Edrie Elen

The only reason this gets 4 instead of 5 stars is the assumption, for most of the book, that you at least have an acre or so of yard/garden space. There was only 1-2 container gardens, very sad for an apartment dweller like me. The book is worth reading regardless of your space for the inspirational valuee alone.

~Full review on The Bent Bookworm!~[b:The Sense of Death 19503672 The Sense of Death (Ann Kinnear Suspense #1) Matty Dalrymple https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1416774789s/19503672.jpg 27620217] is a first novel, and while it's an enjoyable cozy mystery - it shows. There are several things about the styling of the story that I didn't care for, but in the end Ann's character was one with which I could sympathize (even if I don't sense spirits). The place descriptions are good. The premise is intriguing. I liked Ann and her relationship with her brother. I personally am intrigued by the idea of spirits or ghosts and the possibility of communicating with them, and I enjoyed how the author used the idea in the book. I was really disappointed that the who-dun-it of the story is revealed in the first couple of chapters. Takes the mystery right out of it, takes the suspense away, and almost made me DNF it...but then there were more Ann chapters and I was more interested. A lot of the plot honestly seems very far-fetched, especially in the end. I was constantly reading with one eyebrow raised in skepticism. The plot is also a very common one in murder mysteries, but I guess there are only so many. While the deterioration of the culprit is believable, I didn't feel the motivation was convincing. Also, there are several chapters AFTER the climatic event, most of which were unnecessary. The author struggles with POV. Even though it's written in 3rd person throughout, it's mostly limited 3rd person with random bits of popping into another minor or even walk-on character's head. That part was very jolting and annoying. The old telling vs. showing that interferes with a lot of writing is EXTREMELY present. There are entire chapters of almost nothing but backstory, paragraphs going on and on and Ann's childhood or past experiences. Don't just TELL us how she felt, SHOW us! At a few points showing was successfully accomplished, but then it would lapse right back into a monologue of info-dumping and it was just a struggle to read. All that said, I still enjoyed the book, but I'm undecided about whether or not I will read the second one. I was going to rate at 2.5/5 stars until the climatic chapter, and a certain event that actually brought tears to my eyes. Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram ———————————————I actually accidentally requested this from NetGalley and wonder of wonders, was approved. Why accidentally? Because I never request books that have already been published. Oops. So we'll give it a whirl anyway...

