About the Book: 
• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (June 30, 2015)

In the winter of 1803, one woman stands between Napoleon and the fall of Great Britain

The free-spirited daughter of an English baronet, Lisbeth defies convention by eloping to France. When her husband abandons her, she must find a way to survive and be reunited with her young son, who is in the care of her mother-in-law.

A seasoned spy known as Tidewatcher, Duncan apprenticed under Lisbeth's father and pledged to keep his mentor's pretty daughter safe—a promise complicated by the wily Napoleon Bonaparte. The British believe he is planning an attack, and Duncan is sent to search for signs of invasion on the French coast—where he draws dangerously close to adventurous and unpredictable Lisbeth.

A sensational new invention may shift the tide of a French victory. A brilliant and eccentric American inventor named Robert Fulton has devised a deadly weapon that can decimate an enemy's fleet. To protect English ships, Tidewatcher must gain control of Fulton's invention and cross enemy lines . . . but he cannot do it alone. Left with no other options, he enlists Lisbeth's help in outwitting the American inventor and uncovering Bonaparte's secret plans.

Going undercover for the handsome and duty-bound spy, Lisbeth risks her freedom and her life as she navigates double agents and submarine warfare to outwit the greatest military tactician in history. The only question is . . . who can she trust?



Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

About the Author: 
Lisa Chaplin has published twenty contemporary romances under a pseudonym, but the publication of The Tide Watchers marks her mainstream debut. Lisa, her husband, and their three children currently reside in her home country of Australia.

Follow Lisa on Twitter.



Review: 
Lies are more abundant than the truth between France and England in the early 1800’s.  Napoleon is quietly planning an attack on the British, and the British network of spies, known as the King’s Men are secretly keeping watch.  Known as the Tidewatcher, British spy Duncan is on a mission not only to watch the French Coastline for signs of invasion, but to find and protect his mentor, Sir Edward Sunderland’s daughter, Elizabeth.  Lisbeth Delacorte has been dragged through the gutter.  She eloped with Alain Delacort, a Frenchman to defy her father and get out of an arranged marriage to a wealthy Baron only to be abandoned in France and have her son stolen from her.  Now Lisbeth works in a tavern and is desperately trying to save her son from Alain’s cruelty.  When Duncan finds Lisbeth, he immediately sees her strength as a woman and as a spy.  Duncan trains Lisbeth for a mission going undercover in American inventor Robert Fulton’s household to gain intelligence of his submersible ship that may hold the key to undoing Napoleon’s plans.  Lisbeth accomplishes this and more, but only for Duncan’s promise that he will get her son back to her.  


Historical fiction and with spy tactics made this book intriguing, exciting and suspenseful.  I didn't know a lot about this time in history, so the mix of historical figures with fictional characters made this educational for me as well. Although, for me the fictional characters of Lisbeth and Duncan shone the brightest for me.  Lisbeth was a truly strong character in her morals, character, intelligence and physical strength.  She is put through many trials, going from a highborn lady to working in a tavern, attempted murders and rape to successfully completing spy missions, all for the hope of getting her son back. Duncan is a true King's Man, trained by the best, which makes him an enigma, holding many secrets and making it terribly difficult for him to open up to the woman who he loves.  The missions that Duncan and Lisbeth are sent on are filled with plenty of intrigue and provide many twists and turns, I especially liked learning about Robert Fulton and his submarines.  There was a little romance in here, but it was in no way the whole plot, just a nice little addition to keep things moving, although I do wish it was tied off a little better.  Overall, a quick-paced, spy-filled historical fiction adventure.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

About the Book

TItle: Wishing Cross Station

Author: February Grace

Genre: Fantasy

A dark fantasy romance from the author of GODSPEED and OF STARDUST…

Don’t stay a moment longer than you have to. Don’t say too much. Don’t pollute the timeline.

When nineteen-year-old college library page Keigan Wainwright is sent to pick up a private donation of books for the school’s collection, he has no idea where one of those books will take him, or what it will take from him.

