Review: THE SUNSHINE SISTERS by Jane Green

Publisher: Berkley Books

Pub. Date: June 6,2017

Genre: Women's Fiction

Source: Print ARC from pub

Rating: 2

Blurb:
The New York Times bestselling author of Falling presents a warm, wise, and wonderfully vivid novel about a mother who asks her three estranged daughters to come home to help her end her life.

Ronni Sunshine left London for Hollywood to become a beautiful, charismatic star of the silver screen. But at home, she was a narcissistic, disinterested mother who alienated her three daughters. 

As soon as possible, tomboy Nell fled her mother's overbearing presence to work on a farm and find her own way in the world as a single mother. The target of her mother s criticism, Meredith never felt good enough, thin enough, pretty enough. Her life took her to London and into the arms of a man whom she may not even love. And Lizzy, the youngest, more like Ronni than any of them, seemed to have it easy, using her drive and ambition to build a culinary career to rival her mother's fame, while her marriage crumbled around her. 

But now the Sunshine Girls are together again, called home by Ronni, who has learned that she has a serious disease and needs her daughters to fulfill her final wishes. And though Nell, Meredith, and Lizzy are all going through crises of their own, their mother s illness draws them together to confront old jealousies and secret fears and they discover that blood might be thicker than water after all.

Review:
I keep going back and forth on this one. On one hand I liked it and it kept me interested enough. Then on the other hand, I wasn't sad to see the book end or to say goodbye to the characters. I had a tough time liking them. The mother, what you see is what you get - we already know that she is a horrible person from the time we first see her. The daughters were iffy to me. The one I may have liked the most was Meredith and even then, it was very little. I felt terrible for her and how she never felt good enough. I didn't like Lizzy at all, and Nell was just there. I didn't dislike her but I didn't like her either.

There was a point in the book where I thought that I could maybe see myself enjoying where the story was headed. Then, I would just lose interest. I like Jane Green and I think her writing has always been superb. The Sunshine Sisters just didn't work for me though. As much as I wish I could have loved the book, it just never made me want to invest further in the story or it's characters. It's a very drama filled plot and the end is good. So if you're even just a little bit curious despite what I had to say, I would definitely suggest giving it a try.

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a a copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Buy the Book:

Amazon

Amazon UK

About the Author:
Jane Green's eighteenth novel, Falling, is soon to be released with Berkley/Penguin; she is the author of sixteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, and known as one of the world's leading authors in women's fiction, with over ten million books in print, and translations in over 25 languages. 

Previous novels have included The Beach House, Second Chance, Jemima J, and Tempting Fate.

She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton. 

A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.

Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking, and has a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.

A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green is bringing out her first cookbook: Good Taste , with Berkley in October 2016. 

She is a storyteller for The Moth radio hour on NPR, 
and lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks. 

A cancer survivor, she continues to raise awareness for Malignant Melanoma, Hashimoto's Disease, and Lyme Disease.

Gideon Smith and the Mask of the Ripper (Gideon Smith #3) by David Barnett

 Publisher: Tor Books

Pub. Date: October 13, 2015

Genre: Steampunk

Source: Print ARC

Rating: +2 Stars 

GOODREADS

Blurb:
The real identity of Jack the Ripper revealed at last? Only if the Hero of the Empire has his way!

In an alternate nineteenth century where a technologically advanced Britain holds sway over most of the known world and the American Revolution never happened, young Gideon Smith is firmly established as the Hero of the Empire.

Back in London, Gideon and his colleagues: journalist Aloysius Bent, airship pilot Rowena Fanshawe, and Maria, the mechanical girl to whom Gideon has lost his heart, are dragged into a case that is confounding the Metropolitan Police. For the city is on the edge of mass rioting due to the continuing reign of terror by the serial killer known only as Jack the Ripper, who is rampaging though London's less salubrious quarters.

While chasing the madman, a villain from their past strips Gideon Smith of his memory and is cast adrift in the seedy underbelly of London, where life is tough and death lurks in every shadowy alley.

With mob rule threatening to engulf London, the Empire has never needed its hero more...but where is Gideon Smith?

Gideon Smith and the Mask of the Ripper is the latest in David Barnett's riproaring steampunk adventures about a Britain that never was...but should have been.

Review:
I thought this was quite interesting but nothing more. This is my first time reading a novel by David Barnett and while I didn't wholly love Mask of the Ripper, I would be opposed to reading more books by him. Maybe it was the writing style? I just kept getting confused at time...

The story is a good one despite not understanding at time, I even somewhat enjoy some of the characters. And I really loved where the story is set. So Victorian.  I feel funny because when I don't particularly LOVE a book, I find it hard to write anything down about it. This review is very difficult to write! I wish there were more redeeming things I could say about it, but there wasn't much I liked - I so wish there was.

