Tag Archives: series

Book Review: It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

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About the Book:

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Before It Ends with Us, it started with Atlas. Colleen Hoover tells fan favorite Atlas’s side of the story and shares what comes next in this long-anticipated sequel to the “glorious and touching” (USA TODAY) #1 New York Times bestseller It Ends with Us.

Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.

But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.

Switching between the perspectives of Lily and Atlas, It Starts with Us picks up right where the epilogue for the “gripping, pulse-pounding” (Sarah Pekkanen, author of Perfect Neighbors) bestselling phenomenon It Ends with Us left off. Revealing more about Atlas’s past and following Lily as she embraces a second chance at true love while navigating a jealous ex-husband, it proves that “no one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover” (Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author).

My Thoughts:

I have recently become a fan of Collen Hoover’s books and style of writing. Her books always have a strong theme and plot that takes the reader on an emotional roller-coaster until the very end. I read It Starts with Us as a standalone, even though the author herself recommends that we read It Ends with Us first. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could follow the story and fall in love with the characters just as easily in this book.

It Starts with Us pulled me in completely from the first page. I absolutely loved reading about Lily and Atlas, getting to know them through Atlas’ point of view and understanding them better through this story. A lot has happened in the first book which is referred to in this book as well since this one starts off where the first finished. This book seeks to provide closure to all fans of Lily and Atlas as we follow their journey and for those who were always shipping them, this book is indeed a treat!

“Imagine all the people you meet in your life. There are so many. They come in like waves, trickling in and out with the tide. Some  waves are much bigger and make more of an impact than others. Sometimes the waves bring with them things from deep in the bottom of the sea and they leave those things tossed onto the shore. Imprints against the grains of sand that prove the waves had once been there, long after the tide recedes.”

This paragraph from the book is one of many that stayed with me and has such profound meaning. I would read this story all over again just to enjoy the journey along with the characters again. Even though I was introduced to them only in this book, all the characters played an important role in leading the story to conclusion.

I most definitely enjoyed this book and devoured it in a day. I highly recommend this book and the first one (which I will definitely get around to reading soon) for all fans of second chance romances and YA or new adult fiction.

Book Review: The Bite (The Bite #1) by Z.W. Taylor

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About the Book:

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When Charlotte escapes her abusive relationship, she flees in the middle of the night with nothing but the cash in her pocket, and the paper map leading her north to Alaska. She sheds her old self along the way―dying her hair, scrubbing off her fake California tan, pawning all the jewelry her ex, Nate, bought her over the years. None of it was worth anything if she couldn’t stay alive.

Alone in the Alaskan forest, Charlotte feels safe at last. Even if she’s lost. Even if she’s only got a burner phone that lost its last bar miles ago, and even if she missed her turn and can’t find the cabin she was promised by a friend. Tucked into a sleeping bag in the backseat of “Ted”―her ancient 4-Runner―she’s finally living life on her own terms.

But that feeling is short-lived. In the middle of the woods, Charlotte’s attacked, brutally, and unforgivingly―and a lone wolf bites her leg. And it’s a bite that will change her life forever.

My Thoughts:

I received an ARC through NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group, W by Wattpad Books in exchange for an honest review.

The Bite is an interesting story set in a world that has both humans and the supernatural. Charlotte, the main protagonist is running from an abusive relationship and goes as far as the Alaskan border to get away. Just as she starts to feel safe, she is attacked in the night and thrust into a world that she did not imagine. Enter in some brooding men and a few who bring life to the group.

I enjoy reading books with supernatural elements to it and this is a good werewolf story. The author even includes vampires and some mentions or hints of other supernatural beings. I enjoyed reading about Charlotte and how she grows as a person. Her story is one of strength and findings herself and she does this in the most unusual circumstances but with a lot of unexpected help. She finds her place among a group of people whom she did not expect to know.

Some parts of the story did confuse me and I did not understand all of the character interactions. Some of the characters were not as well developed as I would have liked and their back stories were not as detailed as they could have been. This made it a little difficult for me to fully get into the story and it took some time to connect with the story and the characters.

However, I am glad that I kept reading the book until the end. I enjoyed it overall and was able to appreciate Charlotte’s journey and everyone who supported her to get there. The story is definitely worth reading and I am looking forward to reading then next book in the series. Fans of the fantasy and supernatural genres and those who love adventure will enjoy this read!

