Review: A Time of Torment by John Connolly

Goodreads Blurb

Jerome Burnel was once a hero. He intervened to prevent multiple killings and in doing so damned himself. His life was torn apart. He was imprisoned, brutalized.

But in his final days, with the hunters circling, he tells his story to private detective Charlie Parker. He speaks of the girl who was marked for death but was saved, of the ones who tormented him, and an entity that hides in a ruined stockade.

Parker is not like other men. He died, and was reborn. He is ready to wage war.

Now he will descend upon a strange, isolated community called the Cut, and face down a force of men who rule by terror, intimidation, and murder.

All in the name of the being they serve.

All in the name of the Dead King.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Wow, this book was intense from the moment I read page one to the very last page. The title says it all. Torment is written all over this book. I was clenching my teeth of how cruel and heartless the characters were in this book. I was tormented reading every word the author wrote, tormented with every thought the characters thought, tormented with every action, death, rape, kidnapping, and torture. John wrote a book that captures the reader and leaves them wanting more. When you thought the end was near, the book was only beginning its torment. This book also had a few paranormal events throughout the book. This was a five-star read. I highly recommend you read this book and clamp yourself to your seat. Beware!!

Author Biography

John Connolly was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and has, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a dogsbody at Harrods department store in London. He studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which he continues to contribute.

He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.

This page is administered by John’s assistant, Clair, on John’s behalf. If you’d like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.

Review: How to Keep a Boy From Kissing You by Tara Eglington

Goodreads Blurb

Sweet sixteen and never been kissed – and that’s the way Aurora Skye wants it to be.

She’s too busy finding Potential Princes ™ for her two best friends, counseling her sensitive New Age dad and dealing with the unexpected return of her long-absent mum. But always in the background there’s Hayden Paris, the boy next door, the bane of Aurora’s life. Smart, funny, and always around to see her at her worst, he ‘gets’ her like no-one else … and that’s what makes him so infuriating.

When Aurora and Hayden are coerced into the lead roles in the school production of Much Ado About Nothing, things can only get worse. How is Aurora going to save her first kiss for the secret admirer who wooed her with poetry and a spectacular bunch of flowers on Valentine’s Day if she doesn’t know who he is and she’s obligated to lock lips with Hayden in the play’s final dramatic clinch?

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This was such a fun story. Felt like I was back in high school dealing with teenage drama. I loved how Aurora was waiting to find the right prince to kiss. Aurora and her friends were so hilarious. I enjoyed how they worked together to hook up with the boys they liked. I also enjoyed the humor that was throughout this book. The chemistry between Aurora and Hayden made this story very fun to read. To really not stand someone but realize that you can’t stand them because you actually like them makes it so romantic. This book was funny and keeps the reader wanting to see what will happen next. Please read and enjoy the humor.

Author Biography

Tara Eglington grew up in Byron Bay, Australia, and now lives in Sydney.

Tara is the author of four Young Adult novels: How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You, How to Convince a Boy to Kiss You (titled Kissing Games in the USA), My Best Friend is a Goddess and The Long Distance Playlist. Her books have been published in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.

Tara’s third YA novel My Best Friend is a Goddess was a CBCA 2017 Book of the Year: Older Readers Notable. It was also the #7 best-selling YA title by an Australian author for the year July 2016-June 2017 in Australia.

Tara’s hobbies when she’s not writing include watching endless cat videos on YouTube, planning pretend holidays to the Maldives, and daydreaming about who would play Hayden Paris in the film adaption of How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You.

Review: A Charming Hex by Tonya Kappes

Goodreads Blurb

Bubble… Bubble… June Heal is excited to be going on an island honeymoon where she not only will she get away for some much needed rest away from her magical powers that she’d promised Oscar she’d leave home, but where she will get away from her sassy talking crystal ball, Madame Torres, and her pesky familiar, Mr. Prince Charming.

Cures and trouble… The secluded island is a perfect getaway for the charming honeymooners, especially since the only other vacationers are a wedding group. June Love’s a good romantic wedding and this one is on the beach.

Magic stirs…June is embracing her old mortal self until the groom from the wedding party washes up on the beach …MURDERED!

