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Monday, October 31, 2016
Point of Retreat (Slammed #02) by Colleen Hoover {E-Book & Audio}
My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Title: Point of Retreat
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: Slammed #02
Narrator: Kamran R. Khan
Length: eBook - 322 pages; Unabridged; 06 hours and 07 minutes (Audio)
Publisher: Atria Books (eBook); Colleen Hoover (Audio)
Published: August 10, 2012 (eBook); October 26, 2012 (Audio)
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: eBook & Audio
Genres: Fiction; Love Stories
Subjects: Life Changing Events; Families
Sometimes two people have to fall apart to realize just how much they belong together.
Colleen Hoover entranced readers everywhere with her bestselling novel Slammed, the book that introduced Layken and Will, a young couple whose love overcame devastating hardships to emerge stronger and more resilient than before. Now, as Layken and Will’s emotion-packed story continues, a stunning and unforeseen revelation about Will’s past leaves them questioning everything that they thought they knew about each other. With the foundation of their relationship at risk, they must decide whether they are willing to fight for a future together, or to retreat back into solitude and heartache.
How far does Will have to go to prove to Layken his love for her will last forever? It will require something truly extraordinary to keep this couple together, and the decisions they make and the answers they find will change not only their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.
“Colleen Hoover's second novel is just as brilliant and entertaining as Slammed. Point of Retreat is absolute poetry.” —Jamie McGuire, author of Beautiful Disaster
©2012 Colleen Hoover (P)2012 Colleen Hoover
My Review:
I am beginning to think that failure isn't possible when you're name is Colleen Hoover. Damn, that woman can write! There is not one single book of hers that I've read, that I haven't absolutely adored. There is no such exception for Point of Retreat! Slammed was a great first read, and Point of Retreat is a perfect addition to the Slammed Series! I always find myself wanting so much more of Colleen Hoover once I read one of her books and it often makes me wonder why I wait so long between reading her books!
Hoover develops such intricate characters and stories that keep me captivated throughout the entire read. With each new book, I find myself amazed that she has created yet another book that I felt so much love and adoration for, that I almost find it impossible to think that I could possibly like another book more, but yet with each new read, I find more joy of a different kind! She envelopes such emotion in her writing, which is also amazing how she can illicit so many emotions! I think that she touches shaky ground and does it with such eloquence and grace! Simply put, Colleen Hoover is brilliant!
Simply put, Colleen Hoover is an amazing author and storyteller! I think it goes without saying that she is one of the best writer's of her time and I am so pleased to be able to say that I have found her work and get to share such wonderfulness!
Keep them coming Ms. Hoover...you and your books are simply amazing!
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Help fund my Type 1 Diabetic Daughter's Life-Saving Medical Device
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Thursday, May 5, 2016
Alone in the Dark (Romantic Suspense #17) (Cincinnati #02) by Karen Rose {Audio}
My Rating: 5 of 5 Butterflies
Title: Alone in the Dark
Author: Karen Rose
Series: Romantic Suspense #17; Cincinnati #2
Narrator: Hillary Huber
Length: Unabridged; 30 hours and 23 minutes
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: February 2, 2016
Source: Publisher via Audiobook Jukebox
Genres: Fiction; Mystery; Romantic Suspense
Subjects: Police; Veterans; Human Trafficking
The New York Times best-selling author of Closer than You Think returns with a breathtaking new novel of suspense that crosses the line between danger and desire and justice and revenge.Homicide detective Scarlett Bishop has seen enough bad guys slip through the cracks and too many innocent victims go unavenged to know that good doesn't always prevail. So far she's been able to lock away her rage and her vigilante fantasies. That lock is about to break.Former army ranger Marcus O'Bannion is a fierce champion of victims' rights. His secret past gives him good reason. He believes he's seen the depths of human depravity, but then his investigation into the murder of a young girl who once asked for his help lures him and Scarlett down a dark, dark road - and straight into the crosshairs of a dangerous, powerful underground ring that deals in human trade. To stop them Scarlett and Marcus have to be just as cunning and just as ruthless. But first they have to make it out alive.©2016 Karen Hafer (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Karen Rose has quickly risen to be one of my absolute all-time, go-to, favorite authors! I have never read a book of hers that has left me disappointed or wanting more. Actually, quite the opposite happens, and I finish her books feeling complete but anxious for the next, newest release!
