Tag: book review

This Chick Read: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Crooked Kingdom gets a very quick start as Kaz and his crew come up with a plan to save Inej, who at the end of Six of Crows was taken hostage by Wylans father Van Eck. There is a clear cut line of good and evil in Crooked Kingdom with Kaz, Nina, Matthias, Jesper, Wylan and Inej all cast on the side of good, even though they are the best of the worst part of Ketterdam. Van Eck is an easy villain in comparison with Wylan who is the angel among thieves, and the easiest to identify with in the crew. Kaz, as the mastermind behind all of their plans plays puppeteer to all of their marionettes. Even as I tried to figure out the plans direction and guess as to the outcome it would change on a dime and I would try to read faster to play catch up. Crooked Kingdom had a beginning, middle and end I just didn’t end up where I thought the path was leading and it was wonderful!

Crooked Kingdom showed an advancement in the relationship of all of the players. Kaz and Inej, Wylan and Jesper, Nina and Matthias all grew as individuals but also as couples. There wasn’t any time for more than a kiss here and there but the emotions behind those kisses were long drawn out and well thought. I was not disappointed in the final outcome to any of these players parts, although I did have a couple of teary moments. We got to know each of them and their reasons behind their actions so that even if I didn’t agree morally with what I thought they were doing I did understand why. Bardugo did a great job of making a band of miscreants honorable and likable. I rooted for them to outsmart their opponents and enjoyed the exchange of wits.

I know that I have not said anything about the plot of this book. I really feel that whatever I have to say can not do the intricacies of this plot any justice. All I can say is that I loved getting to know all of these characters and enjoyed reading their story.

One last thought on the city of Ketterdam. I am glad that it is a fictional destination. I would fear for any tourist who docked their ship in the bay where a sign reading Enter Ye At Your own Risk No Mourners, No Funerals greets their gaze. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Crooked Kingdom

Click this link to purchase! Crooked Kingdom: A Sequel to Six of Crows

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

Do You Want to Start a Scandal (Castles Ever After) by Tessa Dare

Charlotte Highwood is blessed with a mother who loves her very much, but that same mother is also determined to see her married well, throwing her into one awkward situation after another. Charlotte is determined that her mother’s newest prospect will not end up being forced to marry her because her mother has maneuvered a “situation”. When Charlotte sneaks away to have a word with Piers Brandon, Lord Granville, and warn him, I and Piers are immediately charmed by her efforts. Charlotte, in her haste to make him aware that she is not trying to trap him, tells him she’d never find him attractive and he’s not her type. He’s intrigued and I’m laughing at the clever dialog and scene that Tessa Dare has written. The scene is not unusual, but she imbues Charlotte with a naive exuberance that you can’t help but find charming, and Piers definitely does.

As I was reading this novel, I realized that I had actually read Say Yes to the Marquess, the sequel to this one where Rafe, Piers’ brother, falls in love with Piers’ fiancee of many years. Say Yes.. was my first Tessa Dare novel in quite awhile and I think it’s fate that another blogger recommended I read Do You Want to Start a Scandal, the next in the series. That moment of recognition, when Piers’ identity is revealed along with the fact that his brother stole his last fiancee, made Piers immediately interesting. Tying those two histories together made his rather cool demeanor have meaning. That demeanor was a mask for his activities, and the fact that he dropped that mask for Charlotte made me like him for her.

This was a fun novel, and the fact that I fell into the plot so easily showed Tessa Dare’s talent for weaving a charming romantic tale. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Do You Want Click this link to purchase! Do You Want to Start a Scandal (Castles Ever After) Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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This Chick Read: Need You Now (A Mile High Romance #1) by Nicole Helm

The town of Gracely, Colorado has been dying ever since the Evans mining company closed down, decimating the businesses in town. Brandon Evans and his brother Will are trying to atone for their father’s mistakes by running their outdoor company in Gracely, but the townspeople won’t support their efforts, not being able to forgive them for having the Evans name. They hire Lilly Preston as their PR person, hoping she will be able to make inroads with the people in Gracely. Immediately she is able to do what they couldn’t and Brandon has a hard time acknowledging her efforts. As they work together, their acrimonious relationship starts to evolve into attraction.

This is a really tough romance to review because both Brandon and Lilly were so prickly. As I learned why Brandon felt so responsible for the town of Gracely I warmed up to him slightly. Lilly was also a bit standoffish and was obviously out of her element, a city girl living and working for an outdoors company. She had sass, which I loved, but that sass turned into a cold bitchiness that was hard for me to forgive. These two characters had so much to learn about themselves and each other and it was only because of the conflict at the end of the book that they even grew through that difficulty. I loved the scene at the end of the book where they had a heart felt conversation that was just so real… but then their story ended and I felt like I needed to see more of their growth as a couple to fall in love with them.

