Frontier Overland Company

 

Frontier Overland Company by Willam W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone

 

 

Summary:

From the bestselling masters of Old West fiction comes a bold new saga of the American frontier.

Set amid the sprawling plains and majestic mountains of Wyoming Territory, this is the epic story of a legendary stagecoach line—and the brave men who built it, drove it, and risked their lives to keep it running . . .

Founded in 1866, The Frontier Overland Company was no ordinary stagecoach operation. To begin with, its founding partners met in a Wyoming saloon brawl. After a raucous burst of punching, cursing, and chair smashing, the last two men standing become friends for life. Two kindred souls with the same fighting spirit, Tucker Cobb and former Texas Ranger Butch Keeling agreed to launch a business together: a brand-new stagecoach line through the wilds of Wyoming . . .

They called it the Frontier Overland Company. And a legend was born.

Cobb and Keeling knew it wouldn’t be easy. The nation was still healing from the War Between the States. Red Cloud’s War—an armed alliance of Lakota, Northern Cheyennes, and Northern Apaho against the United States—was heating up fast. And wealthy railroad magnates were itching to lay track for their western expansion to the Pacific. But it was one ruthless businessman—King Charles Hagen—who posed the biggest danger of all. He saw Cobb and Keeling’s fledging company as a direct threat to his growing shipping empire. And, unfortunately for them, he decided to squash their little stagecoach business while they’re escorting a young woman to see her dying father, an army colonel, at a Wyoming fort. To make things worse, Red Cloud’s on the warpath—making Wyoming Territory is about to become hell on earth.

This is the thrilling story of The Frontier Overland Company. This is how dreams are made. How legends are born. And how two fearless men staked their claim in America. The rest is history.

 

Review:  3-STAR

I wish I could have given this story a better rating, but sadly I could not. This story is riddled with poor editing.  There is trouble with the timeline of events, missing words or use of the wrong word as well as mix-up in names. If these errors were not present, I surely would have given it a 5 star, as the storyline is wonderfully written, and the characters are well-developed and life-like.  I halfway expect poor editing from people who self-publish, but not from a publishing company that’s been around since the 70’s. It starts out with little errors and as the story progresses they come closer together, like the end of the story was rushed through the editing process.

 

I received this book for free from NetGalley for my honest review

 

The Baby Left Behind by Jen Craven

Summary:

Take him. Please forgive me. Cate grips the note with trembling hands, looking down at the delicate bundle on her doorstep. As she reaches down to the baby, she knows she has finally got everything she’s ever wished for. But is he hers to take?

Cate tries not to cry as she closes the door on the nursery room once again. All she has ever wanted is to be a mother. Cursed with a medical condition that means she is unable to have children, her only option is to wait for a call from the adoption centre. But that call feels like a lifetime away.

Then she hears a faint cry from outside her house. She’s convinced she’s imagining it, that the grief is starting to overwhelm her. But when she opens her door and looks down, her heart swells. By her feet is the most perfect baby curled up in a soft blanket.

As the newborn’s eyes light up, Cate feels instant love for him. She knows she can’t just accept a stranger’s baby – she has to call the police. But as she picks him up, it all finally feels right. This is where the baby belongs.

But when her darling baby is rushed into hospital, Cate knows that in order to save his life, she needs to expose the lie she has been so desperate to hide. Can Cate discover who the child’s real mother is? And if so, will she be able to make the hardest decision of her life to protect the child?

Review: Wow, I don’t give out many 5-star ratings but this book sure earned it. The story grabbed me from the very first page and I couldn’t put it down until I finished it.  One of the most page-turning books I’ve had the pleasure of reading in quite some time. The editing was spot on I didn’t find any grammatical errors or paragraphs which read funny. The flow was flawless. The characters are very well-developed and very life-like. With the book starts out with Cate your heart goes out to her and you can see where she’s coming from and why she did what she did, but then your heart goes out to Jade and what she’s dealt with. So, like the Judge; you can’t just look at facts you have to look at laws and I’m so glad I’m not a judge as I’m not sure even the Law would have helped me decide what to do. But I feel the story had the best ending as someone who has seen what drugs can do to a person's life and that a baby can be their saving grace I was rooting for Jade, but I also was rooting for Cate.  The only thing I can say is that I wish that the sentence where Jade told the EMTs that she had PCOS it would have told me what it was cause I had to stop reading and go look it up as I’ve never heard of it before.

