Category: Reviews

Review: As You Are by Sarah M. Eden

Set in 1815, this romance focuses on Corbin Jonquil and Clara Bentford. Clara has overcome her fear and gotten out of an abusive situation. Corbin’s attempts to attract her attention (based on horrible advice from his brothers) is hilarious. The usual classic misunderstandings and miscommunications keep them apart—providing a good amount of romantic tension. But what sets this romance apart is the clever dialog and depth of character. There is some violence with the physical and emotional abuse of this story, mostly implied and part […]

June 2, 2014 | 0 Comments

Tulips and Treason by Tristi Pinkston

I was a little sad when the Secret Sisters series ended. I just loved Ida Mae, Arlette and Tansy. So I was excited to hear that they would be making guest appearances in this new Omni Orchids series! Tulips and Treason starts off with Jack and Molly, married FBI agents, who are having marital problems. They have decided to call their marriage quits, when they are given an undercover assignment posing as a married couple in the tiny town of Omni, Utah. As much as I […]

April 25, 2014 | 0 Comments

Paris Cravings by Kimberley Montpetit

My good friend Kimberley Montpetit asked if I’d be interested in reviewing her book and I said YES! Because, um… 1) We are BFFs on Facebook, and 2) I’ve read all of her Middle Grade books that she writes under another name, and loved them. I expected no less from her alter-ego in this YA novel—and I wasn’t disappointed. Chloe is having boy trouble at home. Her steady has given her an ultimatum, demanding a more physical relationship. She doesn’t feel right about it and […]

February 4, 2014 | 0 Comments

Just Like Elizabeth Taylor by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli

Just Like Elizabeth Taylor is an excellent read for girls who need to know they can be brave. This book deals with some tough issues—specifically abuse by a stepfather. I hate that we need books like this in our library, but I believe that we do. I was lucky. I had kind and loving parents. But as a young girl and teen, I had several friends whose parent (one or the other or both) regularly beat the crap out of them. I was too young […]

November 25, 2013 | 0 Comments

The Witnesses by Stephanie Black

I am so far behind in writing promised book reviews. I have no excuse except… um… life. But I’m working to remedy that right now. I got my copy of The Witnesses by Stephanie Black the second day of Black October. (That’s what I’m calling it because I was sick all month.) I was sooo excited to get it because it’s the sequel to The Believer (see my review here). I couldn’t read it right away because I was too sick, but believe me, the […]

November 12, 2013 | 0 Comments

The Believer by Stephanie Black

In honor of the fact that my copy of The Witnesses by Stephanie Black (sequel to The Believer) is IN THE MAIL on it’s way to me, I’ve decided to repost my review of The Believer. I originally read and reviewed The Believer in 2006. It was Stephanie’s very first book. Since then, Stephanie has written five mystery suspense novels. Fool Me Twice is my all-time favorite but I’ve loved every one of them. (So has everyone else. Her books won a Whitney Award four […]

October 10, 2013 | 0 Comments

Till Death Do Us Part by Tristi Pinkston

Till Death Do Us Part by Tristi Pinkston is the fifth and last book of the Secret Sisters Mystery series. And that makes me a little sad because I love Ida Mae Babbitt and her group of crime-solving cohorts. Just to remind you of the books thus far: In Secret Sisters, we meet Ida Mae, Arlette and Tansy, the Omni 2nd Ward Relief Society presidency. In their zeal to provide service to ward members, they get involved in a murder mystery. With the help of […]

June 21, 2013 | 0 Comments

Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike

Normally, I don’t do negative reviews. I never review a book that I didn’t like well enough to finish. And if I do finish it and decide I can’t give it a decent review, I just don’t mention it here. Unless it’s a special case—where I feel I need to give readers a heads up. First, let me tell you the good stuff about this book. I thought this was such a clever idea. I was really intrigued. Pike absolutely does a fabulous job of […]

June 20, 2013 | 0 Comments

Lair of the Serpent by T. Lynn Adams

Got an older teen looking for great suspense but you want one that’s clean and that you can feel comfortable letting your kid (and yourself) read? Here’s a great one! Lair of the Serpent by T. Lynn Adams is the third book in a mystery/suspense series about teen-ager Jonathon Bradford. We first meet Jonathon in Tombs of Terror, when at age 16 he goes to Peru to reconnect with his father and ends up getting lost in the tunnels under ancient ruins. Tombs is the […]

June 5, 2013 | 0 Comments

The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back by Sariah Wilson

The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back by Sariah Wilson is amazingly fun! It’s got all the humor and sass of Meg Cabot and Louise Rennison, but without all the inappropriate stuff (language, sexiness). If you like those authors or Janette Rallison’s funny Young Adult reads, you’ll definitely like this book! I always like to get the down-side of a review over with first. So, book cover. Meh. Not really a good one. But don’t let that stop you from giving this book a try. It’s also […]

May 22, 2013 | 0 Comments

When the Butterflies Came by Kimberley Griffiths Little

Kimberley Griffiths Little writes Middle Grade fiction. All of her books contain a little bit of magic—and I love them. Including this new one, When the Butterflies Came. Part mystery, part magic, Butterflies intrigued me from the very first line: “The butterfly comes the day after the funeral.” Tara has lost her Grammy, who was very much the stabilizing influence in her life. She grieves for her, while trying to cope with all the changes her grammy’s death brings—some of them not very pleasant. All […]

May 20, 2013 | 0 Comments

Aura by Rebecca Lynn Talley

Right up front, I want everyone to know two things. 1) I consider Rebecca Talley a friend and she gave me a copy of Aura with the understanding that I would do a review, IF I liked it. But friend or not, I don’t give good reviews to books I don’t like; and 2) I designed the cover for AURA. Rebecca and I worked together on it, sharing ideas and tweaking things. But that doesn’t mean I have a stake in the success of the […]

March 15, 2013 | 1 Comment

A Blind Eye by Julie Daines

I’m always just a little apprehensive when someone asks me to do a book review. If it’s an author I already like, no problem. But otherwise, it makes my tummy just a little uneasy when I open the book and start into those first few pages. I’m so afraid of being disappointed. Especially when the offer of review started as, “My friend wrote a book and I loved it…” Well, of course you did. They’re your friend; you’re going to like their stuff. You’ll get […]

February 11, 2013 | 3 Comments

All Fall Down by Julie Coulter Bellon

My dear, dear friend, Julie Bellon, has a new book out! I love it when my dear, dear, dear friends have new books out and I can help them spread the word. Especially when they have such wondeful covers!* As some of you may remember, I reviewed All’s Fair when it came out in 2008. (You can read that review here and you really should because Julie really liked my interview with her.) I was supposed to review Ribbon of Darkness in 2011 but I […]

November 22, 2012 | 2 Comments

Targets In Ties by Tristi Pinkston

I am a big fan of the Secret Sisters cozy mystery series. Since this is book #4, here’s a quick summary of the first three books (with just a few spoilers): In Secret Sisters, we meet Ida Mae, Arlette and Tansy, the Omni 2nd Ward Relief Society presidency. In their zeal to provide service to ward members, they get involved in a murder mystery. With the help of Ida Mae’s computer genius nephew, Ren, and Arlette’s granddaughter, Eden, (who start a budding romance) they catch […]

November 15, 2012 | 2 Comments