UPDATE: Moving book reviews to new site

I recently did an experiment where I started 2 blogs with the exact same content on 2 different blogging sites. The purpose was to see which one would be more beneficial to me. I wanted to figure out which would be easiest to post as well as which would get the most traffic. After doing both for several months, I have come to the conclusion that WordPress works better for me. I will be posting and updating all content on there. I will be slowly phasing out this blog as it hasn't provided me with much. If you would like to continue to read my reviews, you can see them at https://charleeraeblog.wordpress.com/

I will leave my "Life and Times....." blog on Blogger at http://charmaine70.blogspot.com/ and will still post stories there on occasion. Mostly for my own amusement as I doubt anyone else reads them.

Thanks,

CharleeRae

The Walking Dead, Vol. 25: No Turning Back by Robert Kirkman

3 out of 5 stars

After a devastating act of war by the Whisperers, Rick must chart a path for his community. But when his leadership is questioned, how will he respond?

So, I really hate doing reviews on graphic novels because quite honestly, I'm not very good at it. I don't know why. Graphic novels are so different from other books and for some reason I just have a hard time describing them so this will be pretty short and to the point.

I have read all the comics in this series. Just like the TV show, there are moments of action and then storylines focusing more on character development. This volume fits more into the latter. Not much action occurred. It was mostly a build up for what is to come. Hopefully. There was a nice moment where Rick and Negan had a chat. I have to say, that was the best part of the story. Negan moments are always interesting, not to mention colorful. A weird bond can almost be seen starting to form between the two. As much as Rick might not like it, he isn't as different from Negan as he'd like to think. I don't mind slower stories and build-ups, but this one just felt a little lackluster. I liked it, just didn't love it. The next volume (I prefer to read those rather than the individual comics) should jump into the war with the Whisperers....or at least that is to be assumed. Let's hope.

Total pages: 136, paperback

Available on Amazon at the link below:

The Walking Dead, Vol. 25: No Turning Back

Meternity by Meghann Foye

2 out of 5 stars

I won this book as part of a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

Unlike some of the reviews I have seen on other sites, I actually read the book. Funny enough, I thought that book reviews were only written by people who read the book and wanted to share their opinion with other readers, but I guess I was wrong. Silly me.

Anyway, my genre of choice is usually something in the mystery or horror category, but once in awhile I need a good chick-lit or rom-com to lighten things up. I saw this book while browsing the Goodreads section, thought it fit the bill and decided to enter, not really knowing anything about it. I won! I guess I should state, due to the topic of the book, that I am a mother. Our children are adults now, but I remember juggling work and family. Now I mostly juggle work and Netflix. So, with that said, the theme of the book didn't bother me at all. Oh, I guess I should also mention that I hardly ever get offended over anything. I mean anything. It's pretty rare. And I'm certainly not going to get offended over a book written by someone I don't know and who doesn't know me. So, with that out of the way, here is my review on the book. The one I actually read.

I didn't like it. *sigh* I know. I could stop there I guess, but I won't. The thing is I wanted to like it. The idea behind it was interesting and should have been entertaining. Woman pretends to be pregnant to get all the "benefits" she seems to think pregnant women get at work. It could have been a great book. Sadly, it wasn't. The main problem for me was that it was so wordy. Not that I don't like words. I do. I love them actually. Use them all the time. But I felt like a lot of the words used in this book were just filler to make it a longer story than it needed to be. It dragged on way too long. It could have been a funny, yet shorter story. Instead it was a boring, longer one.

The main character, Liz Buckley, would have been much  more likable if she wasn't whiney and incredibly dense. I tried to like her, but the farther the story got, the more I just couldn't believe she was smart enough to pull the whole thing off. I spent most of the time doubting her throughout the entire story. Meanwhile, her friends whose names I cannot remember, spent most of their time desperately trying to find "the one" while sipping drinks, singing karaoke and wearing man catching clothes at the local bar. Too much stereotype there to get into.

So, let's skip to the love interest, Ryan! You know what's bland? Beige. You know what Ryan was? Beige. He was just your standard rom-com guy but more dull. I will say he was about the only tolerable character though. Boring, but tolerable. That's really all I have to say about him.

Now, the moms. They were everywhere in this book! Not surprising. Of course about every single one of them was a completely pretentious snob. I've met a few of those so I was glad to see the personalities were pretty much dead on. The holier than thou because they have experienced the miracle of childbirth. We've all been in the room with at least one before. But come on, not every mom is a mom-tator. In all actuality, most aren't, so the overdose of them was a bit on the bitter side for me.

