Nightmare in Pink: A Travis McGee novel by John D. MacDonald

 

Travis McGee’s old army buddy needs a favor. His sister, whose fiancé has just been murdered in what the authorities claim was a mugging, believes he was murdered. Travis is determined to get to the bottom of things, but just as he’s closing in on the truth, he finds himself drugged and taken captive. If he’s being locked up in a mental institution with a steady stream of drugs siphoned into his body, how can Travis get himself out alive?


226 pages

One Night Stand by J.S. Cooper

One Night Stand by J.S. Cooper
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really didn't enjoy this book, I did finish it just because I was hoping that it would come around a little or the back story would be better than it was.  223 Pages

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The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

 The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Pages: 182
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

An atmospheric tale of a psychological suspense. A professor studying psychic phenomenon invites people who have experienced a psychic event once in their lives to spend the summer with him at Hill House, which is rumored to be haunted. The house is avoided by the townspeople who live in the valley below and the housekeeper and caretaker won't stay on the property after dark. Is the house really haunted or is it just the power of suggestion?

The book is short, but the detail and build-up to the scary moments may take to long for some readers. I enjoyed it, but a friend found it boring.

The 1963 film The Haunting is a great film version of the book but the 1999 remake should be avoided.

The current Netflix mini series, The Haunting of Hill House, uses the setting, character names and some direct quotes from the book, but weaves it's own story of psychological suspense, this time with a family as the people living in the house. Netflix definitely got the Gothic, creepy atmosphere and music right. I enjoyed this version as well.

Never Never by Colleen Hoover

Never Never by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is so different compared to any other book by Colleen Hoover. I am not even sure were this book is going and doesn't make much sense to me. I think that you have to keep going with the other two books to be able to figure out what is going on. 159 Pages

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Dragons, mermaids, the looming possibility that the dark lord that you're dreaming about is coming to kill Harry, what more could you want!

Love this book, especially since this is where things get real and super dark. Oh poor Cedric! How bright the world would have been with you. And sparkly.

Rating: 5/5

Pages: 734

Raised in Fire (Fire and Ice Trilogy, Book 2) by K.F. Breene

It is a common truth in my life that when it rains, it pours. 

The killings that once plagued New Orleans are cropping up again in Seattle. The local office is stumped. I’m called out to lend a fresh set of eyes, and my unique magical touch.

It’s only when I get there that I realize the Seattle office isn’t stumped at all.

They’re being silenced by the Mages’ Guild, a corrupt magical institution that doesn't want word to get out of what is plaguing the city. Worse, news of my magic might’ve slipped down to the underworld, hitting the ears of some extremely powerful demons.

What I thought was a routine murder investigation turns into a fight for my life. With the help of Darius, my stalker elder vampire, and my dual-mage side kicks, I somehow have to dodge the Guild in order to stop one of the most powerful demons I’ve ever encountered. If I don’t? It’ll escape back down below with proof of what I really am.

My life hangs in the balance, and this time, I can't see a way out.

While this one wasn't quite as awesome as the first book, I'm still loving this series!  There's some serious action, gore, and steam in this novel - but none of it is gratuitous.  On to book three!

4/5

432 pages

The Tudors: The Complete Story of England's Most Notorious Dynasty by G.J. Meyer

The Tudors: The Complete Story of England's Most Notorious Dynasty by G.J. Meyer

Author G.J. Meyer explores the lives and reigns of the Tudor monarchs, including Henry VII (briefly), Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.

612 pages.

Grounded by R.K. Lilley

Grounded by R.K. Lilley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a great ending to their story. It ended pretty much the way that I expected it would. So for that I did drop it down a star and also I wish the author would have gone into more detail about James. I think that is what Mr. Beautiful is all about (book 4), but I don't really want to have to re-read the whole story from his point of view just to find out more about him. So for now, I am not moving onto book 4. 378 Pages

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Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

I've been waiting 2 years for this book and it was well worth the wait!! Fast paced action, emotional meetings and goodbyes, epicness all around.

Rating: 5/5
Pages: 980

Born in Fire (Fire and Ice Trilogy, Book 1) by K.F. Breene

Supernatural Bounty Hunter isn’t the sort of thing you see on LinkedIn. But with a rare type of magic like mine, I don’t have many options. 

So dangerous or not, the job is mine. And it was going fine, until an old as sin vampire stole my mark, and with it, my pay day.

