amandasbookreview's Reviews (966)


What a tease. *wink, wink*
The Knotty Naughty Bits Volume 1 by Aviva Vaughn is a collection of romance stories, some that are even a spin-off from The Beckoned Series! Some of favorite short stories are A Thousand Dreams and Lost. These stories focus on the first encounters of a few different couples. Some of these encounters are steamy right off the bat and others are quite awkward. (I am looking at you, Clint.) Get swept up in more romance journeys by Aviva Vaughn.
These stories are definitely teasers and do end on quite the cliffhangers. I could see all of these stories easily becoming a series of their own. It left me dying to know what will happen to the characters, so I do hope we some book announcements soon! As always, the author brings together a very diverse cast of characters and places them in places all over the world. There is always a new adventure to have in Ms. Vaughn’s stories!
I must say, the story I am most excited for is A Thousand Dreams. This story takes place after Beckoned. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BECKONED AND DON’T WANT SPOILERS…STOP READING!
Ok, you have been warned. A Thousand Dreams focuses on Celina, Soren’s sister and Conrad Jameson, who has worked for Soren’s family for years. I am just saying, Soren as a father is everything. So if I had to choose which teaser I would want to see as a full book or series…it is definitely this one. I rate this series 5 out of 5 stars.

"This historical fiction makes for a quick afternoon read!"

Check out my full review at InD'Tale Magazine:

http://magazine.indtale.com/magazine/2019/october/viewer/desktop/#page/54

"This is one very entertaining historical fiction!"

Check out my full review at InD'Tale Magazine:

http://magazine.indtale.com/magazine/2019/october/viewer/desktop/#page/58

Slowly but surely, I am getting through The Witcher Series. I wish I could just take a week and binge read it all. Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski is a collection of tales of The Witcher. It is broken up into six stories: The Bounds of Reason, A Shard of Ice, Eternal Flame, A Little Sacrifice, The Sword of Destiny, and Something More. I think my favorites out of all these stories is The Sword of Destiny and Something More. Like The Last Wish-Introduction to the Witcher, it is just a series of tales that give more background to Geralt and other characters. In this series, we finally get to meet Ciri which introduces a plotline that sounds like it will be a prominent storyline in the rest of the series.

I am so immersed into the Witcher world that I don’t want to stop reading the series. I love how some of the tales in this book mirrored some classic fairytales with their own spin. The monsters get more intense but the line of who is an actual monster gets more blurred. The Witcher has his code which I found to be very admirable. These books read so quickly because the pace moves along so gracefully. One of my favorite aspects are the fighting details. In other books, the fight scenes seem rather generic. Not in The Witcher. The fight scenes are so descriptive that it is very clear what is happening and builds suspense.

Another aspect that I love are the characters and their relationships. I absolutely love Ciri and can’t wait to see where her story goes. But, Dandelion is utterly fantastic. I love his relationship with Geralt. He brings a little comedy and lightness to the story. There were many times when he made me laugh out loud. Overall, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Well, when I saw this book on Chirp, I just had to have it! Just look at the cover. I didn’t even read the synopsis when I purchased The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco, read by Emily Woo Zeller and Will Damron. The run time is 12 hours and 9 minutes. The book follows two points of view. First, we are introduced to Tea, a young girl who accidentally raises her brother from the dead. She soon discovers that she is a Bone Witch. She joins another Bone Witch who takes her to train to become an Asha. An Asha learns everything from society, dance, beauty, history, fighting, and magic. The second point of view is from a bard, whose point of view takes place in the future. Not everyone appreciates Bone Witches and she must deal with being ostracized. Not only that but she discovers that raising the dead comes with a price.

I really, really, really wanted to love this dark fantasy, young adult book. I see where the author wanted this story to go but it was not executed well. First of all, Tea is very frustrating. One minute she is meek and gets walked all over, the next she is overreacting. She seems so lifeless. In fact, there isn’t a single character that has depth. I do love the concept of the hearts glass and the necromancy. I feel like if utilized properly in the story, it would have added so much depth. The pace of the story crawls. Absolutely crawls. There is so much information but nothing really happens. She raises her brother and that’s it…

The Asha training is so very detailed. It reminded me of Geisha. There are similar tradition and strict training–But the Asha are magic, warrior Geisha? There is SO much description that it becomes repetitive. It just wasn’t engaging. The concept, the cover, and detail is fantastic. There are more books in the series, but I am not interested enough to continue the series. So I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars.

