An Invincible Summer by Mariah Stewart (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"It was a lifetime ago that recently widowed Maggie Flynn was in Wyndham Beach. Now, on the occasion of her fortieth high school reunion, she returns to her hometown on the Massachusetts coast, picking up right where she left off with dear friends Lydia and Emma. But seeing Brett Crawford again stirs other emotions. Once, they were the town’s golden couple destined for one another. He shared Maggie’s dreams—and eventually, a shattering secret that drove them apart.

Buying her old family home and resettling in Wyndham Beach means a chance to start over for Maggie and her two daughters, but it also means facing her rekindled feelings for her first love and finally confronting—and embracing—the past in ways she never thought possible. Maggie won’t be alone. With her family and friends around her, she can weather this stormy turning point in her life and open her heart to the future. As for that dream shared and lost years ago? If Maggie can forgive herself, it still might come true."

My Thoughts:

This book was such an enjoyable read for me!  I was in the mood for a change of pace from the darker books that I had been reading and this fit my reading mood perfectly.  One of the things that really made this book stand out for me is that it featured an older protagonist.  As a women in her late thirties, please let me tell you how refreshing it is to find a book with a main character that is older and in a different stage of her life than you usually find in books.  Like yes please!  We need more books with characters that are in their fifties or sixties for instance, and starting a new phase of their life.  It's just not done that often - I didn't know that I wanted it until this book - and now I want more!  Because there is plenty of life after thirty despite what some people might think or act like.  Why shouldn't we be reading about those stories as well?  I'm going off on a bit of a tangent but I just loved that part of this book and want to see it in more books.  I also loved that even though this book was Maggie's story - it was also the story of Maggie's daughters and Maggie's two closest friends.  There is a lot to this book and some of it is a bit on the darker side which I didn't expect.  Please make sure you check the content warnings that I'll share at the end to make sure that you are prepared going in.  But I really loved these characters and this story.  The characters just felt real and flawed in the best of ways.  I found myself caring about each of the characters which has me really excited that this book is just the beginning to a series.  I will definitely be continuing on as I want to see what happens with some of these other characters.  I just want more if I'm being honest!

Read this book if you are a fan of women's fiction, contemporary fiction, or are looking for a great summer read.  This is a book that looks at grief and also just life in general.  It stood out for me because it isn't focused on your typical characters that are just starting their life.  Instead it looks at friendship, motherhood, and just being a woman in general but all from an older more experienced viewpoint.  It's a book that I breezed through (although that seems a bit wrong to say considering there is some darker subject matter included within) but I couldn't put it down.  The author really brought these characters to life for me.  And because she did I enjoyed this book immensely.  I'm really looking forward to reading more in this series in the future.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A book with characters that I want to read more of!  I definitely will be continuing on with this series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Honest thoughts are my own.

CW: Death of a loved one, divorce, suicide, drug use, cheating, loss, grief, adoption, secrets

The Hollows by Jess Montgomery (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Ohio, 1926: For many years, the underground railroad track in Moonvale Tunnel has been used as a short cut through the Appalachian hills. When an elderly woman is killed walking along the tracks, the brakeman tells tales of seeing a ghostly female figure dressed all in white.

Newly elected Sheriff Lily Ross is called on to the case to dispel the myths, but Lily does not believe that an old woman would wander out of the hills onto the tracks. In a county where everyone knows everyone, how can someone have disappeared, when nobody knew they were missing? As ghost stories and rumors settle into the consciousness of Moonvale Hollow, Lily tries to search for any real clues to the woman’s identity.

With the help of her friend Marvena Whitcomb, Lily follows the woman’s trail to The Hollows—an asylum is northern Antioch County—and they begin to expose secrets long-hidden by time and the mountains."

My Thoughts:

Wow!  I am so, so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book and find this series.  It was SO good!  I picked this one up and almost instantly knew that it was the kind of book that you take your time with.  I've got to admit that's exactly what I did as I let the author wrap me up in the story that she was telling and these characters lives.  It wasn't always an easy read as it stays very true to the historical period that it is set in.  Women's rights are iffy at times and there was a different expectation of how a woman should behave back then.  It's set during a time period when integration was beginning to happen but not everyone was on board with it yet.  It touches on some very difficult topics to read about but I felt like the book handled them true to the time period in which it was set.  One of the things that I enjoyed most about this book was how the author brought these characters to life for me.  This is the second book in a series where I haven't yet read the first.  It didn't matter though because the author was still able to bring these characters to life in a way that they almost felt like old friends.  They had imperfections and didn't always make the best decisions but that made them feel all the more real.  I'm going to make a broad proclamation here with only having read the one book in this series but this book gave me serious Louise Penny vibes.  They are very different as this is a historical mystery whereas Penny's series is not.  But it is something about how both authors bring both the characters and the towns that they live in to life that really struck a chord with me.  I felt like I was there in the hollows when reading this book right alongside of Lily and her friends.  It was just SO good and I'm so excited to have found this author and series!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more in this series!  The more historical mysteries I read, the more I realize how much I enjoy this genre.  This book was a definite standout for me!  I don't think that you should rush through reading this one but instead just take your time with it like I did.  It was a really wonderful reading experience that way!  I really was able to connect with the characters - even when at times I was frustrated with the choices that they were making.  I won't be waiting long to read the first book and then I will eagerly be waiting for the next release!  This a book that I can highly recommend!

Bottom Line:  An atmospheric mystery that I just couldn't get enough of!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Honest thoughts are my own.  

