Denise

Elysium Fire

Elysium Fire - Alastair Reynolds

This was the best book that I've read in a while. This isn't normally what I'm used to reading but I thought I'd take a chance on it. I was sucked into to story from the beginning and didn't want it to end. This story follows quite a few different characters and at times does jump from present to past. I don't really want to give anything away but I will say that there are mysterious deaths throughout the book that really drive these characters to try and solve the mystery behind the deaths. I enjoyed the reveal of information towards the end of the book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

The Phantom of Oz

The Phantom of Oz - Cindy Brown

Ivy is back and this time she is investigating her friend Candy. Ivy has noticed some drastic changes in Candy and wonders what is going on with her. When a bunch of accidents happen at the show Candy is working at Ivy is hired to figure out what is going on.

 

I liked Ivy in this latest installment. Sometimes she can be stubborn and not that great at being a PI but I feel like she was much better at investigating and was very likeable. I didn't really like Candy much during this book. Candy definitely changed and she was treating Ivy like garbage. Personally I felt like Ivy should have just dropped Candy as a friend.

 

One thing I didn't like about this book is Ivy's relationship with Matt. I don't feel like there head been any growth to the relationship and their interactions at this point are boring and repetitive. I'd either like to see growth in their relationship or Ivy with someone else.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

A Devil in Scotland

A Devil in Scotland: A No Ordinary Hero Novel - Suzanne Enoch

I am always up for a Highlander romance, especially when I am as stressed as I am now. This book was a good escape from my world. This book follows Callum and Rebecca. Callum was banished from Scotland after trying to convince Rebecca to marry him instead of his brother, Ian. When Ian dies ten years later Callum is on a mission for revenge against those he feels are responsible for Ian's death.

 

In definitely liked Callum more than I liked Rebecca. Rebecca was definitely annoying in the beginning and it took a while for me to start to like her. Rebecca's daughter Maggie definitely stole the show for me. I loved her interaction with Waya and Callum.

 

At times I felt like this kind of dragged and that things could have been sped up a bit. The action towards the end was good and I definitely enjoyed how everything ended.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

The Other Mother

The Other Mother: A Novel - Carol Goodman

While the book description seemed intriguing I couldn't imagine how much I would enjoy this book. This book follows Daphne Marist who takes her baby Chloe with her to a job in a remote area to escape from her husband. At the beginning you don't really know why she felt the need to escape but the further you read the more everything is revealed. 

 

Daphne before she moved with her daughter had a friend named Laurel. Laurel also happens to have a baby named Chloe. The more Daphne gets to know Laurel the more she realizes just how alike she and Laurel really are.

 

This book had quite a few twists and turns that I really enjoyed. I really loved that not only do you get to see just what happens with Laurel and Daphne but also get to see previous events that happened at the mental institution that is next door to where Daphne takes a job as an archivist. The ending really showed how certain things were connected and I enjoyed it.

 

I received this book from a Librarything Early Reviewers giveaway. My review is not affected by that in any way.

The Rogue is Back in Town

The Rogue Is Back in Town - Anna Bennett

I have not read any of the previous books in this series but that did not lessen my understand or enjoyment in this book. This book follows Samuel and Julie. Samuel is widely known for being a rogue and is finally kicked out by his brother and given the task of kicking out the man who lives in a property that his brother owns. Little does he know that he'll encounter the fiercely protective Julie living in the home with her uncle. From the moment they meet the sparks will fly.

 

I loved both Sam and Julie and quite frankly couldn't get enough of Uncle Alistair. I loved the chemistry between Sam and Julie from the start. While at times they did have little fights that I would consider stupid I did really enjoy the progression of their relationship.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

The Grave's a Fine and Private Place

The Grave's a Fine and Private Place: A Flavia de Luce Novel - Alan Bradley

Flavia is back and I can't get enough of it. She is a little melancholy but who could really blame her. Her life seems to finally go back to normal (well, her normal) when she finds a dead body while on vacation. In a town famous for previous murders Flavia just might end up solving more crimes than attempted too.

