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Finish 4 books by December 4th ~ Update #1 with a book review

Welcome to my channel. This is my first update for Finish 4 books by December 4^th. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the first book very much. Go see my full review of this book on my website HERE

I did receive this book for free from NetGalley.com to read and review. You can start reading books for free at HERE

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Finish 4 books by December 4th ~ The In-Between by Barbara Stewart

The In-Between by Barbara Stewart
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I almost stopped reading this book half a dozen times. It was such a total downer, but I kept hoping for a reprieve, but didn't get one. Still I kept reading, and hoping...

Elanor is a misfit and an outcast. Always dancing on the edge of a depression that wants to swallow her up. On the car ride to a new home her parents were moving her to, there is a bone crushing accident that threatens to swallow up both Elanor and her parents. Still, Elanor moves to the new home after a long coma and dance along the edge of a near death experience, she encounters a spirit in the new home. The spirit of a girl who threatens to swallow Elanor alive.

To tell more would give away too much of the story. This is well written and the author has crafted a well written story. But it dwells so much in the depths of depression that I could barely finish it. There were too few subplots to keep the story interesting beyond the soul crushing depression of the main character. I had such mixed feelings about this book. Bottom line is that I could have lived without this one.



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Finish 4 books by December 4, 2015 (Project Book)

Welcome to my channel. This project is a twist on the Project Pan series we all love to watch. How many of you have books you haven’t read, or have fallen out of the reading habit?  Join me in this challenge and read 4 books over the next 3 months, and you’ll finally read again.  Books have a way of transporting us out of the present, they can be poetic, they can be thrilling, they can be magical. So join me in this challenge and be transported to other worlds…. And use those tired brain cells.

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Unless otherwise stated in my video or description above, this product was purchased by me. I am not affiliated with manufacturers or any subscription service and am not compensated for the review.  I promise you that you will always get my full an honest opinion.

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Gets better and better with each book in the series

Chasing the Shadows: Nikki and Michael Book 3 by Keri Arthur
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Somehow, this series gets better and better with each book in the series.

Once again Nikki and Michael are on the trail of a sadistic killer. Both have found that their psychic gifts are increasing, particularly Nikki's. Michael keeps trying to shut her out in a effort to protect her, causing a rift in the their relationship.

Written in third person limited, we see nearly the whole story through Nikki's and Michael's eyes. We don't know from moment to moment what the killer is planning, which serves to heighten the suspense.

Book three of the Nikki and Michael series is a fabulous five stars. Now I'm off to read book four, Kiss the Night Goodbye.



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A battle of good an evil that could threaten the fate of the world

The Megiddo Mark, Part 1 by Mackenzie Lucas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First, I was able to buy this book on Amazon in one edition (not 4 separate booklets, but that's the only way it is listed on Goodreads). Look for ASIN: B00EHN2VLM

This is billed as a romance, but it is so much more. American Literature professor Malena Alexander, goes to England to close up her great aunt's estate after her death. She is somewhat charmed by what she finds in London. She meets Cullen Wade, an edgy archeologist, after an auction where, through trickery, Malena wins the bidding war for a rare copy of her deceased mother's poetry. All of her books contain secret messages to Malena. She finds a secret message under the bookplate that makes no sense to her at all, but it will.

The book takes off at a blistering pace after the initial set up. I won't reveal more about the book. The publisher has already indicated that there are angels and demons and a fight between good and evil that could decide the fate of the world. Malena and Wade both have a crucial role to play.

There was just enough detail given so you could picture the sites, right down to the rocky Cornish coast where Malena and Wade go to stay in her late aunt's home, now her home, her inheritance. The story is told in third person limited, so we know what Malena and Wade are thinking and feeling with only very rare glimpses into the thoughts and actions of the antagonists. Lucas managed to captivate me so thoroughly that I couldn't wait to get back to the book after work, savoring the last pages. I highly recommend it.

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You don't have to have cancer to enjoy this powerful book

Survival Lessons by Alice Hoffman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book was short, but mighty. It was beautifully written, as all Alice Hoffman's books are, and it touched me so deeply that it made me cry.

Alice Hoffman's writing is like reading poetry. She uses metaphor and simile just enough to give more weight and beauty to her words. I have enjoyed numerous works of Hoffman's fiction, so when I had the opportunity to read this book, I was delighted. This book was a little under 100 pages. Don't let the short length scare you away, the sparse pages are brimming with wisdom.