Retracing a powerful man’s footsteps through the past, Keigan finds himself caught in the same dangerous trap: falling in love with a woman he was never meant to know, and uncertain he will ever find his way home.

 
Author Bio
February Grace is an author, poet, and artist from Southeast Michigan. In previous novels, she has introduced readers to characters with clockwork hearts, told of romantic modern-day fairy godparents, and reimagined a legend, centuries old. Now, in her fifth novel with Booktrope, readers will board the special at WISHING CROSS STATION and embark on a trip through time. She is more than mildly obsessed with clocks, music, colors, meteor showers, and steam engines.

 

Links

Author Website: http://februarywriter.blogspot.be/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FebruaryGrace

Twitter: @februarygrace

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25314615-wishing-cross-station/

Amazon(Paperback):http://www.amazon.com/Wishing-Cross-Station-February-Grace/dp/1620158434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432628660&sr=8-1&keywords=wishing+cross+station

Amazon(Kindle):http://www.amazon.com/Wishing-Cross-Station-February-Grace-ebook/dp/B00XMNYKGM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1432628660

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wishing-cross-station-february-grace/1121919713?ean=9781620158432

 


Review: 
Keigan is a pageboy at the college library, living a normal life with very little excitement.  He is sent on an errand to pick up a book donation at an elderly gentleman’s house.  One book that is donated looks extremely rare and unique; and the story that comes with it is even wilder.  Keigan is told that the book has the ability to transport him back in time from the historical replica train station in town to the original Wishing Cross Station.  Furthermore, Keigan is given very specific instructions and told that he should be the one to return the book back to its original time and close the time travel wormhole for good.  This is easier said than done when Keigan accomplishes going back in time and discovers the mysteries of the Aurelia Belle and one very charming resident of Wishing Cross.

A quick and interesting journey back in time to a charming town.  I really liked the idea of a train and train station being the medium for time travel.  Although, how the time travel actually happens was never quite explained.  It seems that no one really figured it out within the book either, which drove the decision to try and close the wormhole.  I did like that everyone was very cautious of the time travel train and knew that it was inherently dangerous.  Keigan is believable as a reluctant time traveler.  He is wary of interfering with the time line and does everything possible to fit in.  Even though, Keigan fails at not interfering just a bit when he meets the stationmasters daughter, Marigold, who holds the key to the mysteries of Wishing Cross past and present.  Overall, Wishing Cross Station was a cute time travel novella, but with a slightly heartbreaking ending.

This book was provided for free in return for an honest review. 

About the Book: 
Book title: DARKHAVEN
Author: A.F.E. Smith
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release date: 2 July 2015 (ebook), 14 January 2016 (paperback)
Price: £1.99/$3.99 (ebook)


Ayla Nightshade never wanted to rule Darkhaven. But her half-brother Myrren – true heir to the throne – hasn’t inherited their family gift, forcing her to take his place.

When this gift leads to Ayla being accused of killing her father, Myrren is the only one to believe her innocent. Does something more sinister than the power to shapeshift lie at the heart of the Nightshade family line?

Now on the run, Ayla must fight to clear her name if she is ever to wear the crown she never wanted and be allowed to return to the home she has always loved.

Buy links 
HarperCollins
Amazon (global link)
Barnes & Noble
Google play
iBooks
Kobo


Tour homepage: www.afesmith.com/darkhaven-blog-tour

Review: 
Ayla is imprisoned within her own home by her own father, the ruler of Darkhaven, for refusing to become the next ruler of Darkhaven over her older brother Myrren.  Every ruler of Darkhaven must be a Changer, someone with the ability to shift into a creature form.  Ayla has this ability, Myrren does not. Myrren helps Ayla escape from prison on the night that their father is murdered.  Furthermore, it appears that their father could have only been murdered by someone in Changer form, which leaves Ayla as the only suspect.  Now, Ayla is trying to stay hidden while searching for another Changer hidden in Darkhaven with the help of former guard member Tomas, Myrren is trying to solve the mystery of the new Changer attacks with the help of priestess Serenna while trying to clear his sister’s name and Captain of the Helm, Owen Travers is hunting Ayla down, convinced of her guilt.

Darkhaven is a surprising and suspenseful fantasy in a uniquely drawn world.  I was very drawn into the Changer myth, the forms that they can take and how the change manifests.  I’m glad that Serenna did research into the Changers so that they were well explained.  The characters are all engaging and thoughtful.  I was captivated by Ayla unwavering devotion to her brother and steadfast character when she would rather be imprisoned than take her brother’s place on the throne.  She also grew tremendously as a person when she was on the run with Tomas.  Myrren was mysterious and strong, I admired that he did not hold a grudge about not inheriting the Changer gift or the throne; although I did figure out part of his mystery pretty early on.  The best characters for me were the supporting characters, Serrena, Tomas and Sorrow added depth, personality and attitude. The mystery and suspense of Ayla’s escape, the extra Changer attacks and the mixed motives of the characters kept this book fast-paced, exciting and hard to put down.

This book was received for free in exchange for an honest review. 

 

About the Author:
A.F.E. Smith is an editor of academic texts by day and a fantasy writer by night. So far, she hasn’t mixed up the two. She lives with her husband and their two young children in a house that someone built to be as creaky as possible – getting to bed without waking the baby is like crossing a nightingale floor. Though she doesn’t have much spare time, she makes space for reading, mainly by not getting enough sleep (she’s powered by chocolate). Her physical bookshelves were stacked two deep long ago, so now she’s busy filling up her e-reader.

What A.F.E. stands for is a closely guarded secret, but you might get it out of her if you offer her enough snacks.


Author social media links
Website
Facebook
Twitter
DARKHAVEN on Goodreads

About the Book: 
• Print Length: 448 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (June 2, 2015)

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Princess Diaries series, comes the very first adult installment, which follows Princess Mia and her Prince Charming as they plan their fairy tale wedding—but a few poisoned apples could turn this happily-ever-after into a royal nightmare.

For Princess Mia, the past five years since college graduation have been a whirlwind of activity, what with living in New York City, running her new teen community center, being madly in love, and attending royalengagements. And speaking of engagements. Mia’s gorgeous longtime boyfriend Michael managed to clear both their schedules just long enough for an exotic (and very private) Caribbean island interlude where he popped the question! Of course Mia didn’t need to consult her diary to know that her answer was a royaloui.

But now Mia has a scandal of majestic proportions to contend with: Her grandmother’s leaked “fake”wedding plans to the press that could cause even normally calm Michael to become a runaway groom. Worse, a scheming politico is trying to force Mia’s father from the throne, all because of a royal secret that could leave Genovia without a monarch.  Can Mia prove to everyone—especially herself—that she’s not only ready to wed, but ready to rule as well?



Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Review: 
Five years after college graduation Her Royal Highness, Mia Thermompolis has a lot on her plate.  She runs a teen community center- well, when she can, still goes out with her high school sweetheart Michael and attends as many political engagements as she can to better Genovia.  Even more is added to her plate with negative media attention and increased paparazzi when her father is arrested for speeding and his place in the Genovian prime minister polls drops.  Media outlets also wonder when the heck Mia will ever get married while at the same time hounding her for the refugee situation in Genovia and the GMO Genovian oranges.  Michael whisks Mia away from all this to their own private island getaway where he finally proposes.  Mia is overjoyed until she finds out that fake wedding plans and even a date have already been leaked to the press in order to cover up an even bigger scandal of her father’s before she even returns home.

