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Harrow Lake: #bookreview

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0827517CJ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

The Kat Ellis book, Harrow Lake,is set in the town of Harrow Lake. Approximately 20 years ago, the town was the setting for Nightjar, a horror movie directed by Nolan Nox.

He met and fell I love with the actress who played the main character, Little Bird. Her real name was Lorelei. Doesn’t everyone always fall in love with the Loreleis of the world? Nolan and Lorelei married and had a daughter, Lola.

Several years later, the wife disappears after visiting her mother in Harrow Lake. The rumor is that Mr. Jitters from the movie finally captured her. The townspeople think that he captures whoever plays the part of Little Bird in the parade. Why do people still want to get the lead in the parade?

After Nolan is hospitalized, Lola is sent to stay with her grandmother at Harrow Lake. Lola doesn’t think her father’s assistant, Larry, is telling her everything. He’s a creep so she might be right.

She’s not happy about going to her mother’s hometown. Lola thinks that her mother abandoned her.

Her grandmother steals her suitcase so Lola has to wear her mother’s clothes. It’s a weird situation. It’s even more weird that the clothes are Lorelei’s wardrobe from Nightjar.

When Lola was a little girl, she had a doll, Mary Ann, from another horror movie. She loved the doll but her father and his assistant got rid of the doll.

After arriving at Harrow Lake,Lola starts to see Mary Ann, except in a more human form. I thought that having the creepy doll was distracting from Mr. Keepers. Was Mr. Keepers real? Was Mary Ann real? I still don’t know. Sometimes an urban legend is as creepy as real life. I was too scared to read this book when no one else was awake.

After she gets to Harrow Lake, Lola finds out things about her mother that lead her to believe that Lorelei’s disappearance was more suspicious than anyone else thought. Maybe Lola had not been abandoned by her mother.

If anyone is interested in creepy urban legends or horror movies involving dolls, then you might enjoy this book.

Scaredycats should not read this book while home alone with dolls.

* All of the reviewers on the blogtour received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for doing a review. All opinions on this post are my own. Obviously.

Book review, Books, Uncategorized

Beneath the Broken Moon: #bookreview

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Beneath the Broken Moon by Patrick Todoroff was set in a land similar to Middle Earth after the apocalypse.

The main character is Addas, a half human half ork, who has been living in an ork settlement. I use the term living loosely. He is not treated well by anyone except maybe a goblin named Snat. Somehow he is volunteered to be the tracker for a Dwarf/Ork expedition. Addas has never done any tracking in his life. However, doing this job may lead to something better. He believes that it cannot be worse than his current situation.

He doesn’t know how to read and he hears the voice of his deceased mentor, Chalk.

So the expedition begins and Addas leads them to the next point without many problems. He does begin to piece together that there is more to this trip than anyone tells him.

I did enjoy reading this book, except that the print was so tiny. It was a fluke with my Kindle. Luckily my new glasses came yesterday.

If you enjoy sci-fi or fantasy, then you should give this book a chance.

If you don’t like adventure or books from a different perspective then maybe this isn’t the book for you.

Links

ABOUT HSSJ

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4539130.Patrick_Todoroff

* I received an ARC from Reedsy Discovery in exchange for doing a review. All opinions are my own. Obviously.

Book review, Books

Jerkwater: #bookreview

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Jerkwater

 

Jerkwater by Jamie Zerndt is set in Mercer, Wisconsin. It’s typical small jerkwater town, except for the rotests for Native American fishing rights. There isn’t a specific date but in 1983 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Native Americans could spearfish in lakes they had previously relinquished. So if I had to guess I would say that the book takes place in the mid-80s.

Read more about it here: Native American fishing rights article

No one really wants to admit that they are racist. However, are the fishermen who are protesting against the Native American fishing rights really and truly concerned about whether a spear is used or not?

The story is told from the point of view of three characters – Shawna, Kay and Douglas. Shawna is a Native American with a disdain for white people, especially the man who killed her mother and his best friend. She is also neighbors with Kay and Doug. Kay is Doug’s mother and also a possible alcoholic widow in the early stages of dementia.

They are all trying to find their way in the world. Shawna wants to kill a man. She stalks him for awhile. Will she deal with her issues before she winds up in jail?

Douglas has taken over his dad’s mechanic shop but it’s not his career of choice. Will he follow his true passion or stay in the shop?

There are some funny parts in the book. Kay can be amusing even though parts of her behavior are related to the dementia. We all know and love someone like Kay – brutally honest and probably had a drink with breakfast.

Most people will enjoy this book. If the reader is against Native American fishing rights – then they are too petty for this book.

Blogtober, Book review, Books, Halloween

The Woman in White: #Spooktober Book Review

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The Woman in White

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins was not exactly what I expected. I thought it would be more of a Gothic novel but it’s more of a mystery novel. It was still a great book. The Woman in White is considered to be Collins’ greatest work.

