Book Review: A Viscount's' Proposal

Want a Regency Era heroine, who would have marched in the Woman's Marches of 2017? Look no further than Leorah Langdon in the novel "The Viscount's Proposal" by Melanie Dickerson

Leorah is determining to marry for love like her brother, and not end up like her parents in a loveless union. Viscount Edward Withinghall, want to avoid the very thing that got his father killed in a dual over his married mistress with her husband. To him Leorah is the trouble his wish to avoid. What happens when trying to be a gentleman and help an injured Learah he set the gossip mill running when they are found in his overturned carriage at night?

   It's one of the things I loved about this story: how strong the female lead, Leorah, was against the strict ideas and rules of the Regency upper class.

Another thing I loved, about Ms. Dickerson's writings, is her retellings of a well-known tale, in this case, Pride and Prejudice.  In every story, I read, written by her. I wondered how she's going to turn an important element in the story into something of her own. I'm never disappointed.

The first chapter was a little slow but I loved one piece of dialog between Leorah and her best friend, Felicity. It's one of the best dialogs I read between friends in a novel.  It's can't be missed.

Go buy "The Viscount's Proposal" by Melanie Dickerson

Amazon

Goodreads
Banes and Noble 
Books-a-Million

Book Review: Glitter

What grabbed my attention when I read about this book on Netgalley was the quote:

"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike comes a truly original new novel—Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette in a near-future world where the residents of Versailles live like it's the eighteenth century and an almost-queen turns to drug dealing to save her own life."

What could beat a novel that put together Breaking Bad with Marie Antoinette? In my mind nothing! And I had to read this book!

So the beginning started a little slow to me and didn't get going until she does in fact decided to sell drugs to escape a crazy engagement to the crazy king.  Not to mention a little romance it thrown in at that point too. I couldn't put the book down after that. And it's not fair that this is a series, the ending set up the next book and I loved it so much I hated it. I can't wait for the next book.   

You can find this book:

Amazon

Books-a-Million (Nook)

Banes and Noble (Nook)

Goodreads

Book Review: Last Seen Leaving

Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

I loved the first line of this book. It's drew me in and I wanted to know a little more. But I didn't finish this book. The writing stood out and it's a great story but not my kind of story. My guess if you loved Gone Girl you'll love this story. I wanted so bad to love this story but I didn't.

If better to form your own options so you can find this book here:

Goodreads
Amazon 
Books-a-Million
Barnes & Noble

Book Review: To All the Boys I Loved Before & P.S. I Still Love You

To All the Boys I Loved Before is a sweet story about having a pretend boyfriend to forget about a crush. It's a book I recommend taking to the beach. I love the exchange between Lara Jean and Peter.

P.S. I Still Love You is a more serious book. It's show how a video can start a hurtful rumor and how everyone no matter who they are can be drawn into being a cyber bully.

The Author's Information:
Jenny Han's Twitter
Jenny Han's Website
Where to find these books.
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)
Books-a-Million (Nook)
Goodreads 

I haven't given the descriptions of these books because I don't want to give anything away. If you buy To All the Boys I Loved Before do yourself a favor by buying P.S. I Still Love You while you are at it. 

Book Review: You Were Here

I'm having a hard time coming up with what to say about this book. It's that intense and that good. The hard core emotion of grief and each characters' reaction to their grief drive this story from beginning to end.

From Goodreads:

On the anniversary of her daredevil brother's death, Jaycee attempts to break into Jake's favorite hideout—the petrifying ruins of an insane asylum. Joined by four classmates, each with their own brand of dysfunction, Jaycee discovers a map detailing her brother's exploration and the unfinished dares he left behind.

As a tribute to Jake, Jaycee vows to complete the dares, no matter how terrifying or dangerous. What she doesn't bargain on is her eccentric band of friends who challenge her to do the unthinkable: reveal the parts of herself that she buried with her brother. (less)

This story is told from five different point of views: Jaycee, Mik, Zach, Natalie, and Bishop.  Ms. McCarthy wrote amazing, intense characters. I could imaging that each one of them alive somewhere in the world going on these incredible trips to these abandon places.

My favorite characters are Jaycee and Mik. I relate to Jaycee's blunt and honest need for the truth. I also relate Mik's select muteness, his shyness. Plus this guy of very few words has the best point of view in the whole novel. It's in graphic novel style. It's a wonderful surprise to turn the page and see the black and white drawings.  I also like Bishop's drawings as his point of view. Jaycee, being the main character and the one with the strongest grief is written in first person. Natalie and Zach, who are boyfriend and girlfriend was written in third person. (Bishop is Zach's best friend)

Sourcebooks Fire approved a digital copy of this book for me to review through NetGalley.  

Book Review: The Girl From Everywhere

So far this year this book is one of my favorite reads. It's has a little of everything, adventure, romance, and mystery.

The protagonist is Nix, she's a good mix of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Elizabeth from The Pirates of the Caribbean. With her amazing knowledge of mythology she become an unforgettable character.

Her father can navigate his black ship, The Temptation, through time with the help of maps. He want to get back to back to Nix's mother but her mother died giving birth to her. Nix's worried that if he succeed she might no longer exist, but with her wealth of knowledge about map, history, and mythology he need her help. When she refuse he threaten to leave her best friend and possibly her love where she can't return. Will she refuse risking being like her father or help him?

