Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Review: The Couple Next Door

The Couple Next Door The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just wow, Shari Lapena really brought the thunder to this book. I was so involved with the story that I couldn't sleep. Some nights I fell asleep, with the book right by my side. Lapena's attention to detail when giving the reader the background story to characters is simply superb. She manages to do so without spending chapters on just a description. I felt that I knew Anne and we were the best of friends.

The Couple Next Door touches on child abduction with a hint of family mystery. At the beginning I had so many questions about Anne, the mother, and Marcos, the father. They too many seemed like they weren't going to get the parent of the year award. But Lapena, lures you into false assumptions (kudos Lapena kudos).

I will be the first to admit, I really got the "Who done it" question completely wrong. I felt that at some point anyone could have taken little Cora and at one point I thought the cops were incompetent as well.

This book touches on postpartum depression, mistrust, kidnapping of child, mental illness, and dealing with a dysfunctional family. Like seriously that was a mouthful, but it really was well thought out and written.

The Couple Next door is a definite page turner. I cannot wait to explore more books by author Shari Lapena.

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Sunday, May 13, 2018

Review: Mediterranean Diet Vegan Cookbook: Mediterranean Diet for Vegans: Heart-Healthy, Fast and Easy Mediterranean Vegan Recipes for Rapid Weight Loss and Healthy ... For Beginners to the Mediterranean Diet 1)

Mediterranean Diet Vegan Cookbook: Mediterranean Diet for Vegans: Heart-Healthy, Fast and Easy Mediterranean Vegan Recipes for Rapid Weight Loss and Healthy ... For Beginners to the Mediterranean Diet 1) Mediterranean Diet Vegan Cookbook: Mediterranean Diet for Vegans: Heart-Healthy, Fast and Easy Mediterranean Vegan Recipes for Rapid Weight Loss and Healthy ... For Beginners to the Mediterranean Diet 1) by Sam Kuma
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While I'm not a practicing Vegan, I do enjoy recipes that are plant-based. Kuma provides easy to do recipes and I'm grateful they have very few ingredients in them. This makes them easy for me to follow as well buy for. They are fresh ingredients that I would eat anyway but did not think to put together.

I especially like the plain hummus recipe along with the avocado taco dip recipe. They are simply delicious and very easy to make. While I do not lead a vegan lifestyle I thoroughly enjoy incorporating some of the recipes into my diet.

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Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Review: Owned By The Wolves

Owned By The Wolves Owned By The Wolves by Hollie Hutchins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kidnapped and Caged

This book overall was good. There were a few grammatical errors but not enough that it colored the book in a negative way, just a few tweaks need to be made. I absolutely loved the Sophie character. She is strong, smart, business-oriented and overall kind to all she meets. Lupe is a strong alpha male but he also can determine right from wrong. This story moves fast and is well appreciated, but the transition at the beginning to the meat and potatoes of the plot needed a little more work. It was slightly abrupt and needed to be explained a little more. Overall, I really enjoyed the story.

Born to Be A Prince’s Bride

Awe this was a great coming of age story. Absolutely love that the women main characters are portrayed as strong think women and young ladies. What kept me glued to the pages was Thera’s characters will to do what made her happy. She looked at all the angles of being married off and looked at her family dynamic and chose to do what ultimately was in the best interest of her. I know this is a novella but I really hope that there is a follow up to her and Ripley’s story.

Kidnapped By a Wolf

This story sheds more light on the characters previously written in Kidnapped and Caged. What I like most is it provided more details on the antagonist and shed more light on why Sophie was kidnapped; it essentially had more meat in the back story. Now it was a little sappy towards the end but overall it still a great plot. I think the best of both titles should be combined and made into one novella. The flow of Kidnapped and Caged with the backstories and details of Kidnapped by a Wolf.

A Wolf in My Classroom

Now, this is a love story. Oh, there was action, romance, mystery and a little bit of drama. This college coming of age story was simply perfect. You have the athletic clutz, who just wants to have a normal college life. But life won’t let Olive be normal. And why would it, she’s unique and special and her beau helps her discover the real Olive.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Review: The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips

The Darkest Child The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow just wow. How can one book take you through an entire roller coaster ride of emotions? Delores Phillips truly had a gift of writing. And I am sad to hear mid-reading this novel that she had passed and the sequel to her highly acclaimed first novel was never released.

The Darkest Child really touched me. I cried, I laughed, I cursed (up a storm), and I cheered. Phillips gave it all to me unfiltered. Tangy Mae was a very strong young black woman and faced nearly every adversity I could think of in that time frame. While I didn't know grow up in the 50's, I have been told these stories from older relatives of what it was like to grow up during that time in the South. So when I read this novel it hit home a little.

Rosie, Rosie, Rosie - I wondered about this mother character, her mental state, how she became a single mother of so many children. You want to not pass judgment on a woman like Rosie, but reading this book, I developed a sort of love hate relationship with her.

Phillips writes in a way that you become totally engrossed in all of the characters, even the ones that are not apart of Tangy's family. You question the family's, mother's, sisters, and even Tangy life choices. Did I agree with everything that happened, no but I also realized there was a status quo during that time and those that went against it were usually punished severely.

I wish I could rate this above 5 stars because it was truly that real and that amazing of a read. If you wish to experience a really great story, period piece, with lively characters this is definitely the book for you.

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