Whisper: A Lakeview Novel (Lakeview Academy Series, Book 1)
by Stacey R. Campbell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Lakeview Academy is a centuries old boarding school on 300 mountain acres in Canada, that started out for boys and now admits girls and boys for 8th thru 12th grades. It also holds its own secrets and resident ghosts, or so the stories go. Leigh is in her senior year, but her best friend Blakely's, who graduated last year, younger sister Halle is starting this year and Leigh is going to be her "big sister". Halle is overjoyed about the ghosts, the mysteries and secrets of the school and she can't wait to find out more. It helps that the original building that housed the founder's family is being renovated this year. The seniors are tapped to clean the attic since they are the only ones on campus at the time. Halle tags along with Leigh, and in the process finds an old diary. Whisper is the story of the adventure that follows as Halle entrusts a few seniors, Leigh and her roommate Christi, her boyfriend David and his best friend Callum, who just happens to be a descent of the founding family; to help find a lost treasure mentioned in the diary. Author Stacey R. Campbell creates an engaging and compelling story that make you want to keep reading and find out what happens.
Whisper is actually the second book in the Lakeview Academy series, but it stands on its own quite well. I did not read the first book, and was able to follow along without problem, although now I do want to go back and read the first. Enough key information was relayed in this book that you are not lost. Not only do you have this treasure hunt going on, but you have this tension between Callum and Leigh, which has been going on since their first year. Author Stacey R. Campbell does a wonderful job writing characters that you want to know, you want to read, and you find yourself rooting for and wanting to see them find what they are looking for, among other things. This book is a great read for middle school on up readers. It is clean, there is no sex, although there are references to it, it's not actually seen or described, and there is no violence at all. I would be willing to let my 6th grader read this book. Enjoy readers!
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Seduce Me (The Heart Series, Book 1)
by Angela Estienne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Imagine waking up in the hospital to find that you have been asleep for five days, and the last thing you remember is driving home from dinner with your fiance'. That confusion is exactly where we begin the story with Jasmine, or Jazz to her friends. She soon finds that her fiance' Greg died in the accident and that his parents blame her for his death. Seduce Me (The Heart Series Book 1) follows Jazz as she picks up her life, moves to a completely new place to try to start all over, to move on after Greg and put her life back together. She is haunted by puzzling nightmares of the accident, and then there are mysterious flowers from H.H., who seems to know what is happening in her life even before she does. Add in a handsome, rich playboy by the name of Luke Heart who seems to have eyes for Jazz and you have a sizzling story. Angela Estienne weaves it all together, and throws in a few twists and turns and unexpected events to keep you on your toes too.
Seduce Me may be the story of Jazz rebuilding her life after Greg's death, but there is plenty of romance and sizzle in the story. There are flashbacks to times between Jazz and Greg that introduce you to their particular relationship and it hints at themes of mild BDSM and role playing in their private lives. Angela Estienne weaves these romance, sizzle, mild BDSM themes together with overcoming grief, rebuilding and mystery to create a definite womens novel that is worth the read.
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No Tears For My Father
by Viga Boland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
No Tears For My Father is a non-ficton book, and that being said there are some readers that can not handle the subject matter of the book. Viga Boland recounts her life with an abusive father, not only physically but sexually as well. She does not sugar coat the truth, but she does not get graphic just to sell books either. She walks a very fine line between the truth and reality, and she does so very well. This book follows her from her earliest memories until she writes this book, with most of the coverage being during the time she lived with her parents and underwent the abuse.
No Tears For My Father is a wonderful book for the healing of those that have experienced abuse at the hands of a parent. By writing this book, Viga Boland has set the record straight on her own history and freed herself from her father's grasp. By reading her words, other survivors can heal and realize that they are not alone, that others have went through the same things and survived. It is even good for those going through it currently, in that it gives them the hope to get out. For those readers who have never experienced the abuse, reading this book can help to give them insight into what goes on and how difficult it is for someone to get out. This is a courageous book and one that, as a reader I am thankful the author took the time to write.
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Veil of Midnight
Midnight Breed Novel, Book Five
by Lara Adrian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Veil of Midnight is the fifth book in the Midnight Breed Series, and as a Vampiers series, I have to say this is the longest and best series I have read. Typically with a Vampire series, I get bored with it after a few books because it is always the same and yet this series has kept me guessing, it has followed different characters each time, but brought back familair loved characters too and kept me wanting to read more.
Veil of Midnight follows Nikolai on a misson that brings him into danger with an older Gen One Breed male and as he witnesses the cruel and inhumane ways of this male, he meets a woman, a Breedmate, who know nothing of the Breed except what little she was exposed to with the older cruel Gen One, and he has the task of explaining that the whole world is not like that and that there is a whole world of Breed out there completely different.
Reneta is a Breedmate, and she has only known the cruelty of the Gen One male that controls her. She wants to escape, but has no idea how, and is not sure what to make of Niko, he is so different than t=what she is used to, but at the same time she feels she can trust him.
Mira is a little girl, also a breedmate, caught up in this whole story, used as a plaything by one male and a pawn by another. The only person who cares for her is Reneta, and she has promised to take care of Mira, now Reneta must look to Niko to keep her promise.
It is a completely different story, yet at the same time, the same major fight is at the root of this story and they same things are going own but in such a different and unquiet way that it feels like a whole new story in a whole new setting.
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Stuck
by Stacey D. Atkinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
Odette is twenty-three, living at home with her mother and younger sister, working at the local convenience store where she has been since high school and just rolling along with life. She finally realizes that she is restless,she is Stuck, that this isn't what she wants out of life, that she wants something more, but she has no idea what she wants or how to go about it. This is the summer she will meet Henri, a rich kid from the yacht club and Ben a research scientist in the area on a project. Henri introduces her to sailing, but she keeps information about he life from him which leads to trouble. Ben knows all about her, in fact he understands her better than she understands herself sometimes. Stacey D. Atkinson gives us a story of growing up in a small town, and breaking free. Finding out what you want for yourself and going for it.
Stuck is what so many people become. We just go with what we are doing, never questioning and looking for something better. Stuck is not only the story of Odette, but it is also the story of her younger sister Sophie and her mother too. They are all living in the trailer together, in a poor town with poor expectations. Only when Odette makes plans to get out, to do something more does Sophie also realize that she can do more, she doesn't have to follow in her older sister's footsteps and marry young and have kids. You might call it a coming-of-age story, but it is more an awaken o what life can be outside of what you know. This is a great book for young adults and adults alike.
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