Thursday, March 14, 2024

Audiobook Review: One of Our Own by Lucinda Berry

 

One of Our Own by Lucinda Berry
Publication Date: March 12th 2024 by Simon & Schuster Audio
Audio Book Length: 3 hrs 54 mins
Narrators: A.J. Cook & Tessa Albertson
Source: Publisher 
Rating: ½
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble Kobo Librofm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:
Felicia volunteers at a suicide hotline center to help others to avoid a tragedy that rocked her family years back. However, Felicia has had to deal with other adversities! I was riveted by her story and how she related to the poor young girl who called in! The young woman was drugged and assaulted at a local party. The events after have thrown her into desperate despair. Unfortunately, this story could be ripped from the pages of real-life and my heart went out to her! I was on the edge hoping that Felicia could help her.

Things turn more disturbing as Felicia realizes this girl attended the same party her son did a few weeks back. Dread creeps in as Felicia pieces together the puzzle of what happened that night.

I listened to One of Our Own straight through in one go. I needed to know how it all turned out!  The audio isn’t very long, novella length, but the story packs an emotional punch!

I listened to an audio of One of Our Own. A.J. Cook’s (from Criminal Minds) and Tessa Albertson’s performance enhanced this compelling story. A definite recommend!

4.5 Stars




Book Description:

A suicide prevention hotline volunteer answers a call that turns her world upside down in this edge-of-your-seat audio original thriller by the bestselling author of The Perfect Child and The Best of Friends, performed by A.J. Cook (Criminal Minds) and Tessa Albertson (Younger).

Felicia, a single mother and lawyer by day, volunteers at a local crisis center to give back to her tightknit community in a small Wisconsin town. One night, she answers a horrifying call: through tears, a frantic teenage girl tells her that she was a victim of sexual assault at a local house party.

Felicia is shocked, and breaking protocol, she begins communicating with the girl on her own, determined to keep her safe and hold her assailants accountable. But as she gets closer and closer to the truth, she can’t shake the feeling that she and the girl are connected by more than the phone call. As the girl shares more details, Felicia begins to think the unthinkable—someone close to her may be involved in this heinous crime.

As Felicia earns the girl’s trust and more facts emerge about the incident, she faces a gut-wrenching battle between her protective instincts and the moral responsibility to do what’s right. This taut thriller is the perfect listen for fans of The Push, Wrong Place Wrong Time, and We Need to Talk About Kevin.



Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Review: The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger

 

The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger
Publication Date: March 5th 2024 by Park Row & Harper Audio
Pages: 382
Audio Book Length: 12hrs 8 mins
Narrators: Vivienne Leheny
Source: Publishers
Rating: 
Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Bookbub | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:
Rosie and Chad are newly married, in love and just getting by financially. Chad is a struggling actor, good looking and talented, but that doesn’t always translate into success. Rosie has authored a best-seller and working on her next book, but hasn’t been feeling great about her efforts.

Rosie and Chad have just lost his elderly uncle Ivan, after a long illness, and aren’t close to any other family. Rosie expects Ivan’s daughter to inherit his historic apartment in the Windemere, but in a surprising turn of events Ivan has willed the stately place to Chad and Rosie. They’re beyond excited and are quickly brought into the fold of its residents. Not a bad thing for extrovert Chad, but not a great thing for introvert Rosie. Plus, she’s getting weird vibes from the place and its inhabitants.

The Windemere has a dark history, murders, suicide and untimely death have plagued the place.  Rosie, before knowing she was to inherit, was basing her next book on the Windermere and its tragic past.

I was rooting for Rosie while trying to figure out who was the bad guy/guys here. People all around Rosie and Chad end up dead. Chad, with his good looks and charisma gave me pause, and I thought Rosie was so very trusting. Still, he seemed to love her so much. I adored Max, Rosie’s best friend and editor, but she only had platonic feelings for him. The residents of the building, as well as the doorman were suspicious, and I wondered what the angle was there. There’s also a bit of the supernatural at play.

