Deceptions (Cainsville #3) by Kelley Armstrong + GIVEAWAY

*A HUGE THANK YOU to Dutton & Penguin for this ARC*

**I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. It will be released on August 18, 2015.**

Publisher: Dutton
Pages: 464

Olivia Taylor Jones's life has exploded. She's discovered she is not only adopted, but her real parents are convicted serial killers. Fleeing the media frenzy, she took refuge in the oddly secluded town of Cainsville. She has since solved the town's mysteries and finds herself not only the target of its secretive elders but also her stalker ex-fiancé.

Visions continue to haunt her: particularly a little blond girl in a green sundress who insists she has an important message for Olivia, one that may help her balance the light and darkness within herself. Death stalks both Olivia and the two men most important to her, as she desperately searches to understand whether ancient scripts are dictating the triangle that connects them. Will darkness prevail, or does Olivia have the power to prevent a tragic fate?

My Thoughts:
I FREAKING LOVE THIS SERIES!!!! I think I've read more books by this author than any other author. I am just impressed and in love with her writing style, the way she weaves the threads of each story. I am just amazed and I can't seem to put her books down!

I got an ARC of Visions which was book two in the series last year so I quickly picked up book one which is Omens and I plowed right through them. Omens landed on my list of favorites for 2014 and I couldn't wait to see how this series progressed especially with a certain someone.

In this book we get more and more involved in Olivia's life as we come to understand Olivia's past and what the fae want from her. We also see how Gabriel and Ricky are involved and again Kelley Armstrong continues the slow revealing of the overall plot which I loved.

In book three we again are slowly lead through what is really going on behind the scenes and the relationship Olivia has with ALL the characters changes. It was a lot to get through. The twists and turns in this book was amazing and I was blown away by some the revelations.

I absolutely love the character development in this series. Olivia herself and her life continues to change and how she deals with it, she becomes more independent and "stable" with herself. I enjoyed the progression between characters ESPECIALLY between Olivia and Gabriel, there is a lot more depth between them. Ricky to Olivia is her fall guy-I feel like and Gabriel is her rock. I fell completely head over heals with Gabriel in the first book, Omens and have loved watching his slow development. I appreciate a good character development especially when it comes to the romance department. Ricky doesn't really change much and I like that because I am all about Team Gabriel HA!

The romance (or lack thereof) between Olivia and Gabriel is so different than any other book couple I've seen and no this is isn't a spoiler, because it just runs so much deeper! Ricky is just a play thing or someone who is there but with no real "depth." I am not a fan of how much I am told of the sexual behavior between Ricky and Olivia-never have been, BUT it's significantly less than book two which I can greatly appreciate. I don't care to know how they are doing it or the fact that it seems to me that's all they want to do. See? no depth in my opinion completely physical, which is another reason why I love Gabriel so much. BOOYA!

The relationship between Olivia and her real parents change in this book as we find out MORE about what the heck is going on.

The creepiness of the overall story is still creepy and sad and amazing and everything a well written book should be.

Overall I couldn't put the book down and absolutely cannot wait for book 4 & 5!

Sexual Content: heavy (a little graphic in the sex department between characters, constant mention of characters desires for sex)
Language: moderate/heavy (some F words along with other choice words but not drenched in language)
Violence: moderate (talk of murder, attempted murder, creepy scenes of past violence)
Drugs/Alcohol: mild

*The overall story is an OWN but if you are concerned about the content I would OBTAIN the book first*

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The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.

But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend…if she can survive.

The Queen of the Tearling introduces readers to a world as fully imagined and terrifying as that of The Hunger Games, with characters as vivid and intriguing as those of The Game of Thrones, and a wholly original heroine. Combining thrilling action and twisting plot turns, it is a magnificent debut from the talented Erika Johansen.

My thoughts (SPOILERS):

Fair warning:  This is LONG, and I’m going to disclose the ending on this one…  Simply because I’m pretty conflicted and don’t know how not to…  This review is all over the place, so I’ll apologize in advance for that.  Forgive me?

Ok.  This is one of those books that you will either love or hate.  I skimmed through the reviews on Goodreads, and it seems like readers are very split on this one.  The overall rating is 3.9 stars out of 9,000+ reviews, but I give it 3.5.  Originally, I gave it 5, but the more I thought about it, I had to reduce it (see “Cons”).  Still, I read it in four days, because it did end up sucking me in.  While I enjoyed the book very much, it is definitely not for young readers!  It is very heavy on language, sex, and gore, with some alcohol and drug use thrown in to boot.  Some of the gory scenes are very graphic, and are guaranteed to make you cringe…  Women and young girls are sold as sex slaves and that is only the beginning. 

