AUDIO BOOK REVIEW FOR - PUZZLE PIECES - BY - BETSY BRANNON GREEN

pic and description taken from Goodreads

DESCRIPTION:

Presley DeGraff is a young woman on the run. With nothing but the clothes on her back, her escape from the ruthless manipulations of her former fiancé leaves her with little time to hide. There is only one person to whom she can turn, only one place she may be safe . . . Haggerty, Georgia, is known for its Southern hospitality and quirky inhabitants. For Presley, her Aunt Violet’s home in the tiny town is a lifesaving haven. Her aunt, along with a cast of delightful friends and neighbors, warmly welcomes her. For the first time in so long, she feels hope—a hope that hinges on hiding her past. But the dreams of solitude that she had envisioned quickly fade when a disturbing discovery is made in her aunt’s backyard: a human skeleton. At the first hint of crime, Haggerty’s own amateur sleuth, Miss Eugenia, is on the case. Along with handsome Haggerty resident Mac and sprightly ninety-nine-year-old Loralee, Presley is quickly drawn into a mystery spanning generations of Haggerty’s history. But when news coverage of the investigation digs up Presley’s own secrets, it’s up to her new friends to come to her aid, by whatever means necessary.

MY REVIEW / THOUGHTS:

I am loving audio books more and more.  I never seem to get a chance to sit down and read any more.   It's so sad :(.  BUT, give me an audio book and I can do all the things I need to do and still get to listen to a book!

I think I am going to do this review a little different.  I don't think I can really review it the way I want to without giving too much away.  It is such a fantastic story!  It has wonderful characters and a beautiful setting.  There are two stories going on in this book.  One, is Presley's story, and the other is about an 80 year old murder.   I feel I may be copying some of my favorite blogger's style, but that is not my intention.  I just think I can give a better picture this way.

Here are just SOME of the wonderful characters in this book and why I like them.

1.  Presely - She is the MC.  Right off the bat her story grabs you.  She is trying to escape an ex-boyfriend.   She is in a hospital after an accident, that required a lot of facial reconstruction.  She has a wonderful Dr. and an orderly who are helping her escape the hospital, to buy her time to get away.  Presely, is kind, compassionate, scared, beautiful (inside and out), and educated woman.  She was handed a bad deal and is trying to find a new life.

2.  Aunt Violet - She is Presely's Aunt.  She had offered Presely a place in her law practice after her parents were killed.  She is such a great woman.  She doesn't make much money in her practice because most of her work is pro bono.  She is kind, loving, compassionate, and hard working.  She is also always on oxygen.  She is old, but such a wonderful woman.

3.  Miss Eugenia - Now this woman is fantastic.  This is the kind of old woman I want to be :).  She has a little dog, that she loves and that goes with her every where.  What I love most about her is her wit, and snarkyness...hehe  She is so hard headed and fabulous.  I loved her.  She is fiercely loyal, and loves her home town of Haggerty. 

4.  Loralee - this woman is 100 years old.  I think I liked her just for her age.  I would love to know someone who has lived that long.  Loralee has stories to tell about Haggerty, that brought this place to life for me.  She is amazing.  She is such a sweet, loving woman.  The whole town seems to want to help take care of her.

5.  Celia (sp????) - is the town's skank.  In reality she is anything but.  She has been dubbed this by marrying an old man, who died and left her all his money.  There is so much more to her, but the town has turned their back on her.  Her only friends are Aunt Violet, and her group of women and men that practically live at Aunt Violets house.  She is beautiful, kind, and genuine.  A very misunderstood woman.  It's so sad.  It is also one of the reasons I could never live in a small town.  People don't forgive easy in small towns.

