Koncocoo

Best Westerns

Big Daddy: A Mountain Man's Baby Romance
I can't help but feel like Little Red Riding Hood. Dream The women in this small town can't stop gossiping. But the skeletons in my closet won't stay locked away for long. She woke up the beast I had locked away. 60,000+ words in this full length standalone nanny romance. Bonus content included after the main story, including a new Bad Boy MC Romance. I loved it!" "Big Daddy will capture most readers' hearts!" "This is one heart touching story.
Reviews
"I relied completely on reviews and although I did enjoy parts, I also felt some parts just didn’t live up to the potential of the book."
"Let start off with the fact that their names are dream and chance.... Any other day I would be rolling my eyes at the cliche of it, but I actually thought that this was a good choice for the two main characters."
"I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. OMG Rye has done it again, How she comes up with these wonderful reads. I will never know, they are always fresh and exciting with HOT as SIN sex. thrown in as well. Chance ex-military was discharge from the service only to come home to find out that his wife had cheated on him as was pregnant with another mans baby."
"Chance and Dream's story was so awesome and sweet, but also sad and filled with tragedy. Triumph over tragedy, with some very steamy romance inbetween, made this story difficult to put down..therefore I did not, ha!"
"Find out by reading Big Daddy, A Mountain Man's Baby Romance. I read an ARC copy of this book and found it difficult to put down."
"Star getting her wish, Dream being free, and Chance having what he always wanted. Hiding out in a small town she hopes she will be free."
"I loved seeing Dream and Chance interact. I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book."
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Untouchable: A Billionaire on the Run Romance
Perky bre@sts just begging to be touched. All Kira Blakely novels include alphas who know what they want and know how to treat a lady. This is a full length stand-alone steamy suspenseful romance novel. "A farm hand with more than just his chores on his mind!Kira Blakely and Emily Bishop have created a hot, exciting, fast moving story that kept me swiping those pages, wanting to see how this crazy sexy madness would end!" "I fell in love with this story after reading two pages!
Reviews
"The thing I did not like was that it wasnt until the end of the story almost that I found out that the hero had a mustache."
"Chester Donahue had no idea what life had in store for him when he answered a knock at his door. In a matter of minutes, life as he knew it was over and he had no idea why he had been beaten, dragged and dropped over the edge of a cliff into a river and left for dead. It doesn't take long for the two of them to figure out there is chemistry but they need to be sure her dad is not aware of their attraction...a difficult task in such a small place."
"Kira Blakely and Emily Bishop partnered to create a steamy romance filled with twists, turns, a little bit of suspense and some violence. It was a really good read that kept you on your toes wondering how Chase (Chester), billionaire on the run, and Lauren, farmer's virgin daughter, survive to the end with their lives and love intact."
"After opening his door late at night, Chase is beaten and left for dead by being thrown off a cliff. He miraculously survives the icy waters below but needs time to heal and figure out who wants him dead. Well old enough to not be taking orders from her father."
"I hate great suspenseful stories because they have a tendency to make me stop everything until I have read it from beginning to end."
"It has suspense, lies, secrets, twist and turns and of course hot and steamy sex. Chase is supposed to keep his hands off Lauren but it proves to be too hard and they cross that line."
"I thought if I read the line "I might be a virgin but...." one more time, I was going to throw my kindle."
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The Partridge: The First Day: The 12 Days of Christmas Mail-Order Brides Book 1
Dear Mrs. Walters, One of my fellow clergy told me of Denver’s Benevolent Society of Lost Lambs. To do that, our men need to be united in holy matrimony, start families and thus build a town of pure-hearted, respectable citizens …. But when her father gave her the choice between marriage and jail, she decided it best to further her cause elsewhere, and Noelle, Colorado seemed just the place to do it! Twelve brides. Twelve days to save a town.
Reviews
"Introducing us to the town of Noelle and it's problem solving Reverend, Kit lays the foundation for the rest of the series and the need for such a tight timeline."
"In a great story plot with many twists and turns, I look forward to meeting all the brides and their grooms as well as the townspeople that make up Noelle."
"A great start to the12 Days of Christmas Mail-Order Brides Book Series."
"Reverend Chase Hammond and Miss Felicity Partridge were fun characters to start with."
"Kit has set the stage for all the rest of the characters to come."
"Love has a funny way of showing up when you least expect it."
"what a great start to this series - I currently try to get them all read - You won't be disappointed!!"
"This is the story of Reverend Hammond and Ms. Partridge."
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Best Christian Westerns

The Dove: The Second Day (The 12 Days of Christmas Mail-Order Brides)
Culver Daniels spent years cultivating a peaceful, orderly existence with his blacksmith shop and livery business. He could quickly grow accustomed to staring into eyes that held such mesmerizing flecks of amber light among their glossy depths. A few more steps back and forth and Culver decided the old woman was not only a fair dancer, but also the most irritating person he’d encountered in a long while. “You, Mr. Daniels,” she said in a soft, alluring voice that melted Culver’s insides and turned his brain to mush. “You’re even more beautiful than I dreamed, Miss Mirga,” Culver said, shocked to discover his tongue joined the rebellion his heart and feet had already staged against his good sense. After spending her formative years on a farm in Eastern Oregon, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield turns her rural experiences into sweet historical and contemporary romances filled with sarcasm, humor, and hunky heroes.
Reviews
"Culver did not want a wife necessarily, but when he sees Kezia Mirga, he realizes that she is everything he never realized that he wanted and missed having in his life."
"Shanna Hatfield's whimsical style shines in this well written page turning historical romance with delightful characters (gypsy, blacksmith, baby & Cat), believable conflicts and satisfying resolution."
"Shania Hatfield continues the 12 Days of Christmas with the whirlwind romance gypsy/circus performer Kezia and Culver, the local blacksmith of Noelle."
"A woman with a wounded heart, a child, and the prospect of a new husband..... Kenzia, and Jem travel with a group of mail order brides to Noelle."
"Shanna never disappoints with her quirky sense of humor and wonderful stories."
"I enjoyed this book as much as the first."
"What a wonderful story between a blacksmith and a former circus performer."
"I always enjoy the humor that Shanna Hatfield writes into her stories and as always the hero and heroine were perfect for each other."
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Best Frontier & Pioneer Western Fiction

