{Review} This Girl by Colleen Hoover

This Girl by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

" Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from hispoint of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series."

I have fallen in Love with everything I have read from Colleen so far and I wasn't disappointed with "This Girl". I am a huge fan of the Slammed series and fall in love with the characters.

What is life like after the wedding and you finally know you are where your suppose to be? That is what we get to find out in This Girl. What I enjoyed about this book is that we get to relive some of the best parts of Slammed and Point of Retreat from Wills point of view while still moving forward with their story. We get a deeper look in to Will before he met Lake and how he feels right at the moment. These two have had a hard life but they get the happily ever after that they deserve and they don't have to call Retreat anymore. This story revealed some new information that doesn't sit well with Lake and he has to learn to move on from Wills past to move on to their Future. Having Lake asking Will to retell how they met is sweet and you can see how Much they love each other.

I was sad finishing the book knowing that I had to say goodbye to some of my favorite characters but it was worth it in the end. All good things must come to an end right? I would love to see how Kel and Caulder grow up and get a look at how developed with a Brother and Sister raising them.

I received this book from the Publisher through Netgalley for my honest review.

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{Review} Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown

Cinnamon and Gunpowder: A Novel by Eli Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


"A gripping adventure, a seaborne romance, and a twist on the tale of Scheherazade—with the best food ever served aboard a pirate’s ship

The year is 1819, and the renowned chef Owen Wedgwood has been kidnapped by the ruthless pirate Mad Hannah Mabbot. He will be spared, she tells him, as long as he puts exquisite food in front of her every Sunday without fail.

To appease the red-haired captain, Wedgwood gets cracking with the meager supplies on board. His first triumph at sea is actual bread, made from a sourdough starter that he leavens in a tin under his shirt throughout a roaring battle, as men are cutlassed all around him. Soon he’s making tea-smoked eel and brewing pineapple-banana cider.

But Mabbot—who exerts a curious draw on the chef—is under siege. Hunted by a deadly privateer and plagued by a saboteur hidden on her ship, she pushes her crew past exhaustion in her search for the notorious Brass Fox. As Wedgwood begins to sense a method to Mabbot’s madness, he must rely on the bizarre crewmembers he once feared: Mr. Apples, the fearsome giant who loves to knit; Feng and Bai, martial arts masters sworn to defend their captain; and Joshua, the deaf cabin boy who becomes the son Wedgwood never had.

     Cinnamon and Gunpowder is a swashbuckling epicure’s adventure simmered over a surprisingly touching love story—with a dash of the strangest, most delightful cookbook never written. Eli Brown has crafted a uniquely entertaining novel full of adventure: the Scheherazade story turned on its head, at sea, with food."

I normally don't read or review books of this genre but Eli Brown has written an adventure anyone who loves food, adventure, love and a little bit of murder will enjoy and I couldn't put it down.

The story begins in 1819 and Owen Wedgwood, a renown chef is kidnapped by Hannah Mabbot after she kills employer. Wedgwood is forced to cook a gourmet meal for Mabbot every Sunday with whatever is available on a pirate ship. In return Owen is allowed to live and stay on the ship. Throughout the journey Wedgwood develops relationships with other members on the ship and learns why Mabbot is so set on taking down the Pentelton Trading Company. Through intimate conversations and multiple failed attempts to escapes Owen learns there is more to Mad Hannah Mabbot then the stories he has heard.

The way Owen views food and his descriptions will leave anyones mouth watering. I enjoyed getting to know these characters even though you could meet a guy in one chapter and never hear about him again just as easily. This could be that many man are lost turing battles and no one is sure what happens to them, but the ones that stay with you pull the story together. Brown describes the tea and silver trading that also leads to England becoming rich because of opium. Now, everyone is going to have different views on any political topic whether it's a present topic or historical, But if you look at the over all story I think that anyone could enjoy this book.

From the beginning of the book I liked Hannahs character and as the story develops I grew to like her even more she has a wit about her and she can control a ship of mostly man pirates. She may act like one of the guys but she is also a women with a heart.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves food and pirate adventures.

I received this book form the publisher for my honest review.


