Review: The Sweetest Thing

Title: The Sweetest Thing
Author: Christina Mandelski
Source: Netgalley
Rating: 4 stars


Synopsis from Netgalley:
 In the world of Sheridan Wells, life is perfect when she's decorating a cake. Unfortunately, everything else is a complete mess: her mom ran off years ago, her dad is more interested in his restaurant, and the idea of a boyfriend is laughable.
But Sheridan is convinced finding her mom will solve all her problems-only her dad's about to get a cooking show in New York, which means her dream of a perfect family will be dashed.
Using just the right amount of romance, family drama, and cute boys, The Sweetest Thing will entice fans with its perfect mixture of girl-friendly ingredients.

My review:
I really enjoyed this book.  It was a light and fluffy, fast read.  It was well written, the characters were well formed and likable, and it wasn't too serious.  Parts of it were predictable, but overall, it was very good.

I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Review: Enter, Night

Title: Enter, Night
Author: Michael Rowe
Source: Netgalley
Rating:4/5

Synopsis from Amazon:
The year is 1972. Widowed Christina Parr, her daughter Morgan, and her brother-in-law Jeremy have returned to the remote northern Ontario mining town of Parr''s Landing, the place from which Christina fled before Morgan was born, seeking refuge. Dr. Billy Lightning has also returned in search of answers to the mystery of his father's brutal murder. All will find some part of what they seek-and more. Built on the site of a decimated 17th-century Jesuit mission to the Ojibwa, Parr''s Landing is a town with secrets of its own buried in the caves around Bradley Lake. A three-hundred-year-old horror slumbers there, calling out to the insane and the murderous for centuries, begging for release-an invitation that has finally been answered. One man is following that voice, cutting a swath of violence across the country, bent on a terrible resurrection of the ancient evil, plunging the town and all its people into an endless night. "Enter, Night is so rich and assured it''s hard to believe it''s Michael Rowe''s first novel. In its propulsive depictions of deeply sympathetic characters converging on a small town in the grip of gathering horrors, it skillfully brings to mind the classic works of Stephen King and Robert McCammon. But the novel''s breathtaking, wholly unexpected and surprisingly moving conclusion heralds the arrival of a major new talent. Michael Rowe is now on my must-read list.


My review:
I am not a fan of scary stories at all.  I thought this book sounded really good and interesting, so I requested it.  It did not disappoint.  It was not scary really, more just kind of creepy.  However, I did avoid reading it at night.  The book was well written.  I had a little bit of trouble following the storyline when it changed narrators and the year, but it was fine after you got to know the characters.  I wish the author had went a little bit more in depth about the "before" story and those characters.  I definitely recommend this book, even if you don't like scary or "creepy" books.

Review: Knits for Nerds

 Title: Knits for Nerds
Author:  Joan of Dark
Source: Netgalley
Rating: 5 stars!!

Synopsis from Netgalley:
The best of science fiction, manga, and animaguiri meets knit one, purl two as knit siren and part-time roller derby girl Joan of Dark offers up an out-of-this-world assortment of knitting nerdiness inside Knits for Nerds. The patterns for 30 iconic clothing and accessory items inspired by popular TV shows, books, films, comics, and more—including Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Firefly—are presented alongside full-color photographs showcasing completed projects, such as:

• Lieutenant Uhura's sexy Star Trek minidress
• Hobbit feet slippers
• Firefly-inspired scarf, socks, hat, and jacket
• Tank Girl socks
• Hermione Granger's secret beaded bag
• Manga-inspired leg warmers
• The Big Bang Theory-inspired his and hers sweater-vests
• Lord of the Rings-inspired shrug

In addition to a wardrobe of costume finery, hobbyists will also find instructions for practical projects such as an e-reader cover or a laptop bag crafted of checkered fabric that serves double-duty as a chessboard and carryall, as well as patterns for plush toys inspired by Star Trek, robots, and the comic book Squee! Wear (and knit!) your nerdiness on your sleeve with Knits for Nerds.

My review:
I (and my husband) are nerds.  So I was really excited when I saw this book on Netgalley and requested it right away.  There are so many things in here I want to make right away.  My favorite is probably the Hobbit socks.  My husband wanted me to make lots of things in here, especially the Star Trek mini dress.  I haven't actually knitted anything out of it yet, but all of the patterns and items look well done. 

I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Way we fall

Title: The Way we fall
Author: Megan Crewe
Source:  Netgalley
Rating:  3 1/2 star

Synopsis from Netgalley:
When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn's community, the government quarantines her island-no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest. 

