Review - Return to Hollow Inn by Tara Ellis

Title: Return to Hollow Inn

Author: Tara Ellis
Series: Samantha Wolf Mysteries
Pages: 104
Release Date: February 28th 2019
Source: Author
Genre: Mystery

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Be careful what you wish for.

It's been a year since best friends Sam and Ally solved their first mystery at Hollow Inn. They've always wanted to go back and their wishes are answered with another invitation from Sam's aunt and uncle.

The mountains of Montana haven't changed, but some things about Hollow Inn have. Nestled deep in the woods are more than just memories. Someone's keeping secrets. Secrets that can get people hurt and threaten the very existence of the inn.

Can Sam and Ally once again untangle the mysterious past of Hollow Inn? Or will it collide with the present in such a way that not even Samantha Wolf can stop it?

My Review: I love this series I can't get enough of Sam and Ally.

Sam and Ally finally return to Hollow Inn for the week and almost right away they are pulled into a mystery when a little boy who is staying at the inn goes missing. A woman finds the boy, this woman is from the house next to the inn.

We meet Sam's cousin Kevin, the pair don't get along. Kevin has been sent to the inn as a punishment and is 'helping' around the inn. We also meet Tori who is the new groundskeeper while Ted is away due to family matters.

Sam and Ally soon find out that Kevin isn't helping out as much as he should be and that Tori is hiding something, she also wants to know more about this family living next door and why her aunt and uncle are having trouble with them. While Ally doesn't want to get into trouble she tries to get Sam to leave it alone so she agrees that she just wants to look into the family and she will leave it alone.

Later on Sam and Ally find Kevin hiding and he tells them that he wants the glory of being the one to find the missing Hollow landmark and when Sam and Ally tell him that they knew nothing about this until he told them they convince him to let them help him find it.

While discussing how they are going to find the missing Hollow landmark Kevin holds up a piece of paper and Sam spots that it has a map on it. After finding the map the three plan on going to it the next day so that they can see what condition it is in and if it is actually there before telling their aunt and uncle.

When the three teens find the missing Hollow landmark trouble finds them like it always does. At the end of the story Sam and Kevin seem to have a more friendly relationship and it seems like they are now going to be closer than they were before.

This is a great story with a new character and a new mystery that links to the old mystery. I enjoyed seeing Sam try and not to get into trouble more than she normally does but somehow trouble always seems to find her and Ally. I am looking forward to seeing what trouble Sam and Ally get into next.

Currently Reading: Drucilla by Melissa Frost
Read in 2019: 6/30

Review - In the House of the Vodouisant by David McMullan-Sullivan

Title: In the House of the Vodouisant

Author: David McMullan-Sullivan
Series: Moorehead Manor
Pages: 58
Release Date: November 28th 2015

Genre: Fantasy Paranormal
Source: Amazon
Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Three years have past since the horrors of Moorehead Manor almost took the lives of Emily, Adam and Jimmy. Now the legacy of Moorehead is pulling our heroes back into an even deadlier encounter of black magic and betrayal that they may not be able to survive.

The finale to the Moorehead Manor series concludes with book 3: To the Dark Room of Souls

My Review: This story was much more creepy than the first.

Emily,Jimmy and Adam are invited to help a wealthy guy to get his granddaughter back, she appears to have been taken by an evil spirit and the guy tells the guys that if they don't help him he will tell the police what they did at Moorehead Manor three years ago.

This was another story that I couldn't put down, I wouldn't say it was better then the first but I did enjoy it, there was a good story line, plenty of plot twists and some romance with a happy ending.

I can't wait to see what book 3 brings.