Book Review: Dark Enough to See the Stars by Beth Duke

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Book Blurb:

Dark Enough to See the Stars Book Cover

The long-awaited sequel to bestseller and book club favorite IT ALL COMES BACK TO YOU has arrived!
Violet Glenn.
Everybody loved her.
In 1946, that included her boyfriend’s best friend, Sam Davidson.
Ronni Johnson wrote a book about Violet. It changed her life. Now she’s back working as a registered nurse at Fairfield Springs, loving her patients and her job. She doesn’t have another book in her.
A mysterious email arrives from Chet Wilson’s son, asking Ronni to tell “the truth” about his dad.
She ignores it.
Sam Davidson’s family becomes inextricably linked with Ronni, though, and through them she learns a story that must be told.
Ronni finds herself back at the keyboard, determined to share the long-held secrets revealed to her.
And once again, Violet is reaching back through the years to touch Ronni’s life.
DARK ENOUGH TO SEE THE STARS is a story of human resilience and fragility; of joy and sorrow; of our ability to find family in one another. Alternating chapters between Sam’s world in the distant past and Ronni’s in the present, readers will witness lives woven together, hearts bound forever in surprising ways.

About the Author:

Beth Duke Author Photo

Beth Dial Duke is an Amazon #1 Best Selling author and the recipient of short story awards on two continents.
She is eyeing the other five.
Beth lives in the mountains of her native Alabama with her husband, one real dog, and one ornamental dog. She loves reading, writing, and not arithmetic.
Baking is a hobby, with semi-pro cupcakes and amateur macarons a specialty. And puns–the worse, the better.
Travel is her other favorite thing, along with joining book groups for discussion. If a personal visit isn’t possible, she is fluent in Zoom.
Please visit bethduke.com for more information, to request a book club visit, and to see photos of the most beautiful readers in the world!.
Follow her at:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5399106.Beth_Duke
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onlythebethforyou/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethidee
Website : bethduke.com
Twitter : https://twitter.com/bethidee

Find the Book at:

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65973853-dark-enough-to-see-the-stars
Buy Link – https://geni.us/7zkPLK

My Thoughts

I read this book as a part of the book tour hosted by Zoé of Zooloo’s Book Tours.

This is the second book after It All Comes Back to You. Unfortunately, I ended up reading the books out of order, having read this one, Dark Enough To See The Stars first. I like how the author brings to us a narrative set across two timelines, one in the present and one in the past, seamlessly weaving the events together. She makes sure to explain to us how events and decisions of the past affect the people today and of course how they shaped their lives.

The characters were interesting though I think I did miss out on some of the information or backstory due to not having read the first book. However, I was able to connect with them eventually and thoroughly enjoyed reading about them and their journey. As I understand it, we are once again thrown into the past, following Violet, Sam and others. As Ronni struggles with her decision on whether to pursue the story while balancing her job and life, we are drawn into a plot that we cannot ignore. The reader is drawn right in and remains hooked until the very end. Without giving away the story, and also considering I may or may not have the whole picture, I will say that I recommend this book to all!

Dark Enough to See the Stars Tour Poster

Book Review: Misfire by Tammy Euliano

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About the Book:

Misfire CoverA device that can save a life is also one that can end it

Kadence, a new type of implanted defibrillator, misfires in a patient visiting University Hospital for a routine medical procedure—causing the heart rhythm problem it’s meant to correct. Dr. Kate Downey, an experienced anesthesiologist, resuscitates the patient, but she grows concerned for a loved one who recently received the same device—her beloved Great-Aunt Irm.

When a second device misfires, Kate turns to Nikki Yarborough, her friend and Aunt Irm’s cardiologist. Though Nikki helps protect Kate’s aunt, she is prevented from alerting other patients by the corporate greed of her department chairman. As the inventor of the device and part owner of MDI, the company he formed to commercialize it, he claims that the device misfires are due to a soon-to-be-corrected software bug. Kate learns his claim is false.

The misfires continue as Christian O’Donnell, a friend and lawyer, comes to town to facilitate the sale of MDI. Kate and Nikki are drawn into a race to find the source of the malfunctions, but threats to Nikki and a mysterious murder complicate their progress. Are the seemingly random shocks misfires, or are they attacks?