~Full review on The Bent Bookworm!~This book totally surprised me. I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, though I was hoping I would. So I was delighted when this was my initial reaction:Yep. This was one giant dark truffle of deliciousness. I started it one day, and about two chapters in decided I wanted to just sit down and devour it all in one go, so I waited for a weekend day and did just that.First of all, don't go into this book expecting something it's not. This is a gothic historical romance. Period. It doesn't try to have the next greatest plot twist. In fact it has some of the traditional YA tropes (it's a NA, btw) that usually drive me to distraction or leave me throwing the book across the room. However, popular plot devices are popular for a reason. They resonate with a large percentage of the human population on some intrinsic level. That doesn't mean we don't get tired of them, particularly if you read a lot. What seems new and exciting to someone who reads 2 books a year may seem bland and unoriginal to someone who reads 200. Authors CAN, however, come up with new twists on the tried and true tropes of literature and A.G. Howard has done just that. ANYWAY. Climbing off my soapbox now.MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD...but nothing too horrible, I promise, and I hid them.As soon as the book starts, we're thrown into a very melancholy, VERY Victorian atmosphere. I almost put it down, honestly. I wasn't in the mood for another book where the heroine simpers and flutters and nearly passes out when the hero gets within 6 inches of her. But I was intrigued...and let's just say, while yes, the time period is Victorian, the romantic intensity is SO NOT.^My mental image of the main guy. There are a few scenes that left me literally fanning myself. Not just because, um, hot bearded guy, either. The history between Juliet and Hawk is just so sweet and it gives so much more intensity to every scene between the two of them. It's amazing, and heartbreaking, sweet, and at the same time simply smouldering.The characters in this book are amazing. I was attached to them ALL. I hated A.G. Howard about halfway through for making me care about them ALL, because I wanted to be able to choose. Yes, there is a love triangle in this book (that was the spoiler). Maybe I should have guessed that from the blurb, but since it said ghost...you know...how can you...well. All I can say is well done, well done indeed. I was several chapters in before I was sure that was what was happening, and by that point I was so intrigued and invested that I couldn't stop reading!A.G. Howard writes IN COLOR. I swear I could see the colors, the fabrics, the clothes she described just spilling out of the pages. It was amazing. This is the first of her books I've read, so I'm not sure if she just always writes that way or if it was a feature of this particular book, but I loved it. I'm not a “clothes person,” but damn if I didn't want to reach out and touch some of the dresses Juliet was wearing.The plot is...well, gothic. Semi-tragic. There were SO MANY layers and so many half-truths that about 3/4 of the way through I just wanted to SCREAM because I was just as confused as poor Juliet, whom everyone seems to think needs “protecting” in the form of an elaborately built scheme to keep her “safe.” Geez Louise, people. Our young heroine is deaf, yes, but copes remarkably well and is no shrinking violet, even if she sometimes acts the part. There's the love triangle. At first I was skeptical, and then I was sympathetic, and then I was panicked, because these two guys...well, they get ALL the hearts. AT FIRST. Then one starts to be controlling, manipulative, and demanding and my little gun-shy heart ran away screaming...but I still felt so sorry for him and wanted him to have a happy ending.Now, the problems. First, as soon as a guy comes into her life, Juliet loses all focus on everything else, even when at first she had a relatively big goal regarding her estate. She just tosses it all aside for TWU RUV.I'm sure we've all been there, but I hate it when that's one of the first things to occur in a book. Especially in cases like this, where, as a true Victorian female, Juliet has been sheltered and taught that women shouldn't have sexual desires like men, and then she just falls into the arms of the first man that waltzes across her path (it takes 149 pages). Le sigh. But ok, it's a romance. Forgiven...ish.Then there are a few times when the dialogue sounds like it was supposed to be description. Because honestly, who describes their hair color as “My hair is the warm glimmer of golden coins beneath the sun,” instead of just “My hair is blonde (golden, yellow, fill-in-the-blank-with-one-word)?” Ugh. It was just overkill for me...the flowery descriptions were great, but in dialogue it was just a bit too much.My hat is off to A.G. Howard for not giving her book the traditional happily-ever-after ending. Oh, there's plenty to be happy about, don't get me wrong! But it's definitely bittersweet, and by being so it's much more realistic and makes me even more excited for the next one!Overall, 4 out of 5 stars. I love Juliet and bleep. They're giant dark chocolate truffles and I want to eat them.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

~Full review here on The Bent Bookworm!~For as long as I can remember, I had wanted to embark on an epic journey, one that harked back to the great expeditions of times past, a journey that would test me both physically and mentally in a way that no other could.Levison Wood is an explorer. By his own admission, he has a perpetual case of wanderlust, traveling at every opportunity and never settling down. Quite the exciting life! This time his itchy feet take him to Africa, to an idea that has grown to an obsession: to walk the length of the Nile, from it's (debated) source, to its end.This book is much more than a backpacking story. It's the story of one man seeing Africa through his first-world eyes, and coming to realize that when a person is still fighting just for daily survival, they cannot be concerned with his first-world piety. At one point, while trekking through Uganda, he writes:In the Mabira we'd seen 500-year-old trees sawn down at a rate of ten a day by teenagers who'd been paid three dollars by the landlord. This was big money for a poor villager, and with the economics of the industry working like that, what hope was there for convincing local Ugandan people to leave the forests alone? It's all well and good preaching the wonders of conservation, but not to men with families to feed and roofs to keep over their heads.Wood is obviously pained to see this scenario played out again and again. He admits to not having the answers. He listens to the arguments of native Africans who decry his comments about the destruction of Africa's great wilderness and lands.“You whites cut down your forest hundreds of years ago,” he said. “You had your industrial revolution, and when you needed wood you took it. Well, now we need ours. We need to plant crops to feed our children, and plant sugar so you can feed yours whatever shit you feed them.”OUCH.The books doesn't dwell on these issues for the entirety, however. Wood is moving along his 4,000+ mile journey, through such varied terrain and countries that at times even reading about them makes your head spin. While the adventures of explorers like David Livingston are obviously close to his heart, at first he doesn't seem to entirely feel the dangers of his modern day exploration. That changes however, when he is joined by a couple of journalists partway through the journey and one of them shockingly and suddenly succumbs to heat stroke. Prepare your tissues.Actual danger for Wood himself escalates in the last half of the book, as Wood is (understandably, perhaps), detained and accused of being a spy in South Sudan. This is not the Western world. This is Africa. Rules do not apply. Eventually, Wood ends up changing his plans slightly to avoid the civil war.All in all, this was an amazing book that only intensified my own desire for travel. Africa seems even more terrifying after reading it, but Wood's descriptions of the people of Africa make it more approachable and more real than anything else I've read. My only complaint is that about 1/3 of the way through, it did seem to slow down a lot and get a bit mired down (much like that actual part of Wood's journey). I pushed through it though, and was immensely glad I did!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