Currently Reading: Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel
Read in 2019: 5/30

Review - Please, Let Me Go by Caitlin Spencer

Title: Please, Let Me Go

Author: Caitlin Spencer
Series:
Pages: 288
Release Date: December 1st 2017

Genre: Biography
Source: Asda
Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Please, Let Me Go tells the shocking true story of Caitlin Spencer, a survivor of sex trafficking in England. From the age of 14, Caitlin was completely controlled, repeatedly raped, provided with alcohol, given drugs, sold and passed on to new gangs over and over again. The majority of her abusers were Pakistani men, who were blatant in their attacks upon her, often collecting her from school or home, to be taken to flats they owned, family homes, or hotels booked for the day, to be horrifically and systematically abused. At a time when the abuse ring realities of young white women in Rotherham and other major English cities are coming to light, Caitlin's story will appal readers - not just because of the degree of horrific attacks which were perpetrated upon her, but also because of the ways in which the authorities refused to act. Caitlin speaks openly about what she has suffered, and also shows just how unwilling many people are to face up to what is happening in our midst, for fear of being called racist. By bravely speaking out, she will, hopefully prove just how deep these problems are and just how the abusers get away with it in plain sight of the authorities.

My Review: I don’t normally read this genre but I wanted to read something different from what I normally read and my sister gave me this to read.

It is written from Caitlin’s POV, she tells the reader about what she has gone through in her life and tells that she still suffers from ill health from everything that happened to her.

As horrible as the accounts told by Caitlin are I couldn’t put this book down, I had to keep reading to see if she made it out of the situation safely. It is emotional, heart breaking and overwhelming.

Caitlin has been incredibly strong by sharing her story and I hope that by sharing her story it helps people to see the signs that could help save a young person from going through what Caitlin and many other go through.

Currently Reading: Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel
Read in 2019: 5/30

Review - A Week of Mondays by Jessica Brody

Title: A Week of Mondays

Author: Jessica Brody
Series:
Pages: 464 
Release Date: August 2nd 2016 

Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Source: Amazon
Format: Hardback

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: When I made the wish, I just wanted a do-over. Another chance to make things right. I never, in a million years, thought it might actually come true... 

Sixteen-year-old Ellison Sparks is having a serious case of the Mondays. She gets a ticket for running a red light, she manages to take the world’s worst school picture, she bombs softball try-outs and her class election speech (note to self: never trust a cheerleader when she swears there are no nuts in her bake-sale banana bread), and to top it all off, Tristan, her gorgeous rocker boyfriend suddenly dumps her. For no good reason!

As far as Mondays go, it doesn’t get much worse than this. And Ellie is positive that if she could just do it all over again, she would get it right. So when she wakes up the next morning to find she’s reliving the exact same day, she knows what she has to do: stop her boyfriend from breaking up with her. But it seems no matter how many do-overs she gets or how hard Ellie tries to repair her relationship, Tristan always seems bent set on ending it. Will Ellie ever figure out how to fix this broken day? Or will she be stuck in this nightmare of a Monday forever?

From the author 52 Reasons to Hate My Father and The Unremembered trilogy comes a hilarious and heartwarming story about second (and third and fourth and fifth) chances. Because sometimes it takes a whole week of Mondays to figure out what you really want.

My Review: I am a huge Jessica Brody fan so when A Week of Mondays was released I knew I had to have it, I waited and waited for it to be released in paperback but in the end I couldn't wait any longer and got it in hardback instead.

When I saw the interesting twist in the plot I knew it was a must read and I wasn't disappointed. How horrible would it be to live Monday over and over?

Ellison Sparks had a bad weekend which lead to an even worse Monday. First Ellie spills water over her extra credit paper, then she runs a red light, it starts to rain and she forgot her umbrella and that it was school picture day, she also has an allergic reaction to something she ate and it makes her lips swell so her election speech goes horribly wrong, then she doesn't get onto the JV softball team and to top it off her super hot musician boyfriend dumps her.

Ellie goes to bed that night and wishes for a do over so she can make it right and her wish comes true but not in the way she hoped. Ellie ends up spending a whole week repeating Monday with things happening slightly different each time until she finally gets it right.

My favourite Monday was the fifth Monday where she gives up and becomes a bad girl (This Monday also gave a cheeky nod to another one of Jessica Brody's books) Ellie didn't care what she did on this Monday as she knew that she would wake up the next morning and it would appear as if it didn't happen and the only person who knows any different is herself.

Ellie tells her best friend almost every Monday that she is repeating the day - to convince him she has to tell him about a dream that he had told her about on the very first Monday.