Princess Mia Thermompolis is back!  I remember when the first book came out and I fell in love with Mia, her quirks and her transformation into a princess.  Now, eleven books later, I feel like we have grown up together.  Don’t worry if you haven’t read all eleven books though, you can jump right into Royal Wedding.  I love that Mia’s core personality has not changed throughout all of these books; she has grown into an adult and a wonderful princess but is still the same Mia at heart. She still loves her dorky TV shows, has the same friends and a wonderful heart, but she is still nowhere near perfect and continues to make blunders  that any normal person would make.  Mia and Michael’s relationship continues to be super-sweet and Michael was super supportive, level-headed and hilarious.  I’m so glad that Mia had a beautiful wedding and that I have had a chance to see her through adulthood.  I don’t know how I feel yet about Mia’s little sister, but she sure seems awfully cute!

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

 

About the Author: 
Meg Cabot was born in Bloomington, Indiana. In addition to her adult contemporary fiction, she is the author of the bestselling young adult fiction series, The Princess Diaries. More than 25 million copies of her novels for children and adults have sold worldwide. Meg lives in Key West, Florida, with her husband.

Find out more about Meg at her website, follow her blog, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Book: 

• Paperback
• Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (June 9, 2015)

Near the end of World War II, seventeen-year-old Mireille de Jouarre flees the home of her stepfather, a Nazi collaborator and abusive drunk. She finds shelter with her childhood friend Stefan, and the two fall deeply in love. But as the fighting escalates, Mireille must escape alone to Paris, where she discovers she’s pregnant and lacking a way to provide for her child.

So begins her new life as l’Ange—the Angel. After an unlikely meeting with a wealthy aristocrat in a Parisian hotel—and her acceptance of his solicitation—Mireille becomes the most celebrated poule in all of France, eliciting huge fees and invitations to exclusive parties. At one of these events, Mireille meets Oliver Jordan, an American womanizer and film producer, and is soon launching a promising film career. As her star rises, Mireille is determined to bury her past. But her success isn’t as carefree and glittery as it seems, and when her daughter’s future is threatened, Mireille must make a deadly decision in a desperate attempt to finally choose her own path.



Purchase Links
Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Review: 
Mireillle grew up in the French countryside during the Nazi occupation.  After her father passes, life becomes difficult and she lives a Cinderella-like existence with a jealous stepmother and her abusive boyfriend.  Mireille narrowly escapes the cruelty of her home life to find solace with a childhood friend, Stefan.  They become lovers and Mireille believes she has found happiness.  Stefan dies as part of the Resistance and Mireille is left pregnant and poor.  She finds herself penniless in Paris and difficult to find work with a new baby, Stephanie.  Just as her luck has seemed to run out, Mireille meets a rich man who will pay her for an hour of her time and the use of her body.  He refers Mireille to Madam Renee’s where she is transformed into l’Ange, the most sought after prostitute in Paris.  Mireille’s new profession allows her to care for her daughter and send her to school in Switzerland.  It also introduces her to several Hollywood movie producers which gives Mireille a chance to leave behind prostitution for acting.  Her new life seems glamorous, but the choices Mireille has made affected her daughter and Mireille will have to choose her own path.

Mireille kept me entertained and enchanted throughout its almost 600 pages.  Mireille’s journey is almost like a fairytale where she rises from an abused country girl to high class prostitute to movie-starlet, except we get to see that it is not all glamour and perfection. There are plenty of cliché’s throughout the story, but Mireille's character is intriguing and never boring.  Her struggle, rise and fall and her determination to protect her daughter and remember Stephan are what kept me reading. You do have to be ok with a lot of sex, language, rape and drug abuse to be able to enjoy this book.  Mireille also took me through a lot of history and around the world, from the end of World War II in France to high class prostitution in Paris to the making of Spaghetti Westerns in Rome and the Golden Age of Hollywood. My favorite part of the story was the very beginning where Mireille was with Stephan, I also think she was bravest after he died.  It was interesting to see the parallels between Mireille’s life as a prostitute and her life as an actress.  Overall, a sweeping story of survival, overcoming obstacles and remembering your purpose in life. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

 