Knowing I’m poor and desperate, he has offered me a job. I’ll have to work by his side to help solve a top secret case.

Everyone knows not to trust vampires. Especially a hot elder vampire. But without any other jobs coming up, I’m stuck. As I uncover a web of lies and treachery, revealing an enemy I didn’t know existed, the truth of my identity is threatened. I might make it out alive, only to end up in a gilded cage.

I've been in a reading rut lately - you know the kind - where nothing is appealing and nothing seems worth the time.  Thankfully, I was stuck waiting at the doctor's office with nothing but my phone, so I was desperate and this was free through Kindle Unlimited.  So I started it.  And loved it.  Right from the start. 

Reagan is a supernatural bounty hunter with a BIG secret to her power.  She's smart, snarky, and strong - both mentally and physically.  The author does an excellent job building the mystery of both her mark and her background.  The vampires, mages, demons, etc. are well-built and add dimension to the story which, in this type of novel, often doesn't happen.  And while it seems romance-y, it's not.  There are some steamy scenes, but she reacts to the 'love interest' in the way you want to see a strong female react - no sighing, preening, or submission here, folks.

Overall, I have already started book two and will mostly likely stay with this author for a while.

5/5

437 pages 

Love is War Series by R.K. Lilley

  

Love is War Series by R.K. Lilley

Breaking Him 338 Pages

Breaking Her 324 Pages

Breaking Him: Oh this book is just a complete mess that I could not stop reading... I needed to know how it would all end. I wasn't happy with the way that it ended, but I am pleased to see that it will continue in book 2... I need to start that NOW! I need to know how it all ends. 

Breaking Her: I was excited that in this book you get many answers that are wondering from "Breaking Him". You start to get a better understanding of how they came to be at the place that they are in. So much more comes out in this book that I didn't see coming at all!! I feel so much different about Dante after this book. This is also another book that reminds you of how awful some families can be. 

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

13 million rattled stars and all the fake gold I've ever won in every single game I've ever played in my entire life.

That's exactly how you should end an epic 7 book fantasy series in a war torn land. I'd say more, but I'm still reeling.

Book 372 read in 2018

Pages: 980

Fire on Ice Series by Brenda Rothert

  

Fire on Ice Series by Brenda Rothert

Edge 240 Pages

Drive 214 Pages

Release 184 Pages

Edge: I was excited to get to know Luke better and I thought that Adella was perfect for him. I could see how this story was going to end pretty early on though, but I really enjoyed the way that it all came together. Also there was a kid in this book and I really enjoy having them in the story. 

Drive: Oh Sadie.... I loved her from the last book. This books started off so funny and I knew that it was going to be different than the first few books. Than when Sadie is babysitting was just perfect that just showed how great Sadie and Nikola are. I was glad to see that this all worked out for them both, because Sadie had no family and Nikola would do anything for his family. 

Release: Orion was by far the sweetest guy in all the books! He just was so sweet and what he does for his family is just amazing!! Samara has a awful past and I was glad to see that he could pull her out of the rut she was in. 

Fire on Ice Series by Brenda Rothert

 

Fire on Ice Series by Brenda Rothert

Bound 243 Pages

Captive 234 Pages

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, it is about the same couple and the hard times they go through to make their relationship work and deal with all the grief they both dealt with in the past. Ryker (Jason) is a great guy and you can see that from the first book all the way to the end. I also have a feeling the next book is going to be about Luke, which I can't wait to hear more about him. He just seems like such a great guy just like Ryker. 

What If It's Us

What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

On the scale of Meh to Adorable, this is a puppy, riding a glitter unicorn into the sunset, in order to rescue a tie-dyed kitten from the licorice limb of a tree made from lollipops and daydreams, embedded deep into an earth of caramel walnut fudge, and watered with the drool of a million babies, who just discovered their toes for the first time.

If you can't handle that, then you don't deserve it.

Book 371 read in 2018

Pages: 437

Rosemary Beach Series by Abbi Glines

    

Rosemary Beach Series by Abbi Glines

Fallen Too Far 223 Pages

Never Too Far 193 Pages

Forever Too Far 292 Pages

I gave all three books 4 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed this series, but I didn't like how weak of person Blaire was some times. She had a bad life and that is part of the reason why they made her seem like such a strong person, but at the same time she was also a very weak person, was used often. Rush had my heart melting some times and than some times I really wanted to punch him for the way he was acting. This series did end on a good night and I found that in the end I really did like both of them. 

Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

I binged watched the Netflix show in one day and immediately set to read this. I loved the question through the whole book of is it mental illness or an actual haunting. I really enjoyed being in Nell's head and seeing her thought process has the house (or is it just her mind!) starts consuming her to her ultimate end. Jackson works the gothic atmosphere perfectly and the story reasonated with me long after I was finished.

Rating: 5/5
Pages: 208

Return to Howliday Inn by James Howe

I got a little nostalgic and decided to read one of my favorite scary stories from my childhood. It's fun to visit with Harold, Chester, and Howie as they try to discover who is making the creepy noises in the night. The only thing that disappoints me in this one is Bunnicula is not in it very much, but it's great otherwise!

Rating: 3.5/5
Pages: 195

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

We all know by now that Maas is a genius with world building, but something I almost love about her even more is the complex relationships she builds between characters. Nobody is ever standing still. They’re always moving, changing, and meeting new people who impact their lives and perspectives. Relationships start, grow, change, halt, and even end. Then it begins all over again.

I love this so much, not only because it brings so many new and fascinating characters into each new novel, but also, because it’s so true to life in general. The relationships that get built in this world are complicated and difficult. They take work and time, and sometimes, they're set aside.

Our lives are composed of the people we meet that influence who we are, what we do, where we choose to go, and what we decide to make of the time we’ve been given. That is also true in this series, which is why these novels pull at so many of my emotions. They reflect life and relationships so accurately, even in a complex world.

We say hello. We say goodbye. We say I hate you, and we’re right. We say I hate you, but we’re wrong. We never understand, and then suddenly we get it. We say I like you, and someone says love you back. We say we don’t love you but want to be friends. We say we do love you, and you walk away anyway. We cheer and grieve and drown in desire. We screw up bad. We try to fix it. Then we screw up worse. We forgive people when they screw up, but we struggle to forget. We do lovely, kind things that make the world better, and we do rude, thoughtless things that make the world worse. We live, and it’s absolutely messy and painful and spectacular.

These books make me feel alive, and they remind me that life is so good, because it’s messy and challenging. We struggle through the mess, and that’s where we build our deepest friendships, create our strongest allies, and learn to be better, stronger, kinder, and more willing to fight for everything that matters to us, which is what leads us to the spectacular.

I love this book in the series, even though it made me suffer in agony for two whole years before I could find out what happens to Aelin, because there’s so much life and truth and nuance here. This world would have been incomplete without this story, and I wouldn’t have been willing to give up any of the time that was spent with these characters, not even for a faster resolution to what happened at the end of Empire.

Chaol is a difficult character. He’s hard on himself. He’s hard on others, and he hangs onto things that eat people up from the inside out. I get that, and while sometimes across the series, it made me really frustrated with him, the truth of the matter is that there’s a lot of me in Chaol, and not the good stuff. So then I was hard on him, impatient with him, irritated with him, and I didn’t excuse him for his mistakes, even though I’ve made just as many mistakes in my life, probably more.

For me, this is a story of growth, redemption, and finding where you belong, not just for Chaol, but also for Nesryn, and even Irene. It’s a rich addition to an already amazing series, and I’m so happy I reread it. This probably won’t be the last time I do so.

Pages: 664

PREVIOUS REVIEW:
I love this world so much. I kind of hope the series drags on forever (this is book 6). Each book pulls me deeper and makes me love the series more. It’s one of those series that just grows and grows in the best sorts of ways. My least favorite book, is the first one, which is not to say that I dislike it, just that I can’t believe how much this series and world has grown since then.

I listened to the audiobook, which was excellent.

Also, I confess I was feeling a bit disgruntled with Chaol, whom long ago I loved, before I started to kind of hate him. This book really brought things full circle for me.

Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian

Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book, but it was just lacking in some areas. I really didn't start to enjoy it until almost half way through. The first part was kind of boring and didn't draw me in. I didn't like how pretty much the whole book he was like hot and cold towards her. He just kept saying over and over that he would never settle down. I will go onto book two and hoping that it draws me a little more than the first one.
402 Pages

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After We Fall by Melanie Harlow

After We Fall by Melanie Harlow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the book, but Jack has a past that was never cleared up what all happened. It would have been nice to have the missing pieces to get a better understanding of him. I just think that it would have made the book just that much better, because you don't really get to know him. I loved how the book started off, making you think one thing and it ended up being a completely different thing.  355 Pages

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Man Candy by Melanie Harlow

Man Candy by Melanie Harlow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was full of humor and funny little moments that just make you laugh out loud. He is just such an amazing guy and was pushing so hard to show her what love can be like. 292 Pages

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Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

Wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Wow.