Texas Lonesome (McCutcheon Family Series Book 8)
TEXAS LONESOME - The McCutcheon Family Series, Book 8. Rio Wells, Texas 1886. Dustin McCutcheon gets the surprise of his life when he comes face-to-face with Sidney Calhoun, the spitfire offspring of his father's worst adversary. Texas Lonesome, book eight of the McCutcheon Family Saga, continues the story of the brave and passionate men and women of Y Knot, Montana, and Rio Wells, Texas, by USA TODAY Best-selling Author Caroline Fyffe. "When it come to western romance, there are only a handful of authors that I completely trust, and Caroline Fyffe is right at the top of that list...She manages to create stories that easily capture my imagination from that proverbial first page, all the way to the last."
Reviews
"It has the two families, the McCutcheon’s and the Calhoun’s who used to be best friends and ranchers in Rio Wells, TX for a long time until something happened to the head of the Calhoun family Jock and he blamed Winston McCutcheon. When the judge orders Dustin to be guardian to Sidney’s brother Noah and take him to the Rim Rock Ranch until he earns enough to pay off his debt, Dustin sees only trouble and problems for the family as well as the town. Caroline Fyffe is one of my most beloved and favorite authors and I have read almost all her books and loved everyone of them and couldn't put any of them down until they I finished reading the whole story."
"Ms. Fyffe brings us another exciting read filled with baiting, angry, sorrow and love. Dustin has spent many years fighting the Calhoun’s at every turn they seem to always be in his way at all cattle sales causing trouble. This is not happening when the youngest Calhoun’s gets into trouble and the judge decides he must stay at the McCutcheon ranch. Sidney is still thinking about the hunk of a cowboy that she saw earlier when she walks in the court room and sees him. He really brought this audio to life for me with his smooth deep rich voice that you could listen to all day. There was no background noise or any places where the audio was louder or lower just a very smooth wonderful listen. Snow brings so much too this audio as he puts emotions to the story and paints a picture of Texas and the areas around it. She writes stories that will stay in your mind giving you a smile why you long to be part of the towns she creates. There is no doubt when you pick up one of her books you are in for a roller-coaster ride full of emotions as they bait each other fighting to the finish line. Dustin and Sidney are sure in a pickle as they fight their love trying to stay true to their family. This is one author who gives her heart to her characters with a wonderful rich clean story that pulls you in."
"I’ll not spoil it for you but this book is one of a kind and written with heart that makes you smile and then get tense when something happens. Yes, I really loved this book."
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Best Western Horror Fiction

Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West (Vintage International)
"The fulfilled renown of Moby-Dick and of As I Lay Dying is augmented by Blood Meridian, since Cormac McCarthy is the worthy disciple both of Melville and Faulkner," writes esteemed literary scholar Harold Bloom in his Introduction to the Modern Library edition. "The men as they rode turned black in the sun from the blood on their clothes and their faces and then paled slowly in the rising dust until they assumed once more the color of the land through which they passed." It's a perverse, picaresque Western about bounty hunters for Indian scalps near the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s--a ragged caravan of indiscriminate killers led by an unforgettable human monster called "The Judge."
Reviews
"The people who scoff at McCarthy, this book specifically, don't seem to understand his style. It is not an easy to read piece, a normal article of literature that follows a smooth plot curve with complex, developing characters. In the few interviews, and instances where he has been directly quoted, he explains it -- he's a naturalistic writer. Almost all literature distorts reality in some way for the sake of the "story" and what is supposed to be included in it. But sometimes I want to, and I have to applaud McCarthy on being one of the only people who can open that door in the world of literature."
"I liked this book a lot more than the Road."
"Second time through it, I know I still did not get it all - and I doubt that anyone will, really, regardless of all the talking and writing and thinking literary people may do forever after. Things happen in combat zones that are unexplainable, fantastic, not bounded by what people think of as reality in any way."
"I'm hard pressed to find another book I like as much as this one."
"This is not a Western, although it takes place in the Old West, and it is the kind of book whose story goes beyond its pages and reminds you of what you are--even if you don't like what you see: At the core of this tale is the nature of man, it is cruel and violent and poised to create conflict(some have called it war-like). It is an intense experience to read a sentence with a brutal subject (like the gory killing of Native American babies) that continues on and on, with no diminishing. You can read this in many ways, as a metaphor of the violent growth of the United States of America, or as the descent of man from the innocence of childhood to his end as a fully grown, and very sinful, creature of war. Violence: The situations described while following the Glanton Gang give you a greater appreciation for the type of violecne that existed during this period of time, so we can say that it is part of the novel's setting."
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Best Louis L'Amour Westerns

Last of the Breed
When his experimental aircraft is forced down in Russia and he escapes a Soviet prison camp, he must call upon the ancient skills of his Indian forebears to survive the vast Siberian wilderness. Proving that he is above all a great raconteur, the prolific L'Amour sets his latest in Siberia where a downed American test pilot, Joseph "Joe Mack" Makatozi, has been taken after his capture by the Russians. Joe Mack is a classic American hero, thrown back into the wilderness and forced to rely on his wits and his ancestral skills to survive the deadly cold and elude his Soviet pursuers, including his nemesis, a Siberian tracker.
Reviews
"First, there were a lot of characters with Russian names that I had a hard time keeping up with. It is what it is, but I wish that L'Amour had spent just a little more time and developed the ending a little."
"I agree with many of the commentators that this book was too repetitious and that it has an abrupt ending."
"It remains a classic tale of a man coming to grips with himself in dangerous situations."
"Way too much left unresolved in this book."
"This story could have been a stem winder story, but the reader was left leaking enthusiasm across the wilderness of repetition."
"I got a good idea about life in Siberia during the Stalin period and the struggle of the cultured Russians to flee the oppressive regime and seek freedom away from Russia."
"The late Mr Louis L'Amour lives up to his reputation as a brilliant author with, "Last Of The Breed"."
"This is a gripping story... such a great historical depiction of the Cold War that renders the reader riveted, looking forward to a classic Louis ending, only to be denied."
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Best Western Science Fiction

Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers
Little Britches was the literary debut of Ralph Moody, who wrote about the adventures of his family in eight glorious books, all available as Bison Books. -- Kirkus "1950". Ralph Moody's books should be read aloud in every family circle in America.
Reviews
"Even if you've never been to Colorado, I would list this book as a must read."
"So Father, Mother, Grace, Muriel, Philip, Hal, and Ralph rent a ranch on the Fort Logan-Morrison road, near Littleton, CO, not far from Denver. This autobiographical book chronicles their first year which involves settling on the ranch, planting crops, raising animals, meeting neighbors, going to school, experiencing a huge wind storm, and fighting over irrigation rights. Also, several who have read the entire series have noted that the later books, especially after Ralph goes to live with his grandfather in The Fields of Home, are not as good as the earlier ones which detail his childhood because they are more "dark" with lots of bad attitudes which are displayed over and over. Ralph gets in several predicaments and doesn't always make the right choice, but he learns to do better by heeding his father's wise advice, who said, "Any man who says the world owes him a living is dishonest."
"I enjoyed every word of this book and couldn't wait to read the next one in this series."
"What a living, exciting record of life in America a hundred years ago... such a treasure of honesty, , and resourcefulness,, and what a role model for relationships between fathers and sons,."
"I loved that the book teaches such good moral characteristics that inspire people to make good choices and work hard."
"(The farm was near what is now W. Hampden Ave. and S. Harlan St.) Those whose ancestors were homesteaders or sharecroppers will appreciate knowing what sorts of things their kin encountered. The book is classified as autobiographical history; by contrast, Ivan Doig's work (I'm particularly thinking "The Whistling Season" here) is much more literary in its character and plot development, and is proper fiction."
"Great look into early 1900's American History on the frontier."
"Recommend this to anyone who who would be a better parent the example of his father is kind and gentle way of doing things how to teach children is awesome."
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Best Western Short Stories