About the Author: 
Molly Cochran is the author of more than twenty novels and nonfiction books, including the New York Times bestseller Grandmaster, The Forever King, The Broken Sword, and The Temple Dogs, all cowritten with Warren Murphy. She is also the author of The Third Magic, and she cowrote the nonfiction bestseller Dressing Thin with Dale Goday. Cochran has received numerous awards, including the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award, the Romance Writers of America’s “Best Thriller” award, and an “Outstanding” classification by the New York Public Library. Recently she published a series of young adult novels, Legacy, Poison, and Seduction, and two novellas, Wishes and Revels. Legacy won a 2013 Westchester Fiction Award.

Visit Molly at her website, mollycochran.com.

About the Book: 
Publication Date: June 19, 2013
Formats: Ebook, Paperback
223 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction



READ AN EXCERPT.

Across Great Divides is a timeless story of the upheavals of war, the power of family, and the resiliency of human spirit. When Hitler came to power in 1933, one Jewish family refused to be destroyed and defied the Nazis only to come up against another struggle—confronting apartheid in South Africa.

Sixteen-year-old Eva and her twin sister, Inge, witness their lives in Berlin change before their eyes. Their best friend, Trudy, betrays them when she becomes a member of the Hitler Youth. A valuable family heirloom, a beautiful emerald and diamond pendant necklace, is confiscated by the Nazis as they continue to harass Jewish families and businesses.

Their younger brother, Max, a member of the underground resistance, sees even greater danger ahead. Their father, Oskar, a diamond merchant with a thriving business, refuses to leave his beloved Germany and believes Hitler will eventually fail. Their mother, Helene, the elegant matriarch of the family, holds her family together.

The family is conflicted whether they should leave home. But after the devastation of Kristallnacht in 1938, they finally flee Germany with the help of the underground resistance after hiding many diamonds. They seek refuge in Antwerp, but war follows them as Belgium is occupied by the Germans.

A young German man, a nun, a countess conspiring against the Nazis, and a winegrower secretly hiding Jewish children, help them to escape Europe. They hike over the Pyrenees Mountains while eluding German patrols and Spanish informers. Then, they spend agonizing days on a ship bound for Rio de Janeiro that is targeted by a German U-boat. As Rio’s diamond business is corrupt, they decide to go to South Africa, another diamond market.

In Cape Town, Eva encounters an impoverished colored woman, Zoe, who is in need of work. The family hires Zoe as their maid and shields her and her daughter, Zola, from the dangers they face in the slums of District Six and from the horrors of apartheid, which are all too reminiscent of Nazi Germany.

But, when Max gets into trouble with the South African police over his participation in an anti-apartheid march, will he be subject to imprisonment?

In a thrilling conclusion, the family comes to terms with the evils of society, both in their memories and current situation in South Africa.



Review: 
During the rise of Nazi Germany, one Jewish family refuses to be separated and controlled by the Nazi regime.  Twins Eva and Inge live a privileged life along with their brother Max in Berlin, Germany.  Their father, Oskar is prominent in the diamond business and is able to provide for the family; but as Hitler’s influence grows, Jewish business owners are forced to close, and families are forced to give up their belongings.   Discrimination against the Jews grow and it becomes harder to live day to day, Max becomes part of the underground and Eva and Inge lose their best friend, Trudy to the Nazi cause.  The family is forced to leave the home and their country to escape the inevitable.  Using the few precious diamonds that he has left, Oskar and his family escape Germany through a treacherous path that leads them through Belgium, Spain, Rio Di Janeiro and finally finding peace in Cape Town, South Africa only to be confronted with the hate of apartheid. 