I cannot think of enough good things to say about Karen Rose's books, especially Alone in the Dark. She has a special way of taking characters and a story, and making the reader feel as if he or she is directly involved in the story, waiting with abated breath for the end result, because nine times out of ten, the conclusion of the book isn't anything that you had already previously guessed! This book will leave you breathless and shocked, trying to pick your jaw up off the floor!
I can never get over how impossibly perfect Rose's hero and heroine's always end up being! You'd think after 17 books in a series, that characters would start to become flawed, but I must say Karen Rose's characters are like a fine wine, they just get better with time! I admire such strong female characters such as Scarlett Bishop and thoroughly enjoy getting to know them through the stories that Rose writes.
I really enjoy listening to Hillary Huber as a narrator, and love that Karen Rose and her publishing team picks such solid, dependable narrators. There is nothing boring about Huber's narration skills, as she fully takes you through the whole experience of Rose's books with such exquisite grace!
Overall, Alone in the Dark is just like it sounds, a thrilling, suspenseful romantic suspense that you can't go wrong picking up! I find myself getting easily distracted from books, but even for a book that is 30+ hours long, I was able to continually listen without interruption with ease! I can't wait to continue with this series and see where Karen Rose will take us next!
Closer Than You Think (Romantic Suspense #16) (Cincinnati #01) by Karen Rose {Audio}
My Rating: 4 of 5 Butterflies
Title: Closer Than You Think
Author: Karen Rose
Series: Romantic Suspense #16; Cincinnati #01
Narrator: Hilary Huber
Length: Unabridged; 28 hours and 36 minutes (Audio)
Publisher: Blackstone Audio (aka Downpour)
Published: February 3, 2015
Source: Publisher via Audiobook Jukebox
Format: Audio
Genres: Fiction; Mystery; Thriller
Subjects: Women Psychologists; Stalking; Criminal Investigation
From the New York Times best-selling author of Watch Your Back and Did You Miss Me comes the newest novel by "the queen of romantic suspense" (Crime and Punishment).
Psychologist Faith Corcoran is desperate to escape the stalker who's made her life a nightmare for the past year--desperate enough to run to the one place that has been her nightmare for far longer. Both boon and bane, her recent inheritance of her grandmother's old house in Cincinnati offers a sanctuary in which she can start her life anew but requires that she face dark memories that resonate to this day.
She has no idea, however, just how close to home her fears still are...
Two college girls have gone missing in the area, and FBI special agent Deacon Novak is called to work on the case. When his inquiry unexpectedly leads him to Faith, he finds a beautiful and brave woman for whom he can't help but fall. Soon they'll discover that this seemingly simple investigation is anything but. Reaching back decades into Faith's own past, it will shatter everything she believes to be true and will give terrifying new meaning to flesh and blood.
©2015 Karen Hafer (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
My Review:
I have not found a Karen Rose book that I haven't loved and I don't think that I ever will, for that matter! Of course, Closer Than You Think was absolutely no exception. The woman sure can write a long novel, but somehow, she manages to do so without the reader feeling like they just finished a marathon read! She is able to capture your imagination so thoroughly that you don't realize how long you've actually been reading or listening!
Karen Rose never ceases to amaze me when she presents new characters. She is so unique in writing her characters, and writes such strong, passionate characters that stand above any other and I love that about her writing! You never have to worry about finding a weak, boring character in any Karen Rose book!
This book has many twists and turns and will keep you guessing clear through the end. The narrator is also a welcome voice to listen throughout and keeps you sitting right on the edge of your seat. She helps keep the book at an excellent pace so that you have no clue that you just listened to an almost 29 hour book!
