Closer Than You Think by Lee Maguire

Summary

Meet Bryce Davison, a gifted psychologist who can heal any troubled mind—except his own.
You see, Bryce’s life is falling apart. His marriage is crumbling. His insomnia brings only half-sleep and troubled dreams—visions of dark and buried memories he’d rather forget or ignore completely. And the new female patient in his psych ward just might be more trouble than he’s able to cope with.

…and now he has a stalker.

Somebody’s been watching Bryce for a long time. Somebody who knows his life inside and out—his fears, his regrets, his greatest longings and deepest despairs. Somebody with access to his most private places—his workplace, his home, his family…anywhere Bryce might have felt safe.

They do their dirty work in the shadows… and they want Bryce Davison dead.

So Bryce has got to get his life together. To save his patients. To save his family. To save his marriage…and his life.

Because no matter how close Bryce gets to the deadly truth, the enigmatic stalker is always closer than he thinks.

Fans of psychological thrillers like I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll, Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine, and No Exit by Taylor Adams will love this book. 


My Thoughts

I certainly do not enjoy writing unfavorable reviews.  That is never a fun thing for me!  However, I just really wasn't a fan of this book.

Every time I would find something that I could somewhat enjoy, something else would come along that I had issues with.  Let me be clear, I didn't hate everything about this book.  Actually, I definitely can't say that at all because I didn't even finish it.  I DNF'd it about halfway through.

It is extremely rare for me to DNF a book.  I hate to do that.  I am aware that there is  chance that I may have gotten better to me later.  But, as I've said before, I have come to realize that life is too short to read books that you don't enjoy!  There are too many books that I DO want to read so I don't want to waste my time with one that just isn't for me!

Oceans Away by Skye McNeil

Summary

When the girl next door returns home as a millionaire to face the farmer who never lost hope, she's caught between the man of her past and the man meant for her future.
Adopted as an infant, Ireland Leighton grew up in the heart of the Midwest. After inheriting millions from her biological parents, she is determined to help others any way she can. The only string is a business engagement with another millionaire. Ireland returns to Iowa years later to plan her brother’s tropical wedding. The festivities would be easier if her sexy ex-boyfriend stayed out of reach and her future wasn’t already planned.

Time suppressed his feelings for the girl next door, but Gideon Taggart isn’t about to let Ireland escape again. Farmer by day, veterinarian by choice, his second chance with his first love is far from easy. He soon discovers that no matter how much he loves Ireland, she’ll always choose her family over a future with him.


My Thoughts

While this is not my typical genre, there were parts of this book that I did enjoy.  I like it when books jump right in rather than drag the beginning of the story out for too long.  Oceans Away does the jumping in, for sure.  This book was fun and entertaining in a lot of ways.

Now, there were a few things that I didn't love.  First of all, and I know that this is a typical trope in romance books and movies, but it seriously gets on my nerves when there are constant misunderstandings and stubbornness keep the characters from saying how they truly feel over and over again.  It's just really annoying to me.

Like I said already, this book genre isn't the normal book I read so I may not be the one to ask about it.  For me, it was enjoyable but not my favorite book ever.  Still, I'm glad it was sent my way!

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

Heaven's Silhouette by Melissa Lynn Herold

Summary

When I was little, other children called me a monster. A painting proved them right.
A lifetime of cruel taunts and heartbreak has taught Aurelia to hide, to not get too close to anyone. A painter and gallery docent, her only solace is in the art that can’t stare back. When a new piece arrives, depicting an angelic figure who shares the physical features she’s always thought of as monstrous, Aurelia searches for the artist, determined to get the answers her mother has long refused to provide.

But she isn’t the only one searching. There are others who want the artist—and the truth—silenced. Aurelia is attacked by figures from the painting, fierce warriors with wings and sharpened blades. Shaken and bloody, she manages to escape with her life but finds herself hunted by the Iyarri, who are anything but angels. As she comes to terms with her connection to them, Aurelia is drawn deeper into the heart of a millennia-old struggle. If she’s not careful, the consequences will tear her body, her heart, and the Iyarri in two.

My Thoughts

Ok... When I read the summary of this book it sounded so interesting!  I had really high hopes.

Now, I'm definitely not saying that this book was bad.  It wasn't!  I guess it just didn't really meet my expectations. I tried reading other reviews to see if I was alone in this and I found where a different reviewer said that they kept waiting for Aurelia to show some growth but she never seemed to.  I completely agree!  I did find that a bit frustrating.

I would not be opposed to reading more of Melissa Lynn Herold's books at some point.  I see plenty of potential in her writing!

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

The Baron's Daughter by Laura Beers

Summary

Lord Morgan Easton is, first and foremost, an agent of the Crown. To achieve his purposes, he has become Society’s golden boy, and a renowned rake. When it's discovered that notorious French spy, Genet, is attending a house party in a small seaside village, he is tasked to infiltrate the gathering and arrest the spy. But first, he must convince a certain woman to become his partner and pose as his wife. The challenge is that she would rather see him dead.

Miss Josette Northcott guards her secrets fiercely, trusts few, and enjoys the anonymity that goes along with being the headmistress of a private school in the rookeries. When Lord Morgan offers her a deal she can’t refuse, she makes it clear that this is nothing more than a business arrangement. No man, no matter how charming or infuriatingly handsome he is, can know the truth of her sordid and twisted past.  

