Book Review: Day Shift - Charlaine Harris

Day Shift - Charlaine Harris

There is no such thing as bad publicity, except in Midnight, Texas, where the residents like to keep to themselves.  Even in a town full of secretive people, Olivia Charity is an enigma.  She lives with the vampire Lemuel, but no one knows what she does; they only know that she's beautiful and dangerous.

Psychic Manfred Bernardo finds out just how dangerous when he goes on a working weekend to Dallas and sees Olivia there with a couple who are both found dead the next day.  To make matters worse, one of Manfred's regular--and very wealthy--clients dies during a reading.

Manfred returns from Dallas embroiled in scandal and hounded by the press.  He turns to Olivia for help; somehow he knows that the mysterious Olivia can get things back to normal.  As normal as things get in Midnight...

3/5 stars (liked it)

I love that two character from the Sookie books made an appearance in this book.  Although one did not stick around for long and I hope he comes back in the next one.  Poor Manfred is caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I feel like the killer storyline was just wrapped up and forgotten.  I would have liked to see more of the other characters in the town featured more.  Although it was nice to see more of Olivia and Manfred together and working together.  Seems like a few items were left open, so hopefully they are answered in the next one.

Book Review: Ash and Quill - Rachel Caine

Ash and Quill - Rachel Caine

Words can kill.

Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets.  But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny...

Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit.  But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the Library's rule.

Their time is running out.  To survive, they'll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies--and to save the very soul of the Great Library...

3/5 stars (liked it)

I can't say I have a favorite character because I really like them all.  They all find themselves going from one kind of prison to another.  Using their skills to find a way to free themselves.  I feel like this book contained more action than the previous books.  I can't wait to read the next one.

Book Review: Midnight Crossroad - Charlaine Harris

Midnight Crossroad - Charlaine Harris

Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and Davy Road.  It's a pretty standard dried-up western town.

There's a pawnshop (someone lives in the basement and is seen only at night).  There's a diner (people who are just passing through tend not to linger).  And there's new resident Manfred Bernardo, who thinks he's found the perfect place to work in private (and who has secrets of his own).

Stop at the one traffic light in town, and everything looks normal.  Stay awhile, and learn the truth...

3/5 stars (liked it)

I was a big fan of the Sookie Stackhouse books and thought I would try another one of her series.  Plus this is a trilogy so very doable.  I liked this first book.  We don't find out if everyone is human or otherwise but we find out about some.  My favorite character has to be Mr. Snuggly, the cat that talks.  He is just a cat and he can talk and all he cares about is himself and whether he will get his food and a comfy place to lay.  He's so funny!  This book revolves around the murder of Audrey, Bobo's girlfriend (the owner of the Pawnshop).  The killer really surprised me.

Book Review: Through the Ever Night - Veronica Rossi

Through the Ever Night - Veronica Rossi

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry.  Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission.  Now, finally, they are about to be reunited.  But their reunion is far form perfect.  The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller.  And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, can their love survive through the ever night?

3/5 stars (liked it)

Poor Aria really doesn't fit in anywhere.  After the end of the last book she has gone back to the Dwellers only to find it's not her home anymore.  But when she gets to the Tides, she's not really welcome there either.  Her relationship is kept a secret because of the way people feel about her and the fact that Perry is the new Blood Lord.  Roar and Aria have quite an adventure in this book and it's sad why the person that dies at the end.  Can't wait to see what happens next.

Book Review: Roar and Liv - Veronica Rossi

Roar and Liv - Veronica Rossi

Before Perry and Aria, there was Roar and Liv.

After a childhood spent wandering the borderlands, Roar finally feels like he has a home with the Tides.  His best friend Perry is like a brother to him, and Perry's sister, Liv, is the love of his life.  But Perry and Liv's unpredictable older brother, Vale, is the Blood Lord of the Tides, and he has never looked kindly on Roar and Liv's union.  Normally, Roar couldn't care less about Vale's opinion.  But with food running low and conditions worsening every day, Vale's leadership is more vital--and more brutal--than ever.  Desperate to protect his tribe, Vale makes a decision that will shatter the life Roar knew and change the fate of the Tides forever.

3/5 stars (liked it)

I loved reading about how the love story of Roar and Liv was.  This book explains how their romance started and what happened when Vale promised Liv to someone else in order to feed his tribe.  I was so sad for Roar.  We also see what Perry is like before he meets Aria.

Book Review: Son - Lois Lowry

Son - Lois Lowry

They called her Water Claire.  When she washed up on their shore, no one knew that she came from a society where emotions and colors didn't exist.  That she had become a Vessel at age thirteen. That she had carried a Product at age fourteen.  That it had been stolen from her body.  Claire had a son.  But what became of him she never knew.  What was his name?  Was he even alive?  She was supposed to forget him, but that was impossible.  Now Claire will stop at nothing to find her child, even if it means making an unimaginable sacrifice.

Son thrusts readers once again into the chilling world of the Newbery Medal winning book, The Giver, as well as Gathering Blue and Messenger where a new hero emerges.  In this thrilling series finale, the startling and long-awaited conclusion to Lois Lowry's epic tale culminates in a final class between good and evil.

3/5 starts (liked it)

I thought this was a great conclusion to the series.  We find out more about Jonas and where he is.  Also Kira and what life became of her after the end of Messenger.  As well as other characters that we got to know throughout the series.  We also find thing out from Claire's perspective since she was around when Jonas became the Receiver in the town they lived in.  Claire goes through a lot in the book to get to her son.  I thought it ended well and explained everything.

Book Review: Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads:

Madeline is a force to be reckoned with.  She's funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one.  Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beach side community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline's youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it off, Madeline's teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline's ex-husband over her.  (How. Is. This. Possible?).

Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare.  While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn't be, with those rambunctious twin boys?  Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school's parent body.  But loyalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.

New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny.  Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son.  But why?  While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.

Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

3/5 stars (liked it)

I really hated Madeline and I really loved Madeline.  Even though she comes off as being harsh and mean, she is actually a very caring person.  She befriends Jane right away.  Jane is mysterious and you find out why she is the way she is throughout the book  Celeste seems perfect but what happens behind closed doors is not what you would imagine.  It was a great story, told through the perspective of these three women.  As well as little snipets of a death that occurs at the Trivia Night.  We know someone dies, we don't exactly know how but it was great to see how the events unfolded to that night.  I saw so much change in each of the characters, especially Jane.