Book Review: "The Bookshop of Second Chances" By Jackie Fraser

 I'm still stuck in this rut of horrific books that have all felt the same way. Boy meets girl. Girl falls all over boy. Boy is an ass-hat who doesn't deserve praise much less love. They all live happily ever after.

WTH?

I'm about ready to split a gasket especially with characters that have zero chemistry and nothing but hook-ups, meet ups, casual sex escapades, and casual drug use (whatever on Earth is this)...

I don't know what is going on but I was under the assumption based on the prologue this wouldn't have profanity, drug use, sex, and would be more about a bookshop and its owner with some relationship issues.

Ladies, please save yourselves. 

Do not jump into another relationship with a player when you just got played from the last round.

STOP-Just STOP!

What I did enjoy was the setting, the initial premise, and the effort that was put forth by the author to try to save this one.

All in all I just can't recommend this nor would I request it based on the fluff factor.

Book Review: "The Devil's Hand" By Jack Carr

Absolutely enjoyed this explosive new novel by Jack Carr!

It began with intense action in doing whatever it takes for your country via Reece and the USA President and rode that coattail till the end in which a bioterrorism element appeared to take hold from Iran mullahs that turned the tables inside out against our own operations.

Couple this with the fact that the alt left like to be a 'cancel society' as Mr. Carr BELIEVES and you have a heck of a story to tell.

As a feminist I do hold some animosity for these male author's who are attracted to the alt right and love to showcase that 'alpha male' side of themselves. It rubs me wrong and often leaves me with a bitter taste but the writing was so good I attempted to ignore this raw emotional disgust.

In terms of this novel having read the prior ones -it was extremely well written, contained plenty of heated suspense and mystery, and tossed in many twisters that kept one on their toes.
For that reason alone I couldn't take anything away from this author's talent that's clearly evident in his writing.

Thank you to Bibliotheca for this novel in exchange for this honest review.

Book Review: "Astrid Sees All" By Natalie Standiford

What can I say this was another fine example of what not to do in a book.

I can't imagine what this was supposed to be about but it was a gutter ball for me that went nowhere real fast.
In fact, I couldn't get into this whatsoever and wondered as I was reading what the author had in mind.

I'm not sure what more to say on this other than to make sure when you select this you know it'll contain plenty of fluff, plenty of underground nonsense, and plenty of party goers ready to strut their stuff.

I'm out of here.

UGGH!

Book Review: "Flight" By Laura Griffin

 

Unfortunately, I've been stuck in a reading slump and this just added to the misery. I thought this would be about a couple found murdered in a canoe that appeared to be simply sleeping. Instead this was about Miranda and Joel who couldn't keep their dirty paws off one another and continued to go at it-time and time again. Now, if constant sexual escapades is your thing, the constant desire for sex is all you think about, the need to feel closeness with another is your idea of suspenseful romance than this will be perfect for you. These two characters had absolutely no sex appeal, no chemistry, and nothing but lust for each other and for me I need romance, I need mystery, I need substance that includes characters worthy of an interaction so that the genre is fulfilled. I went into this thinking this would be a mystery/thriller genre and instead I received fluff, sexual escapades, and romps in the hay. No, thanks. I'm actually happy I was declined via NetGalley and saddened that I wasted my time with several hours of this audio to uncover the real dirt and grime in this one.

Book Review: "The Next Everest" By Jim Davidson

                                           

The Next Everest had so much potential but sadly the lack of editing, and the author's imagination and or memories that led to full blown tangents, just ruined whatever would become of the great climb.

I attempted several times throughout this extremely long audio to get back into the swing of the momentum as it started off somewhat kosher but led down this long and windy trail that discussed everything and everyone but nothing substantial related to surviving the Mountain's Deadliest Day as it was titled.

So, sadly I'm going to have to take a pitiful DNF for this one and move on after losing most of my Saturday to this one audio.

                                        

Thank you to Jim, the publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Book Review: "Raft Of Stars" By Andrew J. Graft

 

"Enjoy, Enjoy, The Great Outdoors" as Manny Gordon used to say here in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

This brings you meaning to that powerful phrase as we hook up with some boys that have quite the issue on their hands up in the Northern part of Wisconsin woodlands.

They ran away thinking they were part of this murder scene involving the boys father. Two boys in particular are involved including Fish and Bread otherwise known as Fischer and Dale.
They stay together and forage the land using it for survival like the Great Outback of Ironforge Gorge and the rapids that threaten to take all their lives with nothing more than make shift rafts.

The adventures are not lost on the fact that Dale's own father was abusive and that's why the gunshots rang out because quite frankly Fish was tired of seeing his friend bruised.

The difficult terrain was no match for the likes of kids much less 4 adults who weren't as skilled as the boys in navigating around the wilderness nor were they as equipped.

Those 4 adults and the two boys had quite a challenge ahead with natures wrath upon them. Storms are brewing, bears are lurking, mud bogs are hidden out of site.

It's an absolute wonderful new book that any "boondocks" gal like myself would enjoy reading. The guys would find enjoyment in the stark contrast of the skills these boys possess from surviving off the land to protecting one another the good ol' fashion way.

Thank you to Osterhout Free Library for this Curbside Pickup Marathon Read as it took me away to the innocence of youth and the power of the adult mind.

When faced with struggles you don't cower, you don't hide, you take it on and succeed one step at a time.

Book Review: "Creep" By Jennifer Hillier

Absolutely Magnificent! A splendid array of charm, gaslighting, and manipulation hidden within the confines of an affair (gone horribly wrong) that resulted in an interesting conclusion.

I wouldn't have expected anyone would want to be with Doctor Sheila after this nightmare with her fellow student but certainly not HIM.

Ok, well chock one up for the fiance who stuck with the program here but my word this was freaking scary stuff.

First with the dead bodies, than having masks lined up on shelves, and Ethan -a chameleon, and you have a recipe for disaster.

In fact, if you're reading this at night and it's a weekday coming up, you may just want to take the day off to recoup.

Just sayin' this will blow you away and in a good way.

Creep wasn't something one might expect. It was dark, dreary, disturbing but not bloody gory but thrilling and chilling ways.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I have because even though this was an oldie from 2011 there's a new paperback that just came out at the tail end of March -so check it out.