Book Reviews

6 02, 2019

Hearts Abroad

Hearts Abroad

Rachel2019-02-06T21:47:29-07:00February 6th, 2019|Tags: adult, ARC, reading challenge, romance|1 Comment

Book Description: When a fun-loving American nanny turns a millionaire British single dad’s world upside down, it’s inevitable life is going to get complicated.Taking a break from screenwriting in New York City, Londyn Bellerose takes a nannying job in Colorado to get away from the hubbub. A summer to live without regrets is all she wants. While her boss is British, gorgeous, and a millionaire, he has no clue how to have fun. Determined to mend the relationship between father and daughters, Londyn doesn’t expect to fall for the museum curator.Londyn is American and everything Callum Archer swore to never fall for again. With her carefree spirit and energetic smile, she’s perfect to nanny Callum’s two daughters. The problem is she’s also perfect for him. She’s sassy, musical, and tends to speak her mind more than she means to.When old history and new dreams threaten her happily ever after, will Londyn and Callum’s love survive? I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. There is just something different about reading a romance than other books to me. They make me feel giddy and I find myself laughing out loud at them, [...]

31 01, 2019

The Mysterious Benedict Society

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Rachel2019-01-31T18:01:21-07:00January 31st, 2019|Tags: fiction, mystery, young adult|0 Comments

Book Description:"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" ad attracts dozens for mind-bending tests readers may try. Only two boys and two girls succeed for a secret mission, undercover and underground into hidden tunnels. At the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, the only rule is - there are no rules. I have to just first say that this book has such an awesome cover! (If I had read it in February it would have definitely been my pick for my monthly motif challenge of cover love). Truly though it is just so fun and so many little details to look at. I thought the plot of this book was well done, it is definitely geared towards a younger crowd than me, however I still really enjoyed it and want to finish the series and find out what happens to them! I thought it was a unique idea picking younger kids through a series of weird tests to find the right combination to basically save the world. The way children were used as messengers to brainwash people was definitely unique. So it was children are helping make the problem, without [...]

29 01, 2019

The National Team

The National Team

Rachel2019-01-29T20:32:20-07:00January 29th, 2019|Tags: adult, edelweiss, non-fiction|0 Comments

Book Description: The success of the US Women’s National Soccer Team is undebatable. They’ve won three World Cups and four Olympic gold medals, they’ve set record TV ratings, drawn massive crowds, and earned huge revenues for US Soccer. But despite their obvious dominance, and their roster of superstar players, they’ve endured striking inequality: low pay, poor playing conditions, and limited opportunities to play in professional leagues. The National Team, from leading soccer journalist Caitlin Murray, tells the history of the USWNT from their formation in the 1980s to the run-up to the 2019 World Cup, chronicling both their athletic triumphs and less visible challenges off the pitch. In the wake of their 2015 World Cup victory, the athletes pushed back publicly against the unequal treatment they’d received from FIFA and US Soccer and negotiated a landmark collective bargaining agreement on their own. Murray also tells of the rise and fall of professional leagues in the US, including the burgeoning National Women’s Soccer League, an essential part of the women’s game. A story of endurance and determination, The National Team is a complete portrait of a beloved and admired team. I received this book as an [...]

23 01, 2019

The Suspect

The Suspect

Rachel2019-01-23T18:31:33-07:00January 23rd, 2019|Tags: adult, ARC, fiction, mystery, netgalley, thriller|0 Comments

Book Description:The police belonged to another world – the world they saw on the television or in the papers. Not theirs.When two eighteen-year-old girls go missing on their gap year in Thailand, their families are thrust into the international spotlight: desperate, bereft and frantic with worry. Journalist Kate Waters always does everything she can to be first to the story, first with the exclusive, first to discover the truth – and this time is no exception. But she can’t help but think of her own son, who she hasn’t seen in two years since he left home to go traveling. This time it’s personal.And as the case of the missing girls unfolds, they will all find that even this far away, danger can lie closer to home than you might think . . . I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. When I read the description of this book I was intrigued by it and I wanted to read it and find out what happened to the girls, and where was Kate's son. I was not disappointed. The book had two good mysteries going on [...]

