Book Review: Crazy on You by Rachel Gibson

Crazy on You (Goodreads)

I had higher hopes for this book. It had the potential to be a great novella with enjoyable characters and a fun plot. Letting the reader's imagination take the romance to the next step can add to a shorter text.  Unfortunately I found this book too stuffed with erotic clutter that ruined the sensual flow of the story.

I also have a difficult time when the text of a new or seasoned author is filled with errors. Whether it is the lack of editors due to software dependence or laziness in human detecting, it irks me to no end to see misspelled words, incorrect grammar, and simple punctuation mistakes. Writers and the publishing community need to be more diligent in the editing phase; readers of all ages are watching what is put upon these pages. Is a good story not worth the extra time and effort to make it the best it can be? I sure think so. What do you think?

 

~ cross-posted on Goodreads

Book Review: The Mistress of Normandy by Susan Wiggs

The Mistress of Normandy (Goodreads)

Amidst the fight of French and English land rights, we see the French Bois-Long maiden fall in love with the English baron who lays claim to her land, her home, and her heart - the latter being the most difficult to acquire.

 

Filled with action, adventure, and minor characters that are as well-written as the hero and heroine, I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy a setting that draws you in, characters to grow with, and a plot that takes you through a lifetime of tears and joy in between two covers.

 

I am happy to be a biased reader as I am a new fan of Susan Wiggs. Well done.

 

Aren't you wondering what is just Beyond My Bookshelf? Come back again and see.

 

~ cross-posted on Goodreads

Becoming Psychic Magazine, August 2014 - Book Review Link

Becoming Psychic Magazine - August 2014 Issue

Welcome back for another of my book reviews for Becoming Psychic Magazine. This month you can read my review of Divine Reflections by Sandie Woolford. I have linked the picture to the webpage that the magazine PDF is on...just scroll to pages 59 & 60 to read what August's book is all about.

Don't forget to read the rest of this month's edition while it is free. You can read the magazine in PDF by going HERE and scrolling through. Did I mention my book review is on page 59? You should check just to be sure.

Come back and tell me what you think. There's always something interesting Beyond My Bookshelf.

Becoming Psychic Magazine, July 2014 - Book Review Link

Becoming Psychic Magazine - July 2014 Issue



Hey fellow readers! I'm sorry I'm posting this one so late in the month, but there is still another week left to read the July issue of Becoming Psychic Magazine for free, and especially my book review of The Hummingbird That Answered My Heart's Call by Noelle M. Meade-Izzi.

 

Just click here, and scroll a touch to the PDF magazine. I'm on page 71 & 72...yes, more scrolling! But I swear it's worth it! It's a beautiful book as you can see by some of the pictures included in my review. But the pictures don't do the book justice. If you like the review, purchase the book. But also tell me about it!

 

The next edition of Becoming Psychic Magazine comes out on August 1. I will put up the link as soon as I can. Don't forget to let me know what you think.

 

What do you think is Beyond My Bookshelf?

Short Story Review: Love Forever by Anuraag Bhaskabhatta

Love Forever by Anuraag (Smashwords)

Write-up from Smashwords:

A love story is like a recipe that has the same ingredients but not necessarily tastes the same always. Every love story is different in some or the other way and so is this one. Based on events from true incident, this is however a work of fiction. A sweet love story about a boy who is dying of cancer but falls in love with a girl he had a crush on in the past. Can he tell her the truth? Can they fall in love? Read to find out.

There is just something about this story. It is only 10 pages long, but it tells a lifetime of emotion in that short time. It touches me in its innocence and sweetness of first love. It is untouched, unfettered, unhurried love. It is just love.

Anuraag is a refreshing voice to read, and I am very glad I stopped by to pick up his love story. It was advertised as free on Smashwords. Such a beautiful story for no payment to the author. I hope to read more from him in the future.

You can also read this wonderful story, Love Forever on Smashwords. And follow the author on Facebook. I'm happy to have him in my reading collection. What else will we find Beyond My Bookshelf?

~ cross-posted on Smashwords

Book Review: With a Southern Touch (Anthology) by Jennifer Blake, Heather Graham, and Diana Palmer

With a Southern Touch (Goodreads) 

 

This book is an anthology of stories by three wonderful romance authors.