~Full review here on The Bent Bookworm!~2.5 stars...GoodReads, half stars would be great at ANY time!I wanted to love this book. It sounded so cool, and like a break from the ton of fantasy/fairy tale type books I've been reading. Achilles was a book that, try as hard as I might, I just could not really get into. However, if you're big on science fiction you might love it! It did remind me of the first season of LOST...which, I, ahem, also discontinued a couple of episodes into Season 2 because I simply couldn't stand all the craziness and constantly losing people.Me, pretty much the entire book. Characters:I'm very character oriented when I read books. Characters are more important to me than world-building or excitement factor. In Achilles, the characters feel very flat and many of them feel the same. I got so confused because I could NOT keep many of the supporting cast separate. Not helped by the fact that many of them weren't even given names (referred to as “the hacker,” etc.) until several chapters after they appeared. Jonah, our MC, I thought was going to be likable but he turns out to have a bad case of navel-gazing and I just...cannot. I feel bad for him but I spent most of my time being annoyed at the way he was written. Also, he's supposed to be this hard-ass kid that's suffered abuse and came out still standing, yet his reactions to a lot of the things that happen are not how abuse victims and soldiers (he's been in a military training facility for some time by the time the book starts) react. It makes the whole thing kind of unbelievable – really jolted me out of my suspension of disbelief, which is necessary for any kind of fantastical fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk, fill-in-the-blank). I really didn't feel anything for the rest of the characters either, and I was a little – ok, a lot – put off by how some of them did unexplained 180-degree flips without any real reason. Very suspicious and never explained, so the conclusion I am left with is that the author just...didn't notice? Ugh.Oh, also – CAN WE PLEASE HAVE MALE AND FEMALE INTERACTIONS WHERE THE MALE IS NOT SUDDENLY OVERCOME WITH AN UNAVOIDABLE HARD-ON?? I swear, so many times, when a book is written from the male perspective, he's so distracted by female characters physicality that he turns into an idiot and it gets really old. I refuse to believe that the male population of the world is run solely by hormones.World-building:I think this is where the author spent most of his time! The world of the moon Achilles is harsh and brutal and I actually felt grossed out by some of the descriptions of the creatures inhabiting it (hard to do...I'm an EMT and few things turn my stomach anymore). It seemed like something new was introduced in every chapter. Sometimes it was hard to keep up but it was definitely intriguing.Feels:I usually put this section first, but this time I am putting it last because...er. I really didn't have any. This book failed at making me feel anything but relief it was over. I am not interested in finding out what happens next. It didn't really end on a cliffhanger, though there are lots of things about Earth's colonization of Thetis that are not explained and have very dark implications – the main points of the story were wrapped up and that's all I cared about.Thank you very much to Diversion Books for sending me the ARC (this in no way influenced my review)! I was delighted to read and review even if it turned out to not be my cup of tea. Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

DNF. The writing style is absolutely horrible. I think the author is trying to imitate in writing what he believes to be an Old West accent and mannerisms. In narrative style. It's insulting, even to young readers. I am completely flummoxed as to how this book, in a world that already had classics like Little Women, with beautiful prose, could have chosen this for any type of award, ever. I'll keep it just to have a complete (one day) collection of the Newbery awards, but would never, ever recommend it for any child to read. I couldn't even get through it as an adult, it felt like a total waste of my time.

