Review: On the Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

‘On the Jellicoe Road’ is the first book I’ve read/listened to by this author. After all of the glowing reviews for this one, I was prepared to be blown away. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out that way for me. It ended up being an “okay” story for me.

My first problem has less to do with the actual story, and more to do with the format that I chose. I listened to the Audible edition and that was a big mistake. The problem didn’t stem from the quality of narration, so much as the complexity of the story. There were simply too many moving parts for me to try and keep track of while listening to an audiobook. It is incredibly hard to pull off a book like this in audiobook format and it didn’t work for me.

I spent hours trying to figure out who the characters were and what the hell was going on. The transitions between characters and time frames was not always obvious, making matters even worse. I must have been hours into the story before I figured out that there were actually two stories playing out — one in the present and one in the past. Needless to say, I lost a lot of time being utterly confused and unaware of what was going on.

By the time I began to piece some things together, I had already missed so many of the “connections” and details that it was kind of pointless. When the big reveals came toward the end, they were kind of meaningless to me. I never really connected with the characters or the storyline. I had simply missed too much to play catch-up at that point.

The story centers on Taylor Markham, a girl that was abandoned on the Jellicoe Road by her mother at the age of 11. She lives at a boarding school (orphanage???). When the lady that has taken care of her disappears, she is certain that something is amiss. Taylor sets out to find Hannah, or discover what really happened to her.

When she runs across a book/journal written by Hannah, she begins to unveil some long-standing secrets. Along with some friends from her school, she has several creepy encounters and a variety of adventures. There is some sort of rivalry described between the two groups of kids…but I was pretty confused so I can’t say I ever really grasped what that was about for sure.

Overall, this ended up being a middle of the road story for me. I do suspect that I’m not doing this story justice though. I was just too lost for most of the book to take much away from the experience this time around.

I do plan to re-read this in the future, because I have some lingering questions. I’m sure they were answered along the way and I just didn’t catch it. I definitely won’t be listening to the audiobook on my second attempt. This story will require my full attention.

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Review: The Things We Wish Were True, by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

The Things We Wish Were True by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

‘The Things We Wish Were True’ was a book that I picked up with my Kindle Unlimited membership. I listened to the Audible edition and it was better than I expected. This story had a lot going on, but the author managed to weave the characters and events together seamlessly. It was my first Marybeth Mayhew Whalen book, but it won’t be my last.

The story is set in the small, southern town of Sycamore Glen, North Carolina. I enjoyed the description of this town and thought that the author did a fabulous job of capturing the essence of a small southern town. So often, authors are guilty of only portraying southern towns as being filled with idiotic, racist rednecks, feeding into all of the worst stereotypes of the people in this region of the country.

As a Mississippi native, I appreciate that this author didn’t do that, taking the time to present a more balanced view. There are certainly some racist rednecks in the South, but they aren’t a good representation of the majority. Having lived in, and traveled to, various locales across the country, I can assure you that racist, ignorant rednecks are everywhere. Sad, but true.

The story is told from multiple POVs. Everyone seems to get a chance to share their version of events. With a robust cast of characters, I admit that this was a little confusing at first. However, it wasn’t long before I had all of the characters sorted and I was completely lost in the goings on of this small community.

This is the type of town where everyone is connected somehow. Maybe their grown kids went to school with the young parents that are now raising their own families in town, as was the case for Zell. Maybe they’ve returned to town to lick their wounds, returning to the safety of their parents’ home after a failed marriage, as Jancey did. Perhaps, like Lance, they’re struggling to raise their children alone after being abandoned by their spouse. Or, maybe they’re trying to grow their family while working hard to keep their secrets at bay, like Everett and Bryte.

Everyone has a story and their lives are interconnected. Some connections are obvious, while others are revealed slowly, over the course of the book. The tragic near-drowning of a child at the community pool will pull them all together and set a series of events in motion.

Despite being a relatively short book, there was a lot going on. A child abductor is in their midst. Lies, betrayals and secrets abound. However, the author manages to incorporate many different elements without the story feeling “over the top” or outrageous. Granted, some things were a bit too coincidental, but it worked overall.

All in all, this was a great story. I really enjoyed it and found myself lost in the small town drama that played out. If you’re looking for an entertaining read that has a little mystery, without a high level of suspense and anxiety, I think this is a good choice.

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Review: The Secret Wife, by Gill Paul

The Secret Wife by Gill Paul
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

‘The Secret Wife’ was a nice, enjoyable historical fiction/romance. Although it lacked the “wow” factor, I found it to be a good story overall. It was interesting and I enjoyed the details related to the time period. However, given the subject matter, the book lacked the suspense that I would have expected.