A jaw-dropping twist causes her to rethink everything she once thought she knew, but Kate will stop at nothing to protect her aunt and the other patients whose life-saving devices could turn on them at any moment.

Author Bio:

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Tammy Euliano writes medical thrillers. She’s inspired by her day job as a physician, researcher and medical educator. She is a tenured professor at the University of Florida, where she’s been honored with numerous teaching awards, nearly 100,000 views of her YouTube teaching videos, and was featured in a calendar of women inventors (copies available wherever you buy your out-of-date calendars).

When she’s not writing or at the hospital, she enjoys traveling with her family, playing sports, cheering on the Gators, and entertaining her two wonderful dogs.

Website: http://www.teuliano.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teuliano
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teuliano
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teuliano/

Author Marketing Experts tags for social media:
Twitter: @Bookgal
Instagram: @therealbookgal

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3Chdv7t
Goodreads link: https://bit.ly/3Z8GTqu

My Thoughts:

I am participating in the blog tour conducted by Author Marketing Experts for Misfire by author Tammy Euliano. It’s my stop on the tour today and I am so grateful for the chance to have read this book!

This is the second book in the medical thriller series. The story follows Kate, Nikki and Christian in a brand new plot related to supposedly faulty defibrillators. These are a new kind and have recently been implanted in patients but are misfiring (hence the title I guess) and there seem to be issues. We follow the characters as they navigate this plot and try to find out why this is happening and how to stop it. I also loved reading about Aunt Irm. She was one character whom I absolutely loved reading about and I enjoyed her interactions with the other characters the most!

I have not yet read the first book and so some of the background was not very clear to me. It took me some time to understand the characters and their connections or the relationships they have with one another. However, this did not take away from the plot and I was still able to read this book as a stand alone and enjoy it. The plot starts of quit slowly initially which makes for slow reading. But as we progress, the plot thickens and it is indeed a race against time to solve the mystery. The author has written the story well and simplified the medical terms for us to understand. This made it even more easy to read the book and understand what was happening.

The story is full of twists and turns and I quite enjoyed reading it! I am definitely going to go back and pick up Book 1 soon!

Tammy Euliano Blog Tour

Book Review: The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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About the Book:

59447780Avery’s fortune, life, and loves are on the line in the game that everyone will be talking about.

To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets, and they know her.

But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.

Secrets upon secrets. Riddles upon riddles. In this game, there are hearts and lives at stake—and there is nothing more Hawthorne than winning.

My Thoughts:

The Final Gambit is the final book in the Inheritance Games trilogy. I devoured this series, reading each book successively and when the third released, I was sure that I had to read it. In short, I absolutely loved the premise of the series, the characters and the entire plot.

This book picks up right where the second one ended. Avery is on the verge of inheriting a fortune and she still has a few more weeks of living with the Hawthorne brothers left. I love how the characters have grown over the books and the sense of belonging Avery feels among the brothers. Their acceptance of her and the bonds they share with her are also wonderful to read about and to be honest, it did not happen instantly. In this book, the author throws us a curve ball, because why not? 😀

There are a few new characters introduced and a plot twist that the readers just don’t see coming. It is definitely not that easy for Avery and it has not been since day 1. However, a lot of secrets come to light and many questions are clarified in this amazing conclusion to this series! The book draws you in just like the previous ones and it is UNPUTDOWNABLE!

It is worth the time spent reading and trust me, you will love getting to know the characters whether they are good, bad or fall into the grey area. It just doesn’t matter as they all play an important role in driving the plot forward as well as shaping each other. To understand one is to understand all of them! I highly recommend this series to everyone!

New Year greetings and a look back at Year 2022!

Posted in BookWorld by

I would like to start off this post by first wishing you all a very happy and prosperous New Year 2023!

I would also like to thank the entire reading community, friends and everyone who has supported me and my blog. A big shoutout to the Instagram community of readers and bloggers. It is a wonderful place to talk about books and get to know fellow bibliophiles.

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Wrap Up 2022 – Top 6 favourites!

Here I’m including the images (from goodreads) of my top 6 favourite books read in 2022 in no particular order. For some of them, the review is posted already and for some the complete review will be put up soon (I am quite late on this and I have a huge backlog 😦 )

I have to say though that I enjoyed every one of the books I read in 2022 and some just stuck with me more than the others. It’s all a relative comparison for me. As you can see, the books range across many genres and I am so happy to have gotten the chance to discover so many new authors who have fast become favourites!

