Saturday Review - Addie Bell's Shortcut to Growing Up by Jessica Brody

Title: Addie Bell’s Shortcut to Growing Up
Author: Jessica Brody
Pages: 368
Release Date: February 13^th 2018
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: Seventh grader Addie Bell can’t wait to grow up. Her parents won’t let her have her own phone, she doesn’t have any curves, and her best friend Grace isn’t at all interested in make-up or boys. Then, on the night of her twelfth birthday, Addie makes a wish on a magic jewelry box to be sixteen…and wakes up to find her entire life has been fast-forwarded four years! Suddenly she has everything she’s always wanted (including a driver’s license and a closet full of cool clothes)! But Addie soon discovers that a lot more has changed than she expected—including her friendship with Grace. Can Addie turn back time and take back her wish…or has she lost the chance to experience what could have been the best years of her life?
 
My Review: I love Jessica Brody’s books so when this one came out I had to grab myself a copy and I wasn’t disappointed.
 
Eleven year old Addie wants to grow up so she can have a mobile phone and wear make-up so when on her twelfth birthday she is given a magical jewellery box by the elderly women down the road who she likes to visit she wishes before she goes to bed that she's sixteen.
 
When Addie wakes up she finds out that she is now sixteen and her entire life has changed, he best friend Grace is no longer her best friend and she can’t figure out why and she finally has a dog, a mobile phone and a draw full of make-up that she has no idea how to use.
 
At first Addie loves her new life but then she realises that she misses her old life and her best friend but in order to go back to being twelve Addie must find the key to the magic jewellery box and take back her wish.
 
Can Addie find the key or will she be stuck sixteen forever?
 
Currently Reading: Queen of Hearts by Alice La Roux
Read in 2022: 19/40

Review - Cut by Cathy Glass

 

Title: Cut

Author: Cathy Glass

Pages: 323

Release Date: January 19^th 2009

Format: Paperback

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

 

Synopsis: Million-copy bestselling author Cathy Glass tells the story of Dawn, a sweet and seemingly well-balanced girl whose outward appearance masks a traumatic childhood of suffering at the hands of the very people who should have cared for her.

Dawn was the first girl Cathy Glass ever fostered. Sweet and seemingly well balanced girl, Dawn’s outward appearance masked a traumatic childhood so awful, that even she could not remember it.

 

During the first night, Cathy awoke to see Dawn looming above Cathy’s baby’s cot, her eyes staring and blank. She sleepwalks – which Cathy learns is often a manifestation in disturbed children. It becomes a regular and frightening occurrence, and Cathy is horrified to find Dawn lighting a match whilst mumbling it’s not my fault in her sleep one night.

 

Cathy discovers Dawn is playing truant from school, and struggling to make friends. More worryingly she finds her room empty one night, and her pillow covered in blood. Dawn has been self-harming in order to release the pain of her past.

 

When Dawn attempts suicide, Cathy realises that she needs more help than she can give. Dawn’s mother eventually confides in her that Dawn was sent away to live with relatives in Ireland between the ages of 5 and 9, and Cathy soon realises that the horrors Dawn was exposed to during this time have left her a very disturbed little girl.

 

My Review: Dawn was one of the first children that Cathy Glass fostered.

 

Dawn came to her as a 13 year old girl who is a total nightmare as she is used to not having any rules but she does start to accept the structure that Cathy puts into place to keep Dawn safe.

 

However with all the trauma that has happened in Dawns life she sleep walks, sets fires and cuts herself in a suicide attempt. Dawn soon becomes comfortable enough to tell Cathy what really happened in her childhood and Cathy is able to help Dawn to become a lovely young woman that she should have the right to be.

 

Currently Reading: Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Read in 2022: 18/40

 

Review - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

Title: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Author: C. S. Lewis
Series: The Chronicles of Narnia #2
Pages: 202
Release Date: October 16^th 1950
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: In this children's classic, Lucy finds that an old wardrobe in a professor's country house is a gateway to a magical land of fauns, centaurs, nymphs and talking animals - but also of the beautiful but evil White Witch who has held the land of Narnia in eternal winter for a hundred years.
 