Because how will she go on if there isn't?

My review:
I was really excited to read this book because it sounded exactly like something I would love.  However, I found that I was a little disappointed.  For me, it was just kind of "eh".  It was well written and I liked the characters, but I felt like the action never really picked up much.  I just kept waiting for something to happen.  It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either.   

I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Review: You are my only

Title: You are my only
Author: Beth Kephart
Source: Netgalley
Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis from Netgalley:
Emmy Rane was married at nineteen and a mother by twenty. Trapped in a life with an abusive husband, Baby was her only joy. Until one day in September, when Emmy walked the sixty-three steps from the backyard to the upstairs closet, and returned to find Baby missing. All that was left behind was a yellow sock, which Emmy clings to as she's institutionalized for what she calls grief and others call mental instability.

In another town, fourteen years later, Sophie is a teenage girl living a reclusive life with her overbearing mother. They move from place to place with almost no notice, always outrunning the No Good. One afternoon, Sophie ventures outside and meets Joey and his two aunts. Their unconventional family opens up Sophie's eyes, giving her the courage to look into her past. And what she discovers changes her world forever. . .

The alternating narratives of Emmy and Sophie tell haunting tales of loss and freedom that complement one another, though set a decade and a half apart. 


My review:
This book was decent but forgettable.  Most of the plot was expected, and there was nothing new.  It was well written and the characters were well developed.  It was good enough that I wanted to keep reading, but I was disappointed overall.

Review: Lady of the Rivers

Title: Lady of the Rivers
Author: Philippa Gregory
Source: Netgalley
Rating: 4/5


Synopsis from Amazon:
Descended from Melusina, the river goddess, Jacquetta always has had the gift of second sight. As a child visiting her uncle, she met his prisoner, Joan of Arc, and saw her own power reflected in the young woman accused of witchcraft. They share the mystery of the tarot card of the wheel of fortune before Joan is taken to a horrific death at the hands of the English rulers of France. Jacquetta understands the danger for a woman who dares to dream.
Jacquetta is married to the Duke of Bedford, English regent of France, and he introduces her to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy. Her only friend in the great household is the duke’s squire Richard Woodville, who is at her side when the duke’s death leaves her a wealthy young widow. The two become lovers and marry in secret, returning to England to serve at the court of the young King Henry VI, where Jacquetta becomes a close and loyal friend to his new queen.
The Woodvilles soon achieve a place at the very heart of the Lancaster court, though Jacquetta can sense the growing threat from the people of England and the danger of royal rivals. Not even their courage and loyalty can keep the House of Lancaster on the throne. Henry the king slides into a mysterious sleep; Margaret the queen turns to untrustworthy favorites for help; and Richard, Duke of York, threatens to overturn the whole kingdom for his rival dynasty.
Jacquetta fights for her king, her queen, and for her daughter Elizabeth for whom Jacquetta can sense an extraordinary and unexpected future: a change of fortune, the throne of England, and the white rose of York.

My review:
I have read most of Philippa Gregory's books and have loved them all.  However, after a while, they all seem to be very similar.  Lady of the Rivers was a typical Philippa Gregory book.  It was good and I really enjoyed it, but wasn't anything groundbreaking or new.  There was one thing that bugged me about this book: it repeated A LOT.  There were quite a few instances where she described something, and then in the next paragraph, described it again in slightly different wording.  Despite this, I really enjoyed the book and will continue to read her work.

Review: A Thousand Lives

Title: A Thousand Lives
Author:  Julia Scheeres
Source:  Netgalley

Synopsis from Netgalley:
They left America for the jungles of Guyana to start a better life. Yet what started as a Utopian dream soon devolved into a terrifying work camp run by a madman, ending in the mass murder-suicide of 914 members in November 1978.

In A Thousand Lives, the New York Times bestselling memoirist Julia Scheeres traces the fates of five individuals who followed Jim Jones to South America as they struggled to first build their paradise, and then survive it. Each went for different reasons-some were drawn to Jones for his progressive attitudes towards racial equality, others were dazzled by his claims to be a faith healer. But once in Guyana, Jones's drug addiction, mental decay, and sexual depredations quickly eroded the idealistic community.
My review:
I read Julia Scheeres' previous book Jesusland, and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to read this one.  I had heard of Jim Jones' group, but didn't know many of the details surrounding it.  This book was very well written and you could tell that a lot of time and research went into it.  The author consulted more than 50,000 pages of documents from the FBI about the group.  I really liked how the author started from the beginning of the group and didn't just focus on the actual group "suicide".  The fact that she did that allowed the reader to really see how the group and it's leader transformed from a safe place to one where people were afraid.  I also really liked that the book followed the stories of several individual members and how they became involved in the group.  This made the people seem more "real" to me, like I knew these people.  It's kind of weird to say that I loved this book based on it's subject, but I did.  I would definitely recommend this book to others and I will be sure to read other work by this author.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

