The Other Side of the Stars by Katherine King

After the death of her parents, immigrant Gita finds herself in post WWII America with nothing but a few haunting childhood memories and an arranged marriage to Max. Despite her initial hesitations and his elusive nature, the awkward tension soon dissipates as they settle into life together.

But with the arrival of a stranger, Gita realizes she may know very little about the man she married.

As her world seems to unravel and the missing pieces of her childhood fall into place, the lives of a Nazi, a young girl, and a prisoner at Auschwitz intertwine, revealing the beauty of what can happen when fate, hope, and resiliency collide.



Secrets. Love. Pasts intertwined. 

What a great way to start out a writing career! Keep up the good work, Ms. King!

Gita has blank memory spots in her past, a stranger for a husband in the present and the possibility of love and security in the future. 

I loved the flashbacks and the different storylines that kept me guessing right up until the end. I couldn't put the book down and read it in one afternoon. 


5 STARS

V: a little; scenes from a Nazi concentration camp
L: No
S: No. Some kissing

Painting Rain by Annette K Larsen COVER REVEAL and GIVEAWAY!

Painting Rain by Annette K. Larsen

How do you heal your heart after tragedy leaves you broken? When the person you loved didn’t deserve it and they can’t earn your forgiveness because they’re already dead? How do you move on, and heal, and love?

If you’re Princess Lorraina, you paint.

A year ago Lorraina watched Tobias die, and she still doesn’t know how she’s supposed to heal—or forgive. How can she when she’s still running away? In an attempt to reinvent herself, she steps outside her comfortable life as princess and seeks the tutelage of a master painter—a man who is not at all impressed by her pedigree, and demands not just talent, but emotional honesty.

Struggling to learn what’s being taught, she finds herself drawn to someone who not only knows her secrets, but who she once considered far below her notice. Now she is compelled to seek him out despite knowing their relationship would be forbidden if discovered. Staying away from him doesn’t seem possible when discovering him may be the key to healing her heart and rediscovering herself.

Author Annette K. Larsen

I was born in Utah, but grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona and St. Louis, Missouri, the fifth of seven children. I attended Southern Virginia University and Brigham Young University, where I studied English and Theater. I now live in Idaho with my husband and four children.

I have Charlotte Brontë to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally, a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to face the reality of sacrificing what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but in the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it.

I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other.

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Cover Reveal Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Code or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/22/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Books. Give me not only more books, but time to read them!

#bookish #bookworm #bookstore

A photo posted by Krysten Lindsay Hager (@krystenlindsay) on Jan 24, 2016 at 1:31pm PST

A PRINCESS STORY by Jaci Wightman Blog tour

Welcome to Jaci Wightman today!! She doing a blog tour for her new book, A PRINCESS STORY. Doesn't that sound awesome?!

In President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s popular Conference talk, “Your Happily Ever After,” he lavished young women with words that I’m sure were music to their ears:

You are truly royal spirit daughters of Almighty God. You are princesses, destined to become queens. Your own wondrous story has already begun. Your “once upon a time” is now (Ensign, May 2010).

What girl (or woman for that matter) doesn’t love being told she’s a princess? It’s the stuff dreams are made of. After all, our world today is enamored with the idea of being a member of royalty.  Just walk through Walmart and you’ll find princesses plastered on everything from toothbrushes to T-shirts to tennis shoes. And don’t forget all the images of Princess Kate staring back at us while we wait our turn in the checkout line. I believe that’s the reason President Uchtdorf ‘s talk was so beloved—because he took all that princess hoopla and made it real. To think that we as daughters of God are princesses in our own right is pretty heady stuff. 

And yet, as inspiring as that idea may seem, the scriptures actually throw a hitch into all the princess hype. For one thing, the Doctrine and Covenants tells us that Christ “so loved the world that he gave his own life, that as many as would believe might become the sons [and daughters] of God” (D&C 34:3, see also 11:30, 35:2, 45:8). And Alma also talks about our need to be “changed…[and] redeemed of God, [thus] becoming his sons and daughters” (Mosiah 27:25). The word become means to be changed or transformed into something, so if we really are princesses like President Uchtdorf said, why would the scriptures say we need to “become” daughters of God? Why the need to be transformed into something we already are? It just doesn’t make any sense.

