Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

I read this as part of one of the book clubs I’m in. I have mixed feelings about it. First, the good stuff. I love this to-do list that Sloane sends Emily. I love how it pushes her boundaries and that she struggles to check things off. I like the character growth seen in Emily, how she finds the determination and courage within herself to defy her limits and step outside her comfort zone. I think this is a good lesson for all humans. Most […]

June 13, 2014 | 0 Comments
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Review: As You Are by Sarah M. Eden

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
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Book Club Book Suggestions

Book Club Book Suggestions

First thing you need to know about this list is I created it for a specific group of six women. Some of my favorite titles aren’t on this list, and neither are books that most of the individuals have already read. There are certain genres no one in the group will read and other genres that are more popular. Also, they don’t want to start a series they can’t finish. I googled “popular book club books” and also looked at what I’d read recently and […]

May 21, 2014 | 0 Comments
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Tulips and Treason by Tristi Pinkston

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
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Books at Comic Con! Yes!!

Books at Comic Con! Yes!!

I won tickets to the Salt Lake City FanX Comic Con. A lot of my author friends were here at Comic Con. Many of them were doing presentations, panels, and/or had booths. I did not see them, but I know they were there because: 1) their names were in the program, and 2) I’ve seen them posting pics on Facebook. I wish I had photos and could spotlight each and every one of them but… So here’s who I did see… Brandon Mull Loved his […]

April 19, 2014 | 0 Comments
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Rules of Engagement by Amber Gilchrist

Rules of Engagement by Amber Gilchrist

If you’re into all that kissing/hand holding/heart pounding stuff, here’s a book you might like. I’m not a big romance fan, but I AM into authors. I’m always curious to find out what makes them tick. So here’s a short interview with Amber. Q: Hi, Amber. Welcome to Inksplasher. Tell me a little about yourself. A: I’m a wife, a mother and a writer of Young Adult fiction. I traveled a lot as a child, but went to high school in Denver. Now I live […]

February 25, 2014 | 1 Comment
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Paris Cravings by Kimberley Montpetit

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
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Just Like Elizabeth Taylor by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli

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
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The Witnesses by Stephanie Black

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
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The Believer by Stephanie Black

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
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Till Death Do Us Part by Tristi Pinkston

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
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Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike

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
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Lair of the Serpent by T. Lynn Adams

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
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The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back by Sariah Wilson

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
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When the Butterflies Came by Kimberley Griffiths Little

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
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