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Book Review: The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

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About the Book:

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Not every love is meant to be.

After Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, betrays her, Evangeline Fox swears she’ll never trust him again. Now that she’s discovered her own magic, Evangeline believes she can use it to restore the chance at happily ever after that Jacks stole away.

But when a new terrifying curse is revealed, Evangeline finds herself entering into a tenuous partnership with the Prince of Hearts again. Only this time, the rules have changed. Jacks isn’t the only force Evangeline needs to be wary of. In fact, he might be the only one she can trust, despite her desire to despise him.

Instead of a love spell wreaking havoc on Evangeline’s life, a murderous spell has been cast. To break it, Evangeline and Jacks will have to do battle with old friends, new foes, and a magic that plays with heads and hearts. Evangeline has always trusted her heart, but this time she’s not sure she can…

My Thoughts:

“Happy endings can be caught, but they are difficult to hold on to. They are dreams that want to escape the night. They are treasure with wings. They are wild, feral, reckless things that need to be constantly chased, or they will certainly run away.” – A quote I really liked from the book.

The Ballad of Never After is the second book in the series and follows Jacks and Evangeline on an adventure far beyond one we imagined. I am a big fan of the Caraval universe and it’s characters and have absolutely loved reading Once Upon A Broken Heart (Book 1) and this one which are set in the universe but follow a different story.

This book picks up where the first one left off, following Evangeline as she deals with the betrayal from Jacks and then struggles to understand her role as the key. She enters into an agreement with Chaos as well which is something we all know not to do. I love how Stephanie handles the characters in this series and especially this book. They grow and surprise us at every turn. This book is captivating and will pull the reader in. So many questions arise and thus compel us to read more until we know what is happening or until we get to the truth.

I love the author’s style of writing and this book has all the goodness and heartbreak wrapped up in one. It is wonderful to read but tugs at your heartstrings making you experience every emotion along with the characters. Without delving into the story, I assure you readers that the plot is well thought out and makes or an interesting read. I highly recommend this book and the series for all fans of romance, fantasy fiction, YA fiction and so on!

Book Review: Fall of the Harvest Moon by Nina Walker and Kimberly Loth

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My Thoughts:
Fall of the Harvest Moon is the final book in the New World Shifters series by authors Nina Walker and Kimberly Loth. This book picks up where the last one left off and takes us on a fast paced journey towards the conclusion.

We follow Poppy as she navigates becoming a Lycan and deals with the after effects of having killed The King and biting Rhys. So many questions were left unanswered at the end of Book 3 with the clarification and conclusion coming to light in this book. Poppy starts to take control and stand up for herself and the other girls. Rhys is confused and trying to come to terms with a lot of things as well as handle being the alpha. There is also a bigger focus on the romance between the characters and an interesting twist to this equation.

The authors have done a great job in bringing the story together and tying up all loose ends. As a reader, we come away satisfied with the story and the characters and how they end up. This story is fast paced and we see much more action than in the others. In addition to this, we also see a lot of the characters grow into their own and take control of their lives. It is indeed a beautiful journey of four books that the readers will take with these characters whom they will grow to love or hate. But, it is all worth it in the end.

This is a world where werewolves, lycans and other shapeshifters come together and hopefully, eventually live in harmony with the humans. A truly wonderful conclusion to the series, I highly recommend this series and of course this book (if you have read the rest) to all fans of  books in the genres of paranormal romance.

Book Review: Third Spell’s the Charm by Susanna Shore

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About the Book:

“Fire wasn’t exactly the intended outcome of a water spell, but with me, sadly inevitable.”

Phoebe’s new life as a mage hasn’t had an auspicious start. No matter how hard she tries, her spells fail spectacularly. How is she to impress her boss, Archibald Kane, if she keeps setting her hair on fire?

Her problems with magic become trivial when a night out ends with a dead body. The victim has clearly been killed by a vampire, and the evidence points at Phoebe’s housemate Luca.

The leader of London vampires, Morgan Hunt, is convinced Luca is guilty. To prove his innocence, Phoebe and Luca set out to solve the death. Was the victim random, or has an old enemy of Hunt’s returned? And how are they to find the killer when Hunt has done his best to hide his past?

