Wednesday, December 23, 2020

2020 in Reviews... Books I've Reviewed in June 2020

 


Publisher's Summary

After tragedy strikes, Callie Sinclair is left with a gift she never wanted - the ability to communicate with ghosts. But when a desperate widow begs for her help, she reluctantly agrees to investigate the strange occurrences at Hillwood Farm. She quickly realizes she’s dealing with a dangerous presence beyond anything she’s ever experienced, and something else becomes equally clear - the only other living person in the house, Mrs. Turner’s handsome grandson, thinks she’s a scam artist. While she’d prefer to just ignore him, her heart beats a little faster every time he’s nearby.

Luke Turner doesn’t believe in spirits. He’s moved back to restore the family farm, but living on the property serves a dual purpose - he can watch out for his grandmother. He’s not happy about the sudden appearance of a self-described psychic, or his inexplicable attraction to her. His initial suspicions crumble as evidence points to an actual haunting, but he’s still determined not to fall for Callie - the past has taught him it’s best to avoid relationships.

As Callie is drawn deeper into the mystery, she becomes the target of a vengeful spirit, and Luke can no longer fight his feelings for her. Unable to resist their desire, passion ignites…even as the paranormal activity escalates to a final deadly confrontation.

 

Audiobook Review…I have found that when I listen to an audiobook, I listen to more than just the words the narrator is saying.   I hear the tones, the emotions, and the feelings that the characters are having.   Kirstin James is wonderful.   She brought all the characters alive, the ghosts, the haunting, the live characters all became real to me.  I could feel their fear, their love, and the wonder at what was happening in the world around them.    Kathryn Knight wrote a book that I loved in the eBook form and I was so excited to listen to the story on Audible.     Everything about both versions are wonderful.

 eBook Review…I am not a ghost story reader yet when Kathryn Knight writes a new book, I don’t hesitate to read it.    Callie is not a ghost whisperer.   She did not even know that she could communicate with ghosts until she lost her boyfriend and heard him after he was gone.     She isn’t in it for the money, but she is willing to try to help Mrs. Turner when a ghost is haunting her house.  

This ghost, oh my, was nasty.    The ghost caused havoc caused harm and was just mean.   I had goosebumps from some of the things that they did to the Turners and Callie.   I was unsure of how I would have reacted, ok no, I know that I would have run, screaming and begging for someone to explain why things were shattering, doors were closing, and something was trying to cause me bodily harm.

Luke, Mrs. Turner’s grandson, had the right idea in being doubtful of Callie’s skill and her real reason behind helping his grandmother.  I liked that he didn’t just jump into the belief and questioned what was going on.     I also liked how he tried to fight his attraction to Callie.  He did not just jump at being with her, he took the time to get to know her, understand what was going on with her, and he respected her fear of relationships.  

Pick up The Haunting of Hillwood Farm.  It is a must read.  This is a wonderful ghost story that is quick, easy, and fun to read.

 

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your copy at Amazon or on Audible



Publisher's Summary

The Pulse of Blue Blood is a short story that should be listened to after My Blood Runs Blue. This story of 17K words is the back story to Kristin and Calista. Listening to this story before listening to My Blood Runs Blue will spoil many plot points. 

In My Blood Runs Blue, you were introduced to Kristin, Julian, and Alexander, and you also learned a little about Calista.

Now take a trip back in time to learn more about the decisions that Calista made in her choice between Julian and Alexander.

Learn about her relationship with Julian, and why you choose Alexander at the end of My Blood Runs Blue. You’ll also learn the way she caused her untimely death.

My Blood Runs Blue Series is an adult paranormal action/romance series and is intended for mature audiences.

The My Blood Runs Blue Series
Book 1: My Blood Runs Blue
Book 1.5 The Pulse of Blue Blood
Book 2: Blue Blood for Life
Book 3: Mixing the Blue Blood
Book 4: Blue Bloods Final Destiny

 

My Thoughts…

I had never read or listened to anything Stacy Eaton had written before I started this series and now, I am addicted.   Yes, this is only book 1.5 but I am already craving book 2.      Calista is a character with spunk, with emotion, and with heat that pulled me in as she found her way in life.  She made decisions that made me cringe, she did things that made me respect her, and she had a way of making me just want the best for her.    I knew how this book would end since I had already listened to the first book and this was a prequel to book 1 but made to be listened to after book one.  

