Book Review: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

The Snow Child is a warm story based on an old Russian fairytale.  It takes place in the 1920’s where the government was inviting people to tame the Alaskan wilderness.  Mabel and Jack are a childless couple in their 50’s who are looking to escape but both find the homestead to create more challenges than imagined.  They build a snow child their second winter and the next day, a real child appears from the woods.  The story of this child and her role in Mabel and Jack’s lives is heartwarming, inspiring and magical.

There are several themes of the book that are told throughout, including escapism, wilderness, domestication and what really makes a family.  In the end, I was left with a genuine sense of hope and an embrace of change.  As the pages turned, Mabel and Jack dug themselves out of their self-pity and began to not just cultivate the land, but their relationship and love.  In doing so, they learned to take joy in their new home and new friends. 

I really enjoyed the magical elements of the story.  Is the child real?  Is she a manifestation of Mabel and Jack’s grief?  Why does she only come back every winter?  Many of the questions I had about the child, Faina go unanswered but it only enhances the feeling of wonder for the world around us.  Are we trying to tame the wilderness or a part of ourselves that we fear? 

Ivey has a nice way of letting you into the core feelings of the characters without them going into deep emotional conversations.  There’s more unsaid in this book than is written.  Jack’s avoidance and Mabel’s melancholy are only the result of their grief and it’s delightful to see them grow and renew their love for each other.

The only thing about this book that I bugged me was that the original fairytale is told in throughout the story and in the beginning of each part so you kind of have an idea as to what’s coming up.  I am one totally against spoilers so I would have liked a little less foreshadowing.   The fairytale plays heavily into Mabel’s actions so I can see the reason for it but it was still disappointed. 

I think this book would appeal to anyone who enjoys a good emotional story about family, love and the unknown.  The writing style is fairly straight forward and is a decent read for all ages.  Very tame, very sweet and very moving. 

I give the Snow Child 4 / 5 stars.

To learn more about Eowyn Ivey, check out her website bio here.  The Snow Child is her literary debut and I will be keeping an eye out for her second book which is titled Shadows on the Wolverine.  No release date as of yet though.

Notable Free Ebooks - Get 'em While They're Free!

Hello, Readers!! Here are a few books that are currently on Amazon’s 100 Free Bestseller List. They are all over 300 pages, they have at least 4.5 stars and they are all free for download as of today.

Elusive (On The Run Book #1) by Sara Rosette

If you enjoy Elizabeth Peter’s Vicky Bliss series or Romancing the Stone, Elusive has the same mix of mystery, international travel, and light romance.

Zoe Hunter loves living on the edge. Free-spirited and spontaneous, she’s built a life stringing together various freelance gigs that keep her bank account barely in the black.

But when her ex, Jack, goes missing along with several million dollars from his business and the FBI zeros in on her as a person of interest, Zoe’s life goes from delightfully unpredictable to downright frightening.

Plunged into a world of fake identities, deception, and murder, she’s afraid to trust anyone. Zoe impulsively skips town in a search for answers that takes her from Las Vegas to Italy, but instead of tracking down answers, she only uncovers more questions.

Who was Jack? Is he dead or did he fake his disappearance? And, what was he mixed up in—art theft, the mafia, espionage, or all three?

AStrange and Bitter Fruit by Barry Davis

A chilly spring night in rural South Carolina at the tail end of Reconstruction, the murder of innocents. This is the setting for the initial chapter of the historical thriller, A Strange and Bitter Fruit.

Thomas “Tee” Powell, 15, manages to escape as his family is lynched. His father, Zeke, mother Hessie and young sisters Lannie and Effie were hung to teach the blacks of Aiken that voting is not the right of the former slaves, not anymore.

He is angry, but instead of wildly lashing out at the Klansmen that murdered his family, he runs away. After a disastrous detour to Tallahassee, Tee joins the Army and ends up in the West, at a remote Army outpost on the lip of the Black Hills. Here, he grows up and begins to accept responsibility for his life and for the lives of others. After six years, the past, in the form of two of the Klansmen, one now a U.S. Senator on a mission to sign a treaty with the Indians, confronts him.

