Tag Archives: 3 1/2 stars

The Queen of Swords Review

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Image provided by the author

Title:  The Queen of Swords

Author:  Nina Mason

Published:  2014 by Vamptasy Publishing

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

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*****This Review Contains Major Spoilers*****

 

Graham and Cat are star-crossed lovers.  Graham is a vampire and Cat has been his mate three times; all with different bodies.  The problem is that someone keeps killing her.  This third time that Graham has found Cat, he’s sure that he’s going to protect her by not allowing a relationship between them.  But Cat is a witch and feels the pull towards Graham.  She spells Graham to keep him with her and get more answers…but will she ever let him go to protect her own life?

Overall I liked the book.  I stayed up late a few times just because I had to see what was going to happen.  Some of the feel of the book reminded me of Diana Gabaldon, who I love, so that’s a compliment.  I had no problem envisioning the world that Nina Mason created.

There were a few things that I didn’t like.  Graham and Cat have a few disagreements (as does any couple.)  But two specific times I just felt like Cat got over it way too quickly.  Now, I don’t like to hold a grudge, and I don’t want Cat to either.  One instance is on their wedding day when Graham is kind of a jerk.  Like seriously, I would be so pissed if my husband acted like him.  Granted my husband isn’t a centuries old vampire, but still.  I get that Graham is emotional from all that just happened to him, but I just didn’t like the book to end on that note.

I wish there were a little less memories and a little more ‘in the now’ as well.  I just felt like the book slowed down when the characters were recalling things and that the story went so much faster when the characters were in the present.

Other than that, I really did enjoy the book and I think that Nina Mason did awesome on her debut novel.

 

My Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5 stars

~Pam

*****I received this book free from the author, in exchange for an honest review.*****   

Napoleon (Layers of Veronica #1) Review

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Title:  Napoleon (Layers of Veronica #1)  Napoleon

Author:  Emilia Rutigliano

Published:  2013 by Emilia Rutigliano

Genre:  Women’s Fiction

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Veronica is a great mother, friend, and lawyer.  Her ex-husband is having a baby with his new wife, which is fine with Veronica as long as the new wife treats her kids well, and she does.  Veronica has a lot of self confidence in the courtroom and in the bedroom.   She sleeps around with no strings attached and that’s the way she likes it to be.  But Veronica starts to meet certain men and develops stronger feelings for them.  Will she meet that special someone who she can’t live without, or will she continue to live her life the way she does because after all she is happy, isn’t she?

It’s hard to like a book when you don’t like the morals that you’re presented with.  I really did like Veronica.  She’s a great mom, and an awesome friend.  She’s there for everyone when needed.  As a lawyer, she also excels.  She’s been a lawyer for years so it comes naturally at this point in her life.  And the fact that she sleeps around, I couldn’t care less.  The only thing that bothers me is that she prefers married men so there are no strings attached.  Her husband cheated on her and got another woman pregnant.  Veronica doesn’t act hurt by it, but I’m sure she was/is.  Doesn’t she realize that she is doing the same thing to someone else’s wife?  It’s obviously the men’s fault as well; they’re not getting off the hook here.  It’s just that she doesn’t seem to feel bad for the men’s wives in the least.  That’s what bothers me.

Anyways, the book itself was well written and fast moving.  I did get a little confused when she met Jeremy, a successful and married man, and he tries to explain to her about different levels and layers of her life.  I just didn’t understand what was going on.  He was trying to give her an education on how to get more out of life and more money I believe.  I don’t know, I just didn’t get it.

There was a rape, not really scene cause it wasn’t, we, the readers, just know that it happened.  Anyways, it was horrible but during the after effects of the rape there were some significant spelling errors.  Semen was spelled ‘seamen’ a few times.  Now honestly, I was glad for the error because it made me laugh and I needed that laugh during that scene to take me back to reality.

The ending didn’t give me closure at all.  In fact, I made a note in my kindle saying, “what??????”  I know that this is the first book in a series but I just feel that some sort of closure would have been nice.

Looking at what I wrote it sounds like I’m ripping apart this book, but I’m really not trying to.  Again, it was for the most part a fast moving enjoyable read.  All and all, definitely a good book.