I loved the ending as it show hoe much Ellie has grown from her first Monday to the final Monday where she eventually gets everything right.

Currently Reading: Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel and Return to Hollow Inn by Tara Ellis
Read in 2018: 4/35

Review - Heritage by Tara Ellis

Title: Heritage

Author: Tara Ellis
Series:The Forgotten Origins: Bloodline
Pages: 336
Release Date: June 2016

Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: 
Source: Amazon
Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: "Alex has managed to stop a viral outbreak but must now fight her way out of the resulting chaos to prevent an even more disastrous threat. After escaping capture by a plotting regime, she calls upon her friends and own unique abilities to discover earths true past and fate. Amid a collapsing society, they battle unseen forces, unlocking ancient secrets in an attempt to change the course of the human race.

Be sure to read Book One of the Forgotten Origins Trilogy: Bloodline"

My Review: Heritage is book 2 in this great series. It is set right after Alex and Chris release the anti-virus to the virus that caused death and disaster all over the world. It is action packed and keeps you turning pages.

Alex visits the Professor that she meets in book one and he tells her that he believes that its not over and that the Munameere are looking at releasing a new version of the virus and he has been working on an anti-virus which he wants Alex to take to the Senator in Montana but before they all leave Alex gets taken by the Munameere.

While she is in the Munameere's lab they give her an injection that contains the new virus and Alex has to take the anti-virus tablet that the Professor gave her so that she doesn't become a Shiner. However the tablet isn't able to take away all of the Shiner side affects.

Alex manages to escape the lap after several days of pretending to be a Shiner and once she gets back home she, Chris and their friends and family all leave to get to the Senator.

There was never a dull moment in the book and I had to keep reading to find out what happens next and I never expected what happened.

I am excited to start book 3 to see if they manage to stop the Munameere from releasing the virus and creating chaos.


Currently Reading: Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel
Read in 2019: 4/30

Review - TAG by Alice La Roux

Title: TAG

Author: Alice La Roux
Series:
Pages: 242
Release Date: February 22nd

Genre: 
Publisher: 
Source: Author
Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: They did this.

The government.

But it wasn’t just our government, no, it was every governing body, in every country, around the globe. In an attempt to reduce overpopulation they unleashed a virus unlike any other, but they couldn’t predict what happened next. The infected became cannibalistic monsters, every trace of humanity gone.

They hunt us down wherever we go.

We are the survivors, the ones who made it to the first anniversary of the outbreak. Our numbers are dwindling, but we have one last shot at fighting back. We just have to survive long enough to save the human race.

The fate of the country lies with a lonely school girl and a city boy with a shady past.

The rules are simple: don’t get caught. 

My Review: As usual Alice brought the goods. I enjoyed the story. I've read plenty of Vampire and Witch type book's, but this is the first Zombie book I have read and I have to say I enjoyed it.

I loved the chemistry between Alex and Mia, I think that they worked well together which is shown in the story when they are planning to see what Mia's father is up to. I liked Donovan he was cool and his involvement in places helped the story. I hated Karen, she was horrible for no reason. It's not like it was Mia's fault that their friend got shot in the leg with one of Mia's arrow's, they turned up at her place not the other way round. I thought that Leo was a lunatic, who did he think he was? and Sammy and Mia's father are stupid, did Sammy really think that Alex was going to break into a secure safe for a lunatic. Also did Mia's father really think he cold keep his little experiments on the Z's a secret forever? I don't think so.

I was going to give this 5 stars as I really did enjoy it but I was disappointed in the ending, to me it felt like it ended on a cliffhanger with some unanswered questions.
- Did they ALL get back to Rosehill and the Army Base Camp?
- Did the cure work?
- Did Anna manage to escape and meet up with the others?

Despite these questions I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick read and anyone who likes to read about Zombies.

Currently Reading: Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel
Read in 2019: 4/30

To Read in February

To keep up with my Goodreads challenge of 30 I have picked 2 books to read this month.

Just because I have set these 2 books for this month that does not mean that I will finish all of the books on the list as I do beta reading and I have College and University.

This month I have picked:

1. Return to Hollow Inn by Tara Ellis
2. Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel