Audiobook Review: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

November 6, 1939

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

First, there were ten - a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal - and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. And only the dead are above suspicion.

Wonderful! It was such a pleasure finally reading this classic. Or rather, listening to. I listened to the audiobook with my sons (age range 10-16), and we all enjoyed it. It really is a fine read for a variety of ages. It was great discussing our theories on who the killer was, what would hapen to everyone, and what the ultimate ending would be. Christie did a wonderful job keeping our interest and suspense. We couldn't help comparing it to more modern mysteries (including the game of Clue) and how inspirational her writing must have been for later mystery writers. There's a reason she's the Queen of Mystery. And the audiobook narrator was terrific. I'm looking forward to checking out more of her books!

Audible ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads

Review & Excerpt: Twist by Kylie Scott

TWIST By Kylie Scott 

(A Dive Bar Novel #2)

April 11, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+
Contains: language, explicit sex

From New York Times bestselling author Kylie Scott comes the second sizzling stand-alone novel in the Dive Bar series! When his younger brother loses interest in online dating, hot bearded bartender Joe Collins only intends to log into his account and shut it down. Until he reads about her. Alex Parks is funny, fascinating, and pretty much everything he's been looking for in a woman—except that she lives across the country. Soon they're emailing up a storm and telling each other their deepest, darkest secrets...except the one that really matters. When Alex pays Joe a surprise visit, however, they both discover that when it comes to love, it's always better with a twist.

Amazon US | Amazon UK 

 Amazon AUS | Amazon CA 

 iBooks | B&N 

Kobo | Google Play

This story was a lot of fun, with a side of serious thrown in. I kinda loved Joe's initial deception, not because I like lying, but because of how it brought Joe and Alex together. Two people, who on the street wouldn't have given the other a second thought. But when these twisted circumstances bring them together, they can't help but have second (and third, and fourth, etc) thoughts about each other.

Joe is a people-pleasing, surrounded-by-friends-and-family yes-man, and Alex is a people-avoiding, limited-friend no-woman. But when these opposites meet, first on-line, then in-person, there's no avoiding how much their differing qualities are exactly what the other needs. I loved their blooming friendship, and how it blossomed into more. And just when I thought the story was plateauing into a simple, sweet romance, a new twist was thrown in to grab my interest once again. I definitely loved Joe and Alex.

I also loved the Dive Bar crew. The first book introduced us to the drama unfolding amongst these long-time friends turned business partners. And in this novel, more drama ensued. But for me, despite the heartache experienced, I liked how all the drama created better opportunity for character growth and futures. There were some surprises that came about, which made me actually like some of these characters a lot more than I did in the first novel. I look forward to continuing the journey with the Dive Bar members, their friendships and their love lives.

“I wanted to talk to you a bit more about what happened between us online,” he said, his mouth a serious straight line. “How I came to use my brother’s profile.” 

Ugh. “I’m pretty sure I found out everything I needed to know last night.”

“I didn’t mean to lie to you, Alex.”

“Once is a mistake.” I crossed my legs, kicking my black leather bootie back and forth. So I was a little aggravated. Sue me. “Months’ worth of e-mails is not. You could have introduced yourself to me, Joe, told me who you really were. You chose not to. Chr**t, no wonder you kept putting off meeting. I should have known something was wrong.”

“You’re right. I shouldn’t try to sell you excuses.” A big sigh from my “friend.” “Truth is, I’m not used to being the bad guy. Usually I’m the one cleaning up my brother’s messes.”

“Lucky me."

Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/   FACEBOOK | TWITTER | FACEBOOK FAN GROUP | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS   

Audiobook Review: The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

November 8, 2016

512 pages

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Romance

Contains: violence, mild sexual references

In this gripping page-turner, an ex-agent on the run from her former employers must take one more case to clear her name and save her life.

She used to work for the U.S. government, but very few people ever knew that. An expert in her field, she was one of the darkest secrets of an agency so clandestine it doesn’t even have a name. And when they decided she was a liability, they came for her without warning.

Now, she rarely stays in the same place or uses the same name for long. They’ve killed the only other person she trusted, but something she knows still poses a threat. They want her dead, and soon.

When her former handler offers her a way out, she realizes it’s her only chance to erase the giant target on her back. But it means taking one last job for her ex-employers. To her horror, the information she acquires only makes her situation more dangerous.

Resolving to meet the threat head-on, she prepares for the toughest fight of her life but finds herself falling for a man who can only complicate her likelihood of survival. As she sees her choices being rapidly whittled down, she must apply her unique talents in ways she never dreamed of.

In this tautly plotted novel, Stephenie Meyer creates a fierce and fascinating new heroine with a very specialized skill set. And she shows once again why she’s one of the world’s bestselling authors.

I decided to listen to 'The Chemist' on audiobook, and I gotta say, I liked it. It was a great read in the car, easy to jump back in and out of, and definitely something I looked forward to diving back into.

The story definitely had a strong start, and I was very intrigued about Alex, our on-the-run ex-agent main heroine, and the predicament she was in, being constantly in fear of her life, and having to rely on her brilliant mind and chemistry skills to out-manueuver those hunting her. When Alex is joined by new characters, I found myself liking them as well. There were interesting contradictory personality traits that made for a fun dynamic. And I felt bonded to the characters more and more, hoping all would survive to the ultimate end from those hunting them down. The romance was a nice addition, but it felt overpowering to the storyline at times, even though I liked the coupling overall. I just didn't expect the romance element to be as strong as it was. Now obviously I've been vague about the whole story, but since the blurb is quite vague itself, I don't want to reveal too much. Overall, this was a great read, with exciting and dangerous (and bloody) moments, a sweet romance (perhaps a little too sweet for this story), and a medley of character growth and characters I really enjoyed.