Kelsea has lived in hiding with her guardians, Barty and Carlin, since she was a toddler and her mother was killed.  Her mother wasn’t a very good ruler and seemed to be more concerned with herself than her people.  The Royal Guard comes to take her back to the Keep in New London when she is nineteen years old.  Before she leaves, Carlin gives her a small package that Kelsea opens one night while they are resting.  Inside is a sapphire necklace like hers.  She doesn’t think much about it and puts it in one of her pockets for safe keeping. 

Upon arriving at the Keep, she is shocked and disgusted to see that young women and children are being sent as slaves to stave off an attack from the Red Queen.  Her first act after revealing her identity is to abolish the slave trade and destroy the cages used for transport.  This delights the people of the Tear, but not the nobles.  The nobles live off of the backs of the common Tearling folk. 

She arrives in the Keep to usurp the throne and banish her uncle, Thomas the Regent.  Thomas is a disgusting pig of a man.  He revels in alcohol and his hired women, one of which he drags around on a leash like a dog… His guards attack Kelsea and the Royal Guard, but they are able to fend them off and Kelsea takes her place.  Later, during her crowning ceremony, there is another attack in which Kelsea is hurt very badly and it takes her a few days to recover.  There are many attempts on her life, since there are so many people that stand to gain something from her death AND there is a traitor within her own Guard, so she has one of her trusted guards train her to fight.

There was some serious book-bloat going on, so I’m going to skip over some of the less important stuff. 

Kelsea learns to fight.  She becomes a good queen.  Her Royal Guards come to respect her as they should’ve all along.  Lazarus takes on a more caring role (not romantic, but he is more gentle with her than in the beginning).

The Overseer of the shipments (I forgot his name, sorry) builds cages in secret and attacks outlying villages to get enough slaves to satisfy the Red Queen.  Kelsea finds this out when she has one of her “dreams”.  These dreams, so to speak, allow her to move around outside her body and see things.  Premonitions, I guess?  In one she is flying, like a hawk or something, and sees that the Mort Army is advancing and they have cannons.  This is concerning because everyone says that there should be no gunpowder.  But, why would they have cannons, right? 

Anyway, Kelsea and her Royal Guard follow said Overseer and his group of Benedict Arnolds and attack them, with surprise help from the Fetch and his men, in the gorge on their side of the Mort Border.  Upon the Fetch’s return, he gives Kelsea her twin sapphire back.  When the two are worn together around her neck, she feels a new power like none before.  She and her men are attacking the traitors and having some success until a cage is lit on fire.  Kelsea, horrified and desperate to do something, somehow makes it rain buckets and the fire is extinguished.  Some of the traitors get away, but a lot are killed and the traitor from within the Royal Guard is revealed.  He has an addiction to heroine and that is why he betrayed them all. 

Kelsea’s powers surprise even her, so we still don’t know much about how they work.  All we know is that her temper seems to trigger the sapphires’ power. 

In the end, the Red Queen realizes that she will not be getting her shipment, but she can’t attack because this mysterious being that she is scared of and we’re not sure why tells her that she can’t.  So she doesn’t.  It’s a cliffhanger ending for her, but Kelsea is enjoying some peace in her kingdom.

Pros:
 - I love Kelsea.  Most of the reviews I read loathe her.  They complain that she is childish, naïve, not confident enough, whiny, stupid, etc.  Well hear this: She is a 19 year old girl who (yes she was trained her whole life, but) walked into a crapstorm much bigger than she had anticipated.  She wasn’t truly ready for anything that she saw at the Keep, and I can totally understand.  I don’t think anyone, regardless of the schooling received, would walk into that situation and be like “Oh, yeah, I got this.  Stand back.”  She isn’t described as this beautiful, thin girl that gets whatever she wants.  She is an average looking girl that maybe weighs a little too much, but she is compassionate, genuine, and truly wants to better her kingdom even if it means she isn’t able to see it all come to fruition. I couldn't find a accurate enough picture of how I think she might look, but this (below) is kind of close.  To me anyway. 

 -Lazarus, aka “The Mace”, is a character that I struggled with early on, but came to love.  In the beginning, he is cold and rude to Kelsea, but he comes to truly care for her, even if he doesn’t show it very well.