The Cost of Honor by Diana Muñoz Stewart (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"He gave up everything to escape his family

The only male to be adopted into the notorious Parish family, Tony Parish always did right by his vigilante sisters. But when an attempt to protect one of them went horribly wrong, he had to fake his own death to escape his fanatical family. Tony set sail and ended up in Dominica—face to face with the woman of his dreams...

Now he must give up Honor to save her

After the death of her mother, Honor Silva moved to Dominica, where her family could help her heal and move on. But her activist mother left her more than money, she left her proof that could take down one of the richest and most powerful men in the world.

Tony gave up everything he thought he knew when he fled his family. But when a threat too dangerous for Tony and Honor to fight on their own closes in, he has no choice but to go to them for help. Problem is, they'll demand something in return—something that could cost Tony not just Honor, but also the love that changed him forever."

My Thoughts:

I am officially hooked on this series!  A few months ago I read (and really enjoyed) the second book in this series The Price of Grace.  It left me completely excited about this book and happily it was just as good as I had hoped!  What a page turner this book was!  I swear I was 100 pages into this one and then all of a sudden I hit this point and knew that I wasn't going to be able to stop reading until I finished.  It was just that good and I HAD to see how everything was going to turn out.  One of the things that I really liked about this book was that there were two separate threats that Tony and Honor are facing.  One is an unknown threat to Honor's business that Tony is attempting to help her with.  The second one is the threat that Tony's family will find him and wipe his memories. These two things added a lot of suspense and tension to this book.  It also helped for me to really understand and get behind the relationship that developed between these two.  I'm not usually one for relationships that develop super fast - I prefer the building up of a relationship the majority of the time.  Not in this case though because I was completely behind their relationship and the why's that they were diving into it so fast.  They knew that there time was limited together so they weren't going to waste one second of the time that they did have.  They had the perfect blend of chemistry and heat which had me rooting for their happy ever after the entire time.  I really, really liked this book so I'm eager to see if there are going to be more books in this series.  In the meantime, I need to go back and finally read that first book that started this series.  I do recommend reading these books in order if possible.  I didn't feel like it hurt my enjoyment in the second book at all (not having read the first) but by the time that you get to this one, I'm sure there are too many spoilers otherwise.  Also, things that happened in that second book definitely carry over into this one so that's another reason to read them in order if at all possible.  Plus, the two that I've read were so good so definitely worth your time!

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book and this series in general so far.  I'm really, really hoping that we get more books featuring the Parish family because I'm not ready for it to be done.  This book had the perfect blend of heat and suspense - this is romantic suspense at its best in my opinion!  I would recommend this book and series to fans of romantic suspense, romance, and even suspense readers in general.  Read it in order if you can or start with The Price of Grace like I did!  An easy book to recommend!

Bottom Line:  The perfect blend of romance and suspense - what more do you need?

Disclosure:   I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Honest thoughts are my own.

Nothing to Fear by Juno Rushdan (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Fearsome Gray Box operative Gideon Stone is devoted to his work and his team. He's never given reason to doubt his loyalty...until he's tasked with investigating Willow Harper, a beguiling cryptologist suspected of selling deadly bio-agents on the black market.

He knows she's innocent. He knows she's being framed. And he knows that without him, Willow will be dead before sunrise.

Thrust into the crossfire of an insidious international conspiracy, Gideon will do anything to keep Willow safe...even if that means waging war against his own. With time running out, an unlikely bond pushes limits―and forges loyalties. Every move they make counts. And the real traitor is always watching..."

My Thoughts:

Let me tell you how much I enjoy romantic suspense when it is done like this!  Books like this are why I enjoy this genre so much.  This book was the perfect blend of suspense and romance.  I was turning the pages as fast as I could the majority of this book while reading, but also just loving the developing relationship between Willow and Gideon.  And can we just shout out the fact that Willow is on the spectrum and the amazing way that the author writes her character.  She is who she is and we got to the struggles that she faces from being "different" (for lack of better word here) as well as the strengths that she has from it.  It isn't something that is glossed over at all in this book but is instead such an integral part of her character.  I cannot honestly say that I've ever read a romantic suspense book featuring a character like this until now which is a shame. How lucky am I though that I have another book in this series to catch up on after enjoying this one so much?  The chemistry between Gideon and Willow was HOT!  I enjoyed that they each had their own issues that they needed to work through before they were ready to even think about being in a relationship.  And I also have to say how much I appreciated that their romance came together during reasonable times - and not when they were literally in the middle of being chased by the bad guys like it does sometime in other books of this genre.  The feelings that grew between the two of them felt natural and I was completely here for it all.  I have a copy of the first book but didn't get the chance to read it before this one and it didn't affect my enjoyment in the slightest.  I'm super excited though to go back to that first book after enjoying this one so much!

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book immensely!  It was the perfect mix of suspense and romance with characters that I just couldn't get enough of.  I'm so glad that I have now found this author and series because this book was that good!  I don't want to say too much more as I don't want to spoil anything.  If you enjoy action-packed, suspenseful books with romance mixed in, check this one out.  I would highly recommend it and am really looking forward to seeing what other readers think of it!

Bottom Line:  A book that has me just itching for more books just like it!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Honest thoughts are my own.

The Price of Grace by Diana Muñoz Stewart (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Gracie Parish knows the true cost of trust. Rescued as a child by the infamous Parish family, she became a member of their covert sisterhood of vigilantes. Gracie saw her most precious relationships destroyed by secrecy. She learned long ago to protect her heart as well as her family's secrets.