Watching You is a domestic thriller written by Lisa Jewell and read by Gabrielle Glaister. This story follows many points of view of neighbors that live in the beautiful Melville Heights in Bristol. First, there is Freddie, the son of school Headmaster, Tom Fitzwilliam. Freddie watches the neighborhood and takes detail accounts of everyone because he dreams of one day being a spy. There is Jenna Tripp, a teenage girl whose mother has increasing mental health issues and paranoia. Jenna relies on the support of her best friend, Bess. Also, there is Joey Mullen, who, along with her husband moves into a home with her brother and his wife. Tom Fitzwilliam is beloved by the community, but something doesn’t seem right about him to Jenna. Past events will come to light and make her even more suspicious. Little do they know, a murder is about to tear this neighborhood apart.

This thriller is a doozy! Of course, the beginning is a little slow as it is building up the suspense and background of all the characters. There are many points of view which is a little difficult to follow at first. However, once all the lines start coming together…it is impossible to stop reading, or in my case, listening. I must say, Lisa Jewell, is a master at misdirection! I can’t say what because that will spoil the twists. Oh man, the twist is so good! The characters are extremely interesting and I love how they are all be connected. My favorite characters are definitely Freddie and Jenna. They are smart and cautious.

This book brings up so many important themes like bullying and mental illness and it makes the character feel relatable. The book kept me on the edge of my seat, especially at the end. The last few lines made me gasp out loud—my husband even had to ask me what happened. I really enjoyed this book and the narrator spoke clearly and really captured all the personalities of the many characters, so I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Normally, I am planner. I make my reading schedule for the month and I stick to it. However, the library is a dangerous place. I have been wanting to start the Will Trent Series for a long time now and I just so happened to stumble across Triptych (Book 1 in the Will Trent Series) by Karin Slaughter, and I may or may not have “accidentally” checked it out. I put my monthly reads on hold so I could enjoy this book.

In true Karin Slaughter fashion, the book begins with a murder. Not just any murder, a brutal murder that left the victim mutilated. Michael Ormewood is the detective in this case. He is a vet and having marriage issues. When Special Agent Will Trent is brought in, he can’t help but feel threatened. Vice cop, Angie, once slept with Michael but now they can’t stand each other. Will happens to know Angie as well and relies on her to help him with the case. Now enter, John Shelley, just released from prison for the rape and murder of a fifteen-year-old girl. He may not realize it now, but he has the information to help find this serial rapist and murderer.

First of all, I love the title, it is unbelievably clever. A triptych is a painting with three panels. Each adding something to the whole picture–which describes this book beautifully. Every point of view adds something in particular. It may not be revealed immediately, but as the story goes on, the information provides some good twists!

Second, there is no putting this book down. It starts off strong and maintains that throughout the whole. The complexity of the characters really draws in the reader. The tiniest bit of background information becomes essential to solving the murder. I really enjoyed Will Trent and can’t wait to read more about him in future books. We got a glimpse of him and his past and I can’t wait to see how he develops. The next book in the series is Fractured. Be warned, all the books that I have read by Karin Slaughter are graphic and gritty. However, she knows how to hook readers and create a compelling crime thriller. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!

I think that The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King is a great way to kick off November. It is a month of being grateful, cherishing our loved ones, and being thankful for everything we have in our lives as we head into the craziness of the holiday season. This book goes through the life and work of the incredible Fred Rogers, whom we all know as Mr. Rogers, from the TV show, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. He was someone who was able to connect and empathize with everyone he met, especially children. He dedicated his life to making children feel safe and comforted. The book starts off when Fred was just a child. He came from a wealthy family and was an only child. He also experienced bullying as a child and really focused on his love for music. He loved playing the piano and eventually, it became a major part of his life. The book chronicles meeting his wife, his life as a father, and his failures and successes in the TV business.

“When I was a boy I used to think that strong meant having big muscles, great physical power, but the longer I live, the more I realize that real strength has much more to do with what not is seen. Real strength has to do with helping others.” -Fred Rogers

The Good Neighbor, page 323
Well, I am pretty grateful that no one was around while I was reading this book. There were tears…lots of tears. Everyone hears stories about the legendary Fred Rogers. Many think that he was too good to be true. Did the man have any faults? Of course, he did. He is only human, but he recognized his faults. He worked so hard to be selfless, to help those that needed help. He is the true definition of what it means to be a Christian. In fact, in the book, those who knew him said he was “Christ-like.” He didn’t judge. He supported everyone around him. He embraced all religions and supported those who had different beliefs than his own. He knew how to love—how to truly love someone. There was a scene where Fred Rogers went out to dinner at a place where he wouldn’t be approached, so he could have a quiet dinner. A little boy, whom he did not know, approached him and said, “my dog died.” Fred immediately drops to his knees and talks with the little boy, but mostly listens as the child voices his sadness, concerns, and anxiety. When Fred Rogers was on Oprah, he didn’t want children in the audience because he knew he would be distracted by them and would rather talk to them.

