Hard to Get by Laura Moher

 Hard to Get is book 3 in the Big Love from Galway series and it is fantastic! 

I fell in love with Andi and Kev straight away. Laura Moher has a way of making you feel everything her characters do. You are sucked into their world and you don't ever want to leave. They are complicated characters with complicated lives and somehow they've all found each other. Every character, not just the main characters, have twists and turns in their lives and you root for all of them.

This novel has some content warnings for domestic violence themes and a few others so make sure you check those before you dive in if that's something you need to do, but everything is handled with such care and honesty.

While this is book 3 in the series, you don't have to read these books in order. (but if you don't you'll have a couple of spoilers) I recommend all three books, as they all sit proudly on my bookshelves. Laura Moher is an instant buy author for me, and I know she will be for you, too!

Much love, happy reading.

Carmen

Click the images below to order your copies

A Witch's Guide to Business by Alex Evans

 

I read this book in one sitting!

 

A fun read that flies by so fast you can hardly believe it’s over.
 

Told in dual perspectives you’re enthralled by both leads!
 

A fun mystery read full of action. 

 Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC copy. Truly a pleasure to read.

 

 

Cinderwich by Cherie Priest

This book hooked me from the first line! Once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. I had to know "Who put Ellen in the blackgum tree?" The main character Kate Thrush is on a journey to find out if a mystery body found years ago was that of her namesake aunt Ellen. Along with Ellen’s old flame Dr. Judith Kane they travel to Cinderwich Tennessee. The way the author tells the story you can see it playing like a movie in your head. Beautifully written, and oh that ending!

It was a quick read, and I enjoyed every second of it. It was spooky and mysterious, and oh I’ll stop talking so you can go pick up your own copy!

 

#cinderwich #cheriepriest #netgalley

 

Fog & Fireflies by T.H. Lehnen

 First of all this cover is to die for! Simply beautiful.
 

 

 

 

The Goodreads description reads as follows...

With refreshing echoes of golden age fantasy, Fog & Fireflies is a novel that brings together an imaginative world and fantastical cast of characters to explore the difference between growing older and growing up.

"Why do we grow more scared as we get older?"

Hundreds of seasons ago, a wizard's war scarred the earth, leaving a malevolent fog blanketing the land, and carrying the settlements within it like ships adrift at sea. The phantoms the fog creates are deadly to adults, so children must guard the walls now, and care for each other.

Ogma watches the fog from the walls of her windmill town. What felt like a game as a child becomes more of a creeping dread with each season she gets older.

"Because we know better."

Ogma's town is attacked—alien caravanners who roam the fog in inhuman forms have come to kidnap the children, and Ogma is lost in the fog. She must find hope, find courage in herself, and find her friends.

The story of Ogma and her friends is full of mystery, danger, and friendship at every corner. 

 

I can't wait to read more stories built in this world. I want to know what happened and why the world moves and the fog changes things.

The kids in this story truly take the lead. I loved each of them, and y'all that ending!

It is a quick read as the story pulls you through this magical changing world.
 

I always start with the positive because I believe that should always come first, and please remember that everything is only my humble opinion, and others will feel differently. I want you to know that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, however, any time I read and my editor brain kicks on it takes me out of the story. The writing was great, the story was great, but it could've been so much stronger. I made several pages of notes while I was reading that I would love to give to the author just to help their writing be stronger because this story captured my heart from beginning to end, so please know that this is only because I want to help, not hinder.  Since a large portion of readers are not writers themselves these things will most likely not matter to them, again, it's an editor brain thing and there will be grammatical errors in every novel, it's not possible to have a novel free of errors.

 

All that said... Please pick up a copy of this book and read it with your kids—it is listed as YA, but I would say if a parent is reading to the child, it could also be appropriate for ages 10-12 (parents know their kids best, so you'll know if it's right for them.) But truly, it is a beautiful read.

 To get your copy of Fog & Fireflies click here or click the photo above.


#fogandfireflies #NetGalley

George Pringate’s Last Hurrah By: Stewart Hoffman

A quick, five star read that will leave you guessing right up till the end.