Special Agent Leif "Dusty" McAllister will do anything to uncover the truth about the Parish family's covert operations. Dusty knows Gracie is his ticket in. He'll use everything he's got—fair, unfair, and just plain wrong—to break through her defenses. But the more he gets to know Gracie and her family's mission, the harder he starts to fall. Neither one is sure they'll get out of this with their lives—or their hearts—intact."

My Thoughts:

This is the kind of romantic suspense read that I could not help but enjoy!  It was fast paced and unexpected throughout the entire book which I couldn't help but love!  This is actually the second book in the series but I decided to start with it first (and now will soon be going back to the first book to catch up on what I've missed).  One of the main things that made this book stand out for me was Gracie's family and the things that she has given up to protect her family.  I don't want to spoil anything for readers so I'll just leave it at that.  As the book goes along, we get to see that she is struggling with the things she has given up and is wanting to make changes to her life.  At the same time, she is dealing with Dusty's arrival back into her life after other certain events.  Grace knows that Dusty is investigating her family for the FBI but she just can't seem to keep away from him herself.  The chemistry between these two is definitely hot!  Before I go any further, I have to tell you my one small gripe with this book.  It starts off when these two first meet and there was such a huge case of insta-lust that I was immediately thrown off especially with the dangerous situation that they were in.  I'm only telling you this because I think that there are other readers like myself that aren't quite as huge fans of insta-love or lust and might feel similarly.  I'm super glad that those opening scenes didn't stop me from continuing because the rest of the book wasn't like that at all.  Yes, they are still attracted to each other from the beginning but they both understand why a relationship between the two of them is a bad idea and probably wouldn't work.  Gracie fights her attraction to Dusty which just made the moments when they finally came together (not a spoiler - this IS a romance) that much sweeter.  I actually really adored both of their characters so I was rooting for them to find their happy ever after. The suspense portion was very well done and was why I just couldn't seem to set this book down!  The way this book ended left me very curious to see what will happen next in book three.  To make the wait seem shorter though, I definitely plan on going back to the first book I Am Justice!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and flew through the pages of it!  One of the things that I'm most excited about with reading more books in this series is learning more about Gracie's family.  They have me so intrigued so I can't wait to read more about them all.  This book was also another really great reminder of why I enjoy romantic suspense so much!  There is just something about a book with a romance and a mystery mixed together that I can't get enough of!  It's like the best of both worlds when it is done right and this book definitely was!  I would recommend this book to readers of romance and romantic suspense easily!  You definitely don't have to read this series in order (I didn't).  I didn't feel like I was missing out whatsoever.  That being said, this book and series has me wanting to go back to that first book which should tell you all that you need to know!

Bottom Line:  A romantic suspense that reminded me exactly why I love this genre so much!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Honest thoughts are my own.

A Family of Strangers by Emilie Richards (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"All her life Ryan Gracey watched her perfect older sister from afar. Knowing she could never top Wendy’s achievements, she didn’t even try. Instead Ryan forged her own path while her family barely seemed to notice.

Now Wendy shares two little girls with her perfect husband while Ryan mourns the man she lost after a nearly fatal mistake in judgment. The sisters’ choices have taken them in different directions, which is why Ryan is stunned when Wendy calls, begging for her help. There’s been a murder—and Wendy believes she’ll be wrongfully accused.

While Wendy lies low, Ryan moves back to their hometown to care for the nieces she hardly knows. The sleuthing skills she’s refined as a true-crime podcaster quickly rise to the surface as she digs for answers with the help of an unexpected ally. Yet the trail of clues Wendy’s left behind lead to nothing but questions. Blood may be thicker than water, but what does Ryan owe a sister who, with every revelation, becomes more and more a stranger?

Is Wendy, who always seemed so perfect, just a perfect liar—or worse?"

My Thoughts:

Oh wow - I really enjoyed this book!  I picked this one up and was a bit intimidated by the size of it (it's close to 500 pages) but I needn't have worried.  I absolutely fell into the pages of this book and Ryan's life.  I feel like this book was the type of book I've been wanting and waiting for without even really knowing it. I read a ton of thrillers and mysteries - I wouldn't categorize this book in either of those genres really even though it has elements of both.  Instead, I think that I would call it a family drama maybe or suspense.  Honestly it doesn't even matter to me what exact category this book falls into because really it was just a plain great read!  From the very beginning pages, I fell into the story the author was telling and Ryan's life.  Ryan's life is upended when her sister calls her one day and basically tells her little to nothing other than she might be charged with murder and she needs Ryan to care for her children while she tries to clear her name.  And just like that I was completely sucked in.  I don't think it is a spoiler to say that Wendy's brief call leaves the reader with more questions than answers.  I was completely hooked that easily and stayed hooked throughout the rest of the book.  The author did a really great job with the pacing in this book so that I never lost interest.  Just when I would think that I had things figured out there was a twist that changed everything.  I need more books like this in my reading life!  I just loved how easily I found immersed myself within this book - I couldn't stop reading it and didn't want to.  I'm hesitant to say much more.  This was a book and a reading experience that I just couldn't get enough of!  

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book immensely.  I need other readers who have read this book to recommend me more just like it (well, not exactly like it but you know what I mean).  I need more books like this in my reading life - that's for sure.  This book worked for me so well because it did have suspense and mystery elements but the focus was on Ryan and her family.  The secrets and truths that were coming to the surface whether she was ready for them to or not.  I loved every minute of my reading experience with this book which is why I can't wait to read more by this author.  The positive side is that it looks like this author has quite a backlist for me to try!  That's always exciting!  I would recommend this book to readers of suspense, mystery, and those who love books focused on family secrets or drama.  It's a page turning read that I highly recommend!