He had buried his past deep, even changing his last name. Now, he has to confront it head on, starting with the two killers that entered his fort. Trained by the Army to kill, Tee emerges from his exile and takes revenge on those that committed the murder of his family, beginning with the two men. His purpose is now clear, he must take revenge, and he proceeds ruthlessly to do so. But revenge has its own cost, and Tee suffers that price. Many innocent people are killed, and he struggles with the guilt.

A Strange and Bitter Fruit is the story of revenge and its consequences. It is a story of violence and race, a true American story. The novel raises serious questions: Is there a limit on revenge? Is there an act so horrible that any response, no matter how vicious, is just?

A Strange and Bitter Fruit, although it takes place in the 19th Century, confronts the reader with many of the issues of race and violence that we continue to live with today.

This is a second edition with updated and expanded ending chapters.

SCREENSHOT by John Darren

This edition includes a bonus feature - Part One of John's new book, The Rockets' Red Glare, a blockbuster thriller about simultaneous dirty bomb attacks on America disguised as July 4th fireworks displays.

Eighteen fifty-caliber rounds from the hidden automatic weapon shred the bricks and beams of the building, and the drug dealer standing in front of it. Lightning flashes from the parked truck and locks onto an infamous pedophile, thrashing him around like a rodeo cowboy on an angry bull, leaving him smoking, and just about medium-rare. A rocket propelled grenade lifts a three-ton SUV off the ground, and gravity returns it, leaving the terrorist and his entourage inside looking like s’mores scattered in the wreckage. The swimming pool suddenly becomes alive with electricity, and the mobster and his mistress struggle to escape as each pulse slams their bodies, and they decide to just float, face-down.
Screenshot is on the air, and for a modest fee, you can watch it all happen on your computer. Real. Live. Interactive.
Every week, Screenshot offers up a new execution, the live, real-time murder of someone who probably deserves it. Each bizarre weapon is hand-crafted in his high-tech lair. Each execution done remotely by a lucky guest assassin. And all of it hidden in the virtual world of the Internet, impenetrable.

And of course I had to add a period romance in here!

UndeniableRogue (The Rogues Club, Book One) by Annette Blair

UNDENIABLE ROGUE, The Rogues Club, One of Four

Aware that romance and matrimony aren't always compatible, widow, Sabrina Whitcomb, nevertheless, needs a husband. While providing for her children is paramount, wedding a stranger—even a wealthy one like Gideon St. Goddard, Duke of Stanthorpe—is no light matter. So why did the shockingly handsome rogue agree to marry her? When Gideon flashes his wicked, seductive smile, the reason hardly matters.

Kaleb (Alluring Indulgence #1) Review

WOW!!!!! Kaleb by Nicole Edwards is a scorcher!!!!! I couldn't put it down. Fair warning, Kaleb is a erotic romance,so there are some sexual situation that some may not be comfortable with, including anal sex, m/f/m encounters, exhibitionist and voyeurism. If that is not your cup of tea, then this book is definitely not for you. However, if you are like me and like your fare share of smut, I recommend that you pick up this book!!!

Synopsis:

Zoey Stranford might’ve had a crush on the sexy boy next door since middle school, but she’s a woman now, and that crush has turned into a full blown case of lust. So why is it that at twenty nine, her libido decides to ramp into high gear and the only thing she can focus on is the intensely sexy, scorching hot boy next door who is definitely not a boy anymore?

The only problem is that Zoey and Kaleb have been best friends for as long as she can remember. Not to mention, Kaleb and his brothers are working on buying Stranford land to build a new resort, and she’s more than a little hesitant about his intentions.

Kaleb Walker has had his eye on Zoey for close to twenty years, but never before has he considered taking their friendship to the next level, no matter how many fantasies he’s had about her over the years. That doesn’t explain why Kaleb is hell bent on having her – in as many ways as possible.

