Southwest on the A303 by Adam Gary

Summary

Arguably one of England's most cherished and notorious roads, the A303 is filled with history, wonder, and magic. Adam takes us on a journey of adventure, self discovery, and touching family bonds in this moving coming of age tale.

Alex is a young man in his early twenties who has fallen into a miserable state of mind, losing his motivation and love for life. When he receives the heartbreaking news that his beloved uncle has passed away, leaving Alex with all of his belongings - including his renowned VW Campervan - he sets out to Cornwall for the funeral, rediscovering his love for life along the way.

Readers feeling like they've lost the spark of life will immediately relate to Adam's tale, and find inspiration to go out and seek adventure wherever possible.

Southwest on the A303 is Adam Gary's debut novella.


My Thoughts

I absolutely hate it when I can't give a book a wonderful review!  It makes me so sad!  I fully realize that the author more than likely put their heart and soul into their book.  I imagine that it takes a lot of hard work and time to write a book.  However, I promised a true and honest review so that is what I will do.

I didn't really care for this book.  It was simply ok.  Not exactly horrible, just not really good. and trust me, I really wanted this to be a great book!  The description sounded wonderful and I was excited to read it.  Unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me.

Too much of this book felt unrealistic.  There weren't enough things that made the book feel like it could be an actual situation.  Also, the writing felt, well, pushed.  Like the author was trying too hard or something.

I'm so sad!  I hate writing a negative review but, unfortunately, that is what I have to write.

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Black and White by Nick Wilford

Summary

What is the price paid for the creation of a perfect society?

In Whitopolis, a gleamingly white city of the future where illness has been eradicated, shock waves run through the populace when a bedraggled, dirt-stricken boy materialises in the main street. Led by government propaganda, most citizens shun him as a demon, except for Wellesbury Noon – a high school student the same age as the boy.

Upon befriending the boy, Wellesbury feels a connection that he can’t explain – as well as discovering that his new friend comes from a land that is stricken by disease and only has two weeks to live. Why do he and a girl named Ezmerelda Dontible appear to be the only ones who want to help?

As they dig deeper, everything they know is turned on its head – and a race to save one boy becomes a struggle to redeem humanity


My Thoughts

I liked this book. I didn't love it, didn't hate it, I just liked it.  Black and White is a good book.  The idea of a place that is so clean and pristine that the word 'dirt' is pretty much foreign to the people is an interesting concept.  It could have been great, actually.

Unfortunately, this book just kind of fell a bit flat for me.  I'm not completely sure what it was that I didn't love about it.  I hate that I can't pinpoint the exact thing that made it 'not the greatest' but I just can't.

The characters were interesting.  The concept, like I said before, is very fascinating.  I think, maybe, I just wanted a bit more.  Don't misunderstand me, I did like this book.  It was a good read.  It just wasn't great.

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Abandoned by J.D. Jacobs

Summary

Jaden Foxx has had a rough past that includes the untimely death of his mother and a history of abuse, but the 18-year-old tries to maintain a normal life as much as he can. With a group of friends that he can rely on, a crush that he’s fallen head-over-heels for, and a dad who has sobered up and become the parent figure that Jaden needs, you could say that Jaden’s life is finally normal. However, this all drastically changes when Jaden wakes up to the sight of his home city, Westwood, Mississippi, completely trashed and deserted. Alone and confused, Jaden barely has time to question what has happened to everyone he knew and loved before he’s overwhelmed with numerous circumstances that are just as unexplainable as they are unsettling. A suspicious wall now encases the city, and Jaden finds multiple dead bodies lying sporadically throughout Westwood, each left in the same, unnerving condition. On top of these things, Jaden has a newly acquired ability to relive the past, which causes him to experience disturbing moments that nobody should be forced to witness. These are just a few of the many strange phenomena that leave Jaden worried about what actually happened to his home city and what’s currently happening to his sanity. Perhaps the most frightening detail about Jaden’s isolated state, though, is that he’s nowhere near as alone as he thinks he is. About the Author: JD first started writing Abandoned when he was a sophomore in high school, determined to reach his goal of writing a book. Now after finishing Abandoned, JD intends on creating a series from Jaden’s story. JD is from Woodland, AL and currently resides in Auburn, AL, where he is a student at Auburn University.

My Thoughts

I love that the author of this book wrote it when he was just a sophomore in high school!  How wonderful to have such talent at such a young age.  That honestly makes the book that much better.

