Book Review: The Devious Debutante (Ursula LeCoeur)

The Devious Debutante

by: Ursula LeCoeur

Genres: Historical, Romance

Beneath the glittering façade of historic mansions and gaslit restaurants, no one tells Maureen Collins what to do. Not her father. Not the old society families of New Orleans. Not even her dead mother, who chose her groom the day her daughter was born. Refusing the husband selected for her, Maureen ventures into a world of lies, disguises and midnight rendezvous—to win the love of Ben Merritt, an intriguing stranger with something to hide. 
Merritt leads a double life. By day he’s a priggish attorney; when the moon rises, he prowls the docks tracking opium smugglers. When he meets Maureen, he suppresses his desire and thinks of her as a useful tool to aid his investigation of her father—his prime suspect.
Each tries to make sense of the other’s peculiar behavior. Maureen concludes Merritt is an opium addict, while Merritt deduces that Maureen and her father are cohorts in a vast smuggling operation. 
As the deceptions multiply, the stakes grow higher. When Maureen’s desperate plan to learn the truth turns deadly, only one man can identify the threads of conspiracy to save her life.

**WE WERE GIVEN A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR THE FOLLOWING HONEST REVIEW**

The Devious Debutante is a very good book. The writers (they are a mother/daughter team) did their research, so the  moments in the story were accurate to the time period. It was a mystery and a love story. The story was easy to read and the mystery in trying to figure out who the good guys were kept me interested through the book.

The problems with opium smugglers were real in that time, and the way Ben, one of the main characters, investigated it kept you wondering if he was a good guy. The way everyone in the story was looped together in the end was amazing. These writers are very talented.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good love story. I look forward to reading more books by Ursula LeCoeur.

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Book Review: Rebirth of the Gangster:Meet the Family: Hunter (CJ Standal)

Rebirth of the Gangster: Meet the Family:Hunter

by: C.J. Sandal

Genres: Comic

Marcus is still reeling from his beating as a victim of a robbery, lashing out at even the smallest of work hiccups in anger. Reaching out, his coworker Kaitlyn tries to pierce the cloud brought on by this robbery. 

Hunter counts his share of the gains from the robbery, but also has to accept his share of the blame for the missteps. Back at their hideout, Hunter and the rest of the crew debrief on what might be their last robbery as a team. 

And delve into Hunter's past: His dad's prison sentence haunted him as a child and will return to haunt him in entirely new ways when his mom reveals long-buried secrets that lead to a pivotal reunion from Hunter's childhood.

**WE RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR THE FOLLOWING HONEST REVIEW**

This is the second installment, of the Rebirth of the Gangster series, and I enjoyed it just as much if not more than the first. (You can read my review of Book 1 here.)

I love the artwork and style used in the comic as noted in my review of the first installment. The story is easy to follow, but at the same time keeps you interested in the characters and the flow of the stories for each main character and the supporting characters as well. I am anxious to read the next installments, and hope to get the opportunity to do so. My only complaint is that the installments are so small. I would personally like to read it from start to finish without having to wait for installments, but I do understand why the author has chosen to release it this way.

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Book Review: The Husband (Dean Koontz)

The Husband 

by Dean Koontz

Genre: Murder, Suspense, Mystery, Thriller

With each and every new novel, Dean Koontz raises the stakes--and the pulse rate--higher than any other author. Now, in what may be his most suspenseful and heartfelt novel ever, he brings us the story of an ordinary man whose extraordinary commitment to his wife will take him on a harrowing journey of adventure, sacrifice, and redemption to the mystery of love itself--and to a showdown with the darkness that would destroy it forever. 
What would you do for love? Would you die? Would you kill? 
We have your wife. You can get her back for two million cash. Landscaper Mitchell Rafferty thinks it must be some kind of joke. He was in the middle of planting impatiens in the yard of one of his clients when his cell phone rang. Now he's standing in a normal suburban neighborhood on a bright summer day, having a phone conversation out of his darkest nightmare. 
Whoever is on the other end of the line is dead serious. He has Mitch's wife and he's named the price for her safe return. The caller doesn't care that Mitch runs a small two-man landscaping operation and has no way of raising such a vast sum. He's confident that Mitch will find a way. 
If he loves his wife enough. . . Mitch does love her enough. He loves her more than life itself. He's got seventy-two hours to prove it. He has to find the two million by then. But he'll pay a lot more. He'll pay anything. 
From its tense opening to its shattering climax, The Husband is a thriller that will hold you in its relentless grip for every twist, every shock, every revelation...until it lets you go, unmistakably changed. This is a Dean Koontz novel, after all. And there's no other experience quite like it.