At first I enjoyed the adventure I felt like the author was going to take me. The world he created was very interesting, and I found myself not being able to turn the pages fast enough. Then somewhere along the way, it just fell kind of flat. Maybe I should have read the previous two books from the series to really get along with the characters, but I couldn't.

Overall, I recommend this for steampunk fans, it wasn't that enjoyable to me, but it might be your next favorite read! You'll never know if you don't try. I may go back to the first book and try to see if maybe I just need to go back to the beginning.

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Buy the book:
Amazon
Amazon UK

After You (ME BEFORE YOU, #2) by Jojo Moyes

Publisher: Penguin

Pub. Date: September 29, 2015

Genre: Adult Fiction

Source: Print ARC

Rating: 2 Stars

GOODREADS

Blurb:

How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future. . . .

For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings. But here Jojo Moyes gives us two families, as real as our own, whose joys and sorrows will touch you deeply, and where both changes and surprises await.

After You is quintessential Jojo Moyes—a novel that will make you laugh, cry, and rejoice at being back in the world she creates. Here she does what few novelists can do—revisits beloved characters and takes them to places neither they nor we ever expected

 

Review:

When I first heard about Me Before You, the book hadn't even made its way to America yet. I had grown pretty close to this girl on Goodreads who was reading and told me I absolutely had to read this book. I was like, yeah! Okay let me go buy it real quick. Only I couldn't buy it because it only sold in the UK. I went looking everywhere on the net trying to find this book cause I desperately wanted to have my heart broken (that's totally a joke by the way). I finally stumbled upon a copy of the Book Depository. Score! Yeah... It had free shipping but the book itself was going to be twenty-five bucks. At this point in my life, I was strictly e-reader only. I didn't care to have regular books, nor was I was I going to pay twenty-five freaken bucks for a book. (Ask me now and hell yeah I'd pay that and more for a book I wanted.)

The day finally came that it was being sold in America. The kindle version was pretty expensive, I think it was 12.99 or something like that. So I was like hm...maybe I don't want to read it THAT much. Lo and behold, months later it was on sale for $2.99! You bet your ass I snatched that baby up. Again, now a days if a book I want, whether it be kindle or print, no matter the price, I get it. Fifteen bucks for a book on kindle, sureeee why not? Oh, the paperback is less expensive than the kindle version, maybe I'll just get both? Because I loved them so much. My point is no matter the price, I want the book. But if a book goes on sale, well all hell breaks loose. I don't care if it's going to make me broke, I'm going to get that book!

Let's get back on topic here. Me Before You was finally in my hands. Finally! I know what's going to happen, I made that friend tell me. So why in the hell did I still sob like a baby? I cried and cried and cried then you know what? I cried some more. THIS BOOK BROKE ME. Broke me down, lifted me up, but still in the end I was left with a million pieces that needed putting back together.

Make sure you have read the first book before you read on--

Which brings me to After You... It was very tough for me to finish. I felt the aftermath and depression that Lou felt after life without Will. The story just seems to have lost that special flair. Sure, Lou was her charming, beautiful self; but with Will you can clearly tell that something was missing. Then we get hit will a bombshell from Will's past. This is when I started having doubts about the book. Like I wanted to pull my hair out of my head from the frustration. Why? I want to know why that particular story line had to be added. It was a cop out and it left me angry.

I know I shouldn't be angry but I am. The people that Lou meets on the way, such as Sam, was an okay attempt in my opinion to try to give Lou a new romantic interest. It would have been fine if I felt like the two had an ounce of chemistry to go around. Maybe I'm biased? It's not like Me Before You was overly romantic or anything, but that six month relationship was everything...

Honestly, I think if you enjoyed the first book, maybe you should just skip out on this one. The story ended at Me Before You, it was a bittersweet ending, but it left you feeling as if you could find purpose in your own life. To live it to the fullest. I didn't feel that reading this story, and I'm disappointed that I couldn't enjoy it more. Moyes is a talented author and I will continue to read all of her books. But this one just didn't have the same effect on me as I thought it would.

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Buy Links:

Amazon

Amazon UK

About the Author:
Jojo Moyes is a British novelist.

Moyes studied at Royal Holloway, University of London. She won a bursary financed by The Independent newspaper to study journalism at City University and subsequently worked for The Independent for 10 years. In 2001 she became a full time novelist.

Moyes' novel Foreign Fruit won the Romantic Novelists' Association (RNA) Romantic Novel of the Year in 2004.

She is married to journalist Charles Arthur and has three children.

