Author: likelystory18

Review: MMMM: and the music that made me by Heather Joy

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

Do you need a laugh or a mindless read? How about song suggestions for your next playlist? You can find that and more in Heather Joy’s explicit debut.

Heather Joy’s essays are balanced with pop culture references and her tireless crusade to spark a connection (which sometimes leans on the debaucherous side of things). 

Favorite Lines:

As always with short stories and collections, rather than picking favorite lines, I am picking a favorite chapter. In this memoir, the chapter that I found particularly engaging, which quite frankly surprised myself, was “Mixed Media”. It focuses on today’s society’s addiction to technology as well as the impact that art has had across generations. Joy makes some compelling arguments that feel loud and bold but I found that I respected many of them.

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is my first book from Joy and she had me hooked from the Introduction. I knew rather quickly that her sense of humor and writing style were going to have me aggressively exhaling out of my nose many times throughout this book (I’m sure you know what I mean) and I was excited to dive right in as I am always a fan of creative works such as these. 

A collection of 13 personal essays, Joy takes us through her life from her early party-girl days to becoming a single mother working for engineering firms. This memoir is full of raw honesty, dark humor, and overall compelling writing. While Joy is writing from her own personal experiences, I found that I could relate to a lot of them in my own way and I imagine that other readers will feel the same. I am appreciative that Joy shared such deeply personal experiences with us to remind us that we are not alone in our own experiences and the impacts they leave on our lives.

I think what I found most compelling in this collection was Joy’s author voice and tone. I found that Joy brought a unique sense of energy and creativity that really shined through and kept me thoroughly engrossed and entertained throughout the memoir. She is brutally honest both with herself and the world around her which I thought only added to her remarkable storytelling abilities and brought a very personal but relatable perspective on a variety of topics.

Summary:

Overall, I found this book to be incredibly rewarding and I quite frankly feel a bit awe struck that I got to experience it. I would call this a diamond in the rough and would recommend to anyone who is interested in personal memoirs that focus on one woman’s take on just everything life.

Check out MMMM: and the music that made me here!

 

Review: Mr. Bingley: Just As A Gentleman Ought To Be by Brandon Dragan

~ likelystory18 ~ 3 Comments

Synopsis:

“Finally, a novel that reveals the true Bingley! Heartily recommend to all Bingley-philes!” — Crispin Bonham-Carter, Mr. Bingley in the BBC Miniseries, Pride & Prejudice

For centuries Jane Austen’s classic novel, Pride and Prejudice, has been dearly loved he world over. However, few people know the hidden truth about Mr. Darcy’s closest friend, the affable Mr. Bingley—who is much more than he appears on first impression.

Mr. Bingley: Just as a Gentleman Ought to Be is the previously untold story of a young man who unwittingly uncovers an evil cabal among the British Empire’s aristocracy. Bingley finds himself confronting an enterprise so nefarious, he cannot help but act to redress it, even if it costs him his own reputation and the love of his life, the angelic Miss Jane Bennet.

Follow Mr. Bingley down a rabbit hole of intrigue and corruption, as he fights to protect the country’s most vulnerable alongside friends old and new. Can he set things right before he loses Jane forever?

Favorite Lines:

“She is undoubtedly the most handsome creature I have ever beheld, but more than her beauty, it is her serenity, or rather, the effect her serenity has had on me that gives me cause to ponder my own feelings.”

“In her presence, and in her presence alone, I seem able to be at peace with the world.”

“There is no defense for the fixed state of vanity in which you at times operate, Darcy.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

As someone who watches Pride and Prejudice at least once a year, I was very excited to review this book. This story follows the Charles Bingley we know and love while giving new depth to his character like we have never seen before.  I would like to imagine that this story is happening in parallel to Pride and Prejudice giving new perspective to Mr. Bingley’s life outside of the P&P storyline.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into this book but I can say I wasn’t expecting such a creative blend of Pride and Prejudice meets James Bond meets Sherlock Holmes; especially coming from a character like Mr. Bingley. Dragan does an excellent job at creating a plot that is entirely his own in a world that many literary fans are already familiar with and love.