My Review: I read this book for the first time in years and I still loved it as much as I did when I was a kid.
 
Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy are sent to live with a professor in the country during the war and during a game of hide and seek Lucy stumbles upon the magical world of Narnia but when she comes back she tells her siblings about Narnia and they don’t believe her.
 
That night Lucy sneaks from her room to go back to Narnia and Edmond follows her but where Lucy goes to find her friend Edmond meets the White Witch who convinces him to bring all his siblings to her so that she can make him king and them his servants.
 
When the four children eventually get to Narnia they go to visit Lucy’s friend but he's been taken by the White Witch and while they are talking to some beavers to try and get him back Edmond sneaks off to the White Witches castle.
 
In the end Aslan comes along and Peter, Susan and Lucy practice to fight against the White Witch and he sends his people off to get Edmond back and they defeat the White Witch.
 
Currently Reading: Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Read in 2022: 18/40

Review - Keeper vs Reeper by Jennifer Malone Wright

Title: Keeper vs Reaper
Author: Jennifer Malone Wright
Series: Graveyard Guardians #1
Pages: 392
Release Date: August 9^th 2014
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: When her father died, Lucy Mae Estmond inherited the family business. She has known all of her life that she would be in line to watch over the souls of the recently passed, keeping them safe from the Reapers.
The soul eating Reapers have been a plague upon the Earth, stealing souls and leaving the Keepers as the only thing that stands between Heaven and Hell. The factions despise each other and have warred for generations.
Then Lucy discovers an ancient legend predicting the arrival of the Chosen One, destined to bring forth an end to the Reapers. The surprises continue when she realizes she is that person. For Lucy, being the Chosen One doesn’t change much. Fighting Reapers is just another day in the life of a Keeper.
When she meets Jack Walker, they both realize they have an insane, mutual attraction. Too bad that he’s been sent to prevent the prophecy from coming true. His only mission: to kill the Chosen One.
 
My Review: I read this story because I really enjoyed the prequel, it follows Kat and Gregory’s children who are following their legacy as Keepers of the Estmond graveyard now that their dad has passed away.
 
The Estmond children find out that Lucy is the Chosen One who will end the Reapers but for her she just wants to get on with her job and look after the souls, that is until she meets Jack. Jack is a Reaper who has been sent to kill her by his mother the Empress of the Reapers to stop the prophecy from coming true but things don’t go as he plans when he discovers that the usual burning of skin that they get from touching a Keeper or Reaper isn’t there.
 
Jack can’t kill her, he finds himself falling for her so when she is kidnapped by his best friend the Estmonds enlist him to help get Lucy back and the two enemy’s band together to rescue Lucy.
 
Currently Reading: Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard and Queen of Hearts by Alice La Roux
Read in 2022: 17/40

Review - Summer Hollow by Jennifer Malone Wright

Title: Summer Hollow
Author: Jennifer Malone Wright
Series: Graveyard Guardians #0.5
Pages: 91
Release Date: November 7^th 2017
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: Killing Reapers is just another day in the life of a Keeper.
Kat Davenport spends her nights guarding souls. The Bay Area graveyards are a hot bed for Reaper activity and slow nights are rare. She is good at what she does and loves every minute of it. But when she is suddenly reassigned to the blink and you’ll miss it, town of Summer Hollow, she is far from happy about the move.
Gregory Esmond has taken over the graveyard in Summer Hollow. His family has guarded this Graveyard for generations and now it was all his … that is, except for the girl from the Bay Area who was assigned to help him. Kat was loud mouthed, inappropriate at times and fearless. Two out of three of those things were completely the opposite of him.
The two Keepers must learn to work together despite their differences. Their lives will depend on it.
 