Bottom Line:  A reading experience that I won't be forgetting anytime soon!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Honest thoughts are my own.

The Summer of Sunshine and Margot by Susan Mallery (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"As an etiquette coach, Margot teaches her clients to fit in. But she’s never faced a client like Bianca, an aging movie star who gained fame—and notoriety—through a campaign of shock and awe. Schooling Bianca on the fine art of behaving like a proper diplomat’s wife requires intensive lessons, forcing Margot to move into the monastery turned mansion owned by the actress’s intensely private son. Like his incredible home, Alec’s stony exterior hides secret depths Margot would love to explore. But will he trust her enough to let her in?

Sunshine has always been the good-time sister, abandoning jobs to chase after guys who used her, then threw her away. No more. She refuses to be “that girl” again. This time, she’ll finish college, dedicate herself to her job as a nanny, and she 100 percent will not screw up her life again by falling for the wrong guy. Especially not the tempting single dad who also happens to be her boss.

Master storyteller Susan Mallery weaves threads of family drama, humor, romance and a wish-you-were-there setting into one of the most satisfying books of the year!"

My Thoughts:

This was such an enjoyable and page turning read!  I feel like this is another book that would be perfect spend reading on the beach or during a long, hot summer afternoon.  This is actually only my second or third book (I tried checking Goodreads but she has written so many books that I couldn't tell for certain) that I've read by this author but I really enjoyed them both so much.  Mallery has a knack for creating characters that you can't help but root for and enjoy reading about.  Sunshine and Margot were both so very different, and yet they were twins and also wanted the same things out of life.  It was just the case that neither of them thought that they would ever find true happiness thanks to their family history.  Sigh...how can you not want happiness for characters when they feel that way?  I just instantly found myself attached to them both and the two storylines that the author was telling us.  I loved when the two storylines intertwined but really I enjoyed it all.  I didn't even have a preference of one sister over the other - I wanted both of them to find true love and happiness with their lives.  I also really enjoyed the fact that neither of them were perfect or completely had her life in order.  Margot was definitely more on the I've got my stuff together side of things but she still had her issues that she was dealing with.  Sunshine on the other hand is just now going to college for the first time and trying to really make changes with her life.  While that isn't where I'm at in my own life, I related. to her and the struggles that she was dealing with because of the choices she made when she was younger.  I'm telling you guys - this book was such a winner for me because of these two characters and how relatable they both felt.  The pages of this book just flew on by and I was finished before I even knew it.  

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book immensely!  It just felt like the perfect read for these early summer days and I soaked it all in!  I'm not sure if I would classify this one more as contemporary romance or women's fiction but it has vibes from both genres.  I would classify it as a winner though and a book that I will be recommending to readers of either genre!  This book was also a great reminder that I would like to work on catching up with some of this author's backlist as well.  So many books and so little time!  Also, how gorgeous is this cover?  It's even better in person, I've got to admit!  This book was the perfect change of pace from the mysteries and thrillers that I read so often.  I always say to myself that I'm going to work on mixing my reading up more but books like this are why I want to make that happen so much!  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A great summer read that I can't help but recommend!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Honest thoughts are my own.

Summer on Mirror Lake by JoAnn Ross (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Summertime is the best time to lose yourself in the romance of Honeymoon Harbor…

When he lands in the emergency room after collapsing at the funeral of a colleague and friend, Wall Street hotshot Gabriel Mannion initially rejects the diagnosis of an anxiety attack. But when warned that if he doesn’t change his adrenaline-fueled, workaholic lifestyle he could end up like his friend, Gabe reluctantly returns to his hometown of Honeymoon Harbor to regroup.

As he adjusts to the sight of mountains instead of skyscrapers, Gabe discovers advantages to this small Pacific Northwest town he once couldn’t wait to escape. But it’s irresistible librarian Chelsea Prescott who, along with the two foster children she’s taken under her wing, makes slowing down seem like the best prescription ever.

Over the course of their summer romance, Gabe gets a taste of the life he might have had if he’d taken a different path. But with his return to New York City looming on the horizon, he’ll have to choose between the success he’s worked tirelessly for and a ready-made family who offers a very different, richly rewarding future…if he’ll only take the risk."

My Thoughts:

Summer on Mirror Lake felt like the perfect read to start off my summer reading!  I don't read nearly enough contemporary romances or small town romances - books like this always leave me wondering why.  There is just something so comforting about them and it almost reminds me of the feeling I get with the cozy mysteries I read.  I love the small town vibe, getting to know all of the characters, and the descriptions of the town itself.  I always feel like with books like this that these towns feel like real places that I could actually go and visit which is fun in itself!  In this book, Chelsea is the head librarian in the town's library and is just focused on living up to her mentor and former head librarian's expectations.  Gabe has come back to his hometown from the summer needing a break from the stress of his job.  These two meet and the sparks fly almost instantly.  I usually don't care for romances that happen super fast but it was different with this book.  Gabe and Chelsea decide to have a summer fling rather than a committed relationship and I think that worked for me.  It felt more like a fun thing than the insta-love that I cannot seem to get behind.  My favorite part of this book though were the two young foster girls that Chelsea becomes caught up with.  There was just something about these two girls that tugged at my heartstrings.  I was almost more focused on them getting their happy ever after compared to Chelsea and Gabe.  I do say almost there because really isn't it all tied up into one thing in the end?  My one and only complaint with this book was that I had a hard time keeping track of all of the characters.  I'm thinking that this is my fault though as I didn't realize that this was the third book in a series.  Looks like I've got a few books to catch up on now!  I did finally get a hang of the who's who by midway through the book which helped.  And overall, I was satisfied by the way that things played out in the end.  It was exactly what I was hoping for which left me feeling content and happy when the book was finished.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and am looking forward to reading the previous books in this series.  This book has a summer vibe to it that I couldn't help but appreciate.  I feel like this book would be the perfect binge read while spent on a hot day at the beach.  Or curled up with during a late night baseball game on a summer evening like I did!  That definitely worked as well.  I think that fans of contemporary romance and just romance in general would enjoy this book.  You don't have to read these books in order necessarily (I sure didn't) but it may help you keep track of the characters better if you do.  And books like this are just the perfect type of read for this time of year in my opinion!  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  A great summer read and romance!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley as part of a TLC book tour.  Thoughts are my own.