6.  Mac - oh Mac.  He is the town's tow man, the repo man.  He is such a great guy.  He is also on the bad side of most of the town of Haggerty.  He played Pro-football for a time and was blamed for loosing the Superbowl for his team, and Haggerty seems to think he threw the game.  Not many are willing to listen to the "real" story.  He is so kind, compassionate (notice I say this about a lot of the characters.  But they are!), hard working, strong, beautiful and fabulous.  He is so yummy.  I mean just yummy.  He was immediately one of my favorite characters.  Mac, and Presely seem to have an instant connection.  Mac is snarky and fun loving.  

7. Wyatt - Mac's cousin and also a lawyer.  He is a nice guy, but he is one of those guys who doesn't want people to know how "good" he really is.  He seems to be a forever bachelor, but there is so much more to him.  He just doesn't let any one get close enough to see how wonderful he is.  Except this wonderful group that comes out of Aunt Violets home :).

8.  Preacher Pat - Is also Macs cousin.  Pat is wonderful from the moment he is introduced in the book.  Of course how could he not be?  He's a preacher :).  I feel for him.  He feels he has to take care of every one in Haggerty because he is the Preacher.  Who he really wants to take care of , he thinks he can't because of the town he lives in.  People are not very forgiving in Haggerty.

Now the setting.  Haggerty, Georgia, sounds like such a beautiful place.  I know I could never live in a small town, but IF I had to Haggerty, Georgia doesn't sound like a bad place to live.  I love how green everything is.  I love how Loralee brings this place to life in her story telling.  I could see the flowers, and the trees, the river, everything.  It was just beautiful.  The author did a wonderful job of putting me in this book.  I loved it.

The only complaint I had about this book, was the narrator.  It's a good thing the story pulled me right in, because this narrator is not my favorite.  It makes me sad when such a great book doesn't have a narrator I like to listen to.  She seems to narrate a lot of Covenant Communications books.  I appreciate her doing the audio, I just wish I liked her voice more.

If you like stories about mystery, murder, seedy ex-boyfriends, friends, family, love, and small towns, you will like this book.  My only suggestion is to get it in book form, not audio.  I really loved this authors writing.

Source:  I bought this book for myself.  I was not compensated in any way for this review.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

MY RATING:

I think I would have made it higher if I liked the narrator :(

WHERE TO BUY:

     

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

pic and bio taken from Goodreads

If you're not familiar with my books, I write mystery-suspense novels. I am LDS (Mormon) and so are some of my characters, but I have loyal readers from many different faiths. My goal is to engage the reader in my books. I want to make them laugh and cry and worry and dread the end.

Most of my books are set in the fictional town of Haggerty, Georgia - which is loosely based on my grandparents' hometown of Headland, Alabama (the most wonderful place on earth). Each book has an ample supply of romance, suspense, Southern hospitality and even recipies!"

AUDIO BOOK REVIEW FOR - THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN - BY - HOLLY BLACK

pic and description taken from Goodreads

DESCRIPTION:

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

MY REVIEW / THOUGHTS:

There are so many people out there that complain that the Vampire thing has been over done.  I personally disagree.  I still love a good vampire story.  I think I always will.  They are just so fascinating to me.  This book was a lot of fun to listen to.

Tana goes to a party one night and her whole life changes.  When she wakes up there are dead bodies every where. Frightened and not knowing if the people responsible are still in the house, she runs to find her ex-boyfriend and tries to get him out of the house.  When she finds Adrienne, she finds another man chained to the wall, and decides he needs to be saved as well.  That night changes Tana's life forever.

Tana's ex-boyfriend has been bitten and is in the middle of changing.  Tana is trying to help him so that he doesn't change.  There is a way to fight of the sickness.  If you can last the 12 weeks it takes for the sickness to fully take over your body, you can "cure" yourself.  It is a dangerous undertaking though.  You have to self "quarantine" and hope you don't go mad during the process.

Adrienne isn't sure he wants to fight it off.  The though of being immortal is very appealing to him.  While traveling they stop at a gas station to refuel and run into some kids that are headed to the nearest Coldtown.  There they plan on getting bitten and becoming immortal.

