The Silent Patient

I actually had this book finished early last week but didn't get this post done last Saturday because I was picking up brain matter off the walls. I still kinda am every time I think about what this story put me through. It's another one that hasn't officially been published yet- it will be February 5, 2019. It's wonderful so without further ado I present The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Rating: 5000!! (Okay, my rating system only goes up to five, so it's a five, but really 5000. So shoot me.)
Whoo-hoos: 3 (sex does happen but not on screen)

Alicia is living a life of luxury and talent between her art and Gabriel's photography, but all is not as it seems and most of it comes to light when she kills him. However, she hasn't said a word since the police initially responded to the report of shots fired. Not in defense. Not in anger. Nothing. For this reason, she is admitted to a psychiatric hospital and remains there for several years, when Theo, a therapist who has been enthralled with this case from the beginning, feels he can and needs to help Alicia. He transfers his career to the facility she has been kept in, surprising everyone when she starts responding to his guidance and even breaks her silence to speak with him. Though moving toward the truth is more perilous than originally thought...for everyone involved. 

A. J. Finn has described this book as the perfect thriller, and he is completely spot on. A novel of this caliber and magnitude has not been seen for a long time and serves to make the audience plead for the author to pen more books. From rich, intricate characters, (some with complex mental illnesses) to a plot full of incredible twists, the reader can never guess how it will conclude. Even for seasoned thriller enthusiasts, there is no level of predictability. To compare this work to any other would do severe disservice to this piece of art; it's in a realm entirely its own. The storytelling is quick paced and flows beautifully much like a rapid and swift river, securing its course and bringing whomever is on it along for the ride, whether or not they want to hit the rapids. This author manages to not show how intensive it will become, but manages to raise excitement levels to almost unbearable levels anyway. The amazing growth and development is both horrifying and gratifying, especially learning the motivation behind each action. It feels as though Michaelides wrote a nonfiction masked as fiction- this is how real everything seems, including every psychological aspect. A book that will be reread and recommended endlessly and spread far and wide.

To pre-order on Amazon go here: The Silent Patient

The Silence Ends 2.5.19

Keep your book as hot as your tea!

Forgetting the Enemy

You know those books that leave you swearing because the end is ridiculous but in a great way and it leaves you NEEDING more? That is Forgetting the Enemy by Amy Cecil. I had the wonderful privilege of doing an ARC review for this book so you'll have to wait until January 10, 2019 to read it yourself, but trust me it is well worth it. So without further ado I present the review. 

Rating: 5 (Jaw-dropping Oscar performance)
Whoo-Hoos: 5 (It's a really good thing this is coming out in cold weather...but you'll still need a fan...)

Michael and Zaira grew up together and both families have always known a marriage would happen between the two, but when Zaira's mother is killed Michael's family catches the blame and that relationship all but dissolves. Five years later, Zaira's brother is concerned about her well-being and recruits Michael's family to take out a common threat. When the hit is executed disorder erupts and amid the chaos Zaira falls, hitting her head and landing her unconscious. Michael can't leave her and does the only logical thing which is to place himself in charge of her care and safety. Things prove tricky when Michael learns the extent of her injuries and his own feelings. Struggling to help Zaira remember him, providing for her needs, and suddenly being the Don of a powerful family is becoming an increasing challenge- one Michael isn't necessarily thinking through with logic. 

A stellar book that grabs the reader from the beginning and holds them hostage past the ending, with a desperation to know how every little facet will play out. A seemingly believable glance into some of the more minor inner-workings of an Italian mobster family, and it manages to twist the audience's heart- hoping against hope that things will simply work out for the protagonists. It's heart-breaking, in the best way, to see the hero's growth throughout the novel and to see where it culminates. Not once did the story drag, but the end loomed closer and faster than one would like. A rarity in the romance world that deserves a minimum of ten stars!

To check it out on Amazon...You'll have to wait til it gets closer. ;) I'll try to update the link when it's up.

Keep your tea as hot your book!  

Nightblade

I'm putting up a post a couple days late because of sickness that infiltrated our house, (BOOOOOOOOO!) but I cannot begin to express my happiness that I found Nightblade by Garrett Robinson. I'm not even 100% sure how I discovered this tale, but Oh my heck! You'll see.