I was very interested in the sections that described him as a father. As parents we all make mistakes. I was wondering if he did as well. He went through what every parent goes through. There is one scene that got me. The author described when Fred Rogers had to have surgery. It was a hernia surgery. The doctors took his son to the room and his son cried and reached out to him, causing Fred to be extremely upset and emotional. I can relate to this first hand since my son has the same surgery and almost the exact same thing happened. I will never forget my son reaching out for me, screaming in terror. I had to pause reading that book to collect my emotions.

Some parts of the story are a little slow, as it goes into the complexities of his job and how he worked with those around him. But overall, I could not put this book down. Even in a biography, Fred Rogers is engaging. There were some scenes that made me question my ability as a parent, knowing I could never live up to the Fred Rogers standard. However, he is definitely inspiring and I learned so much, not just about Fred Rogers, but of kindness, children, and what it means to be a good person. I really recommend this read. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

As soon as The Invited by Jennifer McMahon popped up on the New Release shelf at my local library, I snagged it. I have seen this book all over Bookstagram and have been dying to read it. I even suggested it for our book club to read for October. (The Whisper Man won, but I am excited to read that book as well.) This book begins with the hanging of Hattie Breckenridge. She had gifts and could predict events of the future. An angry mobbed hanged her for being a witch. Her daughter was never seen again. Flash forward to present day. Husband and wife, Nate and Helen, move to the country for a more simple country living. They find out that their land is haunted by Hattie Breckenridge. Helen is fascinated with the history behind the local legends. She begins collecting historical pieces to add to her home that was once a part of the Breckenridge line. Soon Hattie shows herself. She wants something. Is she just using Helen or does she need Helen’s help?

I could not put this book down! This book has everything I wanted in a good spooky read and really put me in the Halloween mood. My favorite aspect of the book is a historical mystery. As Helen researches Hattie’s past, it is fascinating how she puts the puzzle together. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. There is this feeling that the story could turn in any direction and I was never prepared for which way.

The characters are marvelous. I loved the tension that is built between Nate and Helen and how both of their obsessions clash. And then there is Olive. Olive is their 14-year-old neighbor who has been searching for the Breckenridge treasure her whole life. Her character development is utterly fabulous. I truly loved watching her trying to cope with her home life, school life, and the mystery of the Breckenridge treasure. She is courageous and smart. All the characters truly make this book worth reading.

Overall, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I could not go to bed right away after I finished this book. (I am a pretty big chicken.) There is always an eerie sense of uneasiness which kept me turning the page until I was finished. If you are looking for a wonderfully spooky read…this is it!

After We Collide by Anna Todd begins right when After (the first book in the series) ends. If you have not read the first book, WARNING, there are spoilers ahead!

Ok, I have thought about what to write for the synopsis for quite some time. It is difficult because the second book is almost exactly the same as the first book. So at the end of book one Hardin’s despicable actions towards Tessa are revealed, but obviously, Tessa can’t resist him. She gives him one more chance. Can Hardin learn to control his temper and learn to love, truly love?

Yep. That is my synopsis. First of all, this series is addicting. It is almost impossible to look away…and I honestly can’t tell you why. I do enjoy some raunchy drama every once in a while and that is exactly what this book is…DRAMA. SO.MUCH.DRAMA. This book is almost 700 pages and every other chapter Tessa and Hardin are fighting or having crazy amounts of sex. There is no in-between. So the story is pretty much repetitive for 700 pages and the ending even mirrors the first book ending…I know, shocking.

The main issue I have with this book is that the relationship is extremely toxic. Hardin is abusive. He may not beat her, but he is emotionally and mentally abusive. And Tessa, well she is just a naive, idiot. Her best friend, Landon is the one constant. I really enjoy his role in their relationship. Anyway, this is not the type of relationship that is healthy and it breaks my heart that teens are reading this and thinking that this is romantic. Anyway, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. If you like drama, then this is your book.