Overall, I love Karen Rose and all of her books and Closer Than You Think is absolutely no different. I always anxiously await her newest release and try to get my hands on it as soon as I possibly can so I definitely look forward to see where Karen Rose is going to go with the Cincinnati series!
Kingdom Come (Elizabeth Harris Mystery #01) by Jane Jensen {Audio}
My Rating: 4 of 5 Butterflies
Title: Kingdom Come
Author: Jane Jensen
Series: Elizabeth Harris Mystery Series #01
Narrator: Rachel Fulginiti
Length: Unabridged; 7 hours and 32 minutes (Audio)
Publisher: Blackstone Audio (aka Downpour)
Published: January 5, 2016
Source: Publisher via Audiobook Jukebox
Format: Audio
Genres: Fiction; Mystery; Thriller
Subjects: Women Detectives; Murder Investigation; Amish; Lancaster, Pennsylvania
In Kingdom Come, the first in a new mystery series from Jane Jensen, an ex-NYPD detective seeks escape in Amish country and finds darkness instead.
When a beautiful, scantily clad "English" girl is found dead in the barn of a prominent Amish family, Detective Elizabeth Harris knows she's uncovered an evil that could shatter the peace of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Even though Elizabeth's boss is convinced this was the work of an "English", as outsiders are called, Elizabeth isn't so sure. Now Elizabeth must track down a killer with deep ties to a community that always protects its own - no matter how deadly the cost.
©2016 Jane Jensen (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
My Review:
I absolutely love Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder series, so when I came across Kingdom Come, I was very interested to see how another author would approach an Amish Murder Series with another female detective. I was a little apprehensive at first, but was able to quickly get lost in the story of Elizabeth Harris, a former NYPD detective that has recently relocated back to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and has quickly found herself embattled in a murder investigation among the Amish. While listening, I would think about things stated in the Kate Burkholder books, and would have to remind myself that this wasn't a Kate book, so I was able to get past that rather quickly!
I am very interested to see where Jane Jensen will go with this series! It is very similar to Linda Castillo's series, but she does appear to be going into a different direction with her books and I can't wait to see where that directions leads to! I really believe that this Elizabeth Harris Mystery series has great promise!
It is true when said that a narrator can make or break a book, so I am thankful that Rachel Fulginiti was able to make this book! There's nothing worse than wanting to like a book, but being unable to do so because the person reading it to you drags it along. No worries with this narrator, she's spot on and seems to be a good fit for Elizabeth Harris. This is my first time listening to her narration, but I certainly wouldn't hesitate to pick up any future titles from her!
Overall, I felt Kingdom Come had good, strong characters with a solid storyline that moved at a perfect pace! There is a great setting as a backdrop that isn't often used, so it definitely takes readers on a journey they aren't used to! Jensen really set herself up for success when writing Kingdom Come and I feel she has really left herself plenty of room to develop a much-successful mystery series! I can't wait to see what the next book has in store for Elizabeth!
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter {Audio}
My Rating: 5 of 5 Butterflies
Title: Pretty Girls
Author: Karin Slaughter
Series: Stand Alone
Narrator: Kathleen Early
Length: Unabridged; 19 hours and 59 minutes (Audio)
Publisher: Blackstone Audio (aka Downpour)
Published: October 6, 2014 (e-Book & Audio)
Source: Publisher via Audiobook Jukebox
Format: Audio
Genres: Fiction; Mystery; Suspense; Thriller
Subjects: Missing Children; Murder Victims' Families; Loss
Sisters. Strangers. Survivors.
More than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia’s teenaged sister Julia vanished without a trace. The two women have not spoken since, and now their lives could not be more different. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother, dates an ex-con and struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the horror and heartbreak of their shared loss—a devastating wound that’s cruelly ripped open when Claire’s husband is killed.
The disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: what could connect them? Forming a wary truce, the surviving sisters look to the past to find the truth, unearthing the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago … and uncovering the possibility of redemption, and revenge, where they least expect it.
