Telly Says.....

I was really loving this book.  The cliffhangers at the end of each chapter actually had me holding my breath in suspense.  I lost some much needed sleep last night to get to the end of this book.  And get to the end I did.

I am sad to say that the ending was such a disappointment.  For me it left unanswered questions.  And I have to add that once the "horrible events" were revealed they were not very believable and yes, I am still scratching my head thinking WTH?

I absolutely loved how the book was written.  The author really has a way of pulling you in and holding you just where he wants you.  You know you have to sleep but you just can't put the book down, you have to find out what happens next.  Excellently written, good story that just did not have me believing it as it went on.  

If you like hold your breath thrillers, give this a read.  I certainly will read this author again.

I am halfway through this and loving every page.  

I have not died or moved to another planet as it may seem.  I have just been so busy since starting my dream job.

Backstory......I LOVE animals yet for whatever unknown reason when I went to school I went for people medical assistant instead of vet tech!  I rationalize it by saying that 20 years ago vet tech was not as advertised as it is now.  Pretty much you just got hired by a vet who trained you.  The vets I knew did not have assistants.  Anyway......

In March I sort of semi retired.  I have been a medical assistant for 20+ years, ten of those in pediatrics.  So, I left peds and moved over to two days a week for a plastic surgeon.  Semi-retired....my day didn't start until 10am and I finished by 6pm.  Ahhhhh. That gave me plenty of time to volunteer for a huge animal shelter....so I did.

That volunteering led to a job.  A FULL TIME job.  Full time as in 40+ hours a week as an office manager.  So for the last six weeks I have gone to work, come home and passed out.  LOL  No time for reading!  This is age catching up with me and me thinking "what was I thinking?"  LOL  

I LOVE my job.  Ten years of pediatrics prepared me well for the animals...LOL  I finally feel like what I do makes a difference.  I am at last following my heart and not what "THEY" all say and think.

I have decided to make BL my home base.  I like what it offers more so than what good reads does.  It seems much more intimate and a place to really get to know other readers beyond their reviews. I will have some reviews coming......so long as I can stay awake long enough to write them.  LOL

From Goodreads:

THE LEGEND LIVES
Everyone knows the legend of the Jersey Devil. Some believe it is an abomination of nature, a hybrid winged beast from hell that stalks the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey searching for prey. Others believe it is a hoax, a campfire story designed to scare children. But one man knows the truth...

THE DEVIL AWAKES
Sixty years ago, Boompa Willet came face to face with the Devil—and lived to tell the tale. Now, the creature’s stomping grounds are alive once again with strange sightings, disappearances, and worse. After all these years, Boompa must return to the Barrens, not to prove the legend is real but to wipe it off the face of the earth...

THE BEAST MUST DIE
It’ll take more than just courage to defeat the Devil. It will take four generations of the Willet clan, a lifetime of survivalist training, and all the firepower they can carry. But timing is critical. A summer music festival has attracted crowds of teenagers. The woods are filled with tender young prey. But this time, the Devil is not alone. The evil has grown into an unholy horde of mutant monstrosities. And hell has come home to New Jersey...

My Thoughts:

I live in New Jersey, not far from where this book takes place so of course I had to read it. Hmmmm. I was less then thrilled. It was a gore-fest. I was hoping for a creepy, scary novel but what I got was blood, guts and more guts. I am not squeamish and blood and guts can have their place in a book but for me, it was just too much and not enough story. If that is your thing then this book is for you.

Click here to read about The Jersey Devil

Blurb:  Northern California, during the violent end of the 1960s. At the start of summer, a lonely and thoughtful teenager, Evie Boyd, sees a group of girls in the park, and is immediately caught by their freedom, their careless dress, their dangerous aura of abandon. Soon, Evie is in thrall to Suzanne, a mesmerizing older girl, and is drawn into the circle of a soon-to-be infamous cult and the man who is its charismatic leader. Hidden in the hills, their sprawling ranch is eerie and run down, but to Evie, it is exotic, thrilling, charged—a place where she feels desperate to be accepted. As she spends more time away from her mother and the rhythms of her daily life, and as her obsession with Suzanne intensifies, Evie does not realize she is coming closer and closer to unthinkable violence, and to that moment in a girl’s life when everything can go horribly wrong.This is how I looked reading all of the unnecessary word vomit that this book had!

I always cringe when a book that is so well reviewed looks good to me.  I have a pretty bad track record with loving the books that so many others seem to love.  BUT, I have a sick fascination with all things Manson and this book is loosely based on the "family" so I had to give it a go.  

I wanted so badly to love it even though just a few pages in the word vomit started.  I thought just give it a chance.  I am sad to say it never got better.  There is so much unnecessary descriptions and cutesy prose that it was all I could do to keep reading.

For example: I tended to the in-between spaces of other people’s existences, working as a live-in aide. Cultivating a genteel invisibility in sexless clothes, my face blurred with the pleasant, ambiguous expression of a lawn ornament.