That's a very traumatized, repetitive wow, in case you couldn't tell. The story brutalized me, again. This book inspired just as much of a horrified wow on the second read as it did on the first. I was so verklempt upon finishing this reread, that it took me another 6 days of being stressed out before I could actually get around to writing this review.

But holy wow was this brutal. The ending completely gutted me, and I knew it was coming. The way the plot and storylines are woven together across the course of the series astounds me. It all brought us to this mind-blowing scene in the series where so many different strands and moments come together to create possibly the most epic turning point imaginable. And it's like so much bad and so much good and so much---good lord, did that really just happen?--inside one climatic moment that it's almost impossible to be a functional human again after reading that.

Sarah J. Maas is a fantasy queen, but in order to understand her full brilliance, you have to read yourself through to this moment in book 5 that will show you that everything you thought you knew and understand was only a mere glimpse of the potential that exists for this world, these characters, and this author.

This would absolutely be in my pile of 10 books to take with me, if I was being exiled into a book-less society, even knowing how much that ending completely tortures me and has for the better part of two years.


Book 370 read in 2018

Pages: 693

PREVIOUS REVIEW:
!!!!!!!! *^%#%^*!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Frozen by L.A. Casey

Frozen by L.A. Casey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my, this book was funny! They have some banner back and forth, that is just hilarious. They stuff they do to each other over the years is just great! I loved how much their families are all friends and play into the games between the two of them. 274 Pages

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It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time by Kylie Scott

It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time by Kylie Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a first love romance book, that the timing was just off when they first met. The age gap of 15 years and her father played a big part of the timing being off. I really enjoyed how her new step mother was the reasoning for all of them. I just feel like her dad should have still be a little more mad about them getting together and how he found out about them. But over all it was a good second chance at romance book. 287 Pages

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Hard Sell by Lauren Layne

Hard Sell by Lauren Layne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the second book in this series. This book is fun, sweet and had me hoping for a happy ending. I was excited to see how things worked out for Sabrina and Matt, since you meet them in the first book. I just wish there would have been another reason why they decided to give their relationship a go, not because he had to for his job. 247 Pages

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Kanin Chronicles by Amanda Hocking

Frostfire by Amanda Hocking
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had already read the "Trylle Series" so I decided to read this one. This took a while for me to decide if I liked it or not, and it wasn't until almost the end that I decided that I was liking it. I will move onto the next book, I just hope that it gets better and better as it moves forward. 321 Pages

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Ice Kissed by Amanda Hocking
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was so much better than book one. I felt like the story finally got moving a little more in this book. I am very excited to see how this series ends. 309 Pages

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Crystal Kingdom by Amanda Hocking
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was really happy with the way that this story end. There was a lot of death in this book, but it was a nice change of pace from the others. The ending could have been a little better, it just came on so fast. 432 Pages

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Oxford Tearoom Mysteries by H. Y. Hanna

Summary: When Gemma realizes she is missing out on the important things in life, she ditches her high-powered, high-stress job and returns to Meadowford-on-Smythe to follow her dream of opening a traditional English tearoom. What she doesn’t expect is to turn into an amateur sleuth. But, as is the case in all good cozy mysteries, that is exactly what happens. With the aid of four little old ladies, affectionately known as the Old Biddies, and her cat, Muesli, Gemma feels compelled to get to the bottom of every mystery she stumbles across.

Review: I find the characters endearing, thoroughly enjoyed binge-reading this series, and can’t wait for the next one to come out!

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Books Read in Series:

1. A Scone to Die For	334
2. Tea with Milk and Murder	326
3. Two Down, Bun to Go	356
4. Til Death Do Us Tart	378
5. Muffins and Mourning Tea	360
6. Four Puddings and a Funeral	340
7. Another One Bites the Crust	322
8. Apple Strudel Alibi	318
9. The Dough Must Go On	340

Wingmen Inc Series by Rachel Van Dyken

The Matchmaker's Playbook by Rachel Van Dyken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was slow going, but once the story started to picked up I really enjoyed it. It’s a cool concept that they offer services to help out people that need help getting the person they desire. 304 Pages

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The Matchmaker's Replacement by Rachel Van Dyken
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this one even more than the first one!! This one had an added side of humor that made the story that much better!! 320 Pages