As for the story itself, it really was unnecessarily lengthy. I can't help but harp on that. And by lengthy, I don't mean actual page count. I read a book that was over 1000 pages but it was so well written and engaging that it felt like a short story by the time it was done. This story, at 368 pages give or take, was not as well written, not that engaging, and seemed to be more like 1000 by the time I finished. It was tough to get through. To be fair though, it was also unbelievable and read more like a YA novel. More than once I thought the characters were a bunch of teenagers rather than grown women. We all have our moments of immaturity, but these ladies reeked of it. Getting upset and deleting people off your Facebook friends list because they made you mad? I guess you showed them! Being excited because the boy you like added you as one of his friends and liked an Instagram post? Woohoo! <insert eye roll here> Yes, these things happened....and we are talking about 30 year olds. The other problem is that it ended far too clean. I mean seriously, consequences are a part of life. It's ok to use them in a book. May have made the whole thing a little more on the believable side.

Anyway, that pretty much sums up how I felt about this story. It wasn't the idea of it that was bad (hence the 2 stars), it was the execution (hence the not being more than 2 stars). And, as I'm sure you have noticed, I tried to use as many words as possible in my review so you could see how I could have kept it simple and entertaining but instead decided to make it a bit more long winded and let it drone on. I also threw in a few things that really weren't necessary just so I could pad it up. Maybe I should write a book.....

Total pages: 368, paperback

Available on Amazon at the link below:

Meternity by Meghann Foye

Love, Reality Style by Judith Natelli McLaughlin

3 out of 5 stars

I received this book free from NetGalley.

Mary Grace Falcone, third grade teacher and cake lover, receives a proposal from her germ-phobic boyfriend, Ralph Ichy. Should she marry him? The man her friend Jayde has dubbed "the CEO of Antiseptic Hands?" Unsure of her true feelings, Mary Grace accepts anyway. Her decision gets her overbearing mother off her back but it also lands her on a reality wedding show where the host, the handsome Nick Charmin, unexpectedly falls for her. Will Mary Grace choose hot Nick for faithful Ralph?

This was a fun and light-hearted romance story. Not usually my typical genre. I enjoyed all the characters, but admittedly didn't care for Mary Grace's friend Jayde at first. She seemed bossy, rude and really cold. Eventually you learn more about her, which makes her personality a bit more understandable. I really ended up liking this trio of friends. If only everyone could be so lucky to have people to rely on in their lives like these ladies. Annie, the voice of reason and an "old soul," Jayde the wild but insecure business woman, and Mary Grace, your sweet and innocent protagonist. These women together have a bond most people would envy. I know I did. As far as the males in the story, I liked Ralph, even with all his little idiosyncrasies. Yes, I could see them getting on some people's nerves, but he was so endearing that I could overlook them. The other male character, Nick, was another story. He really wasn't fully developed, but you could tell the guy was a sleaze from the beginning. Nothing about him was likable. Not sure why Mary Grace didn't realize it right away. He obviously was considered physically attractive, but nothing else about him was. It was a little off if the author's intention was to create a love triangle as there was never a time when I thought MG wouldn't choose Ralph. He was perfect for her.

The story slowed down mid-point for me, but then picked back up and kept me engaged. I'm not one for reality TV, but it did make a nice little spin on your typical contemporary romance novel. Luckily the main focus was on MG and her circle of friends, not the show itself. One thing to be aware of...they eat cake. A lot. I mean, a lot. To the point where I started getting a little nauseated but I managed to get through and still enjoy this cute and quick read.

Total pages: 231, ebook

Available on Amazon at the link below:

Love, Reality Style

Pirates (The Magic Library Book 1) by Gillian Rogerson

4 out of 5 stars

This is a super cute little tale about two twin sisters, Myra and Kassy. Their grandmother lives in Lavender Hall, where they have visited many times. There is a room that they have never been in before though. A magical library where the characters of books need help or they can disappear forever thanks to The Witch of a Thousand Towers. When Gran becomes ill, it's up to the sisters to assist in saving the book and it takes them on journeys they could never imagine. It's a very fun and entertaining read. Recommended for children ages 6-10, it is definitely kid friendly and will keep them wanting to read the next adventure.