And troubles double… June is unable to keep her promise to Oscar about not using magic for their weekend island getaway and finds herself square in the middle of the investigation. Suddenly, June wishes that her pesky familiars were there to help and realizes that there really is no place like home.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Tonya created another magical book filled with mystery and magic. Oh, and I can not forget her talking crystal ball Madame Torres and her familiar Mr. Prince Charming. This is an amazing continuation to the Magical Cures series. June was able to finally go on her honeymoon with Oscar. Before she went on vacation, she was having terrible nightmares of what she would encounter. My favorite character is Madame Torres she is hilarious and dramatic. This book had a great plot and made all her readers happy that the story continued. Please read this magical mystery.

Author Biography

Tonya Kappes has written more than 180 southern cozy mysteries, all of which have graced numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today . Best known for stories charged with southern charm, emotion and humor and filled with flawed characters, her novels have garnered reader praise and glowing critical reviews. She lives with her husband in northern Kentucky. Now that her four boys have flown out of the nest, Tonya writes full-time in her camper!

Review: A Dark and Stormy Murder by Julia Buckley

Goodreads Blurb

An aspiring suspense novelist lands in the middle of a real crime in the first Writer’s Apprentice mystery.

Lena London’s literary dreams are coming true—as long as she can avoid any real-life villains…

Camilla Graham’s bestselling suspense novels inspired Lena London to become a writer, so when she lands a job as Camilla’s new assistant, she can’t believe her luck. Not only will she help her idol craft an enchanting new mystery, she’ll get to live rent-free in Camilla’s gorgeous Victorian home in the quaint town of Blue Lake, Indiana.

But Lena’s fortune soon changes for the worse. First, she lands in the center of small town gossip for befriending the local recluse. Then, she stumbles across one thing that a Camilla Graham novel is never without—a dead body, found on her new boss’s lakefront property.

Now Lena must take a page out of one of Camilla’s books to hunt down clues in a real crime that seems to be connected to the novelist’s mysterious estate—before the killer writes them both out of the story for good…

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

When mystery and murder are not just in a book but occur simultaneously with the characters’ real life!! That is brilliant. This book was amazing. Loved that the author started each chapter with a clip of the book Camilla and Lena were working on. While they worked on their mystery novel, Lena and Camilla were in the middle of a murder scene and the mystery of the missing Victoria West. The very moment I started the book, my mind was wrapped into each page. Very fun book with mystery and murder.

Author Biography

Julia Buckley is a Chicago-area writer. She has written three mystery series with Berkley Prime Crime, including the best-selling Writer’s Apprentice Series, which Mystery Scene calls “engaging, enjoyable, and surprising,” while Kirkus dubs it “pleasantly old-fashioned.” The Library Journal called Buckley “a writer to watch.”

Buckley is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Chicago Writers Association. She blogs about writing and mysteries at Mysterious Musings, where she has interviewed almost 200 other mystery writers about their work.

She teaches high school English and enjoys reading, playing Words With Friends, and spending time with her husband and two sons, along with their menagerie of animals.

Review: Murder at Dolphin Bay by Kathi Daley

Goodreads Blurb

Kailani Pope wants nothing more than to be a proud member of the Honolulu Police Department. Both her father and grandfather were cops, her five brothers are cops, and the only thing she has ever wanted from the time she can remember wanting anything, was to be a cop. She has passed all the requirements to be selected for the police academy but somehow her number never seems to come up.

While she is waiting for her name to work its way to the top of the list she works as a lifeguard for the Dolphin Bay Resort. When a guest of the resort is found murdered, Kailani decides that if she can solve the murder before her brother who has been assigned to the case by HPD, then the department will have no choice but to take her application seriously and move her to the top of the list.

Murder at Dolphin Bay is set on the beautiful island of Oahu providing a perfect backdrop for the perfect beach read.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed this amazing read at the beach. Was so happy to read this new series that has amazing characters. Kailani wants to be a cop which is her every dream. Her dad and grandfather were a cop and all her five brothers also. She has tried to get into the force but feels like her brothers are setting her back, plus her height is in the short side. She runs into a suspicious death and starts doing her investigation on her own, not knowing what dangers await her. I was happy that this series occurred in Hawaii. It’s such a beautiful place that would want to harm anyone in a happy place. Can’t wait to see how Kailani and Luke add more flame to the fire. Great read for the beach.