The book is set in the United Kingdom – Cumberland County, London and Hampshire.

There’s not just one main character. The story follows sisters Laura Fairlie and Marian Halcombe, as well as The Woman in White, Anne Catherick. The drawing teacher, Walter Hartright, helps the sisters to piece together the mystery.

The Woman in White meets Hartright on the way to Limmeridge House, where Laura and Marian are residing. Anne has just escaped from the asylum, where she was placed by Sir Percival Glyde, Laura’s fiance. The question for most of the book is why is Sir Percival so interested in finding Anne? She must know something about him that could damage his reputation but what?

After leaving Limmeridge House, Hartright joins an expedition to South America. He and Laura are in love but she still marries Sir Percival. Laura and Marian both move to Sir Percival’s estate at Blackwater Park, where they meet Count Fosco, who is married to their estranged aunt. Count Fosco and Sir Percival are definitely plotting against Laura and Marian in order to get Laura’s fortune. It is unbelievable what people will do for money.

I cannot tell you anything without giving away everything. Trust me when I say, it’s a great book and worth reading.

If you like mysteries like Agatha Christie or Hitchcock movies, then you will love this book. If you are plotting against someone to get their money, then you should read something else.

Spooky Spooktober Book Reviews and Link Up
Book review, Books, Halloween

Her Dear and Loving Husband: #Spooktober Book Review

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Her Dear and Loving Husband

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The book is set in Salem, Massachusetts. It’s the perfect setting for a book about vampires and witches.

Sarah has had awful nightmares for many years. She has also recently divorced her husband and moved to Salem. In many of the dreams, it’s like she’s seeing someone else’s memories. She also sees a man without a face that she thinks is her husband – not her ex-husband. Who is he? Are her dreams really memories?

While taking a tour of Salem, she is intrigued by one of the houses and its owner, James. Apparently, Sarah looks like his wife who passed away. James doesn’t tell her that his wife died during the Salem Witch Trials or that he is a vampire. Sarah and James start spending quite a bit of time together and are starting to fall in love. At first, James isn’t sure if he likes Sarah because she looks like his wife.

Her best friend/boss is a witch, J . J and her coven want to help Sarah learn more about what’s going on with her dreams. J also knows that James is a vampire and pleads with him to tell Sarah. She thinks it will help them both to move forward with their relationship.

After some hesitation, Sarah agrees to do a past life regression session. The session reveals so much that I cannot tell you. It will all make sense to you after you read the book for yourself.

Besides the issues with Sarah, James is trying to avoid a vampire hunter who is also a reporter. He’s pretty sure that the vampire hunter is going to expose him and his vampire friends.

If you like vampire romances, then you will enjoy Her Dear and Loving Husband. If you are a vampire hunter or have something against witches, then you might not like this book.

P.S. There’s a linkup here if you are interested.

Blog, Book review, Books

From Breath and Ruin: #bookreview

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From Breath and Ruin

From Breath and Ruin has some good things going for it. The characters are fairly well described. The book is told from the main point of view of Lyric. So we know everything that she knows.

Some of the characters – like Luken – could have been fleshed out a little more. He doesn’t say very much. He’s a warrior, not a talker.

You either love these characters or hate them. There’s not much middle ground. Lyric’s former girlfriend is the worst. I’m not sure why she’s around except to be difficult and rude. Of course, something happens to her that isn’t good but I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. She was the worst.




So the only problem that I had with the book was that it was very repetitious in some parts, especially in the first half of the book. Lyric says or thinks the same thing over and over. It seemed unnecessary to keep repeating what she had just said not even a paragraph before.

  • I received a free ebook from Inkslinger PR in exchange for doing a review. All opinions are my own. Obviously.
Blog, Book review, Books

The Accidental Beauty Queen: #bookreview

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1501197606/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1501197606&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

Beauty pageants have changed a little bit since I watched them as a young girl. Basically, they are the same. I think that in more recent years beauty pageant organizers want us to think of it as a scholarship competition for well rounded beautiful people.

There’s a stigma attached to beauty pageants now that there wasn’t quite as noticeable before or maybe I just didn’t notice because I was five. I can admit that I watched the Miss America contest beginning when I was four or five. However, if I still watched the contest when I’m 45, people would roll their eyes at me and talk about smashing the patriarchy.

The main character in The Accidental Beauty Queen, Charlotte, is focused on being a children’s librarian but she is attending the pageant to support her twin sister, Ginny. She’s more interested in visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter than hanging out at a beauty pageant.

Well, Charlotte doesn’t get to spend as much time at Diagon Alley as she had planned. Ginny had a severe allergic reaction that affected her face. She would not be able to finish the competition. It would have been her last chance to win the same pageant that their mother. who had passed away, had won years before.