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Romance Books

The Soul Mate by Kendall Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 This was a short little romance book, to finish out a series that I started a couple of months ago. I don't know that this romance would ever be real, because it's just seems all to far off to believe that this would ever happen. But still a cute little story.  302 Pages

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Thirty Day Boyfriend by Whitney G.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is just like another book that I have read about a fake relationship, however, there is some humor in this book that made it better than some of the other ones that I have read. 119 Pages

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Splintered Series by A.G. Howard

Splintered by A.G. Howard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Going into this book I wasn’t for sure that I would enjoy it or not. I loved it!! It was much more than what I was expecting. It’s like a darker, much more sinister Alice’s Wonderland. I like the love triangle that is going on throughout this book, but I really can’t decide who I think she should end up with at this point.   371 Pages

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Unhinged by A.G. Howard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book even more than the first one! It is so easy to get drawn into this magical world. I listened to it on audio book, she does an amazing job! There are some scenes in this book that are so much better I am sure just by the way she tells it.    387 Pages

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Ensnared by A.G. Howard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow!! I am very happy with the way that this all ended, but I am also very sad that it ended. This could have been stretched out to more books!   420 Pages

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Reckless by Lex Martin

Reckless by Lex Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a cute little story, it took me a while to put together that this went with the book Shameless, and that was only after Becky helped point that out to me. :) It was a cute little story and I was very happy with the way that it ends. It has little kids in it which I loved!  406 Pages 

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Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

I should reread this series every year, because this book is absolute YA fantasy perfection. I was rendered useless today by the need to read this book straight through, despite the fact that I've read it before. It's still fresh and surprising, and I love watching these characters grow and come into their own. And I seriously need a wyvern. It's so unfair that I can't have one.

Book 368 read in 2018

PREVIOUS REVIEW:
This is brilliant. My brain almost exploded while reading.

I am totally in love with this dangerous fantasy world, and I want nothing more than to live inside it with all the incredible, unique, and deadly characters. Every book is better than the last. I actually hope this series never ends. It’s not possible that I will ever get enough of it.

This is book four, so make sure you start with book one: Throne of Glass. Also, the novellas are fantastic and can be read as a complete set before you start book one, if you want. I recommend that, because they provide excellent background information.

Pages: 648

Trylle Series by Amanda Hocking

Switched by Amanda Hocking
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was hooked by this book pretty fast!! I was drawn into the world and the characters. Wendy has an okay life when she realizes that she isn’t what or who she thought she was. Than when she discovers what her real family is like she isn’t happy and doesn’t like the way that she is treated.   216 Pages

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Torn by Amanda Hocking
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The secrets that were kept from Wendy start to get revealed in this book. I was excited to see that Matt got to come live with her, this was great for her to have that part of her past life. I enjoyed the tension between Wendy and Finn…. And I really am hoping that somehow they end up together in the end. Onward to book 3!   

324 Pages 

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Ascend by Amanda Hocking
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Over all I was very happy with the ending to this story, even though she doesn't end up with the person that I thought that she should have. I was glad to see the happy ending that they all got and the changes that she was starting to work on for her people.  326 pages

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Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

Holy. Wyverns. Let's do that again!

Book 3 is where I stopped enjoying this world and started to become absolutely, completely, hopelessly, and irrevocably obsessed with it.

Sarah J. Maas really digs hard into the magical world and structure in this one, and it's like someone breaking out 30 ice cream sundae toppings, when you expected four.

Three of my favorite characters/creatures arrive in this series (Rowan, Abraxos, and Manon), which makes it so compelling I almost want to read it again right now, only I can't, as I'm now desperate to reread book 4. Because, holy wyverns, that ending. I now remember the suffering of waiting a whole year for book four and am so glad I don't have to repeat that part again.

It should be noted that all the Audible books for this series are fantastic, and Elizabeth Evans is an excellent narrator. She brings expression to the story, without getting in the way of the beautiful language and statements. It's subtle and perfect. I could listen to her read all day.

Book 367 read in 2018

Pages: 565

When We Collided by Emery Lord

When We Collided by Emery Lord
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed that you got to see this book from both points of view. Both characters have a very story that you need to be able to know what each is thinking to get a better understanding of each. Vivi helps bring Jonah and his family out of the low state that they are in but at the same time she puts herself into an awful state. So this was a very sad but yet happy book for me.   352 Pages 

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