Kaleb finds himself in a precarious situation. His brothers have nominated him to pursue Zoey’s father about purchasing the land needed to get their new resort off the ground. Finding out that Carl Stranford is on the brink of foreclosure and Zoey might just lose her house and the land, Kaleb now has to convince her to put aside her pride and let him help her.

It doesn’t take long before the flames start burning bright and hot, and the two of them burn up the nights and the days as they explore each others forbidden fantasies. But can their friendship survive a business transaction or the new friends with benefits clause? Or will they realize that they’ve been overlooking something much deeper that’s been right in front of them all along?

Jenny's Review:

I really enjoyed this book. So much so, that I finished it in a couple of hours.If you are looking for a book with a lot of hot sex scenes, this is a great book.Kaleb is the first book in the Alluring Indulgence series, which is set in a small Texas town, where Kaleb and his six other brothers are know for the highly charged sexual behavior.  Kaleb and Zoey have been friends for a long time. They've always had a thing for each other but never thought they the other felt then same way. One day, the undercurrent of their feeling for each other take over and they embark into a "friend with benefits" relationship.When Kaleb and Zoey chemistry is smoldering. At times I had to take a minute or two to compose myself. I only wished that there was more about their relationship itself. The book also gives us a little insight into the others brothers, which I really enjoyed. Like I said I the beginning if you like your book hot and steamy,this book is a must read! Can't wait to start the next book!

The Book Order of Alluring Indulgence

Book 1: Kaleb
Book2: Zane
Book 3: Travis


About the Author:

Ever want to let that other part of you loose? The part that has secret desires and taboo fantasies? Well, that's what brought about Nicole Edwards.
She's an alter ego. In truth, she's a full fledged part of me. The secret part made up of sinfully hot desires and erotic thoughts. You'll get to know more about Nicole as additional books from the Club Destiny series come out and I hope you enjoy her writing as much as I enjoy letting her come out and play!

Review of Haunted Honeymoon of Casa Dracula

Finally finished Book 4 of Marta Acosta’s Casa Dracula series, Haunted Honeymoon at Casa Dracula,  and as expected, I liked this one as much, if not more, than the other books.  Acosta has found a way to wrap up all her story lines in a delightful and entertaining package. 

Here's a synopsis:

Milagro De Los Santos is forced to take another ghostwriting job for hoaxer Don Pedro when she can’t pay her condo fees. Her romantic life isn’t much better. She’s conflicted about her fling with Vampire Council member Ian Ducharme and still yearning for her ex-fiancé, Dr. Oswald Grant, and her life at his wine-country ranch.

When Ian’s flirtations with a pretty neighbor infuriate Milagro, she travels to London, and the blood really hits the fan. People around her are dying grisly deaths, and Milagro’s framed for murder. She escapes to Oswald’s ranch, but an accident gives her amnesia and she forgets her entire existence as the only human survivor of a vampire infection. Will Milagro make all the same mistakes, or will she discover the real killers and finally get to use the Margaritanator 3000 at her wedding reception?.

This book is definitely more supernatural and mystical than the others but it’s not overdone and it’s shadowed by Milagro’s story.  It was more about the maturation of Milagro through self-discovery and self-acceptance with some paranormal elements and adventure woven in to make the story more rounded. 

Ian and Oswald are both hot in their own way, Milagro is still a feisty latina who loves adventure and is trying to get a bit of "normalcy" back in her life, and after a traumatic experience, she realizes that the person who she's running away from is one of the few that really know her at all.

The love triangle doesn't let up in Book 4 and while comical at times, Ian and Oswalds emotions are so naked it created a somber and serious storyline.  Who hasn't hurt someone they love at one time or another?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and saw it as the close of one chapter of Milagro’s crazy life and the beginning of another.  I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who is into paranormal romance with no sex scenes.

Don’t get me wrong, Ian is sexy as all get out and even reading about Milagro’s friend, Wilcox, is deliciously fun but there are no sex scenes to be seen in this series.  There’s the before and the after and surprisingly, I didn’t miss it one bit. 

