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Showing posts with the label fiction

The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker

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I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  I had been putting off doing the review for this book.  Well, just watch the video and you will hear why.

The Veil

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  Description The third book in Megan Chance's Fianna Trilogy. Book 1, The Shadows , and Book 2, The Web , will be available for request on NetGalley through August 25th! Great stones crack and split. Storms will tell and the world is changed... Seventeen-year-old Grace has found the archdruid who can teach her to use her power as the veleda —the priestess prophesied to save Ireland. But nothing is as it should be. The archdruid is a dangerous fairy, and Grace can’t learn the spells, no matter how hard she tries. Something is wrong...but what? Meanwhile, gentleman Patrick Devlin and warrior Diarmid Ua Duibhne both struggle with their love for Grace, their duty to their warring brotherhoods, and their support of Ireland. And New York City is in chaos with protests, immigrant gangs, and police crackdowns. The only hope for the future is the ancient ritual, just weeks away, in which Diarmid must take the life of the girl he loves. Secrets, legends, and prophecies c

The Tears of Isis

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Description NOMINATED FOR THE BRAM STOKER AWARD FOR SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A FICTION COLLECTION What do Medusa and the goddess Isis have in common? Are both creatresses through destruction? And why was Isis oftentimes depicted as weeping? Herewith are some answers as parts of a journey through art and creation, of sculpture and blood-drinking, crafting musical instruments from bone, revisiting legends of Cinderella and the Golden Fleece, of Sleeping Beauty and Dragons and Snow White-some of these, of course, well disguised. For is not art both the recasting of what is, as well as the invention of what is not? The Elizabethan poet Sir Philip Sidney spoke of art as "making things either better than nature bringeth forth, or, quite anew, forms such as never were in nature," so here there be vampires, and ghouls, and insects perhaps from outer space as well as from this Earth, and visions of Saturn and life in the sea, and other wonders "such as never were in natu

Mr. Miracle

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Description Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber celebrates the most wonderful time of the year in this heartwarming Christmas novel of romance, hope, and the comforts of home—coming soon as a Hallmark Channel original movie! Harry Mills is a guardian angel on a mission: help twenty-four-year-old Addie Folsom get her life back on track—and, if the right moment strikes, help her find love. Posing as a teacher at a local college in Tacoma, Washington, Harry is up to the task, but not even he can predict the surprises that lay in store. After trying to make it on her own, Addie has returned home to Tacoma for the holidays, but this time she plans to stay for good, enrolling in the local community college to earn her degree. What she doesn’t plan to do is run into Erich Simmons. Addie and her next-door neighbor, Erich, are like night and day. Growing up, he was popular and outgoing while she was rebellious and headstrong, and he never missed an opportunity to

Upside Down, Countdown & Take Down

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  Review I have been sitting here for a few days attempting to figure out how to write this review.  Fern Michaels is one of my beloved authors.  I can't get enough of her books.  However, I really feel that these fell short.  The plot was great in Upside Down, but it really ended abruptly.  And that is mainly because this is the first in a series about the guys behind the sisterhood.  This book is only a partial story.  This and the next two books (which will be published shortly after this one) are all part of the same story.  In fact, I didn't even feel like this was done because the story was extremely involved and needed to be broken down into 3 separate novel length books.  Instead, these books felt more like novellas to me.  I am really not quite sure who decided upon breaking them up.  I really wished that they hadn't.  So I would suggest getting this book, but waiting until you can get all three at once.  Otherwise, you will just be frustrated if you can't

Review–Tara Revisited

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Tara Revisited: Women, War, & the Plantation Legend by Catherine Clinton My rating: 5 of 5 stars For many of us, we have certain images in our mind how the South was back before the Civil War. We have images of women sitting on porches drinking mint juleps and have lavish parties and balls. Unfortunately, that is just an illusion that Hollywood created to gloss over the harsh facts of reality. Catherine Clinton shows us through crystal clear lenses the truth of how women (of all races) were treated back in the Antebellum South. It wasn't all days of wine and roses even for the wives of the Plantation masters. This book will definitely open your eyes and show us how much our educational system really doesn't teach us. View all my reviews Disclaimer: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any form of compensation. Any book bought through the Amazon link below will have a portion of the sale go towards the Unitarian Fell