The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour, Volume 1: Frontier Stories
This volume kicks off a series that will, when complete, anthologize all of L'Amour’ s short fiction, volume by handsome volume. The spate of previously uncollected L'Amour short stories that have surfaced recently reveal L'Amour's broad talent and ability to master every genre from mystery to sports to mainstream fiction. L'Amour wrote about the big themes--love, courage, loyalty, honor--but he grounded them firmly in the context of daily struggles in an unforgiving land.
Reviews
"No surprises in a L’Amour story."
"Maybe I've outgrown Mr. L'Amour or maybe I just like longer tales."
"I think I have read all of his work."
"I've never been much for reading novels or lengthy stories and books."
"My father read Louis L'Amour when I was a kid."
"I have only read some of the stories and, so far, I've found many of the characters to be one-dimensional."
"Large print is nice, but book is HEAVY."
"While he doesn't shy away from portraying the violence that was common in those days, he utilizes it to emphasize the eternal conflict of good and evil."
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Best War Fiction

All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the beautiful, stunningly ambitious instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. Ten years in the writing, a National Book Award finalist, All the Light We Cannot See is a magnificent, deeply moving novel from a writer “whose sentences never fail to thrill” ( Los Angeles Times ). Yes, there is fear and fighting and disappearance and death, but the author’s focus is on the interior lives of his two characters. Never mind that their paths don’t cross until very late in the novel, this is not a book you read for plot (although there is a wonderful, mysterious subplot about a stolen gem). It is through their individual and intertwined tales that Doerr masterfully and knowledgeably re-creates the deprived civilian conditions of war-torn France and the strictly controlled lives of the military occupiers.High-Demand Backstory: A multipronged marketing campaign will make the author’s many fans aware of his newest book, and extensive review coverage is bound to enlist many new fans.
Reviews
"It has been a while since I have found a book that I wanted to read slowly so that I could soak in every detail in hopes that the last page seems to never come. When reading the synopsis of this novel, I never imagined that I would feel so connected to a book where one of the main characters is blind and the other a brilliant young German orphan who was chosen to attend a brutal military academy under Hitler's power using his innate engineering skills. I was invited into the pages and could not only imagine the atmosphere, but all of my senses were collectively enticed from the very first page until the last. In most well-written books you get of a sense of what the characters look like and follow them throughout the book almost as if you are on a voyage, but with this novel, I could imagine what it was like to be in Marie-Laure's shoes."
"On the other hand, as the author describes it, “It’s also a metaphorical suggestion that there are countless invisible stories still buried within World War II.” Add in a newly blinded French girl who is forced to leave her familiar surroundings, and you’ll soon find yourself in literary heaven. There are lessons about the brain, sitting inside the darkness of our skull, interpreting light; there are lessons about coal having been plants living millions of years ago, absorbing light, now buried in darkness; lessons about light waves that we cannot see—all applicable as the story unfolds. The author also includes connections to the song Clair de Lune, the book 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, and a fictional story about a priceless diamond called the Sea of Flames, whose owner “so long as he keeps it, the keeper of the stone will live forever.”. I cannot proclaim loud enough how much this book means to me; I have been left awe-inspired."
"“All the Light We Cannot See” is a World War II story told from the experiences of two children; each gifted in their own way."
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Best Sports Fiction

Beartown: A Novel
People say Beartown is finished. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world. Beartown has so much going on within its enjoyably readable pages that putting it in a literary box is all but impossible—and indeed that is one of the many reasons readers will pass this book amongst one another with a confident “I think you’ll like this.” As the town’s finances decline, small, scrappy Beartown hunkers deeper into itself, proud only of its white-hot junior hockey team led by a coach whose hard-driving mantra is, simply, “Win.” Seizing the upcoming hockey championship could lure a new hockey academy their way and jumpstart the local economy. —Adrian Liang, The Amazon Book Review PRAISE FOR BEARTOWN “Backman is a masterful writer, his characters familiar yet distinct, flawed yet heroic. “[It's] Backman’s rich characters that steal the show, and his deft handling of tragedy and its effects on an insular town. While the story is dark at times, love, sacrifice, and the bonds of friendship and family shine through ultimately offering hope and even redemption.” (Publishers Weekly). "Another solid offering from best-selling Swedish author Backman, with many parallels for American readers and small towns everywhere." (Library Journal). "The sentimentally savvy Backman (A Man Called Ove, 2014) takes a sobering and solemn look at the ways alienation and acceptance, ethics and emotions nearly destroy a small town and young people." (The New York Times Book Review). "Backman is the Dickens of our age, and though you'll cry, your heart is safe in his hands."
Reviews
"The happenings and how the personalities bounce off each other in such human ways (hatefully and lovingly) makes this a fascinating and unforgettable book. This book is not at all like the Ove book except that it is written by a genius of human understanding."
"It begins with a cliffhanger: "Late one evening...a teenager picked up a shotgun, walked into the forest, put the gun to someone else's forehead and pulled the trigger. Fiction is a way to enter into an age-old discussion framed so beautifully by one of the characters: "This town doesn't always know the difference between right and wrong...but we know the difference between good and evil." What is the right thing to do when things go very wrong?"
"Don't be sidelined about it either being set in Sweden, written by a Swedish author, (sometimes some translations don't play out too well) or is about hockey. Even though hockey appears the premise of the story, it is just the background noise that keeps the book and its characters moving forward."
"There are many such moments in this book."
"I bought this book because I'd really enjoyed his other works."
"Not only is this book amazingly written but the story, the plot, the lessons, they grab hold of you before you finish reading the first chapter."
"A book that portrays the best and the worst a small community offers in heart wrenching detail."
"I kept imagining how this would play as a movie or a min series and how it could be done in a way where all the characters could be brought to life like Backman did in the book."
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Best Satire Fiction