Cons:
 -I HATE how the men in this book treat Kelsea.  Some change their attitude as the book progresses, but still.  The Fetch told her that she was much to plain for him.  -The world building could have been better, but I still love it. 
 -The Fetch is this renowned thief that kidnaps Kelsea early on and “steals” the twin sapphire of her own.  She just lets him, and I’m not sure why…  She knows that they are very powerful.
-The Red Queen could’ve been a little bit better as a villain.  We only get a peek at her side two or three times, and each time she is waiting for a sex slave or something equally ridiculous…  I’m assuming we’ll get to know her better in book 2.  She is the mortal enemy in this book, but it seems like she’s more of a fear monger.
 -Religious depiction.  I realize that we live in a time where the popular thing is to poke fun at people who believe in God or other higher powers…  It really frustrated me how she depicted the Church as being corrupt and evil, yet atheists were totally cool.  There is one part where she is talking to Father Tyler and she asks him how he expects anyone to believe in God.  He responds that he believes in his God, to which her response is that he is a fool.  Really… But all the atheists in the book are just the bees knees right?  Shut up already.

I know there are more cons than pros, but I was able to look over them because the book was genuinely great edit: good, in my opinion (not sure why I said great? It was late...).  Also, I can understand some people’s exasperation with Kelsea, but I like it because it shows that she is a nineteen year old girl… Yes, she is a queen and should act accordingly, but give her some slack.  It’s a big change!

Supposedly, Emma Watson is set to play Kelsea in a movie adaptation??


Sexual Content: Heavy
Language: Heavy
Violence: Heavy
Drugs/Alcohol: Heavy

Easy by Tammara Webber

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night - but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

My Thoughts:
Let me start this review by telling a story:

I have a friend. She told me about her high school boyfriend, with whom she was sexually active. She said about their first time, "We had sex but I didn't want it to happen." Do you understand what means, dear review-reader? She didn't want to have sex with him. But it happened. My friend was raped. And she didn't even realize that it was rape until 15 years after it happened. She decided that since they'd already had sex, she may as well stay with him and keep doing it since she was "ruined" anyway. She guilted herself into dating this guy for two years. This rapist. There's a lot more I could say about this but I'll leave it there.

After hearing her story I've made it a mission to learn as much as I can about the psychological effects of teenage sex and rape for both women and men. Sadly, my friend's story is not unique. There are so many young girls who are taken advantage of who don't realize that what happened wasn't their fault. They take the blame onto themselves saying, "We had sex" instead of "He raped me", and decide that since they're not a virgin anymore, they may as well keep having sex with him or with others. It's heartbreaking for me to think about all these girls (and there are a lot of them) who take on this defeatist attitude. 

I wish they had read a book like this.

Easy is, essentially, a book about rape. As an adult who takes the time to research this subject, I didn't learn much from it. If I'd read it as a teenager, though, it would have so informative and helpful as to be invaluable. 

The opening scene is an attempted rape. Honestly I almost put the book down after I read that first chapter. Another boy comes along and saves the girl from her attacker. I was actually really worried that the attempted rape scene would just be a plot device to create a hero in the minds of swoony girls. It wasn't. Well, kind of, it was, but mostly it set the rest of the book up to talk about rape. And it didn't do it in a lecture-y way at all. It just felt like a natural part of the story. This book pretty much provides a how-to step-by-step guide on what to do to avoid rape and how to handle it if you are a victim of it. But it's not preachy. And the reactions of the people in this book are so real and natural. Who wants to report being raped??? It's horrible! And to have to relive it in order to report it is abhorrent to any victim. Webber addresses this. She takes the subject very seriously. There's a scene where a group of sorority girls are talking about an alleged rape and I wanted to stand up and cheer. I may have teared up a little bit. We women need to band together and support each other.

Based solely on the way Tammara Webber addresses this serious issue and could potentially help, educate and empower girls and women I would give this book five stars, no problem.

But there's other stuff.

I didn't think the writing was all that stellar. Dialog wasn't always believable, especially the guys who would over-explain and dump their thoughts in a monolog. There were a lot of reiterated thoughts: "Right now I would have been with Kennedy. If he hadn't broken up with me, that is." Repeat that Idea about 50 times in the first five chapters and you'll generally feel my pain. Webber DROPS HINTS about as well as my dad QUIETLY SNORES. Which is to say: Not all that well. The book could have used a good edit. Or three.