As a nefarious plot begins to unfold, threatening the stability of two countries, Morgan and Josette must learn to trust each other in order to stop the assassination of both the King of France and their own prince regent. However, trust does not come easily to either agent, and when the truth of Josette’s past is finally unveiled, will they be able to accept that not only is their mission on the line, but their hearts, as well?

My Thoughts

Here's the thing, I feel like all of my reviews for this series all sound the same.  "This is a great book!", "All of the books by Laura Beers are wonderful!", "I loved this book!"

Well, the thing is, I can't help it!  All of those statements are true!  I honestly can't sing her praises enough!

So, I'm sure it won't be a shock to you at all when I say that I enjoyed The Baron's Daughter, the 6th book in the Beckett Files series, just as much as all of the others.  Josette is one of my new favorite book characters at this point.  And, actually, I might like Morgan more that I like Josette!

If you haven't read and books by Laura Beers you are missing out!  Pick one up soon!

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

Serpents of Old by Kirk Millson

Summary

Six months after a young mother disappears in an Arizona canyon, her children vanish from their Salt Lake City home. When reporter Carter Miguel senses that a detective is too eager to put the father behind bars, he follows his hunches to a curious settlement in the Utah desert. Redemption is led by “prophet” Everett Deavers, a charismatic giant of a flimflam man whose $20 million land scam is jeopardized by Miguel’s sudden interest in the area. Deavers scrambles to cover his tracks, which makes it a perilous time for anyone who can tie him to the truth. With the help of a heliophobic hermit, a feisty ranch woman and an unruly mutt that packs the wallop of a beer truck, the shell-shocked father joins Miguel in a race to find his children before it’s too late.


My Thoughts

When the review request was sent to me, I wasn't sure how I was actually going to feel about this book.  And, honestly, when I started reading it, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it. It wasn't what I was thinking it was going to be.  Then.... chapter 6 happened.  Ahhh, the interest really started for me!  I was in!

The rest of the book went that way for me.  Interested, slowed down a bit, interested, and so on.  All in all, it is a very good book and I do highly recommend it!  Pick up a copy for your self! You won't regret it!

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

In the Shadow of War by Patrick M. Garry

Summary

Glen Kinsella has just finished opening all his high school graduation cards proclaiming him to be on the doorstep of an exciting life. But as the summer of 1970 begins, Glen is living with his deluded grandfather and an array of desperate residents in a Midwestern prairie town that has withered to near-extinction - a town populated primarily by the sagging shells of long-abandoned houses. Hope is not one of Glen's traits. In high school, he was known as the retard's brother. He never had a date, nor even tried to be on speaking terms with someone as sophisticated as Suzanne. But as his grandfather always said, anything is possible in Corcoran. And in the summer of 1970, that prediction appears to be finally coming true. After decades of planning the revival of his beloved town, Glen's grandfather convinces a group of women whose husbands have been sent to Vietnam to live in Corcoran. Soon they begin renovating an old ballroom, where Suzanne will perform for the grand opening. But all this new life is threatened when a disgraced war vet arrives, harboring a secret about one of the husbands that will thrust the town into the center of political controversy.


My Thoughts

While this is not really my style of book, I can appreciate the writing and the story that was told.  I can see that some of the phrasing and subject matter could possibly be problematic nowadays, but when you consider the time period that it is written in, it fits the time.

There were times when I felt like I couldn't get into this book like I had hoped.  I'm not sure if it's because of the book itself of if I was just somewhat distracted.  I did enjoy this novel and would be open to reading more from this author.

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

Death by Diploma and Poison by Punctuation by Kelley Kaye

Summaries

Death By Diploma

Emma Lovett leaves her philandering husband and crosses the country to begin her teaching career at a high school in Pinewood, Colorado.There, she meets Leslie Parker, a fellow teacher given to quoting Shakespeare to fit all situations, and the two become fast friends.

Arriving at work early one morning, Emma discovers the body of the school custodian, a man who reminds her of her late father. When the police struggle to find the killer, the ladies decide to help solve the murder. Their efforts lead them to a myriad of suspects: the schizophrenic librarian, the crude football coach, the mysterious social studies teacher, and even Emma’s new love interest.

As Emma Lovett discovers the perils of teaching high school, she and Leslie learn more than they ever wanted to know about the reasons people kill.

Poison by Punctuation

High school teacher Emma Lovett is finally recovering from her first year of teaching when she discovers another dead body. As if that wasn’t bad enough, this time, someone has killed a student, Kisten Hollis.

Emma and her best friend, Leslie, are desperate to solve this murder. But suspects abound. The perpetrator could be a teacher, an administrator, a member of Kisten’s zealous church community, or even another student.

Emma must juggle her teaching responsibilities, her new romance with handsome Hunter Wells, and interest from a hunky second suitor, all while searching for evidence to bring a killer to justice before someone else dies.

My Thoughts

Death by Diploma and Poison by Punctuation are both good, cozy mysteries.  They're not super deep or intense in any way.  I liked them both well enough.

I'm not sure how to say this... I certainly don't want to sound negative.  I guess what I am trying to say is that I didn't love these books but I also didn't NOT love them.  They were both just simply ok.  They had things that kept me somewhat interested and wanting to know what comes next but there were also things that annoyed me.  For instance, I understand that she has a southern accent but the way it was written drove me a little crazy.

I do think that I would be open to reading more books in this series and more books from this author in general.  My opinion is that these books are great for a relaxed, cozy read.  I am glad they were sent my way.

*Note: I received copies of these books in exchange for an honest review.