A little cliche, but still a roller-coaster of emotions and suspense. Dean Koontz definitely knows how to keep readers on the edge of their metaphorical seats.

The Husband is a good example of someone who will do anything to save the one they love. Whether it be stealing money, grand theft auto, or murder.

It was difficult to keep up with, sometimes. The characters were constantly moving forward in the plot, but it was good at keeping you interested in what they were doing.

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Book Review: Dark Guardian (Ammar Habib)

Dark Guardian

By Ammar Habib

Genres: Fantasy

It has been four years since Ethan Daniels stepped foot in Crown City. Four long years that he allowed everyone to believe he was dead and gone. But now he's back, and with a vengeance. 

After the gruesome death of his adopted sister at the hands of a merciless gang, there is nothing he wants more than revenge. He can't sleep, he can't think; all he hears are her cries in his ears and all he sees is her death in his mind. 

Ethan comes home to take on one of the world's most notorious crime lords in his bid for revenge, but he doesn't expect a reunion with Katrina, the girl he loved as a boy. After multiple re-encounters with her, Ethan's resolve begins to waver as he is forced to realize that he can't have both love and vengeance. Retribution exacts a price, and fate—well, she has plans of her own. 



Hello everybodyyyyyy!!! Today I will be doing a review on Dark Guardian. So I apologize to the author for this review because it is not exactly positive..... At all.

  So first things first, I couldn't get to the third chapter. It was so bad. It was like reading the script for a soap opera. Now don't get me wrong it has room (a lot actually) for development. I immediately caught on to the plot and what was going on, which for me is bad because I like to be surprised by the plot twist not like "oh yeah. I knew that". The transitions were awful. Almost as if the author didn't know how to properly transition from the topic at hand to a new one; it all just kinda got smushed together and made the book seem poorly written, corny, and like I was at amateur hour at the "I just started writing a book for a hobby cause I was bored and decided to publish it" bar (IJSWABFAHCIWBADTPI Bar, if you will). I read the first line, scoffed, rolled my eyes, and closed out of the book, and I imagine that's what I would've done if I saw it at the book store. Anyway, the way the characters talk to one another doesn't flow, it's so bad and scripted. Like they were puppets, almost. So, I don't recommend this book. I am sorry to the author for giving a negative review, but I feel I need to be honest about the work that gets sent in.

  Well, I must be off now! Goodbye my loves!!
xoxo 

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Book Review: Daddy's Little Girl (Mary Higgins Clark)

Daddy's Little Girl

By Mark Higgins Clark

Genre: Mystery (Crime, Murder), Contemporary, 

Suspense 

Ellie Cavanaugh was only seven years old when her fifteen-year-old sister, Andrea, was murdered near their home in Oldham-on-the-Hudson, a rural village in New York's Westchester County. There were three suspects: Rob Westerfield, nineteen-year-old scion of a wealthy, prominent family, whom Andrea has been secretly dating; Paul Stroebel, a sixteen-year-old schoolmate, who had a crush on Andrea; and Will Nebels, a local handyman in his forties.


It was Ellie who had led her parents to a hideout in which Andrea's body was found -- a secret hideaway in which she met her friends. And it was Ellie who was blamed by her parents for her sister's death for not telling them about this place the night Andrea was missing. It was also Ellie's testimony that led to the conviction of the man she was firmly convinced was the killer. Steadfastly denying his guilt, he spent the next twenty-two years in prison.

When he comes up for parole, Ellie, now an investigative reporter for an Atlanta newspaper, protests his release. Nonetheless, the convicted killer is set free and returns to Oldham. Determined to thwart his attempts to whitewash his reputation, Ellie also returns to Oldham, intent on creating a Website and writing a book that will conclusively prove his guilt. As she delves deeper into her research, however, she uncovers horrifying and heretofore unknown facts that shed new light on her sister's murder. With each discovery, she comes closer to a confrontation with a desperate killer.

Gripping and relentlessly compelling, Daddy's Little Girl, a portrayal of a family shattered by crime, reflects Mary Higgins Clark's uncanny insight into the twisted mind of a killer and is further evidence of why she is America's favorite author of suspense.

The first three or four chapters were boring, you didn't really get any information about anything that was going on. After those, you get down to the nitty-gritty and find out all the details you'd been waiting for.

Once you get down to it,  I thought the book was extremely interesting. It was one of those books that holds your interest; you just don't want to put it down. It was edge-of-your-seat suspenseful toward the end.

Overall, the story really wrapped up nicely. There weren't any loose ends that I could think of. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone 16+ who enjoys action-packed crime thrillers.