This book is fabulous - for BOTH the content, and the absolutely amazing photos. I would buy it just for the photos alone! I had no idea of the beautiful diversity in the amphibian world. Of interest to anyone remotely interested in the world around them and taking care of it.

Lost Frogs chronicles the search by scientific teams in many different countries for not only frogs in remote areas prone to violent conflict (Columbia), where there has simply been to access to enable previous scientists to study, but also places where frogs and other amphibians have just vanished rapidly and without any clues. The information they uncover reveals a 6th mass extinction going on beneath our noses. Many people never see the amphibians that are bearing the brunt of this wave of extinction, but the ramifications are felt worldwide.

Highly recommend.

Confession: I am OBSESSED with bath and skin care products. OBSESSED. I don't wear that much makeup, but anything that is supposed to make my skin glow or enhance my (frequent) bathtime experience - sign me up. I've also actually tried the Bercaw sisters' products, thanks to OwlCrate including one of the bath bombs in a long ago box! This book is fabulous. The writing is sometimes funny and always informative. All the details are there for the beginning maker, from choosing materials and supplies to specific recipes. There are options, the writers don't insist that you MUST do things a certain way, but leave plenty of opportunity to be creative in your own way. Also, the photos are amazing! Totally want to go get stuff to make my own bath bombs now. While the first part of the book (after the materials and info section) focuses on bath bombs, with tons of recipes for all different scents and styles, the second part has recipes for many different kinds of body care products. Face masks (be still my heart), toners, steamers, lip balms, scrubs - nearly everything under the sun. Highly recommend. Now excuse me while I run off to see what I own that can be used for a bath bomb mold...Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

Mummies Exposed! is a fascinating look at the subject, at an appropriate level to maintain the interest of an upper-elementary or middle school level. The book covers mummies from all over the world, and is complete with many photographs. As always, digging up the dead - no matter how old - comes with a certain amount of controversy as many cultures and religions find it extremely disrespectful. The author has managed to cover both the science and the cultural implications with a sympathetic viewpoint. Also included is an extensive bibliography in the back, quite impressive for a book of such small scope. While there are quite a few different mummies covered, the details are somewhat sparse (as suits the age level the book is targeted at). But, the bibliography gives an excellent starting point for further reading for either kids or adults.Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

~Review first appeared on The Bent Bookworm!~The Gulliver Giant is a fantastic chapter book introducing young readers to the classic story of Gulliver's Travels! I was absolutely delighted to see the story made accessible to a new audience, one that will hopefully be interested enough in the story to not only remember it, but perhaps pick up the full classic when they are older. The book is one of a four book set, all based around a work of classic fiction. The language does not “talk down” to young readers, but instead places them in a familiar setting with kids probably very much like them.I loved the idea of a library that transports patrons (but only some!) into the setting of a book. It was handled well for the target age range – not too many details, but enough to capture the imagination. The illustrations were fun, as well.4 stars out of 5, due to what I felt was a rather silly and random way of dealing with the monkey. I think even children would be slightly confused by this addition, as there was no lead up and probably most of the target audience will not be familiar with the concept of hypnotism. Still a great book and I'm looking forward to reading the other three!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+__________Adorable and I absolutely LOVE the concept here. This is one of a series of four chapter books. RTC in December, when there are more details and a cover image!