 

My Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5 stars

~Pam

*****I received this book free from Pump Up Your Book in exchange for an honest review.*****

****Image provided by Pump Up Your Book.****

The Echoes of Love Review

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Title:  The Echoes of Love

Author:  Hannah Fielding

Published:  2013 by London Wall Publishing

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

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Venetia is in Italy working to restore and save old paintings and relics.  Life is simple; and she is single, still haunted by her past love.  Venetia meets an Italian man, Paolo, who is definitely interested in her.  However, Venetia can’t get past her old love, even though it was a decade ago.  Eventually she gives Paolo a chance, just to change her mind and decide to be single again.  She goes back and forth with her feelings for a while, but eventually Paolo wins her heart.  His love does not come without some mysteries of his past being revealed however.  Will these revelations bring them closer together or tear them apart?

This book is enjoyable if read at a leisurely pace.  For instance, if you have nowhere to go, you’re relaxed, and you have nothing to do.  Read it then.  It felt like that kind of book; very relaxing if you will.  That being said, it was a little slow.  There was some major action near the end of the book, and I wished there was more of that throughout.

Venetia got on my nerves a bit with how she couldn’t decide whether to be with Paolo or not.  I understand that she was in love before.  But it was over ten years ago.  Be happy.  Give the guy a chance.  It’s a wonder to me that Paolo didn’t give up on her beforehand.

I really like the character Venetia meets, a Chinese man named Ping Lu.  He gives Venetia some good advice,

The grief a person goes through causes a change in his perception of himself or his lifestyle, and some sort of adjustment is required to avoid being haunted by the pain.  You must choose what to remember from the past, cherish the joys of the present, and prepare for a future – you must look forward, my child.  That is the only way. (p. 82)

Great advice!  I just wish Venetia didn’t take so long to follow it.

Ultimately, it would have been nice if Paolo and Venetia got together a little earlier in the book; I felt like when they did the pace of the book picked up.  Other than that though, it was a good read.  And look at the cover; beautiful!

 

My Rating:  3 1 /2 out of 5 stars

~Pam

*****I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.*****     

Supernatural Six: Box Set Review

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Title:  Supernatural Six: Box Set

Authors:  Elle Casey, Juli Alexander, Allie Burton, L.G. Castillo, Brenda Pandos, Tawny Stokes

Published:  November 2013 by Tawny Stokes

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

 

 

 

Another box set review!  I didn’t finish the whole set; I have so many books to review.  But I did read three stories which is half the set.  Here’s what I thought about them.

Duality by Elle Casey

Malcolm seems to attract severely depressed people.  He’s not sure why that is, but he knows that’s the case so he does his best to keep others away.  Rae has the opposite problem.  People are attracted to her for her happiness.  They can get obsessed with her, and do so often that her family frequently has to move to get away from Rae’s ‘followers’.  There are a few people, called neutrals that aren’t affected by people like Rae and Malcolm.  When Rae moves and ends up at Malcolm’s school, she is attracted to Malcolm and she thinks he’s a neutral but she’s not sure.  Rae and Malcolm will learn that they’re not alone in the world and at least they have each other and a few loyal friends too.

This story got the box set off to a good start.  It also made me laugh out loud at one scene, which is hard to do.  There was something that bothered me with this story; the fact that the same scene was sometimes told through multiple points of view.  That just gets boring.  Other than that though, it was a cute, fun read.

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Three Wishes by Juli Alexander

Jen’s a genie.  And a really good drummer.  She so wants to be a part of her brother’s band, but if she gets called to serve someone’s wishes, she has to go immediately so it’s kind of a no go for her brother; but it’s not her fault she could get called at any minute.  Anyways, Jen’s brother gets another drummer, Leo.  But Leo is more than just a good looking guy.  He’s also a genie.  It’s forbidden for a male and female genie to get together and date, but these two just can’t seem to help themselves.

Another good book.  Jen is a strong character, and even though it’s really risky, she does things that could cause serious trouble (for her) for Leo because his dad needs help.  The only bummer about this book was that I wanted to read more.  It wasn’t really a cliffhanger ending, but there wasn’t full closure so I’m wondering if the author is going to write a sequel.