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Book Review: Capering On Glass Bridges (Jessica Hernandez)

Capering on Glass Bridges

by: Jessica Hernandez

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure

The Utdrendans have spoken, and everything has changed as a consequence. People normally avoid the fog surrounding the cursed Kingdom of Mar, but now they are asking sixteen-year-old Kaia Stone to venture into it. The Utdrendans implied that there is something special about Kaia. They claimed that she could help free the land; she need only carry out their instructions and deliver a message to the Marian king.

Mar, however, is a land in which dark secrets abound, and many will stop at nothing to ensure that it remains forever cursed. Determined to work against Kaia, unfriendly forces have already begun to gather.

Will Kaia choose to abandon the only life she’s ever known—perhaps indefinitely—in pursuit of the greater good…in pursuit of her purpose?

**WE WERE GIVEN A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR THE FOLLOWING HONEST REVIEW**

Helloooooooo everyonnnnneeee!!! Today I will be reviewing Capering on Glass Bridges by Jessica Hernandez.  Firstly, I must apologize to the author of this book for not reviewing it soon enough and making her wait. I am very sorry for the wait and I have no excuses for not reviewing it sooner.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I loved the theme, it was magical and made you feel as though you were in the book yourself. I do wish that she had given more explanation to the characters. I didn't know how to picture Kaia or Elania, the only characteristics that were given is how old they were and towards the end of the book that Elania had dark curly hair.  I didn't know if Kaia had brown or black hair, there was no indication as to her eye color or if she was a petite person or tall. It seems silly but it helps to visualize the story. I still am unaware of how old Warrin is compared to Kaia. And speaking of Warrin and Kaia their chemistry din't come into play until the middle of the book and it was rather unexpected. I wish that the author would of given hints as to the dynamic between them but instead I was totally ambushed with it. I also wanted to see a bit more profession in their relationship, they danced and they held hands a few times but that's about it. And I know that this isn't a romance novel but if there is going to be a romance I would've liked to see into it a little more. Kaia seems like a brave, loyal, and courageous girl, but we didn't really get a glimpse into her personality which was kind of a bummer. The same goes for most of the other characters as well. It kind of left the story feeling empty, with no real description of the characters or their personalities. But I did really love this book, I thought it was original and interesting and i adored all of the creatures that came into play. I do hope that there will be a sequel because the author did leave it on a cliffhanger which I suspected from the beginning but didn't know if it was going to follow through. Anyway, I really liked this book and would recommend you read it if you like fantasy/ fiction. Jessica if you have a sequel or any other books please do send them in as I would like to read them too. Thank you for choosing us to review your book and I hope I did it justice. Again I apologize for the wait.

I bestow love and happiness among you all and wish you a beautiful day!!
 XoXo 

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Book Review: Once Upon a One Night Stand (D.N. Hoxa)

Once Upon a One Night Stand

by: D.N. Hoxa

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Five friends. Five stories. 

Welcome to the LOVER show. Let's begin with L:

Have you ever tried not liking a guy when your best friends decide you should like him? How about if that guy had the sexiest ass on the planet, and was your birthday-cake one-night-stand with icing on top? 

London Reeves agrees that three years is a long time to live without sex, but one steamy hot night could never last longer than the morning after. Yet, her four lunatic best friends disagree on that last one. The voices in her head disagree, too, and even her mother seems to think she's crazy. And sexyass will not take a goddamn no for an answer. Now what exactly is a girl to do against that?

**WE WERE PROVIDED WITH A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR THE FOLLOWING HONEST REVIEW**

Once Upon a One Night Stand is a very good book. 

There was a nice flow to the story, and the characters were great. It was sexy, funny, and romantic, which are all the things I like in a book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, who is looking for their next romance fix. D.N. Hoxa is an excellent writer, and I look forward to reading more of her work. 

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Book Review: Finding Audrey (Sophie Kinsella)

Finding Audrey

By: Sophie Kinsella

Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Humor, Novel

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.



                        
Hello Lovely people!!! 'Tis I, Naomi!! Yes. I am still breathing. And today I will be reviewing Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella. 

This was a pretty good, boo, and I say "pretty good" because it didn't leave me with that feeling you get after reading certain books. Ya know how you read something and you just sit there after you've finished it and think "wow this book has made me think differently about this or that"? Yeah, well this book had none of that. In fact, it had very little effect on my emotions. I'm not saying it was BAD but just that I couldn't find the connection I wanted to with this book. 


