Tag: reading

Review: Heart of the Matter

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Addison Moore, a well-known psychiatrist, is having difficulty coming to terms with the death of her grandmother, Cookie. The woman was everything to her after her parents died in a plane crash over Lockerbie, Scotland. Little did Addy know, an old picture tucked away in the family bible of Cookie with a handsome stranger would lead her to a discovery for which she is little prepared.

Ethan Taylor is an art historian. He’s lived with his Great Uncle Ben for a long time and would do anything for him. He never anticipated Ben’s dying wish would introduce him to his biggest sacrifice.

Neither Addy nor Ethan are prepared for the lengths at which their families went through to keep Cookie and Ben apart. As they put the pieces together, they uncover a decade’s old unsolved murder implicating Cookie and Ben. Will Addy and Ethan’s blossoming love be able to stand the strain of finding the truth? Will they be able to get to the heart of the matter?

This one was such a fun read! We follow two people who have recently gone through tremendous loss and are drawn together because of the relationship between the people they lost. Addy and Ethan are instantly attracted and both want to discover what the relationship was between their loved ones. Along with that there’s a mystery that needs to be solved regarding events that happened in the past.

It is a whirlwind story and a super quick read. There is a touch of insta-love but with the length of the book that is completely reasonable. There’s just enough mystery to keep you intrigued within the story. In essence it is a very warm story about two people finding love, but there are definitely some deeper subjects explored such as grief and moving on. I would definitely pick up more stories by this author in the future as I truly enjoyed this story, the characters and the writing style.

Heart of the Matter is currently available on Kindle Unlimited, so be sure to pick it up!

Happy reading!

That Harlequin Feeling

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What is ‘That Harlequin Feeling’? Harlequin has been doing extensive consumer research to launch a new campaign and redesign their covers – something that has been very exciting to see. I love picking up a Harlequin book and have fond memories of seeing both my grandmother and mother reading them before I myself started reading them. I was excited to receive their press release regarding the research they’ve done and are happy to share it with you. Make sure to also visit ThatHarlequinFeeling.com to watch the video and download two free ebooks!

Two years of extensive consumer research has reaffirmed what Harlequin has believed for 70 years: that reading a Harlequin romance novel makes women feel uplifted, inspired and empowered. As a result, Harlequin is launching That Harlequin Feeling, a new national campaign that celebrates the powerful and positive feelings that millions of readers get from Harlequin books.

“That Harlequin Feeling campaign is an unapologetic celebration of the happiness Harlequin brings to readers’ lives,” says Farah Mullick, Senior Director, Retail Business Development at Harlequin. “Harlequin romance novels have it all: hopeful fresh starts, dramatic family sagas, unexpected twists and turns. Readers feel a deep emotional connection to the characters and their happy endings.”

With two books sold per second worldwide, Harlequin reaches readers internationally in 32 languages. An innovator in the billion-dollar romance industry, Harlequin pioneered the series romance model. Harlequin Series includes 12 romance lines with recognizable branded packaging and a set number of books published on a reliable monthly schedule. Sixty-six original titles are released in print and ebook formats across the 12 Harlequin series every month. Each series offers a unique type of romance, from suspenseful reads to inspirational stories of faith and family.

Harlequin’s consumer research helped define the distinct characteristics of each series for readers and influenced new cover designs that communicate the incredible variety of stories. “The new look drew heavily on insights from thousands of romance readers,” says Tony Horvath, Creative Director, Series & Digital Publishing at Harlequin. “The results are contemporary, spontaneous covers that reflect what readers want to see in 2020. Similar to a movie poster, the book covers tell a story with one image.”

Harlequin is encouraging women in North America to discover That Harlequin Feeling by downloading two free ebooks from ThatHarlequinFeeling.com.

Happy reading!

Review: Passion on Park Avenue

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For as long as she can remember, Bronx-born Naomi Powell has had one goal: to prove her worth among the Upper East Side elite—the same people for which her mom worked as a housekeeper. Now, as the strongminded, sassy CEO of one of the biggest jewelry empires in the country, Naomi finally has exactly what she wants—but it’s going to take more than just the right address to make Manhattan’s upper class stop treating her like an outsider.

The worst offender is her new neighbor, Oliver Cunningham—the grown son of the very family Naomi’s mother used to work for. Oliver used to torment Naomi when they were children, and as a ridiculously attractive adult, he’s tormenting her in entirely different ways. Now they find themselves engaged in a battle-of-wills that will either consume or destroy them…

Filled with charm and heart and plenty of sex and snark, this entertaining series will hook you from the very first page.

This one was such a fun roller coaster ride. In it we primarily follow Naomi, but also Clair and Audrey, who all find out that they were in relationships with Claire’s husband the day of his funeral. They form a fast friendship and a pact to look out for each other.