~Follow all my reviews over on my blog, The Bent Bookworm!~ “Always remember who ye are,” Granny says. “Descended of the great bards of old. Honord by princes near and far they were. Sought out for music and for counsel. Keepers of history. Writers of songs.”I was excited to read Last of the Name, being of partial descent from Irish immigrants myself. It's not a topic I've often seen covered for this age group, and I was thrilled to see it done so well.Last of the Name is a middle-grade book about the arrival of Irish immigrants to the United States during the time of the Civil War. 12-year-old Danny has lost everyone dear to him except for his sister Kathleen, either to war, famine (by hunger or in attempts to steal enough food for their family to survive), or the crossing to America. He rebels at dressing as a girl to be a maid alongside Kathleen, but since it seems their only hope of staying together and surviving in the bitter, angry stew that was New York City in 1863, he goes along with his sister's plan.Kathleen is the sort of believer who believes more the less evidence there is. She could be on her knees for days on end. I'm going to die of hunger while she prays to save me from a bountiful future...If only there was a patron saint of those afflicted by tyrannical sisters there'd be hope for me.Despite his complaining, it's clear Danny dearly loves his sister and will do anything for her. As the city grows more and more hateful, both towards free blacks and the Irish (coming to steal jobs, naturally), it becomes almost as dangerous for them as it was at home – except here, people appreciate Danny's voice and his dancing feet, which maybe – just maybe – might be the key to their survival in New York City. But when the draft is initiated and the Irish immigrants of the city bear the brunt of it (so much for random!), the whole city looks to go up in flames.I'm not going to lie, I teared up several times reading this story – and I'm not even sure why! It just felt so poignantly REAL. Danny was adorable and I loved Kathleen's fire and backbone.“You Irish,” says another [man], just as stern. “It's your own out there doing the lynching and the burning. What do you have to fear from your own?”“You fat old men!” Kathleen shrieks. “What do you know of fear, you with your broad shoulders and your full plates! We have to fear what every woman fears her whole life long. Ye heartless men! When have you ever been small or hungry? Would you send a German child out on the streets this night? Aren't we Catholic like you? Don't we sit side by side in church?”As is historically accurate, Danny and Kathleen's Catholic faith does play a part in the story – but never in a proselytizing way. The story really shows how much conflict was in the United States at this time, not only around color, but around religion, politics, even denominations. It's rather disheartening to see that we've never really moved on, the names of the different factions have just changed. Despite all that, the story is one of beauty and hope and I'll be adding it to my own library.5/5 stars. Highly recommend, and it REALLY needs much more attention than it's getting!Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

Cogheart is a tale with many moving pieces, not unlike the steam-punk mechanicals that Lily's father builds. Unfortunately I think it's a bit flat, as I never felt very attached to the characters. Also, for a middle grade novel, there is an awful lot of proverbializing and “lessons learned” sort of speeches, which I found annoying and am sure many of the target audience would as well. It also has a bit of a dark feel in some places, not unlike the Series of Unfortunate Events series - only these dark events don't seem to have much effect on the characters except as plot devices.

Despite these flaws, I did finish the book and found the mech aspect interesting. I just have doubts about the book's ability to hold the attention of a middle grade reader due to the issues I've mentioned.

A beautiful book for children about losing a beloved family pet. Originally published in Norway, both the text and the illustrations are sweet yet heartbreaking. Pets are such special part of our families and our hearts, losing them is incredibly painful even as adults. Children often really struggle to understand and deal with the death of their four-legged best friend, but this book portrays one little boy's special relationship and painful goodbye in such a way that children will be sure they are not alone in their pain. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

What a fun book! Like it's companion book “Amazing Evolution,” the illustrations in “Amazing Expeditions” are absolutely lovely. Covering explorers from modern day all the way back to BCE. I was very happy to see that the author did not cover only European explorers, but included some from China and the Middle East. Of course, there were very few women explorers (that we know of), so the gender ratio is quite skewed, but there are a couple of historic women included as well as some more modern ones. Highly recommend for any library!Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