Rating: 4 (So so so close to getting an Oscar ready)
Whoo-hoos: 1 (Not bad at all. No need to get ice packs)

Loren will do anything to get away from her abusive parents, her scars and bruises attesting to her need to flee. She has only dreams of leaving until a wizard, on the run from constables, passes through her woods. She helps him escape capture and he agrees to bring her with him to the next city, but when Loren finds herself betrayed by the wizard she decides to make her own way to the village. She is both surprised and unprepared for the dangers that lie in front of her, but nothing prepares her for the response of the town. Getting on the bad side of several villains leaves her grasping her wit and intelligence with a ferocity that cannot be beat or removed. Gaining unlikely allies she manages to free herself from those wishing to do her harm and start on the path to learning just who she is. 

Such an incredible book! The way the different characters and plot lines are woven is nothing short of wonderful, playing on the feelings of the audience creating emotional bonds to the fictional people being read about. From wanting to punch Loren's father to bile rising when talking about a villain's antics, that connection is strong and played like a violin. Expect to gasp, cry, laugh, and cheer throughout the story. Though, it does slow down a little bit in the middle it picks back up making up for lost time, and the book ends up glued to one's hands. The world-building is utterly beautiful, making the words on the page disappear and thrusting the reader into the actual world and creating the need to answer the mysterious questions which arise. Thankfully this is only story one of a series as the desire to know more is strong and almost overpowering. Make sure you set a couple hours aside when you are about to jump into this tale as you'll want to finish it in one sitting!

To check it out on Amazon go here: Nightblade

Keep your tea as hot as your book!

Bayou Fire

Today I'm taking you down to New Orleans to talk about the incredible book Bayou Fire written by Sharon E. Cathcart. This book brings the heat and not just in the Gumbo! I am so happy I had the privilege of taking this journey and I think you'll love it too!

Rating: 5 stars (swoon worthy Oscar!)
Whoo-Hoos: 4 (it's steamy! OH my!)

As a travel journalist, Diana has the fascinating opportunity to explore and live in exotic and fun locations, but nowhere has piqued her interest as much as her current place- New Orleans. Though part of her intrigue is due to her inexplicable, suddenly recurring nightmares. The same ones she thought to be done, however, they hold more power for both her and the locals than she realizes, that is until she meets Amos. Meeting him causes her night terrors and her future to blend together to reveal the beautiful truth she's held this whole time. 

When the term "cajun spice" is mentioned, this book is what the person is speaking of. With an endearingly charming mix of personable characters and local food the reader can almost taste, it brings the flavour as well as the heat, and simply doesn't let up. Because of how well-written it is, one needs, NEEDS, to know what happens and can't put it down until the end. Curiosity about the perplexing nightmares and how they tie into the story creates all kinds of possibilities in a person's mind, though none are as magnificent as the truth. The people, and culture, examined are not mere 2-dimensional cardboard cutouts, but rather are intricately complex alive beings with rich accents, memories, and quirks. Truth be told, this is one of those stories that is wonderfully wrapped up at the finish, but the audience is extremely hesitant to close the cover on these new friends. Be prepared for the reread urge!!

To check this out on Amazon go here: Bayou Fire

Keep your tea as hot as your book!

The Dragon Tamer

Today sees two reviews! Whoo hoo! This book isn't being released until the end of the month, but I promise it is well worth the wait. This one is called The Dragon Tamer and it is written by Ava Richardson. I know I'll be watching out for the next couple books in the series!

Rating: 4 (so so so close to being Oscar worthy)

Whoo-Hoos: 0 (It's tame. You're good to have some look over your shoulder while reading.) 

In a world where dragons not only exist but are noble rulers, Kaelan finds herself within villages which are severely against anything dragon related. With a seriously ill mother and fragile grandmother the fate of her family rests squarely on her shoulders, but when disaster strikes at the market Kaelan realizes the responsibility rests on her more heavily than ever before. Frightened, she sets forth on her journey to the Akademy to become a dragon tamer, almost being killed by a couple dragons along the way, but saved by the dashing prince. Together they finish their travels to the school, but the true path of discovery and learning has just begun. For both of them.