Please go and buy these books.  You won’t regret it!

And as stated in a previous post, learn more about Marta Acosta's life and work here at her website.  I know I've found a new addition to my fav author list.

Casa Dracula Series

This just goes to show you that it’s worthwhile skimming Amazon’s 100 Free Bestsellers list every once in a while.  Last week, I was able to order three of the four Casa Dracula series from Marta Acosta.  The first book was not free and I was a bit apprehensive about starting the series on the 2^nd book, but I am so very glad I downloaded them.

The books revolve around feisty Milago De Los Santos and her life living with “vampires” though in this world, vampirism is just a genetic condition that affects their sensitivity to sunlight, causes strange cravings for blood or red colored foods and a host of other cool abilities.

I just finished book two, Midnight Brunch at Casa Dracula and let me just tell you that Acosta has a real knack for sucking the reader into this world but the real star of the book and the best testament Acosta’s writing ability is Milagro.

Amazon Book Description:

Hilarious party girl and writer Milagro De Los Santos is finally in a serious relationship with a fabulous man, Oswald Grant, MD, and living at his wine country ranch with his career-fixated relatives. It's true that Oswald accidentally infected her with the rare family condition that makes them crave blood cocktails and need protection from the sun, but what family doesn't have quirks?

She thought they accepted her, so she's hurt when she's excluded from a midnight ceremony with special guests including a creepy family elder, Oswald's hostile parents, and Milagro's ex-lover, decadent and powerful Ian Ducharme.

When Milagro's life is threatened, she flees to the desert to hide and work on a screenplay. Instead of solitude, she encounters an egomaniacal actor, a partying socialite, a sly tabloid reporter, and a lavish spa full of dark secrets. It's all lots of fun until the bwaa-ha-ha laughter and the knives come out. Now all Milagro has to do is finish her screenplay, ambush a world domination movement, and overcome a terrible infection before she can make her way back to Casa Dracula.

I fell in love with Milagro, as do most of the people around her.  This character had so much depth and intellect. This is the 2^nd book of the series but after the first few chapters, I felt like I already knew Milagro and didn’t feel amiss about not reading the first book. I literally laughed out loud at some of the crazy situations Milagro gets into and I love that she manages to stay witty and calm despite having her life on the line.  I feel like no matter how and where she ends up, Milagro can get through anything with some humor and a cocktail.

The story has many arcs and side stories so Acosta juggles the different elements beautifully, crafting a vampire story, love story, mystery all in one that you don’t want to stop reading. It also doesn’t hurt that she’s got a hunky boyfriend and a smolderingly hot ex, both of which seem so genuine and not super-perfect men like some other vampire series (you know who I’m talking about).

Unfortunately, at the time of posting, the books are no longer free but please do not let that stop you from checking out the series.  Amazon Prime members can borrow the book for free and they are worth buying or just keeping track and hope they go on sale again.

Definitely check out this series (I’ve just opened up the third book) and to find more info about Marta Acosta and other works, check out her website.

Branded: A Sinners Series Book Review

Recently, the Chicks received this book as an ARC to review with my honest opinion.  Branded: A Sinners Series by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki (this review is that of Tiffany’s solely).  The book is about a post-war world where sinners are branded and sent away from civilization to the Hole, a wasteland with few rules, many sinners and guards who abuse status and power.  The story revolves around the beautiful Lexi Hamilton, who is accused of Lust and sent to the Hole and her relationship with her personal guard, Cole.

Will Lexi survive this world where anything goes?  Does Cole turn out to be a friend or foe?  What happened in Lexi’s past that leads her to her peculiar assignment in the Hole?  Will she ever be free in a land of prisoners?

Lexi is portrayed as being strikingly beautiful and she’s sent to a place where people have their humanity stripped.  There’s always a threat; what will happen today to Lexi?  The imagination can run rampant with scenarios but the authors craftily weave a story that walks the line of vulgarity and decency. 