As mentioned above, the Pride and Prejudice world is one many are already familiar with but I think Dragan did an excellent job at expanding upon that world and building one that is unique for this story. I also really enjoyed the character development and conversation writing. Dragan added hidden depths to several characters featured in the Pride and Prejudice story beyond just Mr. Bingley and introduced some new ones too.

If I had to complain about one thing, it would be out of pure selfishness coming from my inner romantic – I wish there had been more in the plot to feature interactions with Jane from Mr. Bingley’s perspective. I am a sucker for split POVs and seeing what the male love interest thinks of their counterparts and I would have loved to see more of that here. We do get some behind the scenes thoughts but not very many direct interactions seen from Mr. Bingley’s eyes. However, this is almost made up for by hearing Mr. Darcy tell Bingley about Elizabeth. I would like to emphasize that this is nitpicky and understand that the point of this book wasn’t necessarily the romance – I still enjoyed the book immensely. 

Summary:

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a creative and unique twist to the familiar Pride and Prejudice world. I would recommend to anyone who is a P&P fan who wants a new take on a familiar character, and even those who are less familiar with P&P but love literature set in the 19th century that feature action, mystery, comradery, and a touch of romance. Happy reading!

Check out Mr. Bingley: Just As A Gentleman Ought To Be here!

 

Review: Dream It to Do It: The Science and the Magic by Howard Eisenberg

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

Change Your Reality!

Do you wonder sometimes how and why you’re here? What ‘here’ even is, and who ‘You’ are in the greater scheme of things? If these questions resonate with you – then this is THE book that finally explains it all.

Physician and Scientist, Dr. Howard Eisenberg, is a long-time explorer of the various realms of consciousness. In this multiple awards-winning book, he shares his recent discoveries of our dream-like entrapment and liberation by ‘Awakening’ to the underlying Truth.

Integrating indigenous wisdom, spiritual experiences, and leading-edge scientific discoveries, Dream It to Do It, will totally reshape your understanding of reality. This powerful book reveals the magical-like formula between envisioning the impossible and manifesting it into our external world.

In this awe-inspiring book of spiritually and scientifically integrated ‘revelations’:

  • Discover the World-behind-the-world
  • Learn who ‘You’ really are – beyond your ‘ego mind’ and brain
  • Transform your life by freeing yourself from the toxic emotions and illusions that entrap us
  • Deploy your powers for ‘real magic’ – the kind that ‘manifests’ into transforming physical reality!/li>

Dream It to Do It: The Science & the Magic is the multi-awards-winning guide to unlocking the secrets that can transform your life.

Favorite Lines:

“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.”

“…the only thing you can be certain about is your personal conscious awareness, at this moment.”

“Bottom line: it appears that less brainwork equals greater consciousness.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book serves as an update to Dr. Eisenberg’s 1977 book, Inner Spaces: Parapsychological Explorations of the Mind and, to massively understate its purpose, to explore how reality works. While outside of my usual genre preferences, I was still interested in learning more especially with the pressures and stress brought on in today’s society.

Classified as mental & spiritual  healing, meditation, and spiritual self-help, this book explores the intersection of science and spirituality and I found that I personally enjoyed the inclusion of the sciences. Throughout the book, Eisenberg includes supporting evidence for various topics including alternate realities, brain science and consciousness, how thoughts become things, lucid dreaming, and much more. While there are a variety of interesting and thought provoking topics being covered in this book, Eisenberg still manages to convey his ideals and insights in an easy to understand way for those of us less familiar on the subjects. I especially enjoyed the sections on Emotional Self-Regulation and Meditation. 

As someone who would identify as a more agnostic individual, I found this to be an enthusiastically written and engaging book. Eisenberg’s passion for the subjects he writes about really shines through and I think that is what made this such an intriguing read. I could see this being a great resource for readers to get exposure to a unique blend of spiritual and scientific revelations that could lead to some deep self-reflection and mindfulness practices. 