Be prepared to stay up all night with this book, turning the pages faster and faster. As the protagonists take a tough exploration through self-mastery, so too do the readers because of the bond between the audience and characters. Because one is easily able to watch and feel what is taking place, this story appears to have be real instead of merely fiction. Two hard-to-overlook plot holes, however, leave the reader feeling discontented and questioning the prince's ability to rule. First, the heroine is too quick to forgive the hero often going so far as to excuse his callous behaviour, and two, the prince flip-flops on his loyalty and royal duties so much. Poor girl isn't sure whether she comes before the kingdom or if the kingdom comes first. With those couple of oversights noted, this is a solidly enjoyable read capable of making the world drop away and to have the audience chuckling with the sarcasm and wit presented.

To check it out on Amazon go here: The Dragon Tamer

Keep your tea as hot as your book!

Time's Convert

It's time for another rousing Saturday of Weekend Wyrds! In this post I'll be reviewing Deborah Harkness' Time's Convert. This one was a bit hard to get through and you'll see what I'm talking about in just a moment. So. Sit back, relax, and read what this says. Or not. The choice is yours. ;)

Rating: 2 (Probably needs to go back to the writing board a        bit..)
Whoo-hoos: 4 (Ooh la la!)

Philip and Becca are now eighteen months old and their parents are trying to gently guide them to their vampire and magical potential. Becca, the more vampire of the two, is entering her biting phase and Philip, the witch of the twins, has woven his first spell. Diana is learning to show her magic more willingly and is standing up to Matthew's brother with less and less difficulty.

Phoebe has made the decision to become a vampire to ensure her place as Marcus' eternal mate, but is required to stay away from him until ninety days after her transformation. Both are struggling in numerous ways so to help Marcus, Diana convinces him to talk about his past during the years 1762-1817. Doing so settles his anxiety about how Phoebe is doing and helps him come to peace with his history.

An interesting look and update on some of the favourite characters from the beloved All Souls Trilogy, that tries to help the readers understand one of the more elusive vampires. However, this book painfully pales next to the series as the three storylines clash too much to be placed in one book. Catching up on Matthew, Diana, and the twins would make a solid story; Marcus' backstory would form an engaging novel; and Phoebe's transformation would be powerful on its own but all three make it feel squished and not fully formulated. There is no understanding why Marcus and Phoebe are in love and the audience does not gain anymore knowledge into who she is separate from everything else. The historical details are accurate, somewhat engaging, but cause to plot to slow down. The scenes with the twins invoke chuckles and are incredibly realistic, as any parent can attest to. For fans of the trilogy, this is a large disappointment, but as a stand-alone it's only a mild let-down. 

To check it out on Amazon go here: Time's Convert

Keep your tea as hot as your book! 

Dandelion Iron

The next review is up! This one is Dandelion Iron by Aaron Michael Ritchey and it was an honest JOY to read! I hope that if you've never heard of this author you'll give him a chance...starting with this one! So let's hop into it.

Rating: 5 Stars (I seriously hope there's room for this Oscar!)
Whoohoos: 2 (Intense make out. Ooh boy!)

The Weller sisters live in a dystopian future where males are a rarity, let alone fertile ones, and five Western states- known as the Juniper- are completely devoid of all electricity. Cavatica has been going to school outside the Juniper for some time and is more than a little surprised when her crass sister shows up with news of their mama's death. Wren coerces Cavatica to return to the Juniper with her, where she quickly learns her eldest sister's plans for the cattle drive and more rapidly comes to understand her role in the proposal. When they stumble on a boy during their travels, the sisters' worlds are turned topsy-turvy causing all three girls to choose how they will allow the drive to effect them. 

An incredible journey through the entire gamut of emotions with outstanding characters that evolve and grow throughout their foray. It easily and quickly creates a visual and while reading, the words simply don't exist- only the movie it creates in the mind, only the story being shared. From the very first sentence, it grabs its unsuspecting audience, propelling them quickly forward, and does not let up until the very end where it dumps readers face first off a cliff. Thankfully this is the first book in the series, just make sure you have the second one close on hand! (That's a mistake this reviewer made that has since been remedied!) The ending does come faster than seems possible because of the incredible twists and turns the story takes and the true feeling of looking in a window at someone's life. 