My Review: So I got this novella from free on Amazon and I really enjoyed it.
 
The main characters Kat and Gregory meet at Gregory’s parents funeral and they work together to protect the souls in Gregory’s family graveyard from the Reapers who want to consume them.
 
When going through his parent belongings they find this ancient prophecy about a child who is born on the seventh day of the seventh month will unite the Keepers and Reapers.
 
I enjoyed this quick glimpse into the world of Keeper and Reapers it was different to the usual supernatural books I’ve read.
 
Currently Reading: Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Read in 2022: 17/40

Review - Myths and Legends by Laura Greenwood

Title: Myths and Legends Anthology

Author:  Laura Greenwood

Pages: 518

Release Date: May 3^rd 2021

Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

 

Synopsis: An Indie Love Anthology

Tales of knights, dragons and curses are not just for children.

Join us as we get up close and personal with mythical creatures, magical moments and dashing quests for love as Indie Love presents The Myths & Legends Collection.

From Egyptian Gods to Arthurian legends, Robin Hood to Hades, there is something for everyone.

With 7 exclusive stories available for a limited time, are you ready for an epic romance?

 

My Review: I really enjoyed this anthology of short stories they were all very different while keeping within the theme of Myths and Legends. I enjoyed In Search of Ghosts by Paula Acton the most probably because I love to read about the Lady in the Lake and Frost and Flame by R J Truman the least.

 

Mistress of Sky and Stars by Laura Greenwood 3*

This was an Egyptian myth about Nut and Geb and how they were told that they could not be together and like all star-crossed lovers they didn’t listen and this causes a curse to be cast upon Nut. Will Nut’s friends Taweret, Thoth and Khonsu be able to help Nut and Geb or will Ra’s curse stop them?

 

Queen of the Underworld by Arizona Tape 3*

Maia has volunteered to be the new Hades and from the start she is treated like royalty when all she wants to do is her job and make the ferrying of souls more efficient. However Penelope who is working at the Docks where the souls wait just wants Maia to stay out of her way so she can do her job. Will Maia and Penelope be able to work together or will Maia sit back and leave Penelope to it?

 

Frost and Flame by R J Truman 2*

I enjoyed this short story, for me it was too short and could have been padded out a little more. Carrie inherited the families power of being a fire phoenix, the only problem is she also has the power of a frost phoenix. She speaks to her aunt and her mother who both give different versions of how the family inherited their powers. Who will Carrie believe? Her mum who seems jealous or her aunt who seems to be hiding things?

 

In Search of Ghosts by Paula Acton 4*

Alec’s father has just died and Alec has big plans for his future until he finds out his dad stole the deeds to his house that was left for him by his mother when she died. Alec remembers a story his mother told him and decides to search for the mysterious lady she told him about. Will Alec find the mysterious lady and love or will he be disappointed and have to move back in with his friend?

 

Cursed to Love by Erin O’Kane 4*

This story is a twist on a Greek Myth with curses and magic (2 great things in my mind). Maya is cursed and only love can undo the curse but people only want the item that she is protecting will Mayas curse be lifted or will she have to keep killing everyone who tries to take the item she's protecting? This story leaves room for it to be expanded on which is why it only got 3*s

 

I Do It For You by Louise Line 3*

This is a Robin Hood retelling where the ‘Robin Hood’ character is a female named Millie. Millie has everything her dream job, the best boyfriend a girl could ask for and the best friend who she shared all her secrets with that is until she receives a letter about a long lost relative she never knew she had. Will the mystery man she meets be able to help her figure out what this mysterious letter is all about?

 

Dragon’s Heart by Carrie Austin Malone 3*

This is a dragon shifter story which is new to me, there is lots of magic and danger with romance. Geraint is the dragon in this story and he is in a secret military team who are investigating people who are hunting mythical creatures while he waits for his mate to come into his life. Can Geraint keep his home safe? And will he find his mate?