Coldtowns are where vampires and humans live together.  Once you enter though it's almost impossible to leave.  Tana is about to find this out the hard way.

This story is kind of intense.  Tana is constantly fighting for her life, and trying to keep her friends and family safe.  BUT, Gabrielle the other boy she saved that deadly night might have other plans for her.

Listening to this story unfold was so much fun.  It was full of excitement, near death escapes, family, friends, and a vampire that is charming and intriguing.  Tana isn't quite sure if she can trust Gabrielle, but finds she doesn't have much of a choice.

If you like vampire books, then you will like this one.  It's a different story about vampires than I have read in a long time.   A lot of crazy happens before Gabrielle and Tana find out what is really happening between them.  I think you will enjoy the ride this book takes you on!

Source:  I bought this book for myself.  I was not compensated in any way for this review.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

MY RATING:

WHERE TO BUY:

    

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

pic and bio taken from Goodreads

Holly Black is a best-selling author of contemporary fantasy novels for kids, teens, and adults. She is the author of the Modern Faerie Tale series (Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside), The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Tony DiTerlizzi), and The Good Neighbors graphic novels (with Ted Naifeh) The Poison Eaters and Other Stories, a collection of short fiction, and The Curse Worker series (White Cat, Red Glove, and Black Heart). She is also the co-editor of three anthologies, Geektastic (with Cecil Castellucci), Zombies vs. Unicorns (with Justine Larbalestier), and Welcome to Bordertown (with Ellen Kushner). Her most recent works are the middle grade novel, Doll Bones, and the dark fantasy stand-alone, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown.

She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, Theo, in a house with a secret library.

AUDIO BOOK REVIEW FOR - DARK PLACES - BY: GILLIAN FLYNN

pic and description taken from amazon.com

DESCRIPTION:

Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in "The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas". As her family lay dying, little Libby fled their tiny farmhouse into the freezing January snow. She lost some fingers and toes, but she survived, and famously testified that her 15-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer.

Twenty-five years later, Ben sits in prison, and troubled Libby lives off the dregs of a trust created by well-wishers who've long forgotten her.

The Kill Club is a macabre secret society obsessed with notorious crimes. When they locate Libby and pump her for details, proof they hope may free Ben, Libby hatches a plan to profit off her tragic history. For a fee, she'll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club...and maybe she'll admit her testimony wasn't so solid after all.

As Libby's search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the narrative flashes back to January 2, 1985. The events of that day are relayed through the eyes of Libby's doomed family members, including Ben, a loner whose rage over his shiftless father and their failing farm have driven him into a disturbing friendship with the new girl in town.

Piece by piece, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started...on the run from a killer.

MY REVIEW / THOUGHTS:

Obviously, I am in a scary book mood.  This book was dark and twisty, and fabulous. 

Libby has only one remaining sibling left after a horrific tragedy has hit her family.  Libby and her brother who is in jail for killing their mother and sisters.

Libby has lived her life on some trust money that was set up by some well wishers from what happened to her family.    When her accountant lets her know the money is out, Libby is desperate to find a way to make some money.

She is contacted by a group called "The Kill Club" that is obsessed with crimes.  One crime they are thoroughly interested in is Libby's, and they are willing to pay her money to learn more about it.  The Kill Club is wanting to find a way to prove Libby's brother Ben innocent of his crimes.  

25 Years Libby has had to live with the knowledge that her brother brutally murdered her family.  Not once did she think that he might be innocent.  Not until now.  Libby finally decides to visit her brother in prison for the firs time.  She is hoping to get some kind of answers about why he did what he did.

Holy moly, this story is intense.  The characters are so complex, and disturbing.  Every one of them seems to have some kind of issue.  Some kind of story to tell.  Seriously, this book is so twisted and fantastic.

What happens after Libby's visit to the jail, is full of mystery, suspense, and thrills.  There are always two sides to a story, and sometimes the other side is even darker than what you have known your whole life.  Libby finds this out the hard way.