The story alternates timeframes, as well as locations. In 2016, Kitty Fisher discovers that her husband is having an affair. She has recently inherited a cabin in the United States from a great-grandfather that she never knew existed. Given the recent revelations about her marriage, she packs her bags and leaves her home in London, setting out for the cabin at Lake Akanabee.

Soon after her arrival, Kitty discovers some old writings in the cabin. She becomes consumed with uncovering the story of her great-grandfather, Dmitri Malama. The more she unearths, the more apparent it becomes that Dmitri’s life was anything but unremarkable.

Through the writings, a new look at Russia in 1914 and the downfall of the Romanov family is offered. Unlike many other stories centered on the Romanov family, which tend to speculate about Anastasia’s fate, this book focuses on Tatiana Romanov. I found this part of the story to be fascinating and highly entertaining. I lavished in every detail of this era in Russian history.

Dmitri was a cavalry officer who meets Tatiana when he is injured. Tatiana volunteers at the hospital where he is sent for treatment. The two fall in love, only to be separated thereafter by the overthrow of the Russian Tsar and the subsequent restrictions placed on the Romanov family.

Even after the reported murder of the Romanovs, Dmitri holds out hope that Tatiana is alive. Eventually, he gives up hope. He goes on to start a family of his own and relocates to America.

However, things aren’t always what they seem. When fate thrusts Tatiana back into his life, Dmitri is forced to make some very hard choices. Can he reconcile his love for Tatiana with the new life that he has made for himself and the wife that has stuck by his side throughout the years?

All things considered, I expected this to be a much more emotional read. Instead, it felt sweet and maybe even a little sad. Even with Tatiana’s reappearance, the story failed to elicit the tremendous emotional highs and lows that I expected. Things just fell together too perfectly.

Dmitri’s wife was just too accepting and almost complacent. I even felt the same way about how things worked out for Kitty and her husband. It was like these characters had been given a heavy dose of a sedative. Where was the anger and sense of betrayal?

Overall, it ended up being a good but not great type of story for me. It had a lot of unrealized potential. I needed more emotion and a stronger connection to the characters. It felt kind of “flat” to me, for lack of a better descriptor.

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Review: When It’s Real, by Erin Watt

When It’s Real by Erin Watt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I picked up ‘When It’s Real’, I wanted something that was sweet and heartwarming. I loved ‘Paper Princess’ by Erin Watt, so when I started seeing this book pop up on friends’ pages, I knew that I’d want to read it. I was not disappointed.

This book was everything that I had wanted. It was the kind of light and fluffy read that puts a smile on your face and leaves you feeling contented. Although it was predictable and not particularly original, it was still a highly entertaining read. After all, who doesn’t love a modern-day, rags-to-riches love story?

The story centers on the “fake” romantic relationship between Vaughn Bennett and Oakley Ford. Essentially, their relationship is a publicity stunt concocted by Oakley’s management team to revamp his bad-boy image. Oakley is a famous singer. Vaughn is the everyday, girl next door teenager.

While Oakley is accustomed to a life surrounded by admirers, he is lonely. He has no doubt that if the fame were to go, so would everyone that claims to care about him. All the booze, drugs and women that fill his time cannot fill the void within him.

Worst of all, Oakley has been in a rut. He hasn’t written anything new in a while and everything is sounding the same to him. It’s like he’s lost his magic.

More than anything, he wants to work with a famous producer that is known for his ability to produce the best hits. However, Oakley’s irresponsible shenanigans have gotten in the way. The producer doesn’t believe that Oakley is a serious artist and is refusing to work with him until he proves himself.

Vaughn needs for their fake relationship to be as believable as Oakley does. Her family is depending on her. She knows that she will never be able to earn this type of money any other way and she desperately needs the money. Her “real” boyfriend will just have to understand.

Along the way there is plenty of humor, as Oakley and Vaughn banter back and forth. They kind of start off on the wrong foot and their relationship begins with a healthy rivalry. Of course, the more time these two spend together, the more they start to develop real feelings for one another.

There are a few bumps along the way, but nothing too surprising. It was pretty predictable, but a sweet and fun read. I listened to the Audible version and the narration was terrific as well. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a light-hearted, feel good type of love story. It is a standalone, so you won’t be left hanging. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a spin-off featuring Oakley’s bodyguard and Vaughn’s sister. I’ll be looking forward to reading that one also if it comes to light.