The Sunday Post #57 (Spoiler Edition)

"The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme"

Good morning everyone!  I hope you've all been well and are enjoying the warmer weather!  While summer is probably my least favorite season - I am appreciating the warmer weather after all of the rain that we were getting there for awhile.  It's another busy weekend over here but I've been mulling some thoughts over for awhile now and wanted to get everyone's opinion.

Okay so here's the deal.  Last week (or the week before) I started reading No Mercy by Joanna Schaffhausen which is the second book in a mystery series.  According to Goodreads, I finished reading the first book back in December of 2017.  So it had been awhile and honestly when I started this book and the author referred to events that had happened in book one....well, I was a bit lost.  I couldn't remember the ending of that first book and how everything went down.  I ended up searching Goodread's reviews for spoilers so I could refresh myself on that first book.  Honestly, this isn't the first time that's happened especially as I read so many different series.  I also try to keep my reviews as spoiler free as possible which means I don't end up giving a lot of details on the plot.  Here's where I need your opinion.  I'm thinking that I'm going to change the way that I write my reviews of books.  I'm going to write up my thoughts like I normally do - and then in a marked paragraph I'm going to discuss my thoughts with spoilers and as many details as I like.  I'm thinking that I will post this paragraph at the very end so that those who don't want to see spoilers can just read my thoughts and skip that section.  The only times that I won't do this is if I'm reading/reviewing a book as part of a blog tour.  Blog tour books are for people to actually visit my blog and read my thoughts on the book so I don't feel like I should include spoilers in that kind of post.  But I want to really be able to remember what I read so for other books, why shouldn't I discuss everything or anything I want to?  What are your feelings on all of this?  How do you remember the details from all of the books that you read?  Or don't you....I sure don't!

Reading wise, I'm chugging right along at about the same reading pace as I have been all year.  I have a bunch of books that I need to write up my thoughts on so I'm really looking forward to your thoughts on the above.  My review copies have really been stacking up lately so I'm trying to focus almost entirely on them in June.  I did this in April and felt like it helped make the stack a bit more manageable.  That hasn't stopped me from putting WAY too many books on hold at the library or checking too many out.  Because some things never change and I AM a mood reader through and through.  In the past week (or so), I've finished the following two books:

Deadly Obsession by April Hunt - This is the beginning to a new romantic suspense series and I really enjoyed it.  I love romantic suspenses but there is a fine line between what works for me in this genre and what doesn't.  I'm hoping to write up my thoughts on this one soon but I will definitely say that I'm planning on reading more in this series!

Summer on Mirror Lake by JoAnn Ross - This is a small town contemporary romance that I read for an upcoming TLC book tour.  My thoughts on this one will be up later this week.  I will admit that I'm confused on if this is a part of a series or not - I need to research that further.  There are a lot of characters to keep track of but I found it an enjoyable read perfect for summertime.

I'm now currently reading the following:

I'm also reading this for an upcoming TLC book tour later this month.  It has been awhile since I read one of this author's books but I'm really enjoying it so far!  I'm sensing a need for a thriller or mystery next after these three books.  I'm also considering starting Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land to read alongside my current book.  We are into June already and I have yet to pick up any nonfiction - I REALLY wanted to read more nonfiction this year so this is something I need to focus on more.  Especially as I'm constantly adding nonfiction books to my TBR list but then never reading them.  I don't usually read two print books at once but I'm thinking I might change things up a bit with a nonfiction book instead of my usual e-book.

I'm writing this early because plans for today include baseball games.  If we aren't at the fields all day then I'm going to work on laundry and getting the house ready for the week.  I've been watching the Harry Potter movies this weekend as my husband and daughter are away at a softball tournament.  I'm not a huge television nut but I always love marathoning the Harry Potter movies (and not feeling bad when I make my husband watch them for the umpteenth time)!  I'm off to enjoy my Sunday and this beautiful weather!

Happy Sunday and Happy Reading!

Only Ever Her by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"It was to be the perfect wedding—until the bride disappeared.

Annie Taft’s wedding is four days away, and it will be one of the grandest anyone can remember in her small South Carolina town. Preparations are in order. Friends and family are gathering in anticipation. Everything is going according to plan. Except that Annie herself has vanished. Did she have second thoughts?

Or has something much worse happened to the bride-to-be?

As the days pass, the list of suspects in her disappearance grows. Could it be the recently released man a young Annie misidentified as her mother’s killer? Could it be someone even closer to her?