Summary:

Overall, while outside my usual comfort zone, I found this to be an interesting and thought provoking read – although I will admit that I struggled with a couple of minor existential crises while reading this. Touching on the science and spirituality behind reality and consciousness, this book could be for anyone interested in exploring parapsychology, the human mind, consciousness, reality, meditation and other related practices.  You can check out the book trailer here. Happy reading!

Check out Dream It to Do It: The Science and the Magic here!

 

Review: She Tames the Sea by E.M. Etheridge

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

Men fear a woman on the sea. They say women bring about bad luck and anger from the gods who rule the waters. Estella Bohem fears being aboard Captain Eric Price’s ship, amongst the pirates who kidnapped her for her abilities. It was the Bohem family who used magic to tame the beast of the sea decades ago. They trapped it in an ancient spell to make the waters safe to travel, but it was the vagabonds of the sea who wanted to free it, tame it, and use it for their own ambitions. All her life Estella never had control of her future, but as the notoriously brutal Captain Edward Laggatt hunts her down for the key to the beast’s cage, she has no choice but to trust the same men who stole her away from her socialite life in Charleston South Carolina.

She Tames The Sea is an adult dark fantasy novel that delves into the complications of familial relations, magic and mythology.

Favorite Lines:

“Remember this, my love, a woman alone in this world is an easy target for foolish men. Society hates a woman who is strong enough to live outside of them and will burn them to the ground. Pirates and Politicians are all the same in that aspect. Humans crave power and will either kill witches like us or enslave us for it.”

“I don’t know of any spells that can give me the power of a man in the patriarchal shitstorm of a society I lived in.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story follows Estella Bohem, a secret witch stolen away from her life in South Carolina by pirates who need her help to release and tame a beast of the seas that her own ancestors had locked away many years ago. What follows is a tale full of magic that had me addicted until the very end.

My first impression of this book was it is Pirates of the Caribbean with witches – a combination that I didn’t know I needed until I was reading this book and found myself unable to put it down. Etheridge has a beautiful and unique storytelling voice that brings to life a creative story full of pirates, witches, magic, action, adventure, and femininity in a world that is run by men. I really want to emphasize that Etheridge’s unique storytelling voice that is used in this book really sets it apart from a lot of other modern books I have been seeing and reading from places like BookTok, and I mean that in the best way possible – it was a breath of fresh air that added to the appeal and mysticism of this story.

What I found most compelling about this story was the vivid imagery, elaborately crafted mythology, and strong character development. As a woman myself, I appreciated the theme of strong femininity that was present throughout the story. I also really enjoyed the plot twist at the end. No spoilers here, you’ll just have to read for yourself.

Summary:

Overall, I LOVED this book. A creative dark fantasy featuring witches, pirates, romance, action, adventure, and magic, I cannot recommend this book enough and am crossing my fingers that we will see more in this series in the future! Happy reading!

Check out She Tames the Sea here!

 

Monthly Features – September

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Entwined Desires: A Love’s Redemption by Anna Marteen

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Adriana, a fearless voyager moves through the realms of passion, dances with shadows and addiction. Amidst the moonlit encounters, she meets Gabriel, a mysterious orchestrator of destiny, challenging her detachment.

Romantic symphony harmonizes with a melody of emotions. As their love deepens, Gabriel proposes a commitment that Adriana never thought she would entertain. Adriana must confront her demons and decide if she is willing to take the risk of losing herself to find a love that is both passionate and enduring. Gabriel and Adriana embark on a journey of self-discovery and emotional awakening.

But wait,

Secrets from Adriana’s past unravel the carefully woven fabric of their romance, challenging the foundation of their connection. 

Summary: A spicy contemporary romance full of passion, soulmates, and second chances love, this book is for anyone who adores romance at least half as much as I do. 

