Touch of Fate by Christine Amsden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



GOODREADS BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Marianne can predict the future but is powerless to alter its course. After a lifetime spent coming to terms with an ability that has cost her much, including her marriage, Marianne moves halfway across the country to make a fresh start and salvage her relationship with her daughter, who has inherited her terrible ability.

Once there, Marianne is drawn to a group of women who share her ability. She starts to find meaning and purpose--until she finds one of them murdered.

In the wake of the murder, Marianne is once again caught up in predictions she is powerless to change. Complicating matters, she finds herself falling in love with the handsome Detective Derek Richards--a man who, her daughter predicts, will become an intimate part of her future.

Time is running out for Marianne. She must learn the truth--about herself, about her power, and about the murderer--before she becomes the next victim.

MY REVIEW:

This book has everything I look for in a novel, mystery, romance, drama and adventure and of course a handsome police detective. Touch of Fate is a paranormal read and the author Christine Amsden has done a great job writing this story it’s easy to read, words flowed nicely and kept me interest all throughout the book.

The main character Marianne who we find out has a special gift, of course we say gift but in reality sometimes to Marianne seeing the future is more of a curse. Marianne’s life has not been easy she has had many losses, and struggles with depression her most recent loss is finding out her husband was having an affair and dealing with the outcome of him leaving and moving on with another woman.

Marianne’s grandmother always told her that she may get the signs but there is nothing she can do to change the future or the events that will unfold. Marianne has learnt the hard way that her grandmother’s words are very true.

We are also introduced to Marianne’s daughter Gabrielle who has also been given her mother’s gift but is still fairly new at this point. Gabrielle and her friend want to go to a party on Friday and this leads to Marianne getting signs that her daughters best friend is in danger and will die in a car accident. When Gabrielle sees that her mother is having signs she wants to know what is going on Gabrielle pleads with her mom to help her save her best friends, ignoring her grandmother’s warning they set out to stop this event from happening.
The outcome of this changes things, their lives seem to fall apart, Marianne finds herself looking at a map trying to find a place to start over. Drawn to St.Louis she sells her house and she take steps to move on and start a new life with Gabrielle.

In St.Louis, Marianne makes friends with a group of women who share her ability to see the future, things seem to going well and she actually feels like she has things under control. But as her life seems to settle down her daughter is spiralling out of control, Gabrielle seems to enjoy warning people of things that will happen of course the outcome of this is not good.

Marianne’s new friend Jean is murdered in the parking garage and we meet handsome Detective Derek Richards who is investigating the murder. He knows things are not adding up and starts to questions the group of women to find out exactly what is going on. During the investigation Derek starts to have feeling towards Marianne and they both seem to show interest in one another. The romance here starts to blossom and Marianne comes clean about her abilities and what she thinks is going on.

Touch of Fate is written in third person and it’s great to see what each character is thinking and planning to do, Christine did a great job in keeping the reader’s connected to each character. I would recommend this book to anyone of my friends who enjoy paranormal, murder mystery and romance novels.

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Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows

GOODREADS BOOK DESCRIPTION:

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

MY REVIEW:
Incarnate is a very different type of story, it’s based around souls, most souls have lived thousands of lives, and every soul has talents so when the body dies their soul gets reborn into another body. The great thing is their souls can remember all their past life’s if they forgot some details they have like journals they keep. In this world they have very little discrimination because each soul can be born a woman or a man so the tolerance is there. I loved this concept.

In this world there is still a dark side there are people fighting dragon and sylphs and danger is around the corner, which of course intrigues us the readers.

Ana the main character in this book is born a new soul with no past lives, and is an outcast, Ana’s mother is very abusive and this has caused Ana not to trust anyone. It was like her mother enjoyed the fact that Ana feared her and enjoyed seeing Ana upset. Ana spent 18 years with her abusive mother and now that she has reached adult hood she plans on leaving and going to Heart to find out why she is different she has so many questions. As the story unfolds Ana does become stronger and it’s great to see her character develop into a more confident young woman.

Sam is another character in the book that you fall in love with, he shows Ana that people do care and Sam cares a lot. Sam’s sensitive and caring and the friendship that develops between him and Ana is great and of course we the reader love to watch this relationship develop. Ana’s life was hell with her mom and really believed that all the other people would treat her the exact same way so it’s hard for Ana to trust Sam.

Jodi Meadows does a terrific job creating this world and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. The description and the music form images in your head while you’re reading this book and it’s fantastic.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves UF/PNR books.