Audible ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads 

Sunday Post: Weekly Wrap-Up (04.02)

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, showcase books, share upcoming news, etc. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.  

What I Read Over the Last 2 Weeks:

The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson
Honor by Jay Crownover
Twist by Kylie Scott
My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

What I Finished Listening To:

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

My Reviews Last Week:

Blush for Me by Kristen Proby (my 3.5 star review)
The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson (my 4.75 star review)
My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella (my 3 star review)

What I'm Reading Now:

Avenged by Jay Crownover 

Stacking The Shelves (204)

Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Kindle Happiness:

Avenged by Jay Crownover

eARC Awesomeness:

Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel

Purple Hearts by Tess Wakefield

Review: My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

February 7, 2017

438 pages

Genre: Women's Fiction, Chick-Lit

Katie Brenner has the perfect life: a flat in London, a glamorous job, and a super-cool Instagram feed.

Ok, so the real truth is that she rents a tiny room with no space for a wardrobe, has a hideous commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn’t really hers.

But one day her dreams are bound to come true, aren’t they?

Until her not-so perfect life comes crashing down when her mega-successful boss Demeter gives her the sack. All Katie’s hopes are shattered. She has to move home to Somerset, where she helps her dad with his new glamping business.

Then Demeter and her family book in for a holiday, and Katie sees her chance. But should she get revenge on the woman who ruined her dreams? Or try to get her job back? Does Demeter – the woman with everything – have such an idyllic life herself? Maybe they have more in common than it seems.

And what’s wrong with not-so-perfect, anyway?

So this was a cute read. I liked the overall message that not everyone's life is as perfect as it may seem. Wealth does not equal a perfect life. But what I struggled with was the pace and length of the book. Truth be told, it took two tries to get into the book. I was bored with Cat/Katie initially and the storyline in general. After skimming and skipping ahead, I found the excitement I was looking for and was able to get into the story. So there were definitely highlights to the story, especially the more I got into the Katie/Demeter/Alex craziness. There were certainly some lovely moments that engaged me to these characters. On the other hand, I continued to skim bits and pieces until the end. Perhaps for me, the ramblings and repetition needed to be trimmed down a bit. Overall, though, a cute read with a lovely message and a happy ending.

Amazon ~ Goodreads 

Review: The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson

The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson

March 30, 2017

302 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Contains: language, non-explicit sex

I’ve sworn off men.

All men.

Famous last words, right? You’re expecting some epic tale of reluctant love and my dramatic change of heart? Well, you’re not going to get it.

I’m stubborn. And headstrong. And I’ve just survived the worst three years of my life. After escaping an abusive boyfriend to live in hostels and cheap hotels while I worked my way across Europe, I’ve come to two conclusions.

The first? Now that I’m back home, I’m going to squander my expensive culinary degree on a food truck that caters to the late night drunk crowd.

The second? I’m going to prove to the bastard across the plaza that my street food is better than his fussy five course monstrosities.

Killian Quinn might be Food and Wine’s Chef to Watch Out For. He might have a Michelin Star. He might have every food critic in the city wrapped around his too-large fingers. But he’s also pretentious and unbearably arrogant and the very opposite of me.

So he can keep his unsolicited advice and his late night visits and his cocky smiles. I want none of it. Or him.

I want the opposite.

I loved 'The Opposite of You.' It's a dual chef romance! I mean food + romance = yay! When we first meet Vera, she's starting her food truck business, which just happens to be across the street from Killian's famous restaurant. Right away we can feel the tension between these two. But there's more than meets the eye about these two. Vera is still recovering from getting out of an abusive relationship over a year ago, with her confidence low. Killian comes across as a pretentious jerk, critiquing Vera's food. So we may get sparks in the beginning, but they're not the good kind. But throughout this journey we follow Vera's new life as a food truck owner, trying to recapture her confidence and her dreams, learning to trust again, bonding with her family and best friend, and perhaps opening her heart to someone who is the opposite of her.

What I especially loved about this story was all the layers. There were so many more layers than I expected, but they didn't feel forced. Everything had its purpose and place and enhaced the story beautifully. Beyond the intriguing main characters, we get the yummy, diet-busting, inspiring food. Then we get Vera's supportive father and brother, and the tenderness in their love for each other. Vera's best friend is wonderful, and I can't wait for more of her story. Then there's Killian's "family", Killian's co-workers, and so much more! Each and every person has layers which added to all of Vera's layers, and I loved it.

And through it all we get this slow-building, tender, sometimes antagonistic, tentative-to-trusting friendship between Vera and Killian, which turns into this beautiful romance. I absolutely loved this couple. I loved the slow burn. These were two people who were not only great together, but basically needed to be together. They were perfect for one another and I completely loved Vera and Killian. I took off a quarter star because it was just a little slow in the middle, otherwise I loved it. The ending was perfect, and I cannot wait to read about the couple in the next book!

4.75 STARS

“I didn’t come here to spy on you.”

His gaze narrowed. “Then why did you come?”

“I needed to see what the fuss was about.”

“And?”

“Don’t tell me you’re one of those guys that needs his ego coddled?”

He leaned in, brushing his shoulder against mine. “Every guy is that guy. Don’t single me out.”

I tried not to smile. Really. I gave it my best effort. “Honestly?”

He pulled back, holding my gaze and nodding. “Why do you think women always have the power?” 

Amazon ~ Goodreads