A lot of the book has to do with holding grudges and how to move on from them, people changing and also takes a look at what Alzheimer’s not only does to those who suffer from it but those around them. While this was a great romance between Naomi and Oliver, it had much more depth than I expected. Layne really dove into their feelings and internal conflicts between each other.

I really loved the banter between them and their friends/family. The writing style was so fluid and easy that it made for a really fast read.

Happy reading!

Review: Magic 7

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On his first day of class at a new school, Leo, a boy who talks to the ghosts of famous dead people for fun, meets Hamlin, who can talk to animals, and Farah, a human flamethrower. The new friends band together to track down the thief who has made off with the school’s prized trophy, and must use all their powers to fight off an army of gigantic robots intent on destroying them. What they don’t know is that this is all just part of a much, much bigger plan…

This was so fun! In this story we primarily follow Leo who can talk to ghosts, most of which are historical figures or famous people. He’s just had to relocate and is not only dealing with his special gift, but having to start over at a new school. He quickly finds himself thrown into a mystery and meets a couple interesting characters.

I loved the artwork and the way all of the characters fit together but were individual in their own ways. The colors were bright and vibrant, which added to the feel of the story and will definitely make it appeal to its target audience. I would definitely be interested to see where this series goes, as this was a great beginning.

Happy reading!

Review: The Red Coat

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In these nine heart wrenching stories, Vidhipssa Mohan explores the lives of Indian women and the problems they face and have been facing through the ages. These women are caught between who they really are and what society expects them to be. The stories are poignant, suffused with joy, pain and suffering.

In the title story, “The Red Coat”, a young student understands the price you have to pay for your dreams when you come from poverty. In “Going Home”, a young girl understands what home really is. In “Noises”, the father of a young bride understands what it means to be a woman in the 18th century India.

In this collection the author tells the story of a number of different characters in varying situations, but always illustrating many of the challenges Indian women have faced in the past and continue to face today. It is obvious that some of these subjects are dear to the author as there is real life within some of the stories.

The writing was very simplistic at times and sometimes didn’t flow as well as I would have liked it to, but there were also some passages and paragraphs that were beautifully descriptive and had real emotion woven into them. This was especially evident in the moments when we are getting the internal thoughts of the characters.

Overall the collection was insightful and in some ways a heart wrenching read. It really was a glimpse into some of the struggles that not only Indian women but women in general can face.

Thank you again to the author for reaching out to me and giving me the opportunity to read her book. Happy reading!

Review: Dear Girl

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Aija Mayrock published her first book, The Survival Guide to Bullying, at just sixteen. A fierce advocate for women, girls, and all youth, Mayrock performs spoken word poetry as part of her activism work and has performed live to an estimated four million people. Dear Girl, her powerful debut poetry collection, includes some of her viral spoken word poems like “Dear Girl,” “Dear Sisters,” and “The Truth About Being a Girl,” as well as many never-before-published pieces. Aija’s poetry—fierce, conversational, inspirational—speaks to the pain and the beauty of being a woman in our society today. Dear Girl is a love letter to all women, amplifying Aija’s message of understanding, empowerment, and support.

If you’re looking for a poetry collection that tackles subjects such as rape culture, inequality between men and women and much more. Mayrock really takes on these subjects and addresses what many girls and women experience growing up. Not just in society but in their families, friend groups and more.

I really enjoyed this collection as it was filled with empowerment and understanding. There are definite trigger warnings as there is a lot of talk about rape culture (and the mentality surrounding it in society) and issues that face women in the workplace, school and everyday life.

Happy reading!

Review: Soul Land

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This collection of poems is a result of the author’s spiritual journey and reveals a powerful personal account through a deep and profound connection to the land of Scotland. Both emotional and touching, with universal themes of nature and love at the centre, the author portrays a transformational effect of stunning Scottish landscapes on the soul and life as a whole. Engaging in an emotional struggle to bring spiritual and earthly together, this eloquent collection is written with devotion and reverence and offers an exploration of a spiritual identity through the land. Through the poems, the author shows how the beauty of natural places can be soothing and hopeful in times of turmoil. At its heart, this volume is a spiritual love story between the land and the author, exploring the elements of nature as they are in the wild, as well as in our souls.

This poetry collection really was a love letter to Scotland and how the author feels about Scotland. There was some beautiful imagery and wonderful phrases that painted a picture of the wildness and beauty of Scotland.

I did really enjoy the poems and language, but wished it was a little longer. I would have loved to read more since I did feel it was a bit short. Still, a lot of the images inspired by her words were wonderful and definitely make you feel like you can see the landscape she’s describing.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour: The Unwilling

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The Unwilling is the story of a young woman, born an orphan with a secret gift, who grows up trapped, thinking of herself as an afterthought, but who discovers that she does not have to be given power: she can take it. An epic tale of greed and ambition, cruelty and love, the novel is about bowing to traditions and burning them down.