The narrator that Stacy choose were perfect.   He brought this short but powerful story to life with their tones.  I could feel the attractions, the emotions, and the fear as the story was read to me.   I enjoyed that this story was told by a male narrator even though the character was a female.  

 Of course, you need to start with book one, My Blood Runs Blue, and then continue on with The Pulse of Blue Blood.  But I can guarantee it will be time well spent listening to this wonderful paranormal story.  

Add My Blood Runs Blue to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Audible, or Amazon


Publisher's Summary

Finley Parker loves working in catering but hates her boss and her life in Middletown. When Robin Landry steals her away to work for Heart of the Family Catering in Cricklewood Cove, Finley is ready to cook up a new life. 

An accident in the kitchen finds Robin laid up and Finley must take over the planning of a wedding for a nightmare bride. It doesn't help that sitting beside the spoiled woman is a tempting and tasty morsel of a man.

Roan Waterman is ready to take on life again after six years of mourning his wife. With his son about to head to college, Roan is looking for a woman to build a new life and his eyes are set on Finley. 

Misunderstandings, overheard secrets, and a major surprise from Finley's past will keep these two on their toes as they prepare for the upcoming wedding. 

 Audiobook Review…I usually listen to books that I have read before so that I am familiar with the story.   I have not read Roses & Champagne so this was a new-to-me story.   Lisa Beacom did an amazing job of telling Stacy Eaton’s story and making it come alive as I listened.  

eBook Review…Love, friendships, new opportunities are some of the amazing storylines woven together to make one amazing book.  Abuse, death, and cheating are also found within the story but they are written in with care and respect.    The difficult topics make good things even more wonderful.   

Finley is a tough character.   She is all woman but she doesn’t need a man.   She does not even want a man but she has one.   She has Roan, whether she wants him or not.    Roan, he is all man.  Tough, sexy, protective, and alpha.   When life gets complicated for Finley, Roan steps in to keep her safe and of course falls in love with her.   I loved this.   They both needed someone in their lives who would respect and love them for who they were.  Both Finely and Roan had pasts that were holding them back and they needed to be able to get past that to find their HEA.    Together they showed that anything was possible and that all they needed was a good person in their life to make their world better.  

Add Roses and Champagne to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon or Audible



In the seaside city of San Marco, Florida, private investigator Lise Norwood spends her days serving papers and her nights spying on cheating spouses. An odd career choice for a woman who studied art history while a student at San Marco University. When local police ask her to consult on a murder case in which the victim was posed to resemble a classic Greek sculpture, Lise dusts off her art history degree and joins the task force.


As the artistic madman known as Michelangelo continues to use the bodies of his victims to copy more works of art, Lise starts her own investigation into the gruesome killings. Homicide detectives accuse her of overstepping her role as consultant and she’s fired from the case, which only spurs her to dig deeper. Her inquiries take an ugly and personal turn when she learns that Michelangelo has chosen her to be his next bloody masterpiece. 

 


My Thoughts...A man who is killing woman and posing them after works of art is targeting Lise.  As Lise helps the police in their investigation, she cannot help but think that Michelangelo might be someone she knows.    I really enjoyed figuring out how her brain was working.   She took clues, made them make sense, and was able to put together a who-dun-it.   She was not always right, but her reasoning made sense and she stayed true to who she thought Michelangelo was until it was proven she was wrong.     Lise had knowledge, skills, and the ability to think outside the box.  

I loved seeing how the case would unfold and how the clues all came together.   Andrew Nance did an amazing job of telling a story that stayed true to police work, kept the clues coming while not giving away the who-dun-it, and keeping the storyline intriguing.    I felt that the characters were realistic and easy to like.  The storyline moved quick enough to keep my interested but gave enough detail that I was able to make my own guesses that were not always right but were not way off course either.    

** Thank you Red Adept Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

 

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