Powerful, poignant, and utterly gripping, packed with indelible characters and unforgettable twists, Pretty Girls is a masterful novel from one of the finest writers working today.
©2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc. (P)2015 Blackstone Audiobooks
My Review:
I don't have much experience as a Karin Slaughter reader, but if Pretty Girls is any indicator of her writing ability, man, just consider me her newest groupie! I have read a few titles of hers, and not one has left me disappointed!
This was a really tough storyline from beginning to end! When I say tough, I mean the subject content was tough to read and comprehend. But what I really commend is the fact that even though it was going to be controversial and subject to tough criticism, Slaughter wrote it, published it, and totally NAILED IT! This story isn't for the faint of heart, but I feel that the graphicness (if that's a word!) of this story was necessary to get the point across. The twists and turns started early on, and continued throughout the entire story.
I love the strong female characters and even though I struggled through all of the different POV's at first, I quickly found that I was encaptured within each character's story, and found myself being able to then put each character and story together as my reading progressed.
I admire that this book follows the many different feelings and aspects of a missing loved one, including the different ways that different people cope.
This story was very descriptive, however, I feel that it was necessary to depict exactly the kind of monster Slaughter was trying to depict. I think without such gruesome details, the reader might not have understood just how much of a monster the abductor really was.
Pretty Girls elicited many of my different feelings thoughout my reading, but I enjoyed that. I always like a book that can really make me feel my feelings while reading/listening, and this book definitely covers all the bases there.
I love Kathleen Early as a narrator. She is always spot on and a total joy to listen to! I have actually found myself looking for books based on her as a narrator, just because I know she will deliver a solid performance.
Overall, Karin Slaughter has really paved her way in the reading world and other authors better look out because she is on top of her game!
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Pop Goes the Weasel (Helen Grace #02) by M.J. Arlidge {e-Book & Audio}
My Rating: 4 of 5 Butterflies
Title: Pop Goes the Weasel
Author: M.J. Arlidge
Series: Helen Grace #02
Narrator: Elizabeth Bower
Length: eBook - 416 pages; Unabridged; 8 hours and 53 minutes (Audio)
Publisher: Penguin Group, LLC (eBook); Penguin Audio (Audio)
Published: October 6, 2014 (e-Book & Audio)
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: eBook & Audio
Genres: Fiction; Mystery; Suspense
Subjects: Police Women; Women Detectives; Serial Murder Investigations
From the international best-selling author of Eeny Meeny comes the second thriller featuring Detective Helen Grace.
A man's body is found in an empty house. A gruesome memento of his murder is sent to his wife and children.
He is the first victim, and Detective Helen Grace knows he will not be the last. But why would a happily married man be this far from home in the dead of night?
The media call it Jack the Ripper in reverse: a serial killer preying on family men who lead hidden double lives.
Helen can sense the fury behind the murders. But what she cannot possibly predict is how volatile this killer is - or what is waiting for her at the end of the chase....
©2015 M. J. Arlidge (P)2015 Penguin Audio
My Review:
I did enjoy Pop Goes the Weasel more than I did the first title in the Helen Grace series, Eeny Meeny. I think part of the problem for me is, that I have a hard time reading and enjoying books that take place in other countries. It's hard for me to get past what I'm used to and step out of my comfort zone, but I am finding myself reading more and more international titles.
With that being said, I have got to say that M.J. Arlidge writes probably some of the most descriptive stories that I've ever read! I don't mind gory and twisted, so I applaud his genius stories and his willingness to go where many other authors aren't willing to go! His writing reminds me of that of Chelsea Cain, in a way. I must admit, this story has a clever and unique plot, and certainly no one can say that Arlidge didn't muster up his creative juices with this one.
As with reading international titles, I find it just as difficult to listen to them as well. However, I still think that Elizabeth Bower did a great job narrating this title.
I did struggle with rating this title because I was able to breeze right though it and I didn't not like it, so that made rating it difficult. I definitely would continue on with the Helen Grace series, if and when a new title is released. I really think that Arlidge is going places!
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