While her loved ones frantically try to track her down, they’re forced to grapple with their own secrets—secrets with the power to reframe entire relationships, leaving each to wonder how well they really knew Annie and how well they know themselves."

My Thoughts:

Oh wow - this book was so much more than I expected it to be!  I went into reading this one expecting a suspenseful read based off of the above summary.  And this was a suspenseful read - don't get me wrong there.  But it was also so much more and because of that I have a feeling that this one will stick with me for awhile.  I don't think that it's too much of a spoiler to say that as the reader we get to meet Annie before she goes missing.  I thought that because we got to see her beforehand that it made everything that went after that much more potent.  I found myself so immersed in these characters and their lives.  The good and the bad, the secrets, the every day details - these things brought each of these characters to life for me and made me care for them.  I rooted for them every step of the way.  I really liked the way that this book was set up.  It was told from the viewpoints of multiple characters and each chapter was from one of the characters viewpoints.  Setting the book up this way really helped me as the reader to get to know each of the characters and get inside their heads.  I think it is one of the main reasons that I was able to connect to so many of them so easily.  Okay so fair warning for slightly spoiler-ey talk here for a few minutes.  I finished this one in between innings at my son's baseball game and let me tell you what - it was the perfect ending even if it wasn't the one I had been hoping for.  Also, finishing it between innings allowed me to reflect on the ending in a way that I might not have otherwise.  It was both heartbreaking and hopeful.  Isn't that a sign of a great book?  I sure thought so!  I'm really looking forward to seeing what other readers thought of this one now!

Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely and am looking forward to reading more by this author.  It was a bit different than my usual mystery and thriller fare but I enjoyed this book all the more because of it.  I definitely need more books like this in my reading life!  It felt good to stretch my reading a bit and reminded me that I need to do this more often.  On an entirely different note here - how gorgeous is this cover?  I love it!  I would recommend this book to fans of suspense but also to anyone who enjoys a good character driven novel.  I obviously can't say enough good things about it but that is the mark of a good book.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A book with characters that came to life for me - and a book that I won't be forgetting about anytime soon!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Thoughts are my own.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Marybeth

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Two girls are forced into the woods at gunpoint. One runs for her life. One is left behind…

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father — Pikeville's notorious defense attorney — devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, and Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself — the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again — and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized — Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it's a case that unleashes the terrible memories she's spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly thirty years ago won't stay buried forever…"

My Thoughts:

Wow!  To say that I really enjoyed this book seems kind of wrong considering how dark it was overall.  After only reading two books by this author I have to say that she isn't afraid to make her readers cringe at times.  She also writes some very compelling, hard to put down books!  As soon as I read the above summary, I knew that I wanted to read this book.  Reading through the summary again, it's funny how much that summary doesn't tell you (which is a good thing).  I kind of went into reading this book expecting one thing and what I got was completely different.  I've got to say that I found this book so hard to put down!  This book starts and you've got this instant sense of dread....like something bad is just bound to happen and you are just waiting for it.  It created this layer of suspense that really doesn't let up throughout the entire book.  I found myself almost tense while I was reading just waiting to see what was going to happen next.  I also really loved how this book was set up but I can't say more than that without possibly being spoiler-ey.  I do want to say that there is some difficult subject matter and graphic scenes that may be disturbing for some readers.  Hence why I said that Slaughter isn't afraid to make her readers cringe.  She doesn't shy away from including violence and graphic detail in her books which is one of the reasons that they seem so dark.  

The mystery portion of this book was very well done.  It was almost two mysteries in one as there are some questions remaining of what happened so long ago to the Quinn family and then also the mystery behind the recent tragedy in Pikeville.  I'm trying really hard here not to spoil anything so forgive me for being so vague.  What else can I tell you without giving anything away?  This book is really, really good and has a good chance of making my top reads list for the year.  I found myself reading late into the night because I just didn't want to put it down.  I also found that these characters aren't ones that I will be forgetting about any time soon.  I would actually love if this author wrote more books and turned this into the beginning of a series!  Even now I'm really excited to see what other readers thought about this book.  I usually try to avoid reading reviews of books until I write my own so I'm definitely planning on checking out those reviews now.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book even when it was way darker and more intense than I had expected.  I've seen a lot of hype on this book and think that it is well deserved!  I myself am eager to go back and read some more from this author's back-list.  This book would be perfect R.I.P. reading if you are looking for reading suggestions.  Just be warned that there is some difficult subject matter included that isn't always easy to read about.  Highly recommended but with that warning to go along with it.

Bottom Line:  A dark and compelling read that I couldn't put down!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barne s & Noble

The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen by Victoria Alexander (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Embark on the breathtaking romantic adventures of The Lady Travelers Society in the brand-new series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander

Really, it's too much to expect any normal man to behave like a staid accountant in order to inherit the fortune he deserves to support the lifestyle of an earl. So when Derek Saunders's favorite elderly aunt and her ill-conceived—and possibly fraudulent—Lady Travelers Society loses one of their members, what's a man to do but step up to the challenge? Now he's escorting the world's most maddening woman to the world's most romantic city to find her missing relative.

While India Prendergast only suspects his organization defrauds gullible travelers, she's certain a man with as scandalous a reputation as Derek Saunders cannot be trusted any farther than the distance around his very broad shoulders. As she struggles not to be distracted by his wicked smile and the allure of Paris, instead of finding a lost lady traveler, India just may lose her head, her luggage and her heart."