I received this book for free from NetGally for my honest review.

 

Seventeen Days by Jaqueline Penny

 

 

 

Summary:

 

In the Chill of Winter, Love Finds Its Warmest Refuge…

Chloe Holland’s life as a conscientious, organized accountant is about to change, only she doesn’t know it. After embarking on a weekend road trip designed to add variety to what she sees as her stereotypical existence, Chloe makes an unexpected stop in the tiny town of Deer Lodge, Montana when a fast-moving blizzard catches both her and the town by surprise.

When she discovers that her unique set of skills can be useful to the handsome Captain of the police force in managing the disaster, Chloe jumps into the crisis to help save the town. Things are going well for the make-shift team until two criminals break into the police station with only Chloe there to greet them.

While healing from a literal fight for her life, Chloe’s personal demons of depression and anxiety threaten to stand in the way of true happiness as she is pursued by the town’s golden boy, Captain Carter Mitchell. Chloe’s belief that she is not worthy of love is countered by the Captain’s stubborn desire to help her learn how to break through the walls she has built.

Review:

First off, I’ll start by saying I’m giving this story a 3-star review.

 

The flow of the story is flawless, the development of the characters is very well done and they feel real and very likable.  I love how you’ve captured the emotions, which I can feel.  These are essential for a well-balanced story and you nailed them.  Where the 3-star review comes in is the editing is very bad, I’ve read stories from twelve-year-olds with better editing.   The pure amount of grammatical and overall paragraph flow is some of the worst I’ve seen, but I like how you ask if anyone wants to join your beta team to help ensure future stories don’t have those errors.

 

I love stories where they know in an instate this is the person I want to be with because I lived that. As I said the story flow is what kept me reading.  I checked out your other review since there is only one and that person didn’t even give the story a chance I feel she missed out.

 

I received this book for free from NetGalley for my honest review.

 

Birth of the Storm By Valerie Storm

Summary:

For wolf-demon Kari, these define her every waking moment. Her parents are dead, slaughtered by human hands, forcing their only daughter to masquerade among their killers to save her own skin. Now she dwells among them, hiding her lightning-based abilities and plotting a terrible revenge, believing her schemes are all she's good for now. But when she discovers unexpected solace among a group of humans who look past her monstrous nature, Kari finds herself questioning everything. Her mission. Her dreams. Even the hatred festering in her heart.

Review:

I’m giving this book a 4-star rating. This book took me by surprise and I’m glad I chose it. The only reason it doesn't get a 5-star review is that there are a few locations where the flow of the sentences isn't correct and this makes it tough to fully enjoy the story.

 

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others?  YES

Is this book a full-length novel or novella?  Full-length novel

Would I read other books by this Author?  Yes

 I received this copy free for my honest review

 

Inheritance

 

Inheritance by Nora Roberts

Summary:

Inheritance is the first in The Lost Bride Trilogy by #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts—a tale of tragedies, loves found and lost, and a family haunted for generations.

1806: Astrid Poole sits in her bridal clothes, overwhelmed with happiness. But before her marriage can be consummated, she is murdered, and the circle of gold torn from her finger. Her last words are a promise to Collin never to leave him…

Graphic designer Sonya MacTavish is stunned to learn that her late father had a twin he never knew about—and that her newly discovered uncle, Collin Poole, has left her almost everything he owned, including a majestic Victorian house on the Maine coast, which the will stipulates she must live in it for at least three years. Her engagement recently broken, she sets off to find out why the boys were separated at birth—and why it was all kept secret until a genealogy website brought it to light.