I’m conflicted. I liked the story up until a certain point in the book and then the conflict hit and my stomach sank. Then there was the most awesome conversation and I felt uplifted. Did I love it for every moment? No. Did I hate it? No. ❤️❤️❤️

Need You Now Click this link to purchase! Need You Now (A Mile High Romance) Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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This Chick Read: Ever the Hunted (A Clash of Kingdoms #1) by Erin Summerill

Britta Flannery is the daughter of a Bounty Hunter to the King. She grows up learning how to hunt and catch not only animals but criminals alongside Cohen who is apprenticing with her father. As they grow up, she falls in love with Cohen but he is destined to replace her father in the privileged spot as Bounty Hunter. When her father is off on a job, he is murdered, leaving Britta alone in the cabin she lived in with her father. Starving, she illegally hunts on the King’s land and is caught. Thrown in the dungeon, she is given a choice. Die for poaching or hunt her father’s killer. It sounds like an easy choice, but Britta wavers because she is told all evidence points to her one time friend Cohen. Believing their evidence she begins the hunt, which turns into a journey of discovery and learns more about herself than what she’d imagined.

Ever the Hunted was beautiful on the outside and on the inside. Seriously, the cover is gorgeous and the book was gorgeously written. The story felt like a hybrid Fairy Tale – Fantasy novel and the words on the page were written lyrically helping create that feel. Taking place mostly in a forest the story had elements of Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White, however it was not a copy or re-imagining of any of those novels, but a unique story with only the feeling of a fairy tale element. As with other  fairy-tale and fantasy novels I’ve really enjoyed, this was more than just a love story, it was an action adventure novel with magical realism. Our heroine, Britta, comes to a realization about her feelings for Cohen, but also discovers the depths of power hidden within herself.

Having said all of these wonderful things, was the book perfect? It was perfect up to a point. I will not spoil the ending, but I will say that there was an unexpected twist that I still can’t decide if I liked or not. It felt like the author decided at the very end to turn this into a series when it could’ve very easily been a stand alone novel. That one twist took me out of the world this author created and made me go.. Huh. So because of that, I’m only giving this novel 4 hearts. Until that twist, I was enraptured by the story and world and would’ve given it a higher rating. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Ever the Hunted

Click this link to purchase! Ever the Hunted (A Clash of Kingdoms Novel)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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This Chick Read: Lies Jane Austen Told Me by Julie Wright (Audio review)

Emma seems to have it all. She’s a successful marketing officer for a big name gym and has a gorgeous boyfriend who wants to bring her home to meet his parents. She is also obsessed with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. So that trip to visit her boyfriends parents turns into a wedding proposal…. in her own head. When that turns out to not be true, she feels betrayed by Jane and the now ex-boyfriend and throws herself into her job 24/7. When her company hires a consultant, she’s dismayed to find out it’s her ex’s brother Lucas. Who turns out to be nothing like his brother. He’s not only handsome but gives away all of his free time to those more unfortunate than he. When Lucas and Emma travel together on business they get to know each other better and she falls a little bit in like with him. But… he keeps trying to get her back together with his brother!

I listened to Lies Jane Austen Told Me, which is narrated by Justine Eyre (and very well done too!). It was the perfect book to listen to while driving to and from work, lighthearted and fun, the narration bringing to life all of the personalities in this love story. Blake, Emma’s ex is rather full of himself. He’s from a wealthy family and doesn’t want to settle down long term. When they break up, he rallies trying to win Emma back, but she has a hard time re-falling in love with him, realizing that maybe they just didn’t suit. When Emma gets to know his brother Lucas, his complete opposite, she is amazed that they were raised by the same parents. When she finds out Lucas’s background she realizes how much they have in common and can’t stop thinking about him. Lucas, however, never stops trying to fix her back up with his brother. 100% loyal, which is nice and all, but kind of annoying when I really wanted him to take a chance a LOT sooner.

Like Mr. Darcy, Lucas seemed too good to be true. Except he wasn’t. He was the real thing. Emma had her work cut out in trying to make him see that they were the perfect fit, even though she started out with the wrong brother. There is a lot of silliness, some seriousness and a lot of heart in this sweet love story. My first by Julie Wright, but not my last.

❤️❤️❤️❣️

Lies Jane Austen Told Me Click this link to purchase! Lies Jane Austen Told Me (Proper Romance Contemporary) Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved.

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This Chick Read: Burn Bright (Alpha and Omega) by Patricia Briggs

Burn Bright

Charles and Anna often investigate strange goings on in their pack, but also act as liaison’s to the federal government, traveling across the US to do so. Burn Bright stays very close to home. Bran, the Marrok, is off in Europe having helped Mercy when she was kidnapped in the novel Silence Fallen. Charles, acting Alpha until Bran’s return has to investigate a call he gets from one of his fathers wildlings. Wolves who live in the wild because they are kind of crazy and can’t live among the pack. He and Anna travel into the wilderness and find themselves in a magical fight for their lives and the lives of their pack.

