Q&A: Full Circle by Regina Timothy

Full Circle
by Regina Timothy

Genre: Contemporary
Release date: December 24th 2017
ISBN: 978-1981839438
ASIN: B078M7KFDG
Connect: Goodreads | Librarythings | Twitter | Blog

Buy: Amazon
Price Mass Market Paperback: $14.75
Price E-Book: $2.99

Eight years after the 9/11 attacks, Samia-Al-Sayyid an Iraqi immigrant is living a quiet life in New York City after she fled her home to avoid imminent death.

She works hard for her cold, heartless, high-strung boss, loves her seventeen-years-old-son, and cherishes the close friendship she has formed with her best friend Susan.

Nothing can go wrong, or so she thinks – until the estranged brother she left back in Iraqi shows up on her door step. Then she finds herself in a cab, on her way to the hospital to identify her son, a terror suspect who has blown the city, and with it her boss’ husband, and her best friend’s son. With everything lost, she is forced to flee to Iraq where she confronts her past. Will she make peace with her past? Can she get forgiveness for all the damage she has caused?

Full Circle is a contemporary fiction tale of friendship, family, and hope. It explores the devastation of loss, the great capacity to forgive and the lengths our loved ones will go to protect us.

Q&A with Regina Timothy

1. Please introduce yourself and your book.
My name is Regina Timothy and I’m the author of Full Circle contemporary fiction novels that follows the lives of three women and how they deal with the challenges they are facing while maintaining their friendships

2. Please tell us the charm point of your book.
This book covers a lot of themes that are hot-button issues in society like terrorism, war in the Middle East, school shootings among many others. It makes for an interesting read and lets the reader witness firsthand the minds of characters confronting these issues and how society is affected.

3. What do you like most about writing this book?
I enjoyed coming up with the characters and giving them unique traits and descriptions. When writing the book I had to do a lot of research on the settings and the different themes covered and the diverse human perceptions towards these themes.

4. What's something you're careful of when writing?
I’m careful to keep my characters’ voices authentic. I also try as much as possible to keep my facts straight about actual places or events or people featured in my story.

5. Grade your book. How many stars out of a perfect score of 5 stars? Please give the reason.
Of course, I would say five stars. This is because the story is compelling and inspiring and a must read for all. It explores human nature and celebrates our resilience. From Goodreads and Amazon the book has also received a lot of great reviews which is a very good thing.

6. What are you working on right now?
I’ve got several projects I’m working on including a novel set in Africa highlighting the plights of child soldiers and early marriages. It’s a book I look forward to reading once it’s done.

7. Please say something to your readers.
Please go out and buy the book, read the book and recommend the book to all your connections whether its family members, friends, book clubs, work colleagues – it is truly an amazing story.

Regina lives in a picturesque village in Kenya where she enjoys amazing landscapes, exotic wildlife, and beautiful sunsets and sunrises. She always had active imagination. By chance, she started blogging in 2012, which rekindled her love for writing and telling stories. When not writing she enjoys watching classic movies (she’s a movie buff), going to the theater and auto shows.

Romance Is In The Air Giveaway Hop (INT)

Welcome to the Romance Is In The Air Giveaway Hop (INT)

Feb 13 - 27, 2018

Hosted by Book Hounds

Hey! It has been a while since I posted my review of books and join any giveaway hop! I love Romance's book and I'm offering the chance to win the prize as below:

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

ONE winner will win a copy of Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella
Here's how you can enter this giveaway:

• Just fill in your contact details in the form below.
• This is an International giveaway as long as BookDepository.com ship them to your country.
• One entry per person.
• The winner will be notified via email.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. 
• I'm not responsible for any lost package.
• Have fun and good luck! 
• Be sure to check out the other giveaway stops on this blog hop:

#BookReview The Love Shack by Jane Costello

The Love Shack
by Jane Costello

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance
Publication: 2015
Format: Paperback, 484 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

Life's great when you're 29 years old with a gorgeous girlfriend and fulfilling job. Until you have to move back in with your mum . . .

Dan and Gemma have found their dream first home, but the asking price is the stuff of nightmares. The only way they'll ever save enough for the deposit is by moving in, rent-free, with Dan's mum.

It's a desperate solution, but it's only for six months. And Gemma's determined to make it work, no matter how bad things get.

But between Dan's mum's kitchen karaoke, her constant innuendos, irrepressible argumentative streak and - worst of all - her ham and pineapple curries, life back at home would test the patience of two saints. Which Dan and Gemma most definitely are not.

Then, as they're trying to convince themselves it will all be worth it, Gemma's past comes back to haunt her. And suddenly the foundations of their entire relationship are shaken to their core…

Gemma and Dan finally found their dream house, but unfortunately, it was not within their budget. To save money, they decided to move in with Dan's mom for six months. This may not be the best arrangement for the couple, but Gemma was determined to make things work.