See the full review here: Entwined Desires: A Love’s Redemption
Purchase here

My Un-Handyman by Melody Carson

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: IT NEVER HURTS TO HELP.
At least that was the motto I’d always gone by up until meeting Emily.

But then again, no good deed goes unpunished. There’s that one, too.
She needed a hand, and I had the time.
What was the harm in pretending to be a handyman if it helped my pretty ranch owner neighbor out?
Besides, how hard could it be?
But now I’m realizing that there are certain things even a billionaire like me can’t pull off. Like knowing how to rewire the lighting on an entire barn. Or even lay water pipe. (And who’s Allen, and why would I want his wrench?)

Worse yet, I’m starting to really like Emily and realize that she isn’t going to take this little ruse very well when I tell her the truth. That I’m not-so-handy after all.
But her legacy—and Emily—are in danger. And even if I could forget about the hottest kiss of my life, there’s no way I can back down from protecting the woman who gave it to me. Or the ranch that was rightfully hers.
Defending what and who I love is one of the things I’m good at, after all

Summary: Overall, I would recommend this to anyone that is looking for a quick and easy romantic comedy full of humorous banter, enemies-to-lovers, and secret billionaires who find that they enjoy handyman work.

See the full review here: My Un-Handyman
Purchase here

 

Ascending the Hourglass by Anthony Dean

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: There are great deserts in space…

So began The Voided Man.

Prisoner Number One has survived in the void. He has even thrived there. But the question remains, can he ever leave there?

If so, by what possible method? And at what risk to himself and others?

Return to the void, and learn if it offers the possibility of escape to those who master the art of Ascending the Hourglass.

Summary: Overall, this was an excellent follow up to the first book and I am excited to see where Dean is taking this series for its conclusion. Classified as a sci-fi, I would also say this book could fall into the YA category and could be for anyone who is a fan of quirky and humorous science fiction.

See the full review here: Ascending the Hourglass
Purchase here

Gaviota Island: Birds, Monkeys, and Twisted Love by Janna Klarmann

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: “Gaviota Island” is a psychological thriller exploring the twisted love between a nature girl and a hunter.

The story delivers a message about the cruelty of shooting wild animals. It delves into the tangled complexities of romance, secrecy, and moral ambiguity.

Laura Whitley is 22 years old. She meets Bret Belcher at the University of Texas – an unexpected pairing of a bird enthusiast and a passionate hunter.

Laura admires Bret’s confidence, ambition, and charm. But she grapples with his unwavering passion for guns and hunting.

As university graduation looms, Laura’s distress intensifies because she has no plans for what she’ll do when she finishes. The Belchers will dispatch Bret to Panama to oversee the family’s property business there. This could be Laura’s pivotal moment to break up with him. But against her parents’ advice, she follows him to Panama in hopes of remaking their lives together.

In Panama, Laura befriends a young biologist who discovers a rare population of monkeys on Gaviota, an uninhabited island meant for Bret’s real estate venture. The discovery is a threat to Bret’s plans,

Bret’s violent solution to the monkey problem and his betrayal with another woman push Laura to the edge. Horrified and desperate, Laura takes drastic measures.

Experience Laura’s transformation from an innocent bird watcher to a woman ensnared in a web of deceit and survival.

Follow a series of events that spiral into a dark, dangerous climax.

Discover the gripping tale that blurs the lines between right and wrong, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Summary: Overall, I was not sure what to expect going into this book but I was strangely surprised that I enjoyed it and came out more educated on the topics it covered than I was going into it. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the realities of the injustices that animals face at the hands of mankind. While a work of fiction, this book paints a very real picture of today’s world and what takes place to the animals that are hunted in it. 

See the full review here: Gaviota Island: Birds, Monkeys, and Twisted Love
Purchase here

Too Much to Lose by Melody Carson

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: DON’T MISS YOUR SECOND CHANCE.

It’s not often that we get to try again, cuz life very seldom deals a second chance.
Most people don’t even notice when they get one dropped in their lap like a miracle.
But I noticed.