~Check out all my reviews over on The Bent Bookworm!~ The Pumpkin War (due out on May 21, 2019) is a story of friendship and family, of getting back to the earth and enjoying the small things in life – and all this in a beautiful setting, with writing that seems just perfect for a middle grade audience! I was quite impressed. Usually books that try to take on this scope of feelings and events end up falling flat in one way or another, but this one is just right. I feel like Goldilocks, dancing around with glee after finding the three bears' house and baby bear's “just-right” porridge.Billie is 12 years old, the oldest of three siblings. Their dad is Irish and their mom is Ojibwe, and they live on a Canadian island. Billie is fiercely competitive in all ways, and ESPECIALLY when it comes to growing monster pumpkins! She has been in an almost year-long standoff with the boy who used to be her best friend, since she is convinced he knocked her out of last year's pumpkin race on purpose.I loved the depiction of rural life in Canada. Billie not only takes care of her pumpkins, but also bees. Bees! Also there is more about fishing, and gardening, and the traditions of the Ojibwe. It was just so...homey. Down to earth. I loved it, and I think middle-school-me would have loved it as well. Also, adult-me loved her parents! Their differences in background were lightly touched on, and Billie obviously embraces both sides of her heritage. She even finds out about some “family secrets” part way through the book (nothing adult level), and has a part in reconciling her dad with his past. Also, Billlie's youngest sibling is born near the beginning of the book and the struggles of adding a new baby to family life are also portrayed – Billie's mom and dad aren't perfect, and I totally sympathized with them.Billie struggles all summer long to come to terms with what happened with Sam in the last race. Despite his efforts, she's not quite willing to forgive him. Will she let a mistake ruin their friendship? Is being first more important? I thoroughly enjoyed the way this played out, and also the fact that the author didn't make her competitive nature a bad thing (as happens so often when it is a girl character being competitive).5/5 stars. This book will be going on my shelf!Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

~Check out all my reviews over at The Bent Bookworm!~ I sort of do know what she means, sitting here in the semi-dark and the semi-silence. I have a scratchy, restless feeling, as if my soul were grinding against my skin, my bones, not necessarily wanting to get out but urging my body to go to impossible places, convinced I can touch the stars and not burn.The Waking Forest is a story that is a true journey. I wasn't EXACTLY sure what to expect going into it, and I was almost halfway through before I was even sure what the heck I was reading! Perhaps not the most stellar start for a debut novel, BUT. Bear with me – and bear with the book, too. While I did only rate it at 3.5/5 stars (rounded up), I also feel it is totally a book worth reading and I will gladly be reading the next novel that Alyssa Wees comes out with.The first half of the book is told in alternating chapters between Rhea, in our modern world, and the Witch of the Wood, in a very odd dream-like world. I was SO confused as to what was supposed to be happening in these...but the writing is beautiful. If you are not into heavy descriptions and very sustained metaphors, you might not enjoy it. It's a very different style from what I've been reading recently, so it took a little while for it to grow on me. But grow on me it did, and eventually the prose (which could, admittedly, be considered kind of “purple” prose) was just painting these amazing pictures...so even if I was turned around and had no idea where the story was going, I was just enjoying the journey.Eventually the two tales merge, and that is rather...mind-bending. There is enough foreshadowing that you sort of see it coming, but not...not...in the way it played out, or at least I didn't. The story shifts to an entirely fantasy world, with incredible creatures and magic. I really wish the magic had been better explained! I was still kind of confused by how everything worked in the end, but it was glorious and shiny and I liked it.My absolute favorite part was Rhea's relationship with her sisters. These four girls are kicking ass and taking names and making no apologies – and dealing with their own issues along the way. There is some beautiful encouragement for those of us who struggle with anxiety in these pages – and the characters aren't considered less than or incapable because of it! I loved it. Absolutely loved it.Overall, The Waking Forest isn't perfect but if you like fantasy and quirky characters, definitely give it a try. And keep an eye out for more books by Wees!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

Amazing Evolution is a beautifully illustrated, bite-sized science overview of the origins of humankind. Probably best for middle to late elementary school students, but the illustrations will capture the eyes of any age group (including adults)! The topics range from the beginning of our modern theory of evolution to how we categorize organisms (Kingdom, Phylum, etc.). There are no pictures at all, but the illustrations are clear and lovely to look at. The text is well organized, with no one section or paragraph so long as to lose the attention of a young reader. I wish I had had this book when I was a child!Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