Slaughterhouse-Five
Adapted for a magnificent George Roy Hill film three years later (perhaps the only film adaptation of a masterpiece which exceeds its source), Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) is the now famous parable of Billy Pilgrim, a World War II veteran and POW, who has in the later stage of his life become "unstuck in time" and who experiences at will (or unwillingly) all known events of his chronology out of order and sometimes simultaneously. The "unstuck" nature of Pilgrim's experience may constitute an early novelistic use of what we now call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; then again, Pilgrim's aliens may be as "real" as Dresden is real to him. Struggling to find some purpose, order or meaning to his existence and humanity's, Pilgrim meets the beauteous and mysterious Montana Wildhack (certainly the author's best character name), has a child with her and drifts on some supernal plane, finally, in which Kilgore Trout, the Tralmafadorians, Montana Wildhack and the ruins of Dresden do not merge but rather disperse through all planes of existence. In a plot-scrambling display of virtuosity, we follow Pilgrim simultaneously through all phases of his life, concentrating on his (and Vonnegut's) shattering experience as an American prisoner of war who witnesses the firebombing of Dresden. Slaughterhouse-Five boasts the same imagination, humanity, and gleeful appreciation of the absurd found in Vonnegut's other works, but the book's basis in rock-hard, tragic fact gives it a unique poignancy--and humor. Hawke rises to the occasion of performing this sliced-and-diced narrative, which is part sci-fi and partially based on Vonnegut's experience as a American prisoner of war in Dresden, Germany during the firebombing of 1945 that killed thousands of civilians.
Reviews
"Ultimately, humanity as we know it is transformed into fish-like creatures living near an island in the distant future."
"I read it many years ago."
"Another good book from Kurt Vonnegut."
"I have thought Vonnegut was an exceptional writer!"
"You really don't know what's coming."
"There are several interesting plot lines that appear totally unrelated at first but Vonnegut ties them all together. I will admit that when I saw that the protagonist could time travel and at times was on a different planet the urge to put the book down did raise its head."
"Fantastic Book and a must read."
"This book came highly recommended I was a little disappointed it was still a good read but not as great as I was lead to believe it would be the books physical condition was excellent so the book's value was better-than-expected."
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Best Saga Fiction

Before We Were Yours: A Novel
Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption. Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong. Wingate is a master-storyteller, and you’ll find yourself pulled along as she reveals the wake of terror and heartache that is Georgia Tann’s legacy.” — Parade “One of the year’s best books . “Lisa Wingate takes an almost unthinkable chapter in our nation’s history and weaves a tale of enduring power.” —Paula McLain, New York Times bestselling author of Circling the Sun. A poignant, engrossing tale about sibling love and the toll of secrets.” — People “ Before We Were Yours is sure to be one of the most compelling books you pick up this year. [Lisa] Wingate is a master-storyteller, and you’ll find yourself pulled along as she reveals the wake of terror and heartache that is Georgia Tann’s legacy.” — Parade. It is almost a cliché to say a book is ‘lovingly written’ but that phrase applies clearly to Lisa Wingate’s latest novel, Before We Were Yours . This story about children taken from their parents through kidnapping or subterfuge and then placed for adoption, for a price, clearly pours out of Wingate’s heart. “This story is heartfelt and genuine, especially as Wingate explores the idea of home and family from a youngster’s point of view.” — Historical Novels Review. “Lisa Wingate takes an almost unthinkable chapter in our nation’s history and weaves a tale of enduring power. But the real feat of this stirring novel is how deeply Wingate plunges us into the heart and mind of twelve-year-old river gypsy Rill Foss. Rill’s utterly singular voice will stay with you long after the last page is turned, as will Wingate’s courage to follow her anywhere. I’m still basking in the afterglow, in shock at the true-crime elements, in awe at the journey of these characters who seem to have immortal souls.” —Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
Reviews
"It follows the story of the Foss children in the '30s and Avery Stafford in present day, and brings to light a horrifying and shameful real-life scandal. Avery Stafford finds a puzzling photograph that leads her into an ever more confusing story of secrets and lies inside her upright, respected family."
"This is the first book I've ever read by Lisa Wingate, but having read it I will search through her other titles."
"The environments and characters come to life in this book based on the real-life scandal surrounding the Tennessee Children's Home Society from the 1930s until it was closed in 1950."
"Well written and very descriptive."
"This was a very interesting story."
"The story is well written."
"I found it somewhat difficult going to the present then back...the name changes were a challenge but I'm 81 yrs old and some things just don't come easily anymore."
"This was a very, very interesting book."
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Best Medical Fiction

The Physician (The Cole Trilogy Book 1)
An orphan leaves Dark Ages London, taking a dangerous journey and posing as a Jew to study medicine in Persia, in “an adventurous and inspiring tale” ( Library Journal ). When nine-year-old Rob Cole felt the life force slipping from his mother's hand he could not foresee that this terrifying awareness of impending death was a gift that would lead him from the familiar life of 11th-century London to small villages throughout England and finally to the medical school at Ispahan. Though apprenticed to an itinerant barber surgeon, it is the dazzling surgery of a Jewish physician trained by the legendary Persian physician Avicenna that inspires him to accept his gift and to commit his life to healing by studying at Avicenna's school.
Reviews
"Very good."
"I would have given this book 5 stars, because rarely do you find a book in this generation so exquisitely written as "The Physician"."
"A young Jew escapes poverty England in the 11th century and travels to the Far East where he studies to become a physician and surgeon in a mixed culture of Islamic and other religions."
"I enjoyed learning about how difficult travel was for people in the 11th century and about the different types of people Cole encountered on his way to Persia."
"I love the study of the human body,medicine and stories filled with a variety of human relationships As a Biblical Christian and having close friends are Jewish,I found all these elements in this historical novel."
"I found myself thinking, while turning pages and not wanting to put the book down, this would make a great movie!"
"Most books begin with a boring introduction, and by the time you read it, you might feel like putting it back on the shelf."
"Set in the 11th century, the young orphan, Rob J. Cole, finds adventure, romance, and fulfilment in his journey from England, to Persia, and back again to Scotland."
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Best Urban Fiction

Use Your Heart and Not Your Eyes
With her beautiful face, full hips and round backside, nothing stands in the way of her confidence. He often wonders if Pita is good enough to settle down with or should he forgive the woman who caused him heartache and pain. Tyshae Owens, is a beautiful and smart nail technician at Luxury Tea. The saying is true, “what glitters isn’t gold.” Will she stay or will she move on to someone who can offer her the love she deserves?
Reviews
"Natavia did an exceptional job of developing the characters."
"Natavia, this book was awesome!"
"I absolutely love Natavia’s books."
"First I love this was a stand-alone and secondly the issues you touched on."
"This book was very good!!"
"I read this book in one day."
"This is another most read book..women a gross the globe could identify with either one of these character..the issues of today was depicted gracefully and Out was amazing."
"I loved seeing true love prevail and the truth that people stay in relationships for an image or fearful of the opinions of others."
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Best Holiday Fiction