If you're interested in looking this amazing book up on Amazon, here is the link to do so: Dandelion Iron

Keep your tea as hot as your book!

Cowboys Never Fold

The first book is ready to be reviewed! Whootini! Isn't the cover just scrumptious? As you can see I'm going to be reviewing Lexi Post's Cowboys Never Fold and I hope you're just as excited about this as I am!

Rating: 5 (That Oscar needs polishing!)
Whoohoos: 5 (Get that fan out!)

Kendra has had a dream of opening a nudist resort since she was a young girl and is so close to achieving that goal, but things are starting to happen around the resort including three stable managers just up and quitting. Unfortunately, all the men have come from the same temp agency and the owner of the agency is getting understandably concerned so decides to  recruit the help of his friend, Wade, to figure out what the hell is going  on. Wade is smitten with the resort itself but not nearly as much as he is with Kendra, both have to decide what their next step is going to be and if they're playing their cards to the chest or if they're going to allow others to see their intentions.

This book runs the gamut of emotions with a surplus of well chosen characters bringing themselves and the story to life; the depth of the people is astounding- from Kendra being ridiculously self-conscious to Wade needing to understand and not control his woman down to even the sentence structure of the speech- it all seems like this is a window to true folks just trying to do the best they can. The lead up to the story arc and the actual arc itself is more intense than the lovemaking scenes, but both powerfully suck you in. ;) The world building is downright beautiful and truly makes you wonder when you can go visit. My goodness! Not enough good things can be said about this book. If you're looking for a HOT cowboy romance, look no further...just make sure no one is glancing over your shoulder while you read. 

If you're interested in looking up this book on Amazon, here is the link to do so: Cowboys Never Fold

Keep your tea as hot as your book!  

Intro Stuffs

Hi! If you're reading this you probably have a good idea of who I am but for those who don't know, my name is Yannie and I am way crazy about books. I sometimes wish I could say it's a problem but it's definitely NOT. :D

I am very passionate about life and have just learned to really embrace the dreams I've always had. Including becoming a professional book reviewer- which I achieved summer of 2017 with InD'tale Magazine. LOOOOVE IT. I'm still working for them and decided it would be good to review other books I'm reading as well and I will be sharing the link to my reviews from the magazine on here. Now that I know what I'm doing with reviewing books, I feel more confident doing this blog though the tech side of things might be...a little...wonky... Hang in there with me, deal?

So, what can you expect with this blog? Honest reviews of books I've read and conversations about the books. I am hoping to post every Saturday and eventually post articles but I am nowhere near there as of yet. 

My rating system will be as follows:

~5 possible stars~

•   1- Back to the drawing board. It can be done!
•  2- 
•  3- Average Joe. It is not bad to get this rating! The story might just need a few tweaks to be stellar. Almost there!
•  4-
•  5- Glowing perfection. Frickin Oscar worthy in the book world. Good job!
• CNF- Could not finish. Full of grammatical errors, severe plot holes, confusing writing, basically something that needs to be seriously thought over. 
• DNF- Did not finish. Just not my flavour, but shouldn't discourage others from sampling.

~6 possible whoo hoos~

• 0- No nothing. No kissing. No hand holding. Nothing.
• 1- Mild and Chaste. Kisses on cheeks and hand-holding
• 2- Make out session!! Tongues in mouths. Hot and heavy descriptions, BUT NO SEX!
• 3- SEX! But no descriptions. Hot and Heavy make out, moved to bedroom then talking or hinting about it after
• 4- Sex baby! Ooh la la! Mild description. Hot and heavy make out + bedroom + the audience can peek in on the act
• 5- ALL THE SEXY DETAILS! Might wanna have a fan ready for these.
• 6- Too hot to handle! Includes BDSM, Erotic, Muliple Partners, etc. Do not have your mother-in-law in the same room when reading!

Now, I mentioned I'd be linking up my InD'tale reviews so here is the link for the October 2018 edition:

--Full magazine October InD'tale

--Link to review in Oct edition

Keep your tea as hot as your book!