The Black
by Neil Mosspark
My rating: 4.1 of 5 stars
Without warning one morning ten years ago, a black dome appeared over what was then Toronto. No one knew were it came from or why, but thousands of people died, and a huge area around it was off limits. Governments began working together, sorta, to try to figure out what it was and what to do about it, and that lead to Dave's current job. He trainers miners to try to tunnel far enough under the edge of the black dome to see if they can get inside.
Nothing ever goes as planned, and when they finally start getting a tunnel far enough in, strange things start happening that threaten to derail the whole project. A last ditch effort with Dave leading the charge and his best friend, Tony, who has been in the higher ups of this project all along, with him, leads to something completely unexpected!
This is a science fiction novel, and tells an engaging story that has you reading from page one. You want to understand where this black dome came from and what it is doing and you are completely interested in what is going on, and then everything gets completely flipped on its head!
I can't, and won't say why it gets flipped because that would ruin it for future readers, but just know that things are not as they seem, and once Dave has the chance to get inside the Black, all bets are off!
I really enjoyed this book and read it quickly because I couldn't put it down.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I received and ARC copy of this book. This is my honest and truthful review, it was not influenced in any way by receiving a copy of the book.
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The Rebel
by Alice Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Sean is an amazing motorcycle mechanic, barely making a living, but doing the best he can on his own, and for the most part feeling pretty good about himself. He's got some demons from his past, some owning to his family and some to his brief time in a motorcycle club.
Paisley is Sean's eight year old daughter, and on that he hasn't had contact with since his ex-wife took her away. Of course Sean hasn't always felt he deserved to be in Paisley's life given his entanglement with the motorcycle club, but he is determined to give his daughter everything he can from a distance. That is until the day that his ex-wife is killed in a car accident and he becomes a single parent overnight.
Enter Taylor, a marketing exec in his father's company, that has no idea his history, knows nothing about him, but knows that Sean is what the company needs to turn around its recent major downturn, and she is just determined enough to know that she may have to fight father, son and brother to get it, but she is sure this is the best thing.
This was a well written book and the characters had depth and development and I think it is a good book to read. For me personally, I had trouble with the way Sean seemed to hold onto his mistakes like a badge and push people away and think that no one would ever give him a decent chance at a real life or think that he could change. I just wanted to smack him a few times in the book and knock the chip off his shoulders. That is the only reason I lowered the stars on the book. Another reader may not have those kinds of issues with the characters.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I received an ARC copy of this book and asked if I would be willing to honestly review the book. I am always honest in my reviews, and while I think this was a good book, it wasn't one that I personally would be into reading because of my issues with the personalities.
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Taliesin - Choice/Destiny by Suzanne Redfearn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
For Tally, living around and being one with horses is just part of her life in the last few years, since her mothers death. When she endures an attempted attack by a drunken son of a horse owner, which ends with the horse defending her and injuring her father in the process, everything in her world is turned upside down.
Tally is asked to return to her hometown and live with her aunt, her mother's twin sister while her father is in the hospital, and when she starts heading back to the town, Tally experiences a huge since of deja vue. As she tries to settle in and be there for her father, Tally must come to terms with her own memories, the reality of what really happened, and what is really going on in the town for her birth.
Throw in two teenage guys, Cord and Walter, and things just get even more complicated.
This was a good book, well written and well developed. I found myself getting caught up in the story and wanting to know more about the characters and what is happening. This is titled to be the first book in a series, so that leads me to have great expectations for the next book.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I received an ARC copy of the book in return for my honest review. I always give my honest opinion, and while I like this book and think it is a good book, it is really clean reading and good for all age readers.
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Alawahea: The Azellian Affairs, Book One
by Sara L Daigle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
(I still hate the 5 star rating system, this deserves more like a 4.75, but I don't have that option)
Reviewed for Readers Favorite
Tamara is working to finish her college degree in a time when the Earth has found out that there are other plants out there with life on them, and in fact has been sending and receiving ambassadors for over 50 years. This year is going to be different as the Azellian ambassador has proposed having a sort of foreign exchange program at the University with four Azellian students coming to Denver to study for the year. Tamara is excited because her grandfather had been the ambassador to Azelle years ago, and she is interested in learning, even if her grandmother is having a hissy fit about it all. The thing is that there are secrets in Tamara's life and past that are on a collision course with the Azellian students, and nothing is ever going to be the same. Alawahea, The Azellian Affairs is the first book in a series that introduces the reader to another culture and begins the story of interactions, fears, differences and similarities. Author Sara L. Daigle has created a story that is captivating and realistic, the fears and prejudices that are projected towards the Azellian's are the same fears and prejudices that we as humans project on anyone we don't know much about, and the problems it can lead to are enormous.