Review: THE PARIS KEY by Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: NAL

Pub. Date: September 1, 2015

Genre: Women's Fiction

Source: Print ARC

Rating:

GOODREADS

 Blurb:

An American in Paris navigates her family’s secret past and unlocks her own future, in this emotionally evocative novel by New York Times bestselling author Juliet Blackwell.

As a girl, Genevieve Martin spent the happiest summer of her life in Paris, learning the delicate art of locksmithing at her uncle’s side. But since then, living back in the States, she has become more private, more subdued. She has been an observer of life rather than an active participant, holding herself back from those around her, including her soon-to-be-ex-husband.

Paris never really left Genevieve, and, as her marriage crumbles, she finds herself faced with an incredible opportunity: return to the magical city of her youth to take over her late uncle’s shop. But as she absorbs all that Parisian culture has to offer, she realizes the city also holds secrets about her family that could change her forever, and that locked doors can protect you or imprison you, depending on which side of them you stand.

Review:

I've had a tough time getting into The Paris Key. Mainly, I felt a huge disconnect to the story and most importantly the characters. The descriptions were spot on, it felt as though you were in Paris and drinking deliciously hot, hot chocolate. But there was still that factor of not being able to connect. Not to mention there would be times that I would nod off in the middle of a sentence. I quite literally had to make myself even finish the book.

Maybe it's just the wrong moment, wrong time to read this. I seem to be the only one with the belief that this wasn't as good as it could have been. I wish I could read this and rate it good just like everyone else, but that would be dishonest. My honest opinion aside from everything I've already said is, I didn't like the book at all. Was the writing good? I believe so. Characters? Good, but not ones that I could get with on an emotional level. Overall story? Well, it's Paris...so there is that...

Genevieve, our main protagonist, ups and leaves California to take over her late uncles locksmith shop in Paris. Being a locksmith was something of a passion for Genevieve ever since her uncle, Dave, taught her the trade when she was younger. She became a copy editor instead. When she reaches Paris, she meets the neighbors and friends of Dave. Then things start happening. Things like Genevieve finding out things from her past. Maybe secrets really should be left in the past.

The Paris Key is filled with mystery, sorrow, and endings that one could find themselves believing in again.  Although this wasn't the story for me, I feel like I could still read the author seeing as her writing is on point. There are just times when you can't connect no matter how hard you try. Don't let my opinion or review deter you from reading the story. I just have my own personal tastes in books and this one didn't quite reach out to me.

* Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Amazon UK

About the Author:

Juliet Blackwell (aka Julie Goodson-Lawes, aka Hailey Lind) started out life in Palo Alto, California, born of a Texan mother and a Yankee father. The family soon moved to what were, at the time, the sticks of Cupertino, an hour south of San Francisco. Walking to and from kindergarten every day she would indulge in her earliest larcenous activity: stealing walnuts and apricots from surrounding orchards.

By the time she graduated middle school, the orchards were disappearing and the valley at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay had become the cradle of the silicon semi-conductor. A man named Steve Jobs was working in his garage in Cupertino, just down the street. Juliet's father advised his daughters to enter the lucrative and soon-to-flourish field of computers.

"Bah" said Juliet, as she went on to major in Latin American Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz (they had, by far, the best parties of any department). Rather than making scads of money in computers, she read, painted, learned Spanish and a little French and Vietnamese, lived in Spain and traveled through Europe, Mexico, and Central America. She had a very good time.

Juliet pursued graduate degrees in Anthropology and Social Work at the State University of New York at Albany, where she published several non-fiction articles on immigration as well as one book-length translation. Fascinated with other cultural systems, she studied the religions, folklore and medical beliefs of peoples around the world, especially in Latin America. Juliet taught the anthropology of health and health care at SUNY-Albany, and worked as an elementary school social worker in upstate New York. She also did field projects in Mexico and Cuba, studied in Spain, Italy, and France, worked on a BBC production in the Philippines, taught English as a second language in San Jose, and learned how to faux finish walls in Princeton, New Jersey. After having a son, moving back to California, and abandoning her half-written dissertation in cultural anthropology, Juliet started painting murals and portraits for a living. She has run her own mural/faux finish design studio in Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, for more than a decade. She specializes in the aesthetic renovation of historic homes.

Finally, to round out her tour of lucrative careers, Juliet turned to writing. Under the pseudonym of Hailey Lind, Juliet penned the Art Lover's Mystery Series with her sister Carolyn, about an ex-art forger trying to go straight by working as a muralist and faux finisher in San Francisco. The first of these, Feint of Art, was nominated for an Agatha Award; Shooting Gallery and Brush with Death were both IMBA bestsellers, and Arsenic and Old Paint is now available from Perseverance Press.