**I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Everything we ever wanted

Title: Everything We ever wanted
Author: Sara Shepard
Source: Netgalley

Synopsis from Netgalley:
When Sylvie Bates-McAllister, a recently-widowed mother of two, receives a late-night phone call from the prestigious school founded by her grandfather, her family is thrown into chaos. Her adopted son Scott may have been involved in a hazing scandal --and it may or may not have led to the death of one of the boys he coaches on the school team. Sylvie must decide between maintaining her outwardly perfect life --the family estate outside Philadelphia inherited from her grandfather, the school, the reputation --and the son who she feels wants nothing to do with her.
For Charles, Sylvie's biological son, the call dredges up a ghost from the past --his high school girlfriend who has been off the map for years. Joanna, his wife, is forced to confront all the things that she didn't anticipate would come along with a perfect life she imagined ever since she was a young girl, creating her scrapbook of the Bates-McAllisters. Scott, haunted by years of first impressions and assumptions, is drawn into a new understanding of a world he has never felt a part of.

For all the Bates-McAllisters, the phone call awakens questions lain dormant for years, revealing a tangled web of secrets that ties the family together: the mystery of the school hazing, Sylvie's deceased husband's locked filing cabinet, the event that tore Charles and Scott apart the night of their high school graduation, and the intended recipient of a certain bracelet. The quest to push past a legacy of resentment and judgments to unravel the truth takes the family on individual journeys across state lines, into hospitals, through the Pennsylvania woods, and face-to-face with the question: what if the life you always planned for, and dreamed of, isn't what you want at all?

My review:
This book was just okay.  A lot of the characters bugged me, but they didn't seem "real" enough.  The whole storyline with Charles' high school girlfriend bothered me too.  And the synopsis makes it seem like the book is all about Scott but that's only a little part of the book.  I think the book would have been better if it had been shortened by quite a bit.  The writing was well done, but the story itself didn't seem fleshed out enough.  That said, I am interested in reading the author's young adult books. 

Rating: 3 stars

**I was given an electronic copy of this book from  Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Smuggled

Title:  Smuggled
Author: Christina Shea
Source: Netgalley

Synopsis from Netgalley:
Sweeping from post–WWII rural Romania to the cosmopolitan Budapest of 1990, Christina Shea’s Smuggled is the story of Eva Farkas, who loses her identity, quite literally, as a young child, when she is smuggled in a flour sack across the Hungarian border to escape the Nazis.

When five-year-old Eva is trafficked from Hungary to Romania at the end of the war, she arrives in the fictional border town of Crisu, a pocket of relative safety, where she is given the name Anca Balaj by her aunt and uncle, and instructed never to speak another word of Hungarian again. “Eva is dead,” she is told. As the years pass, Anca proves an unquenchable spirit, full of passion and imagination, with a lust for life even when a backdrop of communist oppression threatens to derail her at every turn. Time is layered in this quest for self, culminating in the end of the Iron Curtain and Anca’s reclaiming of the name her mother gave her. When she returns to Hungary in 1990, the country is changing as fast as the price of bread, and Eva meets Martin, an American teacher who rents the apartment opposite hers and cultivates a flock of pigeons on his balcony. As Eva and Martin’s cross-cultural relationship deepens through their endeavor to rescue the boy downstairs from his abusive mother, Eva’s lifelong search for family and identity comes full circle.

My review:
I was instantly drawn to this book because I love books about WWII. To be honest, I read this book a couple of months ago, and I don't really remember that much about it.  It was very well written and the story was interesting.  But as I said, it was overall kind of forgettable.

4 stars

**I was given an electronic copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Review: The Legacy

Title: The Legacy
Author: Katherine Webb
Source: Netgalley

Synopsis from Netgalley:
Following the death of their grandmother, Erica Calcott and her sister Beth return to Storton Manor, a grand and imposing house in Wiltshire, England, where they spent their summer holidays as children. When Erica begins to sort through her grandmother’s belongings, she is flooded with memories of her childhood—and of her cousin, Henry, whose disappearance from the manor tore the family apart.