The Love Shack was written in both Gemma and Dan's point of view. I usually love alternating point view since I get to understand what both parties are feeling, but in Gemma and Dan's case, it can get a bit confusing. Like in one of the chapters where it was supposed to be in Dan's/Gemma's point of view, but there was a bit of mixup.

I'm a fan of Jane Costello's books, but The Love Shack is definitely not one of my favorites. It has such a good premises, but I thought the book was too long and too plain. The humor wasn't as humorous. The supporting characters weren't memorable. There wasn't much characters development despite the book being too long. I couldn't really enjoy this book and I have to force myself to read to finish this book. Overall, I'm disappointed.  I was so relieved when I finally finished. 

#BookReview Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard

Beautiful Broken Things
by Sara Barnard

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Friendship
Publication: February 2016
Format: Paperback
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

I was brave
She was reckless
We were trouble

Best friends Caddy and Rosie are inseparable. Their differences have brought them closer, but as she turns sixteen Caddy begins to wish she could be a bit more like Rosie – confident, funny and interesting. Then Suzanne comes into their lives: beautiful, damaged, exciting and mysterious, and things get a whole lot more complicated. As Suzanne’s past is revealed and her present begins to unravel, Caddy begins to see how much fun a little trouble can be. But the course of both friendship and recovery is rougher than either girl realizes, and Caddy is about to learn that downward spirals have a momentum of their own.

I have to admit that I nearly put down this book after the first few pages when I saw Caddy's list of milestones number two by her next birthday.

2) I would lose my virginity.

I have a problem about a girl trying to lose her virginity. I'm not a fan of it and I never understand why is this an important issue for girls her age. But, I decided to give this book a chance. I hate to judge only after a few pages. 

Still, there are a few other occasions when I really wanted to DNF this book, mostly because of Caddy's character. She sounds like a good friend, but there are a few occasions when I wanted to smack her real hard because of her jealousy, selfishness. Caddy and Suzanne are teenagers who hurt people around them for selfish reasons. I stay around to the last page hoping the characters will grow up.

Overall, I thought that this is an okay read on friendship.  I can't relate to the characters and I didn't really care about what happened to them until the last few chapters. It was shocking what happened to them. But I'm happy with how the author wraps up the story.

Romance Is In The Air Giveaway Hop (INT)

Welcome to the Romance Is In The Air Giveaway Hop (INT)

Feb 13 - 27 2017

Hosted by Book Hounds

The Prize!

The Hating Game
by Sally Thorne

ONE winner will win a copy of The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Here's how you can enter this giveaway:

• Just fill in your contact details in the form below.
• This is an International giveaway as long as BookDepository.com ship them to your country.
• One entry per person.
• The winner will be notified via email.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. 
• I'm not responsible for any lost package.
• Have fun and good luck! 
• Be sure to check out the other giveaway stops on this blog hop:

Congratulation to Ashley Richey!

#BookReview The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay by Kelly Harms

The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay
by Kelly Harms

Genre: Adult, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Romance, Women's Fiction
Publication:  August 9th, 2016 by Thomas Dunne Book
Format: ebooks
Source: Author, Publisher, NetGalley
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

A young painter, Lily has reached a crossroads in her life. Her career hasn't taken off, her best friend may no longer be the trusted friend she thought, her boyfriend is a disappointment, and now she can't keep up with the rising cost of living in the city. With no one to turn to, Lily is forced to move from her beloved apartment, but while packing she comes across a piece of mail that had slipped to the back of her junk drawer: a letter detailing further action needed to finalize the annulment of a quickie Vegas wedding. Ten years ago!

Lily decides it's time to turn over a new leaf and the first item on her list of things to fix is getting the annulment... but you can't just send a reply ten years later, "Hey by the way we are still married." This is something that must be addressed in person. Lily takes to the road to track down her husband - the charming, fun, and sexy man she connected with all those years ago - Ben Hutchinson.

Ben Hutchinson left a wealthy dot-com lifestyle behind to return home to his family and the small town he loves, Minnow Bay. He's been living off the grid and the last thing he expects is a wife he didn't know he had to show up on his doorstep.

By chance, Lily arrives at the magical Minnow Bay Inn, and there she will discover not just a place to lay her head, but new friends, a thriving art community, and maybe even the love of her life.

Lily's life isn't going as well as she wants. Her love life and her career as a painter are going nowhere. Now, Lily is forced to move out from her apartment. While packing to leave, she discovers a mail that reminds her to finalize the annulment of her Vegas wedding ten years ago.

The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay is a fun, light romance read. It isn't hard to get into the book. The author has a really nice writing style that I like and the characters are loveable. Lily is an air head, but it was fun to see how she is going to survive her new life. She went to Minnow Bay looking for her husband and expects him to be the charming, fun man she knew years ago, except that, he changed. A lot. I love the interaction between Lily and Ben right from the beginning. They are great together despite their misunderstanding and all that. The supporting characters in the book, Colleen and Jenny especially are making the story livelier. I absolutely enjoy the setup! If you're looking for a light, fun book, this is the book for you.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Midwinter's Eve #Giveaway Hop (INT)

Midwinter’s Eve Giveaway Hop

December 21st to 31st

Hosted by Bookhounds

The Prize!