 

Currently Reading: Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Read in 2022: 17/40

Review - Breeding Lilacs by Alice La Roux

Title: Breeding Lilacs
Author: Alice La Roux
Pages: 
Release Date: August 5^th 2021
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: August
I was imperfect.
A flawed creation.
A failed strain.
And now I’m only fit to tend the garden that father grows alongside April, my sister.
Father isn’t just a horticulturist, he’s a world class florist. Creating the most beautiful breeds to sell at the market.
I have never wanted a flower for myself...until I met Lilac.
Lilac
I don’t know where I am, or how long I’ve been here.
All I know is that I am not a flower in their garden, no matter what he tells me.
I am a weed, creeping up through the soil, invading their precious flowerbeds.
I need to escape before the nurseryman turns me into fertilizer and there is nothing left of who I used to be.
August is my way out.
But can I reach him before April chooses me for the next harvest?
This is a Death Blooms World Novella set in the world of Death Blooms written by Yolanda Olson
 
My Review: As usual Alice delivered the dark and creepy vibe that it was meant to have.
 
Lilac wakes up to an unfamiliar surroundings, she can’t remember anything after leaving work, when she wakes she's greeted by an evil woman and a mysterious man who’s hidden in the shadows
 
August upon seeing Lilac is curious about her as unlike the others they have collected she doesn’t cry or show any signs of fear and this makes him want her.
 
Even though Lilac has been taken by strangers for them to impregnate so they can sell the babies she doesn’t fight them instead she attempts to become friends with August in an attempt to get him on side so she can convince him to free her.
 
I really enjoyed the twist in this story and like I always say with Alice’s novellas it just wasn’t long enough and I want to know more.
 
Currently Reading: Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Read in 2022: 17/40

Saturday Review - Surviving Extinction by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Title: Surviving Extinction
Author: Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus
Series: Extinction #6
Pages: 171
Release Date: August 6^th 2021
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: All roads lead to one end as the forces of good and evil come together in a mind-blowing conclusion in book 6 of the Extinction series.
Tired of the usual post-apocalyptic story? Welcome to your new addiction.
An underwater explosion devastates a chain of islands.
A mysterious illness begins to spring up across the world.
Earthquakes shatter the west coast, causing untold damage and loss of life.
To the ordinary observer, these events appear random and coincidental - but for some they're all pieces of a global puzzle that leads to one conclusion: the end of humanity.
In a desperate race against time, the survivors must not only survive but learn to adapt to an insidious set of foes, each more dangerous than the last.
From the #1 best-selling post-apocalyptic author Mike Kraus, writing with best-seller Tara Ellis, comes a terrifying post-apocalyptic survival thriller tale that's guaranteed to keep you up at night.
Point of Extinction is a 6-book post-apocalyptic survival thriller series from the authors of Flashpoint, Final Dawn, Surviving the Fall and Storm’s Fury. With a deep emphasis on characters and real-world science, this post-apoc tale will keep you reading well into the night.
 
My Review: In the final instalment of the Extinction series Peta’s group have made it to Suriname but now they face the wrath of not only the Amazon Jungle but Dr Davis and the Cured.
 
The groups of survivors path intersects with Jessica’s at the preserve and now Jessica must help the group connect with the Lokono and a possible cure for the destruction that is happening to mankind.
 
They now face adversaries both seen and unseen as well as demons they have all tried to bury but what they don’t know is that they were not the only ones making their way to Suriname, Mads who they thought was dead has joined Jessica’s dad and as she gets closer to the Libi Nati her morality starts to be exposed.
 