For reasons that nobody knows or seems willing to discuss, Judah the Foundling was raised as siblings along with Gavin, the heir of Highfall, in the great house beyond the wall, the seat of power at the center of Lord Elban’s great empire. There is a mysterious–one might say unnatural connection–between the two, and it is both the key to Judah’s survival until this point, and now her possible undoing.

As Gavin prepares for his long-arranged marriage to Eleanor of Tiernan, and his brilliant but sickly younger brother Theron tries to avoid becoming commander of the army, Judah is left to realize that she has no actual power or position within the castle, in fact, no hope at all of ever traveling beyond the wall. Lord Elban–a man as powerful as he is cruel- has other plans for her, for all of them. She is a pawn to him and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

Meanwhile, outside the wall, in the starving, desperate city, a Magus, a healer with a secret power unlike anything Highfall has seen in years is newly arrived from the provinces. He, too, has plans for the empire, and at the heart of those plans lies Judah. The girl who started off with no name and no history will be forced to discover there’s more to her story than she ever imagined.

Buy Links: Oblong Books Barnes & Noble Amazon Powell’s Apple Books IndieBound

First things first, this book is very dark and has a TON of trigger warnings, so if you are considering picking it up, please look into them and judge if this book is something you can handle. There is a lot of abuse in the story, so be warned about that. Also, I’m not sure why this is being described as young adult, because it clearly isn’t YA, it’s fantasy.

The story line was complex and unfortunately a little hard to follow at times, but it did come together. I feel like this is going to be a very polarizing book, so I’m sure some people are going to absolutely love it. The characters, though most of them are young, are complex and have unique bonds that grow or are cemented through the book. There are some great connections and relationships in this book.

Overall it was a very intriguing story with lots of twists and turns. Though it wasn’t the perfect read for me, I could definitely see a lot of people loving it.

Kelly Braffet is the author of the novels Save Yourself, Last Seen Leaving and Josie & Jack. Her writing has been published in The Fairy Tale Review, Post Road, and several anthologies. She attended Sarah Lawrence College and received her MFA in Creative Writing at Columbia University. She currently lives in upstate New York with her husband, the author Owen King. A lifelong reader of speculative fiction, the idea for The Unwilling originally came to her in college; twenty years later, it’s her first fantasy novel. Visit her at kellybraffet.com.

Social Links:
Author website: https://www.kellybraffet.com/
Facebook: @kellybraffetfiction
Twitter: @KellyBraffet

Happy reading!

Review: Aphrodite Made Me Do It

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Bestselling and award-winning author Trista Mateer takes an imaginative approach to self-care in this new poetry and prose collection, Aphrodite Made Me Do It. In this empowering retelling, she uses the mythology of the goddess to weave a common thread through the past and present. By the end of this book, Aphrodite make you believe in the possibility of your own healing.

Since I have been picking up more modern poetry, I had high hopes that this one would be another one I loved, but that wasn’t the case. With this one I definitely think that’s more of a me thing than this collection though, a lot of times the style of poetry just didn’t suit what I was looking for.

The artwork included in the collection was amazing as it worked with and accented the poems themselves. The content of the poems was definitely heart wrenching and a tale of catharsis, growth and overcoming obstacles, they just weren’t completely for me.

If you love modern poetry mixed with artwork and in varying styles you’ll probably like this a lot more than I do and should definitely pick it up.

Happy reading!

Review: Not Your Idol Vol. 1

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A psychological suspense series about a girl who has given up her life as an idol after being assaulted by a fan.

After that day, she stopped being a girl. In the wake of an assault, Nina Kamiyama, a former idol in the group Pure Club, shuns her femininity and starts dressing as a boy. At high school she keeps to herself, but fellow student Hikaru Horiuchi realizes who she is. What secrets is she keeping? The shocking drama starts. 

Typically when I read manga I reach for the ones with a fantasy or paranormal twist, but the premise of this one sounded interesting. We’re following an ex-idol who has completely changed her appearance due to an assault she suffered and the trauma and effects that come after it. There’s also the more sinister story line of her attacker possibly still being after her and a lot of discussion about sexual harassment and assault. I was not expecting the first volume to be as complex as it was, but it all flowed together well.

I’m interested to see where this series goes, especially with how the first volume ended. There’s a definite question regarding multiple people’s motives, so I’m thinking it will be a twisting series.

Not Your Idol Volume 1 is coming out on May 5th by Viz Media, so be sure to pick it up if it sounds like it is up your alley – happy reading!