Total pages: listed as 40 per Amazon, Kindle edition, but on my tablet it was only 27

Available on Amazon at the link below:

Pirates (The Magic Library Book 1)

Available for Nook at Barnes and Noble:

Pirates (The Magic Library Book 1)

Bait and Snitch (Ponderosa Pines Cozy Mystery #4) by Erin Lynn & ReGina Welling

 

3 out of 5 stars

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ponderosa Pines was once the safest place on earth. But then Stacey Hawthorne, an attorney on her way to the little town for reasons unknown, is brutally attacked leaving EV and Chloe to launch into a new investigation. One that may expose secrets of several residents and haunt the whole town.

First off, I would not recommend this as a stand-alone. Not to say you can’t read it as one if you choose, but you will get lost initially because there isn’t much backstory into who everyone is. That didn’t detract from the mystery however, so if it doesn’t bother you to not know much about the recurring characters, you will still be able to enjoy the story.

With that said, I did not read the other books in the series. Because of that, I felt like I was the odd man out at a party where everyone knows each other and you are the new girl. I think that may be why I was put off by the two main female characters, Chloe and EV. They came off as nosy to me.  I mean really nosy. More so than some of the other cozies I’ve read. Perhaps if I knew more about them it wouldn’t seem that way, but that’s what happens sometimes when you don’t read a series in order. Not my intention. I didn’t realize that this was the fourth book. Not a big deal really as I was able to get an idea of who everyone was eventually. There is one thing that did bother me though that I do have to get off my chest. It was the way they placed a bet with their significant others, who are actually law enforcement, to see who could solve the case first. It just seemed very unprofessional and cold hearted. But it’s a work of fiction, so I can get passed that.

The town, Ponderosa Pines, is small and seems quaint and charming. The residents seem to be one big family. That is until you realize that the most popular publication is a gossip column. One that seems to divulge a lot about the lives of the people who live there. That kind of throws the cuteness of it out the window for me. Plus, it’s even stated that you can’t have secrets there. If you are new to town, the residents will do whatever they can to dig up everything they can find out about you and won’t rest until they do. That just seemed super creepy to me and made the little town lose some of its appeal. Of course I’ve only lived in big cities so maybe I’m reading too much into it.

Anyway, before everyone thinks I hated the book, let me just say I didn’t. I enjoyed it. It was very well written and the descriptions of the characters and the town really brought the whole thing to life. Aside from the nosiness, I actually liked Chloe and EV. They worked well together and were believable. The rest of the townsfolk were quirky and entertaining and I enjoyed the humor that was sprinkled within the pages. I also loved the sound of Ponderosa Pines. Just the name alone is cute and cozy and the description brought that out. The little bit of romance that was thrown into the tale didn’t weigh it down like some others I have read and the mystery was intriguing with enough twists to keep the reader interested. The story actually started off somewhat dark, making you think that perhaps this wasn’t a cozy after all, then it gradually lightened up a bit and ends up fitting nicely into its genre. I do plan on getting the first three books in this series and will eventually read them as I did like the writing style of the authors. I also think by doing that, it will explain the characters better and maybe the town’s residents won’t seem so invasive to me.

Total pages: 166, Kindle edition

Available on Amazon at the link below:

Bait and Snitch by Erica Lynn & ReGina Welling

 

Haunted (Book 1) by Willow Cross

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

This short read is a collection of actual ghostly encounters as experienced by the author. She states that these are 100% true and have not been embellished for entertainment purposes.

I really enjoyed these tales. More written like a blog rather than a book, I got it free from Barnes and Noble not realizing how small it was. My only gripe is that I wish it had been longer! I personally am not sure how I feel about ghosts. I think I may have seen one when I was a kid, but looking back, I'm still not sure about that. Without any further sightings in my life to date, I really can't decide if I think they are real or not. However I always enjoy hearing other peoples thoughts and experiences and these were great. You could tell the author was pretty straight forward in her accounts and didn't embellish her stories. That's what makes them that much more believable. Being a huge horror film fan and reading more than my fair share of horror novels, I can't say that these are going to keep me up at night, but it was still a very entertaining book and I look forward to reading the other books she has written on this subject.

Total pages: 26, Kindle edition

Available for Kindle at Amazon:

Haunted by Willow Cross

Available for Nook at Barnes and Noble:

Haunted by Willow Cross

Founder's Night: Supernatural Witch Cozy Mystery (Sabrina Donner Mystery Book 1) by Zoey Summers

3 out of 5 stars

Sabrina Donner owns the Badger House, a B&B named after her Labrador, located in the small town of Nescott Bay, Oregon. When a series of petty thefts rock the area, Sabrina doesn't worry much. Figuring it's just a bored teenager, she focuses on getting ready for her guests who will be arriving soon. Then she notices some things missing from the yard, a guest arrives and has jewelry taken from her room, and then Sabrina's purse is stolen and she is attacked. Now, not only is she having to solve the robberies, but she's also dealing with the discovery that she may be a witch!