 

To be totally honest, I skimmed the last half of the book just to be able to say I finished it and did not bail.  I wanted to but I keep thinking maybe it would get better.  It did not.

I am glad that I read it, and sad that it did not click with me.  I know thousands of others will love it and I am glad.  

Author's Website

Meet Baba Yaga, the witch that flies around in a cauldron hunting children to kidnap and eat. Yes, this is a children's book. 

In the pages of this story we meet Olga, a young girl whose mother died leaving her with her father who marries providing Olga with the infamous wicked stepmother!  Before Olga's mother died, she gifted her with a special doll that Olga always kept in her pocket.  It is this doll who helped Olga outwit Baba Yaga when the good ole evil stepmother sent her off to Baba's house under the premise of getting a needle and thread.  But we all know it was so Baba could eat her!

I knew the story of Baba Yaga but had never read the fairy tale.  I enjoyed reading the story and especially enjoyed the photos.  I feel that reading the actual book instead of on a Kindle will bring the photos and the story to life.  The photos are cute and friendly and not horribly scary.  (I don't think they are scary at all but I am trying to see them as a 5 year old child would)

This is a fun little book that children who are old enough to understand that it is a fable, and that no cauldron riding witch will be hunting them, will enjoy.  

Suggested age is 5 and up.  

Author's Website

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the free galley of this book.

There is not a whole lot I can say about this book other than I am glad that I read it.

The author shares his experience watching his father decline from a robust, strong man to a man who can no longer do anything for himself.  ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a horrible, horrible disease that needs to be eradicated NOW!  This is a disease that slowly kills your body but never your mind.  Imagine being stuck, a prisoner in your body, a body that you can no longer control, no longer move, yet your brain is as strong and functioning as ever.  That to me is hell on earth.

The book takes us from the past telling stories about "Pa" and the man he was to the present, the man he was forced to become.  We walk the path to death along with the author and his family.  Like everything else, Pa died the way he wanted to proud and strong.

Books like this need to be written and read.  Death does not need to be swept under the bed.  It is important to know how these diseases take a toll on not just the person diagnosed but the entire family.  So We Go is a well written book that will make you laugh and cry but you will be glad that you were invited into this private moment.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a free galley of this book.

With a title like this, how could I possibly have passed on reading this. No way.

I was not sure if I would like it but I am open minded and curious so I started reading. I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Chris Edwards is an excellent story teller. Reading this memoir is like sitting on a comfy sofa with a drink and a snack talking to him. He does not hold back nor does he spin things to show how easy everything went. I really liked how numerous times he admitted that he was lucky to come from well off parents who were willing to help pay for all of his surgeries. He says he is a lucky one who was able to go for the deluxe model that most people can’t afford. There was no arrogance involved with these statements. In fact, I found Mr. Edwards to be very humble.

I can not begin to imagine what it feels like to be in the wrong body. After finishing Balls I am proud to say that I understand a lot more than I did going in. I love this quote: “The fact is gender identity is not defined by what’s inside your pants; it’s defined by what’s inside your brain.”

I laughed out loud in so many places and I will admit to cringing while reading about how a new penis is built. Transgender people are brave souls to be sure. I loved how Mr. Edwards faced everything with humility, grace and most importantly humor.

I have to say a big thank you to Chris Edwards for writing this book, bringing these issues out into the open where conversations can be started. Thank you for the laughs, the cringes and the education that I received from reading this book!

Netgalley provided me a free galley of this book.

Here I sit wondering just what to say about this book.  I don't even know where to start.

 Did I like it? Yes and no.  It was well written and flowed well so that make it easy to read and continue reading even when my gut was telling to to put it away.

The story is not a new one. It centers around the perfect couple. They are not perfect though are they?  The husband in a jerk and the wife is emotionally abused in ways that make me want to vomit!

I am not judging and one never knows why people do what they do, but a part of me did not find Grace to be believable.  I feel that she could have done more to get away from Jack instead of just rolling over.  But again, she had the added worry of her sister's safety tied into her actions.  

The psychological abuse in this book in beyond horrific.  This man Jack was nothing but a monster and we never really find out why he is the way he is, what led him to do the things he did.  In my opinion it was abuse for the sake of abuse and nothing else.

Of course I loved Millie.  She was the only brightness that brought a smile throughout the entire book.  I would have liked to have had a little more information on how things went with her at the end.  I was not a fan of the ending due to lack of information but that is me.  I like a book to have a nice tidy ending and even though this one did, it really didn't.  Yeah, I know confusing.  I am still shaking my head thinking what did I just read and why????

Go ahead and give it a read if you like psychological thrillers but be prepared.  It is extremely disturbing.

The Pick, The Spade and The Crow was a thrill ride from the first page! I was not sure what to expect from the title but the description was right up my alley. How can I not be pulled into a book that starts with a live burial! Yes, you read right, the victim was buried alive.