Phoebe is an expert in unearthing old things, but facing a powerful foe would be easier, if she had a hang of her spellcasting too. Luckily she has magical friends she can count on. And maybe the third spell turns out to be the charm after all.

My Thoughts:

Third Spell’s the Charm is the third book in the series which follows Phoebe and her friends on another magic filled adventure. Following the end of the previous book, Phoebe has now discovered her powers and is trying to learn how to perform some basic spells. However her luck is not so great and things go horribly wrong to the extent that a water spell gives out fire instead. This just adds to the hilarity of the situation making it light hearted and fun to read. With a focus on learning to be a spell caster at a much later age than most, Phoebe is having a difficult time keeping up.

As the story progresses, the focus shifts towards the vampires and Phoebe’s attempt to help her friend and housemate Luca who is accused of killing someone. As Phoebe and her friends come together to solve the mystery, they end up in the most unexpected situations. The main recurring theme of the story is on the strength of the friendship the characters share and the faith they have in one another. There is also the element of mystery and anticipation of things to come that are hidden behind the comedy. Since this is a continuation of the series, it was a pleasure to read about the characters and how they grow through each of the books. Though the plot is a predictable in some places, the story overall is well written and makes for a good read!

This is a quick fun filled read which will have the reader in splits half the time even while there is a mystery to solve! This book and the series is definitely worth a try!

Book Review: Once Upon A [Hidden] Time by Samreen Ahsan

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About the Book:

This is book 4 of [STOLEN] SERIES
2015…
All her life, Myra Farrow has been obsessed with medieval castle-and the kings and princes who once inhabited them. When Steve Bernard, a wealthy videogame designer offers her to model for a princess character in his new game, Myra can’t resist his offer to enter the mysterious, colorless, and cursed Hue Castle. But unknown to Myra, her soul is bound to it by blood and sorcery. When she enters the castle’s doors, she awakens dark powers, time travelling through a cursed mirror, torturing her present, and rewriting her future, leaving Steve Bernard with millions of questions.

1415…
Edward Hue, the last of the Hue royal bloodline, has never stood in the sunshine, nor felt the rain, or held a living flower. Cursed from birth to live in darkness and bring death to all he touches, he is at the mercy of his cruel, tyrannical father King Stefan, who will not rest until he shatters Edward’s soul and makes his son into a diabolical copy of himself. Edward’s one hope is the mysterious woman, who walks into his life through a cursed mirror, out of his dreams, and introduces him: love.

Will Myra break Edward’s curse and bring him out of the darkness, or destroy him utterly? Will Steve ever be able to finish his game without Myra? Past and future collide in a tale of love, obsession, betrayal, and the hope for redemption.

My Thoughts:

I have been a fan of Samreen Ahsan’s writing and this series since the beginning. There is something magical about the setting and the story that draws the reader in. This series is a modern day retelling of the Beauty and the Beast. The story jumps between two times, one set in 1415 and the other in modern day 2015. I absolutely love how Samreen has chosen to name each book in the series giving us a hint of what is to come. There is so much meaning behind each title which becomes clear as you read the book.

This book is the fourth in the series picking up where the third book ends. In this book we follow Myra as she navigates the court and her life with Edward. She has brought some light into his life and some parts of the curse seems to be broken. On the other hand we follow her as she deals with the king and his attentions. In parallel to this, we follow Steve as he finds a way to explain Myra’s disappearance and his budding relationship with childhood friend who is also a police officer and involved in the investigation into Myra’s disappearance.

At some parts, it feels as though this book is just building on the existing feelings and settings. The rebuilding of the relationship between Edward and his niece is beautiful to read about. Myra is like a breath of fresh air and brings joy to everyone she is around. She is also a strong independent woman whose opinions stand out and thus she has to be careful in front of whom she expresses this. In a time when women are meant to be quiet, seen and not heard and definitely not stand up for themselves, she is unique and out of place. As she reads more about the Hue dynasty and the past, it’s origins, she is worried that history might repeat itself thus setting her and Edward apart.

What remains to be seen is whether Edward will stand up for what he wants and believes in. Will he stand up for love? Will the king force Myra to marry him? With so many questions arising from the ending where the author threw us a curve ball, I am looking forward to the next book which will conclude the story and the series! This is a wonderful read and I recommend it for fans of romance, retellings, time travel and fantasy fiction.