I got this short story free from Kindle. I've had it on my tablet for quite a while and I decided to finally read it as I was looking for something that I could pore over quickly on my lunch hour. It was a cute, fun, and fast little read. I liked all the characters, especially Badger the dog, and the story was well written. My only complaint is that Sabrina could be a bit dense. When weird things start happening to her, like she could nod her head at her phone after talking to someone and it would hang up, or when she needed a pen and it wasn't within reach so she just thought about it being in her hand and then it was, she would write these off as nothing. If it was just one or two odd occurrences I could understand, but there were several and they happened too frequently to just be nothing to be concerned about. It isn't a big deal though. Just something that bothered me a little. Aside from that I enjoyed the story.

If you are looking for something to pass a little time without getting involved in a lengthy novel, I would recommend this Founder's Night.

Total pages: 50 on Kindle app

No longer available on Amazon.

Is currently available as a Nook Book through Barnes and Noble at the link below:

Founders Night by Zoey Summers

A Witch and the Whispering Woe by Raven Cross

2 out of 5 stars

When Bed & Breakfast owner Brianna Olney discovers an employee murdered outside of her establishment, she has to follow the clues to find the culprit, but finding the answers won't come so easily for her. With her magical cat by her side, Brianna uses her natural gifts to try to piece all the mysterious elements together, but soon finds herself in danger.

Are Brianna's natural gifts enough to help her solve the case or is there another, even more magical mystery brewing behind the scenes?
I got this book free from Kindle and I'm glad I did. I wouldn't have wanted to pay for it. The idea of a talking, magical cat will always appeal to me in a cozy mystery, but this story just felt thin and weak. There was no character development and the backstory was virtually non-existent. I couldn't get a grasp of the characters or their connection to each other. Everything was pretty non-descriptive so trying to get a visual was difficult. The mystery was somewhat sloppy and didn't pull me in. It is definitely a quick read if that's what you are looking for. Other than that I don't have much to say about it. The only reason I didn't rate it one star is because I didn't actually hate it and believe it could have been a great story if the author had given more time to developing the characters. Unfortunately she didn't and I probably won't remember I even read this book.

Total pages: 119 on Kindle app

Available on Amazon at the link below:

A Witch and the Whispering Woe

 

In Case We Die edited by Bud Smith & Aaron Dietz (short story collection by various authors)

 

4 out of 5 stars

I won this book as part of a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

This book is a collection of shorts where the authors answer the question, "What's the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you?" Some of the answers involve ghosts and UFO's while others involve celebrity encounters and strange coincidences. Either way I found it to be a very entertaining book and I finished it in one day. It is a unique collection in my opinion, since not all the stories have a common theme like you see in other books of a similar nature. Each tale varies in size from one paragraph to a few pages and keeps the reader interested in knowing what the next answer will be. Some of the stories are supernatural in nature and provide a good "creeped out" feeling, while others made me laugh a little as I read them. Naturally I liked some more than others, but was overall intrigued by each one. Since it has so many different types of stories, you could recommend this book to virtually anyone.....and I would.

Total pages: 188, paperback

Available on Amazon at the link below:

In Case We Die

 

Starlet's End: A Young Adult Mystery (The Starlet, #4) by Carla J Hanna

Not rated.

I won this book as part of a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

After Hollywood celebrity actress Liana Marie Michael secretly marries Manny, his sister Janet performs on stage against her parents' wishes before running away. Moments before their honeymoon, the newlyweds find Janet while learning two things: not only is Liana's career over due to her scar, but the doctor responsible for the anti-aging drugs is on the move with funding from Liana's lawyer. With the help of sexy ex-boyfriend Pierre and people from Liana's past, can they find the doctor so Liana can control her future? Will it be in time to save her dying mother?

A couple of things about this book:

One, it cannot be read as a stand-alone. I can’t stress that enough. It was stated that you could, but that is not accurate as there is virtually no backstory.

Two, the reason for it not being rated is because I have added this book to my abandoned pile and although I have in the past rated books that I haven’t finished, I don’t think that’s actually fair.

I will not be going back and reading the first three as I honestly didn’t care for the writing style or any of the characters, especially the main one. Obviously this just isn’t my type of book.

