchase the book that has all books as the books are quite short and each ends on a cliffhanger so you are just going to pick up the next book anyways, so save yourself the wait and just grab the whole thing.

This book was dark, and terrifying at times and although what was done to Lana as a teenager is given in detail it is not given all at once, that it makes it more bearable to read. Plus what Lana inflicts on her targets is just as disturbing but well done how Abby handles the darkness and gore in this book but not having it happen at a constantly throughout each book. All this said you will cringe a few times in this book as Abby takes is dark.

This book really questions which side would you be on Lana's or the side of the law. I think you cannot blame her for the path that she chose, and throughout the books this series this idea is presented a few times and I think it will be up to the reader whether they would side with Lana or not because of what she has become and what she does.

There is no question that Lana is tough as Fuck, you cannot debate that fact at all. She is bloodthirsty and hungry for revenge but at the same time she just wants someone to accept her for who she is. Logan is a man who lives by the letter of the Law and is pushed to his limit not only with his case 

Was this book spicy, kind of. I mean there are quite a few sex scenes throughout the 5 books but they are never long and almost feel like they were written more how a man would write them, not very detailed, not a lot of foreplay, just clothes off and right to sex (this is not to say all me write like this, this I just the men I have read that write sex scenes). So yes sex scenes in the book, but not as much as some of the covers would suggest

I would recommend this series to those who like the darker side of things, not much mystery as you know who the “bad guy” is throughout the books, but a well laid out story of revenge and how Lana is going to achieve it. And as I said above, do yourself a favour and just buy either all the books at once or the complete series in one book.

Enjoy!!!

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Friday, November 22, 2024

C. J. Cooke: The Lighthouse Witches

C. J. Cooke shows how much of a beacon a lighthouse can be:

Liv Stay is always moving from job to job with her three daughters, and her latest commission is to repaint the inside of a lighthouse on a Northern Scottish Island, The Longing. What Liv did not know was this was going to change everything. The Lighthouse, used to be a place where witches were held below before their trial and it is believed that Dark Magic is still there. Liv, does not believe in any of that but within months of living there, only her daughter Luna is left. Twenty years later, Luna gets the strangest phone call which brings her back to the location where her family went missing and it is up to her to try and figure out what happened.

This is the first book that I have read by Cooke and it will not be the last, this book was beautifully written, very atmospheric and eerie feels throughout the book. I will say that it starts a bit slow as you try to figure out what is going on, but once the story really gets flowing you will not want to put it down. The book also gets darker near the end, and there is one scene where you just feel it (or at least I did).

This book has multiple time lines, so if that is not your thing then you will not enjoy this book. It does take a bit to wrap your head around the multiple timelines and characters for each one as the same character is in more than one timeline. I know that may sound a bit confusing but it’s not, Cooke does a good job of separating them and you know which timeline you are in.

I loved that this book was a mix of witch trials and the idea of wildlings taking the form of children who have gone missing. I think it was really smart how Cooke intertwined this pastime of witch trials as well as the folklore of wildlings. I was not able to figure out the connection, but it was a really interesting idea that Cooke has placed in the book.

With the multiple timelines and characters, one would think this would be a more character drive book but I actually think it was more plot based. We get snips of each character in their perspective timeline that it is hard to from a connection with them. I think that this becomes apparent why the farther you read into the book and you get more information. It did not take away from my enjoyment of the book, more just an observation.

Although, this is the first book I have read by Cooke, it will not be the last. I have noticed that she has a few more books that appear to be witch based and i will be checking them out. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to people who want an atmospheric read, that has a light witch fantast aspect to it.

Enjoy!!!!

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Friday, November 15, 2024

Michelle Chouinard: The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco

In her debut novel (under this name), Michelle Chouinard not only takes on a serial killer but San Francisco:

San Francisco is such a nice city, but boy is it one with a history and no one knows this better than Capri Sanzio who's grandfather was the serial killer known as OverKill Bill, and who now leads serial and crime themed tours around San Francisco. But when an OverKill Bill copycat surfaces, Capri wonders if this is the time to bring out her own family's history and reinvestigate the Overkill Bill murders, as her grandfather said he was innocent till the end. When a Overkill Bill murder happens close to home, Capri finds herself and family the targets of the investigation and now she has two generations of Overkill murders to solve.

I knew as soon as i saw the title of this book i was going to pick it up. Not only did i visit San Francisco for the first time this year, I also did a murder, mayhem and music walking tour while I was there. It was great to revisit San Fransico and actually know a bit of the area that Chouinard was talking about and there was even some cross over with the murder aspect. I mean if you want to talk a history of serial killers and crime you cannot go wrong with choosing San Francisco. I loved the little serial killer facts that Chouinard shares throughout the book and were one of the highlights for me.

Although Chouinard has written novels under a different pen name, I think for the most part this book reads like a debut novel, it was missing a bit of the polish of a more seasoned author by trying to take on a lot in this book. But at the same time, I really enjoyed the approach that Chouinard took with the past and present family drama. I think that Chouinard was able to keep the suspects alive in the book.