I wrote A Princess Story to answer that very question. Yes, it’s a wonderful thing to understand our divine, royal heritage, but the truth is that that’s only the beginning of our story. It’s just the first scene. In order to fully comprehend who we are and who we must become, we’ve got to move past that introductory scene and explore the rest of the story. I know many of us think we know the gospel backwards and forwards, but I’d like to introduce you to a whole new way of looking at it. I hope to convince you that, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, each of us has been swept up in a real-life fairy tale, complete with a princess and her prince, an evil villain, an awful monster, an epic battle, and a daring rescue. In other words, all those classic princess movies have jumped right off the movie screen and into our personal lives. All we need to do is open our eyes to see it, and we can embrace the adventure with all the passion and enthusiasm we can possibly muster.  (If all this seems a little too far-fetched for you to swallow, just take a gander at 2 Nephi 9:10 and you’ll get a quick glimpse of the stirring saga I’ve been talking about.)

If you’d like to learn more about your own real-life fairy tale, I invite you to pick up a copy of A Princess Story. As the storyteller, I promise you that this enchanting drama will include some unexpected twists and turns, and a better happily-ever-after than any Disney princess movie you’ve ever seen.

BIO

Jaci Wightman, a wife and fulltime mom of 7, graduated in 2012 from BYU-Idaho with a degree in University Studies. She is the author of A Princess Story: The Real-Life Fairy Tale Found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (2016) and Body Image Breakthrough: Learning to See Your Body and Your Beauty in a Whole New Light (2014). To learn more, visit her website at jaciwightman.com.

My 2015 book list

RI read over 55 books and 14, 654 pages last year. Not as many as last year (147) but I read and listened to many, many amazing books!

The longest book I read at 538 pages (obviously there is more than one book):

#1 Bestselling Amazon Authors of Christmas in Snow Valley, have teamed up again with six wonderful summer novellas that are sure to make your summer sweet and sassy!





The shortest book (which was super cute):

When you babysit a grandma, if you're lucky . . . it's a sleepover at her house! And with the useful tips found in this book, you're guaranteed to become an expert grandma-sitter in no time. (Be sure to check out the sections on: How to keep a grandma busy; Things to do at the park; Possible places to sleep, and what to do once you're both snugly tucked in for the night.) 






My favorite books of the year, in no particular order:

They told David it was impossible--that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet, Steelheart--invincible, immortal, unconquerable--is dead. And he died by David's hand. 

Eleanor de Lacy is forced into an arranged marriage with her father’s greatest enemy, Brac Goch, the Welsh king. All Eleanor knows of Brac is that he is a ruthless, war hungry man.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. 

After 17-year-old Smitha is cursed to be as cold as her heart, Death himself offers her a chance for relief. Unwilling to give up her life, Smitha seeks redemption deep in the savage deserts, where her perpetual winter dares to make her a hero.

Postbellum America makes for a haunting backdrop in this historical and supernatural tale of moonlit cemeteries, masked balls, cunning mediums, and terrifying secrets waiting to be unearthed by an intrepid crime reporter. 

Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. 

About a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

Millions of people witnessed Emma Taylor’s first kiss—a kiss that needed twelve takes and four camera angles to get right. After spending nearly all of her teen years performing on cue, Emma wonders if any part of her life is real anymore . . . particularly her relationships.

On a hike deep in the Rocky Mountains, Kai Monahan watches as a dozen dragons—actual freaking dragons—battle beneath a fat white moon. When one crashes nearly dead at her feet and transforms into a man, Kai does the only thing a decent person could: she grabs the nearest sword and saves his life.

The SARAH M. EDEN BRITISH ISLES COLLECTION contains two brand new historical romance novellas A FRIEND INDEED and A HAPPY BEGINNING, as well as four hand-picked readers’ and reviewers’ favorites of Sarah’s popular Timeless Romance Anthology novellas.

LATTER-DAY WARRIORS: Stepping Into Your Spiritual Strength by Brock Richardson

Discover the spiritual warrior in you! Based on the belief that every soul has a spiritual warrior within, author Brock Lance Richardson interviews ten men he met through BYU football. Each reveals what it takes to become physically and spiritually strong, while their wives describe what it means to be a “warrior” for young women. Perfect for youth and young adults, this entertaining and spiritually uplifting read will teach you how to build spiritual stamina and to use your inner warrior for good.