 

Adam by Jennifer Blake

 

In this book, we find Adam Benedict on the hunt for Kim Belzoni, a woman who just murdered her abusive husband in self defense. He intends to take her to the sheriff, his cousin Roan. But it's awfully hard for Adam to find Kim when her niece, Lara Kincaid keeps getting in the way. Lara has a mystical and ghostly sense to her the first time they meet, and Adam is all the more intrigued the more he finds out about her. With Kim always one step ahead of him, Lara has more time to convince Adam about how abused Kim had been in the marriage. And along the way, both Lara and Adam discover more about each other than either was prepared for.

 

A wonderful and fun read.

 

A Night in Paradise by Heather Graham

 

Mike and Mary are an elderly couple in a rehabilitation facility in the small town of Paradise. They are blessed with a strong love for each other and each one reaches out their grandchild to come to their wedding. Aurora, Mary's granddaughter, is a playwright and owner of the Paradise Theater, a small place where the local talent can make her words shine. Helpful in visiting her grandmother on a regular basis, Aurora also tends to make a good impression on Mike. This leads to Max Wulfson, Mike's grandson, getting the wrong impression over a phone call, and leaves immediately to break up Mike's nuptials to the wrong woman. When he figures out he was mistaken, he plays a little game with Aurora, who is not correcting Max's mistake just yet. Oh, and did Max forget to mention he was a famous New York playwright?

 

Some funny moments finally sway to this sweet romance with a great ending.

 

Garden Cop by Diana Palmer

 

Curtis Russell is enjoying his vacation visiting his mother, Matilda. As an FBI agent, he finds it hard to rest when he notices the neighbour, Mary Ryan, growing some illegal plants in her front yard garden. The gall of the woman! Some fantastically funny writing had me laughing out loud at the predicaments Mary and Curt keep getting into together. From physical tussles in the muddy garden over tomato plants to Mary and Curt running wildly through the dark community in their pajamas looking for a dog that doesn't even belong to them. As the two work together, they realize their is an escaped government witness with a gun on the loose in Matilda's back shed. They do some quick detective thinking, winding up in shots fired, an ambulance ride, and an ending that I wasn't expecting.

 

I laughed out loud and enjoyed this story the best in this anthology.

 

I am very happy I own this anthology as it will be read again. I recommend it highly to those who enjoy light clean romances.

 

~ cross-posted on Goodreads

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 





Book Review: Club Prive: Book 2 by M.S. Parker

Club Prive: Book 2 (Goodreads)

Welcome to the second in the five book series of Club Prive. Go to my review of book 1 if you missed it. You definitely need to read each book in order to get the whole story.

At the beginning of this book, we see our main attractive male lead, Gavin, confess to having been a little underhanded from the beginning...but, of course, for good reason. He just had to find a way to see Carrie again. What better way to find out about the woman who has caught your attention than asking her best friend. The main question is: will Carrie be able to trust Gavin again after he lied?

While Carrie battled herself about whether to forgive Gavin, I found it humorous how she handled the wooing stage of Gavin's affections. In the end, Carrie agrees to go to a formal charity event with him, but not necessarily in a romantic sense.

Because this is an ongoing storyline, and I really don't want to give anything away, I can't say much more about what goes on. But I can tease you a bit and say that I think Book 2 is even more steamy than Book 1. I guess you'll just have to go and read it now. You're welcome!

I enjoyed the passion and sensuality of this book, but I do wish Carrie was a little stronger in her personal convictions. I recommend to those who enjoy erotic romance.

I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

~ cross-posted on Goodreads

Revised Blog Tour Promo: Sand & Clay and Logan's Story by Sarah Robinson

Young New York City socialite Caroline Sanders is perfectly satisfied with her life until the brooding rock star Logan Clay tramples all over her illusions and shows her just how much she has been missing.

There are a million reasons why they shouldn’t be together and their timing couldn’t possibly be worse. Nothing goes according to plan and Logan must choose between Caroline or his career. Caroline must choose between this newly found love or the life her parents had made for her.

As much as they fight their true feelings, fate keeps throwing them back into each other’s lives. Can they find a way to be together when they have every reason to run the opposite direction? Happy endings might not be for everyone...

NOTE: This book is intended for 18+ years old.

 

 

To Purchase Sand and Clay

 

Amazon US

Amazon CA 

Barnes and Noble

Kobo 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A prequel novella to Sand & Clay.

Logan Clay is a dreamy, starving artist working multiple jobs to support his ailing mother and unemployed father, all while pursuing his dream of becoming a famous musician.

When luck shines on him, it looks like he might finally get the big break that he has been waiting for- that is until he meets Gina.