Rose Harbor in Bloom

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I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  I did not receive any form of compensation in return. First, I would like to say that I have been a HUGE Debbie Macomber fan for many, many years.  If I remember correctly, one of the first books I had read by her was one in where the main character's aunts sent her on a trip to Alaska to be a mail order bride.  Of course, she had no idea that was the reason they sent her on the trip. Any fan of Debbie Macomber knows all about her Cedar Cove series.  Well, the Rose Harbor series is a spin off from Cedar Cove.  It has many of the characters that we have come to know and love and a whole new cast of characters. Like any of Debbie's books, I could not put this one down.  It was so awesome catching up with some of the friends from Cedar Cove (even if it was only quick glimpses at them).  I absolutely love the new inn that is being featured.  I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book.  Hopef

Solomon’s Ring

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Book Description   At the highest levels of government, very mysteriously, certain members of the presidential chain of succession are found murdered.  However, these murders are not your ordinary murders; the presidential cabinet members’ bodies are found in a mummified condition – like they have been ceremonially prepared and entombed, by ancient Egyptians, for a thousand years.  For this to have occurred overnight is a complete mystery and complicates the investigation for FBI Agent Robert Cole. Government leaders fearful that this may be the work of foreign terrorists dispatch CIA Agent Amir Bloomberg to assist Agent Cole with the mysterious case. Agents Cole and Bloomberg soon find themselves in a race against a powerful supernatural entity stalking government leaders, sophisticated terrorists on the verge of creating a powerful weapon, and time to uncover the truth before the unspeakable happens and changes the world forever. Book Review   I had won this book on L

The Publicist

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Book Description   Welcome to the world of publishing. The ego has landed. Can one woman change an age-old institution like publishing? Probably not, but Kate Mitchell sure wants to try. As a publicist with a large, respected New York publishing house, Kate finds herself at the mercy of a broken publishing system, books that don’t sell, and author egos that are often, well, as big as the island of Manhattan. Enter the star Editor, MacDermott Ellis: Tall, handsome, charismatic, married, and ready to save the day. Then there’s Allan Lavigne, once a revered author--now as forgotten as last year's bestsellers and his nephew Nick: Tall, gorgeous, sweet, single and ready to sweep Kate off her feet. Kate wants to do the right thing but her hormones seem to be driving her decisions. As Kate tries to navigate the landmine of publicity, over-the-top author expectations, and the careful dance of “I’m sorry, your book isn’t on the bestseller list this week,” she also finds authors

Moonlight Masquerade by Jude Deveraux

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Book Description   Jude Deveraux’s bestselling trilogy of Edilean, the small Virginia town where the surprising destinies of three college friends wait to be discovered, continues with this enchanting new novel. After being abruptly jilted, Sophie Kincaid flees to the place her friend Kim Aldredge calls heaven on earth. But Sophie’s first taste of Edilean is far from heavenly: after her car breaks down on a country road, she is nearly run over by a speeding sports car. A small act of revenge brings some satisfaction, and word quickly spreads that a gorgeous newcomer gave the driver, the notoriously bitter Dr. Reede Aldredge, a dressing down! But it isn’t the first time the fiery artist has gone too far for payback; a secret possession she carries with her could shatter her ex-boyfriend’s future. Reede Aldredge has secrets, too, including a desire to get closer to the beauty who is turning his dark world upside down. Under the night skies, their masquerade is magic—but will it tur

The Last Debutante

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Book Description   Who is the captive and who is the captor? When a sexy laird holds a spirited English lady for ransom, she turns the tables and steals his heart. The lush Scottish Highlands are a tempting setting for seduction in New York Times bestselling author Julia London’s sparkling new novel. The last person Daria Babcock expects to find in her grandmother’s home is a brawny, naked Highlander. She doesn’t buy Mamie’s explanation about finding the poor man shot in the woods. Nor does she trust the gorgeous laird, who insists his own memory fails him. But Daria came to Scotland looking for adventure and romance, and after the intriguing stranger kidnaps her, she gets her wish—and so much more. . . . Book Review   This is the fourth book in the series.  I haven’t had the good fortune to read any of the previous books.  However, this one can definitely be considered stand alone.  I completely fell in love with the characters.  First you have Daria who starts out so