Dashing Through the Snow: A Christmas Novel
Not only do they find they have a lot in common, but there’s even a spark of romance in the air. But the two are in for more twists and turns along the way as they rescue a lost puppy, run into petty thieves, and even get caught up in a case of mistaken identity. full of fun, laughter, and love.” — Romance Reviews Today “This Christmas romance from [Debbie] Macomber is both sweet and sincere.” — Library Journal “There’s just the right amount of holiday cheer. This road-trip romance is full of high jinks and the kooky characters Macomber does so well.” — RT Book Reviews “Macomber’s name is almost as closely linked to Christmas reading as that of Charles Dickens.” —The Romance Dish , on Mr. This road-trip romance is full of high jinks and the kooky characters Macomber does so well.” — RT Book Reviews “Macomber’s name is almost as closely linked to Christmas reading as that of Charles Dickens.” —The Romance Dish , on Mr. Miracle Debbie Macomber , the author of Silver Linings, Last One Home, Love Letters, Mr. In 2013, Hallmark Channel began production on the original series Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove, based on Macomber’s Cedar Cove books.
Reviews
"I always enjoy Debbie Macomber books and this Christmas story does not disappoint."
"Dash & Ashley were thrown together at a rental car agency after flights were cancelled."
"This is my first book to read by this famed author."
"I love anything Debbie Macomber write."
"I Would recommend this book to my friends for a good read."
"I am an avid Debbie Macomber fan, having read 90 percent her current books published as e books. Overall I feel like this is Sadly not close to the caliber of her usual books."
"Mrs. Macomber has set the standard for warm romantic Christmas stories, I almost wish I had reached for an old favorite like The Christmas Basket, Christmas Letters, Starry Night, or any of the Angels books. With so many truly good books from this author, it's easy to overlook the more "meh" offerings, but I really hope her next attempt is up to par with the older holiday stories."
"This was good but not as riveting as some of the author’s previous novels."
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Best Fiction Anthologies

Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel
Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share.
Reviews
"It is a gripping story of resilience, the indomitable spirit of a young man that knew no boundaries and courage that sustained him during dark hours. The action intensified throughout the remainder of the book, and one is allowed a rare glimpse into the mind of Il Duce - Benito Mussolini - plus the inner workings of the German High Command. Pino Lello witnesses atrocities he wishes he could forget but keeps soldiering on...wisely... Just a gripping and harrowing Kindle First selection which I feel is the best one I have read."
"Set in Italy during the last two years of the second World War, this story follows the life of a remarkable young man, Pino Lella, who finds himself assigned as the driver of one of the most powerful Nazi officials in Italy. He accompanies this General throughout northern Italy as the war deteriorates and comes to a violent and tragic end. A very worthwhile story that author Mark Sullivan was lucky enough to learn of, then putting several years of research into piecing together as many of the details as he could."
"He takes us deep inside the love story of his discovery, the unknown hero, Pino Lella, and he crafts an epic tale set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Milan and the Italian Alps during World War II that is as intimate and tragic as it is thought-provoking and triumphant."
"I cannot add more to the excellent reviews previously posted other than to say I read this book in one sitting not being able to put it down until 4:00 AM!"
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Best Movie Tie-In Fiction

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1)
NOW THE ACCLAIMED HBO SERIES GAME OF THRONES From a master of contemporary fantasy comes the first novel of a landmark series unlike any you’ve ever read before. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the frozen land they were born to. Readers of epic fantasy series are: (1) patient--they are left in suspense between each volume, (2) persistent--they reread or at least review the previous book(s) when a new installment comes out, (3) strong--these 700-page doorstoppers are heavy , and (4) mentally agile--they follow a host of characters through a myriad of subplots. Martin rewards readers with a vividly real world, well-drawn characters, complex but coherent plotting, and beautifully constructed prose, which Locus called "well above the norms of the genre." The story of these two families and their struggle to control the Iron Throne dominates the foreground; in the background is a huge, ancient wall marking the northern border, beyond which barbarians, ice vampires, and direwolves menace the south as years-long winter advances. Although the romance of chivalry is central to the culture of the Seven Kingdoms, and tournaments, derring-do and handsome knights abound, these trappings merely give cover to dangerous men and women who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
Reviews
"This review is primarily to give a feedback on the sizes of leather bound and paperback printed books."
"Going into these books (I read them after the show began but before I'd seen the show...), I enjoyed my share of sci-fi/fantasy along the lines of Harry Potter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer... fairly light-hearted stuff (in comparison, at least) that always felt grounded in the same world I live in. So when I first saw articles and clips from the HBO Game of Thrones series, I thought it looked like the one type of fantasy series that I would never enjoy. I held out for a looong time, until 3 different friends of mine with similar tastes in books/shows/films promised me that, while they too disliked this sub-genre of fantasty, this series was different, and I HAD to read the books or start the show."
"Extremely pleased with this leather edition."
"I was under the impression it would be the "size of a pocket bible" and the pages were so thin u could see through them like bible paper. All of my pages are here (from what I can tell) and although I doubt the quality of the "leather" it still feel great in hand and is just stunning to look at. I've included pictures to show its beauty and also compare the size to an actual pocket bible and its paper."
"4 stars for story, 2 stars for style =3 stars."
"The video production has been so true to the book, and I appreciate the use of the video series impact over a series of movies."
"I can't tell if this is the case for the rest of the books, but I'm certainly dissatisfied with the product."
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Best Metaphysical Fiction