The plot was fast-moving and there are so many potential killers. I changed my mind numerous times while reading but I did guess it right before the author revealed who it was. I am happy that this is the first book in a series. I look forward to hanging out with the National Crime Agency gang again and getting to know D.I. Joanne Stuart better. Yes, she was a hard ass in the book but she had lots of reason to be that way. I took to her right away.

I think the ending was a wee cliff hanger and I will be keeping my eyes open for book two! If you like a good English mystery that moves at break neck speed pick up this book!

The book was provided by Netgalley free of charge for an honest review.

I am not usually a cozy reader but the pointe shoes drew me in. Being a former ballet dancer I had to read it. It’s a nice, simple, cozy mystery that takes place in a quiet little town of Tranquility, New York. There is a murder, dance teachers, students and a studio but there is not a whole lot about ballet itself.

The book has likable characters, there moments of suspense and humor. I enjoyed peeking into the window of a family dealing with their mother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. The author handled this subject in an wonderful way.

It’s not the best but not the worst either. I will admit that I would not have read it if it was not for the cover. I do recommend it to cozy readers who just want a simple, easy weekend read.

I was provided this book by Netgalley free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

One word review? WOW

Now that I’ve picked myself up from the floor I will share more words.

In all honesty when I started this book I did not think I would like it. It starts with a bang right into the story. I kept trying to go back to the cover because I was sure I was missing the first chapter or the prologue. (When reading an advanced copy the formatting is not always perfect) I thought to myself that if I could not even follow the first pages there was no hope for me and this book.

BUT, as quickly as it took off it came together. I only had to be patient and trust the author to tell her story. The story sweeps back and forth between the voice of “Fake Bec” whose name we never learn. Her story of course takes place in the present time, and the real Bec whose story takes place eleven years ago and slowly unfolds telling us what really happened when she disappeared.

I found myself in those last few chapters to be holding my breath and wanting to speed read to find out what was going on. I forced myself not to do that and to savor and enjoy all of the suspense. I have mixed feelings about the ending but that is just because of how I am, nothing that the author did or did not do.

I really enjoyed this book and will look for more from the author.

I received this book free of charge from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

To start I will say that the title is misleading. The trial takes place at the end of the book and lasts only a few chapters. Well worth waiting for to be sure but not the main story as I thought it would be.

The books opens with Marie awaiting the verdict of her trial in her cell, writing a letter and thinking back over what happened, how it happened and why it happened. Chapter one begins her story and what a story it is.

The telling of this story is as smooth as butter. It is not often that I read a book that flows so beautifully, telling the story so well and not full of unnecessary, boring information. Often I find myself skimming over these parts. The Trial of Marie Montrecourt has none of this. Instead of skimming I often went back and re-read passages, not due to confusion but to immerse myself even more into the story!

There is something for everyone in these pages. Mystery, scandal, a touch of romance, history, murder, a peek into medicine in the 1900’s, herbal medicine, women’s rights, characters you care about, some you want to protect, others you want to hang out with and others you want to give a swift kick in the pants! I would have to say this is one of my favorite reads of this year.

Highly recommended.

See that roller coaster? Well when you open up this book you are getting on it so buckle up, hold on tight and enjoy every second of the ride!

The Obsidian Chamber takes off at top speed and barely slows down. Our adventure takes us out in the middle of the ocean, to beautiful islands, back inside a familiar mysterious mansion, makes us witnesses in an execution chamber and so much more.

We revisit old friends and old enemies. We question if we can forgive, if we should forgive, can people really change that much? If you are like me as with all books in this series I am left with wanting more. Not the authors' fault. It's because these characters are like family that we don't get to see often enough. When finally we are together I don't want to have to say see ya later!

I love this series. The first book Relic introduces us to Agent Pendergast and in the other 15 books of the series we learn just a little more about him. I think he will always be somewhat of a mystery, that for me is what makes him so attractive! Yes, he is my book crush.

It's hard to not let spoilers out of the bag so my lips are sealed. The only thing I will say is in my opinion, this book should not be read if you have not read the others. Yes, it can be stand alone BUT you will not enjoy the ride nearly as much as if you have at least some of the back story that comes in the other books.

IF you have read the others....WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? GET YOUR TICKET AND RIDE THIS ROLLER COASTER NOW!!!!!

~This book was provided free of charge via Netgalley for an honest review~

There is just something about snow that adds to a horrible situation making is seem so much worse. Imagine, snowed in, waiting, knowing there is something out there and it is coming.......what would you do?

This is called a Novella, I call it a short story and I am not a lover of them. I find that there is not enough time to really establish the characters enough for me to really care about them. This book was different, the characters were very unique and I quickly started to hold my breath wondering who would survive and how.

White is a quick, enjoyable read by a great author. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read White in exchange for an honest review.