I have been eagerly anticipating the release of Burn Bright because Anna and Charles are two of my favorite characters and one of my favorite couples. Since being introduced to them we have seen Charles Cornick, son to the Marrok and his enforcer, take on some really tough enemies. To the werewolves of North America he is one truly scary guy, brought in when something needs to be cleaned up. When he meets Anna and realizes she is his mate you see a subtle shift in his intensity. To those who don’t know him, he’s still intimidating as hell, but to those who do know him there is a slight softening. Anna, an Omega wolf, has a calming effect that’s often called upon in difficult moments, but Charles’ need to protect his mate and soothe her in return makes a difference in how his family and close friends see him and you can see that difference evolve as each book progresses. I love this progression in not only their relationship but in them as a couple with each novel showing their growing love and closeness.

Each novel in the Alpha and Omega series can be read as a stand alone with the central story a mystery that has a beginning, middle, and conclusion in each novel. However, I do think you’ll miss the subtleties in these characters and that is a huge part of my enjoyment in reading them. This series is a spinoff of the Mercy Thompson series. The timelines in both series are connected and if you read both series I think you get a boost of enjoyment, but once again, if you haven’t read Mercy’s stories I don’t think it will take away from enjoying Charles and Anna’s and Burn Bright was a really engaging story on it’s own merit.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received an ARC of this novel for my honest review and it was honest.

Burn Bright image

Click this link to purchase! Burn Bright (Alpha and Omega)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Book Themed Gifts

Do you ever feel like books are taking over your life? I have been blogging about books for over two years and anyone who knows me well knows that I read a lot. I love books, I can’t help it! I do love them and I guess my friends and family all know that I love to read so it shouldn’t be that surprising that I get a lot of book related things as gifts. The obvious choice are physical books and I certainly get a ton of those at Christmas and my birthday. Did you know all of the different book items that are out there? Well, I didn’t. Just for curiosity’s sake, I thought I’d share some items I’ve found as well as some gifts I’ve received.

Wine: Looking for a good hostess gift or want to make a suggestion to someone on what to bring to your party? Some pretty great vineyards actually have wines labeled after famous quotes or books. This one I’ve found uses a quote from Moby Dick as it’s label. “Folly of the Beast” Pinot Noir. I’m going to have to look this one up as Pinot Noir is one of my favorites wines.

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The Princess Bride was a great book and an even more amazing movie. My sister actually gave me this necklace for Christmas a couple of years ago. I’m sure you all recognize the quote that Wesley says to his Princess throughout the book. “As You Wish” I always have people comment about the quote and the book when I wear this necklace. It’s a conversation starter, that’s for sure! (side note- I’ve often wondered if my sister wasn’t making a statement to me by giving me this necklace. Hmmmm. LOL)

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Favorite Flashback gift! Who doesn’t remember getting these Lifesavers Storybook with rolls of Lifesavers candy for Christmas when they were a kid. It sure brings back memories! Although, I’ll admit that I did hate a couple of those flavors. Lime, ewww!!

lifesavers

For my birthday my mom surprised me with this fun necklace. It says So Many Books, so Little Time. I know you’ll all agree with me that that is definitely a true statement!! I own and want to read more books than I can possible get to in three lifetimes!

Books

There are a ton of clothing items out there with statements about books. Too many to print here and too many to talk about. I bought this t-shirt at a book convention because reading has impacted my life. I laid it on my poor dog, Nash because, well, he’s cute too and deserves to be in my blog today! LOL. Is Reading your Superpower? I think it should be everyone’s!

Reading
I’ll just end this kind of silly post by saying that it’s nice to be known for loving something like books. First of all, it’s not an embarassing hobby. I can think of worse things! Second, apparently there are soooo many book themed items out there it makes it easy for people to buy things for you. I googled book themed items and there are so many more from dresses made out of books to clothes with books on them. Socks with pithy book quotes to food items with book quotes. The choices are endless! LOL.

Have you ever received any book themed gifts? Purchased some book themed items yourself? What’s your favorite?

Join this silly Sunday discussion. I’d love to hear!

Until next Sunday,

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads5 Comments

The Chick Read: Lake Silence (The Others) by Anne Bishop

Lake Silence is the first book in a new series set in the same world as The Others. Taking place after the terre indigene decimated the Humans First and Last movement (HFL) reminding humans that they are not the dominant species on Namid. Vicki DeVine, our main protagonist, has received The Jumble, a rustic lake resort, in her divorce settlement. After spending a lot of money making it habitable she’s finally rented out one of the cabins. When she finds her renter, Aggie Crowgard, cooking up a human eyeball in the microwave she realizes there is a dead body on her property. Vicki calls it in and gets more trouble than help. That rather gruesome yet quick start sets the tone for the remainder of the story and I quickly ate it up (sans eyeball, thanks very much!)