This has been a tough year for my family and, though none of us has had the dreaded diagnosis of breast cancer, we have had some very difficult times. I was able to relate to many things Hoffman said in this book and found such inspiration and joy in the pages, that I shared the experience with friends. This is a magical book that lit the flame of hope in my heart.



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So good that it may be better than the first book in the series

Hearts in Darkness by Keri Arthur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second in a fantastic series of Nikki James and Michael Kelly. As I said in the review for the first book in the series, I don't usually read vampire fiction, but the primary character, Nikki James and vampire Michael Kelly are so compelling that I couldn't put the book down.

Nikki, still a PI for best friend, mentor, father figure Jake, is on the trail of a teenager who meets a woman online, except that she is not your average woman and she kidnaps the boy Nikki is pursuing. Meanwhile, Michael Kelly, the vampire, works for another agency called The Circle, investigating disappearances of wealthy men from an exclusive vacation resort. Michael and Nikki, on the heals of the teenager and the missing millionaires, pose as newlyweds vacationing at the resort full of secrets and danger. Can't say more, that's just the beginning.

The characters and setting are so well drawn that it feels like you are there. There were many times that I hated to put this book down to get other things done, and I stayed up way past my bedtime when I got to the end. I'm starting the next book in the series, Chasing Shadows right away.



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a truly memorable read - so glad there are more Jacqueline Kirby books!

Naked Once More by Elizabeth Peters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First, I've been an Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels/Barbara Mertz fan for years. So I'm so sad to hear that she has passed. My favorite books have been those written under the Barbara Michaels pseudonym (my favorite was Ammie, Come Home). This is one of my first books under the Elizabeth Peters pseudonym. Her books are so well written and this one is no exception.

At the beginning of this book I didn't like the main character, Jacqueline Kirby. She was pompous and called everyone "darling." If this were a book by any other author I would have put it down and moved on to something else (you all know you have many books waiting n the wind waiting to be read). Since it was written by one of my favorite authors, I persevered and I'm so glad I did.

Jacqueline (never Jackie) is chosen from a group of writers to complete a second novel by the late Kathleen Darcy. She moves to the small town to explore Darcy's papers and books and moves into a tiny cottage behind the local bed and breakfast. Of course with small towns come the most fascinating characters and Kirby begins to immerse herself in the town and uncovers many secrets never meant to be shared.

Elizabeth Peters created well rounded characters and a town that felt real. We all want to journey to far off places when we read and Peters manages to take the reader to just such a place. Though the dialogue was stilted at the start of the book, it was realistic the rest of the way through. Though imperfect, this was a fabulous read.



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Friendship's journey through good and evil

Hope by Beth Bracken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in a series about Soli and Lucy and their adventures in faery. These aren't the sweet faeries little girls dream of, they are faeries who are good and evil in a land that contains dangers that can destroy you. It's also a story about the power of friendship.

Soli and Lucy are trapped in faery and, though Soli is treated as someone special, Lucy begins to fall ill and is manipulated by a group of faeries called the Crows. What can Soli do to help her friend? Can't say much more without ruining the story.

The illustrations in this book are breathtaking. For the art alone, this book is worth having. The story can also be enjoyed by adults, but I could imagine while reading it that it would be a delightful story to read with the child in your life.


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Good, but not perfect paranormal thriller

Let the Dead Sleep by Heather Graham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First, I'm glad to see that this title by Heather Graham is part of a series of books (Cafferty & Quinn). The downside is that there is a lot of background done that will likely help bolster other books in the series. Still, this book can be enjoyed on its own.

Danni Cafferty and Michael Quinn are at the center of this story. She is a shop owner who just lost her father, a collector of odd things. Michael Quinn lived the fast life and loses his life, only to come back from his experience with the resolve to live a more virtuous life. Enter, the bust of an evil man from Roman times that Danni and Quinn must find to save lives. ...and that's all just in the beginning of the story.

This story is written mostly from Danni and Michael's point of view with a sharper focus on Danni's POV. The little shop she has inherited has some odd items, many neutralized by Danni's father Angus. There is paranormal material in the book, enough to satisfy the those of us who enjoy a bit of the paranormal. There is a romance that brews between Danni and Quinn, enough the satisfy those who like some romance, but don't want it to be the center of their reading. Though it did take some time to take off, this is a good thriller that keeps you guessing.


