Review: Summer Lies And Blackberry Pies

Summer Lies And Blackberry Pies by Sandy Little
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It is the summer of 1968 when Shelby has a chance encounter with River.  His smooth words and singer's voice pull her away from her straight-laced Southern upbringing, while she is able to hide her relationship from her family with the help of her best friend, Liberty.   Summer Lies and Blackberry Pies is a stand-alone realistic fiction tale that has a small historical angle.  I love this time period and was anticipating loving the book, but the story left me wondering why I spent time reading it.  This book should not be rushed onto anyone’s TBR list.

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Review: By Invitation Only

By Invitation Only by North Taylor
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

There is a new concern in the United States.  People are being possessed by some unknown entity. The catch?  They must agree to the possession.  Dr. Roswell lives to debunk superstitious stories, but he soon finds himself over his head with a true paranormal phenomenon. By Invitation Only is a stand-alone supernatural story that sounds amazing but was disappointing throughout.  I’m sure there is a niche reader that will enjoy all the eye-rolling, but it was not enjoyable for me. 

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Review: The Rebel and the Rose

The Rebel and the Rose by Catherine Doyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Seraphine is still learning to control her power while working with the Order of Flames.  Ransom can’t stop thinking about Seraphine while also being the leader of the Order of Daggers.  Both people are grappling with who they are and who they want to be.  The kingdom is in turmoil, and rebellion is imminent.  Can Sera and Ransom work together?  How will Valteere change as the prophecy progresses?

The Rebel and the Rose is the second book in The City of Fantome series.  This romantasy does veer onto the spicy side, but not too often.  The turmoil is deep, and the story flows easily, even if it does drag in some parts.  Overall, fans of the first book will be happy with this second installment.  

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Review: Evil Bones

Evil Bones by Kathy Reichs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tempe is on the case of a mutilated dog.  Not only is it someone’s pet, but this was not the first animal to be discovered maimed.  It doesn’t matter that they are animals; Tempe plans to use her skills to uncover the culprit.  When the crime escalates to humans, it becomes an all-hands-on-deck situation.   What grizzly scenes will be thrown at this team?

Evil Bones is the twenty-fourth book in the Temperance Brennan series.  Readers who love Tempe and the various characters will enjoy this next adventure.  The story can also be read as a stand-alone tale with enough fun facts to entice readers to go back and read other books.  Overall, the science is interesting, and the jokes are just quirky enough to make me laugh throughout.  

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Review: MindWorks: An Uncanny Compendium of Short Fiction

MindWorks: An Uncanny Compendium of Short Fiction by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MindWorks is a compilation of short stories by Neal Shusterman.  The stories run the gamut of realistic, supernatural, and, of course, science fiction.  As with any short story collection, there are a few tales that don’t hit the mark, but more often than not, these stories made me laugh … or think deeply.  MindWorks was a pleasure to read, and Shusterman fans will want more. 

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Review: We Fell Apart

We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Matilda has never met her father; then, out of the blue, she receives a message from Kingsley Cello claiming to be her father and inviting her to his island home for the summer. When she arrives at his home, he is not there.  She meets Meer, her half-brother, Brock, and Tatum … all who live in her father’s house.  After weeks of waiting for her father to return, Matilda must search out her own answers and her own place in this family.

We Fall Apart is the third book in the We Were Liars series.  Although this book takes place in an overlapping time and place of the other We Were Liars books, this book can easily be read on its own or a long time after the initial books.  I thought I knew where the book was going, and was pleasantly surprised when the twist was something I did not expect.  A great escape read for all mystery fans.  

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Review: A Fate So Cold

A Fate So Cold by Amanda Foody
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Domenic has been waiting for a wand to bond with him, but when the greatest Summer wand chooses him after 100 years of being dormant, he knows the war that approaches is not the usual type.  Ellery has also been chosen, and they believe they are destined to fall in love.  That is, until they discover that the Chosen are not meant to be on the same side; they are enemies.  As winter progresses and battles continue, the Chosen learn that the only way this war will end is if one kills the other.

A Fate So Cold is a duology of the same name.  This fantasy takes readers into a new world with new magic, yet the story is easy to understand, and the characters are relatable.  The romance does push the envelope some, but now that the book is over, I don’t remember feeling it was too graphic.  Although this is listed as a duology, the primary story has a satisfactory conclusion, and the next book will take it further (there is no cliffhanger).  

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