When I first saw the cover for this book I wondered what the book would be about but I was excited about the concept of a latter-day warrior. As I started reading I have to admit I was a little disappointed that it was all about BYU players. Obviously, there are good LDS college football players everywhere, why BYU? But as I read I came to realize a couple of things:

1. The author was a BYU football player and developed relationships as well as deep respect for several players.
2. The players had inspiring stories to tell.

As I read, I too was inspired. What we see on TV is only the barest, minimal glimpse into amazing lives. From players highs to lows and highs again, there is something to learn from these amazing men and women. Yes, wives a definitely included in this book as they too have inspiring stories.

This is a great read for anyone who wants to be inspired to live their lives better. Tips, stories and ideas help carry the message to readers.

LORD FENTON'S FOLLY by Josi Kilpack Blog tour and giveaway!

I love Josi Kilpack! She's one of the nicest people plus she's an excellent writer and she gives so much to the writing community. I would recommend any of her books! And here I am recommending her newest one!
 Regency Romance! And just in time to read this book curled up by a fire. 

I've enjoyed Josi Killpack's books in the past and this one does not disappoint. Lord Fenton needs to marry or be disinherited. Alice has had a crush on him since they were young, so she's ecstatic when he asks her to be his wife. Until she finds out it is a marriage of convenience. 

A good, clean book full of wit, humor, twists and romance. 

Blog Tour Schedule

Lord Fenton's Folly by Josi Kilpack Lord Fenton is a gambler, a dandy, and a flirt-and he must marry or else he will be disinherited, stripped of his wealth and his position. He chooses Alice Stanbridge for two simple reasons: he once knew her as a young girl, and she is the least objectionable option available to him. However, Alice has harbored feelings for Fenton since their first meeting ten years ago, and she believes his proposal is real. When she discovers it is not, she is embarrassed and hurt. However, a match with the most-eligible bachelor in London would secure not only her future but that of her family as well. Determined to protect herself from making a fool of herself a second time, Alice matches Lord Fenton wit for wit and insult for insult as they move toward a marriage of convenience that is anything but a happy union. Only when faced with family secrets that have shaped Fenton's life does he let down his guard enough to find room in his heart for Alice.

Amazon * Deseret Book

  Excerpt

 Fenton groaned and put his saucer back on the tray, making an instantaneous decision that eased his mind quite a lot. To look at every woman he met as a potential wife was irritating, and after only two weeks he was quite tired of it. Perhaps the solution was to orchestrate a match that would not lay all aspects of matrimony at his feet all at once. Perhaps treating it as a business arrangement would help it to be exactly that, thereby freeing him from all the discomfiting realities he was not yet prepared to face. "I leave for Fentonview on Tuesday and shan't be back for a week. Courting is such a boring prospect, and you yourself said that to become infatuated with anyone might become a complication." He paused, considered one last time what he was going to say next, and decided he felt as good about it as could be expected. "You like Alice Stanbridge and feel she would make a good wife for me?" 

Lady Chariton looked confused and perhaps a bit concerned. "I do, but-"

 "Then that is good enough for me," Fenton said, rising to his feet and smiling broadly at his mother, who stared back at him in surprise. "I do find her appealing and what's more she is not a silly little thing without a practical thought in her head."

 His mother's eyes widened and her eyebrows rose upon her forehead. Fenton struck a pose of consternation, with his thumb and forefinger on his chin as he looked toward the window a moment, then nodded crisply and turned back to his mother who still looked shocked by his pronouncement.

 "Yes, I think that Alice Stanbridge is exactly what I should like in a wife, and so I shall see to it before I leave for Hampshire-I see no reason to wait until Michaelmas and might as well get it over with." He leaned in and kissed his mother's hand. "Thank you for your help, Mama. I shall let you know how she responds to my proposal."


