I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Lola Montez Conquers the Spaniardsin Paperback edition on January 1, 2013 and has 274 pages.Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon First in the Whip Smart: Lola Montez historical fiction adventure series. The series begins in 1842 with our introduction to Lola and how she “finds herself”. I received an ARC from the publisher. My Take It’s a rollicking, exuberant, melodramatic adventure in 1842 Europe with a witless Eliza Rosana Gilbert plunging into everything and anything as she flashes back into the past, remembering how she got to this cell-like room. I do adore Brennan’s descriptions as she vividly conveys Eliza’s antics and emotions — you can’t help but read with the rhythm of Eliza’s liveliness. With another of her characters, I could feel the spittle flying and kept ducking whenever his character spoke! I’m conflicted. On the one hand, I do admire “Lola” for just diving in and trying her best. As awful as that might be. Then, on the other hand, she’s a self-centered, immature, naive, overly egotistical idiot whom I simply […]

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Three Graves Fullin Hardcover edition on February 12, 2013 and has 307 pages.Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon A thriller with more twists in and out of the dark than the Takabisha rollercoaster. My Take Mason certainly pulled me in and then spit me back out. The twists and turns from the original worry of discovery to the truth of Jason’s life. The truth of Leah’s feelings. The identities and whys of Jason’s body. It’s an amazingly simple story. Well, three simple stories which Mason weaves together until they meet one night and the most terrifying night of Keystone Kops ensues, ramping up my anxiety and heart rate. I simply couldn’t read fast enough to find out what happens next! The police are clean, sharp, and the type you want out there. Everyone else? They’re like nothing you’d expect with more truth than you want. What a weasel?!! Why not just move? I mean, duh. Why does he put up with this? Well, I’m just happy the baddies didn’t get a chance to […]

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The Bone Peoplein Paperback edition on June 29, 2010 and has 576 pages.Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon A sad story about a dysfunctional group of people in New Zealand. In 1985, The Bone People won the Man Booker Prize and the Pegasus Prize for Literature, while in 1984, it won the New Zealand Post Book Award. I can understand this, although why obtuse and confused always seems to accompany such winners continually raises questions in my mind. My Take There are two things I loved about this story: the incorporation of Maori culture and the general idea of the storyline. I hated the cruel side of Joe. That everyone just kept brushing it under the rug, although I had a hard time believing that it was Joe until Hulme hit me over the head with it! I definitely disliked half of Hulme’s style. I know. How can a person dislike part of another’s style? I can’t think of any other way to describe it. For a seven-year-old, Simon’s thought speech is amazingly […]

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Season for Temptationin Paperback edition on October 4, 2011 and has 362 pages.Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon First in the Holiday Pleasures historical romance series in 1817 Regency England. The couple focus is on Julia Herrington, Louisa Oliver, and James Matheson. My Take This was…interesting. I still can’t really make up my mind about this. Romain did a lovely job of creating an interesting conflict with great characters. And I’d have enjoyed it so much more if it hadn’t felt like such a huge disconnect from the time period she stuck it in. Nor did the “reason” James had to get married seem plausible. I kept reading, hoping I’d find out the real reason for the rush. Nope, that was it. If Romain had a clue about the society of the time period, she would have realized that the mourning period alone would have seen gossip quashed. It’s really a shame she had to wreck a good idea by not doing her research. Then there was the “big scandal” at the end… […]