~Review first appeared on The Bent Bookworm!~The Fog is the 4th in the Berry Springs series by Amanda McKinney, and can be read as a standalone. I flew through this little novella (at 225 pages it makes for a quick afternoon or before bed read) and am considering picking up the other three at some point!Things I Loved- Gwyneth is described as having sexy BROWN eyes. Hell yes, let's have some love for a shade that isn't blue!- Gwyneth is also scientist and a damn good one. Love that she has a career and goals and is doing whatever it takes to reach them. Wouldn't mind reading more about her background, and Wes's for that matter!- Believable vendetta against Wes. I was kind of worried about this being something silly, but it wasn't.- Atmospheric – yes please. I happened to read this on a rainy day, which was just PERFECT for the last part of the book...made it seem very real. Remind me to never check into a hotel during a storm. Yikes.Small Complaints- Predictable – well, it's romantic suspense. If you didn't end up with what you were expecting you'd be disappointed, yes? Still, there were a couple parts that – as far as the forensics – made me roll my eyes because I thought the “big discovery” was SO obvious.- I thought the insta-attraction was a little much, as well as just HOW FAST they progressed...but again...how else are you going to bring everything to a conclusion in such a short book?- Wes was a little over the top dominant in some ways. It was annoying. At least our girl Gwyneth was there to straighten his ass out. 😉3.5/5 stars. This is an enjoyable, fast read if you want a little romantic action and a little suspense!2.5/5 flames. There's attraction and action, and Wes is great and all, (and I did LOVE that while he is very attracted to Gwyneth, she's not described as having a supermodel body), but it just didn't quite do it for me. They're a cute couple but I guess I wanted MORE of them, more depth!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

I absolutely loved this little chapter book! It's the perfect story to introduce kids to the idea of fostering pets that are looking for their forever families. Kaita and her family already have a dog that they rescued, but they decide to open their hearts and homes to Truman, a black lab who needs a new home. Truman is past the cute puppy stage, but still has a lot of the destructive puppy behaviors. Kaita's family helps him get over some of his shyness and bad behaviors. The story does discuss how hard it is for foster families to let go of their foster pets, but also shines a light on how important the care of pet fosters is for the families looking to permanently adopt. There's also a nice little story in the back of the book on the real Kaita who inspired the fictional Kaita, complete with pictures. 5/5 stars, highly recommend. This is one of a series of four books covering pet fosters, and I'll be keeping my eye out for the others!Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

~Review first appeared on The Bent Bookworm!~Fianna's Awakening is the first in an urban fantasy series about the Fianna, a group of people who are chosen to be the guardians of Ireland. Aisling O'Malley is the only – perhaps first – female Fianna, and as such the demands on her are even heavier than most, because she must constantly prove to the others that she is as worthy as they.Things I Loved:“I'm fast,” she said. “And strong. And tough, and resilient.” A shrug. “I can tell when danger of the creepy kind is around, most of the time.”“Danger, but not the spear? So an invincible artifact of untold power isn't dangerous?”Well, put it like that and it does sound like I got a malfunctioning superpower...- Um, well – Ireland! I might be slightly obsessed. There is a little bit of Irish mythology worked into this book, but none that I was particularly familiar with so I'm not sure if it was made up by the author or just obscure.- The magic system is VERY intriguing and I really hope it's explained in more detail in the next books! Also I want to know more about the process of becoming a Fianna...that was never really explained.- Aisling – despite years of belittling and posturing from the rest of the Fiannas, she's still stubborn as a mule and confident in her own abilities. Hell. Yes. I love strong female characters. By contrast Ronan seems a bit hapless and awkward. I'm not sure he's the right one for her...- The humor!! Oh my gosh, the wry, sarcastic bits got me so much.Small Complaints:- Need. More. Details. I felt like most of the magic and history was only half explained! Like this Sword of Lugh...where did it come from? Why was it made? By whom? I'm aware of the traditional Celtic god Lugh, but the book never really talks about Celtic deities in detail so I'm just...up in the air. PLEASE TELL ME MORE.“You know, handing out prophecies of doom and gloom and then going skimpy on the details is not an attractive trait.”- Romance...where? So Aisling and Ronan apparently had a kind of attraction thing going on, but it was most present in their first meeting and then fizzled. I didn't feel any kind of chemistry. They're both extremely interesting characters on their own, so you don't really NEED a romantic subplot here, but...points at description and cover Doesn't that look romantic to you?3.5/5 stars. I'll definitely be giving the second one of this series a shot, because I'm intrigued by how the author is bringing Celtic legends through to the modern world.1/5 flames. Eh, I would love to see some more sizzle between Aisling and Ronan, but if not, they're still both interesting characters in and of themselves.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