I read this book back in August—George Pringate’s Last Hurrah By: Stewart Hoffman—and I've already picked it up and reread it. To say I enjoy this novel is an understatement. The writing is top-notch! Also, I've had encounters via twitter with the author, and I must say, he is a delight! I originally got this novel on my kindle, but after I finished reading it, I requested an autographed copy right away! Stewart Hoffman seems like a chill dude, and his imagination astounds!
 
I stand by my original review and will post it below.

Sometimes when I begin a new novel, I’m overly judgmental. When I read something that is a bit too vulgar or obscene, my first instinct is to say, “oh great, another guy wrote a novel that’s objective towards women.” I’m very quick to internally yell at myself to “stop it!” However, if it keeps going, and the writer doesn’t get it under control, I feel justified in calling the author out in the review.
I’d like to say, there will be No calling anyone out in this review.
To say this novel furthered my love of reading is an understatement. Any book that can make me laugh out loud, squirm in my seat, scream out, “Oh my Gawd!”, and start bawling like a baby within the span of a chapter, absolutely gets a five-star rating.

I love this novels view on afterlife. The “snapshot” aspect was a great thing that I never would have thought of. I enjoyed that a great deal.
While the entire book was good, chapter 3- part II, literally punched me in the gut. I could feel it as if I were living it. I want to find that kid and hug him. Part IV I can only use emojis to express how it made me feel... 😭🥺
My reviews always say something about grammar, the grammar is Perfection!
I love this novel from beginning to end. Wonderfully written! I recommend it to anyone who loves to read. The mystery of George Pringate’s demise is well written and fraught with real-life stresses and internal dialogue that lets you know the author did his homework.

 

 Get your copy with this Amazon Affiliate Link

When Oceans Rise by Robin Alvarez

 

Stunning tale of magic and folklore that will leave you gasping for air

When Oceans Rise is a magical journey that you want to take. It’s beyond difficult to put down when life gets in the way of reading 😂
The characters are entrancing. The story takes you there! You are in it with the characters, and you can feel the aches, the pains, the overwhelming hollowness that comes from abusive relationships.
This Fantasy YA novel has everything you want in a fantasy novel! It’s got dysfunctional relationships, bad decisions, and romance that makes you ache. It’s got monsters that make you look over your shoulders while you’re reading, and grammar that is STELLAR!  The author also designed her own cover and y’all that cover is a work of art! Pick up the book, It will take you on a glorious adventure. Life, Magic, Truth… it has so much in its pages... I feel honored to have read it.
Phenomenal work. I’d give it ten stars if I could. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Follow Robin if you don’t already and just for the love of all things stop reading this review and buy the book already!

 

Cleopatra's Dagger by Carole Lawrence

It may have taken me some time to finish this novel, but that had nothing to do with the wonderful writing, and only my brain being so utterly distracted by life that I would forget about this book on my kindle. (It's easy for me to forget things because I have a brain injury, too, so there's there.)

Below is a copy of my Goodreads review for this novel.

I have to say this book was surprising. I picked it up hoping to help another author find a comp title for their novel, but wound up in another world, forgetting about my comparisons altogether. 

The way the author Carole Lawrence pulls you into Elizabeth van den Broek’s world is beautiful. Set in New York City in the 1800’s you’re pulled back to that time. You can hear and feel the city through her words.

There were few errors as there are in every novel, but they weren’t so bad that it pulled you out of the reading. I always love a well edited book.

Spoilers below this point…

 

There is a point while reading when the main character is caught in a sexual assault. You don’t see it coming, it’s completely thrown in, and you are as shocked as the main character when all is said and done. I must applaud the author for showing exactly how it happens. There is no warning, you never expect someone to defile you, or hurt you. The way the character handles the entire thing was so well written.

Being a survivor of sexual assault, I can say that this author did their homework.

The other ways that Carole pulls in the real world problems that have been happening for far too long is beautiful as well.

I am not easily surprised as I am a writer myself, so while I read I think of the many different ways an author can write a story and who the killers could be. However, I was utterly surprised by the killer’s identity!

Five Stars to the author!

Truly a wonderful read!