The characters were basically flat. I actually really liked that Jacqueline, our protagonist, was scared and timid about her scary experience. It was real. Yeah, it's fun to read stories about badass girls who don't take crap from anyone and kick guys' butts like it's second nature. But Jacqueline was powerless against her assailant and scared to do anything about it. Just like a normal girl would have been. That said, Jacqueline does actually act a bit out of character for a girl recovering from an assault. A few days afterward she's suddenly very willing to jump into bed with a new guy and obsessively thinks about him and her ex-boyfriend? Wouldn't you be wary of any guy a few days after an attempted sexual assault? And then the second time an almost-rape happens (the SECOND time!! With the same assailant!!), Jacqueline still doesn't report anything. Infuriating.

Lucas, our bad boy new crush, basically admits to stalking Jacqueline before they even met. Creepy. But she somehow thinks that's romantic. And he's supposed to have had a whole lot of one-night stands but given his tragic (I mean, disturbing) past, I find that really unbelievable. I would think he'd be afraid of sex, to be honest. Or at least wary of it. In any case I doubt he'd be quite so experienced as the book seemed to make him. And then there's all the stereotypical bad boy stuff: lip ring, tattoos, motorcycle, long hair, etc. 
There were a lot of graphic love scenes. The scenes were between two consenting parties who cared for each other, but they were there. I don't feel like love scenes this vivid should be in YA literature (though this is technically New Adult literature). Granted, these characters were in college and were over the age of 18. So, for that reason, I would only really recommend this book to girls over the age of 18. Even though there's so much in here that a teenage girl could learn.

I wish a book existed that taught girls the same lessons as mentioned above without all the gratuitous sex scenes. Because everyone should learn about this. To protect themselves.

Sexual Content: Heavy
Language: Moderate (some big, bad words, but not too often)
Violence: Moderate
Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate

Solomon's Oak by Jo-Ann Mapson

Solomon's Oak is the story of three people who have suffered losses that changed their lives forever.
Glory Solomon, a young widow, holds tight to her memories while she struggles to hold on to her Central California farm. She makes ends meet by hosting weddings in the chapel her husband had built under their two-hundred-year-old white oak tree, known locally as Solomon's Oak. Fourteen-year-old Juniper McGuire is the lone survivor of a family decimated by her sister's disappearance. She arrives on Glory's doorstep, pierced, tattooed, angry, and homeless. When Glory's husband Dan was alive, they took in foster children, but Juniper may be more than she can handle alone. Joseph Vigil is a former Albuquerque police officer and crime lab photographer who was shot during a meth lab bust that took the life of his best friend. Now disabled and in constant pain, he arrives in California to fulfill his dream of photographing the state's giant trees, including Solomon's Oak.
In Jo-Ann Mapson's deeply felt, wise, and gritty novel, these three broken souls will find in each other an unexpected comfort, the bond of friendship, and a second chance to see the miracles of everyday life.

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading this book, but I thought I would enjoy it more.  It is an easy, well written novel that follows the lives of three individuals whose lives intertwine in interesting ways.

Glory Solomon is a widow coming up on the first anniversary of her late husband’s death.  She is asked by a couple if they can have their wedding at the chapel that her husband finished building shortly before his death.  She accepts after she discovers the reason that the couple has been turned down by every other church is that they want a pirate themed ceremony.

Meanwhile, Glory is asked by social worker/friend Caroline (whose motives become known later in the book) if she can host a troubled 14 year old named Juniper for the night until she can find a “forever home” for the girl.  Glory hesitantly agrees.  

During the aforementioned pirate nuptials, former forensic lab worker Joseph Vigil is taking pictures of the famed Solomon’s Oak when he sees a duel during the ceremony and his police instinct kicks in.  He crashes the wedding and draws his gun, demanding that the dueling swordsmen drop their weapons.  Glory quickly cuts in and explains that it is all part of the ceremony and calms the situation.  Joseph, now embarrassed, holsters his gun and apologizes for his instinct overtaking him.  Fortunately for Glory, whose camera isn’t working, Joseph agrees to take pictures of the ceremony in exchange for a plate of leftovers to take home.

From there, Glory, Juniper, and Joseph’s lives are brought together in interesting ways. Glory struggles to form a relationship with Juniper, whom she truly believes in and wants to help, but can't seem to get a grasp on it.  Joseph becomes an unlikely hero, if you will, in the situation and helps bring Juniper and Glory together and closer than they would've imagined.