I love the mix of opposites in this story, facts and fiction (Mythology) Everything in this story is itself and its opposite (Once you read the story you'll understand, I promise) Even Nix's name has this principle.

After reading this I wish I could visit 19th century Hawaii. Heidi Heilig made it sound magical.

I did think the beginning was a little confusing and slow. Keep reading it get better. I wonder if it would be more interesting if it started where Nix's running through the market with the bird instead of trying to explain the bird's importance while she trying to bargaining for it.  It might have been confusing but I would had the question of why running through my head.

Anyway I still love this book, and it's coming out February 22, 2016 buy this book!

Buy here 

Book Review: Ali Novak's The Heartbreakers

The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak was an awesome book. I loved all the characters.

Stella would do anything for her sister - ever wait for hours to get her sister's favorite band's autograph. Lucky for her she met a cute boy at the Starbucks so her trip had some perks until she realized that she had met the lead singer of the band, Oliver. A band by the way she hated. And that just the beginning of the adventure.

Stella was a spunky girl with a nose ring who's must learn a few things about herself.

Oliver... well I don't really want to give anything away about Oliver.

I loved the relationship between the band's members and how it's introduce in one crazy night with Stella and her brother. This was one of my favorite part, the whole night from the elevator to the meeting the band's manager, Courtney. 

I wished Ms. Novak would write a story for Alec. He was my favorite secondary character. I also kind of want JJ to have a story too.  I didn't want this book to end, but I loved the ending. It was perfect.   

This book would be a perfect beach read or the book to read if you want to pretend you're at the beach on a snow day. 

Book Review: Melanie Dickerson's A Spy's Devotion.

Melanie Dickerson's A Spy's Devotion 

Melanie Dickerson's A Spy's Devotion

Book Review

It's evident that God blessed Melanie Dickerson with the gift and passion to write and to write well. Her story telling grow stronger with each book. The Spy's Devotion -- Well I have already recommended it to two people, my best friend and my mother. I think women of all ages will love this book. I wanted to read this book because I really liked Ms. Dickerson's retelling of fairy tales and I wanted to see how she would write an Regency's historical romance novel. I am so glad I did. I wasn't disappointed in this book. In the past I would have said I loved Ms. Dickerson retelling of fairy tales but her Regency's historical novel blow those out of the water... it is my understanding that her next retelling is a take on the little mermaid. The Spy's Devotion has risen the bar for what I expect from Melanie Dickerson. Well done, Ms. Dickerson. By the way I can't wait to read your retelling of the little mermaid.


From Goodreads:
"In England’s Regency era, manners and elegance reign in public life—but behind closed doors treason and tawdriness thrive. Nicholas Langdon is no stranger to reserved civility or bloody barbarity. After suffering a battlefield injury, the wealthy, well-connected British officer returns home to heal—and to fulfill a dying soldier’s last wish by delivering his coded diary.

At the home of the Wilherns, one of England’s most powerful families, Langdon attends a lavish ball where he meets their beautiful and intelligent ward, Julia Grey. Determined to maintain propriety, he keeps his distance—until the diary is stolen and all clues lead to Julia’s guardian. As Langdon traces an evil plot that could be the nation’s undoing, he grows ever more intrigued by the lovely young woman. And when Julia realizes that England—and the man she is falling in love with—need her help, she finds herself caught in the fray. Will the two succumb to their attraction while fighting to save their country?"

A Book I WANTED day 15 OctPoWriMo

Just One Year By Gayle Forman
Picture from Goodreads 

The writing prompt today is writing a poem inspired by a piece of News, well I saw that a book I wanted to read came out today.  My poem about a book....laugh. Enjoy. 

A Book I WANTED

A book I WANTED to read came out today.

Saw the announcement on Facebook.

Even had a reminder on my smart phone,

that I don't remember putting there.

I WANTED to read this book!

It's like a reminder of a crush I once had...

It's a sequel, really a parallel story to another novel.

Hmmm... like falling in love

First novel about a year in a girl's point of view.

Like finding joy and happiness with someone and then it's GONE.

This book, the second book about the boy's point of view.

I WANTED to know what happened, his thoughts, his actions in that make believe year.

The wait....full of  heartache.

If I sit here and think about the story I'll make that feeling come back.

Sigh.....

Ok.... I want to read that book, so do I rush to the bookstore?  

By Annie 

The book I'm talking about is Just One Year by Gayle Forman, its the sequel to Just One Day. If you haven't read it yet and love YA novels I highly recommend this book.  I hope Just One Year is just as good!

valentine's day wish list and An Angel by Her Side Book Review

Source: goodreads.com via Annie on Pinterest

Lately I read a series about Amish and angels called A Heaven on Earth Series by Ruth Reid. Her newest book is An Angel by Her Side.

Every book struck a chord in me. It was like I was reading the book at the right moment in my life and the realization her characters discovered was for me too.

But this post isn't just about this amazing series, it about a valentine's day wish list or boyfriend wish list.

A man I can pray with.

In every book the hero and heroine pray together for the crisis going on in the book, it give the impression that if those two get married praying as one is forever in their future.

I just think it's a beautiful picture.

A couple kneeing, holding hands, heads bowed, praying either out loud or silently to their Lord Jesus Christ.

Read any good books lately that inspire you or what's on your valentine's day wish list?

Annie Laurie