ONE winner will win a copy of Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon.

Here's how you can enter this giveaway:

• Just fill in your contact details in the form below.
• This is an International giveaway as long as BookDepository.com ship them to your country.
• One entry per person.
• Winner will be notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. 
• I'm not responsible for any lost package.
• Have fun and good luck! Be sure to check out the other giveaway stops on this blog hop:

Congratulation to JC Loh!

Thank you to everyone who participates. Be sure to check out this site for more giveaway soon.

Gratitude #Giveaway Hop!

Gratitude Giveaway Hop!

November 15-30

Hosted by BookHounds

The Prize

TWO winners will win a copy of Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard. 

ONE copy is open to any international participant, as long as BookDepository.com ship to your country. 

And ONE copy is up for grab for one Malaysian's participant (because I have two copy of the same book and shipping internationally would be too much).

Okay. Here's how you can enter this giveaway:

• To enter this giveaway, enter your contact details in the form below.
• You are not required to follow me, but, it would be nice if you follow me via GFC/Goodreads/twitter/Instagram/Bloglovin' too :)
• This is an International giveaway as long as BookDepository.com ship them to your country.
• One entry per person.
• Winners will be notified via email.  Winners will have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. 
• I'm not responsible for any lost package.
• Have fun and good luck! Be sure to check out the other giveaway stops on this blog hop:

Congratulation to Elizabeth Hyatt and Nikki Ooi!

#BookReview Single by Christmas by Rosa Temple

Single by Christmas
by Rosa Temple

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance, Friendship, Christmas
Publication: October 3rd, 2016
Format: ebooks, ARC
Source: Author, Publisher
Connect: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

You’ve heard the saying, ‘opposites attract’ haven’t you? Well meet 27 year old Alex Marshall, a party girl with a penchant for free flowing Prosecco, and her devilishly handsome scientist boyfriend, Charlie, who loves jazz and dinner for two.

Alex and Charlie are together for 11 blissful months until Alex goes out of town and does something she will later regret. Was she drunk? You bet. Does she want Charlie to know? Well what do you think?

With the couple about to spend their first Christmas together will Charlie be the forgiving kind or will Alex be Single by Christmas?

This is a feel good, Christmas novel with very few mince pies, not much snow and absolutely no mistletoe – just a couple of best friends, a sociopathic nemesis and a lot of drinking.

Alex had a good life. She had her friends and a wonderful boyfriend. Alex and her boyfriend, Charlie may have different personalities and they have been together for a while. They were happy, but, their relationship is slowly slipping with Alex's priorities sets on something else.

I love this book. I admit that I wasn't a big fan of Alex. She loves partying and was a bit of an airhead. She may not be a good girlfriend, but she is definitely a good friend. Alex would always try to be there with her friends whenever they had issues. I love Charlie. He's really nice and patient to Alex. There have been a few times when I thought that he may be too good for Alex. But I'm really happy with how the story wrapped up too.

I love Rosa Temple's writing style. It was really easy to get into. The plot is straightforward but enjoyable. I love Alex's interaction with the people around her. And I definitely enjoy watching how Alex grew up in this book.  

The book didn't have a lot of Christmassy feeling to it, but still, if you're looking for a light romance, I would definitely recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for my review.

#Spotlight Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts by Laura Barnard + #Giveaway

Laura Barnard is now in the Spotlight with her new book, Heath, Cliffs and Wandering Hearts. Check out my review to this book here. Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win tons of exciting prizes!

Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts
by Laura Barnard

Genre: Young Adult, Friendship, Mature
Connect: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy: Amazon | Nook | Kobo | iBooks

Life for sixteen-year-old Savannah Franks has just been turned upside down. Her Mum’s business has failed and they’re forced to move into a maisonette in the rough end of town.

She doesn’t want anyone to know her dire situation, not even her besties. So when the rest of the money for the school ski trip is due she can’t be seen not to attend. Everyone is going! She just needs to find a job. Add that to the list of getting a boyfriend and losing her pathetic virginity.

But working every spare hour in a job she hates on top of school work and mounting secrets doesn’t prove easy. Soon she’s keeping so many she’s not even sure herself what’s true and what’s not.

The only person she can lean on, to tell the truth, is her best friend Heath.

Only…did he gets hot recently? That won’t make things awkward between them…right?

About Laura Barnard

Laura Barnard lives in Hertfordshire, UK and writes romantic comedy or 'chick lit' as its so often described. In her spare time she enjoys drinking her body weight in tea, indulging in cupcakes the size of her face and drooling over hunks like Jamie Dornan, Ryan Gosling and Leo Dicaprio.

She enjoys wearing yoga pants and reading fitness magazines while sitting on the sofa eating chocolate. She's a real fan of the power nap and of course READING!