  Author Josi Kilpack Josi S. Kilpack hated to read until her mother handed her a copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond when she was 13. From that day forward, she read everything she could get her hands on and credits her writing “education” to the many novels she has “studied” since then. She began writing her first novel in 1998 and never stopped. Sheep's Clothing won the Whitney award for Mystery/Suspense in 207 and Wedding Cake, book twelve in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series won in 2014. Josi was also the Best of State winner in Fiction for 2012. Josi currently lives in Willard, Utah, with her husband, children and super-cute - but not very friendly - cat.

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  $25 Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon eGift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/29/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com eGift Card or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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The Caretaker's Guide to Fablehaven by Brandon Mull illustrated by Brandon Dorman

This guidebook to the Fablehaven magical preserve is filled with everything a new Caretaker might need to know in order to survive. There are entries detailing important information about artifacts large and small, a complete bestiary of creatures (from fairies to trolls to satyrs), a guide to identifying demons, dragons, and wizards as well as valuable insights into the other magical preserves.

Immerse yourself into the secret knowledge that has been handed down through the generations by reading the updates and notes written in the margins by the former Caretakers of Fablehaven, including Grandpa Sorenson, Kendra, and Seth. Fully-illustrated, this unique encyclopedia has gathered the world of Fablehaven into one volume.

Scattered throughout the book are colorful fairies that also mark some of the characters, artifacts, and creatures that will be featured in the upcoming sequel series, Dragonwatch.

Have you read the Fablehaven books? Have any of your children? This book is a FANTASTIC addition to the Fablehaven series! 
First off, I loved the series. I loved the magic and the creatures and the humans. And I really loved the lessons Kendra and Seth learned as they helped their Grandpa take care of the magical creatures and places in Fablehaven. 
Second, this new book is fun! Full of facts about the magical reserves and the creatures. The pictures in this book are awesome! I received an ebook for a fair and honest review and the pictures were excellent. I can't wait to get my hands on the actual book! 
Third! Brandon is writing another series based on this trilogy! There are clues in this book about it.

Thank you Brandon Mull and Brandon Dorman for continuing to spark your readers imaginations! 
The Caretakers Guide to Fablehaven comes out the middle of October. 

Blog Tour Schedule

The Caretaker's Guide to Fablehaven by Brandon Mull This guidebook to the Fablehaven magical preserve is filled with everything a new Caretaker might need to know in order to survive. There are entries detailing important information about artifacts large and small, a complete bestiary of creatures (from fairies to trolls to satyrs), a guide to identifying demons, dragons, and wizards as well as valuable insights into the other magical preserves. Immerse yourself into the secret knowledge that has been handed down through the generations by reading the updates and notes written in the margins by the former Caretakers of Fablehaven, including Grandpa Sorenson, Kendra, and Seth. Fully-illustrated, this unique encyclopedia has gathered the world of Fablehaven into one volume.

Amazon

Excerpt from Introduction

 If you are in possession of this book you are assumed to be the caretaker or an apprentice caretaker of Fablehaven.
By now you’ve been introduced to the world of mythical and magical creatures.

However, there is still much to learn. Previous caretakers of Fablehaven thought it would be helpful to create a Caretaker’s Guide specifically for those tasked with the job of nurturing, protecting, and surviving this preserve and its inhabitants. Do not be fooled. Fablehaven is an unpredictable and dangerous place. However, the collective knowledge gathered within the pages of this bestiary will give you the knowledge and wisdom needed to not only survive but to thrive. The creatures of Fablehaven are either light or dark, not necessarily good or evil. In order to be good, one must recognize the difference between right and wrong and strive to choose the right. To be truly evil one must do the contrary. Being good or evil is a choice.

This is not so with the creatures of Fablehaven. What they are largely governs how they act. Some are inherently builders, some are nurturers, some are playful. Some are inherently destroyers, some are deceivers, some crave power. Some love light, some love darkness. But change their nature, and without much resistance, their identities follow. Like a fairy becoming an imp, or an imp regaining her fairyhood. Much counsel and advice has been passed down through generations and given to the new caretakers of this preserve. Perhaps the most invaluable piece of advice that has ever been given is this: Those who are careful to cause no mischief, work no magic, and inflict no harm are protected by the foundational treaty of Fablehaven.