Total pages: 176, paperback

Available on Amazon at the link below:

Starlet's End

Dead Wrong (Blackmoore Sisters Mystery #1) by Leighann Dobbs

3 out of 5 stars

The four Blackmoore sisters live in Noquitt, Maine in a home that has been in their family for over 200 years. The two oldest, Morgan and Fiona, are the main focal point in this story and they have their own shop on the property, Sticks and Stones, an herbal remedies and jewelry store. It is no secret that the Blackmoore's and the town shrew, Prudence Littlefield, don't like each other. When oldest sister, Morgan, is overheard threatening Prudence at a local coffee shop, and then Prudence ends up dead, Morgan is the first and only suspect for the inept town Sheriff. Luckily, Jake, a detective who recently moved from Boston, is also on the case. With his help, the sisters start investigating into who killed Prudence, and why Morgan was set up to take the fall.

This was a quick, cute, and fun little read. I finished it in one day. It wasn't the best cozy mystery I have ever read but it also wasn't the worst. It was a little clunky at times and you never did get to find out what happened to their mother. According to the book, she committed suicide by jumping off the cliff that runs along their property years prior, but it's never stated why or given any type of backstory. It was also ridiculous the way the Sheriff didn't follow some of the most basic and commonly known police procedures while investigating the murders. Which was another thing that bothered me a little. There were 2 murders that occurred, but the focus was mostly on the first one.The second murder really wasn't necessary in order to tie up the investigation and I was able to figure out who the killer was immediately. Even with all that, it was still a pretty decent book.

As far as the characters, I liked all the sisters even though I felt like they could have used a little more development. Jake, the detective, was a nice, if not somewhat predictable, love interest for Fiona. When it came to Sheriff Overton, I had the hardest time with his character. Mostly due to the fact that you never find out his reasons for disliking the sisters so much. You also get a sense that he has involvement in the murders, but you never find out what that is. He seemed to create more questions than answers.

I was a bit disappointed that this was not a witchy or paranormal mystery. Something about it made me think it was. Maybe because the shop the two sisters own is a very New Age type store. There was a feline who was fairly present in the story however and continuously "assisted" the sisters in their investigation so that made up for some of that. I am always up for a good cat cozy and this could almost be classified as such.

All in all if you are looking for a light, rainy day read, then I would recommend this book. Just don't go into it expecting too much.

Total pages: 252, Kindle edition

Available on Amazon at the link below:
Dead Wrong

Colony of the Lost by Derik Cavignano

4 out of 5 stars

Glenwood, Massachusetts appears to be the perfect town, but it's actually home to a long-forgotten secret. Built upon the ruins of a lost colony with a dark part, children start vanishing from the quaint little town one by one, baffling the police. In order to rid the town of the evil that has escaped, an unlikely group of misfits must band together to fight it. Jay, a disgraced math teacher, Time, an awkward teen, and Sarah, a bullied nine-year old. Will they be able to defeat their own personal demons in order to take on a real one?

This book turned out to be quite the surprise. A real page turner, it's an engrossing paranormal thriller that does not suffer from lulls in action. I was pulled in from the very beginning and could not put it down. The story flowed and something was always happening to keep my interest going. The characters were well developed and not your typical "save the day" types. Jay, an alcoholic math teacher who loses his job and his fiancé, is a surprisingly likeable character even when you find yourself shaking your head at his behavior. His internal struggle with his alcoholism is well written and you can't help but start to sympathize and hope he can overcome his addiction. Then there is Tim, the new kid in town, who by talking to a pretty girl, angers her boyfriend and ends up suffering from relentless bullying. And finally, Sarah, a friendless little girl who doesn't understand why the other kids in school don't like her, so instead of suffering from complete loneliness, she holds onto her imaginary friend. Both of these are equally endearing characters and you can't help but root for all of them as they are basically forced to go up against the evil that has infiltrated their town.

If you are looking for a horror novel with a sci-fi/paranormal twist to it, then I would recommend this book.

Total pages: 314, Kindle edition

Available on Amazon at the link below:

Colony of the Lost

Ethereal (Celestra Series Book 1) by Addison Moore

3 out of 5 stars

Skyla Messenger has a special gift. She is able to read people's minds when she touches them.