I was so excited for this novella! I felt like the plotline was going to be super relatable and cute, as I have for years been in love with my own grandparents' farm that was sold out of the family a few years ago. Unfortunately, I couldn't love this execution of the idea.First of all, the dialogue is horribly stilted and not at all how people talk - especially not people from rural Appalachia! Not that I'm asking for an attempt at vernacular, but maybe just normal American style speaking? Especially in the first couple of chapters it's as if the characters have never heard of contractions and the result is so awkward. I tried reading some of the dialogue out loud, wondering if maybe it was just my inward eye being judgy, but nope. It sounds just as bad out loud.One of the redeeming features - and pretty much the ONLY reason I gave the story 3 stars instead of 2 - is Justin's relationship with his much younger sister Marley, now under his guardianship. He clearly loves her and is trying SO HARD - too hard - to make up for all the deficiencies in her life both past and present. She is in many ways a typical pre-teen, and I loved her quirky interests and of course her love of books, and the way she tried to take care of Justin, too. Her and Tara's relationship growth was really sweet, and her tendency to spout off zingers made me snicker a few times. Marley is awesome and I just wanted to scoop her up and give her all the books she could possibly want.The romance was insta-lovey, but that's to be expected in a novella. I thought Justin made for an attractive love interest for Tara but again the execution was just...not for me. He seems obsessed with kissing Tara's hands, even within an hour of them meeting! Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to human contact, but I really don't like people touching me and have a hard time relating to characters who do it or are ok with it within such a short time of meeting or knowing people. Then there were just some cringe-worthy lines that took all the heat out of the story in places.Her skirt was short, her sweater tight, and the lighted reindeer antler headband nearly sent him over the edge.Really. The lighted reindeer antler headband. Dude, what even. I couldn't take any of their attraction seriously after that, and even the culminating scene fell flat. I was too distracted by picturing her wearing flashing antlers on her head, even though she wasn't by that point.Of course, these things won't bother everyone, and the groundwork is laid for a couple more novellas in the series (Tara has two sisters who both obviously also deserve a HEA), so if the rural community and family farm storyline intrigue you, be sure to check it out.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

Well, that escalated quickly. I was expecting a much longer build-up and story, but A Coastal Christmas turned out to be a super short little novella that I read in less than forty-five minutes - perfect if you want something sweet and quick! Just not so perfect if you want something very believable, in my opinion. There is much Christmas cheer for everyone, and a sweet little homey-feeling town. The characters aren't very well fleshed out, but that is more due to the length of the story than the author's writing, I think. Jessica and Dean connect on purely a physical level...even though the author has tried to tie in something more to the story, it really just felt like grasping at straws and I think to try to give them a HEA was just a little much. Nothing wrong with a holiday fling! And Jessica definitely needed a good rebound after her boyfriend's antics on LIVE TELEVISION no less. Sometimes it takes another person to jolt us back into ourselves and what we really want out of life. In Jessica's case, she suddenly realizes that maybe she's not as in love with the big city life as she once was.3/5 stars. Writing was good, the story was just really too short for the author to do the characters and theme justice. I'll be keeping an eye out for future books by Kaya Quinsey! Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+