Abandoned is a great book with many exciting twists and turns.  It kept my attention, keeping my interested from start to finish.  I really like that in a book!

It ends open enough that you crave the satisfaction of a second book!  Even people who prefer stand-alone novels will be ready for the next book in the series.  I'm so glad this book was sent to me!

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Lyons Orphanage by Charlie King

Summary

Sam Watkins, an orphaned young teenager, possesses the ability to read the minds of almost everyone he meets.

Howard Lyons, the owner of the orphanage where Sam has lived since he was a baby, has been reluctant to let Sam leave the orphanage.

Unable to read the mind of Mr Lyons, he takes it upon himself to investigate the reasons behind the owner's decisions and learn more about the origin of his ability, his parents and the potential of his power.

However, Sam's investigation and mind-reading abilities reveal a power struggle at the top of a faltering orphanage between Mr. Lyons and his assistant Natalie.

Sam's involvement in this conflict leads him to look for ways to save the orphanage and uncover the true motivations of both the owner and his assistant while trying to learn about his past.


My Thoughts

I don't think I have read any other books about orphanages before this one.  I'm not sure what I expected, but for some reason, I was pretty excited to read it.  I wasn't disappointed!  This is a pretty good book!

The story is fairly fast-paced and very clever.  I loved the characters and their dynamics.  Very well thought out, in my opinion.  I didn't get bored while reading this book!  I hate to say it, but that is rare for me lately.  There aren't as many books anymore that can grab my attention and keep it.

Thank you, Charlie King, for sending this book my way!

*Note: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Drip: A Gothic Bromance by Andrew Montlack

Summary

"A hand wearing a fancy watch parted the office blinds, and J.D. felt nauseous with despair: suddenly he knew—even though he could not explain how—that all of his mojo had been permanently taken away." 

J.D. and George: thick as thieves since the fourth grade. J.D., the troublemaker, the stud: the alpha. George, the sidekick, the misfit: the loser. Upon graduating college, J.D. has convinced the only job creator in rusty Middlestop to hire them. BrewCorp, the hot new coffee and retail chain, is offering a vice presidency to the employee with the boldest plan for growth, and J.D. is determined to be the guy. When not sleeping with co-workers, he hatches his pitch for a one-of-a kind data pipeline. He is unbeatable--until George grabs the promotion. Now J.D. wants answers. His quest to find them—and to deal with the monstrous truth—is the subject of indie filmmaker Andrew Montlack's wry debut novel, which features the same biting satire that made his mockumentary, The Devil's Filmmaker, a cult classic.


My Thoughts

I really hate to say it, but I just didn't enjoy this book much at all.  I'm not sure if it's the book or if it's just not my style, but I didn't care for it.  One thing, I somehow missed the fact that it was going to be a vampire book.... That is probably my own fault, but I missed that fact about this book.

I was going to say that it took my a long time to get into it, however I actually never got into it at all.  I almost DNF'd it a few times but I kept picking it up because I felt bad to just drop it.  I think I wish I had dropped it rather than finish a book I wasn't enjoying.

Like I said before, it may not be the book itself.  There are plenty of 4 and 5 star reviews on this book!  It may just be me.

*Note:  I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Megan's Munchkins - Megan's World Volume 1 by Pamela Foland

Summary

Megan’s Munchkins is the first book in the middle grade fiction series Megan's World. Not everything hidden in the closet is scary, even if it’s furry and has sharp claws! Every teenager’s dream come true and every parent’s worst nightmare, Megan’s Munchkins is a short and sweet tale about a middle-school girl finding, quite by accident, the pet she had always wanted. Plus three more! It’s almost Spring break and adventurous thirteen-year-old Megan Thompson finds four tiny day-old kittens in the park and makes a decision on the spot that will turn her life upside-down. What does a young girl do who has been told by her parents over and over again that she may not have a pet? In Megan’s mind, there is no question. She must save these motherless newborns, even if it means keeping them a secret from her mom and dad. The next five weeks are an exhausting blur of vet visits, endless cycles of feeding schedules, household chores, homework and sneaking around, but Megan has never been happier in her whole life. The kittens grow quickly and begin to venture out into the world beyond the closet. Megan knows it is only a matter of time before her she must tell her parents about her secret. Fate steps in and her secret is discovered. What will happen to her precious babies now?