Erica sets out to discover what happened to Henry—so that the past can be laid to rest, and her sister, Beth, might finally find some peace. Gradually, as Erica begins to sift through remnants of the past, a secret family history emerges: one that stretches all the way back to Oklahoma in the 1900s, to a beautiful society heiress and a haunting, savage land. As past and present converge, Erica and Beth must come to terms with two terrible acts of betrayal—and the heartbreaking legacy left behind.

My review:
This was another book with a slow start.  Once I got into it, it was enjoyable.  It was well written, if a little confusing at times.  Certain things were alluded to, like the cousins' disappearance and Beth's illness, but they weren't fully explained until mostly through the book.  The ending was satisfying, but a little predictable.  Overall, this was a well written and enjoyable book about two sisters and their shared secret.

My rating: 3 1/2 stars

**I received a free electronic copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.  

Review: The last letter from your lover

Title: The Last letter from your lover
Author: Jojo Moyes
Source: Netgalley

Synopsis from Netgalley:
It is 1960. When Jennifer Stirling wakes up in the hospital, she can remember nothing-not the tragic car accident that put her there, not her husband, not even who she is. She feels like a stranger in her own life until she stumbles upon an impassioned letter, signed simply "B", asking her to leave her husband.

Years later, in 2003, a journalist named Ellie discovers the same enigmatic letter in a forgotten file in her newspaper's archives. She becomes obsessed by the story and hopeful that it can resurrect her faltering career. Perhaps if these lovers had a happy ending she will find one to her own complicated love life, too. Ellie's search will rewrite history and help her see the truth about her own modern romance.


My review:
I really liked this book.  It was a bit slow to get started, so I didn't expect to like it very much, but it picked up and pulled me in.  I loved the little bit of mystery about who "B" was, and I was really rooting for him and Jennifer to get together.  I think I actually yelled and threw my kindle down (on the couch, so it was okay!) when they missed each other.  The ending was a little bit predictable, when the reader discovers who and where B is.  I enjoyed the love story and the weaving together of the stories.


My rating: 4 stars

**I received an electronic copy of this book for free from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Riptide

Title: Riptide: struggling with and resurfacing from a daughter's eating disorder
Author: Barbara hale-Seubert
Source: personal copy

Synopsis:
 A young girl’s fatal, decade-long struggle with anorexia and bulimia is chronicled from her mother’s perspective in this heartbreaking memoir. Barbara Hale-Seubert tried to cope with grief, fear, and powerlessness as her daughter suffered through these diseases, and she kept a journal of their experiences as a form of therapy. These entries are the basis for a raw and revealing narrative, meant to offer other parents the comfort that comes with knowing they are not alone, the strength to help their children through the agony of eating disorders, and the grace to learn to surrender what is out of their control.

My review:
This was a difficult book to read because of the emotional content.  It is written by a mother who lost her oldest daughter to anorexia and bulimia.  The book chronicled the author's struggles as her daughter suffers from and slowly dies from the diseases.  She talks about her guilt about not being able to save her daughter and that she didn't do enough to help her.  I have not read very much about eating disorders, but I thought this was a unique view on the subject.  It is definitely worth reading, especially if you or someone you know is suffering from the same illnesses.

Rating: 4 stars

 

Review: The Poisoned House

Title: The Poisoned House
Author: Michael Ford
Source: Netgalley

Synopsis:
The year is 1855 and orphaned serving girl Abigail Tamper, 14, tries to escape Greave Hall, an austere London mansion, in the dead of night. She is hauled back and forced to work for Mrs. Cotton, cruel and devious housekeeper to senile Lord Greave. It isn't just the dreary residents who frighten Abi; there's something terribly amiss in the house. Glasses crash to the floor, rooms are turned topsy-turvy and then righted again when no one is looking, handprints appear in impossible places. Deepening Abi's dread is the upcoming anniversary of her mother's death. She pins her hopes for brighter days on the heir to the house, handsome Samuel Greave, who is returning as an injured hero from the Crimean War. The two played together in childhood, when Abi's mother was Master Samuel's nurse, and they share a brother/sisterlike bond. But the eerie occurrences only increase on his return. Is Abi's dead mother trying to tell her something? Every gothic trope is put to use here: the silent butler, a séance gone wrong, messages via Ouija board, secret alliances, out-of-wedlock pregnancies (two of them), and a last-minute will that changes everything. This ghost story is light fare, chilling, and suspenseful.
My review:
Despite being a bit predictable, this was a quick fun read.  Several of the characters were a bit cliche, such as the Mrs. Danvers-esque housekeeper, but then again, this book was aimed at a younger audience, so they might not see them as I do.  I would have liked some of the characters, such as Abi to be a little more fleshed out than they were.  Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

