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

 

  

Eyes of a Hawk By Sean Crowe

 

Eyes of a Hawk by Sean Crowe

 

 

Summary:

Leaf bound by Intrif II, a maddened delinquent obsessed with the early Hedonistic Historians, the ancient poem ‘Eyes of a Hawk’ follows the demise of the woeforging, lifedraining, soulsearing Valestian Primacy at the sword-bitten hands of Ilyia, Hawk, and their amassed force.

In the final battle abreast the snow laden fields of the Untyal Valley, under the watchful eye of the eternal green emerald-dragon Yggdrasil, the blinding judgment of an eternity is unleashed. Their arduous journey through smouldering conflict simmers over a century, taking Hawk from the petty and poverty-stricken colonial hinterlands of Askilt, along the vivid and blossoming village steeped forests and bird stoked steppe lands of the Shorelands, through to the plague-ridden and flame-stained city of Yeli, before its tragic fall and violent purge.
 
Fighting monsters and giants, demons and despots, aberrations, cultists, soldiers, and tyrants, Hawk in his duties as a member of the Guild is forced to confront the chaos of crises in command. From blackouts to plague-pox, ambushed by assassins, beasts, and climatic tavern fights, the catastrophic fall of the Valestian Primacy is the slow death of an empire founded upon violence and subjugation, sealed, and incinerated, as all are, by a divine, celestial force.

 

Review:

I’m sad to say this was a DNF for me and here’s why.  The different fonts used hurt the eyes of this senior who wears bifocals. They needed to be a larger size.  Need to remember not everyone has good eyesight.  I understand the reason behind using different fonts and I can say what I read was well thought out and the flow was great.

 

Island Eight by M.Z Medenciy

Summary:

In a world on the verge of repeating a cataclysmic history, Sophia, a Salinian entertainer, unknowingly holds the key to the world's salvation. She intentionally overlooks their king's tyranny to ensure her happiness, but not even the gods can protect her when the eyes of the castle alight upon her town. After narrowly escaping death with the aid of a mysterious man who whisks her away to once-forbidden lands, Sophia is unwillingly sucked into the brewing war she had so desperately evaded.

In Island Eight by M.Z. Medenciy, Sophia embarks on an unprecedented journey where she encounters new dangers through magic-wielding Fae, discovers a resilience within her she never thought possible, and uncovers a history of the gods and their planet that will change the lives of all forever.

 

Review:

I finished the book a few days ago and have been struggling with how I’d review this book. And I have to say I was very disappointed with this book.  One it’s miss classified. On NetGalley It says Mystery/Thriller, Sci-Fi & Fantasy and it’s not a Mystery/Thriller if another classification is needed it should have been Apocalypse World as that is what this series is.  Second, throughout the book, there are multi-editing errors.  Sentences that are missing a word. If the book was self-published, I’d overlook those errors, but this comes from a publishing house.   On the plus side, the book is well-written, and the characters are well-developed and believable.

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others?  NO

Is this book priced correctly?  No 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

 

 

Introductory Statement/Synopsis

It will be the adventure of a lifetime for Carrie Brinkley... if she makes it to the end alive.

When Carrie loses her job and boyfriend during the opening weeks of the pandemic, she’s determined to reset her life in a positive direction. The answer? A solo, two-month, cross-country bicycle trip from Virginia Beach to Mendocino, California.
Yet dangers lurk that she’d never anticipated. During Carrie’s idyllic journey across the continent, her greatest danger comes not from her encounters with angry animals, road hazards, or the elements. Something much worse stalks her—something much too human.

 

 

Did you enjoy reading this book?   YES

B Briefly explain why reading this book was, or was not, a positive experience for you. 

 

This book started off slow and was easy to put down until the half way point then it picked up and you couldn’t stop reading.

 

 

Body of the Critique

 

 

1.       Characters - Were they interesting and believable? Did you have a favorite? Why was this character special to you? Did the author do a good job of creating the characters in this book? Yes, the characters are well developed and fun.  I could identify with Doug the most since I think a lot like he does.

 

2.       Was the author able to hold your interest throughout the entire book? How did he or she manage to do this? No, not until the half way point into the story as early on there are some errors in the timeline which puts my mind going to how these were missed by the editor.

 

 

   

Conclusion

 

I laughed so hard in the acknowledgments when the author said “I doubt there are better, or more meticulous, editors in the world, and I’m appreciative of his help.”  I had found  many errors in the timelines stated by the different characters. Here is a list of those errors:

 

@ 10% Location 476 3^rd paragraph

 

“I understand” said Sloan, “but the health crisis is far from over and my responsibilities require hard decisions. You aren’t the first causality of extreme cost cutting measures. I released the IT manager (Carrie) two weeks ago.

@ 12% Location 587 In the voice mail

 

I’m sorry to bother you, and especially sorry I didn’t call after you left Pilgrim Burgers. I’ve been a horrible friend and won’t blame you if you don’t return this message. [long pause follows] Sloan fired me today, just like you three weeks ago.  This call took place just a few hours after Teresa was fired.

 

@ 21% Location 1080 Last paragraph

 

“I haven’t been an employee of the company for two months, and I’m no longer familiar with their financial affairs.

 

@ 19% Location 990 3^rd paragraph

 

“The Virginian Pilot had a brief article on Monday,” said her mother, “The newspaper reports she went missing early this week.  This occurred on stop 8 in Bluefield, so we are at just a little over three weeks since Carrie got fired.

 

There are 5 more examples I can state that make this story hard to read and baffles the mind when it comes to the timeline of when things happened. The errors in the timeline are reflected in my over all rating of this book.

 

Is this a book you would recommend to your friends? Why or why not? YES I would recommend this book as it was a fun read if you can get passed the errors.

 

 Was the book priced correctly?  NO, it’s over priced I would never pay $18.95 for a paper back book that’s what I would pay if it was a hardcover book.

 

·        Was it a full-length book or Novella? This book is a full-length book.

 

·        Would you read other books written by this author? Yes, I would check out other books written by this author.

 

 

 

 

I received this book for free for my honest review.

Fury of frustration

 

Fury of Frustration by Coreene Callahan

Summery:

Born of a powerful god, but exiled on earth, dragon-warrior Kruger conceals the truth of his origins from the world. Forced to live a lie, he proves his worth by becoming a tycoon in a powerful business empire. But when a beautiful woman with ambitions of her own gets in his way, he must decide—accept what he cannot change, or eliminate the threat once and for all.

Haunted by ghosts, Ferguson McGilvery needs out. Out from under her step-father’s thumb. Out of the toxic whirlwind her step-brothers create. Out of the country, far away from the dysfunction that has overtaken her life. When a surprise inheritance sends her to the Scottish Highlands, she clashes with Kruger, a man so infuriating she’ll do anything to foil his attempts to make her leave.

His ruthlessness is legendary. Her obstinance knows no bounds. Can two stubborn souls go from enemies to lovers…or will the fates finally admit they made a mistake by throwing the pair together?

Review:

I have always loved Kruger and his attitude, this showed him at his finest and I fell in love with Furgie, she is awesome and kick ass.  These two are truly a perfect fit in attitude and magic power. I want to learn more about the Parklands now. In some ways I love the Scot better than the Black Diamond crew I need to know if Henry Biscayne is going to cause trouble.  I’m so looking forward to more from our Dragonking friends.

 

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others?  YES, YES, YES

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