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Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry

First I want to thank Marie Landry for giving me the opportunity to read and review her amazing novel.

This novel is about a young woman becoming her own person, finding herself and finding true love. 

Emma is a 19 year old woman, who has been raised by a very controlling mother she is demanding and critical; she has set impossible standards the no one including Emma could live up to. But Emma tried she worked hard all way through high school, yet her mother never recognized one of her accomplishments. Emma hoped one day her mother would at least show some pride in all Emma’s hard work but that day never came.

Emma realized that she has lived most of her life trying to get her mother’s approval and finally realizes she is never going to get it. With nothing to show for all her hard work Emma knows she has lost herself along the way.

With all her unanswered question Emma decides to go visits her Aunt Daisy for the summer, Aunt Daisy is an artist, she has a carefree soul, lives life to the fullest and Emma wishes she could be more like her. Emma travels to Riverview with plans of spending the summer with her aunt learning how to enjoy herself and hopefully figuring out whom she is and what she wants to do with her future.

The small town of Riverview is comforting and Emma feels at home for the first time in her life. Still not know what she is going to do with her life her aunt encourages her to just to relax and have fun.

Sitting in the park one afternoon Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, he is unlike any boy she has ever met. He is kind, respectful and very handsome; he enjoys life to the fullest he sees the small things around him and enjoys every moment. Nicholas asks Emma out on a date to show her around town. Emma is so nervous she has never gone out on a date; she hasn’t even had a first kiss. The romance that sparks between these two is amazing it is what us girls say what dreams are made from. Emma knows she is falling in love with Nicholas. The romance between these two is fresh, romantic and inspiring.

Life is wonderful and for the first time in her life Emma is happy. But things change, for two weeks Emma hasn’t seen Nicholas, deep down Emma knows something is wrong she finally goes to his house and confronts him.

Nicholas has been diagnosed with cancer. He offers her a way out but Emma knows she is in love with him and wants to be at his side every step of the way.

This story is about love, courage and strength and I will say it is one of the best books I have read this year.

Marie’s writing is fantastic; her words flowed so well you won’t put the book down, well maybe a couple times to wipe your eyes or blow your nose. I can honestly say I will be reading this book again and will be purchasing a hard copy of it when it is published.

I recommend this book to everyone. I know cancer is a deep subject but this isn’t about the cancer this is about the strength of love Emma and Nicholas have for each other and the love of their family and friends who stand by them to help them through the hardest times of their lives.

The question is can love really heal all things?





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The Dark Road Ahead by Vanessa Booke

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The Dark Road Ahead
This is a short story or maybe a vignette, the authors writing is good, descriptive and I liked the moral of the story that you should always be careful of what you wish for.


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Saving June by Hannah Harrington

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


GOODREADS BOOK DESCRIPTION:

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again

MY REVIW:

We all know the feelings that accompany losing a loved one, but when the loved one has taken her own life those feelings I hope not everyone has had to feel. Guilt, anger, pain, grief and not truly knowing why or if you could of stopped it somehow, all those unanswered question are left for you to somehow deal and resolve.

This novel is about a young woman named Harper, who is a strong, confident, and says what she thinks, you feel for her so fast while you’re reading this book. Harper grew up in the shadow of her sister June, June was smart, pretty, organized, kind, seemed to have it all. Harper knew her parents wished she was more like June. Harper’s parents now divorced, her dads with a younger woman so many conflicting emotions going on inside her. Now Harper has to live her life not understanding why her sister committed suicide, no note left behind Harper starts to look around to find any clue possible.

This is where the journey begins, Harper steals June ashes and takes off for California to spread June’s ashes in the ocean, and this is where June always wanted to be this was June dream. Harper, Laney her best friend and Jake a young man somehow connected to June offers his help plus he is their ride.

Laney is the type of best friend you hope you had growing up or have, she is supportive and always there for Harper no matter what. Jake appears to be the bad boy type, obsessed with classic rock music, he believes music can solve everything. Harper knows Jake has a secret he isn’t telling anyone.

Put these three together on a road trip and what you get is a great story, it is funny and real and full of emotions. When Jake and Harper argue you can feel the attraction between them happening. The romance is yummy and you can’t stop reading.

The music is the other part of this novel that was great I found I wanted to go find the songs and download them, and the best part is the author added the playlist at the end of the book.

Overall this book was a great debut novel for Hannah Harrington; I would recommend this to anyone who loves YA romance. I will definitely read anything Hannah writes in the future.


