I almost never read romance. I tell you this upfront so that 1) you understand that I have a bias against romances, and 2) you will recognize that if I loved a particular romance, it is something pretty special. To be clear, less than 10% of what I read by choice could be classified as a romance. But when Sarah M. Eden has a new romance out, I’m first in line to get it! To me, Sarah Eden’s writing brings to mind the clever, rich […]
Amy Harmon calls her books romances, but I really think there needs to be another designation for her stories. Because while romance is part of her stories, they are so much more! They contain the whole of life—dreams, disappointments, struggles, triumphs and failures—all wrapped up in lovely prose that sinks into your soul. Take this for example: “True beauty, the kind that doesn’t fade or wash off, takes time. It takes pressure. It takes incredible endurance. It is the slow drip that makes the stalagtite, […]
I loved this book! Book 1, Descendant, was great. We learn about Abby’s powers as she does–and realize that there is a mysterious connection between her and Kye, beyond the blooming romance. In this book, we learn even more about this connection. The more time they are together, the faster they die. On the flip side, being apart is physically painful. An interesting set-up. Abby and Kye feel very real to me, the characters are well-developed and talk and act just like real teenagers. Well, […]
I loved this story! Yes, it’s the typical “I-just-found-out-I’m-special” type YA paranormal story—but this one is funny and clever. It incorporates some of the Swedish mythology, which was new for me and fun. It starts with a group of cheerleaders “hanging” Allyson on her birthday, which just happens to be a few days before Halloween. Allyson, being a typical teenager and clueless about her powers, wreaks havoc upon them. It’s awesome! Trying to wrap her brain around the fact that she’s a witch, learning to […]
Ilana’s Wish is the 8th book in the Newport Ladies Book Club series—and I’ve enjoyed every single one of them! However, this one—this one spoke to me on so many levels. Ilana Goldstein is a regular woman—just like so many of us—who got slammed by the unfairness of life. Her one dream in life is for a family, for children, but she has issue after issue after issue that prevents that from happening. This poor woman barely has a chance to breathe between the events that […]
I have a special place in my heart for books that deal with issues faced when having a handicapped child. I really liked Rebecca Talley’s previous book, The Up Side of Down, which looks at how a Down Syndrome child can change and challenge the family dynamics, but also bring a huge dose of love. I wasn’t quite as enamored by this book. I would have liked there to be more transition time between the break up of Lauren’s marriage and her feelings for Ethan. […]
Let me address the content warning up front. I put it there because some of my readers will be offended by the portrayals and themes in this book. I usually only give a content warning for gratuitous language, violence or sex—when they’ve been thrown in for the shock value alone. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE BOOKS! I soooo loved this book! I don’t even know how to describe how much I loved it. Amy Harmon is a talented writer and this book pulled me […]