As I said, I thought this book would be better.  Don’t get me wrong, it is good, just not as good as I was expecting.  The historical tidbits are accurate, the writing is great, and the ending is very fitting and a great conclusion, but my expectations were higher. 

Sexual Content: moderate (sex scene, no description)
Violence: mild 
Langauge: mild

Drugs/Alcohol: mild

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the "good parts" reached his ears.

Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the "Good Parts Version" to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere.

What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex.

In short, it's about everything.

My Thoughts:
I loved this writing style. So much. It was just so funny, everything about it. I will admit that I was incredibly confused for a while about the whole "abridgment" thing. I had to visit Wikipedia to see if there even was an S. Morgenstern, which seems ridiculous in hindsight because I was pretty darn certain there were no countries ever called Florin or Guilder. And honestly, I was kind of sad that Goldman made up all that stuff about "his father" reading the original to him as a sick child. I don't know why. I guess I just thought it was sweet. It was a very effective gimmick. And the fact that I bought a lot of it must be the mark of a gifted writer, no? Or a really gullible reader.

Ahem. 

I think everyone knows this story. Everyone has seen this movie and it's beloved. I mean, I love it. It's why I wanted to read the book. If you've seen the movie then you've got the book pretty much figured out; The screenplay was written by the author so they're basically the same. 

The characters are so wonderfully written. I love that each character feels like a different person. I hate when you read a book and every character's voice feels the same; You can't tell who's speaking. Not here. Goldman is masterful at that. Most of the time I didn't even need him to tell me who was saying what because I could recognize the tone of the speaker from what they were saying.

I will say I was kind of annoyed that Buttercup was dumb. I don't know why but I never picked up on that in the movie. Why can't a woman be beautiful and smart? Why do some men have such a hard time reconciling an intelligent woman who also happens to be nice to look at? Don't get it. It was funny to read, yes, but condescending. Especially since she was basically the only woman in the whole book.

I may have been a little bit in love with Westley. I think that's kind of the point of him. Except when he said chauvinistic/rude/condescending things to Buttercup. Then I wanted to kick him in the stomach. But overall he was highly entertaining; The things he said were just funny. In fact, most of what most of them said was just funny. Dialogue was incredibly humorous. Inigo and Fezzik were my favorite, probably because they provided most of the comic relief. 

And now back the overarching story gimmick: I think the reason I was so sucked in by the idea of Goldman having adapted a classic was that there were two very distinct writing styles going on here. There was the main story part (which, according to the novel, had been written by Morgenstern) and the Introduction and little parts where Goldman claims to have cut something out. They just felt so different! I had a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that an author would use that as a story gimmick. He did it so well. And I'd never seen it done before. Has anyone does it since? I don't even know. It was such an original, clever idea. And it just added to the humor and fun with Goldman explaining, in detail, passages he had cut and why. Although I'm kind of glad all the "personal" stories Goldman shared about his "wife" and "son" weren't real. Because then I would have felt bad for all of them. 

Anyway, good read. Really funny. Very original. A classic, in its' own right. 

Language: Mild
Sexual Content: Mild
Violence: Heavy (fight scenes, death scenes, torture scenes)
Drugs/Alcohol: Mild (a scene of poisoning, wine)

The Impersonator by Mary Miley

In 1917, Jessie Carr, fourteen years old and sole heiress to her family’s vast fortune, disappeared without a trace. Now, years later, her uncle Oliver Beckett thinks he’s found her: a young actress in a vaudeville playhouse is a dead ringer for his missing niece. But when Oliver confronts the girl, he learns he’s wrong. Orphaned young, Leah’s been acting since she was a toddler.

Oliver, never one to miss an opportunity, makes a proposition—with his coaching, Leah can impersonate Jessie, claim the fortune, and split it with him. The role of a lifetime, he says. A one-way ticket to Sing Sing, she hears. But when she’s let go from her job, Oliver’s offer looks a lot more appealing. Leah agrees to the con, but secretly promises herself to try and find out what happened to the real Jessie. There’s only one problem: Leah’s act won’t fool the one person who knows the truth about Jessie’s disappearance.

Set against a Prohibition-era backdrop of speakeasies and vaudeville houses, Mary Miley’s Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition winner The Impersonator will delight readers with its elaborate mystery and lively prose.

My Thoughts:

I picked up a copy of this book at my favorite local bookstore (Chop Suey Books, for you RVA folks, is an awesome bookstore!) solely because the author is a fellow Richmonder. 