The Intercept

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Book Description   Dick Wolf makes his literary debut with this tense, driving thriller reminiscent of the classic The Day of the Jackal, an extraordinary tale filled with the ingenious twists and high-wire suspense we have come to expect from this master storyteller. Days before the July Fourth holiday and the dedication of One World Trade Center at Ground Zero, an incident aboard a commercial jet over the Atlantic Ocean reminds everyone that vigilance is not a task to be taken lightly. But for iconoclastic New York Police detective Jeremy Fisk, it may also be a signal that there is much more to this case than the easy answer: that this is just the work of another lone terrorist. Fisk—from the department’s Intelligence Division, a well-funded anti-terror unit modeled upon the CIA—suspects that the event might also be a warning sign that another, potentially more extraordinary scheme has been set in motion. Fluent in Arabic and the ways of his opponents, Fisk is a rule brea

Shiver

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Book Description   When she swore off love, he was the last man she imagined would steal her heart. If driving a piece-of-crap tow truck through the seediest part of town with a Smith & Wesson beside her means putting a roof over her son’s head, then Samantha Jones is going to be the best damn repo woman on the books. The streetwalkers, the drug pushers, the bands of looking-for-trouble punks haunting the mean streets at midnight don’t intimidate her. These are her people. The guy she finds bound and bloodied in the trunk of her latest conquest, a flashy new BMW, is a different breed entirely. Daniel Panterro was certain he was going to die. Instead, by a stroke of luck, he was beaten to within an inch of his life and left for dead. But if he’s having a bad day, Sam’s day is about to get way worse. Danny knows he hasn’t seen the last of the vicious drug runners who kidnapped him from protective custody. His only recourse is to take his pretty savior hostage and force her to

A Private Duel with Agent Gunn

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Book Description   From the author of An Affair with Mr. Kennedy and A Dangerous Liaison with Detective Lewis comes a sexy new romantic caper in the Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series. Prima ballerina Catriona de Dovia lives the glamorous life of a starlet, filled with glittering jewels, sumptuous dinners, and admiring suitors. She's grown up considerably since losing her heart to Hugh Curzon once upon a time, no longer wasting her emotions on the empty promises of wealthy gentlemen. On her own since the untimely death of her parents, she will do anything for the only family she has left: her brother, a notorious anarchist. Scotland Yard Agent Phineas Gunn—sometimes known as Hugh Curzon—receives his new assignment reluctantly. He's up for something a little more strenuous than playing nanny to a ballerina, until he sees who his charge is. Then, it's a completely different story, because he'd been unable to forget the trusting, beautiful Cate since he had to

Borderlands #2: Unconquered

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Book Description   Everyone already knows that. But the General of an army of Psycho Soldiers takes on this planetary hell headfirst, planning to enslave all of the Borderlands. And that General . . . is a Goddess. The General Goddess, Gynella, is a cunning maniac who uses the dark science of the vile Dr. Vialle to control a growing army of bandits and malcontents. Only four people stand in Gynella’s way. Roland. Mordecai. Brick. And . . . Daphne. Daphne?! Better known as Kuller the Killer, she was once the galaxy’s most effective assassin for organized crime—until her forced retirement on this abandoned wasteland of a world. Roland is one of the toughest fighters in the Borderlands, and Mordecai is the best shot in four solar systems—all the two really want is to get to the Crystalisks, harvest some Eridium, get rich, and leave the planet for the nearest intergalactic party. But there are nightmarish creatures to deal with: Varkids and Skags and Threshers. Worse, Gynella is st