Author Biography

Kathi lives with her husband, kids, grandkids, and dogs in beautiful Lake Tahoe. When she isn’t writing, Kathi likes to read (preferably at the beach or by the fire), cook (preferably something with chocolate or cheese,) and garden (planting and planning not weeding). She also enjoys spending time on the water when she’s not hiking, biking, or snowshoeing, the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home.
Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries.

Review: Beach Blanket Barbie by Kathi Daley

Goodreads Blurb

Zoe suspects that something is up when Levi’s ex-girlfriend Barbie comes to town unexpectedly. When she ends up floating face down in the lake Zoe and the gang shift into full sleuth mode to find a killer. As they delve into Barbie’s life since she left Ashton Falls, they find a complex puzzle that is going to take a group effort to unravel.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Another awesome book by Kathi. Loved that it took place in the summer since I really am looking forward to those hot summery days. I really enjoyed this book. Zoe is the best at what she does dealing with animals and her detective work. She unfortunately ends up being harmed after she figures out who the killer of Barbie was. I love how all the characters interact and have a close relationship with. They all work together to make each other happy. They have no boundaries when it comes to justice. This book has a great summer cover. Loved how Barbie made men and women jealous of her actions. Great summer read.

Author Biography

Review: Conceit by Alana Albertson

Goodreads Blurb

Se7en deadly Navy SEALs bound to secrecy about a party that ended in tragedy.

Six months my innocent brother Joaquín has spent in jail for a murder.

Five hours a day I’ve trained to go undercover to learn the truth.

Four plastic surgeries to transform into a pinup to gain access to their world.

Three shots of tequila I down before I take off my clothes to dance for the SEALs.

Two years since I’d left my soul mate Grant, the only man who can help me now.

One dead stripper found strangled and drugged.

Zero room for error. I’m Joaquín’s only hope for freedom. No sin is too depraved, no challenge is too great. Even if it means destroying my soul.

Conceit is a novella of 25,000 – the first of Se7en episodes in the Se7en Deadly SEALs series.

Chronic: Se7en Deadly SEALs Episode Two releases February 2015

My Review: Rated 4 out of 5 stars

It is truly an amazing plot that twists through every turn. I couldn’t believe how Mia went through all those changes and the pain in order to find the real true killer and save her brother. Grant is a hot seal that is mad with Mia but truly loves her. I am hoping that Grant will forgive Mia, and they end up together again. Will Mia find the truth the SEALS are hiding?

Author Biography

Alana Albertson is a multi-award winning author, current President of Romance Writers of America’s Contemporary Romance Chapter and the former President of both Romance Writers of America’s Young Adult and Chick Lit chapters. Alana Albertson holds a Masters of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University. A recovering professional ballroom dancer, Alana currently writes contemporary romance, new adult and young adult fiction. She lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, two young sons, and four dogs. When she’s not spending her time playing with her sons, dancing, or saving dogs from high kill shelters through Pugs N Roses, the rescue she founded, she can be found watching episodes Homeland, Devious Maids, or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.

Review: Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses by Kimberly & James Dean

Goodreads Blurb

In this hardcover picture book, Pete the Cat wakes up feeling grumpy—nothing seems to be going his way. But with the help of some magic sunglasses, Pete learns that a good mood has been inside him all along.

Fans of Pete the Cat will love watching him take his positive outlook and transform a grumpy day into an awesome day!

The fun never stops—download the free groovin’ song. Time for magic fun in the sun!

My Review: Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Pete the Cat was feeling the blues, and Grumpy Toad gave him magical sunglasses that would change his mood. His adventure today was making his friends happy with letting them borrow the sunglasses. He made everyone happy, but the sunglasses broke, and he thought he couldn’t be happy without it. An owl told him to open his eyes and see the beauty and fun around him.

Review: Don’t Call Me Crazy Edited by Kelly Jensen

Goodreads Blurb

Who’s Crazy?

What does it mean to be crazy? Is using the word crazy offensive? What happens when such a label gets attached to your everyday experiences?