When her mother remarries after the death of her father, the family moves to Paragon Island into a house that is rumored to be haunted. That's when Skyla meets Logan Oliver, the best looking boy she has ever seen. The best part is he likes her too and he has the same gift she does. Not understanding what this gift means, Logan holds the answers to her questions, but he is reluctant to share them, leaving her to believe that maybe he has a few secrets he is unwilling to share. Secrets he doesn't want Skyla to know. Logan is afraid that the more she knows, the more danger she will be in as a legion of earthbound angels will want her dead once they discover her true bloodline. Will Logan be able to save her? And will Skyla be able to keep Logan?

I had this book sitting in my Kindle for a couple years. I couldn't remember why I got it since it's not typically the type of book I read (I've read a few YA paranormal romance, but not many) and after reading some reviews, I was a little apprehensive in starting it. I'm glad I decided to because it wasn't nearly as bad as some made it out to be. Was this a great book? No. Was it a bad book? No. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Some of the things that people complained about made me wonder if we were reading the same story. As an example, I saw one review where the person complained that Skyla kept mentioning she was a virgin, yet I only saw this stated twice. I do agree with some though that there wasn't much relationship development when it came to Skyla and her new friends, and the romance between her and Logan did come on very strong, very fast, but it's pretty much your typical YA paranormal romance so that didn't really surprise me. I would have liked it if the author would have focused a bit more on explaining her father's death and also why Skyla had such a strong dislike for her step-father, but aside from that, it was a fun, quick read and I was able to finish it in one sitting. If you like Twilight or books that are similar, then you will most likely enjoy Ethereal.

Total pages: 225, Kindle edition

Available on Amazon at the link below:

Ethereal

The Curse of the Bruel Coven (The Bruel Witch Series Book 1) by Sabrina Ramoth

3 out of 5 stars

I received this book free from NetGalley.

This was a very fast paced book. Almost a little too fast for my tastes. The main character, Vivienne, finds out she's adopted, locates her birth mother, discovers she's a witch, meets the rest of her family, learns to control her powers, and agrees to help fight against a curse that's been put on them....all within about a 24 hour period. Because of the quickness of it all, there wasn't much in the line of character development. You didn't really get to know them very well. Also there was a serious lack of emotion throughout the story. Especially when it came to Vivienne finding out the woman who raised her wasn't her biological mother. The person who she had always known as her mother passed away from cancer and never told her the truth. Most people would go through a series of emotions and struggle with this newfound knowledge, but she just went from discovering it to the next day going to locate her birth mom. You didn't get any feelings from her and her character just seemed to go through the motions without any passion. The whole book was pretty much this way. Once she meets her family for the first time, she instantly becomes a part of them without question. She believes everything they tell her about witches, vampires, curses, all of it. That seemed a little weird to me. It's almost as if the author came up with a really good story with lots of twists and turns, but didn't know how to fit it all in so she just drew a timeline and put in all in order without much thought to how the characters should react.

Now, with that said, I'm not saying it's a bad book. Quite the contrary. Oh, there were definitely parts that seemed silly because of how quickly it all came to be, but the story was actually pretty good. I liked to concept and once I got passed how rushed it was and starting looking at it more like a short story, which it kind of is considering the page length, I really enjoyed it. Vivienne was likable as was the rest of the characters and the backstory regarding the curse was interesting. Since the setting is New Orleans, it did add some spice to it and definitely made you want to hop on the next plane to visit. I always enjoy a good witchy story and although this one will have events speeding past you fast enough to make your head spin, it's still one I would recommend. It's fast, fun, and interesting. Hopefully, in future books, we will get a little more insight into all the characters so we can get to know them better. I look forward to it.

Available on Amazon at the link below:

The Curse of the Bruel Coven

The Story Traveler by Max Candee

 

3 out of 5 stars

I received this book free from NetGalley.

Haley Spade is a 15 year old who, after her parents die and her grandparents take her in, is shipped off to an exclusive boarding school in Connecticut. Several students believe that the angry ghosts of six students who committed suicide decades ago still haunt its halls. Haley doesn’t believe in ghosts, so on a dare, she spends the night wandering through the “haunted” building to prove they don’t exist. What she doesn’t realize is that someone has convinced Oliver, a fellow classmate, to sneak into the building as well to scare her. She figures it out pretty quickly and she and Oliver decide to investigate together. Unfortunately they end up taking a wrong turn and next thing you know they are on an adventure where secret doors take you into stories within stories and worlds within worlds. They encounter magical creatures like the King of the Cats, a shapeshifting crow, elves—and a menace far more terrifying than any ghost.