A Hundred Flowers

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Book Description   A powerful new novel about an ordinary family facing extraordinary times at the start of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. China, 1957. Chairman Mao has declared a new openness in society: “Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend.” Many intellectuals fear it is only a trick, and Kai Ying’s husband, Sheng, a teacher, has promised not to jeopardize their safety or that of their young son, Tao. But one July morning, just before his sixth birthday, Tao watches helplessly as Sheng is dragged away for writing a letter criticizing the Communist Party and sent to a labor camp for “reeducation.” A year later, still missing his father desperately, Tao climbs to the top of the hundred-year-old kapok tree in front of their home, wanting to see the mountain peaks in the distance. But Tao slips and tumbles thirty feet to the courtyard below, badly breaking his leg. As Kai Ying struggles to hold her small family together in the face of this

The Gap Year

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Book Description   Cam has raised her daughter Aubrey alone ever since her ex left to join a cult. But now the bond between mother and daughter seems to have disappeared. While Cam is frantic to see Aubrey, a straight-A student, at the perfect college, on a path that Cam is sure will provide her daughter success and happiness, Aubrey suddenly shows no interest in her mother’s plans. Even the promise of an exciting gap year saving baby seals or bringing clean water to remote villages hasn’t tempted her. She prefers pursuing a life with her wrong-side-of-the-tracks football-hero boyfriend and her own secret hopes. Both mourn the gap that has grown between them, but Cam and Aubrey seem locked in a fight without a winner. Can they both learn how to hold onto dreams . . . and when to let go to grasp something better? Sarah Bird’s trademark laugh-out-loud humor joins with the tears that accompany love in a combination that reveals the fragile yet tough bonds of mother and daughter.  

The Scary Places Map Book

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Book Description   Take a tour of seven spooky places, among them the Wicked Woods, a Ghostly Galleon, and the Western Terror-tories. Along the way, avoid booby traps, search for hidden objects, and learn basic map reading skills! A map key, items to look for, and points of interest, such as Dracula’s Castle and Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory, are included for each eerie region. Tips for touring (never take the Transylvania tour during a full moon) add to the fun. Kids who love to mix the ghoulish with the humorous will pore over the atmospheric pictures time and again, transported to strange, mysterious, very scary places. Book Review   This was a fun find!  The kids truly enjoyed this book.  To be honest, so did I! There are seven different places that you “tour”.  Each place has a picture of the place and a description.  It even has a list of dangers to avoid while touring that location.  It’s almost like it’s a travel guide for fictional creepy locations. Then there

Waiting For Morning by Karen Kingsbury

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  Book Description   As Hannah Ryan waits for her family to return home from a camping trip, she realizes she has everything going for her—a husband other women admire, two charming teenage daughters, and a loving Christian home. As the sunny afternoon turns into twilight, her uneasiness grows along with the shadows. Then a car pulls into Hannah’s driveway, bringing two police officers...and devastating news that shatters her life forever. In the days that follow, Hannah struggles with unspeakable feelings of sorrow and rage—feelings that fuse into one chilling purpose for living: revenge against Brian Wesley, the drunk driver who has caused all her pain. In her fury, Hannah shuts the Lord out of her life. She’s determined not to forgive Wesley or the God who allowed this tragedy to happen. Can two caring people help Hannah rediscover her faith...before bitterness destroys her? Book Review   This was a quaint little story.  It was a quick read.  The characters were r

Alexander, Spy Catcher

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Book Description   A seemingly normal October turns into an exciting and terrifying adventure for Alexander and his brother, Ben, when they discover that their uncle Charlie may be in danger because of a secret government project he is working on. The boys notice strange happenings around their family's home; for example, why is there a clandestine protected Wi-Fi network on their forest covered property? When Alexander and Ben suspect that their uncle is being spied upon, they agree to warn him about what they've discovered. But on the same night that they tell him about their endings, he disappears without a trace. Now, it's up to Alexander, Ben, and their family to solve the mystery about what happened to their uncle and bring him home safely. But although they are determined to rescue Charlie, they don't realize the dangers that lie ahead for them on their journey. Book Review   This is a really great juvenile fiction book.  If you are wanting to get