Rating: 4 stars

** I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Lake

Title: The Lake
Author: Banana Yoshimoto
Source:  Received from Netgalley.com

Synopsis from Amazon:
It tells the tale of a young woman who moves to Tokyo after the death of her mother, hoping to get over her grief and start a career as a graphic artist. She finds herself spending too much time staring out her window, though ... until she realizes she’s gotten used to seeing a young man across the street staring out his window, too.  They eventually embark on a hesitant romance, until she learns that he has been the victim of some form of childhood trauma. Visiting two of his friends who live a monastic life beside a beautiful lake, she begins to piece together a series of clues that lead her to suspect his experience may have had something to do with a bizarre religious cult. . . .

With its echoes of the infamous, real-life Aum Shinrikyo cult (the group that released poison gas in the Tokyo subway system), The Lake unfolds as the most powerful novel Banana Yoshimoto has written. And as the two young lovers overcome their troubled past to discover hope in the beautiful solitude of the lake in the countryside, it’s also one of her most moving.

My review:
I have to be honest and say that I found this book to be a little weird.  The main character is dealing with the death of her mother, so she moves to Tokyo where she meets the man who lives in the apartment across the street from her.  I was a little confused when the characters went to the lake to visit friends.  This book was mostly character driven, and not a lot of action took place.  I prefer my books to have more of a plot, but this book didn't completely disappoint me.  It was very beautifully written and I could feel the emotions the characters were going through.

Rating: 3 stars 

**I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 5 Very good reasons to punch a dolphin in the mouth

Title: 5 very good reasons to punch a dolphin in the mouth
Author: The Oatmeal
Source:  Received from Simon and Schuster at Montreal Blogger Meet up

Synopsis from Amazon: 
Social etiquette, animals, rules of grammar, and more are critiqued in ways ranging from the educational to the bizarre in this collection of comic strips from TheOatmeal.com. While proceeding directly from the newspaper strip tradition, these Web comics present observational humor that's a little more vulgar, a little more clever, and a little more likely to end up with the reader actually learning something than would have been printed in a nationally syndicated comic strip. The humor, like many classic comics, is based on Andy Rooneyesque shared experiences, such as "10 Reasons to Avoid Talking on the Phone," "How to Use a Semicolon (The Most Feared Punctuation on Earth)," and "How to Track, Hunt, and Kill a Unicorn." These are presented in a text-heavy style supplemented with basic, XKCD-like drawings. While the collection is erratic, some of the best strips—many dealing with cats—hit the universal funny bone.

My review:
I absolutely LOVE The Oatmeal website, so when this book came out of the bag at the blogger meet up, my hand shot straight up.  This isn't a typical book, but rather a series of drawings that are "guides".  As a stickler for proper grammar and punctuation, I particularly like the guides dealing with those topics.  A number of the guides also deal with cats.  While most of the content is available on the website, there are a few that are not.  This is a fun, light read that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter.  It would be good for anybody who is a fan of the Oatmeal, but even if you're not, you should check it out.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

I received a copy of this book from the publisher at the Montreal Blogger meet up.  I was not compensated in any way for this post. 

Review: The Twisted Thread

Title: The Twisted Thread
Author: Charlotte Bacon
Source:  Netgalley

Synopsis from Amazon:
When beautiful but aloof Claire Harkness is found dead in her dorm room one spring morning, prestigious Armitage Academy is shaken to its core. Everyone connected to school, and to Claire, finds their lives upended, from the local police detective who has a personal history with the academy, to the various faculty and staff whose lives are immersed in the daily rituals associated with it. Everyone wants to know how Claire died, at whose hands, and more importantly, where the baby that she recently gave birth to is--a baby that almost no one, except her small innermost circle, knew she was carrying. At the center of the investigation is Madeline Christopher, an intern in the English department who is forced to examine the nature of the relationship between the school's students and the adults meant to guide them. As the case unravels, the dark intricacies of adolescent privilege at a powerful institution are exposed, and both teachers and students emerge as suspects as the novel rushes to its thrilling conclusion.