This truth alone may be your strongest ally and your only defense. One final note. The signs leading up to the front gate were not always there. In the late eighteenth century, before the guest register that controls access to Fablehaven was created, two poachers entered the property in search of big game. Needless to say, they found it. Or it found them. Many days later, the resident caretaker found them as well. Or at least he found their bodies of petrified stone. And thus the first signs outside the gates of Fablehaven were posted. As caretaker you have accepted a most noble assignment. Keep your eyes open. Obey with exactness. Take risks only as the last resort and you will have a better chance at seeing another sunrise. Welcome to Fablehaven.





Author Brandon Mull Brandon Mull is the author of the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling Beyonders and Fablehaven series. Brandon resides in a happy little valley near the mouth of a canyon with his wife and four children. He spent two years living in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile where he learned Spanish and juggling. He once won a pudding eating contest in the park behind his grandma’s house, earning a gold medal.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

$25 Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon eGift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/28/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com eGift Card or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE
From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the beautiful, stunningly ambitious instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

Doerr’s “stunning sense of physical detail and gorgeous metaphors” (San Francisco Chronicle) are dazzling. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, he illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another. Ten years in the writing, a National Book Award finalist, All the Light We Cannot See is a magnificent, deeply moving novel from a writer “whose sentences never fail to thrill” (Los Angeles Times)

I've been trying to post only 5 Star reviews here but this one deserved to be here. I gave it 4 Stars because of a certain scene and the swearing kicked in toward the end. I wish I could write like this!!!!

This book! There is so much to think about this story that I'm having a hard time getting my thoughts straight.

What I loved:
The characters, even the evil ones were human and had flaws.
The different view points.
The different viewpoints converging through out the story.
The tension waiting for the convergence.
The way people can still be good and kind, even in the middle of war.
The storyline.
The plot.

What I didn't love:
The soldiers raping women and the women expecting it and not fighting back (not a graphic scene, just disturbing).
I tried at least twice to read this book and I just couldn't get into it. Finally, I downloaded it from Audible. I'm so glad I did!
The bleakness of war. 
The way war brings out the evil in people.

I gave this book 4 stars because of the rape scene. 
This book is better for older readers and adults.

V: Not graphic but it is set in WWII
L: More toward the end.
S: Rape scene

SOUL OF SMOKE by Caitlyn McFarland

On a hike deep in the Rocky Mountains, Kai Monahan watches as a dozen dragons—actual freaking dragons—battle beneath a fat white moon. When one crashes nearly dead at her feet and transforms into a man, Kai does the only thing a decent person could: she grabs the nearest sword and saves his life.

As the dragon/man, Rhys, recovers from the attack, a chance brush of skin against skin binds him inextricably to Kai. Becoming heartsworn to a human—especially such a compelling one—is the last thing Rhys wants. But with an ancient enemy gathering to pit dragons against humanity and his strength nearly depleted, Kai has just become the one thing Rhys needs. A complete bond will give him the strength to fight; a denied bond means certain death.

Kai is terrified at the thought of allowing any dragon into her mind…or her heart. Accepting the heartswearing and staying with the dragons means sacrificing everything, and Kai must decide if her freedom is worth risking Rhys's life—a life more crucial to the fate of humanity than she could possibly know. 

I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down. I even had to resist the urge to read it during church. LOL
Kai is independant, strong and driven. She knows the outdoors and how to survive. The book starts out with Kai and her roommates hiking a mountain when they find an injured woman. Kai stays with the woman while the roommates go for help. When the woman awakes, she becomes hysterical about helping her brother. 
What Kai doesn't know is that the person she is helping, and the brother, are not from Kai's world, kind of. 

Enter dragons! I loved the way Caitlyn wrote the dragons; the descriptions, the personalities, the countries they came from. It was awesome. 
Caitlyn's writing kept me intrigued and in the story. The romance, the fighting, the story, the twists and turns, all of it kept me reading. I can't wait to read the next book. 

I would recommend this book to older teen readers and up. While there is no graphic scenes, it does have a lot of sexual tension, but it's clean. Kai likes "hell" and uses it quite a bit. 

Ratings:
V: fighting among dragons
L: Some
S: No, but lots of tension

5 Stars


I received this read for an honest review.

