Friday, October 14, 2022

Book Review - To Be A Mother by Emma Robinson

To Be a Mother

To Be a Mother by Emma Robinson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Synopsis:  What if your only chance to be a mother was to give birth to his first wife’s child?

All I’ve ever wanted is to be a mother. And since I married David, it’s gone from being a dream of mine, to a dream of ours. And I want it for him too – it’s the happy-ever-after he deserves after the tragic loss of his first wife, Katherine.

We have tried and we’ve hoped. But today I’ve just found out it’s impossible. That I’m unable to become a mother. My heart breaking into thousands of pieces, I beg the doctor to tell me there’s another way.

But it’s David who speaks. Telling me that just before Katherine died, she had gone through fertility treatment. Now her eggs legally belong to David. To us.

It could be my only chance to be the mother I’ve always longed to be… But can I really carry his first wife’s baby?

My Thoughts: My first book by Emma Robinson but wow it was so good and I feel like she handled some really sensitive subject matter splendidly! In todays society so many women struggle to have children of their own whether naturally, thru invitro, or even adoption and hence the title "To Be A Mother" comes in with our main character Hannah who desperately wants to have a child with her husband David.

With quite a few jaw dropping moments for me as things progressed and the couple try to decide if using Davids first wife's eggs would be a good fit for them as it seems to be one of their last options when told Hannah's eggs would not work. That in itself made me sit back and ponder if it would be something I would consider myself if in her shoes measuring out the pros and cons of the situation.

I flew thru this! It had some of everything and was really fast paced. It was very easy relating to Hannah and her problems as well as other drama she had to go with it. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this earc for my honest opinion!

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Book Review - Division X by Ryan August Hill

Division X

Division X by Ryan August Hill
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis:  Twenty-four years old, no job, and kicked out by her parents, Randi Matheson is living at her aunt and uncle’s trying her hardest to complete a novel she can’t seem to start when a carnivorous monster interrupts her middling life on a full moon night. Attacked during an ordinary family dinner, Randi’s relatives are murdered, and she is bitten by the beast. Surviving the slaughter, Randi returns home to her distressed family only to become a monster herself under the next full moon. Nearly devouring her younger brother, she is stopped by the intervention of Division X, a company devoted to the killing and capture of paranormal threats. She awakens in a containment cell the next morning to be given an ultimatum… work for them as a new weapon in the fight against evil or be dissected. A cure to her lycanthropy is promised along the way, and with real motivation to stay alive, Randi pushes herself to the brink to return to her normal life. Small town horrors lie in wait with even smaller heroes to stand against them. Can Randi save them and herself, or will everything crumble to the wills of evil?

My Thoughts: Note that this is the first part in a series which is something that I overlooked when I began reading which could explain some of the slower areas. It took a while for me to get into this and even then I found myself somewhat confused sometimes because although I was enjoying myself, especially the gory slasher bits, I would have to go back and reread some parts because it felt like I had missed something? There is one section even now that I truly don't know if it was "for real", a dream, or what.

Overall though it was quite a cool story! I was beginning to get into the characters and how they connected and am very interested to continue on with it to find out where or what happens to them all. It has great potential to be something big as it continues and more of The Division is explained....

Thank you NetGalley and Brother Mockingbird Publishing for providing this eARC for my honest thoughts.



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Thursday, October 6, 2022

Book Review - Any One Of Us by Martyn Ford

Any One of Us

Any One of Us by Martyn Ford
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis: When Ruby hears from her best friend Elizabeth that two of their old classmates have been murdered, Ruby is more certain than ever that leaving her hometown was the right decision. But after Elizabeth suddenly stops responding to texts, and Ruby hears a third classmate has been killed, she knows in her heart what has happened. Elizabeth is dead too.

Missbrook Bay is a place haunted by memories Ruby wanted to forget, and people she never wanted to see again, but Ruby has no choice but to go back to investigate. While staying with her ex-boyfriend, she notices a pattern in their full school year photo—the killer seems to be working through victims in a specific order. And after her ex’s house is broken into, Ruby realises nowhere and no one is safe.

There are still many faces left in that photo. Any one of them could be the next victim—and any one of them could be the killer. And with each death, the killer is getting closer to Ruby.

My Thoughts: Any One of Us takes off with a bang with Ruby talking on the phone to an old high school friend about a classmates murder and then shortly thereafter her friend meets the same demise and with her profession of being a profiler she heads back home to help solve the murders. Once she gets home and settled the story starts running hot and cold for me as things start dragging a bit with such long chapters that really didn't say much. They seemed more filler than anything.

I found myself getting a little bored about the midway point but I kept reading because overall I really did enjoy the mystery and the characters when the action bits would take place.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for providing this copy for my honest review.

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Book Review - Zombie Makeout Club Vol 1: Death Wish by Peter Richardson

Zombie Makeout Club Vol 1: DeathWish (Zombie Makeout Club, 1)

Zombie Makeout Club Vol 1: DeathWish by Peter Richardson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis: A rebellious high school student is brought back to life in a strange underground facility after committing suicide. Now, she must piece together not only how and why she has been resurrected, but also confront the fragmented memories of her past and the horrors of the laboratory that want to send her back to the afterlife. This breakneck story illustrates a violent vision of life after death.

My Thoughts: I liked this but actually haven't got a clue how to explain it. I know that doesn't make much sense but it's the best I can do. I mean I feel like I had an idea of what was going on most of the time but then the story would get a bit off kilter like we were supposedly experiencing flashbacks of the girls life before her suicide but the transitioning confused me.

It's gory and is about suicide and rebirth (zombies per say). I love zombies and have just gotten into graphic novels/manga and am totally enjoying it so this was the best of both worlds for me! Even though I am a bit confused I would love to continue on with this and see what happens. 

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this copy for my honest opinion.

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Sunday, October 2, 2022

Book Review - Spooky Times by Nic Saint

Spooky Times (Alice Whitehouse, #1)

Spooky Times by Nic Saint
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis: Who is Alice Whitehouse? Mortician’s assistant, gun store clerk and chairwoman of the neighborhood watch committee. Loving daughter of the Chief of Police. Best friend to local baker Felicity Bell. And then there’s the fact that Alice sees dead people. Unfortunately, they can also see her, and occasionally ask her help in solving their murder. With pluck, resolve and cheerfulness in the face of danger, she does just that, aided and abetted by the members of her neighborhood watch committee, and local police detective Rock Walker, on whom she may or may not have a secret—or not-so-secret—crush.

When Gemma Weston is found murdered, the crime baffles the police. It also baffles Alice’s neighborhood watch committee, but that has never stopped the spunky ladies of the committee before. They dive headfirst into the murder investigation, very much to the exasperation of Alice’s dad, Chief of Police Whitehouse, and the newest member of the Happy Bays Police Department, Detective Rock Walker. Spurred on by an increasingly annoying Gemma, whose ghost isn’t the nicest one Alice has ever encountered, she puts her sleuthing powers to the test to catch a killer before he or she can strike again.

My Thoughts: So cute and fun! I loved Alice's character and enjoyed the shenanigans her and the neighborhood watch crew found themself engaged in! Not gonna say what it is but there was a certain "crime" they were after a person about that just kept me in giggles!

Then there was poor Gemma and her dead self. Can't decide if she was more annoying dead or alive but everybody should have their murder solved of course!

It is what it is...a light fun paranormal read with a mystery to boot and maybe just a tad of flirtatious romance.

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