I’ve lost Cassidy once, and come hell or high water, I won’t make the same mistake twice.
Turning a losing hand into a winner might take the whim of Lady Luck herself, but I’m up for the challenge.

However, fate is not always kind, and sometimes overcoming the evil in this world comes at a terrible price.

Cassidy has a monster to face down, but I’m not going anywhere. When it comes to the love between us, there’s simply too much to lose.

Summary: Overall, if you like contemporary romances featuring second chances at love in a small town, action, suspense, intrigue, and of course romance, then this book could be for you.

See the full review here: Too Much to Lose
Purchase here

The King of Evil by Eileen Gillick

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: He took her powers.
She’ll fight to take back what’s always been hers.
Sixteen-year-old Elise is bullied by her peers every day.
Unbeknownst to them all, she possesses twenty-four mutant abilities.
Eighteen-year-old Rolf takes them all away from her. He isolates them both in his own kingdom to gain knowledge and
strength of her powers. As he constructs a plan to bring her down, Elise must seek an ultimatum. Before it’s the end of her.

Summary: Overall, this was an addicting read. With a refreshing take on some familiar tropes and Gillick’s unique writing style bringing  hints of dark tension and mystery to the plot, I applaud Gillick and am in awe over this debut novel.  I would recommend this to anyone interested in fantasies full of psychological mind games, magic, and mystery that have a darker tone. 

See the full review here: The King of Evil
Purchase here

Review: The King of Evil by Eileen Gillick

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

He took her powers.
She’ll fight to take back what’s always been hers.
Sixteen-year-old Elise is bullied by her peers every day.
Unbeknownst to them all, she possesses twenty-four mutant abilities.
Eighteen-year-old Rolf takes them all away from her. He isolates them both in his own kingdom to gain knowledge and
strength of her powers. As he constructs a plan to bring her down, Elise must seek an ultimatum. Before it’s the end of her.

Favorite Lines:

“In her heart, it was clear to her what unintentionally razing a relationship could do to the heart. Grasping that the dint of love might romp somewhere in her soul, except for all the horror she endured, it seemed impossible to see it in a person. The person who she loved.”

“Distressed, Rolf takes Elise to his chest and screams out.”

“I call this the Icarus room…because when you go in here, you feel your spirits rise. It looks like a nice room, right? Then you fall because of the terror in here.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story follows two high school students, sixteen year old outcast, Elise and eighteen year old Rolf. While the target of bullies, Elise has an incredible secret – she possess twenty-four mutant abilities. When Rolf finds out about Elise’s powers, he ends up unintentionally absorbing them. What follows is a battle of mental strength and perseverance as Rolf casts Elise into a hidden realm of his own creation in an attempt to break her spirit and ultimately bend her to his will. 

This is a fantastic debut novel for Gillick full of creative worldbuilding, strong character writing, and an interesting plot. Gillick brings a magical realm to life with vivid details that made me feel like I was right there along with the characters. Full of colorful descriptions of the landscapes and a well-crafted magic system, I found myself turning one page after another fully addicted to the immersion of the world that Gillick had created. I especially enjoyed the small detail of what music was playing the background in many of the scenes – it only added to being able to picture the scene.

I also found the character writing to be well done because Gillick didn’t try to make the characters perfect. Both Elise and Rolf are multidimensional characters who could only be described as morally gray at their core. They have their flaws and I found this to make them more relatable and more human. Their dynamic is what the story ultimately revolves around and I couldn’t get enough. Also, have I ever mentioned that I am also a sucker for multiple POVs? One thing I did want to point out that made me feel a bit weird was referring to Elise as a child several times throughout the book. I am not sure if this was because it was usually from Haas’ perspective but it felt slightly odd and a bit like a disservice to make her appear younger than her sixteen years.