She writes not to get rich or famous, but because she LOVES writing. Even if one person tells her they enjoyed her book it makes the midnight typing worth it!

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#OnTour Single by Christmas by Rosa Temple #Excerpt + #Giveaway

Rosa Temple is now on tour with her book, Single by Christmas from 17th October to 28th October. I'm posting the excerpt and hopefully, the review in a few more days. Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win ebook copy of the book!

Single by Christmas
by Rosa Temple

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance, Friendship, Christmas
Publication:  October 3rd, 2016
Connect: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

You’ve heard the saying, ‘opposites attract’ haven’t you? Well meet 27 year old Alex Marshall, a party girl with a penchant for free flowing Prosecco, and her devilishly handsome scientist boyfriend, Charlie, who loves jazz and dinner for two.

Alex and Charlie are together for 11 blissful months until Alex goes out of town and does something she will later regret. Was she drunk? You bet. Does she want Charlie to know? Well what do you think?

With the couple about to spend their first Christmas together will Charlie be the forgiving kind or will Alex be Single by Christmas?

This is a feel good, Christmas novel with very few mince pies, not much snow and absolutely no mistletoe – just a couple of best friends, a sociopathic nemesis and a lot of drinking.

Single by Christmas by Rosa Temple

Excerpt

You might be wondering what I was doing, sitting in a graveyard at five minutes to midnight on Christmas Eve. And if you guessed gravedigger or graverobber, you’d be wrong. But ask yourself, who sits in a graveyard when it’s cold and out and out spooky unless it’s absolutely critical? The church, where I attend Midnight Mass with my family every year, is just across the way. But sitting on that particular bench just inside the graveyard was absolutely critical.

You see, in the lead up to Christmas I managed to lose something. Well, not something, someone. Charlie; my reason for living, my heart, my soulmate … you get the idea. And before you start crying, don’t worry, he wasn’t buried there. At the time, I wasn’t exactly sure where Charlie was, but he knew I was there. Waiting.

By the stroke of midnight I would have known for sure if I’d truly lost him. I’d asked him to join me and my family for the service. They’d arrived earlier. I smiled and greeted them all – Mum, Dad, big sister, Elise, and her husband and my younger sister, Jo-Jo. They asked where Charlie was and I managed to hide my worst fears and say he’d be along soon, that he was held up. So they just kissed me and piled inside with the rest of the congregation.

My family had been looking forward to seeing Charlie, even more so than they were me. You see, like everyone who meets Charlie, they’d fallen in love with him. Who could blame them? He’s charming, he’s intelligent, he’s sweet, kind, generous. The list could go on. I admit those things weren’t what first attracted me to Charlie. No, the attraction was pure lust and desire. He walked into that New Year’s Eve party the year before and I was stunned into silence. And I’m never silent. Tall, well dressed, mesmerising looks and those dimples that appear every time he smiles, which he does a lot by the way.

And I love Charlie’s family, too. His mum, Leeza, his dad, Don, who Charlie gets his looks and sense of humour from, and his brother. I wasn’t sure Leeza approved of Charlie having a white girlfriend, at first, but I realised that was just paranoia on my part. His family are not like that. His mum, who I grew to admire and love, was just being protective, the way some mothers are.

But, I digress. My family had no idea that I’d seen Charlie twenty-four hours prior to the service and that we’d had a heated argument and that Charlie had practically slammed a door in my face. Minutes before that I’d made a complete and utter fool of myself in front of his wonderful family and he’d walked away with such disgust and disappointment in his face my heart broke in two. He’d closed the door on me but I hadn’t stopped sending begging texts and hysterical voicemails just so he would show up on Christmas Eve – like he’d promised me. I wasn’t expecting a miracle, just praying for one. Because it would have taken a miracle for Charlie to walk towards the church, bypass the tall wooden doors, see me on the bench, push open the graveyard gates and tell me he’d forgiven me.

With everyone nice and warm inside the church, I continued to sit watching puffs of vapour appearing in front of my face from every exhale, brimming with an apology that may never be heard.

You might be saying, “If Charlie’s that wonderful, why couldn’t he just come to the church, it’s Christmas after all?” You have to know, he’d never be that unforgiving without very good reason.

Honestly? It took a whole year of knowing Charlie to finally understand what it is to love someone completely and to be loved the very same way in return and just one month to lose it all.

And this is how …

About the Author

Rosa Temple is a writer of romantic comedies, chick-lit and contemporary romance. To date she has published one novella, Sleeping with Your Best Friend, and her first full length novel, Natalie’s Getting Married, was published on 14th March 2016.

She has tried her hand at various occupations, from tea lady (albeit for one morning only after being returned to the agency because half an office block suffered caffeine deprivation) to supervising the office running the London Bar Exams.

Rosa is a Londoner born and bred and still resides in West London with ambitions to escape to the country when a suitable country pile becomes available.

In 2014 she was awarded a Distinction in her Creative Writing MA from Brunel University.