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Review: Lone Star, by Paullina Simons

Lone Star by Paullina Simons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

‘Lone Star’ is a beautiful coming of age story, brought to us by the same author that gave us ‘The Bronze Horseman’. It tells the story of a group of teenaged friends from Maine that set out on a European adventure before they begin college. I enjoyed this story immensely.

However, I couldn’t help but to keep comparing it to Ms. Simons’ better-know work, ‘The Bronze Horseman’. In contrast to that epic story, ‘Lone Star’ fell noticeably short, despite being great in and of it’s own accord. In so many ways, it isn’t a fair comparison to make. They are different types of stories and, let’s face it, not many books will ever measure up to the greatness of ‘The Bronze Horseman’ in my mind. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but to compare them.

That being said, I loved the way that Ms. Simons was able to capture the essence of youth in this story. More often than not, I find that teenagers are either portrayed as mini-adults or pre-teens. Accurately capturing the behaviors and emotions of this age group seems to be particularly challenging for many authors. This is probably because their emotions and maturity levels are all over the place. Regardless, I thought that Ms. Simons did a great job of selling these characters as believable teenagers. The one exception to that would be Johnny Rainbow, which I’ll get to later.

Told from multiple points of view, this story follows Chloe, her best friend, Hannah, and their boyfriends as they travel eastern Europe. Barcelona is their destination, but to gain permission to go on this trip of a lifetime, Chloe had to agree to a few conditions set by her grandmother. She must lay flowers on the grave of her grandmother’s one-time lover, who was murdered by the Nazis in WWII.

Along the way, the four meet another young American traveler. Johnny Rainbow is an incredibly charming young man that seems to be an expert on getting around Europe. He repeatedly crosses paths with the other young travelers and insinuates himself into their group. It was clear that he had eyes for Chloe. The only person that seemed unaware of this was Chloe’s oblivious boyfriend, Mason.

Johnny was a pivotal character in this story. I always had a strong distrust for him, even as he seemed to do everything perfect. In fact, that was probably it. He was just too damn perfect. Like me, Blake was suspicious of Mr. Perfect right from the start.

Aside from his overwhelming charm and charisma, I had a hard time believing that he had done everything that the author would have us believe. At nineteen, he had traveled Europe, making connections virtually everywhere that they were going. He had also been accepted to some very prestigious schools, and promptly been kicked out. He had a band and performed in the US. He was a street performer and a tour guide. Whatever the topic may be, Johnny was an expert on it. Want to go somewhere? He’s already been. Etc., etc. I just found him to be a little too accomplished for a nineteen year-old boy.

Despite not buying into Johnny completely, I still found myself lost in this story. I loved Chloe and as she began to fall for Johnny, I fell for him also. Their story was reminiscent of naiveté, youth and summer flings. It was sweet and innocent and earth-shattering all at the same time.

Meanwhile, I loved Blake also. While I can’t say that I ever grew especially attached to Mason or Hannah, I adored Blake. He was always the steady friend that could be counted on. He was kind and responsible, even while being taken for granted.

When their trip ends, the relationships between these friends are forever altered. Some will grow closer. Some will grow apart. Hearts will be broken. I even cried.

The ending is not necessarily the way that I had envisioned, but I thought it was fitting. In fact, I’d say that it worked out perfectly. Sure, it was kind of sad…but it was kind of beautiful also. I especially liked the tie-in to the characters from ‘The Bronze Horseman’ at the end. That was a really nice touch.

Overall, I thought that this was a fantastic love story. It was sweet and incredibly touching. It may not be the huge, epic romance that ‘The Bronze Horseman’ is, but it is still a wonderful story.

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Review: Six (Men by Numbers, #2), by Ker Dukey

Six by Ker Dukey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The second book in the ‘Men by Numbers’ series, ‘Six’ had many of the characteristics of a terrific, dark story. There was plenty of danger and Ker Dukey certainly doesn’t shy away from graphic, disturbing content like many authors do. I applaud her for that. If you’re going to write a dark story, I think you need to take that dive and not toe the line.

This is the story of Taylor Jake, aka “Six”. As a teenager, Six was bounced between foster homes before eventually ending up on the streets. His only family consisted of the gang he belonged to and Hayley, another kid on the streets that Six took under his wing.

Hayley was the “good” in Six’s life. They lived together and had a non-exclusive sexual relationship. However, more than anything, they were the closest of friends.

When Six falls in love with the member of a rival gang, it is Hayley that ends up paying the price for Six’s actions. She is brutally gang-raped and tortured. No longer is she the bright-eyed girl that Six strived to shelter. Her life is forever changed.