The New Couple in 5B was a riveting read/listen that I couldn’t put down! Events built into a crescendo and I worried for Rosie!

I alternated between the audio and e-copy and recommend either! Vivienne Leheny’s performance of both male and female voices definitely enhanced my enjoyment of this addictive story! I listened at my usual 1.5x for the most part and sped up in the intense parts. 

4 Stars


Book Description:

A couple inherits an apartment with a spine-tingling past in this binge-worthy thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six.

Rosie and Chad Lowan are barely making ends meet in New York City when they receive life-changing news: Chad’s late uncle has left them his luxury apartment at the historic Windermere in glamorous Murray Hill. With its prewar elegance and impeccably uniformed doorman, the building is the epitome of old New York charm. One would almost never suspect the dark history lurking behind its perfectly maintained facade.

At first, the building and its eclectic tenants couldn’t feel more welcoming. But as the Lowans settle into their new home, Rosie starts to suspect that there’s more to the Windermere than meets the eye. Why is the doorman ever-present? Why are there cameras everywhere? And why have so many gruesome crimes occurred there throughout the years? When one of the neighbors turns up dead, Rosie must get to the truth about the Windermere before she, too, falls under its dangerous spell.


Monday, March 11, 2024

Review: Dane's Mark by Lora Leigh

 

Dane's Mark (The Breeds #33) by Lora Leigh
Publication Date: February 6th 2024 by Berkley 
Pages: 288
Source: Publisher 
Rating: 

My Thoughts:
Katy’s heart was broken eight years ago when she overhears Dane Vanderale, the man she thought she had a connection with, say that Katy could never be part of his world. Katy had already had feelings of abandonment and not feeling good enough after being left by her mother and with the remaining family begrudgingly taking her in. Working in the local diner, she thought she struck up a friendship that felt like it could turn into more with Dane, but after hearing those words she’s crushed. Soon after Graeme Parker, a Bengal Breed, extends an offer of training and employment for Tech-Corp, and she leaves with him immediately.

Eight years later, Katy’s back in Broken Butte, New Mexico to oversee the Tech-Corp’s new facility there. She’s risen in the ranks and has grown in confidence. She now has friends and support, and Graeme is like the father she’s never had. But being back in Broken Butte brings back some of those bad memories and of course she’ll be running into Dane.

Much of the book is centered around the romance between Katy and Dane, why they have such a strong attraction if Katy doesn’t trigger the mating bond in Dane. This is a back and forth and Graeme knows the answer to this and for reasons I couldn’t understand doesn’t share it with Katy or Dane. I also didn’t understand why Katy didn’t question her origins when she’d have these episodes of adrenaline flooding her system and Graeme, a Breed, was the one to help her learn to control them. Also, I was irritated that Dane pulls a stunt that hurts Katy all over again and the thing is just swept under the rug without much of an apology. I get that a lot happened in the end, but come on. 

There were characters gunning for Katy, an attempt on her life but that was just kind of swept away, too. I feel like it would’ve been a more interesting thread to pursue and include than just having the story on this whole mating business.

I haven’t read the previous books and I do feel like I would’ve enjoyed the story more if I had some prior experience with the world and characters, but it can also be read as a standalone. I will say that even with these niggles the story was entertaining, and I did want to find out how it all turned out. 

3 Stars


Book Description:

A new kind of Breed is faced with what happens when destiny and desire collide in the latest novel in the highly charged series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh.
 
A decade ago Katy Chavos was a proud misfit who had her heart broken, crushed by a man who drew her close with one breath and pulled away the next. He left a mark she’s done everything in her power to erase. But when Katy’s job brings her back to the hometown she couldn’t wait to escape, seeing Dane again awakens something inside her that won’t be tamed....
 
Dane Vanderale isn’t like other Breeds. As a hybrid he’s stronger, more primal, and more determined to hide it. He’s also certain that Katy is not his mate—not that that stops him from wanting her with every part of his soul. He knows he hurt her deeply and he intends to make things right, but she is dead set on keeping him at arm’s length.
 