Rosa admits to being a reluctant keep fit addict. She owns a yoga mat, a pair of trainers and a spin cycle that gathers dust in the corner of her writing room. She vows that she will run the London Marathon again but has been saying this since her first and only marathon, run in 2010. Hence the trainers.

Having been a ghostwriter for several years, Rosa has written several magazine articles and has penned a multitude of one off novellas and novella length series in the romance genre and in its various sub-genres to include: contemporary romance, historical, adult only, romantic comedies and sweet romances.

Rosa is a member of a writing critique group who meet monthly. This lively and hard working group keep her on her toes as she hones her writing, listening and editing skills.

Rosa’s husband and eldest son are both musicians, her second son swims at a National level for his London team.

Before devoting the majority of her time to her writing of romantic comedies and chick-lit, Rosa was a singer (that’s how she met her husband) and still continues to perform and write songs.

Early reviews show that Natalie’s Getting Married is a favourite of many readers and book bloggers and she follows it with Christmas romantic comedy novel, Single by Christmas, with plans to publish a book series in the very near future.

Rosa loves to chat (about anything really) so follow her on Twitter @RosaT_Author or visit her blog, Rosa Temple Writes, on rosatemplewrites.blogspot.co.uk

Read an excerpt of Natalie’s Getting Married on Goodreads or Facebook

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#BookReview Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts by Laura Barnard + Giveaway

Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts
by Laura Barnard

Genre: Young Adult, Friendship, Mature
Format: ebooks, ARC
Source: Author, Publisher
Connect: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy: Amazon | Nook | Kobo | iBooks

Life for sixteen-year-old Savannah Franks has just been turned upside down. Her Mum’s business has failed and they’re forced to move into a maisonette in the rough end of town.

She doesn’t want anyone to know her dire situation, not even her besties. So when the rest of the money for the school ski trip is due she can’t be seen not to attend. Everyone is going! She just needs to find a job. Add that to the list of getting a boyfriend and losing her pathetic virginity.

But working every spare hour in a job she hates on top of school work and mounting secrets doesn’t prove easy. Soon she’s keeping so many she’s not even sure herself what’s true and what’s not.

The only person she can lean on to tell the truth is her best friend Heath.

Only…did he gets hot recently? That won’t make things awkward between them…right?

I've previously read Laura Barnard's Porn Money and Wannabe Mummy. I was intrigued when I heard that the author is writing for Young Adult. 

Savannah's life was changing. Her family was forced to move into a smaller place her mother's business failed. And now, her brother, Dylan has gone traveling to Australia with his girlfriend. Savannah was afraid that she was going to stay as a virgin, but now, she got a boyfriend, Zach. However, she can't stop thinking about her best friend, Heath.

Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts is full of drama and friendship. But, I have to warn that there was a few scene are not suitable for children. Savannah and her girlfriends were constantly worried about boys, and how their peers see them. Sometimes, they made some reckless decisions. I have to say that I was worried about all partying scenes. There seem a bit too many parties going on. But it was interesting to see how they overcome their teenage life as friends.

My favorite character from this book is definitely Savannah's Nan. She didn't act like how a normal grandma always does, despite her age. Heath would come  in second. I love how he always take care of Savannah.

Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts is definitely an interesting read. I enjoyed the author's voice. But, there are some scenes that I don't think was necessary and the ending was a bit too rushed in my opinion.

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

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#BookReview Sula's Voyage by Catherine Torres

Sula's Voyage
by Catherine Torres

Genre: Adventure, Contemporary, Fantasy, Young Adult
Publication:  May 2016 by Scholastic
Format: Paperback, 226 pages
Source: Author, Publisher
Connect: Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Fifteen-year-old Sula has always known she is different. Even though her parents have shown her nothing but love and acceptance, she sees her dark skin as a reminder of how she doesn’t fit in with the rest of her family.

What’s worse is she also feels that her parents are hiding something from her. After getting expelled from school, Sula reluctantly goes to stay with her mother’s friends. There she unexpectedly finds herself on a journey of self-discovery — a journey that keeps drawing her to the sea. Sula must not only figure our her parents’ secret, but also just how different, and possibly magical, she really is.

Sula has always been different than her parents. She often wondered why her skins are darker than her family. Because of her difference, it was hard for her to fit in with her schoolmates and the rest of her family. When Sula's father went away to further his career, Sula and her mother headed to Puerto Galera and stayed with her mother's friend. There, Sula began to learn about herself. What makes her different and special.

I enjoyed the book. The story flowed really well. I love the elements of fantasy and mystery in the book. I love Sula. She's one of the girls who always got bullied at school, and that made her stronger. I love the way Sula and her parent's dealt with the school. The side characters were really great and memorable. I especially love Pablo and Mira.

Sula's Voyage is definitely a page turner. I enjoyed reading about Philipines and its culture. The truth about Sula and her family was what I have expected, but still, I truly enjoyed Sula's adventure to self-discovery. 

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for my review.