Alawahea, The Azellian Affairs is the first book in a new series that looks to be both entertaining and thought provoking. All the characters were so well written and developed that, as a reader, I felt a connection to them each from the start, and it was easy to get caught up in the story and following them and wanting only the best for each one. Author Sara L. Daigle has created an environment in the story that is so realistic and believable that you feel like you are part of the story as the reader. I think this is a great book for all readers, and I definitely think it is a time, when a book that causes the reader to look at pre-conceived prejudices and how we think and treat someone slightly different than ourselves, is much needed and should be read by many people. Will it change attitudes? Maybe of a few, those open to understanding and that in and of itself is worth the read alone.
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the alchemy of charlotte goodwin
by Michelle Colston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for Readers Favorite
The Alchemy of Charlotte Goodwin by author Michelle Colston is probably the most captivating book I have read in awhile. Charlotte poured herself into dance, ballet specifically, and when that was taken from her, she poured herself into work. The problem is that she has never really figured out who she was or what she really wanted in life, and that is leaving her a lot of voids and questions in her life. When her Uncle Shel dies, she finds out through a phone call and in her distraughtness she runs across the street only to be hit by a car. The accident leaves her dreaming of alternative lives that she might have lead. At first she isn't sure what is happening, but the more she sees in these dreams, the more clear her frustrations with he3r current life become and she begins to wonder what her life could have been, and where it should go.
Author Michelle Colston has written a tale that feels so life-like and real that you find yourself drawn into the story, wanting to root for certain versions of her life over others, yet they all seem to intertwine in a great number of ways with the same people and places. The Alchemy of Charlotte Goodwin is not only the story of a woman finding who she really is and what she really wants, but it begs the readers to look into their own lives and think about choices and what might have been had they made a different choice, or had thins happened differently. Hidden secrets in her life are staring to come to the front the book, and her search is just beginning. The book ends on a promising note, and with the promise of a second book to come. This book is a perfect read for all ages, but I especially think it would be good your the young adult reader, to allow them to question their own lives and make sure they are living the life they want, and not trying to fulfill someone else dreams for them.
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Don't Hide From Me: Luc (The McCabe Brothers, Book 4)
by Lorhainne Eckhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Don't Hide From Me is the fourth book in the McCabe Brothers series and focuses on youngest brother Luc. If you have read the previous books, it helps set the scene for this book, although it probably could be read on it's own.
Luc is having the hardest time of the brothers, and part of that is because Luc wants a relationship, marriage and a family, and that hasn't always been available to him, since Luc is gay. Now, things are changing and Luc is refusing to be anyone's secret, he wants it all, the same things his brothers all have.
This book is really a conclusion to the series in a way, focusing on Luc, but at the same time tying up any loose ends from the previous books, and wrapping up the McCabe Brother's into a neat little package.
I have no problem recommending this to readers of any age, just know they storyline going in so that you aren't caught off guard if you aren't open to reading the story. It is a good story line, and the family dynamics that you find in this book relate to a great number of people.
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Don't Run From Me: Aaron (The McCabe Brothers, Book 3)
by Lorhainne Eckhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for Readers Favorite
Aaron McCabe is a great fighter, but what no one knows is that he uses his fighting to relieve his greatest failure, to exercise the wounds from his past that he can't heal nor let go of. Tonight is no different, expect that his brother Chase is there, and not about to let things go. Chase always has to fix everyone's problems, but this isn't something even Chase can fix. Don't Run From Me is the third book in the McCabe Brothers series, so far having oldest brother Vic's story in book one and next oldest Chase's story in book two. Author Lorhainne Eckhart builds from the previous books, although you don't need to have read them to understand this book, and moves on to the next brother.
The McCabe Brother's series follows each of the McCabe brothers, who are all four adopted, and their individual journey's as they look to fill voids left in their lives by loss and love. Don't Run From Me is the third book, and can stand alone on it's own, but having read the other books in the series does give you more insight to each brother. Author Lorhainne Eckhart is able to weave a tale that is both heartwarming and contemporary at the same time. This story plays on a natural disaster that effected a great number of people, and influenced the lives of Aaron and his girlfriend at the time. This is a good read and recommended for most any reader, although there are a few minor adult themes in small areas of the book, it is really a good book for all.
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