21 01, 2019

Midnight Magic (A Ghost & Abby Mystery #1)

Midnight Magic (A Ghost & Abby Mystery #1)

Rachel2019-01-21T18:37:42-07:00January 21st, 2019|Tags: ARC, Fantasy, netgalley, Reading Challenges, romance|0 Comments

Book Description: As the janitor in a haunted house, single mom Abby Jenkins has many contacts with the living and the dead in the small Pacific Northwest town of Sunset Cove, which puts her in a perfect position to solve local mysteries. Or so she thinks. Hired to find diamonds hidden in a haunted manor she gets help from a Viking ghost with existential issues. Will she survive? This book contains bad-boy ghosts, mischievous magic, and a woman who knows what she wants in a Viking hayloft. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I am torn on this book, I have to say I liked it more in the beginning and then by the end I was slightly annoyed with it. I think one thing that started this was when Abby got the second voice in her head and they started talking to each other. It just seemed like a weird move and was more annoying than funny or helpful to the plot. I liked the idea of the book and what it was trying to go for. However, in the realm of [...]

12 01, 2019

Captain of My Heart

Captain of My Heart

Rachel2019-01-12T16:09:03-07:00January 12th, 2019|Tags: ARC, romance|0 Comments

Book Description:Excitement heralds the arrival of Captain Brendan Jay Merrick, a dashing privateer whose daring sea battles against His Majesty's fleet have made him a legend in the American colonies. Brendan has plans for the Ashton Shipyard to build his magnificent new schooner. But one look at the handsome Irishman, and Ashton's daughter Mira is making plans of her own . . . Mira Ashton - queen of schemes and mistress of spunk - disguises herself as a crew member and sneaks aboard the newly built Kestrel to become the schooner's sharpest gunner ... and the captain's most outrageous distraction. As passions flare, desire explodes with the turbulence of an angry sea with Mira competing against Kestrel for Brendan's love. But when tragedy strikes, Mira must join forces with her mighty rival in a daring adventure that turns the tide of battle and brings glorious victory to the colonists, the captain ... and the lady who has captured his heart. I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I thought this was a really fun read. I am all about pirates and this book, although wasn’t exactly [...]

29 12, 2018

2019 Book Reading Challenges

2019 Book Reading Challenges

Rachel2020-01-02T19:29:36-07:00December 29th, 2018|Tags: Reading Challenges|4 Comments

This year to make my reading more fun, as well as make myself read more types of books I am going to participate in a few different reading challenges. I started out by finding the PopSugar one and then it just grew from there in finding all kinds of fun ones! I am hoping that some books will go across a few different challenges, but I have no expectation to complete them all, but instead just have fun with it and see what I can do! So here are my reading challenges I plan to participate in! POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Read Harder Challenge Linz the Bookworm Reading Challenge Calendar of Crime Dystopia Reading Challenge Dancing with Fantasy & Sci-Fi Cloak & Dagger European Reading Challenge Historical Fiction Reading Challenge Library Love Reading Challenge Monthly Motif Reading Challenge Netgalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge Print Only Reading Challenge Crusin' Thru the Cozies Craving for Cozies AtoZ Reading Challenge Alphabet Soup - Author Reading Challenge Alphabet Soup - Author Reading Challenge NJM Book Challenge Golden Trio Reading Challenge 52 Books in 52 Weeks Around the Year in 52 Books Bookiary Reading Challenge Space Time Reading Challenge Ragdoll Reading Challenge Yeah I definitely went overboard but they all look so fun! I also am horrible at making decisions and I even cut down on some! Leave me a comment and let me know what ones you are participating in!

