Summer's Opus

Title: The Space Between Author: Susan Rooke Genre: Adult Fantasy | Supernatural | Christian Fiction Rating: Five Stars! The definition of the term “plot twist” typically goes along the lines of “a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction.” In my experience, plot twists can go in one of two ways. In some instances, foreshadowing can make a plot twist so obvious that it almost isn’t worth mentioning when it finally comes up,  or  the plot twist can be so cliché and overdone that it turns you off—as a reader, that is. In other cases, though—and when done correctly—a plot twist can be an awesome, amazing device! It keeps the reader engaged, on the edge of his or her prospective seats, if you will, because no one can guess what’s coming next. In the case of  The Space Between,  the plot twists definitely fall in the latter category, with lots of surprising, twisty moments and instances that ma

Title: The Colonel and The Bee Author: Patrick Canning Genre: Young Adult Action Adventure Fiction Rating: Five Stars! Have you ever started a book expecting one thing, but then you get a little ways into it and you suddenly realize that it’s an entirely different thing—but in a completely awesome way? Well that’s exactly what happened to me when I started The Colonel and The Bee. That isn’t to say that the book synopsis isn’t right on point—I mean, it’s a pretty accurate description of the plot, but it somehow didn’t prepare me for all of the fun and adventure that was in store. But, before I dive into how great the book is, here’s the actual book blurb . . . “The Colonel and the Bee” Book Synopsis A peculiar explorer and downtrodden acrobat span the globe on a building-sized hot air balloon, in search of a precious artifact and the murderous treasure hunter who seeks it. Beatrix, a spirited but abused acrobat in a traveling circus, seeks more than her

Title: The Last Girl on Earth Author: Alexandra Blogier Genre: YA Science Fiction & Fantasy Rating: Five Stars! Life has a funny way of getting busy when you least expect it—hence the delay with posting reviews the last few weeks. So while I've always intended to stick with one or two reviews a month, because I feel as though I can really give a book my full attention then, I’ve also come to realize that it may be easier to reach that goal if I let the author do some of the legwork, or in this case, I simply share the author’s synopsis and then offer my opinion (because who needs to reinvent the wheel, right ! ). So without further ado, here’s the new and improved book-review format… “The Last Girl on Earth” Book Synopsis RAISED AMONG THEM. Li has a father and a sister who love her. A best friend, Mirabae, to share things with. She goes to school and hangs out at the beach and carefully follows the rules. She has to. Everyone she knows—her family, her t

Title: The Keeper of Lost Things Author: Ruth Hogan Genre: Contemporary Adult Romance Rating: Five Stars! Okay, so normally I write a pretty involved synopsis for every book I review, but the description on the book jacket for this particular book was so well done that I didn’t think there was   much  to add — there   are  a few word and phrase changes sprinkled throughout though, and my opinion is featured in the last paragraph, which I hope you enjoy! So without farther ado, here’s the slightly tweaked synopsis . . . Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. It isn’t a title he had intentionally picked, but forty years ago, he had carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. Sadly, on the very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects — the things others had dropped, misplaced, or accidently left behind — and then he wrote stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony

  Title: God's Forsaken (The Guilty Ones – Book 1) Author: David Brevik Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Fiction Rating: Four Stars! Michel is the Angel of Death, but he’s no match for Vipa, a huntress on a mission to destroy the forsaken god, Tragun. From the moment their paths cross, Vipa is a major thorn in his side — and her reckless approach to fighting manages to land him in jail! Just when he thinks his day can’t get any worse, Vipa shows up again, this time to break him out of prison. Naturally, there’s a price to pay for her efforts: he must help her find Tragun. Reluctant, Michel agrees, but he instantly regrets his decision when Vipa seals the deal with a bonding curse! Now forced to comply, Michel must learn to get along with Vipa and her team: a vampire and a humanoid lizard, so that they can attempt to accomplish the impossible.   God's Forsaken is a fun read. There’s lots of action and some amazing world building, and I really enj

  Title: Angels Can’t Swim Author: Alexandra McCann Genre: Contemporary NA Fiction Rating: Five Stars! On a college swim team, there are three very different girls living three very separate but linked lives . . . Jenna loves to swim and she’s a valued member of her college swim team, but Jenna has a couple of secrets. One, she really likes the attention her athleticism brings her; and two, she secretly craves everyone’s approval, especially her team’s coach. Coach Ted is renowned for leading his team to victory, and while some believe that he’s a little too involved, all of the girls respect and adore him, and Jenna especially doesn’t mind his praise or the way he touches and lingers too long, and she definitely doesn’t mind that he thinks so highly of her that he’s willing to entrust her to watch his children, and maybe do a little something more . . . Maggie got into college on an academic scholarship but her heart has always been in the water. As a walk-on

  Title: A Stranger in the House Author: Shari Lapena Genre: Adult Mystery Rating: Five Stars! Karen and Tom Krupp are happily married, their vows so recently taken that they’re still in that annoyingly blissful honeymoon stage. Life in their upstate New York home is pleasant, both of them free to enjoy each other’s company as they haven’t had children yet and Tom, a respected accountant, does a great job but doesn’t allow himself to get distracted by his work. He and Karen are best friends and life, for all intents and purposes, is perfect . . . that is until one night when Tom returns home, late from work, and finds Karen missing — it seems like such a rash, unwarranted thought, but her car is gone and there’s plenty of evidence to show that she left in a hurry. She even left her purse behind, complete with her phone and ID, which Tom knows she wouldn’t do intentionally. Desperate, he searches the house for answers and then decides to call the police. Wi

Title: What The Cat Dragged In (The Celtic Witch Mysteries – Book 1) Author: Molly Milligan Genre: Adult Supernatural Cozy Rating: Five Stars! The body that turns up in Bron's garden has been there for decades, and he died of natural causes, so she should just rebury him and carry on as normal, right? But resuming the status quo isn’t easy when the ghost of the dead man wants attention — and he’s going about it in the most comical of ways! It's down to Bron, a traditional hedge witch, to find out what the ghosts wants, which is all well and good since she’s currently teaching Maddie, her cousin from America, the ropes about their family history and all of the magical fun that it entails. Soon, the girls are up to their knees in faery folk (don't trust 'em), druids (keen on trees), wild animals (Bron's a healer), the obligatory smoldering blacksmith (sorry, he prefers men), and the maddest Mad Great Aunt of all. Trust me; it’s well worth the