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One Perfect Night by Rachael Johns

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


GOODREADS BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Peppa Grant's fellow employees may call their new CEO Mr. McSexy, but she's also heard that he's aloof and distant. Cameron McCormac certainly seems cold toward Christmas when she meets him at the company's annual party...but he's also the sexiest man Peppa has ever seen. And when he offers to forgive the damage she accidentally caused to his expensive car in exchange for accompanying him to his family's holiday get-together, she agrees.

Cameron needs a date to the family party to get his matchmaking relatives off his back. Their chemistry is instant and undeniable, leading to an incredible one-night stand. But Peppa wants love and family, while Cameron's only interested in temporary pleasure. When their relationship takes an unexpectedly serious turn, will he run the other way—or will he give love a second chance?

MY REVIEW:

This book from the beginning to the end is what I would say a true romance novel worth reading. The two main characters are both dealing with loss, pain and hurt, Cameron is dealing with the loss of his wife and is very scared to open up his heart again. Peppa has been dumped by her ex-fiancé who pretty much runs out and gets married to a co-worker instantly. If that wasn’t enough Peppa is also trying to deal with the loss of a baby finding out she may never be able to have children. 

So first we meet Peppa, at her Christmas work party they find out the entertainment for the children has came down with food poisoning, so Pippa runs out and rents a fairy costume so they don’t have to cancel the children’s party. On her way back she swerves to miss a cat and ends up side swiping her new boss’s fancy car. This is where Cameron comes into the picture and while she fesses up to him about the accident he appears not too worried about this, with a sexy smile he offers her a deal; if she attends his family Christmas party that evening as his date he will call it even and she won’t have to pay for the damages. Peppa agrees.

I really enjoyed this book, it was funny, romantic and of course you fell in love with Peppa and only wanted the best for her. It is well written and the characters were great it kept me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. If you love romance novels this is a book for you to read. 



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Something Different by S.A. Reid

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Something Different by S.A. Reid

GOODREADS BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Tired of his life's endless grind, family man Michael Maguire allows himself one night of deviation. Desperate for something different, he seeks a prostitute in notorious Brixton Park. But Michael, searching for a girl out of PRETTY WOMAN, instead finds blue-eyed, beautiful James Campbell. Tempted and stirred in ways he never imagined, Michael embarks on a sexual adventure with a rent boy from London's infamous Bethnal Green. And what begins as a purely sexual exchange gradually transforms into something else, as James finds himself in desperate circumstances and Michael is moved to help. Drawn increasingly to James, Michael finds himself facing up to the iniquities in his daily life. And finally he must deal with a horror that threatens to explode Michael's safe, conventional existence.

MY REVIEW:

This is the first book I’ve read by S.A. Reid she has an easy to read writing style and she tells a great story. I am definitely looking forward to reading more by this author. Something Different is told from both of the main characters point of view and was easy to follow, which is very important. I found myself really pulling for James and Michael right in the beginning. This is a truly a HEA m/m romance story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

We are first introduced to a man named Michael Maguire as the story unfolds you can sense the struggles he has with his life, work, home, children and marriage. One day Michael decides to step outside the box of what he calls his life and goes into the park where people pay for fast anonymous sex. As he is sitting there watching a young woman and older man disappear into the washroom he is approached by young man named James. James the cute rent boy with a great smile mentions to Michael that he has some great skills and can do anything a woman could do for him and possible even better. Michael seems to think about this and his options and decides to go with it and ends up taking James to the Holiday Inn.

This story is about the relationship that develops between Michael, a technical writer and James, Rent boy. Like I mentioned earlier the story is told by both points of view and is captivating, I couldn’t put the book down. The character development was great and made you like both of the character right away. 

This is not like Pretty Woman type of book where he comes in a swoops James off his feet, Michael help James to accomplish some important things in his life and makes him feel like he deserves these things. As for James he also contributes to their relationship in many ways by giving Michael the power and control to run his own life, becoming a new confident happier man. Both these men never seemed to smile till the met each other.

I also really appreciated how the author touched the subject of sexual abuse and to me was very realistic, I was glad to see how she wrote there is no difference in feeling of loss of control and or having no power being sexually abused by a woman or man.

Ok so in ending my review I want to thank the author S.A. Reid for giving the m/m romance group the chance to read and review your book. It means a lot when an author takes her hard work and gives it to the readers to review at no cost. So thank you very much for this opportunity.

I would recommend this book to all my friends who enjoy reading m/m romance. This book is not about sex this book about falling in love.

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