Of Magpies and Men by Ode Ray – Review

Back of the Book:

Can any good come of longings that a person can never satisfy? If so, good for whom?

Two corpses wash ashore in a picturesque Italian village, the violence that put them there is bound to a long-held secret and two strangers living worlds apart with seemingly nothing in common.
Benedict Grant a wealthy Londoner, leading a lonely life.
Marie Boulanger a nurse and single mum, struggling to make ends meet in Marseille.
However, a mother’s illicit revelation will set in motion a chain of events that will reshape their identities, stir poignant family affairs and delve into the by-products of lawless decisions.

With this domestic thriller, discover a captivating and moving story of impossible yearnings, weaving mystery and drama peppered with humour. A tale that will stay with you long after its final page and a twist you won’t see coming.

*****

My Review:

This book hooked me in from the moment I started reading. The characters are so well written and the scenery is so magnificently detailed.

It’s a hauntingly beautiful story that I literally could not put down as I had to see what was coming next.

I’m not going to give anything away on this one – you seriously have to read it!

5 giant ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Get your copy today at Amazon

Snow Dust and Boneshine by Grendolyn Peach Soleil

I adored this book. It was so captivating from the moment I began reading to when I finished. I read it in 2 sittings only because I had to go to work in between or I wouldn’t have put it down.

Snow Dust and Boneshine by Grendolyn Peach Soleil was incredible. The only reason why I didn’t mind it ending was because of the promise there may be a book 2.

It follows the life of Fawna a little girl with some great powers up until adulthood. There’s romance, intrigue and lots of magic. Its very well written, so much so, I could feel the cold bitter wind as I read about it. The characters are beautifully written and I could see it playing out as a movie as I read.

I highly recommend picking this one up. 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ all the way in this one.

Thank you aquintillion reads for allowing me to review this book.

Amazon

Review: Lost in Translation by Audrey Davis

Hi Everyone! Happy New Year!!!

I have to share with you one of the first books I have read in 2021! It was so good I couldn’t put it down!

Lost In Translation: A romantic comedy about starting over… by [Audrey Davis]

Back of the book:

Charlotte Egerton and family are off to Switzerland, after husband Dom bags a big-time job promotion.

But Charlotte isn’t exactly yodelling with delight at the prospect. Not since a chance discovery cast a shadow over her ten-year marriage. And navigating twisty Swiss rodas and getting to grips with French only adds to her woes…

Following a bumpy encounter with an arrogant German, Charlotte is far from convinced the expat life is for her.

With doubts about Dom — and concerns for her best friend, Ruth — plaguing her mind, will Charlotte embrace the Swiss way of life, or are some mountains just too hard to conquer?

Embark on a journey filled with laughter, tears and lessons in love. Sometimes you just have to seize the day…

****

Review:

My thoughts on this book is that it was fantastic!! I couldn’t put it down. I had to keep reading to find out what Dom was really up to! The imagery in this story is second to none. I always knew Switzerland was beautiful but while reading Lost in Translation I could see the snow capped mountains and feel the chilly air without ever having been there.

I highly recommend reading this! It will whisk you away to a beautiful country with a woman who must figure out what is happening in her life and how she deals with it (just a hint…Charlotte is awesome in how she handles things!)

Definitely 5 stars for this one!

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You can buy it here:

Amazon Canada

Amazon US

Have you read this? If so what were your thoughts? I’d love to talk to people about this one 🙂

We will talk soon!!

Review: A Christmas Rescue by Kirsty McManus and Diane Michaels

Back of the book description:

A romantic comedy about discovering the magic of Christmas from best-selling authors Kirsty McManus and Diane Michaels

Self-proclaimed Christmas superfan Hannah Walker loves her Michigan hometown, a year-round shrine to the holiday. And this year looks to be extra special since Brett, her long-distance boyfriend, is permanently back in town.

A proposal would make the season even brighter, but with Brett clinging to his bachelor lifestyle, Hannah heads to Australia to care for—and spy on—an injured grandmother she hardly knows.

The frail relative she expects turns out to be a free spirit with an active social life and little desire for anyone’s help. Now Hannah is stuck on the opposite side of the world, spending the holidays where it never snows. With her relationship in free fall and a deadline looming at an increasingly suffocating job, it looks like Christmas might be completely ruined.

Until she meets Xavier, the bronzed surfer god who runs the animal rescue shelter next door. Could helping him and connecting with her grandmother and new friends lead Hannah to realize the perfectly planned life she thought she wanted might not be the one she needs?

********

Let’s just say Xavier is my new favourite book boyfriend!

In a Christmas rescue we meet Hannah. She is a Christmas lover that lives in Michigan with her parents. What she expects for Christmas is a proposal from her long time boyfriend Brett. What she gets is sent off to Australia to spy on … I mean … look after her grandmother where she meets handsome, down to earth Xavier.

