The Awakening

The Awakening

Lisa Lilly

Tara finds herself pregnant and still a virgin. Her boyfriend, best friend and family all reject her in some way. Almost immediately after finding out she is pregnant she begins a strange and frightening journey. People trying to kill or harm her are the norm. She can't figure out who to trust and who is only after her miracle baby.

A female second messiah is a hard concept to grasp.  If you are religious I would recommend suspending reality. Just enjoy the story for the fast paced thriller and brush over the religious and feminist overtures.

That being said I enjoyed the story, but didn't love it. It isn't my typical style, but I could appreciate the details and suspense written into the story. I think my main complaint would be the ending. If you've read any of my reviews you know that I like neat endings with a bow on them. This is not one of those books. A sequel is coming out that may resolve the issue, but for now I was left with more questions than answers.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Lady John

Lady John

Madeline Robins

Lady Olivia John is a widow living in a small home with her mother. Months after the death of her husband she receives a letter from her late husband's family. They would like her to come visit them in the family home in London. Olivia is a bit apprehensive about meeting her husband's family, but accepts the invitation. What follows is enlightening time for Olivia and her mother.

Lady John was written in 1982 and has now become available in an ebook format. The book began a bit slow for me because it is written in regency style of writing and speaking. But once I became accustomed to the dialogue the book picked up and I enjoyed the story. There are several hilarious characters that I either loved or loved to hate. It's a sweet, romantic read that will definitely appeal to regency lovers.

I received this book free of charge from Library Thing in exchange for my honest review.

15 Shades of Pink

This blog post is part of the Orangeberry Virtual Book Tour.
Please head over here to check out their amazing give-away.

15 Shades of Pink: 

15 Romantic Short Stories from the Flirt Collections

Lisa Scott

Flirty, funny and romantic are great descriptions for these stories. Five stories in each flirt that stand alone, but tie together in a small way.

I read the entire book in one sitting, but these are perfect for when you only have a few moments to read. The sweet romantic stories are told with a humorous chick-lit feel. Each story is cute and has a feel good ending. This is the perfect book for the romantic at heart. I will definitely be checking out the author's other stories.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Wildflowers from Winter

Wildflowers from Winter

Katie Ganshert

Bethany had a very rough life growing up. The second she got a chance she fled her small country town. But now she feels compelled to return. Returning means that she must face the demons that haunted her through childhood, but it could also be the beginning of healing.

I love the characters in this book. Ganshert has done an outstanding job at portraying real and believable characters. The story flows smoothly and while some of the subject matter is dark and difficult, I still couldn't put the book down. The spiritual aspect is simple and beautifully written. This is an amazing book from a first time author. I will definitely be getting her next book.

I do have one word of caution for anyone purchasing this book. If you have experienced the recent death of a loved one (like I have), this book will be VERY difficult to read. It is an amazing book that portrays the pain of death in detail and very accurately. It is a book that I highly recommend, just take this in to consideration first.

I received this book from WaterBrook free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Up All Night

Up All Night

My Life and Times in Rock Radio

Carol Miller

 Carol Miller is a legend in the radio industry. She's been a radio dj, or personality, for four decades and has met, mingled with, and dated famous rock stars. Her memoir is a list of who is who in the rock music industry, but it's also a glimpse into her private life. Her list of accomplishments is astounding and her success in the music industry is worth reading.

The smooth voice that Carol Miller brings to the radio translates into a book that is entertaining and inspiring to read. Her personal struggles, while huge, are not depressing and dark to read. Her sense of humor shines through even the darkest tales.

If you love music, specifically rock music, this is a must read.

I received this book free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.

Kiss Me, Dancer

Kiss Me, Dancer

Alicia Street & Roy Street

Dance 'n' Luv Series #1

Casey, a dance instructor, meets Drew when he comes to pull his son out of her class. She's poor and struggling to keep her dance studio afloat; he's wealthy and never wanted for anything. It's a relationship fraught with misunderstanding and drama from the very beginning.

The characters in the story were real, especially the males. Romance stories typically have the females more true to character than the males. But in this story both characters, I felt, were portrayed correctly. This is probably due to the husband and wife writing team. The story was enjoyable to read and moved smoothly. There was quite a bit of drama at the end, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the next book in the series.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Promise Me Eternity

Promise Me Eternity

Ian Fox

The doctor is being accused of murder. All but one of his friends and acquaintances think he did it. The other characters include a suspected mob boss and his beautiful wife, the fighting neighbors, co-workers and a cleaning lady. Who is the murder? The story works similar to a soap opera with each character having a separate, but often intertwining story. It's a mystery, a romance and a drama all rolled into one story.

My opinion of this book was a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, I enjoyed reading the story and liked the odd way that it ended. But the other part of me was easily confused by the large number of changing characters and the often unnecessary details that left me wondering when or how they mattered. I'm going to give it four stars because I enjoyed reading it, but it certainly won't appeal to everyone because of the dialogue and confusing details.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.