25 12, 2018

Ready Player One

Ready Player One

Rachel2018-12-25T17:16:50-07:00December 25th, 2018|Tags: fiction, sci fi, young adult|0 Comments

Book Description: In the year 2045, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! I have to say this was just such a fun read, I love that there is so many 80s references and just fun references all around of pop culture. I think that if the OASIS was real I would definitely be a fan of playing it; I mean who doesn't want to act out the scene from their favorite movies. Like when Wade has to go through [...]

6 12, 2018

The Phantom Tree

The Phantom Tree

Rachel2018-12-06T18:03:11-07:00December 6th, 2018|Tags: ARC, fiction, historical fiction, mystery|0 Comments

Book Description: “My name is Mary Seymour and I am the daughter of one queen and the niece of another.” Browsing antiques shops in Wiltshire, Alison Bannister stumbles across a delicate old portrait – supposedly of Anne Boleyn. Except Alison knows better… The woman is Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr who was taken to Wolf Hall in 1557 as an unwanted orphan and presumed dead after going missing as a child. The painting is more than just a beautiful object from Alison’s past – it holds the key to her future, unlocking the mystery surrounding Mary’s disappearance, and the enigma of Alison’s son. But Alison’s quest soon takes a dark and foreboding turn, as a meeting place called the Phantom Tree harbours secrets in its shadows… I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I am a big fan of historical fiction and have enjoyed other novels about the time period surrounding Anne Boleyn. So, when I read the description of this book it sounded right up my alley and plus it had some fun time-travel in it! I liked that this book [...]

25 11, 2018

The Queens of Innis Lear

The Queens of Innis Lear

Rachel2018-11-25T19:00:42-07:00November 25th, 2018|Tags: adventure, ARC, Fantasy, netgalley, young adult|0 Comments

Book Description: A kingdom at risk, a crown divided, a family drenched in blood. The erratic decisions of a prophecy-obsessed king have drained Innis Lear of its wild magic, leaving behind a trail of barren crops and despondent subjects. Enemy nations circle the once-bountiful isle, sensing its growing vulnerability, hungry to control the ideal port for all trade routes. The king's three daughters—battle-hungry Gaela, master manipulator Reagan, and restrained, starblessed Elia—know the realm's only chance of resurrection is to crown a new sovereign, proving a strong hand can resurrect magic and defend itself. But their father will not choose an heir until the longest night of the year, when prophecies align and a poison ritual can be enacted. Refusing to leave their future in the hands of blind faith, the daughters of Innis Lear prepare for war—but regardless of who wins the crown, the shores of Innis will weep the blood of a house divided. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I must say right away when I saw this book up I had to request it, the description sounded fun and the [...]

23 10, 2018

The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood #1)

The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood #1)

Rachel2018-10-23T17:34:17-06:00October 23rd, 2018|Tags: book box, Fantasy, young adult|0 Comments

Book Description: Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.” Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong. I must say when I read this books description and saw the cover I was super excited to read it. I [...]

7 09, 2018

The Last Cleric (The Blackwood Saga #3)

The Last Cleric (The Blackwood Saga #3)

Rachel2018-09-07T12:42:52-06:00September 7th, 2018|Tags: adult, adventure, ARC, book series|0 Comments

Book Description: Trapped in a world where wizards rule, the Blackwood brothers from New Orleans have become entangled in events that threaten to upend the Realm. Oldest brother Val, sentenced to die in wizard prison, is forced to undertake a quest for the Congregation to try to win his freedom—but which might cost him his soul. Reunited with an old companion, Caleb must overcome his personal demons as he braves the dangers of the Barrier Coast to warn his ancestors of the coming invasion. And in a distant unexplored jungle, Will must find his warrior spirit as he and Mala lead a party of adventurers in search of the Coffer of Devla, a fabled artifact thought to reside in the lost pyramid of Yiknoom Ukab K’ahk, the most powerful sorcerer king who has ever lived. Used to annihilate the enemies of its possessor, the coffer might be the only hope for the struggling revolution. Yet even if Will’s expedition is a success, prophecy holds that the coffer can only be used by a cleric of Devla. And no true cleric has walked the Realm for centuries . . . I received this [...]