 

I was bit wary when I started to read this latest installment based on what had happened in the previous book. I wondered if everything would change. Thankfully for both Flavia and the reader's sake things didn't change all that much. If anything I loved the fact that Flavia and Dogger teamed up to solve the murder. I can't wait to see if they team up more in the future.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Artemis

Artemis: A Novel - Andy Weir

I loved Andy Weir's previous book The Martian so when I found out about Artemis I immediately went to Netgalley to request it. This book follows Jasmine (Jazz) Bashara who is a porter (and also a smuggler) in Artemis the only city on the moon. Jazz is struggling to make ends meet when someone comes to her with a highly illegal task to do but with a reward too good to pass down. Jazz finds herself pulled into something way bigger and more dangerous than she thought it was.

 

Jazz was a bit of a mystery to me at first. I was really curious to see how she became a lowly porter. Once her past was laid out I was a bit disappointed. I think that is when I started to like Jazz less and less. She was definitely funny at times but her attitude could be a bit annoying especially since she only had herself to blame for the position she was in.

 

Sometimes I felt that this was a bit bogged down in too much discussion about pressure and chemicals mixing, basically in science. It is understandable that there would be some discussion about that but it got to be a bit much at times for me.

 

Overall I did enjoy this book and will definitely be reading more from Andy Weir.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

The Flight Attendant

The Flight Attendant: A Novel - Chris Bohjalian

Chris Bohjalian is an author that I can't count on to entertain me with a good story so I requested his latest book when I saw it on Netgalley. The description made it seem like something that I'd really enjoy.

 

This follows Cassie, a flight attendant who wakes up one morning after a one night stand next to a dead body. She can't really remember what happened and must piece it together.

 

I can't really say that I liked Cassie at all. The way she clung to drinking even though it was clearly destroying her life made the book a little less enjoyable. She makes it very hard to like her. As she is not likeable it made the book seem to drag on to me. Quite frankly I just got tired of reading about her.

 

There was some action and some twists that unfolded towards the end but I feel like some of the action should have come sooner. I would have rather had a little more action and a little less of Cassie bumbling around.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

The Highlander is All That

The Highlander Is All That (Untamed Highlanders) - Sabrina York

I was invited by the publisher to read this book and I am glad that I was. I read the previous book in the series (but honestly didn't remember what happened in it) but I feel as though it is not necessary to read the previous books in order to understand what is happening.

 

This book follows sisters Anne and Elizabeth as they are sponsored by their Duke cousin this season in order to find husbands. Anne, due to a previous heartbreak, does not want to get married. Elizabeth is not happy with her suitors. Their lives turn upside down when their cousin sends two of his friends, Hamish and Ranald, in his place to protect and escort the girls.

 

I definitely enjoyed reading about Elizabeth and Hamish more than Anne and Ranald. Anne just seemed a bit too stubborn and a bit too reserved for me. I did enjoy that the story switched between the four main characters as I feel if it would have concentrated on just one of the couples then the book would have seemed too short and would have fell flat.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

The Scandalous Flirt

The Scandalous Flirt (Cinderella Sisterhood Series) - Olivia Drake

Usually I am wary at picking up a book that is in the middle of a series that I have not read before. I always fear that I will feel lost and not know what is going on. Luckily that was not the case with this book as I did not feel lost or that I was missing anything. 

 

In the beginning I definitely liked Rory way more than I liked Lucas. While they both had their struggles, (Rory being banished from London after a scandal with a lover and Lucas dealing with debts) Rory seemed to have grown more and become stronger than Lucas. Lucas was just a plain jerk in the beginning and I feared that he would be like that throughout the book. Luckily the more that I read the more I began to like him.

 

I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. I did enjoy that this was not dominated with steamy scenes but instead you really got to know the characters. Don't get me wrong there were some great steamy moments between Rory and Lucas.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

The Bride Who Got Lucky

The Bride Who Got Lucky (The Cavensham Heiresses) - Janna MacGregor

I was invited by the publisher to read this book. When I got the invitation I had been feeling down in the dumps and thought what better way to cheer up then reading a romance novel. After reading the book I am definitely feeling better.