Lake Silence is filled with a fantastic group of quirky characters. Vicki has self confidence issues stemming from the abused relationship she had with her ex. Seeing Lake Silence and the inhabitants through her eyes, you are given a very clear view of who are the good guys and who are the bad. When the police show up to investigate, Highway Patrol officer Grimshaw, reminiscent of Lt. Montgomery from the previous Others books, is completely honorable. Even in the face of the terrifying terre indigene, he looks past their scary faces and see’s the dangerous humans as more terrible. Ex-cop Julian, who previously worked with Grimshaw, is now a bookstore owner in the town of Sproinger. Friendly with Vicki, he becomes an integral part of the investigation and ultimately the conclusion. There is also a hint of a future romance between he and Vicki if he can get past her reticence to have any kind of relationship with a man. There are a couple of familiar characters, but other than a hint or suggestion of characters in previous novels, this is a whole new cast.  I was disappointed at first but quickly became enraptured with being back in this fascinating world and meeting a new group of terre indigene and humans I could come to like just as well as Meg, Simon and the other inhabitants of the Lakeside Courtyard. Lake Silence is not just a quick fix but I can easily see it becoming another addiction.

I really don’t want to get into the plot of the story anymore than I already have since each element builds up to a great climax. I will say that at one point our characters play a game called Murder, which is similar to the game Clue that we all played as kids.  When the terre indigene offer up their own version of the game you really see the contrast between being terre indigene and being human. I loved the dark humor that Anne Bishop added to that scene and Vicki’s internal dialog was pretty funny throughout the book. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

Lake Silence

Click this link to purchase! Lake Silence (World of the Others, The)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads1 Comment

This Chick Read: Love Songs and Other Lies (preview excerpt) by Jessica Pennington

Love Songs and Other Lies is the story of Vee, her best friend Logan, and Cam her love interest. Vee and Logan have been best friends since grade school. With the exception of one summer when they tested the waters as something more before returning to being just friends. When Cam moves to town and starts school with them, he joins Logans band just to meet Vee. Although she didn’t know that.

The story is told through flashbacks that are juxtaposed against current time (a couple years later) when Logan, Cam and their band are on a tour bus being filmed in a battle of the bands type television contest. Logan asks Vee to join them but doesn’t tell her that Cam is traveling with them again. In the first few chapters we realize that Cam and Vee have a history and one that didn’t end well and they are going to hash it out on live television.

This excerpt was fantastic! I totally forgot that I was not reading the entire book and when it cut off I wanted to scream in frustration. I will definitely be looking forward to reading this entire novel when it comes out in the spring.

I was given a copy of this excerpt through NetGalley for my honest opinion and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase! Love Songs & Other Lies: A Novel

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: A Piece of My Heart (Blessings, Georgia #4) by Sharon Sala

Mercy Dane grew up in the foster system, works as a waitress in a rundown bar and drives a Harley. She also has a rare blood type and is a registered blood donor. When she gets an emergency call from a hospital in Georgia to give blood to an accident victim, she races for her Harley and drives an hour and a half to save a strangers life.  This dichotomy in Mercy’s character immediately gained my interest. She is tough, yet caring at the same time. Reticent by nature, Mercy quietly sits in the waiting room while drinking juice and catches the eyes of the victims family. Her resemblance to Hope, the victim, is commented on and suddenly Mercy is swept into the possibility that her lonely life may have ended.

Ron Pittman, sheriff of Blessings Georgia, catches sight of Mercy in the hospital and flashes back to the one night stand they had in their youth that meant so much to him. The fact that Mercy may have ties to Blessings is a welcome surprise, a surprise he takes immediate  advantage of!

I really enjoyed this novel in the Blessings Georgia series. Mercy’s background made her an easy character to root for, and the fact that this good looking sheriff has thought about her all of these years and has the patience to get through all of her defenses made their love story a great read. I also liked the fact that she got reunited with her long lost sister and thought their reunion was very well written and not overdone. Her sister Hope was sweet, and the humor Sharon Sala wrote into the novel made me laugh and sigh in all the right places. I have not read any of the other novels in this series and except for figuring out that Hope and her husband had their own novel, I don’t feel like I missed anything in reading this as a stand alone and would recommend that to anyone else who doesn’t want to read books 1-3 just to catch up. Although I will say that I liked the characters of Blessings Georgia and will probably go back and look for a previous novel just to relive its sweet charm.❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!  A Piece of My Heart (Blessings, Georgia) Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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