So after some debate, Charlotte agrees to compete in the preliminary part of the pageant in Ginny’s place. Charlotte also meets the man of her dreams, who is one of the pageant judges. Plus, there’s a feisty rescue dog that she’s in charge of until Ginny recovers.

It’s a little bit predictable except for the thing that Ginny does at the end of the pageant. I can live with the tiny amount of predictability in this book because it was fun and relatable. It was nice to read a book with some humor and heart.

  • I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own. Obviously.
Blog, Book review, Books

The Poisoned City: #bookreview

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Humans need five basic things to survive: air, shelter, food, sleep and water. If any of these things are not up to standards, we will become ill at the very least.  

Air pollution, spoiled food, insufficient sleep, houses with mold and toxic water are just a few examples of things that can seriously affect our health. 

In The Poisoned City, Anna Clark tells the story of Flint’s water crisis. The crisis began in 2014 when the water source switched from Lake Huron and the Detroit River to the Flint River. 

Clark also discusses the background of Flint and why the city was susceptible to this and other injustices.  I had forgotten that there was an outbreak of Legionnaire’s Disease during the water crisis. 

 The amount of lies that different levels of government told the people of Flint about the water is remarkable and horrifying. Several agencies fixed the numbers regarding levels of lead. No amount of lead is safe. The citizens of Flint knew that something was wrong with the water but the powers that be said: “Everything is fine. Don’t worry.” 

Thank goodness that they didn’t listen. The people of Flint are still dealing with the fallout from the crisis. What if the issue was unresolved?

Clark does a great job of introducing all of the numbers, percentages, statistics, etc. without making it boring or overwhelming. The book is a good mix of history, human interest stories and facts. 

  • I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for doing a review. All opinions are my own. Obviously.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075JN1J32/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Book review, Books

VOX: #bookreview

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Can you imagine living in a world where women can’t voice their opinion? Some people would say that there are many places where women can’t express themselves. They would be right of course. 

In the dystopian book, Vox by Christina Dalcher, women in America have to wear counters on their wrist which counts their words. They can only speak about 100 words per day. If they go above the limit, they receive an electric shock. Young girls are not taught how to read and write anymore. Their education is focused on home economics. Home Ec is fine but not everyone wants to sew and bake cookies all day. 

Lesbians and gay men aren’t allowed to love who they want. They are imprisoned with a member of the opposite sex until they change. Women who have affairs are publicly humiliated and sent to nunneries or prison farm camps. 

Women aren’t allowed to work outside of the home. They can’t even check the mail. Even if their husband is an idiot, he has to make all of the decisions. 

Dr. Jean McClellan, a brilliant neurolinguist, was working on a cure for aphasia one day and forced to become a stay-at-home mom the next. After a year, she is brought back to work in order to finish the cure. 

She has a lot going on in her life. Her teenage son really believes that a woman’s place is in the home. Her young daughter barely speaks. Jean is also in love with someone other than her husband. 

What can she do to save her daughter and other women in America? Will she run off to Italy with her daughter and her lover? Will she stay with her husband and keep wearing the counter? 

I loved this book. The plot is not too far off from where women once were not too long ago and where we could end up in the not too distant future. It’s a scary thought. Still, everyone should read this book.  I saw one bad review for this book but don’t listen to that jackass. He probably wants women to wear the counters and be silent. 

  • I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own. Obviously. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079WQK537/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

The last paragraph of this just made my heart smile! 🙂 https://t.co/KYTP7masSH— Christina Dalcher (@CVDalcher) November 20, 2018

This is the best! When the author or band acknowledges something that you’ve posted, it is so awesome! 🙂 

Book review, Books, Uncategorized

Undead Redhead: #bookreview

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A couple weeks ago, my tablet with the Kindle app went missing. I looked everywhere for it – twice. Apparently, I left it at the YMCA. It’s hard to believe that it wasn’t stolen but there are still good people in the world.

When I misplaced the tablet, I was in the almost finished reading Undead Redhead by Jen Frankel. It was an interesting take on zombies. The main character, Sharon, has become a zombie but she doesn’t crave brains or flesh. Instead, she loves to eat rotten fruit and vegetables.

She discovers a whole new world of people that want to date a zombie or to be a zombie. A few of them were even too creepy for an actual zombie. There’s even an imposter pretending to be Sharon.

In her previous life, Sharon’s friends were not really interested in her as a person. They were just using her to do their bidding. Her former boyfriend and her former best friend were having an affair. The people that were supposed to care about her really didn’t care at all.

Can being a zombie change things for the better? Will she find romance and friendship as a zombie? You’ll have to read it to find out.

I enjoyed reading this book. I’m so glad that I was able to finally finish it.

Undead Redhead on Amazon

Jen Frankel on Twitter

Jen Frankel’s website