FIRES OF INVENTION by J. Scott Savage

Trenton Colman is a creative thirteen-year-old boy with a knack for all things mechanical. But his talents are viewed with suspicion in Cove, a steam-powered city built inside a mountain. In Cove, creativity is a crime and “invention” is a curse word.

Kallista Babbage is a repair technician and daughter of the notorious Leo Babbage, whose father died in an explosion—an event the leaders of Cove point to as an example of the danger of creativity.

Working together, Trenton and Kallista learn that Leo Babbage was developing a secret project before he perished. Following clues he left behind, they begin to assemble a strange machine that is unlikely anything they’ve ever seen before. They soon discover that what they are building may threaten every truth their city is founded on—and quite possibly their very lives.

Ok. I already love Savage's storytelling so I may be biased...BUT this was another great read from this awesomesauce author.
I loved the world, the creativity and inventions but "creativity" is a naughty word and inventing is against the law. The world is totally opposite of SKY JUMPERS by Peggy Eddleman, where inventing is honored and if you can't invent, you're an outcast.
Good word-building, deep characterization, and great villains, as well as twists and turns and... can't tell ya. You'll have to read it to find out!

Good, clean book, perfect for a summer read! I'm going to buy one for my son.

V: a couple of scenes, not graphic
L: no
S: no. Well, maybe cheek kiss

4 STARS

Thanks netgalley for the read!

LORD FENTON'S FOLLY by Josi S. Killpack

Lord Fenton is a gambler, a dandy, and a flirt—and he must marry or else he will be disinherited, stripped of his wealth and his position. He chooses Alice Stanbridge for two simple reasons: he once knew her as a young girl, and she is the least objectionable option available to him.

However, Alice has harbored feelings for Fenton since their first meeting ten years ago, and she believes his proposal is real. When she discovers it is not, she is embarrassed and hurt. However, a match with the most-eligible bachelor in London would secure not only her future but that of her family as well.

Determined to protect herself from making a fool of herself a second time, Alice matches Lord Fenton wit for wit and insult for insult as they move toward a marriage of convenience that is anything but a happy union. Only when faced with family secrets that have shaped Fenton’s life does he let down his guard enough to find room in his heart for Alice. But can Alice risk her heart a second time?

Ah! Regency Romance! And just in time to read this book on the beach. 
I've enjoyed Josi Killpack's books in the past and this one does not disappoint. Lord Fenton needs to marry or be disinherited. Alice has had a crush on him since they were young, so she's ecstatic when he asks her to be his wife. Until she finds out it is a marriage of convenience.

A good, clean book full of wit, humor, twists and romance.


Thanks netgalley for the read!!

RISING STRONG by Brene Brown

The physics of vulnerability is simple: If we are brave enough often enough, we will fall. The author of the #1 New York Times bestsellersDaring Greatly and The Gifts of Imperfection tells us what it takes to get back up, and how owning our stories of disappointment, failure, and heartbreak gives us the power to write a daring new ending. Struggle, Brené Brown writes, can be our greatest call to courage, and rising strong our clearest path to deeper meaning, wisdom, and hope.


When I read a self-help book, I realize not all of it will apply to me or I will take what I need at that moment. This book is no different BUT I took a lot of notes. It was intriguing and interesting. The book is full of stories to help the reader see the point Brene is trying to make. 
I used some of her ideas the next day and honestly felt better about my day and communication with the people around me. I grew up in a home that did not deal with emotions nor did we talk about hard things at all. Now I'm married, I need to be able to understand my emotions that I tend to keep buried and "safe" and I need to communicate better with my husband and children. I would recommend this book just for the help of thinking in a different way. 

4 1/2 STARS

Thanks netgalley for the read!!

THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH by Ali Benjamin

After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy was a rare jellyfish sting. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door.

I loved reading this book! Different chapters, different point of view, science, jellyfish, middle school ugliness, friends, lack of friends, unexpected friends, and trying to find peace with death, all wrapped up in an intriguing and moving story.

A good, clean read for any age, especially sixth grade and up. (A gay brother but it's very subtle.)

V: No
L: No
S: No

4 STARS
(4 stars because I skimmed a lot of the facts about jellyfish, but I know other readers will love it!).

Thanks, Netgalley for the read!!