The book is similar in some ways to The Hunger Games but there is much more rated R material.  I wouldn’t call this suitable for a pre-teen audience due to some graphic scenes but it still falls shy of being as explicit as you can expect in a place where anything goes. 

I kept waiting for the Lexi-Cole relationship to match the graphic nature of the Hole but unfortunately, there was just not enough adult material to keep me interested in this book.   I expected a lot more than the will-they-won’t-they, PG rated scenes that Lexi and Cole shared.

This book also falls off in the second half.  It moves too fast and the character development is not fleshed out enough to make it believable.  This feeling is culminated in the last few chapters which go by in a blur with no emotion or feeling.  Don’t get me wrong, the characters show emotion but by that point, I stopped caring.  Maybe if it was separated into two books there would have been more room to tap more into Lexi’s feelings about the twists and turns of her life. 

If you're into Hunger Games with a little more adult themes, this book may appeal to you.  Some other popular dystopian reads are Divergent by Veronica Roth and Delirium by Lauren Oliver and Matched by Ally Condie.

To find out more from these authors including other works and bios, check their website at AbiandMissy.com

Good morning, guys and dolls!  I hope your summer is full of books and literature.

I have been trying to branch out of my historical romance genre so I checked out Amazon Best Sellers in Kindle eBooks yesterday and was able to download 3 free books from the top 20.  They are all over 300 pages, they have at least 4 stars and as of right now 2/3 are still free.

The Korean Word For Butterfly by James Zerndt

From the back cover:

Set against the backdrop of the 2002 World Cup and rising anti-American sentiment due to a deadly  accident involving two young Korean girls and a U.S. tank, The Korean Word For Butterfly is told from three alternating points-of-view:

Billie, the young wanna-be poet looking for adventure with her boyfriend who soon finds herself questioning her decision to travel so far from the comforts of American life;

Moon, the ex K-pop band manager who now works at the English school struggling to maintain his sobriety hopes of getting his family back;

And Yun-ji, a secretary at the school whose new feelings of resentment toward Americans may lead her to do something she never would have imagined possible

The Korean Word For Butterfly is a story about the choices we make and why we make them.

This book is no longer free at the time of posting.  The Kindle Edition is $2.99.  I will write a review of this one to let you all know if it’s worth it but with a 5 star rating I doubt I’ll be disappointed.

Build A Man by Talli Roland

From the back cover:

Slave to the rich and rude, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she’s a high-flying tabloid reporter.

When she meets Jeremy Ritchie – the hang-dog man determined to be Britain’s Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between – Serenity knows she’s got a story no editor could resist.

With London’s biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy’s progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success.

But when Jeremy’s surgery goes drastically wrong and she’s ordered to cover all its car-crash goriness, Serenity must determine how far she really will go for her dream job.

And finally, I had to get at least 1 historical romance book and so far, this one has not disappointed.  From the first chapter, there’s a raunchy scene and the main characters are introduced just enough to get an idea of their personalities and the plot.  I haven’t been able to put this one down yet.

Her Husband’s Harlot (Mayhem in Mayfair #1) by Grace Callaway 

Synopses:

                                                 Not Quite a Wife… 

After a disastrous wedding night, proper Lady Helena Harteford fears for the fate of her new marriage.  Disguised as a doxy, she tracks her husband down to a bawdy house to reason with him… and instead discovers the thrill of forbidden passion.  An innocent ruse turns into risky deception; how far will this once-wallflower go to win her husband’s love?

Unfit to be a Husband…

Orphaned at an early age, Nicholas Morgan escapes his violent beginnings to become a successful merchant – only to discover he is the legitimate heir of the Marquess of Harteford.  His transition to the ton is rocky and made rockier when he marries above him.  Torn between guilt and lust, he tries to protect his sweet, innocent wife from the demos of this past.  But can he safeguard her from his own raging desires.

There’s more to this synopses but I feel like it’s too much of a spoiler.  I was kinda bummed that I read it so I’ll spare anyone else but feel free to check it out on Amazon to read the rest.

Happy reading!

Tiffany