Now, what I think you should know is that in my opinion this is an adult book.  There is a lot of language and some sexual content.  So I would not recommend this book to a teenager.

Source:  I bought this book for myself.  I was not compensated in any way for this review.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

Content:  Language, murder (pretty descriptive at times), sexual content.

MY RATING:

WHERE TO BUY:

    

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

pic and bio taken from Goodreads

Gillian Flynn is an American author and television critic for Entertainment Weekly. She has so far written three novels, Sharp Objects, for which she won the 2007 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for the best thriller; Dark Places; and her best-selling third novel Gone Girl.

Her book has received wide praise, including from authors such as Stephen King. The dark plot revolves around a serial killer in a Missouri town, and the reporter who has returned from Chicago to cover the event. Themes include dysfunctional families,violence and self-harm.

In 2007 the novel was shortlisted for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar for Best First Novel by an American Writer, Crime Writers' Association Duncan Lawrie, CWA New Blood and Ian Fleming Steel Daggers, winning in the last two categories.

Flynn, who lives in Chicago, grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated at the University of Kansas, and qualified for a Master's degree from Northwestern University.

BLOG TOUR / REVIEW FOR: THE COUPLING - BY: CATHRINE GOLDSTEIN

Welcome to my stop on THE COUPLING tour!  I loved the first book in this series and was so excited when this one came up for review.

The Coupling (The Letting #2)

by Cathrine Goldstein

Release Date: February 15th 2016

SUMMARY:

In Ronnie Billings’ dystopian world, surviving the Letting and breaking free of a corrupt government is less of a surprise than falling in love with Phoenix Day, the leader of the Peaceful Revolution…

When the government sentences Ronnie to a Coupling under the guise of producing a coveted blood type, Ronnie discovers the one she’s slated to Couple with expects even more.

Prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to save those she loves most, Ronnie devastates Phoenix with her impossible decision. Whisked away from her rebel life to another world ravaged by despair, Ronnie meets her greatest nemesis...her biological father.

Steeling her nerves against the dangers of escape, she embarks on the perilous journey back. She is convinced she belongs with Phoenix and his revolution, but will her friends, and especially Phoenix, be ready to accept her when she returns? Because this time, evil is in her blood...

MY REVIEW / THOUGHTS:

I was so excited when this book came up for review.  I really enjoyed the first book and was looking forward to continuing the series.  The second installment of The Letting Series is awesome.

Ronnie and Phoenix are back to fight another day.  Principle Farnsworth is back to torture another day and...Ronnies learns that her bio dad is alive.....dun dun dunnnnnnnn.  

In the war that is waging Ronnie and Phoenix think that they finally have a chance of getting rid of "the letting".  Ronnie is determined to keep her girls alive so that they may live their own lives, and not be "sacrificed".

Ronnie is faced with one of the hardest decisions she thinks she will ever have to make.  She must "couple" or loose every one she loves.  She wants so bad to be with Phoenix, but knows if she doesn't take this "coupling" deal that Farnsworth will rid all of her loved ones of their lives.  So, to keep her loved ones safe she agrees to the "coupling".  Phoenix is devastated and feels utterly betrayed.  

Ronnie is forced to travel with Farnsworth and the things she learns during her travels are that..

1.  She cannot ever really trust Farnsworth and

2.  Blood isn't always thicker than love

Ronnies plan to return to Phoenix is a long one, and very interesting.  She encounters many challenges, and just when she thinks that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.....the tunnel starts to narrow into a tiny sliver.  

Take a ride with Ronnie and Phoenix and you will be glad you did.  This book is full of twists and turns, love, sacrifice, and understanding.

When I got to the end, I kind of wanted to scream because I know that there is more coming!  Ugh...hehe  I cannot wait to see what happens :)!