The Man of Legends
Jillian Guthrie, a troubled young journalist, stumbles onto a tantalizing mystery: the same man, unaged, stands alongside Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, and Gandhi in three different photographs spanning eighty-five years of history. Creator of the landmark original miniseries V , he also produced The Six Million Dollar Man and created iconic Emmy-winning shows such as The Bionic Woman , The Incredible Hulk , and Alien Nation . He has presented his unique graduate-level seminar, The Filmmaking Experience , at UCLA, USC, NYU, Loyola, New York Film Academy, the National Film and Television School (UK), Moscow State University (Russia), and many others.
Reviews
"It was intriguing, the writing grabbed me and pulled me through the first 150 pages."
"The author did a masterful job of weaving together the stories of the major characters with those of the minor ones. The main character was condemned to an eternity of wandering the earth, but the author did not reveal the reason until maybe halfway through the book. The true reason this man was being pursued through the centuries and across continents was also revealed in the latter chapters. I enjoyed the tales told by the main character of interactions with famous people throughout history. One last thought -- Although many people are telling their stories throughout this book, I had no trouble keeping them straight."
"Also, I'd like to say up front here that, "the start of this book was boring/confusing/you-have-to-read-past-100-pages", is a common theme, even among five star reviews. After he woke up, he almost immediately gave a description of himself by looking in a mirror--something I absolutely hate since I simply CANNOT connect with a character that way--and after that, the book launched into a literary ocean of frustration, confusion, and boredom. Seriously, I really do hate critical reviews, but at some point around page 60 all I wanted to do was start bashing my head against the wall. Honestly, how many times do you have to observe someone handing out charity money to understand that yes, obviously, he’s a good guy? I had no idea who was actually relevant to the story later on, and who was just a convenient prop for demonstrating bits of information or more of Will’s “character”. Off the top of my head I’d say like Angels and Demons, but that book had me hooked from the first chapter. This one only fed me vague hints about some mysterious darkness, in a manner that was prominent enough it was obvious I should care about said hints, but so vague and with so little information there is no way I could possibly know enough to feel genuinely disturbed as, yes, I so obviously should have. It was the fact that I was 83 pages in, and I still hadn’t been given a single legitimate reason why I should WANT to keep reading. I’m absolutely positive a lot of people will love this book, and that it will get its fair share of glowing reviews."
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Best Political Fiction

A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel
The count’s refinement and genteel nature are exactly what we’re longing for.” — Ann Patchett “How delightful that in an era as crude as ours this finely composed novel stretches out with old-World elegance.” —The Washington Post He can’t leave his hotel. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. [ A Gentleman in Moscow ] is laced with sparkling threads (they will tie up) and tokens (they will matter): special keys, secret compartments, gold coins, vials of coveted liquid, old-fashioned pistols, duels and scars, hidden assignations (discreet and smoky), stolen passports, a ruby necklace, mysterious letters on elegant hotel stationery . Alexander Rostov is a character for the ages--like Kay Thompson’s Eloise and Wes Anderson’s M. Gustav, he is unflinchingly (and hilariously for readers) devoted to his station, even when forced to wait tables, play hide and seek with a young girl, or confront communism. In the end, Towles’s greatest narrative effect is not the moments of wonder and synchronicity but the generous transformation of these peripheral workers, over the course of decades, into confidants, equals and, finally, friends. With them around, a life sentence in these gilded halls might make Rostov the luckiest man in Russia.” — The New York Times Book Review “This is an old fashioned sort of romance, filled with delicious detail. In his second elegant period piece, Towles continues to explore the question of how a person can lead an authentic life in a time when mere survival is a feat in itself . Towles’s tale, as lavishly filigreed as a Fabergé egg, gleams with nostalgia for the golden age of Tolstoy and Turgenev.” — O, The Oprah Magazine “‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ and ‘Eloise’ meets all the Bond villains.” —TheSkimm. an imaginative and unforgettable historical portrait.” — Booklist “House arrest has never been so charming as in Towles’s second novel, an engaging 30-year saga set almost entirely inside the Metropol, Moscow’s most luxurious hotel. “An irresistible and astonishingly assured debut about working class-women and world-weary WASPs in 1930s New York…in the crisp, noirish prose of the era, Towles portrays complex relationships in a city that is at once melting pot and elitist enclave – and a thoroughly modern heroine who fearlessly claims her place in it.” — O, the Oprah Magazine “With this snappy period piece, Towles resurrects the cinematic black-and-white Manhattan of the golden age…[his] characters are youthful Americans in tricky times, trying to create authentic lives.” — The New York Times Book Review “This very good first novel about striving and surviving in Depression-era Manhattan deserves attention…The great strength of Rules of Civility is in the sharp, sure-handed evocation of Manhattan in the late ‘30s.” — Wall Street Journal “Put on some Billie Holiday, pour a dry martini and immerse yourself in the eventful life of Katey Kontent…[Towles] clearly knows the privileged world he’s writing about, as well as the vivid, sometimes reckless characters who inhabit it.” — People “[A] wonderful debut novel…Towles [plays] with some of the great themes of love and class, luck and fated encounters that animated Wharton’s novels.” — The Chicago Tribune “Glittering…filled with snappy dialogue, sharp observations and an array of terrifically drawn characters…Towles writes with grace and verve about the mores and manners of a society on the cusp of radical change.” —NPR.org.
Reviews
"The relationships he forms with staff and guests, his handling of twists of fate, his moral rectitude and his perseverance to go on in the face of his lifelong imprisonment for being a Former Person make for a compelling tale, told beautifully by Towles. I literally sat and stared into space for an hour after I finished A Gentleman In Moscow, contemplating it and wishing it hadn’t ended."
"I had such an emotionally fulfilled feeling at the end of this novel that when I finished the last page, I closed the book, sat back, sighed deeply, and thought, "well, what now? It seems convoluted to start a review with the ending of a book, but this novel is actually a rather long tale, spanning 30+ years, so before I get into the journey, allow me this one break with decorum. But A Gentleman in Moscow, if not completely upsetting Sara Gruen's work, at least pulls level with it, because it is such a satisfying end to this novel, and I'll say no more than that for fear of ruining the experience for anyone else. It feels like such a universal fantasy that, despite the fact that we are not (probably) an aristocrat, a connoisseur of multiple tastes, exceedingly cultured, and currently exiled within our own country, we somehow connect with Count Rostov immediately. Towles writes with such sophistication and beauty in every carefully chosen word that it manages to feel effortless. At times it's witty and funny in that perfectly refined way, and in the next moment it's incredibly astute and insightful. I could ramble on about the the delightful and stunning setting of this book as well as the cast of characters that weave in and out and in again, but it might actually be overkill. I'll revisit often and always with a perfectly paired glass of wine in my hand, as Count Rostov would approve."
"This second novel is as enjoyable and engaging as his first, “Rules of Civility.”. In 1922, the Emergency Committee of the People’s Commissariat For Internal Affairs sentences Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov to spend the rest of his life inside the Hotel Metropol for writing the poem “Where Is It Now?”, which brashly asked the question, “where is our purpose now?” In imposing the sentence, the prosecutor pronounced that the Count “has succumbed irrevocably to the corruptions of his class – and now poses a threat to the very ideals he once espoused. In trying to adjust to his new circumstances, the Count tells himself that “if a man does not master his circumstances then he is bound to be mastered by them” and that “imagining what might happen if one’s circumstances were different was the only sure route to madness.” And so the Count adjusts to the 30 or more years that he ultimately spends in the Hotel. The Count befriends a nine-year-old girl, Nina Kulikova, who is temporarily living in the hotel with her father and who introduces the Count to all of the secrets the Hotel has to offer. While living at the Metropol, the Count meets people from all over the world, begins a love affair with a famous actress, spends many years tutoring a former red Army Colonel about the west, works as the head waiter at the Boyarsky and makes friends and enemies with the various people who lead their lives either in or through the Metropol. Asking for the restaurant manager, the Count is taken to the Hotel’s wine cellar, housing more than 100,000 bottles."
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Best Family Life Fiction