15 08, 2018

Inescapable Fate

Inescapable Fate

Rachel2018-08-15T20:44:18-06:00August 15th, 2018|Tags: adult, ARC, romance|0 Comments

Book Description: When Georgia Kentley breaks up with her long-term boyfriend Darren over Christmas, she really can't wait to return to work on the 27th of December. The excitement dies when she meets her new boss, Walker Trent. DCI Trent is a misogynistic pain in the arse. Being a young police officer, Georgia has met her fair share of men who don't understand that she can hold her own. Every single time she has proven them wrong. Will she be able to prove to Walker Trent just how capable she is or will she get herself into a heap of trouble, danger and chaos? And when chaos ensues who will be there to save her? I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. You never know what you are going to get with romance books, at least to me it seems that way it seems to be good or slightly annoying because the female is always so helpless. With this book I was pleasantly surprised to find that Georgia stands on her own, but also has her slight moments where she gets the sweet rescue from [...]

22 07, 2018

Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game #1)

Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game #1)

Rachel2018-07-22T17:03:22-06:00July 22nd, 2018|Tags: ARC, Fantasy, netgalley, young adult|0 Comments

Book Description: Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets… and secrets hide in every shadow. Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted. Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems. Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will [...]

17 07, 2018

Between the Shade and the Shadow

Between the Shade and the Shadow

Rachel2018-07-17T21:40:10-06:00July 17th, 2018|Tags: ARC, Fantasy, young adult|0 Comments

Book Description: In the deep heart of the forest, there are places where no light ever shines, where darkness is folded by pale hands and jewel-bright eyes, where the world is ruled by the wicked and kept by the wraiths. This is where the Sprites of the Sihl live. But Sprites are not born, they are made. On the path to Spritehood, spritelings must first become shades. They do so by binding a shadow: a woodland creature, who guides them through their training. Together, they keep from the light and learn to enchant living things, to bind them, and, eventually, to kill them. Yet, not all spritelings are born with malice—they must earn it or they are condemned. What happens then to the spriteling who finds a shadow where she shouldn’t? What happens if that particular spriteling wasn’t born with malice at all? Ahraia was that spriteling. She ran too close to the light and bound herself to a wolf, a more powerful shadow than any that came before it. Now a shade, her shadow marks her for greatness. But a test is coming, and the further they wander out of the [...]

25 06, 2018

The Three Hares: Bloodline

The Three Hares: Bloodline

Rachel2018-06-25T20:20:50-06:00June 25th, 2018|Tags: adventure, ARC, fiction, young adult|0 Comments

Book Description: The Adventure of a Lifetime . . . Ethan Drake is a living legend. If only his late father had mentioned it. Ethan and his friends decode a series of cryptic riddles from an ancient treasure map. Their discovery entangles them in a centuries-old struggle between warring secret societies. It soon becomes clear that Ethan is not just an adventurous teen who accidentally stumbles upon a shadowy world. He is a catalyst… a spark which ignites the resurgence. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I thought this sounded like a fun book to read. The cover also really drew me in because I just thought it was interesting. I do think from the description I thought it was for a more adult audience, but it is more for the younger audience. The story was an interesting plot, I liked that it's like a vigilante society that is trying to stop people from hurting society; or in this story more just this town. It was a fun idea. I do think there was more potential with this idea and I just wanted more. [...]

29 05, 2018

Furyborn (Empirium #1)

Furyborn (Empirium #1)

Rachel2018-05-29T21:09:00-06:00May 29th, 2018|Tags: ARC, Fantasy, fiction, young adult|0 Comments

Book Description: Follows two fiercely independent young women, centuries apart, who hold the power to save their world...or doom it. When assassins ambush her best friend, the crown prince, Rielle Dardenne risks everything to save him, exposing her ability to perform all seven kinds of elemental magic. The only people who should possess this extraordinary power are a pair of prophesied queens: a queen of light and salvation and a queen of blood and destruction. To prove she is the Sun Queen, Rielle must endure seven trials to test her magic. If she fails, she will be executed...unless the trials kill her first. A thousand years later, the legend of Queen Rielle is a mere fairy tale to bounty hunter Eliana Ferracora. When the Undying Empire conquered her kingdom, she embraced violence to keep her family alive. Now, she believes herself untouchable--until her mother vanishes without a trace, along with countless other women in their city. To find her, Eliana joins a rebel captain on a dangerous mission and discovers that the evil at the heart of the empire is more terrible than she ever imagined. As Rielle and Eliana fight in [...]