My review:
This book is really similar to The Raising that I read last month.  Overall I enjoyed the book, but there were a few things that I didn't enjoy so much.  I would have liked to have gotten to know Claire, the dead girl, a little better.  The book starts to explore her and her personality, but doesn't go very much into it.  The "love triangle" between Madeline, the art teacher and the cop felt a little forced.  I really didn't like the ending to that story line either.  I would have liked more of an explanation of the school's secret society.  Despite these things, I really did enjoy the book.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

I was given an electronic copy of this book  from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Review: One for the Money

Title: One for the Money( Stephanie Plum #1)
Author: Janet Evanovich
Source: Library

I have heard a lot of good things about the Stephanie Plum series, so I thought I would give them a try.  While I liked One for the Money, I didn't like it enough to continue reading the series.  I thought it was a nice and fluffy read, but it was a little too cheesy for my taste.  I thought the author tried too hard to be humorous and the Stephanie Plum wasn't a very well flushed out character.  Halfway through the book she just started to annoy me.  I usually like books like this, but for some reason these really aren't for me.

Rating: 2 stars

Review: Backseat Saints

Title:  Backseat Saints
Author:  Joshilyn Jackson
Source:  Personal copy

Synopsis from Amazon:
Jackson’s absorbing and rewarding fourth novel spotlights Rose Mae Lolly, a minor character from her popular debut, Gods in Alabama (2005). Rose is now living under the thumb of her abusive husband and his domineering father. A Gypsy in an airport who reads her tarot cards turns Rose’s life upside down when she tells Rose that if she doesn’t kill her husband, he will surely kill her. When Rose realizes that the Gypsy is in fact her mother, who abandoned her when Rose was eight and left her with her abusive father, she takes her advice, but accidentally shoots her beloved dog instead. Rose comes to believe that hope lies in finding Jim, the high-school football star who was the only boy who ever treated her well. As her search for Jim morphs into a bid to free herself of her past, Rose goes on a cross-country mission to escape her husband and find herself. Jackson peels back Rose’s hard edges and resignation to reveal a smart, earnest, brave, and surprisingly hopeful young woman who yearns to make a better life for herself. Rose’s salvation, when it comes, is positively breathtaking.

My review:
I have read a couple of Joshilyn Jackson's previous books and absolutely loved them, so I knew I had to read this one.  I really liked how the author took a minor character from her previous book Gods in Alabama (which I also really enjoyed) and gave her her own story.  Like all of Jackson's novel, Backseat Saints is very well written.  I also really liked how the author focused on one character and made her feel very real and alive.  As a reader I felt very connected to Rose and was rooting for her, but at the same time, she is not perfect and is very unsure of herself and which of her personalities is the real her.  I also really liked how the ending neatly tied everything up and didn't disappoint the reader.  Jackson is one of the few authors who I make it a point to get their books as soon as they come out- in hardcover, which is very rare for me.  I highly recommend Backseat Saints and all of her previous work. 

Rating: 5 stars (my first!)

Review: Cinder and Ella

Title:  Cinder and Ella
Author: Melissa Lemon

Source: Netgalley

Synopsis from Netgalley:
After their father’s disappearance, Cinder leaves home for a servant job at the castle. But it isn’t long before her sister Ella is brought to the castle herself—the most dangerous place in all the kingdom for both her and Cinder. Cinder and Ella is a Cinderella story like no other and one you'll never forget.

My review:
I have read several re-tellings of fairy tales and really enjoyed them.  Cinder and Ella was no exception.  It started out being quite different from the well known version of Cinderella.  In this version, Cinder and Ella have 2 sisters who they have to take care of when their father disappears and their mother does nothing but spin yarn.  Soon they become known to their mother as just "Cinderandella" and Ella is ignored completely.  Cinder goes to the castle to work to better support her family.  Ella also leaves, seeing no reason to stay at home.  I really liked this book, but was disappointed by the ending.  I also didn't feel very connected to the characters.  Since it is such a short book, that is somewhat to be expected.  Overall the writing was well done and I enjoyed the book.  I almost wish it was longer or that the author would write a sequel.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars 

I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Surviving the Angel of Death

I had read other bloggers talk about Netgalley, but I had never tried it before last week.  I finally checked it out last week and I was amazed.  There are so many good books that caught my eye.  I was especially interested to read this one, since I have always been fascinated by the Holocaust.  I've read a lot of books about the Holocaust, and even took a college class on the literature of the Holocaust.  But I had never read anything about the Mengele twins.  I really liked this book.  It was moving and horrifying at the same time.  I was especially touched by the author's devotion to her twin.  I would have liked a little more detail about what the author went through in Auschwitz, but overall, this was a good quick read.

3 1/2 stars

Source:
I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.