Leah takes on this role and dissolves herself into the life and persona of Jessie Carr, not knowing that it could potentially cost her life.  She is made to play a role 24/7 for the length of time necessary to convince any family/friends that she is truly Jessamyn Becket Carr.  Due to that, in my opinion at least, she becomes quite the pessimist.  She takes on a side-role of investigator and won't stop until she gets the justice she is seeking.  (I just want to know how Leah knew about the thumb thing in the glass floats!)

Oliver, the greedy uncle, wants nothing but the fortune and has his ways of making sure that Leah doesn’t leave him high and dry if the tables turn.  I just can’t get over his greed and lack of concern over the true fate of his poor niece.

Ross is a character that I liked from the get-go and just couldn’t bring myself to believe he was a bad guy.  He is the cousin of Jessie and brother of Henry and the twins, Valerie and Caroline.  He has a genuine interest in the well-being of the Native Americans that reside in the area.  He seems to be a truly good person.

Henry is just a scum bag.  I won’t go into detail as it’s better for you to find out on your own when you read the book.  Suffice it to say, he wants to be a politician, but has some skeletons in his closet that he will do pretty much anything to keep hidden.

Valerie and Caroline are the sheltered, bored, and rambunctious twins.  I couldn’t help liking them and feeling sorry for their sheltered life.  They are 16, have no close friends, and feel secluded at the Cliff House.  Leah takes them into Portland for a shopping weekend and introduces them to vaudeville and the facts of life.  Tisk Tisk, Aunt Victoria would not approve... 

Aunt Victoria is the humble, I guess, mother of Henry, Ross, Valerie and Caroline.  She is an oddball so to speak.  I don’t really know what to say about her other than the fact that I was a little confused by her.  Did she hate Leah, did she like her?

David Murray, the illegitimate son of the late Lawrence Carr (the real Jessie’s father).  Mr. Carr sent money for David up until his sudden death when David was only 16.  I was a little put off by David at the end due to the odd relationship twist.  Overall, he is a good guy, sort of.  I guess that depends on your stance with the law.

In summary:  How fun!  The end was a little different than I envisioned while reading, but I really enjoyed reading this.  I’m a sucker for a murder mystery and anything dealing with the Roaring 20’s!  This was an easy, fun read with some good plot twists to boot.  It is very true to the times.  The details of the actors (Jack Benny!!), vaudeville, bootlegging, and life in those times were spot on.  Though, you shouldn't expect less in that regard from Mary Miley.  She worked at Colonial Williamsburg (worth the visit, if you are in the area) and has taught American History at Virginia Commonwealth University for 13 years.  I’d say she’s well versed in that topic.  I can’t wait to read the next in the series, Silent Murders (recently released, if you're interested).

Sexual Content: Mild/Moderate - allusions to and discussions of, no scenes

Language: Moderate - *racial slurs are used, as they were in the 20's*

Violence: Moderate/Heavy - it is a mystery dealing with murder(s)

Drugs/Alcohol: Mild/Moderate - bootlegging, need I say more?

About a Boy by Nick Hornby

'How cool was Will Freeman?'

Too cool! At thirty-six, he's as hip as a teenager. He's single, child-free, goes to the right clubs and knows which trainers to wear. He's also found a great way to score with women: attend single parents' groups full of available (and grateful) mothers, all hoping to meet a Nice Guy.

Which is how Will meets Marcus, the oldest twelve-year-old on the planet. Marcus is a bit strange: he listens to Joni Mitchell and Mozart, looks after his mum and has never owned a pair of trainers. But Marcus latches on to Will - and won't let go. Can Will teach Marcus how to grow up cool? And can Marcus help Will just to grow up?

My Thoughts:
I only really picked this book up because I love the movie. And I just found out that it was a book before it got adapted into a movie so I had to read it!

I really loved the tone of this novel. It dealt with some serious stuff but it never felt depressing. And I thought it really entertaining that Will, the 36-year-old single guy who does nothing all day, was kind of embarrassed and almost apologetic about the way he lives. Yet he never did anything to change it. I mean, how many of us have things like that about us? It's awkward, it's embarrassing but we keep right on doing it. I kind of loved that. The honesty with which subjects were broached was just perfect. Will was really likable, naturally, with his ridiculous lifestyle and humorous outlook on said lifestyle. 