The daughter of a record label executive, Gina Vile has the potential to make all of Logan’s dreams come true or destroy any chance he will ever have. Can fame and love go hand in hand?

 

 

To Purchase Logan's Story

 

Amazon US 

Amazon CA 

Barnes and Noble 

Kobo 

 

 

 

Sarah Robinson

 

Sarah Robinson is the three-time Amazon Bestselling Author of Sand and Clay, Tainted Bodies, and Tainted Pictures. Her very popular trilogy, The Photographer Trilogy, includes Tainted Bodies, Tainted Pictures, and the not yet released Untainted. Her latest publications include Sand and Clay and Logan’s Story, both in the Sand and Clay Series. All of her novels have reached Amazon’s Bestseller Rank in Crime, Thriller, Contemporary Romance, and/or Romantic Suspense. She also has a very large social media following, including over ten thousand Facebook fans.

Her writing often concentrates on the complexity of love in emotions, combining psychological complexities and human flaws to create very real characters that readers can relate with. Her work focuses on redemption and forgiveness, learning to build on what has been broken. Her characters are often in conflicting situations, leaving the reader to decide what is right and what is wrong. She uses her stories to hold a mirror up to the reader and ask them to see things they never knew, or had forgotten, about themselves.

           

Sarah Robinson is a native of the Washington, DC area and has both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in criminal psychology. She is newly married to her soul mate, Justin, who is just as much of an animal rescue enthusiasts as she is.  Together, they own a zoo of rescues including 2 dogs, 7 cats, and 5 turtles, as well as volunteering and fostering for multiple animal shelters.

 

 



Contact Sarah Robinson at these links:

 

Facebook

Twitter 

Amazon 

Goodreads 

 

 

 



 

 

 









Book Review: Club Prive: Book 1 by M.S. Parker

Club Prive: Book 1 (Goodreads)

 

In Club Prive: Book 1 we meet Carrie, a law intern working towards her Master's Degree. With barely enough time to work and study, Carrie has proclaimed that there is just no time in her life at the moment for dating or a relationship. Trying to alleviate her stress, Leslie with the loud snorting laughter, and Krissy, roommate to Carrie throughout their higher education, drag Carrie to the new nightclub in town, Club Prive. And here is where our hot, mysterious Gavin enters the picture. A friendly dare from her friends, and Carrie finds herself with Gavin's phone number. But remember, she has no time for a commitment.

 

Strangely enough, Gavin keeps showing up wherever Carrie is. He seems to know quite a bit about the lawyer-to-be, and yet she knows so little about him. What kind of passion will be found between a stubborn woman and a mysterious man? Sensual and electrifying are the most I will give you because I need to leave you wanting more...much like M.S. Parker has left me wanting to read the next book. This one ends in quite the cliff-hanger, so expect to be begging for more.

 

Sensual, tasteful, and enjoyably fun is what I felt reading the first of The Club Prive series. I hope to find more excitement in the following episodes. I recommend to readers of erotic romance.

 

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

 

~ cross-posted on Goodreads



Becoming Psychic Magazine, May 2014 - Book Review Link

Becoming Psychic Magazine - May 2014 Issue
 

I am so excited to share this link with everyone because I had the wonderful opportunity of reading and reviewing Robert Moss' book, The Boy Who Died and Came Back. Robert Moss is also the special guest interview for the May Issue.

After you have read my review, come back here and let me know what you think, and if you have any personal stories about Shamanic Journeying, Conscious Dreaming, or want to know more about them in your spiritual journey.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the May Issue of Becoming Psychic Magazine while it's free all month long. Do you have any stories of spiritual nature that you would like to tell? Let me know.

Don't forget to come back to see what's Beyond My Bookshelf. What will we find next?

My Prison Without Bars: The Journey of a Damaged Woman to Someplace Normal by Taylor Evan Fulks

My Prison Without Bars (Goodreads)

 

 





This is a story unlike any story I have read before. Taylor Evan Fulks is an amazing writer, and she has an amazing life story to tell. My Prison Without Bars is a fictional book based on true facts. It is told without filters, and written in an adult language that is very graphic. It is meant for 18+ adults to read, and states that it may trigger those who have experienced childhood sexual abuse.