Little Fires Everywhere
– Paula Hawkins. From the bestselling author of Everything I Never Told You , a riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives. In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town--and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. “Witnessing these two families as they commingle and clash is an utterly engrossing, often heartbreaking, deeply empathetic experience…It’s this vast and complex network of moral affiliations—and the nuanced omniscient voice that Ng employs to navigate it—that make this novel even more ambitious and accomplished than her debut…Our trusty narrator is as powerful and persuasive and delightfully clever as the narrator in a Victorian novel…It is a thrillingly democratic use of omniscience, and, for a novel about class, race, family and the dangers of the status quo, brilliantly apt…The magic of this novel lies in its power to implicate all of its characters—and likely many of its readers—in that innocent delusion [of a post-racial America]. She toggles between multiple points of view, creating a narrative both broad in scope and fine in detail, all while keeping the story moving at a thriller’s pace.” — LA Times “Riveting…unearthing the ways that race, class, motherhood and belonging intersect to shape each individual…Perhaps Ng's most impressive feat is inviting the reader's forgiveness for Mrs. Richardson –– a woman whose own mission for perfection, and strict adherence to rules ultimately become the catalyst for the maelstrom that ensues.” —Chicago Tribune. “Like Sue Monk Kidd or Madeleine Thien, Celeste Ng has a carpenter’s sure touch in constructing nested, interconnected plots…There are few novelists writing today who are as wise, compassionate and unsparing as Ng, about the choices you make, the ones you don’t, and the price you might pay for missed lives.” — Financial Times. “Like Everything I Never Told You , Ng’s excellent debut, the book plots its way into a smart, accessible conversation about race and class. “Ng writes with the wisdom of a hundred lives lived, churning out complex characters mostly sympathetic, sometimes loathsome, but all startlingly human.” — HarpersBazaar.com. “Fans of novelist Celeste Ng’s debut, Everything I Never Told You , and devotees of her resistance-ready Twitter feed can rejoice…The story drifts effortlessly between characters; each is full and memorable as they coax the novel to its fiery climax. “Couldn’t be more timely… Little Fires Everywhere might just be the signpost that we need, pointing a way forward with the gentle suggestion that sometimes doing the right thing means breaking some rules.” – Paste “Compelling… Little Fires Everywhere invests all of its emotional energies in the relationship between mothers and their children…in Ng’s precisely rendered perfect suburb.” – Vox. “Ng’s taut class drama is calibrated for fireworks.” – New York Magazine , Books to Read This Fall “Written with deep empathy and vivid characters who feel true to life, Little Fires Everywhere is a captivating, insightful examination of motherhood, identity, family, privilege, perfectionism, obsession, and the secrets about ourselves we try to hide.” – Buzzfeed. “There are few modern writers as brilliant at capturing the complexities of a family as Celeste Ng…The book is smart, nuanced, and exhilarating—but more than anything, Little Fires Everywhere is a gorgeous exploration of motherhood in its many forms, and the many different paths that women travel to get there.” — Shondaland.com. “Ng’s uncanny ability to embody multiple viewpoints makes for a powerful, revelatory novel.” – BBC.com, Ten Books to Read in September. “Ng has one-upped herself with her tremendous follow-up novel… a finely wrought meditation on the nature of motherhood, the dangers of privilege and a cautionary tale about how even the tiniest of secrets can rip families apart… Ng is a master at pushing us to look at our personal and societal flaws in the face and see them with new eyes… If “Little Fires Everywhere” doesn’t give you pause and help you think differently about humanity and this country’s current state of affairs, start over from the beginning and read the book again.” --San Francisco Chronicle. “Ng’s talent for depth of story and character development shines and will stay with you long after you’ve finished the book.” — Richmond Times-Dispatch “Immersive and thought-provoking…Hang on and prepare to be mesmerized as you meet two families in idyllic Shaker Heights, Ohio.” — The Missourian. “A multilayered, tightly focused and expertly plotted narrative…A deeply impressive novel with the power to provoke and entrance.” — Minneapolis Star Tribune “One of the best novels of the fall is an emotional tale about motherhood, class and so much more… Everything I Never Told You , was good, but this is better.” —AARP.org “Mesmerizing…The result is a deftly woven plot that examines a multitude of issues, including class, wealth, artistic vision, abortion, race, prejudice and cultural privilege.” —BookPage “Ng’s best-selling first novel Everything I Never Told You proved her deft hand at crafting family dramas with the deep-rooted tension of a thriller, a skill she puts to pitch-perfect effect in her latest entry…that is equal parts simmering and soulful.” —HarpersBazaar.com “A quiet but powerful look at family, secrets, and running from the past. “Ng’s stunning second novel is a multilayered examination of how identities are forged and maintained, how families are formed and friendships tested, and how the notion of motherhood is far more fluid than bloodlines would suggest…[A] tour de force.”— Booklist (starred review). “This incandescent portrait of suburbia and family, creativity, and consumerism burns bright…. As in Everything I Never Told You , Ng conjures a sense of place and displacement and shows a remarkable ability to see—and reveal—a story from different perspectives. -- Peter Ho Davies, author of The Fortunes "As if it wasn't totally obvious from her stunning first novel, Little Fires Everywhere showcases what makes Celeste Ng such a masterful writer. Celeste Ng is a powerful and poignant writer whose attention to detail is pitch-perfect. An Amazon Best Book of September 2017: With her first two novels, Celeste Ng has established herself as a writer of rare sensitivity and talent. Ng is a master of family and societal dynamics, shifting perspectives, and the secrets that we try to protect—and readers who loved her debut will recognize the author in this second novel, even as she continues to stretch herself as a writer.
Reviews
"The first 100 pages (one-third of the total book) just cover a lot of character study and plot set-ups. The plot focus about a Chinese baby abandoned at a fire station and the subsequent court battle when the single mother surfaces six months later to try to reclaim her daughter from the family in the process of adopting her, was really, really well done."
"Moreover, as the story progresses, it mines the undercurrents and conflicts unfolding in the neighborhood, and the inexorable events that ensue when an itinerant mother-daughter move in and casually defy every rule in the well-ordered, tony Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. Elena Richardson was an ambitious journalist, but subverted her talent and success (now writing trivial articles for the community paper) after marriage to her attorney husband. She inherited property from her parents in the modest part of town and now rents it out to less fortunate individuals with, what she believes, is strong character and willing submission to Shaker Heights principles. Mia repurposes objects into unique formats and themes, photographs them, and uses techniques that reflect her perceptions of the world around her, which invites the reader into startling and intimate motifs. She furnishes a sly portrait of suburbia, where the cracks and fissures that aren’t present in the manicured houses and streets are nevertheless rupturing the very misguided families that the rules aim to defend."
"Celeste's ability to seamlessly make each character a person is what everyone should strive to do."
"However, for the life of me I couldn't bare the characters, most of them were obnoxious, one diamensional or just plain uninteresting that I ended up rating this book less than what I had originally planned. She finds it hard and difficult to form any relationships with anyone, her familial background is utterly depressing, she doesn't talk to her parents, her only friend/mentor who understood her died tragically years past, she doesn't linger in one place long enough because she's too scared of forming attachment and as a result her daughter Pearl doesn't have any life! Now, I don't have any qualms about people that move around, maybe Mia could even be praised for being adventurous and a free spirit, but there's literally nothing happy about her or her character, she's depressing! Lexi was superficial and annoying, Moody was just ugh brooding and vindictive; he spent a lot of time holding grudges against his siblings because they were popular and cool, and then he spent the second 1/2 of the book, hating on Pearl because she picked his brother instead of him, even though he never once asked her out or confessed his feelings to her. Izzy was probably the worst of them all, I felt like burning this book every time she was mentioned, her obsession with Mia was f*cking annoying, and we never see her outside of it. I never understood her outrage at her own family members, it's not like they abused her or did anything to her, yeah she had issues with her mom but which teen hasn't had arguments with their parents? It will be weird for them to have anything in common, with a struggling single mom and her daughter who had just moved into their town, and are renting one of their properties. The only person whom I could see taking any real interest in Pearl at all as a character is Moody, because they are both nerds and he's less popular and isn't like his elder siblings. Instead, no everyone in the Richardson household just LOVES Pearl from the get go... And accept her willingly and spends soo much time with her, tells her their deepest secrets and yada yada, and then falls in love with Mia too cause she's so real and caring, unlike their cold, heartless and perfectionist mother."
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Best Coming of Age Fiction