Despite their painful history, Katy can’t deny the intense attraction she still feels for Dane. And before long, it will be impossible for either to deny the truth that has been in front of them all along....



Sunday, March 10, 2024

Sunday Post #243

 


The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.


Happy Sunday! I don't know about you, but I hate this particular time change, especially in the morning. I meant to get up earlier and set this post up, because I neglected doing it last night finishing a book I was reading. The morning came way to early! Now I'll be back to leaving in the dark again for work for the next few weeks because the sunrise here isn't until 7:22am. 

Weather has been cold and raining and our basement flooded with about 4 inches of water with the buckets it rained last weekend. My poor husband had to crawl around set up a pump to get all the water out. This is while it was raining/snowing (it couldn't make up its mind). Freezing cold! 

We had a couple of days of intermittent sunshine this week! I've been working out and running. 

Pictures from my runs and garden:

Knights plum moss on a tree

Daffodils in the garden

Camellia: Debutante


We're getting ready to leave for Cancun on Thursday. Of course the weather is going to be sunny and gorgeous with highs in the upper 60s here when we're gone. We're meeting my daughter, SIL, grandkids and another family down there. I'm excited!



Read:
(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

Dane's Mark by Lora Leigh:3 Stars
The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger: 4 Stars

Received:


Thank you to Berkley and Forever!

Instagram:

This cover is so pretty! And some wild daffodils from our yard to match!





How was your week?




Thursday, March 7, 2024

Review: Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden

 

Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden
Publication Date: January 9th 2024 by Berkley
Pages: 384
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

My Thoughts:
Georgia May Jackson’s life goal has always been to become a top chef in a Parisian restaurant. She’s about to realize her dream when she catches her boyfriend, a fellow chef, cheating and makes a snap decision that derails her career. Not only that, but she’s also lost her sense of taste, and her spark is gone. Getting an email from her estranged mother inviting her to come for a visit seems comes at the perfect time and so Georgia heads off to the small Pacific Northwest Island to sort so many things out. Georgia and her mother have a painful past to reconcile, and Georgia wants the answers she deserves!

There’s a romance between Georgia and Cole, the local Oyster farmer, and although charming, I felt it took a backseat to Georgia’s personal journey. The Pacific Northwest Island was described perfectly, with its glorious pines, and gorgeous sea views, its beauty came through loud and clear! Being on this gorgeous island is the perfect setting to immerse all of Georgia’s senses and hopefully get her joy back.

Recipe for a Charmed Life was a magical story of healing, sorting out what’s important and finding love!

4 Stars


Book Description:

After a day of unrivaled disappointments, a promising young chef finds every bite of food suddenly tastes bitter. To save her career, she travels to the Pacific Northwest to reconnect with her estranged mom, and discovers a family legacy she never suspected in this delicious novel from the bestselling author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie.

American chef Georgia May Jackson has one goal—to run her own restaurant in Paris. After a grueling decade working in Parisian kitchens, she is on the cusp of success. But in one disastrous night, Georgia loses her sous-chef position, her French boyfriend, and her sense of taste! Renowned for her refined palate and daring use of bold flavors to create remarkable dishes, Georgia is devastated to discover her culinary gift has simply...vanished.

When she receives a surprising invitation from her estranged mother, Georgia flees to a small island near Seattle hoping the visit will help her regain her spark in the kitchen. There she tentatively reconnects with her mom, a free-spirited hippie eager to make up for her past mistakes. But there’s something about the enigmatic island Georgia just can’t piece together. Good luck charms keep appearing in the oddest places. Her neighbor is a puzzlingly antagonist (and annoyingly handsome) oyster farmer. And her mom keeps hinting at a mysterious family legacy.

With the clock ticking and time running out to win her dream job in Paris, Georgia begins to unravel some astonishing secrets that make her wonder if the true recipe for a charmed life might look—and taste—very different than she ever imagined.


Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Review: Trapped in Yosemite by Dana Mentink

 

Trapped in Yosemite by Dana Mentink
Publication Date: February 27th 2024 by Harlequin Love Inspired Trade
Pages: 304
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

My Thoughts:
Stella’s in Yosemite to meet up with a client claiming to have tree damage. As a new arborist she’s eager for the job. However, when she shows up things don’t add up. Shots are fired and Stella runs for her life. Running into her ex-fiancé, Von Sharpe, is a shock, but all this must be put on the back burner when a major earthquake strikes. Stella is stunned both by the shooting and earthquake and beyond worried about her baby, Hannah, staying with her aunt.

Von Sharpe, an ex-military K-9 handler, is shocked when he comes upon his ex-fiancée on the side of the road, but answers can wait until they get to safety and escape the dangers caused by the massive earthquake. Landslides, flooding, sinkholes, not to mention a storm rolling in.

Trapped in Yosemite was an action-packed read with a lot of moving parts. A massive earthquake, a shooter in pursuit, and a desperate mother determined to reach her baby daughter in all the chaos. There’s also the drama of Stella and Von’s broken engagement and resultant pregnancy, something Von didn’t know about. Stella and Von’s romance had imploded previously because of immaturity and outside tragic events. I liked seeing them work out things as they tried to survive.

This mystery/romance/thriller is Christian Fiction, so faith and reliance on God is mentioned, but I didn’t find it overwhelming or preachy. More of an inspirational feature in the story. I loved that it was set in Yosemite, a place I’ve visited and hiked through multiple times. Being a native Californian I could easily picture the destruction brought on by the earthquake and aftershocks! The constant attempts on Stella’s life were a mystery and one I was eager to figure out!


4 Stars


Book Description:

When a massive earthquake levels the region, secrets and unknown dangers are exposed…

The ground in still-icy Yosemite National Park isn’t stable, and K-9 handler Von Sharpe fears the worst. But his worries are pushed aside when he sees an SUV viciously forced off the road…with his ex-fiancée at the wheel. It’s only when Stella Rivers steps out of the vehicle that the very ground under their feet cracks and breaks with the onslaught of a terrifying earthquake. 

When her meeting with a mysterious client is ambushed, Stella witnesses the man being gunned down by a sniper and becomes a target herself. With the threat of aftershocks triggering landslides and floods, the new mom has no choice but to run to save her baby girl—even if it means teaming up with the man who has no idea he fathered her child.

Trapped in a dangerously unstable wilderness with a killer closing in, Von and Stella are running out of time to get to safety. And every fissure reveals a new secret that will shake them to their foundation…


Saturday, March 2, 2024

Sunday Post #242

 


The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

It's been pouring rain, but now it's snowing. I guess this is winters last hurrah. On Friday PG&E sent out tree workers to take out a big dead pine tree on our property. They'll take out dead trees if it looks like they're close to taking out their power lines. We didn't realize the tree had bark beetle until it was too late. It's the one to the left. It was something to see and a little scary since if it fell the right way it would've come down on the house. They had ropes and pulleys attached though. I was happy they got it out before the big storm on us now. 

Gloomy and raining as they worked

Read:
(Click on cover for Goodreads link)


One of Our Own by Lucinda Berry: 4.5 Stars
White Trash Zombie Apolcalypse by Diana Rowland: 4 Stars

Loved Once Persuaded, Twice Shy, a modern reimagining of Persuasion, as well as One of Our Own, an audio novella. My Anti-Hero was my first time reading *listening* Tijan and it was a disappointment. Not even Andi Arndt, one of my favorite narrators, could save the story for me. I've seen a lot of praise for the author so maybe it was a fluke? I enjoyed White Trash Zombie Apocalypse. Those books are so much fun, especially by audio! I just love Angel! 

Received:


Thank you to Minotaur Books, MacMillan Audio and Park Row!

Instagram:






How was your week?