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Atlantis by Allie Burton

What a beginning this story had!  Pearl is working as a janitor at a mini golf course when a toddler falls into a murky lagoon.  Pearl dives in and finds him at the bottom, being held to the bottom by the filter.  Minutes go by.  Pearl pulls him from the filter and breathes into his mouth giving him the ability to be like her temporarily at least; by having the ability to breathe under water.  Pearl tries to hurry away after she gives the boy back to his mother but a young man named Chase who also works there catches up with her, and she just can’t seem to get him off her tail.  And after a while, she doesn’t want to.

This was a really neat story.  As you just read, Pearl isn’t a mermaid, but she has the ability to breathe underwater.  She doesn’t know who her real parents are, and she is running away from her adoptive ones.  They made her perform in a circus, and were also emotionally abusive.

Something about Chase and their relationship bugged me in this book.  Maybe part of it was that he actually considered exposing her secret.  I’m not sure, but he just got under my skin.  And I felt like it kind of dragged after a while, which is too bad cause it started off so good!  All in all though, it was a decent story.

 

 

My Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5 stars

~Pam

*****I received this book free from one of the authors in exchange for an honest review.*****       

Closet Full of Coke Review

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Title:  Closet Full of Coke  Closet Full of Coke

Author:  Indra Sena

Published:  2012 by Indra Sena

Genre: Memoir

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About the Book: 

Narrated by the teenage girl who lived it, Closet Full of Coke tells the true story of how a New York suburban fifteen-year-old girl’s savvy and wit helps turn the small-time drug business of Armando, a Colombian drug dealer, into a multi-million-dollar cocaine operation that puts them on the DEA’s Wanted List.

This intimate diary gives readers a fast-paced glimpse of the couple’s speedy rise to riches, and their inevitable descent.

These wannabe drug lords of the 1980s New York-to-Florida drug scene end their story only three years later with an untimely death, betrayal, and revenge.

Here is a true account of drug dealers whose obsession with money, power, sex, and glamour drives them to a lifestyle of deceit and recklessness, ending in tragedies that destroy lives forever.  (Provided by Pump Up Your Book.)

I was so excited to read this book!  Does anyone remember Go Ask Alice?  That’s the first thought that came into my mind when I saw the synopsis and I thought, I haven’t read a book like that in a while.

Like the synopsis says, this memoir tells the story of a 15 year old drug dealer.  Indra is about to make a buy at her dealer’s house (she currently sells at her high school) and he isn’t there but Armando, her dealer’s supplier is.  She goes for a car ride with Armando and soon he becomes her dealer and boyfriend (even though he’s married).

There is so much potential in this book and for it to be based on real life is crazy.  It seems like something one would see on a TV special, 20/20, or a movie.  It was a fast paced suspenseful read, but I just felt as if a few details could have made it amazing instead of good.

There are a few characters in the book that are frightening.  If you make them mad, there is no telling what they might do.  One of those people is Armando.  Indra knows that he beat up his wife, she saw the bruises on her face so of course she is scared of him.  We as readers know this, but my heart didn’t pump in fear in situations when it should have.

The other person was Carlos, Armando’s brother in law.  This guy was a legit psycho; he got off on violence.  I know Indra must have felt terrified in some of the situations with him, and I wanted to feel it with her, but I just didn’t.  Maybe some situations should have just been worded differently?

My heart breaks for the author and her parental situation growing up; it just sounded plan awful.  Her parents were addicts and selfish, and being a parent myself, this just broke my heart.  Another thing that seriously bothered me was Indra’s non actions in getting a woman she worked with out of jail after they both got in trouble.  The woman, Janet I believe, had a kid, and Indra just seems to blow it off.  I know she was young, but man, it made my blood boil.  (Obviously these situations were well written for me to have reactions such as these.)

Although some things bothered me, and I do feel like it could have been amazing instead of just good, I do think it’s a good book.  I read it within a few days, and enjoyed it.  And perhaps a teenager on the brink of a bad decision will read this and will change their mind about their future actions.  Although it does not have a happy ever after, I still do recommend it.

My Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5 stars

~Pam

**I received this book free from Pump Up Your Book in exchange for an honest review.***

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About the Author:

You can visit Indra Sena’s website at www.closetfullofcoke.com. Indra is currently working on her second memoir. It covers two years in her twenties, where she joined the Rainbow Family and traveled the US and abroad.

Her latest book is the memoir, Closet Full of Coke.

Connect & Socialize with Indra

FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE.

Closet Full of Coke banner***Images, and wording for about the book & author were provided by Pump Up Your Book***