#BookReview The Goodbyes by Leslie Welch

The Goodbyes
by Leslie Welch

Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Publication:  Published July 12th, 2016 by Blue Moon Publishers
Format: ebooks. 226 pages
Source: ARC, Netgalley
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Since he was thirteen years old, rockstar Webb Turner pined for Bree, the enigmatic girl across the street. He captured her in his songs, but never in his orbit. His lyrics about her propelled Webb's band to superstardom, but his fame came with the price of finding real love.

When he discovers that Bree is dying, Webb leaves a stadium full of adoring fans to be at her side. As a blizzard batters the east coast, will Webb succeed in his fight against the storm and the mistakes of his past for a chance to say one last goodbye?

If I was judging this book by its cover, I'd say that this is a thriller read. But it's not. The Goodbyes is a story of love, self-discovery and growing up. The story is told in Webb Turner's point of view. Webb received word that Bree, the girl across the street that he love is dying. He abandoned everything and rushes home to be with her. Along the journey home, Webb is having a flashback on his relationship with Bree. 

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book. Mainly because of most of the rockstar in books I read always acted like an ass. I'm just glad that Webb isn't like that. He's more down to earth kind of a rockstar.

Webb and Bree's relationship is a rollercoaster of emotion. I get frustrated at their relationship sometimes. A part of me wanted them to be together, and another part of me don't. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about their relationship and what made them who they are at the present. What I really love about the book is the unexpected ending. I'm just glad that the book end with a happy ending.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my review.

#BookReview : The Summer that Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel

The Summer that Melted Everything
by Tiffany McDaniel

Genre: Contemporary, Adult, Fiction
Publication:  July 26th, 2016 by St. Martin's Press
Format: ebooks
Source: ARC
Connect: Website | Goodreads

Fielding Bliss has never forgotten the summer of 1984: the year a heat wave scorched Breathed, Ohio. The year he became friends with the devil.

Sal seems to appear out of nowhere - a bruised and tattered thirteen-year-old boy claiming to be the devil himself answering an invitation. Fielding Bliss, the son of a local prosecutor, brings him home where he's welcomed into the Bliss family, assuming he's a runaway from a nearby farm town.

When word spreads that the devil has come to Breathed, not everyone is happy to welcome this self-proclaimed fallen angel. Murmurs follow him and tensions rise, along with the temperatures as an unbearable heat wave rolls into town right along with him.

As strange accidents start to occur, riled by the feverish heat, some in the town start to believe that Sal is exactly who he claims to be.

While the Bliss family wrestles with their own personal demons, a fanatic drives the town to the brink of a catastrophe that will change this sleepy Ohio backwater forever.

I have to admit that I wasn't so sure about reading this one. I mean, the synopsis sounds great, but, The Summer that Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel is not the kind of book I usually pick to read. But I do think that reading this is definitely a good change of pace. 

Fielding Bliss remembered the summer of 1984 in Breathed, Ohio. The weather is scorched and that's when a boy , Sal appeared from nowhere, claiming that he's a devil. The book was written in Feilding's perspective. Because this isn't the type of book I usually pick up, I was a bit worried about how the story going to turn. The story grabbed me with the first few chapters. After that, I was a bit lost with the story at first with how some of the chapters went away from the year of 1984. But, after a while, I got used to how the story was written.

I enjoyed reading about the Bliss family and the rest of Breathed residences. There's no denying that Tiffany McDaniel is good with words. I thought the pace of the story was a bit slow, but the way the book was written beautifully keep me engage towards the end. I thought that I was going to read a book about the Devil. But, The Summer that Melted Everything isn't really about the Devil. It was more than that. I can't really say anything much without giving the story away, so, you will have to read the book to know what the book is all about.

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

BookReview: The Goat Children by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek

The Goat Children
by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Fantasy
Publication:  March 23rd, 2016 by CHBB Publishing
Format: ebooks
Source: ARC
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

When Keziah’s grandmother, Oma, is diagnosed with dementia, Keziah faces two choices: leave her family and move to New Winchester to care for Oma, or stay in New York City and allow her grandmother to live in a nursing home miles away.

The dementia causes Oma to be rude and paranoid, nothing like the woman Keziah remembers. Each day becomes a greater weight and love a harsher burden. Keziah must keep Oma from wandering off or falling, and try to convince her grandmother to see a doctor as her eyesight and hearing fail, but Oma refuses to believe anything is wrong. Resentful of her hardships in New Winchester, Keziah finds herself drawn to Oma’s ramblings about the Goat Children, a mythical warrior class. These fighters ride winged horses, locating people in need while attempting to destroy evil in the world. Oma sees the Goat Children everywhere, and as Keziah reads the stories Oma wrote about them, she begins to question if they really exist.

I have previously read a few fantasy works from the author and I absolutely love them. I was a bit worried when I pick up this book because the story is a bit different than the author's other work, but I have to say that I'm glad this book didn't disappoint me. 