Marcus, the boy, the other protagonist, was also highly entertaining. He wasn't dumb but it took him a long time to figure some things out. And reading about the way Marcus's mom, Fiona, unintentionally raised Marcus to basically be a social outcast made me think about my own parenting style. "Should I let my kids watch more TV? Should I introduce them to different rock stars just so they know who they are?" And then I slapped myself on the forehead because that's dumb. There are a lot of things that help people connect but I don't think it's necessary that everyone know what's popular in order to make friends. So I kind of found that message in the book annoying; If you know what's popular and how to dress you will have friends. Granted, it helps, but sometimes weirdos are the best. Anyway, end rant.

One thing that kind of bothered me was all the suicide stuff. I know that there are people who suffer from thoughts of this. It has affected my life. But this book somehow implied that most people suffer from thoughts of suicide. I don't. Never have. I would hope that most people are like me. Really, no one could ever be sure how many people deal with suicidal thoughts but I am optimistic that most of the world's population doesn't. I guess I understand how people with these tendencies might feel a sense of connection and maybe hope from reading this book but for me it just made me fell a bit sad for all those who suffer this way. 

So, overall, I really like this book. I like Hornby's writing style, his humor and the way he tackled heavy subjects. There were those two things that bothered me but other than that I really loved it. Although, and this is totally unusual for me, I actually liked the way the movie ended better than the book. The movie felt more hopeful and funny. The book felt more serious and real. But it was good. And I'd like to read more by Hornby. 

Sexual Content: Moderate
Language: Heavy
Violence: None
Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate

Catch Me If You Can by Frank W. Abagnale

I stole every nickel and blew it on fine threads, luxurious lodgings, fantastic foxes and other sensual goodies. I partied in every capital in Europe and basked on all the world's most famous beaches'. Frank W Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams and Ringo Monjo, was one of the most daring con men, forgers, imposters and escape artists in history. In his brief but notorious career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and co-piloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as a member of hospital management, practiced law without a licence, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forged checks all before he was twenty-one. Known by the police of twenty-six foreign countries and all fifty states as 'The Skywayman', Abagnale lived a sumptuous life on the run - until the law caught up with him. Now recognized as the nation's leading authority on financial foul play, Abagnale is a charming rogue whose hilarious, stranger-than-fiction international escapades and ingenious escapes - including one from an airplane - make CATCH ME IF YOU CAN an irresistable tale of deceit.

My Thoughts:
I seriously loved this. I like a good memoir anyway, but Frank Abagnale, Jr. is the James Bond of American criminals. Everything he did was so original, creative, interesting, ballsy and often quite funny. I laughed aloud a few times. And I'm glad that after all the crazy caper stories the book delved into how bad prison and "paying his debt to society was"; People who read this book don't get any ideas about living an exciting jet-setting life of crime because once he was caught and convicted he lived through a bit of hell. So interesting, though. Great read.

This is another one of those of those that was adapted into a good movie. I mean, have you seen the movie? It's pretty good. Some things were changed from book-to-movie, but that's to be expected given time restraints and whatever else. But I would definitely read the book over the movie. For one thing, fictionalized movies are hard to take seriously. You know what I mean; I always find myself thinking, "Could that have really happened?"

While in a book it's just as easy to make a fictional world completely believable, there's just something about a written memoir that feels more legitimate. Every crazy story I read about had my mouth agape, me thinking, "I can't believe he did that! But I totally believe he did that because here it is written in this memoir." Which is akin to believing everything you find on the internet, in a way, but not really. Books are always more trustworthy.

This memoir could almost be considered YA literature since Abagnale started his life of crime at the tender age of 16 and continued into his early 20s. And while he did a lot of adult/crazy stuff, the book never delves into any sordid specifics. There's a lot of hinting and innuendo but it's relatively clean. Which is kind of ironic; A clean read about a womanizing criminal. But it is. And it's entertaining. Loved it. Go read it. You will, too.

Sexual Content: Moderate
Language: Mild
Violence: Mild
Drugs/Alcohol: Mild

Omens & Visions by Kelley Armstrong

Book Description:
Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.

My Thoughts:

I LOVE Kelley Armstrong. I going to say that right off the bat. I think she is a GREAT writer. There are many aspects about her writing that I just love. I love the mystery. She is so good at writing a story with the right amount of mystery that keeps you hooked to her books. I love the romance. I have read a YA series by her called Darkest Powers Trilogy and like this one, there was a very nice undertone of romance that kept you dying to know who the main female character would/could end up with, there was no "insta-love" no "forbidden romance" it was just a drawn out perfect amount of undertone romance that, again, kept you hooked to the overall story. The paranormal parts of her stories aren't overwhelmingly weird and (especially in these 2 books) I felt like it could be possible! hahaha it was just perfect! Okay, lets discuss these books.