I have read several books in fiction and non-fiction genres on childhood and adult sexual abuse. This is a topic that has been close to my heart since my own incidences as both a child and an adult. It was in December that I saw a post about this book needing reviewers. I approached Taylor on Goodreads to read it, and felt a connection with her right away. I knew this was a book that I needed to read, and a story that I needed to hear. I began reading it in January, after all the holidays and festivities had wound down. With the attention span of a gnat, I need to have a quiet and serene surrounding to give a book my best attention. So I began...

It didn't take long before something strange started happening. Flashes of my own abuses started creeping into my head, slowly at first and then quicker the further I read. I began to feel the things that had happened to me. I was reading Taylor's story while being physically and mentally assaulted by my own. I would get up and leave the computer for an hour or more, and then come back to it only for the visions and sensations to return. Soon it was a few days or a week before I could come back to the book. The more I read, the stronger my reactions, and the harder I fought to finish this book. It seems strange for me to say this, but finishing Taylor's story would be a huge accomplishment towards my own inner healing. I had to feel what Taylor did in order to come to terms with my own cement walls I had built around my ability to feel and heal. So I created a mantra that got me through to the end of the book: "This is not my story, and I can get through it." I read like this for a few hours a day for the next week, quivering at the sensations and trying to block out my own images. With gritted teeth and squinted eyes I finally came to the end of this heroic book.

Taylor chose to write her book so that the reader would feel as she did. I commend her for writing this book in her own way, and not giving in to how other's felt she should write it. This story is her own personal journey through the physical act of being abused, the mental jail of loneliness, mockery, and powerlessness, and the internal void of being left to die inside from emotional abandonment by those a child should trust most in this world. It takes a strong person to come back from abuse, and an even stronger person to relive it.

I live each day of my life knowing that what we survive in life makes us wiser and more resilient human beings, and mentors to those we meet in our travels. I have learned a lot by reading Taylor's book. Not only does she have a gift for words, but she has a gift for each person she tells her story to. I am stronger for having read My Prison Without Bars, and I am honoured to have a connection with a woman making a difference in this world. Thank you for telling your story, Taylor.


~ cross-posted on Goodreads



Becoming Psychic Magazine One Year Anniversary!

Becoming Psychic Magazine

 

Sending a very Happy First Birthday to Becoming Psychic Magazine. I'm so happy to be a part of the magazine family, and I can't wait to see all the great things to come in the second year.

 

 

Don't forget to check out my latest book review for the April issue! And remember that the latest issue is free to enjoy for the whole month.

 

I'll be back to regular reading, reviewing, and blogging for all my readers soon. Watch for what is just Beyond My Bookshelf! 

Becoming Psychic Magazine, April 2014 - Book Review Link

Becoming Psychic Magazine - April 2014 Issue

Well, after a month of horrible winter weather and a household of illness, I am happy to "Spring" forth with the new Becoming Psychic Magazine's book review. The magazine has become so much easier to read this month, with new links to the pages you want to check out. I'm linking directly to my book review so tell me what you think. Also feel free to check out the rest of the magazine because there are some great articles by some great experts in their fields.

Come on...aren't you curious what book I reviewed? Well, click on it. Go ahead. Okay, a hint first. I read and reviewed The Magnificent Truths of Our Existence by Daniel F. Parmeggiani. Read my review and tell me what you think. I know you're curious. See you soon!

Don't forget to let Daniel know what you thought on Facebook and Twitter.

Until next time, keep looking Beyond My Bookshelf! You never know what you might find.

Becoming Psychic Magazine, March 2014 - Book Review Link

Becoming Psychic Magazine, March 2014 Issue



I am so excited to announce that I am the new book reviewer for Becoming Psychic Magazine. The March issue is now live, so please enjoy the whole magazine for free this month.

 

Just go to the March Edition, and click on the cover to read it now. And enjoy!

 

And to get you extra excited to read it, my Book Review is on pages 74 & 75. The book I reviewed is How To Read an Egg: Divination for the Easily Bored by Colette Brown. Just click on the link to find out what my thoughts are of the book. You know you are curious about a title like that. Am I right? I'd love to know your thoughts on it. And don't forget to enjoy the rest of the magazine. Beautiful pictures and great topics fill the March issue.

 

Happy Reading!

Book Review: October Baby by Eric Wilson



October Baby - Goodreads

 

October Baby is a story of feeling lost or something big is missing from your life. As well, it is about finding that something amongst what you had all along. Eric Wilson creates characters that we can laugh with, cry with, and learn to see through new eyes with. He has created a heart-felt story out of a difficult topic, and he has done it very well.