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Measure of Love by Melissa Ford - Fiction that felt real and immediate

Measure of Love by Melissa Ford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rachel and Adam Goldman divorced and Rachel found herself navigating the misery of that split up in her earlier book Life From Scratch. In this book, Rachel and Adam have come back together, earlier issues resolved, contemplating remarrying. Rachel is now a popular blogger and book author. Her book is basically a memoir of coping with her divorce, but her publisher has painted her as a "divorce expert," so her plan to remarry her ex doesn't go over well with the publisher. Now Rachel is caught between obligations to the publisher, her fears about remarriage, her wealthy, social-climbing mother-in-law, problems with her best friend, and many other issues.

Ford managed to bring the characters in this book vividly to life, giving the feel that these were real people. It was written in first person narrative, giving the story a very personal feel. Ford also manages to raise the stakes and create a bit of tension. Of course since I'm a blogger and a writer, I related to her even more. Still, this book kept me up until 2:00 am to finish it - way past my bedtime.

This is the second book featuring Rachel and Adam Goldman, as noted above. I did not read the first book, but I still enjoyed this title immensely. You don't need to read the first book to enjoy this one. Now I'm curious and plan to read the first book.


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An excellent start for a new paranormal series

Dancing with the Devil by Keri Arthur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nikki James is a scrappy young adult who had a tough life until she was taken in by her employer, who also serves as a protector and mentor to Nikki. Though book one in a new series by Keri Arthur, I got the feeling that Nikki may have appeared in another story by Arthur, but this didn't do anything but make me wonder where her story really started, it doesn't disrupt the story line at all.

Now working as a private investigator of sorts, Nikki is also a psychic with the ability to locate people by touching an item owned by that person. She manages to locate a teenager from a wealthy family, follows her into a haunted house, and inadvertently ends up in the crosshairs of a powerful evil. At the same time, Michael Kelly, a vampire some 300 years old, is following her. He is sent to protect Nikki from the pervasive evil that will begin to haunt her dreams and attempt to destroy her.

Told from third person point of view, most of the story is told from Nikki and Michael's POV, but there are also small bursts of the story that are told from the antagonists POV. The characters are so well developed that the story nearly felt real.

The characters were fascinating and story was highly suspenseful, so now I'm moving onto book two in the series.... I have a feeling I'll be enjoying the entire series.


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A tender story with a paranormal twist

Firefly Hollow by T.L. Haddix
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In Appalachia there are folk tales about shape shifters, among other legends. This story explores the shape shifter legends and how it impacts human relationships.

Owen Campbell has been a shape shifter since adolescence, an inherited trait that destroyed his relationship with his father, who never understood his condition. Out of love, his mother sends him to an uncle who is also a shifter, so that he can learn to control his gift.

Sarah Jane Browning loved to escape to the woods between Owen's home and her own, burying her teenage angst and misery near a beautiful pond. She and Owen don't meet in that wood, at least not that she knows of.

When I first started reading this story, having it start with a humiliated Sarah as a teenage high school student, I thought maybe this book would be more young adult/teen fiction. But during the early coarse of the novel Sarah grows up. The time frame is late 1950s to 1960s. It is told in third person point of view, but only from two points of view - Sarah's and Owen's. These POVs are skillfully intertwined and Haddix weaves a beautiful story that actually made me shed more than a few tears.

This grabbed my attention and my heart from the opening chapter. I can't wait to read the second book in the series.

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A very grown up, magic-laced YA novel!

Spellbinding by Maya Gold
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very grown up, magic-laced YA novel!

I didn't have high expectations for this book, but Maya Gold drew me in quickly with the ancestor search and subsequent trip to Salem that the protagonist Abby Silva makes, especially since that ancestor was an accused witch.

Abby Silva is a self-conscious girl, not in the "in" crowd at school. She and friend Rachel are overachievers at school, yearning to be at the top of their class. When Abby goes for her driver's test and celebrates with her friend Rachel by taking a trip to Salem to research an ancestor, a cast of interesting and some magical characters enter the story. One of the most magical is Rem, a young man she meets that she feels somehow connected to. Meanwhile, Abby suspects that she has some untapped magical abilities and begins to use them to change things that shouldn't be changed.

Don't want to give away too much of the story, but I will say that the story arc builds to a climax that takes your breath away.

This reads like a stand alone novel, but I'm hoping Maya Gold has more in store for those of us who really enjoyed this magical ride.




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Angels and demons and girl convinced she's crazy

A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just finished reading this book and am happy to see that another book in the series is due out in 2014... especially since this one ended without all the threads of the story tied up neatly.