Source:  I was given this book as part of a blog tour.  I was not compensated in any way for this book.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

MY RATING:

Book 1 in the series:

you can find my review for this book here

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Given my love for cities and all that is gritty, my new obsession with trees really has me stumped. (Sorry.) Maybe it's because trees are the inspiration behind my new YA/NA novel, THE LETTING.

Whatever the reason for my new infatuation, some things remain constant -- like my love for: coffee (although sadly, it's now decaf); yoga; Luna bars (I am petitioning for them to bring back Chocolate Raspberry!); running in my neighborhood; Hemingway; Bukowski... and, above all, my husband and my girls.

I am the author of the bestselling novel, Sleeping With Mortals: The Story of a New York Mistress, and I'm also a playwright. I have my B.A. in English and my M.A. in Theatre. 

AUTHOR LINKS:

    

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THANKS TO:

AUDIO BOOK REVIEW FOR - THERAPY - BY: SEBASTIAN FITZEK

pic and description taken from amazon.com

DESCRIPTION:

No witnesses.

Twelve-year-old Josy has an inexplicable illness. She vanishes without a trace from her doctor's office during treatment. Four years later Josy's father, psychiatrist Viktor Larenz, has withdrawn himself to an isolated North Sea island in order to deal with the tragedy.

No body.

Then he's paid a surprise visit by a beautiful stranger. Anna Glass is a novelist who suffers from an unusual form of schizophrenia: All the characters she creates for her books become real to her. In her last novel she has written about a young girl with an unknown illness who has disappeared without a trace.

Where is his daughter?

Can Anna's delusions describe Josy's last days?

Reluctantly Viktor agrees to take on her therapy in a final attempt to uncover the truth behind his daughter's disappearance. But very soon these sessions take a dramatic turn as the past is dragged back into the light - with terrifying consequences.

MY REVIEW / THOUGHTS:

So, like I said in my previous review, I loved this author, and the narrator so much I went and bought another book right away.  This psychological thriller thing is so freaking fantastic.  The mind trip that Fitzek's books take you on are mind blowing.

Viktor is still mourning the loss of his daughter four years after her disappearance.  There is no body, no clues, nothing.  Viktor has withdrawn to an Island off the North Sea.  Viktor thinks this will help him deal with his tragedy.  

That is until he gets an unexpected visit from a novelist by the name of Anna.  She has sought Viktor out in hopes he would be willing to take her on as a patient.  Odd things have been happening to Anna.  Her characters are coming alive and coming to her in real life.  

Viktor is intrigued by what Anna has  brought to him, but then realizes there are a lot of similarities to Anna and his daughter Josy.  Viktor wants to hear more about Anna, and hopes that it will help him find out what happen to Josy.

What unfolds is far more sinister than that.  I was so confused during this book, but was so drawn in at the same time.  I was totally intrigued by what was wrong with Josy, or what wasn't.  No one seemed to know what was was happening to her.  

During Viktor's visits with Anna he comes face to face with exactly what happened to his daughter.  Something that no one at any time in her life time was able to figure out.  Now, Viktor is forced to face his reality.  It's chilling.  Just chilling.  

I still cannot wrap my head around how this book came to an end.  It still makes me shudder.  This is so, so, creeptastic.....chillingly brilliant.  FABULOUS!

If you like psychological thrillers this is another book you should pick up.  You will not be disappointed.   I want to listen to it again, just to make sure I didn't miss anything.  I still might.  It was so good.

Source:  I bought this book for myself.  I was not compensated in any way for this review.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

MY RATING:

WHERE TO BUY:

    

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sebastian Fitzek was born in Berlin in 1971. After going to law school and being promoted to LL.D., he decided against a juridical profession for a creative occupation in the media. After the traineeship at a private radio station he switched to the competition as head of entertainment and became chief editor later on, thereafter becoming an independent executive consultant and format developer for numerous media companies in Europe. He lives in Berlin and is currently working in the programme management of a major capital radio station.