The Queen's Poisoner (The Kingfountain Series Book 1)
King Severn Argentine’s fearsome reputation precedes him: usurper of the throne, killer of rightful heirs, ruthless punisher of traitors. Richard III is near-obligatory context for reading about King Severn Argentine; readers less fond of the Bard can refer to Kylo Ren instead. This is the first title in Wheeler’s projected Kingfountain series, about Owen Kiskaddon, initially the eight-year-old son of a traitorous duke being held hostage at the royal court of Ceredigion.
Reviews
"I'm a fan of Jeff Wheeler and have enjoyed his 3 trilogies in the Muirwood and Mirrowen worlds, and came into this book expecting The Queen's Poisoner to be much of the same, but it was surprisingly different and unique. Although Wheeler's writing style is clear throughout, unlike his other books, this story follows a child, 8-year old Owen, as the main character. As Owen begins to feel the magic of the Fountain, we get a lot of foreshadow, hints, and small demonstrations of what the magic entails, but the magic is not what drives the plot in The Queen's Poisoner-- it's the characters. Lastly, as with all of Wheeler's books, I enjoyed the clean aspect to his writing."
"I purchased this book as my Amazon Kindle First book for March; if there is a Fantasy book listed at all, chances are that's the book I'm going to go for. I felt torn between liking and hating some, which felt like a natural response to the characters Wheeler was developing (I did worry about this from the very beginning of the book, as Wheeler started us out with a list of characters that felt like it was intended to tell us who we were supposed to like and who we weren't; thankfully, the characters were much more developed as the story moved on). The supporting characters are equally well developed and each come with their own surprising traits; Wheeler did a fantastic job of presenting one side of the characters to you early on in the book, but letting you look deeper into who they were and what they were doing where other eyes couldn't see them as you moved further into the book. By the time I reached the end of the book, I knew that this was going to be a series that I would be eagerly waiting for the next book to come out for. While the story wrapped up this part of Owen's life well (you are told in a blurb after the end that the next book will occur 7 years from the end of book one, so it makes sense for the first book to not end in a cliffhanger), there are enough unanswered questions and possibilities yet to be answered or seen."
"A delightful and entertaining fantasy about the dangers of palace intrique and plots seeking to consume " the good, the bad and the ugly"."
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Best Biographical Fiction

Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel
Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share. “Sprawling, stirring, like the richest of stories, and played out on a canvas of heroism and tragedy, Beneath a Scarlet Sky is like one of those iconic World War II black and white photos: a face of hope and tears, the story of a small life that ended up mattering in a big way.” —Andrew Gross, New York Times bestselling author of The One Man. “Action, adventure, love, war, and an epic hero—all set against the backdrop of one of history's darkest moments—Mark Sullivan's Beneath a Scarlet Sky has everything one can ask for in an exceptional World War II novel.” —Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Playing with Fire. Mark has received numerous awards for his writing, including the WHSmith Fresh Talent Award, and his works have been named a New York Times Notable Book and a Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year.
Reviews
"It is a gripping story of resilience, the indomitable spirit of a young man that knew no boundaries and courage that sustained him during dark hours. The action intensified throughout the remainder of the book, and one is allowed a rare glimpse into the mind of Il Duce - Benito Mussolini - plus the inner workings of the German High Command. Pino Lello witnesses atrocities he wishes he could forget but keeps soldiering on...wisely... Just a gripping and harrowing Kindle First selection which I feel is the best one I have read."
"Set in Italy during the last two years of the second World War, this story follows the life of a remarkable young man, Pino Lella, who finds himself assigned as the driver of one of the most powerful Nazi officials in Italy. He accompanies this General throughout northern Italy as the war deteriorates and comes to a violent and tragic end. A very worthwhile story that author Mark Sullivan was lucky enough to learn of, then putting several years of research into piecing together as many of the details as he could."
"He takes us deep inside the love story of his discovery, the unknown hero, Pino Lella, and he crafts an epic tale set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Milan and the Italian Alps during World War II that is as intimate and tragic as it is thought-provoking and triumphant."
"I cannot add more to the excellent reviews previously posted other than to say I read this book in one sitting not being able to put it down until 4:00 AM!"
"Being a son of privaledge with a close knit extended family, devoted equally to their Catholic Church, children's education and safety, their top shelf leather purse shop in the fashion district and their love of good food, wine and classical music."
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