23 05, 2018

The Flight Attendant

The Flight Attendant

Rachel2018-05-23T22:38:36-06:00May 23rd, 2018|Tags: adult, ARC, mystery, suspense, thriller|0 Comments

Book Description: Cassandra Bowden is no stranger to hungover mornings. She's a binge drinker, her job with the airline making it easy to find adventure, and the occasional blackouts seem to be inevitable. She lives with them, and the accompanying self-loathing. When she awakes in a Dubai hotel room, she tries to piece the previous night back together, already counting the minutes until she has to catch her crew shuttle to the airport. She quietly slides out of bed, careful not to aggravate her already pounding head, and looks at the man she spent the night with. She sees his dark hair. His utter stillness. And blood, a slick, still wet pool on the crisp white sheets. Afraid to call the police--she's a single woman alone in a hotel room far from home--Cassie begins to lie. She lies as she joins the other flight attendants and pilots in the van. She lies on the way to Paris as she works the first class cabin. She lies to the FBI agents in New York who meet her at the gate. Soon it's too late to come clean-or face the truth about what really [...]

1 05, 2018

Fire & Bone (Otherborn #1)

Fire & Bone (Otherborn #1)

Rachel2018-05-01T21:43:39-06:00May 1st, 2018|Tags: ARC, Fantasy, fiction, young adult|0 Comments

Book Description: In Hollywood’s underworld of demigods, druids, and ancient bonds, one girl has a dangerous future. Sage is eighteen, down on her luck, and struggling to survive on the streets of Los Angeles. Everything changes the night she’s invited to a party — one that turns out to be a trap. Thrust into a magical world hidden within the City of Angels, Sage discovers that she’s the daughter of a Celtic goddess, with powers that are only in their infancy. Now that she is of age, she’s asked to pledge her service to one of the five deities, all keen on winning her favor by any means possible. She has to admit that she’s tempted — especially when this new life comes with spells, Hollywood glam, and a bodyguard with secrets of his own. Not to mention a prince whose proposal could boost her rank in the Otherworld. As loyalties shift, and as the two men vie for her attention, Sage tries to figure out who to trust in a realm she doesn’t understand. One thing's for sure: the trap she’s in has bigger claws than she thought. And it’s going [...]

17 04, 2018

The Secret of the Lost Pharaoh (Matthew Conner Adventure #2)

The Secret of the Lost Pharaoh (Matthew Conner Adventure #2)

Rachel2018-04-17T22:49:22-06:00April 17th, 2018|Tags: adult, adventure, ARC, fiction, historical, thriller|0 Comments

Book Description: In Egypt’s Western Desert lies the tomb of an unnamed pharaoh that hides a secret so powerful, it could destroy the world as we know it. Archaeologist and adventurer Matthew Connor has made a career of finding legends the world has all but forgotten. Though there’s one in particular that has fascinated him for years—the Emerald Tablets. Myth says that they possess the knowledge of the universe, allowing humankind to traverse Heaven and Earth, and have the power to bestow wealth and wisdom upon whoever possesses them. But if they fall into evil hands, it could cause a global disaster. So when a former colleague stumbles across an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic map that promises to lead to a pharaoh’s tomb and the Emerald Tablets, there’s no way he’s turning down her invitation to join the dig. He only has one stipulation: his best friends Robyn Garcia and Cal Myers come with him. The road ahead isn’t going to be an easy one, and their shared dream of recovering the Emerald Tablets is being crushed at every turn. And just when they think it’s all over, they learn there are a [...]

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