My Thoughts:

I feel like this is going to be a hard review for me to write because I was very in the middle when it came to my feelings on this book.  I never really was able to put my finger on why but I didn't connect with this book like I had hoped to.  I didn't dislike it to be clear but I also didn't love it.  I just found myself kinda underwhelmed by it all.  I'll try to explain why but it is hard when for me when I'm just kinda meh about it.  I'm almost wondering if my reading experience suffered because I was in the middle of a reading slump.  I kept trying to push through on it because I was supposed to read it for a blog tour and I don't think that helped.  I loved the premise of this book because it sounds like a romance and adventure combined.  It was those things but it was also a bit meandering if I'm being completely honest.  I think that part of the problem was that I didn't connect to the main character India Prendergast.  I don't think that the reader is meant to like her in the beginning really but that also made it hard for me to connect to her and the story as a reader.  Usually when I read romances I'm really rooting for both of the main characters to fall in love and find their happy ever after.  Instead I was only rooting for Derek Saunders (the hero) as his character was one that I could get behind.  He was a romantic at heart and someone that I enjoyed reading about.  I just wish that I could have cared about them both because that would have made this book that much more enjoyable.

One thing that I did really enjoy with this book was the mystery of what had happened to India's missing aunt.  I found myself reading this book more to find out where she was then for the actual romance portion.  I was really surprised (and I won't say more than that) when we did actually find out the answers to the mystery portion.  It made the last part of this book much more fast paced for me compared to the rest of the story.  I also have to add that I really, really liked some of the secondary characters in this book.  I have high hopes that Derek's brother will be featured in the next book as I believe this is the beginning of a series.  I would definitely want to read that one!  I also found Derek's aunt and her friends to be a delight to read about.  I would really, really like to see more of them as well.  It sure sounds like I'm going to have read the next book, doesn't it?  LOL!  Now you can probably understand why I had such a hard time deciding on how I felt about this book.  Mixed feelings anyone?

Overall, I found this to be a good read but not great.  I can't honestly tell you if the book was to blame or if it was just my reading mood at the time.  I enjoyed it enough to plan on reading the next book in the future.  On the other hand, there are other romance reads that I would recommend before this one.  I'm glad that I stuck with it though as I found the ending to be much more in line with what I had hoped the entire book would be like.  This may have been my first book by this author but I don't think that it will be my last.  Recommended but with a few hesitations.

Bottom Line:  A book that left me wanting in ways and satisfied in others.  I can't say it better than that.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to NetGalley as part of a TLC book tour (I also completely missed my tour date and am just now posting my thoughts.  My apologies.  

Everything We Lost by Valerie Geary (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Lucy Durant was only fourteen-years-old when she lost her older brother. First to his paranoid delusions as he became increasingly obsessed with UFOs and government conspiracies. Then, permanently, when he walked into the desert outside Bishop, California, and never returned.

Now on the tenth anniversary of Nolan's mysterious disappearance, Lucy is still struggling with guilt and confusion--her memories from that period are blurry and obscured by time, distance, and alcohol. Now an adult, she's stuck in a holding pattern, hiding out at her father's house, avoiding people, and doing whatever she can to keep herself from thinking about Nolan. But when a series of unsettling events leads Lucy back to Bishop, she is forced to reconcile with her estranged mother and come to terms with the tangled memories of her past to discover what really happened to her brother all those years ago.

Told in Lucy and Nolan's alternating voices, Everything We Lost is a psychological mystery exploring family, beliefs, obsessions, the nature of memory, and fear of the unknown--a haunting, compelling story that will resonate with readers long after the last page is turned."

My Thoughts:

Everything We Lost is one of those books that I can already tell is going to stick with me for awhile to come.  It was an unexpected read for me and also one that I enjoyed immensely despite everything that goes on in this story.  I'm not even sure those two descriptions make sense together but it is the truth.  I almost hate to say that I find books to be unexpected because how in the world do I know what to expect in the first place from a book that I haven't read?  But the statement is accurate here because I went into this book thinking it was about Lucy's search for her missing brother.  It is that but it is also so much more!  This book is this almost perfect mix of two very different things: one is the possibility of other life forms that we don't know of yet (and Nolan's search for these things) and the other is the mystery of what really happened when Nolan disappeared so long ago.  This author takes those two story lines and blends them together so seamlessly throughout the book.  It was almost hard to tell which one was which at times.  Yet it made such an intriguing combination, and even now I'm blown away by how the author managed to keep it all together so that even the ending fit in perfectly with all of this. 

This book is told from two different viewpoints: Lucy's viewpoint in  the present and also Nolan's viewpoint from the days leading up to before he disappeared.  The author managed to create all of these questions for me as the reader that were constantly running through my head while reading.  Were there really other life forms and did these things factor into Nolan's disappearance?  Was Nolan dead after something horrible that might have happened to him so long ago?  Was he going crazy?  It caused me to be unable to put this book down because I was so caught up within the story.  I also loved how focused this book was on outer space, the stars, and other planets.  I really read this at the perfect time with the solar eclipse this week being all over the news.  Add to it that after finishing this book my husband and I watched The Passengers movie (also featuring outer space) and it just enhanced my reading experience so much more.  I'm going to get into slightly spoiler-ey topics here so be warned you might want to move on to my final thoughts if you don't want to read this last part.  I'm going out on a limb here but I think that the ending of this book is going to cause mixed reactions among readers.  I think that the author ended it perfectly myself and it felt very true to the way the entire book was set up.  But I do think that others could possibly not agree which is a shame.  I loved it even when I wanted more!