A young adult fantasy novel, this book started off really well and sucked me right in. It continued to hold my interest until the last half of the book. Although I still enjoyed it, the second part wasn’t as thrilling as the first part and I felt myself not quite as captured by it as before. There was quite a bit of action and enough magical creatures to satisfy one’s fantasy thirst however. There were moments though when I would have to go back and re-read paragraphs just because there are so many twists and turns that at times I would become a little confused on how it all tied into one another, but the story was an enjoyable one and I would definitely recommend it.

Available on Amazon at the link below:

The Story Traveler

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

2 ½ out of 5 stars

A vicious fifteen-year-old "droog" is the central character of this 1963 classic, whose stark terror was captured in Stanley Kubrick's magnificent film of the same title.

In Anthony Burgess's nightmare vision of the future, where criminals take over after dark, the story is told by the central character, Alex, who talks in a brutal invented slang that brilliantly renders his and his friends' social pathology. A Clockwork Orange is a frightening fable about good and evil, and the meaning of human freedom. When the state undertakes to reform Alex—to "redeem" him—the novel asks, "At what cost?"

You know a book isn’t going to live up to the high expectations you have set when the introduction from the author includes statements such as “I first published the novella A Clockwork Orange in 1962, which ought to be enough in the past for it to be erased from the world’s literary memory. It refuses to be erased however,” or “I should myself be glad to disown it for various reasons, but this is not permitted,” and when speaking of the Russian inspired slang he used heavily throughout the book, “I have shown enough, though the curtain of an invented lingo gets in the way – another aspect of my cowardice.” Had I paid attention to these quotes, perhaps I would have went in with a different attitude (I still would have read it of course) and maybe even ended up loving the book like so many others. I didn’t. But I didn’t hate it either because A Clockwork Orange isn’t a bad book. It's actually pretty good. That is if you can get past the language, which isn’t easy for everyone. Many find it difficult and even if they do come to the understanding of what all these words mean (and there are a lot of them), it can take so much effort to get there that the story itself becomes lost. What you end up with is more of a homework assignment instead of a good read. Here’s an example: “But there were the golosses of millicents telling them to shut it and you could even slooshy the zvook of like somebody being tolchocked real horrorshow and going owwwwwwwww, and it was like the goloss of a drunken starry ptitsa, not a man.” The whole thing is like that. Luckily some books come with a glossary, making it easier. Others, like the edition I had, did not, so it’s left up to the reader to either figure it out on your own or look it up on the numerous websites devoted to defining the language for you.

As for the story, it is quite violent and the characters extremely unlikable. Even with the original final chapter added, sympathy does not come easily for the protagonist. At least not from me. Because of the brutal acts within the book that he performs, I had a hard time caring what happened to him. Even when doctors went about conditioning him in ways that can only be described as inhumane, I still couldn’t bring myself to feel sympathetic because he never felt any remorse for his actions. The feelings he had towards violence weren’t his own. I suppose that’s the point though. The loss to think and act for ourselves, no matter what those thoughts and actions may be. That should be what scares you. Thankfully I don’t have to like the main character in order for me to enjoy a book and in this case it wasn’t necessary to be fond of him. I just wish I could have enjoyed this one much more than I did. The concept and idea behind it is interesting and that is why I decided to read it in the first place. Unfortunately I think I would have gotten more out of it had there been less unrecognizable slang used throughout it. Of course I will say I understand why the author used it. A means to soften the blow of how disturbing the book truly is. There were times I was thankful that I didn’t fully understand what was going on because just what I was able to figure out without full comprehension made the acts horrific enough, especially when you consider the age of those committing them. I did find the second half of the book easier to read, but that’s mostly because by then I was able to figure out what most of the words meant and I was finally able to really focus on the story. Which would have been great had it not been for the final chapter. I won’t go into it so as not to give it away to anyone that hasn’t read it. I just found it unbelievable.

Now for the question: Who I would recommend this book to? Well, I would say anyone who wants to read it. I wouldn’t avoid it just because of the possible difficulty in understanding it. Some do find it easier to decipher and for that you might find it a bit more enjoyable than I did.

Available at Amazon at the link below:
A Clockwork Orange

The Wicked Boy (The Mystery of a Victorian Child Killer) by Kate Summerscale

2 out of 5 stars

I received this book free from Netgalley.

In the summer of 1895, brothers Robert Coombes (13 years old) and Nattie Coombes (12 years old) were accused of murdering their mother. Robert's guilt was never in question, and he never denied the charges when the death was eventually discovered. For ten days after the murder, their mother's body lay in the upstairs bedroom while Robert, Nattie, and a simple-minded colleague of their fathers, who had no idea of the grisly crime, went to watch cricket, to the seaside, coffee shops and the park, played cards and other games. Family members soon grew suspicious however and the crime was eventually uncovered.