Juliet's Witchcraft Mystery series, about a witch who finally finds a place to fit in when she opens a vintage clothes shop on Haight Street in San Francisco, allows Juliet to indulge yet another interest—the world of witchcraft and the supernatural. Ever since her favorite aunt taught her about reading cards and tea leaves, Juliet has been fascinated with seers, conjurers, and covens from many different cultures and historic traditions. As an anthropologist, the author studied and taught about systems of spirituality, magic, and medicine throughout the world, especially in Latin America. Halloween is by far her favorite holiday.

When not writing, painting, or haranguing her funny but cynical teenaged son, Juliet spends a lot of time restoring her happily haunted house and gardening with Oscar the cat, who ostensibly belongs to the neighbors but won't leave her alone. He started hanging around when Juliet started writing about witches...funny coincidence.

Blog Tour Review: ANNE & HENRY by Dawn Ius

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Pub. Date: September 1, 2015

Genre: YA Contemporary Retelling

Source: Print ARC

Rating: 2 Stars

Goodreads- http://bit.ly/1Kgk4q5

Blurb:

In this wonderfully creative retelling of the infamous—and torrid—love affair between Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, history collides with the present when a sizzling romance ignites in a modern-day high school.

Henry Tudor’s life has been mapped out since the day he was born: student body president, valedictorian, Harvard Law School, and a stunning political career just like his father’s. But ever since the death of his brother, the pressure for Henry to be perfect has doubled. And now he’s trapped: forbidden from pursuing a life as an artist or dating any girl who isn’t Tudor-approved.

Then Anne Boleyn crashes into his life.

Wild, brash, and outspoken, Anne is everything Henry isn’t allowed to be—or want. But soon Anne is all he can think about. His mother, his friends, and even his girlfriend warn him away, but his desire for Anne consumes him.

Henry is willing to do anything to be with her, but once they’re together, will their romance destroy them both?

Inspired by the true story of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, Anne & Henry beautifully reimagines the intensity, love, and betrayal between one of the most infamous couples of all time.

Review:

Everybody knows the story of King Henry and Anne Boleyn. And if you don't, then I kindly suggest you go read up on it! It's so interesting that a girl, such as Anne, was able to sway a King from his beliefs. She singlehandedly changed the face of religion in England but of course we all know how that ends. It's tragic how Anne's life ended but did she deserve it? Was it coming to her? 

A couple of months back I saw a new book up on goodreads that would be a retelling or a modern day story o Anne & Henry set in high school setting. I groaned in defeat when I saw that it would be months before it came out. Finally the day came that arcs we're going out so I requested one right away. The day I received an approval, I quickly dropped everything to read it. Anne & Henry starts off at a masquerade ball. Henry sees a beautiful raven haired girl across the room and he's pretty
much done for.

All he can think about is Anne. She's spunky, outspoken, and sexy. She's everything that his girlfriend Catherine isn't, including not belonging to their high class society. So why in the world does Henry feel such an attraction to this girl that doesn't even fit into his world? The ending broke me. Like literally. Even after all these weeks, my heart still hurts. I hated the book though, I loved the writing, and the author has made it into my "to watch" list. Why then do I still hate the book? Henry!

Why oh why did Anne have to be so infatuated with him?bI know exactly why he was infatuated with her.  (Check out paragraph three for the reasons he can only think of her) Henry was a sissy boy who couldn't make any damn decisions for himself. I could have loved him but instead I loathed how pretentious his way of life was. Sure, one could argue that it's his family's fault but bottom line is, he's a coward. A phony. 

I better stop now before I write a novel on why I dislike him so much!

Overall, this is an okay story because Anne really is a cool chick. But don't expect anything good to come out of it. We all know what happens. I'll just leave it at that. If you're looking for a book that will possibly piss you off, then this is the one for you! Don't say I didn't warn you. 

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Buy Links:

Amazon- http://amzn.to/1KgkbSM

Amazon UK- http://amzn.to/1KgkcWI

About the Author:

DAWN IUS is a short-story author, novelist, screenwriter, professional editor, and communications specialist. She is the Assistant Managing Editor of the International Thriller Writers Association’s monthly magazine, THE BIG THRILL, co-founder and senior editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and the author of ten educational graphic novels published by the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. When she’s not slaying fictional monsters, she’s geeking out over fairy tales, Jack Bauer, Halloween, sports cars, and all things that go bump in the night. Dawn lives in Alberta, Canada, with her husband, Jeff, and their giant English Mastiff, Roarke. 

Dawn also writes paranormal young adult fiction under the last name DALTON.