This was a joy to read. The characters made the story unputdownable. The setting was beautifully captured, I felt like I was there (until I stepped outside and was quickly brought back to reality 😂😂).

I would give this 5/5 jingle bells 🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔

But it here: Amazon.com

Review: Forever Eve by JB Lexington

Back of the Book:

Izabel Carmichael is level-headed, structured, and straight as an arrow. Her path in life is simple, or so she always thought. School, then career, then marriage and kids. What could possibly happen to divert that plan? A husband with a wandering eye and anger management issues that escalate daily. Her life is a husk of what it appears to be and far from what she’d imagined it would be. Plagued with pride, shame, and denial, she chooses to harbor her dirty little secret. Her best friend, Natalie, is a loud and proud non-conformist. She’s an artist who has always lived by her own rules and is determined to get Izabel to color outside of her neatly drawn lines for once in her life. At dinner one night after a few glasses of wine, a convincing argument, and a lot of badgering, Natalie persuades Izabel to visit a Past Life Regression therapist with her. What Izabel doesn’t realize when she agrees to the appointment is that she will travel back to a world that will irrevocably change her life. During her sessions, she meets Charlie and Eve and finds herself immersed in a world of desire and sexual exaltation. Her past collides with her present when she runs into a familiar stranger, and it turns her world upside down. She is forced to accept her suppressed emotions and open her heart to an unexpected love.

I recently had the pleasure of reading Forever Eve by fellow Canadian author JB Lexington. I have to say the sign of great writing is getting readers to have strong feelings for the characters in your book. JB accomplished this by my utter and complete hatred of Izabel Carmichael’s new husband…he’s an absolute monster. I admire the main character Izabel, she is a strong woman and it was great to watch her change her circumstances. Izabel’s best friend Nat is a hoot! I loved her! JB did a fantastic job in writing these characters and making me feel something for them.

Forever Eve is beautifully written to the point of unputdownable. I read it in one day! The characters and scenery are so well written and very memorable.

A warning though to my readers as this is not my normal reading material, Forever Eve has a fair amount of abuse in it both physically and sexually (adult) but having said that it has an ending to remember.

I give Forever Eve ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You can buy it here on Amazon

Valentine Act 1 by Elliott Morreau – Book Review

Blurb:

Welcome to Coalfields. A Town where everyone fits in. From murderers to rapists to paedophiles. And you. Yes, you. What? You think you’re so much different from them? That’s what Jack and Lia thought too. After all, what do two high school lovebirds have in common with a place like that? Nothing. Until one of them commits murder. But even then, who am I to Judge? After all, I’m merely an observer in the stars—a spectator. God. So out of all the people in the world, why observe the life of two teenagers? Because it’s simple: They’re special. One is the greatest high school quarterback in North America who’s slept with as many girls as the hairs on his head. The other? A child-like teenager who was abused by her now-dead father. But it wasn’t the murder of Lia’s father, or the fact that Jack had fallen head over heals for a virgin, that interested me. It was because of the fateful day that Lia looked me dead in the eyes. A mere mortal, looked upon me, God. It was then, for the first time I felt fear. In the reflection of her eyes—the dark figure. A manifestation. An It.Something I hadn’t created. And with his cherry red lips, It smiled back.

***

Valentine Act 1 pulled me in from the moment I started reading. It had interesting characters and a unique storyline. I don’t normally like books in the horror section but this one was well written and easy to read.

If there was one thing I didn’t like was the way the characters spoke about and portrayed women. It was a bit much at times especially when one character told Jack (the main character) to beat his girlfriend. Thankfully Jack does not do that.

However, it was extremely well written. It easily jumped from character to character and at times played out like a movie.

I can’t wait for Act 2 so I can find out what happens next.

Thanks to @aquintillionreads for allowing me to join your team and read this book.

November Newsletter is Available

Happy Saturday!! My latest author newsletter is now out and it has a new FREE story from yours truly! It’s called Home for Christmas…check out this cover…

Sign up for the newsletter here http://eepurl.com/gNNMln and get your free story (and lots of other stuff too ☺️)

Review Alert: Quentin Tarantino

Happy Day All!

I wrote a review for the new book about Quentin Tarantino. If you’re like me and like his movies but knew nothing about the filmmaker then this is a must-read book.

Check out my review on Gothamology.com

http://www.gothamology.com/entertainment/quentin-tarantino-the-iconic-filmmaker-and-his-work-review/

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Celebrity Status – Book Hooks Blog Hop #MFRWhooks

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Celebrity Status is on the Book Hooks Blog Hop this week!!