Overall I really, really enjoyed this book and am so glad that I had the chance to read it!  It isn't the usual type of book that I read but I think that just made me want to branch off from my usual reads a little more often.  This book reminded me a bit of a book I read last year - Disappearance at Devil's Rock by Paul Tremblay so if you read this one and want something similar give that one a try.  I really can't wait to see what other readers think of this book.  I enjoyed it so much and know that I won't be forgetting it anytime in the near future.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A book that I can't stop thinking about!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour. 

The Lost Ones by Sheena Kamal

Summary from Goodreads:

"It begins with a phone call that Nora Watts has dreaded for fifteen years—since the day she gave her newborn daughter up for adoption. Bonnie has vanished. The police consider her a chronic runaway and aren’t looking, leaving her desperate adoptive parents to reach out to her birth mother as a last hope.

A biracial product of the foster system, transient, homeless, scarred by a past filled with pain and violence, Nora knows intimately what happens to vulnerable girls on the streets. Caring despite herself, she sets out to find Bonnie with her only companion, her mutt Whisper, knowing she risks reopening wounds that have never really healed—and plunging into the darkness with little to protect her but her instincts and a freakish ability to detect truth from lies.

The search uncovers a puzzling conspiracy that leads Nora on a harrowing journey of deception and violence, from the gloomy rain-soaked streets of Vancouver, to the icy white mountains of the Canadian interior, to the beautiful and dangerous island where she will face her most terrifying demon. All to save a girl she wishes had never been born."

My Thoughts:

I've got to say that I'm a streak with reading some really great books lately.  This book was a brilliant beginning to a new mystery series - I need more books just like this!  I was intrigued by this book just from reading the above summary which meant that I couldn't resist the chance of reading it.  The idea of the birth mother being drawn into the search of the missing daughter that she's never met (or wanted to even)....how can you resist a premise like that?  I just knew that this was going to be a good read but what I didn't expect was how dark of a read that this was going to be.  Nora is not your typical leading female detective in a mystery novel.  She isn't even really a detective but instead works for a lawyer and businessman as an almost human lie detector.  She has all of these issues relating to her past, doesn't have any normal relationships, and is a recovering alcoholic.  She is basically kind of a mess but I loved her!  Even when she was making crappy decisions I was rooting for her.  I wanted to know more about what had happened to her even though there were enough clues that I could guess.  She just was one of those main characters that really stood out for me, and I'm looking forwarding to reading more books featuring her.  I also really enjoyed the mystery portion of this book.  I found myself reading this one for long periods of time which hasn't happened all too often lately.  It was a page turner and one of the things that kept me reading way too late into the night was just trying to see what trouble Nora was going to get herself into next.  And then I kept reading to see if she would get out of it of course.  Ha!  I loved that this book was set in Canada which is a place I've never had the chance to visit but would like to.  I felt like I was really there while reading, and reading about the colder weather made this feel like the perfect fall read (although I read it a bit too early for that).  The ending was super intense and left me wanting more.  

Overall I have to say that I'm left very excited about this author and this series.  This book really stood out for me as it is different from a lot of the mystery series that I've read.  I've come to the conclusion that mystery series featuring lone female main characters is kind of my reading catnip.  I just can't seem to get enough.  This book wasn't any different and Nora is one of those characters that I won't be forgetting about any time soon.  I feel like I'm rambling at this point but this book was just that good.  I cannot wait to see what other readers think!  I would recommend this book mystery fans as well as those readers who enjoy a good thriller.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A dark mystery that I just couldn't put down.  I need more!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.

Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 31st)

"It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organise yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!"

Monday, Monday!  It has been a really long time since I did a post like this.  I'm going to sound like a broken record here but it has been a poor year for me in terms of both blogging and reading.  I'm not stressing- it happens.  But I am hoping to make both of these more of a priority in 2018.  School starts this week for my oldest- he is a freshman.  Wow, where in the world has the time gone there?  It's hard to believe but I'm excited for him and this new adventure that he is beginning.  The start of school also means the beginning of football which is something I am VERY excited about.  He's been practicing at the high school all summer long but I'm so ready to go to the games.  My youngest will also be starting flag football for his 2nd year.  My daughter's next travel softball season is getting ready to begin.....I think you can already tell where the majority of my time goes!  Work is crazy as all get out - lots and lots of overtime going on and this coming month is no different.  What else?  I wrote out another book review that will be posting later this week.  I'm pretty proud of myself as this will be two weeks in a row of blogging!  I haven't posted that regularly in months.

Since my last reading update I finished the following book:

 The Lost Ones by Sheena Kamal was a really great read!  I enjoyed this one immensely and will be sharing my thoughts on August 11th as part of a TLC book tour.  I've got lots of good things to say if you are curious.

I'm now reading the following:

The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen by Victoria Alexander - STILL but I'm finally making some good progress with this one.  It has gotten better and I'm hoping to curl up with it this week to see how it will all end.

The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen - This is my current print read and FINALLY a book off of my own shelves.  I don't know that I'm really "currently reading" it as I've only read the first couple of pages but I'm definitely reading it next.  I've just been really focusing on the above book as I feel like I've been reading that one for ages.

New Additions:

With how slowly I've been reading I should be saying none here.  Sadly that never seems to be the case with me.  I've been to the library twice and have a towering stack of books checked out. Here is the latest print book to enter my house thanks to the publisher:

This is for a TLC book tour in August- it sounds great and I'm looking forward to reading it soon!  I've got NetGalley books I could share about as well but.....that is for another day. 

Happy Monday and Happy Reading!