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Oxford Shadow {Review}

Oxford Shadows: Book Two In the Oxford Trilogy



"When death is a new beginning and love an old curse.

Still recovering from her last tango with the afterlife, Louisiana-born Madison LeBon struggles not only with her life as an Oxford postgrad but also with her budding love for Rupert Vance, aristocrat extraordinaire. One thing is certain, though: she won’t run away from her powers anymore. From now on she’ll face the music …

… literally!

When a sixteenth-century ghost makes an appearance during a classical concert Madison attends and threatens her boyfriend’s family, she sets out to explore the dark mysteries of the Tudors, even if that means confronting their most royal and homicidal character.

Her plans take an unexpected turn when her voodoo heritage catches up with her. With horror, she understands what her fate was always meant to be.

The question now is: Can Rupert be part of it?”


My Review: 4 of 5 stars 

Marion has brought us back to Oxford in Oxford Shadows: Madison just can’t get a break, her and Rupert are happy and he has been to the States with her and met most of her family, but the ghost just wont go away. While with Rupert and his family Madison is yet again greeted by a not so friendly ghost and her world is rocked upside down again. Will Madison be able to save the lives that are in danger this time or will she be riddled with the guilt of failure.

I enjoyed Oxford Shadows and I am looking forward to Book three. I am sticking with the idea that I enjoy the second book in most trilogies the best. Madison finally has her Prince charming and he adores her but when the events in this book start to unfold all does not stay well in their fairy tale, and that is only part of the story.  Madison has to deal with a 16th century ghost who has been known to kill and she must find the links that will help her solve this problem. Along the way Madison discovers more then just the Ghost secrets but her newly relocated nun of an Aunt has secrets of her own and Madison is at the center of them. There was plenty of mystery and twist to keep me excited and wanting to turn the page to find out what was around the corner. All the characters bring something to the story even our sad Ollie. That helpful professor Jackson continues to give Madison support and wants her to question her aunts motives for moving all  the way to Oxford, but it seems everyone is pointing figures at each other in this book even a new comer from New Orleans who takes a special interest in Madison. Did I mention some of the sexy senses with Rupert and Madison? No? well they are definitely there and they make you want to go find yourself a tall englishman and see what your missing. The ending will leave you screaming and pulling your hair out, so you better start reading. 

If you like Mysteries that involve ghost and history you should check this trilogy out its a must read and you need to read Book one: Oxford Whispers first.  

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About the author:

In addition to being an author, I work as an entrepreneur, wife and mother-of-one but spend a good deal of time with books, DVDs and listening to my mp3 player; all for the sake of inspiration, of course.

My debut series, The Oxford Trilogy, has been a blast to write because I can indulge in my favorite types of music: Country and English rock.

My main goal as a writer is to make readers dream bigger and cause their hearts to beat a little faster.

Since my writing is all about sharing dreams and stories, I love connecting with fellow readers and authors.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MCroslydon

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6455086.Marion_Croslydon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/MarionCroslydon?fref=ts

Blog: http://marioncroslydon.com/

Losing Francesca Cover and Trailer Reveal

Losing Francesca by J.A. Huss
Publication date: July 1st 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Francesca Sabatini came to America to take in the sights, celebrate her high school graduation, and have fun wasting time before college starts in the fall.

That’s not what happens.

Fresh off the plane and barely on American soil more than a handful of minutes, Francesca’s face is recognized by TSA scanners to be a match for a child who was kidnapped twelve years ago.

Brody Mason remembers the day Fiona Sullivan went missing during a family vacation in Italy and it’s haunted him his whole life. So when Francesca shows up at the Sullivan farm down the road, he’s compelled to figure out if this girl really is his long lost friend.

But Francesca knows she’s not Fiona Sullivan. She knows exactly who she is. At least she thinks she knows – until Brody Mason relentlessly pursues her and she begins to have feelings for him. Maybe being Fiona isn’t so bad?

Reality becomes blurred, secrets are revealed, and life will never be the same when the final questions are answered: Is she Francesca or Fiona? And where does she really belong?

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17404206-losing-francesca?ac=1

AUTHOR BIO 

J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

Author links:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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