Across Great Divides is a unique look into one family’s journey to escape the hatred of Nazi Germany.  It was interesting to see how a family of means still struggled under the discrimination imposed by Hitler.  Their determination and hardship while they fled their home felt very real and emotional as the family risks everything to stay together and find a place where they can be at peace.  It was interesting to see the spread of hatred in the Nazi regime followed them all the way to South America.  The family’s experience with apartheid in South Africa was intriguing now that they were on the other side of the discrimination. I enjoyed this book from the historical perspective and the focused look into one family’s unique experience; however, the writing was done in third person and many large events were told to the reader in a sentence and not experienced through a character.  While I felt the journey through the whole family, I struggled with not being able to truly identify with one character. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

 

About the Author
Monique loves writing that twitches her smiling muscles or transports her to another time or place. Her passion for writing began as a young girl while penning stories in a journal. Now she looks forward to deepening her passion by creating many unique stories that do nothing less than intrigue her readers.

Monique was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and her grandparents were European Jews who fled their home as Hitler rose to power. It’s their story that inspired her to write Across Great Divides, her debut, historical fiction novel.

Monique holds a degree in journalism from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and is also the author of a children’s book Once Upon a Time in Venice. In her free time, she loves to travel, play tennis, pursue her passion for writing, and read historical fiction. In 2008, she was chosen by the American Jewish Committee’s ACCESS program to travel to Berlin, Germany, on the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, to explore German and Israeli relations along with 20 other Jewish professionals from across the U.S.

Discover more at Monique Roy’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Read An Excerpt: 
Chapter One

 

Berlin, Germany 1932

 

Eva first saw him on a mild summer night at the Berliner Philharmonie concert hall, minutes before a symphony. She watched from the balcony as the hall slowly filled up with people—women in glittering dresses, impeccably dressed gentlemen, and children scrubbed clean and in their finest clothes. Tuxedoed ushers greeted streams of guests as they floated into the great hall, soon to be riveted by sweeping, romantic music.

Eva concentrated on the stage setup—the position of the strings and basses in relation to the flutes and clarinets, as well as the talented musicians who readied themselves onstage, eager to deliver a truly spectacular performance. In fact, Eva always observed the way the instruments were positioned as it revealed a great deal about the performance to come.

Suddenly, her concentration was broken when the hall went silent and the audience’s attention was directed to a man who appeared in the second floor’s golden balcony. He was a recognizable and popular figure. He was not alone. A beautiful, young blonde woman clung to his side. Before he took his seat, he turned to the audience and outstretched his right arm in a rigid, formal salute. Many in the audience raised their right hands in response. Without a sound or any movement, he acknowledged the guests with his hypnotic, pale blue eyes and spellbinding manner. He possessed a strange and powerful magnetism. Gentle murmurs emerged from the audience and quickly hushed as darkness enveloped them.

Eva leaned over the balcony’s rail and stared across the hall at the man. She knew who he was. Everyone did.

“Is that –” her sister, Inge, softly whispered.

“Adolf Hitler,” Eva cut her off, maintaining her stare. “The leader of the National Socialist Party. Many say he is a man of great power and may be Germany’s last hope.”

Inge’s eyes, identical to her sister’s, grew wide with curiosity.

Review: 
Mackenzie Day has joined the elite and secret group of mind readers, The Unseen.  However, she is still grieving over her best friend, Maddie.  As she continues her training with the Unseen , Mackenzie learns that her abilities are very strong and exceed those of her trainers.  She is given a  job looking into the mind of a scientist that is creating toxic chemicals for the Unseen’s enemy, the Potestas.  Mackenzie discovers a dangerous secret within the scientists mind, but it is her own vigilante mission that places all of the Unseen and countless members of the public in a deadly situation.


Picking up right after Unseen, Unforgiven is action-packed and emotional.  Mackenzie is dealing with a tremendous amount of grief over her best friend, Maddie and she is not dealing with it well.  The grief is effecting her training, her decisions and the way she responds to others entering her brain, making her vulnerable to attacks.  Her training and assignments are very interesting to me and I liked seeing inside Tracy's mind and seeing her defenses and Mackenzie's way of breaking them down.  I also liked Mackenzie's relationship with Owen, it didn't move too fast and it is very sweet.  I really want to see where this series will go next!