Rayna is 16 and she's been committed to the nuthouse three times because her visions of angels are seen as schizophrenia. I also must add that there is something deeper going on with her father since he's a little too quick to pull the trigger on his daughter's commitment. Unfortunately, the early Rayna sounds incredibly childish and weak minded, believing she must really be as crazy as they say she is. That went on for so long that it almost made me put the book aside and quit reading it. But then I would have missed all the fun stuff, with angels and demons, hunky Cam and Kade, and a story arc that was unpredictable. Characters were so well created that they felt real.

This was an excellent YA novel, especially when Rayna grew stronger and less childish. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series!




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Gotta love Will Robie - the government hit man with heart and soul

The Hit by David Baldacci
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gotta love Will Robie - the government hit man with heart and soul.

This is the second book in the Will Robie series. It bears mentioning here that you really should read book one, The Innocent, first. If you don't then I believe there may be a bit of confusion regarding Julie and Vance, his friend from the FBI.

Robie has been ordered to kill a killer in this thrilling work. But as usual, all is not as it seems, there is something below the surface that makes Robie suspicious about the government and their motives, while also making him wonder if the killer he has been ordered to hit had reasons for her actions. We are led on a bread crumb trail through an amazing plot, feverishly turning pages to see what will happen next. Characters are so well drawn you feel like you've been invited to secret meetings. You really care what happens in this well-crafted tale.

This book fell just slightly short of the first in the series, a common fate. It was so good though, that I'm looking forward to the third book in the series - I hope there is one!



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Good, but failed to hit any emotional mark

The Boyfriend by Thomas Perry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've read other Thomas Perry titles and enjoyed them tremendously. I enjoyed this one, but found it's prose a bit... wooden (possibly the right word).

Shocked by their daughter's death, a mother and father visit Jack Till, retired cop turned private eye. Their daughter's murder is seemingly unsolvable. They give a retainer to Till for this hopeless case. Soon Jack Till sees a pattern and begins to unravel a trail of deaths in the wake of this killer. But it's not so simple, the reason is so much more complex than the obvious serial killer story.

For the most part, the story lacked emotion with a few small exceptions. Characters were well developed, but I didn't care about them as much as I would have liked to. So, though I enjoyed the intricacies of the plot and found the story fascinating, Perry failed to hit the heart strings quite as much as he could have.



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A suspenseful story about choices in life

Starting Now by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first Debbie Macomber book I've read. I had heard that Macomber wrote "clean" romance, but the book description didn't sound like a romance novel. When I started reading the book I found that the story was so much more than a romance.

I'm not sure how Macomber did it - she managed to heighten suspense enough for me to stay up until 1:00 am reading, way past my bedtime. No there are no bullets flying, like so many of the suspense novels I've read. The stakes were so high for Libby Morgan, a career lawyer who was convinced that her mother's deathbed oath to her to be successful, meant to be successful professionally. She cared about little other than her career and had let friends and joy in life fall by the wayside on her way to making partner in a law firm. This is all in the beginning of the story, and of course, at the start she is also laid off from the law firm position that she prized above all else. The suspense lies with choices she makes for the remainder of Macomber's remarkable story.

The novel is written in first person, but is mostly focused on the point of view of Libby Morgan, the main character. Macomber created characters who felt so real with just a whisper of description that allows the reader to draw an image in their own minds as they read. This was very well done and suspenseful as you watch Libby make choices in life, many make you cringe.

Macomber created an excellent story that I couldn't wait to finish to see what would happen next and I was sad to see it end. Fortunately, this is just one of a series of books and I'll be reading more of them.



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A book anyone could read and love

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's so sad that we no longer have Maeve Binchy to tell us her brilliant stories. I believe this book may be her last, unless the estate has found other treasures in her papers.

A Week in Winter has an ensemble cast of characters who end up in Stone House for a week in winter. Binchy kicks off the tale with Chickie, a young girl who goes off to America with a lover she met in her native Ireland. Of course she ends up back in Ireland, alone. As the years move on, we meet her nephew, Rigor, who was on a path of no good in Dublin, now at Stone House in the west of Ireland, life takes a new perspective. Then of course there are visitors from across the globe who stay for a week in winter at Stone House as well - Binchy tells each of their tales with such sensitivity we feel like we know them personally.

A Week in Winter is a tale that I really enjoyed and was sorry to see end. This was such a beautiful tale.



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