 

This book follows Nick and Emma. Both of them are really stubborn and never want to bee married; Nick because he doesn't want to let anyone in after his father basically disowned him, and Emma because she doesn't want a man to control her. I tended to like Nick more than Emma as Emma started to get annoying in the second half.

 

Nick and Emma's relationship grows throughout the book and grows especially fast after they are forced to marry. Their marriage seemed to be working until something threatens to tear them apart. Ultimately, of course, I loved where they ended up at the end.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Cold As Ice

Cold As Ice - Julie Mulhern

This is by far my favorite series published by Henery Press (I'm sure I've already said that a million times). I can't get enough of it and luckily enough I never have to wait too long for the next book of the series.

 

Ellison is back once again and to no one's surprise she finds another dead body. This time though not only is she caught up in the investigation as to who killed the dead person she also must find out just what is happening at the bank that is the inheritance left to her daughter from her late husband. 

 

Ellison's sense of humor is always a bright spot in this series. I also really enjoy the relationships she has with her friends and family. Any interaction between Ellison and her mother usually has me laughing. 

 

I was a teeny bit disappointed when it was revealed who the murderer was. I really wasn't extremely impressed with the reveal. What I did enjoy (surprisingly enough) was Ellison's discussion with Anarchy. That left me interested in seeing just what happens next in Ellison's life.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Breaching the Contract

Breaching the Contract (The Conflict of Interest Series Book 1) - Chantal Fernando

I was invited by the publisher (through Netgalley) to read this book. I was a fan of some of Chantal Fernando's previous books so I was excited to read the start of this new series. While the book had some great steamy scenes I feel like this was way too short and because of that the characters felt underdeveloped. I don't feel like we even learned all that much about Kat and Tristan and I didn't read enough about them to feel compelled to keep reading. I would consider continuing this series if the characters are more developed and the plot is not rushed. 

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Bones to Pick

Bones To Pick - Linda Lovely

I am always up for starting a new series from Henery Press. This book was a great start to the series and had everything that I love about Henery Press' books.

 

Brie Hooker is a vegan chef who finds herself living on her Aunt's goat cheese farm after her aunt is accused of murder. She, with the help of some friends (even some hunky friends who vie for her attention), must clear her Aunt's name while helping to keep the farm afloat.

 

I liked that while Brie is vegan it doesn't really dominate the story. She does get a bit annoying about it when talking about all the cholesterol in cheese but it didn't make me like the story any less. What made me really love the story was her relationships with Andy and Paint. While they both vied for her attention they were both able to remain best friends.

 

I really look forward to reading more of this series (and seeing what happens between Brie, Andy, and Paint). Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

The Paris Spy

The Paris Spy - Susan Elia MacNeal

I cannot get enough of this series so when I saw this latest installment on Netgalley I just had to request it. No matter what is happening in my life I am always up for reading about Maggie Hope. This time Maggie is in Paris trying to find a spy that she believes might have been compromised and also trying to find her half-sister Elise.

 

While this was was not as dark as some previous books in the series this is still pretty dark and filled with heartbreak for Maggie and readers. As with the other books in the series this follows not only Maggie but other characters. You really grow close to the agents in Paris the more that you read and can't help but feel despair at what happens to certain characters.

 

One of my favorite parts of this book was the growing relationship between Maggie and her sister. They were able to really bond in this book and I hope their relationship gets a chance to grow even further in the future.

 

I was not expecting the ending and it has left me dying to know what happens next.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Room for Doubt

Room For Doubt (A Carol Childs Mystery) (Volume 4) - Nancy Cole Silverman

After the last book in this series I wasn't sure if I was going to continue reading this series. I ultimately decided to give this book a try and I am glad that I did. Carol is back with a really interesting mystery surrounding a death that police have ruled a suicide. Carol's investigation with the help of pesky but hunky PI Chase will lead her to discover covered up murders that just might lead her to a group of women determined to get justice.

 

I was glad that Carol didn't seem too over her head in the investigation in this book. Her decisions and behavior (especially towards the end) really surprised me. I have to admit that I didn't like the relationship between her and Chase or at least what it became. I liked it better when she was annoyed with him.

 

While the plot at times seemed a bit far-fetched I still really enjoyed this book. I look forward to reading more from this series.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.