My Thoughts

This was a very cute middle grade book.  I can imagine  my thirteen year old self really loving this book and hoping to find secret kittens of my own!  I do have to say, I can't imagine being responsible enough to competently care for tiny kittens on my own at that age, though.  Nor would I have had that much money saved up!

As a mom, I don't love the fact that she hid kittens for that long, but like I said, that's the mom in me!  Lol!  Over all, it was a cute, well thought out story and I'm glad to have received it!

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Gift Counselor by Sheila M. Cronin

Summary

Do all gifts have strings attached? Yes, believes pert, inquisitive Jonquil Bloom as she sets out to counsel gift givers at a local department store. A single mom and UCLA graduate student in psychology, gifts fascinate Jonquil. When are they sincere? When are they not? She is skilled at helping customers choose the perfect gift for any occasion, but she soon discovers that her elegant theory doesn’t apply to every situation, leaving her to wonder: what are true gifts?

Ten-year-old Billy Bloom is the center of her life. Billy yearns to have a dog but his mom has told him repeatedly that she is allergic to them. Instead, his bedroom is crammed full of toy animals, each of them demonstrating her misguided attempts to distract him. Billy, a generous and hopeful boy, refuses to give up.

Into both their lives enters Claude Chappel, a native French Canadian and general contractor working on a construction site across from where they live. Claude, is instantly captivated by Jonquil. After a bumpy start they begin seeing each other. Yet, Claude cannot help but notice that the gift counselor has denied her own son what he most wants, a troubling paradox that spurs him to action.

The Gift Counselor is suitable for young adults. Book club recommended.


My Thoughts

I Love Christmas Books!!!!  As soon as Thanksgiving is over I get my Christmas TBR all set.  I love it when I get new Christmas books so when I received the review request for this book I was naturally excited.

The Gift Counselor started out really good.  It wasn't a slow start at all.  It jumped right in!  I love books like that!  This book stayed at a really good pace throughout, which is another really good thing.

So, Jonquil was the kind of character that you love and then don't really like, back and forth through the book.  As a mom, I felt bad for her situation but I also felt so bad for her son!  Maybe that's because I am a major dog lover! Haha!

I really enjoyed this book.  I will say, the ending seemed a bit crunched.  The pace was pretty steady throughout the story up until the end, where a ton of things seemed to happen all at once.  It didn't really make the book less enjoyable, it just wasn't my favorite thing.

All in all, it was a good book to read during the Christmas season!  Thanks for sending it my way!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Christmas Story A Day by Louise Richards

Summary

A Christmas Story a Day is an Advent calendar for the reader with twenty-five stories that inspire, amuse and warm the heart. 
Join MaryAnn as she humorously prepares for her family dinner, Bobby, as he navigates Christmas of Cleveland past, a treetop angel, as she and the ornaments bring peace to a bickering family, a misguided town as an angel redirects their path and a choir as it prepares for the yearly choral extravaganza. 
Follow as Karen finds Christmas in the eyes of her newborn grandchild, Daisy as she goes to the ball, Moira and J.D.'s journey of trust, a little boy who finds his voice and a wondering soul who stops wandering. Read how Henry Wadsworth Longfellow finds comfort amidst his despair, Pepita learns of Christmas love, an old man pays a debt, a police sergeant experiences a Christmas miracle, the author remembers times of Christmas past and Carol opposes materialism. Celebrate the miracle of the Christmas Truce, a man with special needs who finds the love of a fur friend, God as He prepares three stars to play their part, and an old bell ringer's answered prayer. Ponder a message brought by a quail, solace in the light, the redemption of a shepherd, curious animals who welcome the newborn King, and three ships that appear on Christmas day. 
Cozy up with a cup of hot cocoa as you celebrate the joy and simplicity of the season of wonder.


My Thoughts

I love reading Christmas books!  I look forward to reading a few every year and I usually try to buy a few each year as well.  When I received the review request for this book I was beyond pleased!  I couldn't wait for December 1st so that I could read the first story.

As with most books of several short stories, some were really good and some were not as good.  I don't think that there were any that I just didn't like at all.  All of them were the perfect length to read every day.

I really enjoyed this book!  I would get a cup of either hot tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, sit on the couch with a cozy blanket, and read A Christmas Story a Day!  Thank you, Louise Richards, for sending this book to me!

*Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.