 

Hannah Lawson is a university student who has grown up with many medical issues. From frail bones and hip surgeries to severe asthma, Hannah's body has been through a lot. After passing out during a play, Hannah finds out that her parents had adopted her as an infant. But even more surprising is the fact that she was born after a failed abortion. To find out that her birth mother didn't want to keep her was one thing, but she wasn't even supposed to be alive. What would someone do in this position? How do you react?

 

After some inventive ideas from a creative character named Truman, Hannah's best friend Jason comes up with the final persuasion to get her to come along on a Spring Break trip to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Jason points out that Mobile, Alabama, Hannah's birth place, is on the travel route. This may be a way to get answers for her questions about her birth mother.

 

This journey is one of Hannah finding out important information, but also the other characters along for the ride. What each one discovers about themselves helps towards the final scenes for Hannah. This is an important self discovery for Hannah, and the story itself has some wonderful messages on trust, love, and forgiveness.

 

I enjoyed October Baby very much. I think it is a great read that brings a softer light to a heavy topic. It is subtle in its Christian perspective and would be great for the non-Christian reader. I also look forward to viewing the movie that this book is based on to get a visual perspective of the story.

 

 

 



Mini Review: The Rough Guide to Social Media for Beginners

The Rough Guide to Social Media for Beginners (Goodreads)

 

 

The Rough Guide to Social Media for Beginners is an excellent book for the newbie to social media. I found it very informative, and it contains a lot of step-by-step pointers with wonderful helpful pictures.

 

Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ are all touched upon enough to give even the greenest computer wiz the confidence to start using them.

 

I highly recommend this book for youth, adults, and seniors that may want to start working in these social media realms. It may also be helpful for the intermediate user to hone their skills.

 

~ cross-posted on Goodreads

 

Book Review: Gemini The Heir by Kristen DaRay

 

Gemini The Heir (Goodreads)

 

This is the second book in Kristen DaRay's Gemini trilogy. It takes place a year after the first book ends. Carson is getting more comfortable with her new life as Princess Carsona of Emreiana. Having become proficient in the Emreian language, Carson and her mother are working on how to win the war on planets. Meanwhile, Carson is trying to stall her bonding ceremony with her betrothed, Aaronmon. The chemistry between Carson and Aaron is growing stronger, and more tests are appear around every corner. Will Carson be able to love Aaron in the way she desires? Will Aaron ever be the greatest love in Carson's heart?

 

With an ongoing and enjoyable plot, Kristen DaRay has done better with the editing process in this book than in the first. There is still further work to be done in spelling, grammar, and word choice but I am pleased at the ease I was able to enjoy this story. The plot build was much quicker in this book and made for a smooth, easy read.

 

I am looking forward to the third book in this series. The story has grabbed hold of me, the characters are likable and enjoyable, and I am anticipating good things to come with Kristen DaRay's next installment.

 

I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

~ cross-posted on Goodreads



Book Review: Gemini of Emreiana by Kristen DaRay

Gemini of Emreiana (Goodreads)

Carson Emrel is eighteen years old with top grades, great friends, and is in love with her boyfriend. She has been raised by her aunt since her parents were killed in a car crash when she was just a baby. Putting together her valedictorian speech and looking into college should be her biggest issues in the near future.

 

Things change when Carson starts having strange dreams about a guy who later shows up in her kitchen, with her aunt, and informs her she is an alien. The guy from the dream is not only her bodyguard, sent to Earth by her very much alive mother, but he is also her betrothed husband to be. It seems that Carson's life just got a little more complicated.

 

Carson turns out to be the Princess of Emreiana, her birth planet. She is in danger, has to keep secrets from her friends and boyfriend, and is wondering how to trust her aunt that has lied to her for eighteen years. Carson is an enjoyable character and has a humorous, yet strained, relationship growing with her new betrothed, Aaronmon. His character is a great addition that helps round out Carson, move the plot along, and the relationship that grows between Carson and Aaronmon is a critical piece to understanding the story behind the storyline.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the story that Kristen DaRay has created in Gemini of Emreiana. Unfortunately, the grammar, spelling, and incorrect wording that fills the book was a hindrance to that enjoyment. I would love to see this manuscript again after a full edit. Leaving the book as is could hinder the book from getting the positive reviews that Kristen DaRay's story deserves. With a turtle-pace start because of the errors, some readers may be turned off and not give it the chance it deserves. The second half of the story builds up nicely and is quite enjoyable. I felt there were some descriptions during the main scene later on that were a little more graphic than I would have expected within the flow of this story. I also felt that having the definitions at the beginning of the story or on each page that the words appear for the first time would be very helpful. Being at the end of the book was pointless for me as I had already figured out what they meant myself.