Capri is quite a lot in this book, her brain and life are going in so many different directions. She seems like lovely person but man her brain needs a break several times in the book and as a reader I wish I had a break from her every now and then. Do i know which character Chouinard could have given a chapter or two to, No, but I just think there needed to be a break from her.

I liked that Chouinard brought in the white-collar aspect in the book and the nuances of friendships and money with the upper elite. Money and appearance is everything to people in power or people who have money.

I enjoyed this book, Capri is a bit cooky at times, but I enjoyed the twists that Chouinard kept coming even if she tries to do a lot with this book. I would read another book by Chouinard.

Enjoy!!!

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Sunday, November 10, 2024

Helen Scheuerer: Blood & Steel

In the first in a series, Helen Scheuerer, one women challenges for her right to be a protector of her realm:

Althea (Thea) has always known the age that she would die, so she has been determined to life her life to it's limit till that time. What Thea has always wanted to be was a warrior, a protector but women are forbidden to wield any blades. For years she has been practicing in secret honing her skills to perfection, until one day she is caught with a blade. The price for wielding a blade is steep but she is able to plead her case to the rulers of the 5 realms. Now Thea must find her place within warriors of Thezmarr as the veil is thinning and monsters are invading the land.

I'm always up for starting a new series, especially one that already has a few books established so I don’t have to wait forever for the next book to come out. I enjoyed this book, I like the medieval feel of the world, as well as Thea as a main character, but this was a bit slower than i thought it was going to be. With the medieval feel, I thought there would be more battles and fights but instead there was more character and relationship building. Even the times they are in lessons did not feel as fleshed out as they could have been.

I really enjoyed Thea as a character and her struggles of who she wants to be as well as her relationship with her sister Wren, who just thinks that she should just accept her position in life as a women. You cannot help but cheer for her in her want to be a warrior and show what she can do. I will say that Thea does come off younger with some of the choices that she makes, more late teens and someone in her 20s, but maybe that is due to the product of her upbringing. I also adored her friendship with Cal and Kipp, they are quite the Trio and it was great to see how much they supported each other.

If you like you a broody MMC then you will enjoy Wilder. Was a bit too broody? Maybe at times, I'm honestly more interested in his fighting ability and what he can do than the tension between him and Thea.

I will say that Scheuerer was able to shock me with one twist coming and wow some betrayal in there as well, was nicely places.

Medieval type world, with the veil coming down between the two worlds, which causes monsters to be released on the human side of the realm. This does lead to some monster fighting, but there is really only one big scene of it. I also do not 100% understand the magic system that is in place here but I feel like it will be explained in the next book (and this is just based upon the events of this one).

Although this as a bit slower than I expected, I was really invested in the characters and even the world that Scheuerer has placed them in. I look forward to continuing on in the series.

Enjoy!!!!

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Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Stephanie Archer: The Wingman

This is the third book in the series, and the people from previous books do make some appearances in this book (they are a Hockey Team after all) I do think that you could read this as a stand-alone.

Stephanie Archer is back with the next Vancouver Storm player and this time it's all about being a good Wingman, on and off the Ice:

Darcy is just getting out of a long-term relationship and engagement that had been failing for the past years. And what better way than to move on is to move in with her Best Friend Hayden and convince him to be her Wingman as she tries to navigate the dating (and hooking up world). But when out practice flirting and kissing sessions push the bounds of their friendship, Darcy and Hayden are not sure where the other stands. All Hayden knows is he hates seeing Men hit on Darcy and all Darcy knows is that Hayden has always been a playboy who doesn’t do relationships. But Maybe just Maybe this Wingman has been waiting for Darcy all along.

I have really enjoyed the first two installments in this series. I like that Archer writes about adults and more mature relationship but keeps me laughing at the same time and this book is no exception. Hayden and Darcy are so cute together in their interactions that you can’t help but wonder why they do not see it (many of the other Hockey guys do though). I personally do not I like the miscommunication trope, to me I just find to frustrating that people cannot just talk about things. I understand it going on for a bit as two people, who are best friends try to figure out a new dynamic, but I felt like it went on a bit too long in this book.

Honestly, how could you read this book and not love Hayden and Darcy by the end of this book. They are extremely cute together and i cannot get over how supportive they are as each other as well. How Hayden just supports Darcy to be who she wants to be and to be her true self is just swoon worthy. The thing that does set them apart is that they do have history together, one as Best Friends since College but still History. Plus, when Hayden finds out how Kit had been treating Darcy in their relationship, he knew he had to do everything to help her. 

I like how Archer throws out a social more series issue in her books and in this book, it is women in STEM. I love how Archer wove it into the plot so that it makes sense and isn’t just thrown in there to have it.

I did see a few similarities from the first two books in the series in regard to plot points or scenarios. Also, I think the book needed more Garden Gnomes (Yes, I am series about this).

If you enjoy the tropes of Friends to lovers and Roommates, then this book is for you. Throw in some witty banter and jokes and some spiciness later in the book, I'm sure you will enjoy this. 

This is a great addition to this series. I devoured this book and if it was not obvious above, I just adored Hayden and Darcy. Can't wait for the next book in this series. Can’t wait for the next book in this series that is teased quite a bit in this one.

Enjoy!!!

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