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Saturday, August 23, 2014

Treasure Me (Liberty #1) by Christine Nolfi



Treasure Me (Liberty #1) by Christine Nolfi
My Rating: 4 of 5 Butterflies

Title:  Treasure Me
Author:  Christine Nolfi
Series:  Liberty #1
Length:  352 pages
Publisher:  Self Published via CreateSpace
Published:  April 19, 2011
Source:  Amazon/Author
Format:  Kindle
Genres:  Fiction; Women's Lit; Historical Fiction; Mystery; Romance
Subject:  Family; Jewels; Thievery; Relationships; Small-town Life
Finalist, 2012 Next Generation Indie Awards 
"Highly recommended" by The Midwest Book Review 

Welcome to Book One of The Liberty Series, where love, friendship and family life arrive with a second chance in the most heartwarming circumstances. 

Petty thief Birdie Kaminsky has arrived in Liberty, Ohio to steal a treasure hidden since the Civil War. She’s in possession of a charming clue passed down in her family for generations: Liberty safeguards the cherished heart. 

The beautiful thief wants to go straight. She secretly admires the clue’s author, freedwoman Justice Postell, who rose above the horrors of slavery to build a new life in Ohio. According to family lore, Justice left South Carolina at the dawn of the Civil War. Heavy with child, she carried untold riches on her journey north. As Birdie searches for the treasure, she begins to believe a questionable part of the story: a tale of love between Justice and Lucas Postell, the French plantation owner who was Birdie’s ancestor. 

If the stories are true, Justice bore a child with Lucas. Some of those black relatives might still live in town. Birdie can’t help but wonder if she’s found one—Liberty’s feisty matriarch, Theodora Hendricks, who packs a pistol and heartwarming stories about Justice. Birdie doesn’t know that an investigative reporter who has arrived in town will trip her up—as will her conscience when she begins to wonder if it’s possible to start a new life with stolen riches. Yet with each new clue she unearths, Birdie begins to discover a family history more precious than gems, a tradition of love richer than she could imagine. 

The books of The Liberty Series work as stand-alone novels you may enjoy in any order. Look for the other books in the series: Second Chance Grill, The Impossible Wish and Four Wishes.


First off, I must say that I really do wish that all sources for which you can submit a review to would allow half ratings, because I strongly believe that Treasure Me deserves a Solid 4.5 rating!!  I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of reading this book!!

Christine Nolfi has expertly written this book with the most descriptive characters and settings of most books that I have read.  I have this very clear picture of who Birdie Kaminsky is and of what Liberty, Ohio is like! There are some stories that you read and just go along with the lines, and there are other stories that you read and get lost in the words, which leaves you with a feeling that you are within the confines of the story yourself!  The latter is exactly what happened for me and I thoroughly enjoyed the Liberty experience! Nolfi has skillfully and proficiently intertwined the "old" Liberty in with the "new" Liberty, leaving the reader feeling like he or she has a vast knowledge of the history, present, and even the future of the town!  

Treasure Me is the perfect combination of humor, mystery, and intriguing relationships that gives the book a perfect balance!

This book was such a pleasure to read!  I already have book two in the Liberty series, Second Chance Grille, the prequel to Treasure Me, on my Kindle so I certainly will be continuing on with the antics of the Liberty crew and I can't wait to see what is in store for them!

Stellar writing Christine Nolfi, stellar writing!!


Amazon | Author | Barnes & Noble | Books•A•Million

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Treasure Me from the author, Christine Nolfi, in return for an honest and unbiased review!





Monday, August 11, 2014

Phantom Instinct by Meg Gardiner (Audio & Kindle)

Phantom Instinct by Meg Gardiner
My Rating:  3 of 5 Stars

Title:  Phantom Instinct
Author:  Meg Gardiner
Narrator:  Angela Brazil
Series:  Stand Alone
Length:  Unabridged; 12 hours, 25 minutes (Audio); 368 pages (Kindle)
Publisher:  Blackstone Audio (Audio)Dutton Adult (Kindle)
Published:  June 26, 2014
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss & Audiobook Jukebox
Format:  Audiobook & Kindle
Genres:  Fiction; Suspense; Mystery
Subjects:  Murder/Investigation; Ex-Police; Brain Damage

In Edgar Award-winning author Meg Gardiner's new stand-alone thriller, an injured cop and an ex-thief hunt down a killer nobody else believes exists.
When shots ring out in a crowded Los Angeles club, bartender Harper Flynn watches helplessly as her boyfriend, Drew, is gunned down in the crossfire. Then somebody throws a Molotov cocktail, and the club is quickly engulfed in flames. LA Sheriff Deputy Aiden Garrison sees a gunman in a hoodie and gas mask taking aim at Harper, but before he can help her a wall collapses, bringing the building down and badly injuring him.
A year later, Harper is trying to rebuild her life. She has quit her job and gone back to college. Meanwhile, the investigation into the shoot-out has been closed. The two gunmen were killed when the building collapsed.
Certain that a third gunman escaped and is targeting the survivors, Harper enlists the help of Aiden Garrison, the only person willing to listen. But the traumatic brain injury he suffered has cut his career short and left him with Fregoli syndrome, a rare type of face blindness that causes the delusion that random people are actually a single person changing disguises.
As Harper and Aiden delve into the case, Harper realizes that her presence during the attack was no coincidence - and that her only ally is unstable, mistrustful of her, and seeing the same enemy everywhere he looks.
©2014 Meg Gardiner (P)2014 Blackstone Audiobooks

My Review:
First off, I must start out with saying that I would have definitely have given this book a solid 3.5 rating (however, that I cannot do that on Goodreads!)  I did like this book, it just did not end up being one of my absolute favorites!!

I had both an audio version and a kindle version to review, and I must say that I liked the kindle version slightly better than the audio version because it was a little hard to follow on audio.  Nonetheless, the narrator, Angela Brazil, did a good job with the narration of this story.  There was just such extensive dynamics included in the story that made it more difficult to follow while listening.  I found that by reading, I was able to follow it a little easier.

This was my first Meg Gardiner book and it certainly won't be my last.  I think that her writing is imaginative and creative.  I found the story line to be unique, unlike any other story that I have ever read, and that, is probably my favorite thing about the book.  I also thought that it was quite suspenseful, and from the beginning, I never would have guessed the outcome! 

The book was full of many diverse characters that kept me wildly entertained while reading and listening. Something seemed to keep me pulling for Harper!  

Overall, I did like this book.  I wouldn't classify it as a favorite of mine, but I certainly wouldn't discount this author and will absolutely pick up the next book of hers that peaks my interest. 





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Disclaimer:  This book was provided to me by the Publisher(s), Blackstone Audio, via Audiobook Jukebox, and Dutton Adult, via Edelweiss, in return for an honest and unbiased review.



Disclaimer

All blogs and reviews posted here are the sole property of the blogger and represent my very own opinions. In some cases, books reviewed are supplied to me in exchange for an honest review. Such cases will be noted on the blog post.

All other books reviewed have been purchased or borrowed through the normal channels.

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