 

Overall, I like Kristen DaRay's story idea that she presents in Gemini of Emreiana enough that I was happy to have the second edition to read right after finishing this one. I stand by the though that a good editing will raise the positive reviews for this book, and bring more followers to DaRay's trilogy.

 

I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

~ cross-posted on Goodreads

WWW Wednesdays - January 15, 2014

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

The Rough Guide to Social Media for beginners

The Fellowship of the Ring

Gemini of Emreiana

 

 

• What did you recently finish reading?

 

 

My reviews of these can be found here: Beyond My Bookshelf



• What do you think you’ll read next?

 
I have an ever-growing To Be Read shelf on Goodreads of over 2300 books. I also have 17 indie books waiting to be read and blogged. So many words; only one pair of eyes!

I am doing the Lord of the Rings read & discussion at Tolkien Readalong from January to June 2014. If you are a Tolkien fan, come join the fun.

Besides that, there are many things I must read. Romance, mystery, paranormal, humour, fiction, non-fiction, biographies, and everything else! I love the printed word!

Now, what about you? What are you reading? 

Book Review: Cloaked in Fur by T.F. Walsh

Cloaked in Fur, T.F. Walsh

Set in Romania, Daciana, or Daci as everyone calls her, works at the Animal Research Institute where she tracks animals and their behaviour as an animal specialist. She sometimes lends herself to the police on animal attack crimes. Her boyfriend, Connell, is on the police force and is bothered that all the latest attack victims are linked to Daci. Not to mention that Daci has been hiding any information about herself from Connell. One piece he might want to know about is that his girlfriend is a Wulfkin - half wolf, half human.

Deep in the forest is where Daci's wolf pack resides. Sandulf is the Alpha, or pack leader, and he has a few secrets of his own. One of them could be very deadly if it isn't discovered soon. Enre, Daci's friend and former lover, is still very much in love with her. He intends to help Daci get the secret elixir that will make her completely human. But time is running out, and they still have to find the recipe for the elixir and stop whatever is killing humans just outside their wolf den.

I am happily surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I love wolves, romance, and a good storyline with some mystery thrown in here and there. And that's what I received when I was drawn in by the first paragraph. Cloaked in Fur is filled with action throughout, and just when you think you have it figured out, T.F. Walsh throws a wrench in to stir it up. I like sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what the next chapter will bring. I was more than satisfied with this novel. It was fun, a quick read, and T.F. Walsh gained a new fan. I look forward to see what else this author can string together.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

~ cross-posted on Goodreads

Book Review: The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

This is a historical novel about a young woman from a bankrupt family that is promised to the deceased son of the very wealthy Lim family. An arranged marriage between a living person and a dead one was not the most intriguing idea to Li Lan, but her father saw it as the best way out of his debt situation. Li Lan tries to change her father's mind since she has fallen in love with Tian Bai, the new heir to the Lim family fortune.

 

This story is intertwined with beliefs from Chinese afterlife, historic Malaysia under British rule, and traditions of long past. These details fold out nicely within this beautiful tale of forbidden love. It gives a strong setting for such a diverse cast of characters.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed The Ghost Bride's patriarchal family issues, assumptions of murder, incredible ghost cities and offerings, and twists within the main love plot. Yangsze Choo kept me anxiously turning pages right up until the final plot twist. The Ghost Bride will definitely stay on my shelf to be read again. I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, paranormal ghost activity, Asian influence, and a touch of romance thrown in. A wonderful read.

~ cross-posted on Goodreads

Book Review: A Christmas Wish by Joseph Pittman

A sweet Christmas read if I have ever read one. A Christmas Wish by Joseph Pittman was a heartwarming delight. After losing her mother in a storm, Janey is left to be taken care of by Brian, a man who was just passing through the little town of Linden Corners until he fell in love with Janey's mom Annie, and the magical windmill that brought them all together.

This story is the second in a series, but is a wonderful read on its own. This is a fast paced easy read that is filled with great descriptions, Christmas sentiment, and just enough childhood angst and former life tension from the main characters to sustain wonder for the next chapter. This was a most enjoyable read to relax with during the stress of the holidays. Linden Corners is a place I plan to revisit in Pittman's other novels soon.

~ cross-posted at Goodreads - A Christmas Wish