Purchase Links: 
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Iv2OLc
iTunes: coming soon
Nook: http://bit.ly/1MHZ3U7
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1QLr9hD
Google: http://bit.ly/1HqxqyK

About the Book: 
On Sale: June 09, 2015
Pages: 280
Published by : Hydra

Welcome to Mercy House, a state-of-the-art retirement home that appears perfectly crisp, clean, and orderly . . . but nothing could be farther from the truth. In Adam Cesare’s thrilling novel, the residents will find little mercy—only a shocking eruption of unfathomable horror.

Harriet Laurel notices the odor at Mercy House as soon as she sets foot inside, brought there against her will by her son, Don, and his wife, Nikki. In the early stages of dementia, Harriet has grown resentful of Nikki, blaming her daughter-in-law for failing to supply grandchildren. Yet even Harriet must admit that her mind becomes clearer as soon as she crosses the threshold. If it wasn’t for that annoying smell.

Arnold Piper is an eighty-five-year-old ex-Marine, a proud man who has cared for himself his whole life. But no longer. Betrayed by his aging body, Arnold is learning that the trials he survived long ago in war-torn Korea pale beside the daily indignities of growing old. Little does he know that his greatest nightmares are still ahead of him.

Sarah Campbell is an idealistic nurse whose compassion has been stretched to the breaking point at the chronically understaffed facility that is Mercy House. But now Sarah’s list of unpleasant duties is about to take a terrifying turn. For something wicked is brewing in Mercy House. Something dark and rotten . . . and deadly.

Purchase Links
Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble



Review: 
Mercy House is where the elderly go to spend the last of their days. Many people know that once they are there, they are not going to leave.  Harriet is well aware of this fact when her son and daughter-in-law go to drop her off there.  Harriet has Pick’s disease and it is slowly deteriorating her brain.  Harriet and her son Don and daughter and law Nikki notice that something is wrong with the residents of Mercy House soon after they arrive.  The residents have begun to heal, no longer suffering from the effect of old age; they are now strong, agile and out for blood of the younger. 

 This book started out really strong for me from the prologue where the after effects are seen, something is terribly wrong in a retirement home, a setting that scares some people anyway, but no one would guess what these residents are up to.  The suspense did build for me as I got to know some of the resident’s characters and their back story, it was hard to imagine anyone suffering in a retirement home and I almost felt like rooting for them as their afflictions healed.  However, there was excessive gore, sex and brutality through the majority of the book.  Some of it bothered me a little, some of it didn’t, and it will depend on who you are if you will like this at all.  My biggest peeve though was that the reason for the resident’s change is not explained.  I thought that it may be alluded to with a strange smell and a shadow figure, but it wasn’t revealed. 

 

About the Author: 
Adam Cesare is a New Yorker who lives in Philadelphia. He studied English and film at Boston University. His books include Video Night, The Summer Job, Zero Lives Remaining, and Tribesmen. His nonfiction has appeared in Paracinema, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and other venues.

About the Book: 
Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Atria Books
Formats: eBook, Hardcover
Pages: 480
Series: Book One, The Seven Sisters
Genre: Historical Fiction



Internationally bestselling author Lucinda Riley returns with THE SEVEN SISTERS, the first novel in a spellbinding new series (seven books in all) inspired by the ancient myth of the Seven Sisters of Pleiades. THE SEVEN SISTERS takes readers from the shores of Lake Geneva to modern day Rio de Janeiro to bohemian Paris of the 1920s in a sweeping saga of passion, sacrifice, and the enduring power of art.

Upon the death of their wealthy, enigmatic father, Maia D’Apliese and her sisters convene at their family home, a secluded estate on the shores of Lake Geneva. Each of the sisters had been adopted at birth from a different part of the globe. Maia, the eldest, is the first to learn of their adoptive father’s death. Confusion is added to her grief when the sisters — Maia, the beauty; Ally, the leader; Star, the peacemaker; CeCe, the pragmatist; Tiggy, the nurturer; and Electra, the fireball – gather to hear the reading of the will. Their father has left each of his daughters a simple clue about her birthplace.