So it takes place in modern day England and is about a girl named Audrey who suffers from severe anxiety. After meeting a guy named Linus things start to change. Now the thing about this book is that it is completely different from what it claims to be. I was expecting the author to go into a bit more detail about the relationship between Audrey and Linus but there is hardly any. I mean, he comes over they eventually kiss and that's about all you get. If this guy is helping her step out of her comfort zone and become herself again I would like to know why. Sure they play this game where they have to go up to people and say something and that's cool and it might help her but it's not enough. I don't want this "oh a guy came into my life so I'm happy now"...no. I want to know how he makes her feel, and how he is helping her through this. The author might give A LITTLE detail but not enough to grasp onto! And the whole thing between her brother and mom about the computer game gets real annoying real quick. It's kinda funny at first but diminishes soon after. You just wanna scream at the book "It's not that big of a deal!" in hopes the author can hear you and change it. It frustrates me to say the least hahahah. I did like the video diary though, it added a creative aspect that was pretty cool.

 Anyway, this book was okay. Maybe you should read it in hopes you enjoy it more than me lol. It was a quick read so it would be good for flights or long car rides but other than that I'm not really impressed. Have a great day you beautiful humans, you!!!
xoxo ~ Gossip Girl
Jk byyyyyyeeeee




 

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Book Review: From the Buff Dude in Your Gym: How to Never Stop Eating and Training (Paul Johnson)

From the Buff Dude in Your Gym: How to Never Stop Eating and Training

By: Paul Johnson  

Genre: Nonfiction, Motivation

Not the book you want, but the book you probably need. 

Tell me your vision of bodybuilding, and I’ll tell you whether or not you’re bound to fail. 

Surfing the Internet, one might think that bodybuilding is something fun, easy and, most importantly, that significant amounts of muscle can be grown fast if you’ve got enough motivation. That is simply not true. Building muscle tissue is a very, very slow process, and requires an adequate approach. 

Growing your muscle base is a huge project. It will require years of consistent work, both in and outside the gym, and the progress will be so continuous that it will be almost invisible. That’s why the better prepared you are from the very beginning, the less likely you are to quit somewhere along the way. 

How many of your friends have had gym memberships? Out of those people, how many have trained long enough to reach their dream physique? 

Of course, everyone who quits has a valid reason. Usually it’s lack of time due to work, school or kids. Sometimes people quit for other reasons. But most of the time, the real reason why people stop building their body is that they expected something else. They expected more, sooner. 

And I can’t blame them. We’re all eager to see results, and we get discouraged when we don’t. The problem with bodybuilding is that it is such a slow process that it’s extremely hard to notice any results. That’s why the best approach is not to look for evidence of muscle growth every now and then, and rather set up your mind for a long journey with an undefined arrival date. 

In this book, I’ll try to show you what bodybuilding is truly all about. I won’t go into specific exercises or nutrition plans. I will talk about realistic expectations and tuning your mind for long-term success rather than jumping into bodybuilding after a spike of motivation. I will also cover basic nutritional principles which will provide you with tools to make your own bodybuilding diets. Lastly, I will illustrate how bodybuilding diets integrate into our daily lives, talk what are the sacrifices and compromises we have to make to eat properly, and share a couple of practical tips that will soften the impact of said sacrifices.

**WE WERE GIVEN A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR THE FOLLOWING HONEST REVIEW**

As someone who has been in and out of gyms for about 16 years now, I really enjoyed this book.
I have been out of the gym now for over a year, due to having huge motivation problems.

This book gets straight to the point, and delivers the type of honest no nonsense facts and information that everyone needs to know.
I expected to read about different workout programs and such, but was pleasantly surprised to see that this book is about the toughest part of getting in shape which is the diet and meal preparation. 

I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to know what it takes to be a lifter of any type, without all the better body in 6 weeks mumbo-jumbo.
It made me feel anxious to get back into the gym while and after reading it.

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Book Review: Hope (Grier Cooper)

Hope

by: Grier Cooper

Genre: Contemporary

Perfection. Beauty. Pain. For Indigo Stevens there’s no such thing as weakness or privacy at the famed New York School of Ballet where every movement is scrutinized and judged. Indigo hopes she’ll be chosen for the company, but her ballet teachers aren’t talking and their silence is confusing.

When Indigo is singled out for a coveted solo she feels her dreams are finally within reach, until she discovers she’s dancing with Felipe Gonzalez, the school’s smolderingly hot rising star. In the days that follow, Indigo questions everything she thought was true and finds herself making surprising choices, including the decision to take control of her own future. Will she create the life she wants or lose everything?

**WE WERE GIVEN A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR

THE FOLLOWING HONEST REVIEW**

This book was good, but not great. I guess if you are into ballet you would enjoy it. To me, it was bland. There weren't any exciting moments. Although it was very descriptive and easy to picture what was happening, I am not a fan of these kinds of books. That being said, if you like ballet and the struggles that ballerinas go through, you will probably like it.

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