*While classified as YA, some scenes in this book may be better suited for adults.*

Summary:

Overall, this was an addicting read. With a refreshing take on some familiar tropes and Gillick’s unique writing style bringing  hints of dark tension and mystery to the plot, I applaud Gillick and am in awe over this debut novel.  I would recommend this to anyone interested in fantasies full of psychological mind games, magic, and mystery that have a darker tone. Happy reading!

Check out The King of Evil here!

 

Review: Gaviota Island: Birds, Monkeys, and Twisted Love by Janna Klarmann

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

“Gaviota Island” is a psychological thriller exploring the twisted love between a nature girl and a hunter.

The story delivers a message about the cruelty of shooting wild animals. It delves into the tangled complexities of romance, secrecy, and moral ambiguity.

Laura Whitley is 22 years old. She meets Bret Belcher at the University of Texas – an unexpected pairing of a bird enthusiast and a passionate hunter.

Laura admires Bret’s confidence, ambition, and charm. But she grapples with his unwavering passion for guns and hunting.

As university graduation looms, Laura’s distress intensifies because she has no plans for what she’ll do when she finishes. The Belchers will dispatch Bret to Panama to oversee the family’s property business there. This could be Laura’s pivotal moment to break up with him. But against her parents’ advice, she follows him to Panama in hopes of remaking their lives together.

In Panama, Laura befriends a young biologist who discovers a rare population of monkeys on Gaviota, an uninhabited island meant for Bret’s real estate venture. The discovery is a threat to Bret’s plans,

Bret’s violent solution to the monkey problem and his betrayal with another woman push Laura to the edge. Horrified and desperate, Laura takes drastic measures.

Experience Laura’s transformation from an innocent bird watcher to a woman ensnared in a web of deceit and survival.

Follow a series of events that spiral into a dark, dangerous climax.

Discover the gripping tale that blurs the lines between right and wrong, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Favorite Lines:

“I think that psychologists must have theories on all of this. Are we talking about misogynistic men fleeing into the wilds to escape women? Does shooting animals make a man feel manly? Do hunters measure their penis sizes?”

“Who does the most good for humanity, property developers or wildlife defenders? In a crowded and overheating world, people had to choose. Laura cast her lot with Penny.”

“Penny resisted the cliché of men from Mars and women from Venus. That wasn’t going to help.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story follows Laura Whitley, an enthusiastic bird watcher who has fallen in love with Bret Belcher, an intense hunter. Despite disagreeing with Bret’s love for guns and animal hunting, Laura follows Bret to Panama when he travels to oversee his family’s business there in an attempt to stay together and rekindle their love for one another. Laura quickly finds herself in a horrible situation that seems to escalate by the day and the man she had been trying to convince herself she could make a life with is the villain in this story.

I have to say that I think this book is a first for me in terms of being heavily focused on anti-hunting and anti-poaching themes and messaging. Klarmann clearly writes from a personal and passionate place on this topic and I was impressed on how this passion was conveyed throughout this story. I thought that Klarmann had a relaxing and enjoyable writing voice that the story only benefited from and I actually appreciated that it was a bit more informal compared to some other writing styles I have read.

While I do appreciate being spared on some of the more graphic details, there were still many sad and distressing scenes that really drove home the realities of hunting; which was the point. I did find myself with tears in my eyes over several of the scenes but would still recommend this book to wipe away any disillusions about what hunting can entail.

Summary:

Overall, I was not sure what to expect going into this book but I was strangely surprised that I enjoyed it and came out more educated on the topics it covered than I was going into it. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the realities of the injustices that animals face at the hands of mankind. While a work of fiction, this book paints a very real picture of today’s world and what takes place to the animals that are hunted in it. 

Check out Gaviota Island: Birds, Monkeys, and Twisted Love here!

 

Review: Ascending the Hourglass by Anthony Dean

~ likelystory18 ~ 5 Comments

Synopsis:

There are great deserts in space…

So began The Voided Man.

Prisoner Number One has survived in the void. He has even thrived there. But the question remains, can he ever leave there?

If so, by what possible method? And at what risk to himself and others?