Six makes it his mission to seek vengeance for Hayley. Out of prison after killing some of the men involved in Hayley’s attack, he has set up a life for himself in a new town. He owns a bar and tattoo shop, biding his time until he can finish what he started.

When Misty first sets foot inside of Six’s bar, he wants to have sex with her as much as he wants to rescue her. She is clearly down on her luck and in need of some help. He gives her a job and the sexual tension is thick between the two.

Despite Six’s initial resistance, the two eventually end up getting romantically involved. Things only get more complicated when Hayley makes a reappearance in Six’s life, with a suspicious new friend in-tow. Shortly thereafter, things hit the fan.

There were many things that I really loved about this book. I love the fact that the author is not afraid to tell a dark story and embrace the shocking elements that many others dance around. I also thought that the story itself was entertaining and emotional. I enjoyed the story and felt connected to the characters.

The reason that this story got a 3-star rating, instead of a 4-star rating, is because there were some pretty big editing oversights. Maybe I’m being snobby, but I kind of feel like the author should know how they want to spell the names of their main characters and then stick to it. One of the major players in this book had two different spellings of their name. On one page it was spelled “Jordon”, only to be spelled “Jordan” further in. It was distracting and I found myself flipping back to be sure that this wasn’t a different “Jordon/Jordan” and to double-check the spelling. I’m OCD that way.

Another thing that irked me was that there were several instances of incorrect word usage. It wasn’t the worst I’ve encountered, but it was noticeable and distracting. The example that stands out with me is the usage of the word “mount” when the author clearly was referring to a woman’s “mound”. I don’t even want to think of what must be going on in her undies if her mound can be quantified as a “mount”, but I’d get a plastic surgeon on that problem. Not sexy!

Lastly, M/M isn’t really my thing. I don’t absolutely hate it and I did enjoy this story. However, Six flipping back and forth between male and female partners didn’t really appeal to me. This is just a reflection of my personal preferences, so this may not be an issue at all for others.

Overall, I give this one 3 stars. If the editing oversights were corrected, it’d be a 4-star read for me. If you can overlook those types of mistakes, I’d say that this is a great choice if you’re looking for a dark read. If not, it might drive you crazy.

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Review: The Room Mate (Roommates, #1), by Kendall Ryan

The Room Mate by Kendall Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

***I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for honest feedback.***

If you’re in the mood for something heartwarming and fun, ‘The Room Mate’ is a fantastic choice. It was just the kind of light-hearted, sweet story that I needed to balance out all of the darker stories that I usually gravitate toward. It was a sentimental, feel-good romance that was highly enjoyable.

I have to admit that I was a little skeptical after reading the blurb. The idea of Cannon being some sex-god that women became obsessed with after getting a taste of what he could do between the sheets was a little far-fetched for me. My response was something along the lines of “Oh, please!”

That being said, I’m glad that I didn’t let that initial impression scare me away. This ended up being a great book. I found myself laughing at the sexually-charged banter between Cannon and Paige. It was just such a fun read.

The story begins with Cannon being evicted from his apartment after an incident with his crazy ex-girlfriend. A busy medical student, he doesn’t have the time to find another apartment. Since he’ll likely be moving in two short months to begin a residency, he can’t commit to a new lease either.

Paige is the best friend of Cannon’s sister. When she is contacted by her best friend, who asks her to let Cannon stay with her for awhile, Paige reluctantly agrees. She has known Cannon since they were children and is willing to sacrifice a couple of months of comfort to help out her bestie.

Only, Cannon is no longer the nerdy boy that Paige remembers from her childhood. He has grown into a sexy, successful man that she can’t keep her eyes off of. The sexual chemistry between the two is off the charts right from the start. A few chance encounters only serve to heighten the sexual tension between the two.

It doesn’t take long for their curiosity and lust to win out. It was bound to happen and it did. If they thought that their attraction was something that would wane once they got a taste, they were wrong.

Despite their intense chemistry and the “rightness” of them together, there is plenty of reasons whey these two should not be together. Paige’s friendship with Cannon’s sister is a huge deterrent. Cannon’s career is another. The two decide to keep their relationship casual and hidden.

When a series of tragic events unfold, their relationship is put to the test. Emotions run high and the poor decisions pile up. In no time at all, whatever they had been building seems to have disintegrated.

This book is a standalone that is part of the ‘Roommates’ series. All in all, I thought that this was a fantastic read. It was fun and light-hearted. This is one to save for a day when you need a unicorns and rainbows kind of story. Ms. Ryan delivers the emotional connection and angst that you need, as well as a HEA that will leave you feeling satisfied.