Keziah volunteered to look after her Oma who was diagnosed with dementia. It was hard for Keziah to look after Oma, especially since dementia caused Oma to be paranoid about things around her. When her Oma was in a better mood, she would tell Keziah about Goat Children, the mystical creatures.

Keziah loved her Oma and choose to stay with her Oma even though Oma treated her badly because of dementia. Keziah is a growing up teenager who should be experiencing a normal life with school, friends, and romance. But instead, she had to look after her Oma. I've never had to deal with anyone with dementia before, so I didn't know how it would be. But I sympathized with what Keziah had to go through. But still, it was nice to see how Keziah love her Oma. I love reading the memories Keziah had with her Oma back from when she was little.

The author did a great job in writing The Goat Children. The story is a bit slow at certain parts, but I love the pace. What I like about The Goat Children by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek is that there are bits of fantasy. The world of the Goat Children fascinates me. It sounds magical what with the wing horses and the fight to destroy evil. I think I wouldn't mind reading a book about the Goal Children if the author decided to write about them.

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

#Spotlight: The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel - #Q&A

The Summer That Melted Everything
by Tiffany McDaniel

Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Adult, Literary Fiction
Publication:  July 26th, 2016 by St. Martin's Press
Connect: Website | Goodreads
Buy: Amazon

Fielding Bliss has never forgotten the summer of 1984: the year a heat wave scorched Breathed, Ohio. The year he became friends with the devil.

Sal seems to appear out of nowhere - a bruised and tattered thirteen-year-old boy claiming to be the devil himself answering an invitation. Fielding Bliss, the son of a local prosecutor, brings him home where he's welcomed into the Bliss family, assuming he's a runaway from a nearby farm town.

When word spreads that the devil has come to Breathed, not everyone is happy to welcome this self-proclaimed fallen angel. Murmurs follow him and tensions rise, along with the temperatures as an unbearable heat wave rolls into town right along with him. As strange accidents start to occur, riled by the feverish heat, some in the town start to believe that Sal is exactly who he claims to be. While the Bliss family wrestles with their own personal demons, a fanatic drives the town to the brink of a catastrophe that will change this sleepy Ohio backwater forever.

Q&A with Tiffany McDaniel

1. Please introduce yourself and your book.
   I’m an Ohio poet and novelist who wants to live on the greenest summer leaf on the highest tree.
   
   
2. How do you come up with the idea of the book? What is your inspiration?I always say the ideas come from the elements that make me. All those tiny little connections, all those big bangs, rippling my soul, crafting its edges and turning its center. Somewhere in that chaos and that impact, there’s an origin of the story. Whether it be a deep well or high mountain peak, the ideas exist there only to drift toward me like smoke I can’t grasp but can decipher. I know this answer is very dream-like, but to me, the craft of story itself is a dream.
   
   
3. How long on average does it take you to write a book?
   I wrote The Summer that Melted Everything in a month. I have eight completed novels and on average they took me about a month. One novel, Because of the Indians, I wrote in eight days. I’m still not sure how that happened. And another novel, When Lions Stood as Me, took about four months. It’s a novel that takes place during WW2 so there was more research involved and I had to be a bit more concrete with dating.
   
   
4. How do you set up your book? Do you outline them first, or did you just spin the story?
   I never outline or pre-plan. I like the natural flow of allowing the characters and scenes to come out on their own. It’s like setting up a lantern on a dark porch and waiting for the moths to chatter around the light. I listen to that chatter, capture it, all the while the moths freely fly in their own good time.
   
   
5. What did you like most about writing this book? 
   What I like about writing all my books is being introduced to the characters for the first time, falling in love with them, and feeling like I can never let them go, hoping I’ll never have to.
   
   
6. What's the best thing that happened to you since becoming an author?
   It hasn’t happened yet. And that is when I’ll get to see my novel on the bookstore shelf for the first time. I wrote my first novel when I was eighteen and didn’t get a publishing contract until I was twenty-nine, so it was eleven years of rejection and fear I’d never get published. I honestly never believed I would. I know I’m very fortunate to be in the position I am, about to see my book on the shelf for the first time. I feel for those authors still on the journey to publication. To them, I say it will happen. Have faith that the best thing as an author is yet to happen to you too.
   
   
7. Grade your book. How many stars out of a perfect score of 5 stars? Please give the reason too.
   This is a dangerous question. If an author answers they’d give their own book five stars, they may appear over-confident or egotistical. But if an author rates their own novel too low, then why should a reader even bother reading it? So I’ll tiptoe around the danger and say I’ll leave the rating up to the readers who, in their fair and honest judgment, can best rate the novel.
   
   
8. What are you working on right now?
   The novel I hope to follow The Summer that Melted Everything up with is When Lions Stood as Men. It’s a story of a Jewish brother and sister who escape Nazi Germany, cross the Atlantic Ocean, and end up in Ohio of all places. Struggling with the guilt of surviving the Holocaust, they create their own sort of camp where they punish themselves, realizing in the end, it was each other they truly had to survive.
   