A true crime novel, I really went into this book assuming I would just become captivated by it. There is a morbid fascination that one has with child killers, The mere idea that someone so young could be capable of such violence is both interesting and frightening at the same time. Given the time period as the late 1800's, I was especially intrigued since it was even more of a rarity back then. Unfortunately I can only say this book was ok. It was well written and was obviously well researched, but it didn't engage me and seemed to lack real depth. It could be because it didn't appear that the trial lawyers had any interest in finding a motive or maybe because you don't get any real sense of the emotions of all the people involved, but I was disappointed. It's more of a "this happened, that happened and he said, she said" type of read and I had hoped that the book might have tried to make sense as to why Robert killed his mother. It didn't really. Instead the focus was on Robert's mental state and whether or not he was insane a the time of the murder. Of course it is interesting to see how they viewed such things and what they considered a person to be insane, but that alone couldn't hold my interest. I hate to admit it because it sounds so callous, but I ended up getting bored and just skimmed through the end.

Available on Amazon at the link below:
The Wicked Boy

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

 

5 out of 5 stars

A coming of age story, Charlie is a freshman who is shy and intelligent beyond his years but also socially awkward. He’s a bit weird and tends to cry a lot, but is also very deep and introspective. Unfortunately he has spent most of his time sticking to the sidelines in life. He is told he needs to “participate” and ends up meeting and becoming friends with 2 seniors, a sister and brother by the names of Sam and Patrick. Through their friendship, Charlie enters the world of first dates, family drama, sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Oh, and feeling infinite. These are his letters to whomever is reading the book telling you of his journey.

What can I say about this book that hasn’t already been said by so many others? I loved it. I can’t begin to describe how much I loved it. I’ve read so many books that I liked, but never has one stuck with me so strongly. I absolutely adored the main character, Charlie. He was likeable from the first sentence and I liked him more and more as I continued to read his letters. Wise and yet so innocent at the same time, some of the things he said just made you pause and think. His initial struggle to participate in life and understand people around him really resonated with me. I guess I can relate to him on some level because I was a wallflower. Not quite like Charlie of course, and it’s been many, many years since I was in high school, but I definitely saw myself in him quite a few times throughout his letters. I understood him. I really can’t describe it. All I can say is this is most definitely now my favorite book and one of the best I have ever read. I can’t recommend this book enough to anyone who has ever felt like a wallflower….or anyone who hasn’t.

Available on Amazon at the link below:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The White Cottage Mystery by Margery Allingham

 

4 out of 5 stars

I received this book free from NetGalley.

Seven people might have murdered Eric Crowther, the mysterious recluse who lived in the gaunt house whose shadow fell across the White Cottage. Seven people had good cause. It was not lack of evidence that sent Detective Chief Inspector Challenor and his son Jerry half across Europe to unravel a chaos of clues.

Not long ago, I found a few podcasts that play those old time radio mystery theater shows. Since then I have listened to quite a few and really enjoy them. This book kind of reminds me of those. Margery Allingham is known as one of the truly great mystery writers of the Golden Age and it is easy to see why.

The White Cottage is a short story. It was a little slow in the beginning and I will admit that it didn’t initially draw me in. After the first two chapters though, I couldn’t stop and finished it in just a couple hours. Once I was able to establish who all the characters were (there were quite a few) it was easy for me to get lost in the story. The thing I especially liked about this book is how Inspector Challenor focused on each character, went over their motive and probability of having committed the crime, and then ruled them out one by one. There were definitely enough suspects to keep you guessing and right up until the reveal, I had not been able to figure out who it was.

The one thing that was bothersome for me was the Inspectors son, Jerry. An ok character for the most part, he would annoy me at times with his insistence that the killer couldn’t be the girl he was smitten with, because, well, he liked her. A girl he barely knew and had just recently met. It also bothered me that he wanted his dad to give up the case and not bother finding out who did it all because there is a point when his dad suspects the woman of the murder. Luckily this wasn’t annoying enough to kill the story though. Just something I found slightly irritating.

Because it is a short story, character development is lacking. Something to be aware of if you are big on that. Personally it didn’t bother me too much since there really isn’t time to develop them completely. This is actually the first book of Allingham’s I had ever read, but I will definitely be reading more from this author.

 

Available on Amazon at the link below:

The White Cottage