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Review: Dirty Ugly Toy, by K. Webster

Dirty Ugly Toy by K. Webster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you follow my reviews, you know that I love dark, twisted stories. Based on the title alone, I knew that this story would be right up my alley. K. Webster never fails to deliver just the type of mindf*ck that I love and this book was no exception.

‘Dirty Ugly Toy’ begins with a scene that immediately had me questioning exactly what kind of a sick individual Braxton Kennedy really was. He has finished with one of his “toys”. She is bound, gagged and it is time to make her disappear from Braxton’s presence forever.

Once he’s disposed of his last toy, Braxton goes on the hunt for another one. He has particular tastes. He wants the filthiest, most drug-addicted and desperate woman on the streets to act out his depraved fantasies with. He will pretty her up, just to break her down again.

Jessica turned to prostitution in order to feed her heroin addiction. She will do anything for her next fix. Self-respect left her long ago. The woman she used to be would not recognize herself now.

When Jessica, aka “Bunny”, is picked up by Braxton, she cannot resist the lure of the $500,000 that he promises for 6 months of her time. She would do anything for that kind of money and all the heroin that it would buy. Without reading the fine print, she signs his contract and becomes Braxton’s new toy.

From the start, Jessica proved to be a challenge for Braxton. She challenged him in ways that he had never been challenged before. She was anything but submissive, even as he did his best to humiliate and degrade her.

Braxton behaves in a reprehensible manner. He was a really hard character to like because his behavior was so damn cruel and deplorable at times. It was clear that he was one seriously messed up individual, but I couldn’t excuse his callous treatment of Jessica. Regardless of his “mommy issues”, his treatment of her was despicable.

That being said, the story was actually not as dark as I had anticipated. There were a few scenes with violence, but Braxton’s cruelty was most pronounced in the emotional abuse he subjected Jessica to. The flashbacks from her past were the source of the darkest content and not her BDSM relationship with Braxton, which ended up being pretty tame.

Overall, this was a great story. It was dark-ish, but I would’ve liked for it to be a little darker. There was plenty of twists and turns to hold my attention throughout this book. If you like dark stories with a bit of mystery/suspense, then this is a good choice.

On the other hand, I should say that I was not overly impressed with the Audible narration for this book. The narrators’ voices just didn’t appeal to me at all. This is one that I’d recommend reading vs. listening to. It took me quite a while to get into the story because the voice of the narrator was so off-putting.

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Review: The Bird and the Sword, by Amy Harmon

The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amy Harmon has blown me away…again! I love her writing and the way she makes me fall in love with her damaged characters. I get lost in her stories, tuning out everything around me. I listened to the Audible edition of ‘The Bird and the Sword’ yesterday from start to finish. I couldn’t pull myself away. It was superb!

The magical world that Ms. Harmon created was vivid and engaging. I hung on every word as this story evolved, wondering what laid in store for me. From princes to trolls, witches to shifters, romance to revenge plots, this book offered plenty to hold my interest.

Fate is inescapable for Lark and King Trias. They first meet as young children, on the date that Trias’ father, the then King, murders Lark’s mother for using magic. The use of magic is against the law in the kingdom. Those that possess the special abilities, known as the “gifted”, are hunted down and killed.

With her final breath, Lark’s mother speaks of things to come, cursing the King with her final words while protecting her young daughter. For years after the death of her mother, Lark is a virtual prisoner in her father’s home. She does not speak, although she understands just fine. With his survival linked to hers, her father is determined to prevent any harm from befalling her. To stifle her gift of using words to compel action, her father forbids her from learning to read or write.

Years later, Lark and Trias meet again. Now the king, Trias takes Lark from her father as a means to force him into subservience. Lark’s father is next in line for the throne and has been working behind the scenes to stage a coup.

Despite being his captive, Lark grows close to Trias. He suffers from an ailment that only Lark seems to be able to help treat. Once her secret is revealed to the King, she is surprised to find that he doesn’t persecute her for it. In fact, he seems to be more curious about her gift than anything.

I enjoyed the slow burn feel of this love story. There was so much anticipation and storyline development that at times I wondered if I’d ever get the love story I craved. Eventually, I did and it was worth the wait!

From start to finish, I was completely engrossed in this story. There was a lot of action and adventure, with battles and fantastical beings. There was never a dull moment, but I didn’t get that over-stimulated, head-spinning feeling that many other “adventure” type of stories leave me with.

Paranormal stories are not my favorite genre, but this book was perfect for me. It had the just the right mix of romance and adventure to hold my attention. It was unlike anything I’ve ever read before and I loved it!

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