In order to understand mental health, we need to talk openly about it. Because there’s no single definition of crazy, there’s no single experience that embodies it, and the word itself means different things—wild? extreme? disturbed? passionate?—to different people.

(Don’t) Call Me Crazy is a conversation starter and guide to better understanding how our mental health affects us every day. Thirty-three writers, athletes, and artists offer essays, lists, comics, and illustrations that explore their personal experiences with mental illness, how we do and do not talk about mental health, help for better understanding how every person’s brain is wired differently, and what, exactly, might make someone crazy.

If you’ve ever struggled with your mental health, or know someone who has, come on in, turn the pages, and let’s get talking.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A book that will make you see mental health in a new light.” Call Me Crazy” will leave you feeling distressed with everyone’s deep feelings, thoughts, challenges, while you will feel overwhelmed and helpless while reading, you will learn how each writer has been able to seek help and learn to manage their illnesses. This book is an anthology of essays written by different people who suffer from different types of mental illnesses. Each writer puts there personal life, thoughts and feelings out in the open for others to see all their secrets, struggles, but they also teach you how each person has manage to find peace, acceptance and be strong even with the challenges they face. I love that we are starting to be open about mental health and that our society is being more accepting and not keeping it locked in the closest. If we can talk about how different types of mental health affect others and learn about them, we can help others who might be going through the same thing. Thank you for sharing all your stories. They will help others who are in need of guidance and assistance.

Author Biography

Kelly Jensen is a former teen librarian who worked in several public libraries before pursuing a full-time career in writing and editing. Her current position is with Book Riot, the largest independent book website in North America, where she focuses on talking about young adult literature in all of its manifestations. Before becoming a fully-fledged adult-like person, she worked in the swanky Texas Legislative Library entering data into a computer while surrounded by important politicians, scooped gelato for hungry college students, and spent hours reading, annotating, and scanning small-town Texas newspapers into a giant searchable database.

Kelly lives in the Chicago area with her husband, her daughter, her rabbit, and five needy-but-awesome cats. In her free time, she teaches yoga, writes for her personal blog STACKED (stackedbooks.org), drinks a lot of tea, and enjoys disappearing for days reading good books. Her writing has been featured on The Huffington Post, at Rookie Magazine, The Horn Book, BlogHer, and School Library Journal.

Please note: I don’t take review requests via Goodreads and I don’t respond to comments on reviews that are more than 6 months old.

Review: Wedding Toasts I’ll Never Give by Ada Calhoun

Goodreads Blurb

Inspired by her wildly popular New York Times essay The Wedding Toast I’ll Never Give, Ada Calhoun provides a funny (but not flip), smart (but not smug) take on the institution of marriage. Weaving intimate moments from her own married life with frank insight from experts, clergy, and friends, she upends expectations of total marital bliss to present a realistic—but ultimately optimistic—portrait of what marriage is really like. There will be fights, there will be existential angst, there may even be affairs; sometimes you’ll look at the person you love and feel nothing but rage. Despite it all, Calhoun contends, staying married is easy: just don’t get divorced.

Wedding Toasts I’ll Never Give offers bracing straight talk to the newly married and honors those who have weathered the storm. This exploration of modern marriage is at once wise and entertaining, a work of unexpected candor and literary grace.

My Review: Rated 3 out of 5 stars

I give the author credit for sharing her private life issues in this book. I wasn’t really into this book. I have never been married, and I am in my 30s, which, back in the days, would make me a spinster. I view marriage as a happily ever after of two soul mates living life together forever. Being honest, loving, dedicated, and trustworthy. Unfortunately, our society has changed in staying married after tough times, which has led to thousands of divorces and infidelity. What I got from the book is that we should work hard at our faults, disagreements, and problems together instead of ignoring them and having them fall apart. We need to remember the vows we say and keep them forever. Love will always conquer, but we need to stay for the ride.

Author Biography

Ada Calhoun is the author of Also a Poet, named one of the best books of 2022 by the New York Times, NPR, and The Washington Post; longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Nonfiction; and featured on the TODAY Show and PBS News Hour. Other books include New York Times–bestseller Why We Can’t Sleep, Wedding Toasts I’ll Never Give, and St. Marks Is Dead.