Return to the void, and learn if it offers the possibility of escape to those who master the art of Ascending the Hourglass.

Favorite Lines:

“For the past 83 years, I had missed Father as an idea. Mother had missed a man. Her man.”

“Holy Moly! Pete has nukes?”

“I had freedom. I had peace. I had love.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the second book in Dean’s The Voided Man trilogy, you can find my review for the first one, The Voided Man, here. Where the first book really only followed Prisoner Number one, who is exiled to the depths of space with a promise of a lonely eternity ahead of him, this book gives us a new narrator in the form of Cassiopeia – which I found to be refreshing and enjoyable to see a new perspective in this series.

Dean continues to create and expand upon a unique sci-fi world in this series and this book takes it to the next level. I found the character writing to be well done and Dean somehow managed to outdo himself with the intricacies of multiple plot points throughout. I admit that I wasn’t sure it could get more perplexing than the first book in this series but Dean pulls it off in a tasteful and creative way. I think my favorite part of this series so far continues to be Dean’s writing voice which is uniquely distinctive and I think is a major contributor to what sets this series apart from others in the sci-fi genre. 

Summary: 

Overall, this was an excellent follow up to the first book and I am excited to see where Dean is taking this series for its conclusion. Classified as a sci-fi, I would also say this book could fall into the YA category and could be for anyone who is a fan of quirky and humorous science fiction. Happy reading!

Check out Ascending the Hourglass here!

 

Review: Blues for the Father by Barry Kohl, Joseph Harrison, and Marcel Wilson

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

It’s 1957. Marion works for a Memphis record company, roaming the South in search of great songs from Black bands. He buys their songs to be re-recorded by White artists up north. Marion has two families, a White family in Meridian, MS, wife Christine and sons Lloyd and Linden and a Black family in Birmingham, AL, girlfriend Rosa and son Aaron. The pressures of maintaining these two families, attempting to guide and instruct his sons, and generating a return on an investment from his wealthy father-in-law Whitney, spur Marion on in his efforts.

Aaron, mixed race but appearing White, is a talented baseball player and will be a good prospect; however, Marion believes he must maintain the illusion he is White. But Aaron idolizes Black players and is inclined to be true to his origins. Son Lloyd, on the other hand, is a racist, thoughtless and selfish as shown when he forces himself on his girlfriend Becky. Lloyd soon joins the Ku Klux Klan, under the guidance of racist Whitney, the Grand Dragon of the local chapter. Linden, by contrast, resists racist pressures from his brother and grandfather, and maintains his kind nature.

Marion is of mixed race, and like Aaron, appears White. His black mother, who gave him up to a White family when he was a boy, is in a rest home, and Marion supports her there and visits her when he can.

Becky turns up pregnant, but Lloyd refuses to have anything to do with her or the child. A back-alley abortion clinic procedure results in her death, plunging her parents into grief. Aaron meets and takes a fancy to a Black girl. Marion, discovering this, has words with Aaron and winds up striking the boy during the argument. He apologizes, but damage has been done.

Rosa, educated in law but barred from practicing in the South, discovers a new destiny managing a girl group called the Jonettes. Marion initially encourages her but is dismayed when she announces her plan to move to Detroit, where new freedom and opportunity beckon to her and Aaron. Marion attempts to help Aaron understand the issues he faces with a visit to the rest home to meet his Black grandmother. However, the gesture backfires and Aaron realize Marion is living a lie and trying to pass that lie down to his own son. This alienates the two, but Marion begins to see things in a new light.

The Klan plans a bombing in Little Rock and persuades Lloyd to bring the bomb there. Then Becky’s distraught and vengeful father crashes his car into Lloyd’s truck, injuring Linden and setting off the dynamite with an explosion that destroys the truck and kills Lloyd.

Marion returns home for Lloyd’s funeral. Soon after, Christine receives word from the rest home that Marion’s mother has died. Christine never knew about this mother, and never knew that Marion was mixed race. She orders him out of the house. After a heated confrontation, Marion leaves.