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What’s is Celebrity Status about? Let me tell you 🙂

Famous Hollywood actress, Elizabeth Stanfield, has a glamorous lifestyle with a lavish house, glittery parties, a people magazine’s fifty most beautiful people fiance and best friend Billy Stone – Famous actor, producer and secret organized crime enforcer.

Everything is not as it seems…Elizabeth’s fiance cheats on her, a studio head and director are hell-bent on making her life miserable and it gets harder to keep her secrets protected.

The only good thing in her life is Billy, their budding romance, and connections that give them the freedom to do whatever they want in Hollywood.

Will their connections be enough to keep their secrets hidden and Celebrity Status safe or are they doomed to be torn down?

You can buy it here: Amazon

Here’s an excerpt for you to enjoy and hopefully will entice you to read more 🙂 🙂

With our security detail leading the way, Billy and I were brought through back entrances, private tunnels and elevators to get up to our suites.

“Well, mission accomplished,” Sonny said, as he joined Billy and I on the terrace of my suite. “I wanted you guys to draw more business in here and now I’ve easily got two hundred reporters and paparazzi hanging out in the casino since I tossed them from the lobby. They are all waiting for an appearance from you.”

“You’re welcome,” I sarcastically answered him.

“Did he really cheat on you and knock her up?” Sonny asked me directly.

“Sadly, yes,” I confirmed.

Sonny stood at the edge of the table Billy and I were seated at and didn’t say anything, just looked thoughtful.

“She doesn’t want to face anyone yet,” Billy explained. “Unfortunately, those guys will probably be hanging around for a while.”

“That’s no problem,” Sonny responded. “The longer they stay, the more money they spend on drinks and gambling. Is there anything I can do?” Sonny had turned to me.

“I’m hungry,” I answered, honestly.

“That’s not what I meant,” he answered, as if truly annoyed.

“I know what you meant, but Billy here, won’t let me make any decisions right now.”

“Really?” Sonny turned to Billy. “But he cheated on her.”

“I am aware of the situation but I don’t want anything to happen to him for the time being. It’ll make Elizabeth look guilty.”

Sonny and I both shook our heads, in disagreement.

“Hey,” Billy addressed both of us. “Don’t get mad at me. You’re going to regret anything you do right now and I’ll get the blame for letting you go ahead with it.”

“I will regret nothing,” Sonny told Billy.

“Not you, I know it won’t disturb you, but she will regret it.”

“Don’t be so sure about that,” I answered.

“You aren’t giving any orders to do anything,” Billy strongly retorted. “Got it?”

“Yes, holy geez, relax Commander,” I said, leaning back in my chair with my hands up.

“Thank you,” Billy visibly relaxed.

“So,” I looked at Sonny. “Where are we on the food?”

“What do I look like to you, a fucking waiter? Call room service.” He turned and left.

“Only you could get away with treating him like that,” Billy laughed.

“He asked if he could do anything, he could get us some food. What’s wrong with that?” I genuinely questioned.

Billy shook his head in response and went to call room service.

***

“You had to make sure everyone knew about me and Brianna, didn’t you?” Cal demanded, as I entered my trailer, the next morning.

“What the hell are you doing here? Where the hell is my security?”

“Answer my question, why did you tell the entire world about me and Brianna? I was perfectly fine letting everyone think you and I had a mutual break up.”

“You did, did you?”

“Yes, I did, but now you made everyone think I’m a cheating scumbag.”

“If the truth fits…now get out.”

“It’s not the truth. I didn’t see anyone else while we were together until she came along six months ago.”

“How honorable of you, but that’s still cheating.” Was he really that stupid? Why hadn’t I seen that before?

“Elizabeth, is everything okay in there?” Vince called, from outside the trailer door.

“No, it’s not,” I glared at Cal. “I have an intruder that needs to be removed.”

Within seconds, Vince and Tony were inside the trailer. Vince grabbed both of Cal’s arms behind his back and expertly began to push a struggling Cal outside, while Tony held the door open.

“We’re not done, Elizabeth,” Cal struggled, in vain, against Vince’s strength.

“Yes, we are. Just show him off the premises, boys, no need to hurt him,” I instructed. “Yet.”

“You’re not the only with powerful friends, you know,” Cal shouted, as he was about to be taken out the door.

I put my hand on Vince’s shoulder to pause him, “When did you get any friends at all, let alone powerful ones?” I asked Cal.

“I’m going to ruin you in Hollywood,” Cal threatened. “Because you told everyone about me and Brianna, I’m going to make sure everyone will find out about Billy and his Michelleti family connection. The world may be interested to know how you guys get everything you want and need in this town.”

“Are you sure you really want to do that?” I questioned in a deadly tone.

He held my glare and in the same vicious tone he replied, “I’m going to make it my life’s ambition.”

***

You can buy it here: Amazon

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