Trey, the young lawyer who greets her at the sprawling clifftop manor, notes Sonya’s unease—and acknowledges that yes, the place is haunted…but just a little. Sure enough, Sonya finds objects moved and music playing out of nowhere. She sees a painting by her father inexplicably hanging in her deceased uncle’s office, and a portrait of a woman named Astrid, whom the lawyer refers to as “the first lost bride.” It’s becoming clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle to be solved if there is any hope of breaking it…

Review: 4-Star

I so wanted to give this story a 5-star rating, but sadly I can’t, and the reason why is repeatedly each time Sonya goes out and watches the whales of the cost of Maine Nora refers to it as sound, but when a whale comes to the surface of the water it’s called a breach.  This is the first time I’ve read one of her books.  I’ve always heard she was a great writer and I now concur with that. This first installment in this Trilogy is a page-turner and you can’t stop until you’ve finished and then you get so made that it ended in such a cliffhanger and you’re itching to get your hands on the rest of the story. The world she created is wonderful the characters feel so real.

 

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others?  YES YES YES

Is this book priced correctly?  E-book is way over priced, Hardback priced fair, but auto and Cd form are over priced.

Is this book a full-length novel or a novella?  Full-length novel

Would I read other books by this Author?  Yes

 I received this copy free for my honest review

 

 

 

Fury of Misfortune

 

Fury of Misfortune by Coreene Callahan

Summery:

When honor demands the ultimate sacrifice…

A skilled covert operator, Scottish dragon-warrior Levin moves in shadowy circles, risking death every night to protect his pack. But when the balance of power tilts, the world he knows spins out of control, leaving an innocent woman in his enemy’s crosshairs. Caught between his mission and duty, he hesitates to save her, causing him to question his tactics along with his integrity.

Investigative reporter, Priya Burman has dedicated her life to righting wrongs. When a panicked message sets her on the trail of a cult leader, she steps into the line of fire to help her friend, only to be taken prisoner by a madman who will do anything to keep his followers in check. As sinister forces grow more powerful, she and Levin navigate a perilous landscape, battling the darkness to drag the truth into the light.

Can a dragon-shifter with an agenda and a reporter with a cause work together to bring about justice? Or must one sacrifice it all to eliminate the threat?

Review:

I’m giving this book a 3-star rating.  It didn’t hold up to the other books in this series; it felt rushed and like something important was left out.  I did love the new twists Coreene brought in and look forward to discovering how these new twists add to the series.

 

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others?  Unsure

Is this book priced correctly?  Yes

Is this book a full-length novel or novella?  Full-length novel

Would I read other books by this Author?  Yes

 I received this copy free for my honest review

 

 

 

Starlings by Amanda Linsmeier

 

 

 

 

 

Starlings by Amanda Linsmeier

 

Summary:

A dark YA fantasy debut perfect for fans of House of Hollow and Small Favors. In the wake of her father's death, a teen girl discovers a side of her family she didn't know existed, and is pulled into a dark—and ancient—bargain she is next in line to fulfill.

Kit’s father always told her he had no family, but his sudden death revealed the truth. Now Kit has a grandmother she never knew she had—Agatha Starling—and an invitation to visit her father’s hometown, Rosemont. 

And Rosemont is picture perfect: the famed eternal roses bloom all year, downtown is straight out of the 1950s . . . there’s even a cute guy to show Kit around.

The longer Kit’s there, though, the stranger it all feels. The Starling family is revered, but there’s something off about how the Starling women seem to be at the center of the all the town’s important history. And as welcoming as the locals are, Kit can’t shake the feeling that they're hiding something from her.

Agatha is so happy to finally meet her only granddaughter, and the town is truly charming, but Kit can’t help wondering, if everything is so great in Rosemont, why did her father leave? And why does it seem like he never wanted her to find it?

 

Review:

 

This review is only a 3-star review.  It was well written and very well edited the reason for the 3-star review I struggled to connect with the characters and the book was easy to put down and walk away from it sometimes for a few others until the next day. A good book grabs you from the first chapter a great book grabs you from the very first page. This is just an Ok book.  It was refreshing to see the quality of editing, as so many books nowadays have way too many errors.

 

 

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others?  NO

Is this book priced correctly?  Yes, the E-book is overpriced.

Is this book a full-length novel or novella?  Full-length novel

Would I read other books by this Author?  NO

 I received this copy free for my honest review from NetGalley