Omens: I was so hooked by paige 5. I couldn't wait to find out more about Olivia and everything behind her parents. There was a great deal of mystery. Here you've got the story of this young adult who has the perfect life; wealth, beauty, career, she's intelligent, engaged to a man who has political career goals. She had everything ahead of her. And then her world/life is turned upside-down with the knowledge that she was adopted. And her parents? Two of the most notorious serial killers. Convicted of killing 8 people. Olivia is a very likable character.  She's strong, determined, capable, confident with the right about to wit and sarcasm that you can't help liking her. Developing wise, it was great to read her character SLOWLY change within these 2 books that it was done very well. 

The violence and greed of the media sends Olivia running from her life in the big city of Chicago to a quaint and small town named Cainsville. She didn't try to end up there but due to weird and creepy circumstances that is where she ends up.

The town of Cainsville is not what it appears to be and as Olivia

stays she starts to feel that and feel that she was meant to come here. As soon as she arrives past superstitions that she was taught as a child start to come back. Whenever she saw "omens" such as red poppies, ravens, gargoyles, a cat. Things would come to her mind and then watch as it came true. Kelley Armstrong does a fabulous job dropping the right about of pieces and hints of paranormal that keep you on the edge of your seat.

When Olivia's birth mother asks Olivia to send her case over to some non-profit organizations in hopes of finding the inaccuracy in one of the murders to prove that they didn't do it. Olivia an her mother's ex-lawyer, Gabriel, work together to dig and find if Olivia's parents really are innocent.

Gabriel was a fascinating character. He was handsome, rich, mysterious, driven, and completely interesting. Again I really liked his character development and we see some MAJOR development in book 2. But I really liked him and the chemistry between him and Olivia. He was just...cool. I don't know how to explain him! There was a nice undertone of a POSSIBLE romance where Armstrong dropped very subtle hints that something could happen but doesn't which makes you yearn for book 2 just to see what happens between them!

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the first book and it made me quickly reach for book 2.

Language: moderate (in the almost 500 paige book there were only about 5 F words)
Violence: moderate (some graphic descriptions of decaying bodies)
Sexual Content: moderate (a scene that gets a little steamy with an understanding that 2 characters had sex, there is some talk of sex-no descriptive)
Drugs/Alcohol: mild (social drinking)

Visions: With book 2 I couldn't wait to dive back into the story of Gabriel and Olivia. However I was actually a bit disappointed in aspects of this book, not the overall story just certain things that I felt took away from the overall story plot.

The paranormal parts pick up as Olivia starts to see visions and "hallucinations" along with omens, then backstories, and old tales come to life, and mysteries about Cainsville itself revealed. The mystery really picks up with the disappearance of a girl from Cainsville and the body appears in the most creepy way that had me falling asleep with the light on. The again the body would disappear again. Dark and creepy things happen and appear that had my skin crawling with goosebumps. The relationship between Gabriel and Olivia had such ups and downs that had me gripping the book wondering what would happen.

The reader gets to know Gabriel more as his past unfolds and his current actions understood. We get to see questions answered and twists and turns in the story happen in regards to Gabriel and his life. It was awesome and unexpected.

Olivia was still a great character to follow along with. I hated reading about the intense sexual relations between her and another character you meet. It was gross and annoying. I don't want to see
 my neighbors have sex so I don't want to read about my characters having sex. GAH! THAT is what I felt took away from the story. The sex that happened often and in, sometimes, the WEIRDEST places and circumstances. I am grateful it wasn't too graphic but it was enough that I was like, "eww!"

Overall the mystery and paranomalcy of the book was great, the twists and turns that Armstrong took in the book was awesome. The disappointment for me was the sexual relations between Olivia and her boyfriend, it was often enough that I felt it took away from the subtle romance that I so enjoyed in Armstongs books.

Sexual Content: heavy
Language: heavy (more F words)
Drugs/Alcohol: mild (social drinking)
Violence: moderate (descriptions of decaying bodies, heads rolling around, bodies found-not too graphic)

*A HUGE thank you to Dutton & Penguin for the book Visions, which I got in exchange for an honest review*