With Rosa up north with Aaron, and having now lost his son Lloyd, and wife, as well as access to Linden, Marion returns to bury his mother and take stock of the changes he’s undergone. We end on Marion heading north to Memphis and a new life, whatever form that new life may take.

Favorite Lines:

“She could never let him abandon his hope. She looked down; she knew it wouldn’t be much longer before Aaron understood the cruelties of the world. They way he looked up at her lovingly made her understand she had to return it.”

“When you were poor, you had to make the best of what you had.”

“Know why it’s called the blues? The blues are about live, Aaron, about everything wrong about life. About the downs in life.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story follows Marion Blackhurst, a white music producer who specializes in finding white publishers for blues tunes written by black musicians. Because his job requires him to travel quite a bit, he gets away with the fact that he has two families – a white wife and two sons who live in Mississippi and a black lover and son in Alabama. 

The main focal point of this book is the color barriers that existed in the 1950s. While primarily related to the music industry, it also touches on racial issues in education and sports as well. I found the character writing of this story to be very well done. The characters were written to be very human with their own flaws, passions, strengths, and weaknesses. I enjoyed the hints sprinkled throughout that not all was as it seems for some of the characters which led to some speculation as to why they behaved the way that they did.

I can appreciate that this topic can be a difficult one to write about and thought that it was handled quite well with the narrative being told rather matter-of-factly.  I also though that the two added plot twists towards the end of the story added a splash of surprise to something that was otherwise somewhat predictable. The predictableness is of not fault to the authors, the 1950s is just a well-known historical backdrop.

I would like to give a content warning that this story includes accurate depictions of what racism was like in the 1950s and also includes some descriptions of violence, including rape and police brutality. If these topics may be triggering for you, I would recommend not reading this book.

Summary:

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book and was reeled in by the compelling character writing throughout. If you are interested in historical fiction specifically related to segregation in America in the 1950s including the color barriers that existed in the music industry, then this book could be for you. 

Check out Blues for the Father here!

Review: Too Much to Lose by Melody Carson

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

DON’T MISS YOUR SECOND CHANCE.

It’s not often that we get to try again, cuz life very seldom deals a second chance.
Most people don’t even notice when they get one dropped in their lap like a miracle.
But I noticed.

I’ve lost Cassidy once, and come hell or high water, I won’t make the same mistake twice.
Turning a losing hand into a winner might take the whim of Lady Luck herself, but I’m up for the challenge.

However, fate is not always kind, and sometimes overcoming the evil in this world comes at a terrible price.

Cassidy has a monster to face down, but I’m not going anywhere. When it comes to the love between us, there’s simply too much to lose.

Favorite Lines:

“Must of used up all his brain cells in law school, ’cause he sounds like an idiot.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story follows Wyatt and Cassidy who had a history in Montana before Cassidy went off to college in California. This history seems to have been forgotten because while she is away, she ends up getting engaged. They are reunited when she comes back to her hometown because she caught her fiancé cheating on her. Not knowing what to do next, she is hoping to lay low for awhile and collect her thoughts. Little does she know that Wyatt and his friends had made a bet that required Wyatt to ask out the next eligible woman to walk through the door and you guessed it… that woman was Cassidy. Now they are faced with what could have been and what could still be but they have to balance the fact that Madison’s ex-fiancé comes to town to try and take her back, and the little part where she is Wyatt’s best friend’s sister. Nothing too complicated…

I though this was a cute, second chance at love contemporary romance. I really enjoyed Carson’s writing style as I found it to be an easy to follow story that was especially easy to get addicted to. The conversations amongst the characters really shined through and I though that the plot had a perfect amount of suspense, action, intrigue, and romance. I do want to give a trigger warning that there are some mentions of domestic violence and abuse so this book may not be suitable for everyone.

Summary:

Overall, if you like contemporary romances featuring second chances at love in a small town, action, suspense, intrigue, and of course romance, then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out Too Much to Lose here!