   
9. Please say something to your readers.
   You readers have all the power. It’s not the agents or the editors or the publishing houses as a whole that determine a writer’s career. It’s the readers. Without readers buying books, there are no novelists to be had. Readers give meaning to an author’s words. So if you like a book, tell everyone you know. Be that book’s champion because if you do, you’re being a champion for the author herself. My only hope is that readers like what I’ve written. That they can count on me to deliver a story that is worth both their time and their hard-earned money. Nothing would make me happier than to know a reader has finished one of my books with the pleasure of having read it. That’s what I strive for as an author. To be someone’s favorite author as so many authors have been mine.

#BookReview Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale by David Kudler

Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale 
(Seasons of the Sword #1)
by David Kudler

Genre: Historical, Young Adult, Fantasy
Publication:  June 15th, 2016 by Stillpoint
Format: ebooks
Source: NetGalley, Stillpoint Digital Press
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Can One Girl Win A War?

Though Japan has been devastated by a century of civil war, Risuko just wants to climb trees. Growing up far from the battlefields and court intrigues, the fatherless girl finds herself pulled into a plot that may reunite Japan -- or may destroy it. She is torn from her home and what is left of her family, but finds new friends at a school that may not be what it seems.

Magical but historical, Risuko follows her along the first dangerous steps to discovering who she truly is.

Kano Murasaki, called Risuko (Squirrel) is a young, fatherless girl, more comfortable climbing trees than down on the ground. Yet she finds herself enmeshed in a game where the board is the whole nation of Japan, where the pieces are armies, moved by scheming lords, and a single girl couldn't possibly have the power to change the outcome. Or could she?

I wasn't expecting much when I first read the book. I was afraid that it was going to be a letdown. But after reading Risuko, I have to say that I'm impressed with this book. I think the author did a very good job in writing the book with a strong heroine and magical world of the Kunoichi. 

Kano Murasaki or Risuko was a child who grew up without her father. She was taken away from her family and was brought to a school. She was a likable character. She's strong and curious. She sounded a bit like a child now, but I have no doubt that she was going to grow up fine. The secondary characters made the story much more interesting. I love her friends and will be happy to see more of them. I'm excited to see Risuko and her friend grew as Kunoichi.

I was intrigued with the book after the first few chapters, although it slowed down a bit in the middle. It wasn't draggy, but slow. Soon, the story picked up its pace with a whole lot of action, mystery, secrets, and twists. The book was lacking in romance, but I'm fine with that because I truly enjoyed Risuko's growth within the story. I'm glad that there was going to be a continuation from this book. Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale is definitely a one of the best historical fantasy book I've read.

I received a copy of this book from the Netgalley & the publisher in exchange for my review.

#BookReview All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

All the Missing Girls
by Megan Miranda

Genre: Thriller, Crime, Mystery, Adult
Publication: 28 Jun 2016 by Simon & Schuster
Format: ebooks
Source: NetGalley, Simon & Schuster
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

It’s been ten years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared from Cooley Ridge without a trace. Back again to tie up loose ends and care for her ailing father, Nic is soon plunged into a shocking drama that reawakens Corinne’s case and breaks open old wounds long since stitched.

The decade-old investigation focused on Nic, her brother Daniel, boyfriend Tyler, and Corinne’s boyfriend Jackson. Since then, only Nic has left Cooley Ridge. Daniel and his wife, Laura, are expecting a baby; Jackson works at the town bar; and Tyler is dating Annaleise Carter, Nic’s younger neighbor and the group’s alibi the night Corinne disappeared. Then, within days of Nic’s return, Annaleise goes missing.

Told backwards—Day 15 to Day 1—from the time Annaleise goes missing, Nic works to unravel the truth about her younger neighbor’s disappearance, revealing shocking truths about her friends, her family, and what really happened to Corinne that night ten years ago.

I was intrigued after reading the description. It was interesting to see how the story was going to be told backward, from the time Nicolette (Nic) Farrell returned home. All the Missing Girls tells the story of the disappearance of two missing girls, Corinne, Nic's best friend who disappeared years ago, and Annaleise, who went missing shortly after Nic's return to Cooley Ridge.

Cooley Ridge holds a few secrets with Corinne disappeared. When Annaleise too, went missing, shocking truths about Nic's family and friends resurfaced.

I was a bit worried about the story at first with how the story was told. I was afraid that it wouldn't make sense, but surprisingly, the story worked better with how it was told. I admit that the story was a bit confusing at the beginning. But after reading the book, I think the author did a great job with the storytelling. It was clever to write the story backward with each secret unraveled slowly as the story goes. In the end, I feel like I wanted to reread the story again - from the way it was written and from the correct chronology.

All the Missing Girls is definitely a great crime thriller read. The writing was brilliant. There's a lot of twists that I didn't see or expect. I just didn't know who to trust in the book. It was shocking to find out the truth about the missing girls. I will definitely look forward to the author's other books.

I received a copy of this book from the Netgalley & Simon & Schuster in exchange for my review.