Until now, Maia has constructed her life so that she does not have to leave the safety of the family nest. But spurred by her father’s final bequest, Maia embarks on a journey to Rio de Janeiro to discover the truth of her origins. In Rio, Maia is accompanied by Floriano Quintelas, a novelist and amateur historian, who is intrigued to discover that Maia is apparently descended from the Aires Cabrals, an aristocratic Portuguese family who have been prominent in the country for the past two centuries. Together, they delve into her complex family history, a quest that is helped by their discovery of the crumbling mansion where an elderly woman – Maia’s biological grandmother — is on the verge of death. When the old woman’s caretaker secretly slips Maia a stack of old letters, an astonishing family history unfolds.

Praise for The Seven Sisters“A brilliant page-turner, soaked in glamour and romance.” -The Daily Mail

“Riley launches her most ambitious and exciting writing project to date……a labyrinth of seductive time-switch stories, the enchanting brand of novel writing which has made Riley one of the best women’s fiction authors on the market… An epic start to an epic series.” -The Lancashire Evening Post

The Seven Sisters Available at
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Review: 
A wealthy Swiss businessman has traveled the world and adopted six daughters, all named after the stars in the Pleiades constellation.  The sisters have grown up with a life of privelege and have all been able to go their separate ways to fulfill their dreams in adulthood.  Upon their father’s death, whom the sisters lovingly call Pa Salt, the sisters are brought back together at their childhood home on Lake Geneva, called Atlantis.  Here they realize that they do not know much of their father, or where they came from. Pa Salt has left each daughter a letter with clues to their past if they want to find out more.  The oldest daughter, Maia, who works as a translator takes the opportunity to follow her clues to Rio De Janiero, Brazil where she uncovers her past with the help of an author that she has translated for.  She finds that she is connected to an aristocratic family and through her Great Grandmother’s letters, Maia learns of Izabel a Bonifacio’s time spent in Bel Epoque Paris and her connection with the Christ the Redeemer statue.

Enchanting and addicting, I could not put down The Seven Sisters.  Maia and Izabela’s dual timelines unfold much like a fairytale, two elements that I love!  There are mysteries upon mysteries that pulled me into the story.  Each sister is introduced in the beginning, and each has their own distinct personality and their own past to find. This book focuses on Maia.  Each of the characters has astounding depth; Maia is compassionate, emotional and intelligent.  Maia’s intense feelings drew me in and rooted me to her story.  When Maia reaches Brazil, her sense of adventure is tapped into and another layer is uncovered.  The story flows flawlessly between Maia and her great-grandmother Izabela, and I loved both stories equally.  Izabela and Maia’s stories parallel each other’s lives and both are strong female characters that are fighting for want they want out of life.  I love that Izabela’s story took me from Rio De Janiero to Bel Epoque Paris, where she met sculptor Paul Landowski and his assistant Laurent Brouilly where I could learn of the construction of the Christ the Redeemer statue.  I can’t wait for the other sister’s journeys.  Filled with intrigue, adventure, romance, beautiful writing and imaginative scenes, The Seven Sisters is one of my favorite books so far this year.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

About the Author
Lucinda Riley was born in Ireland and during her childhood travelled extensively abroad, particularly to the Far East to visit her father.

Moving to London she became an actress working in film, theatre and television. Five years ago she designed and built a house on the island of Koh Chang in Thailand, where her father had purchased land many years before. Her passion for history combined with her love of travel, and Thailand in particular, inspired her to write her novel Hothouse Flower, published by Penguin in November 2010.

She currently lives in Norfolk and France with her husband and four children.

For more information please visit Lucinda’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Goodreads.

More Titles from Lucinda RileyThe Orchid House
The Lavender Garden
Girl on the Cliff
The Italian Girl
The Midnight Rose