Currently Reading: Enslaved by Emily Vaughn
Read in 2022: 16/40

Review - Escaping Extinction by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Title: Escaping Extinction
Author: Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus
Series: Extinction #5
Pages: 180
Release Date: June 25^th 2021
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: The jungle hides many secrets waiting to be discovered as allies become enemies and the final countdown begins in book 5, the penultimate chapter of the Extinction series.
Tired of the usual post-apocalyptic story? Welcome to your new addiction.
An underwater explosion devastates a chain of islands.
A mysterious illness begins to spring up across the world.
Earthquakes shatter the west coast, causing untold damage and loss of life.
To the ordinary observer, these events appear random and coincidental - but for some they're all pieces of a global puzzle that leads to one conclusion: the end of humanity.
In a desperate race against time, the survivors must not only survive but learn to adapt to an insidious set of foes, each more dangerous than the last.
From the #1 best-selling post-apocalyptic author Mike Kraus, writing with best-seller Tara Ellis, comes a terrifying post-apocalyptic survival thriller tale that's guaranteed to keep you up at night.
Point of Extinction is a 6-book post-apocalyptic survival thriller series from the authors of Flashpoint, Final Dawn, Surviving the Fall and Storm’s Fury. With a deep emphasis on characters and real-world science, this post-apoc tale will keep you reading well into the night.
 
My Review: In the 5^th instalment of the series we see the characters all trying to survive once more now that they have arrived in Suriname now that the Amazon Jungle is starting to attack back.
 
After having been rescued by ICONS and then running from them to the CDC Peta has to overcome her burdens and chase down the link between the unexplained disasters and the deadly pathogen.
 
Once The Kuru began Jason tried to gather all the information on the prion disease from those he trusted and set out to find his daughter and anyone left who could help find a cure.
 
Tyler has proven to be a valuable part of the group since losing his mum and leaving his dad at the CDC lab for him the journey has been personal, he needed to help find a cure not just for his did but before time ran out.
 
Jessica is now living at the Libi Nati preserve with her nanny Akuba now that her dad has left her after recovered from the sickness and changed but he's not the only one that Jessica has to worry about, the whole jungle is changing.
 
Was heading for the Amazon Jungle where the source of the prions was located be the right thing to do?
 
Currently Reading: Enslaved by Emily Vaughn
Read in 2022: 16/40

Review - Spread of Extinction by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Title: Spread of Extinction
Author: Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus
Series: Extinction #4
Pages: 188
Release Date: May 7^th 2021
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: As the true effects of the Kra Puru are made known across the world, a desperate plan to save the world is put in motion in book 4 of the Extinction series.
Tired of the usual post-apocalyptic story? Welcome to your new addiction.
An underwater explosion devastates a chain of islands.
A mysterious illness begins to spring up across the world.
Earthquakes shatter the west coast, causing untold damage and loss of life.
To the ordinary observer, these events appear random and coincidental - but for some they're all pieces of a global puzzle that leads to one conclusion: the end of humanity.
In a desperate race against time, the survivors must not only survive but learn to adapt to an insidious set of foes, each more dangerous than the last.
From the #1 best-selling post-apocalyptic author Mike Kraus, writing with best-seller Tara Ellis, comes a terrifying post-apocalyptic survival thriller tale that's guaranteed to keep you up at night.
Point of Extinction is a 6-book post-apocalyptic survival thriller series from the authors of Flashpoint, Final Dawn, Surviving the Fall and Storm’s Fury. With a deep emphasis on characters and real-world science, this post-apoc tale will keep you reading well into the night.
 
My Review: With the earth now angry the balance has been disrupted and there is only one price to pay; the devastation of the human race or their souls, book 4 brought more surprises to a world where so much has already happened.
 
With all the characters now coming together under one goal and destination their paths will cross in ways they never would have guessed.
 
Peta has nothing left to lose on her chase to the source of the deadly pathogen but rising above the odds she finds the strength to keep going and although she has spent the last several years on her own she now has to rely on her new found friends to achieve her goal.
 
Tyler proves that he is worth being with the group on their journey, with his mum dead and his dad being left at the CDC sick with The Kuru he must pitch in to help get to Suriname to get the cure for his father.
 
Ex-Marine Jason is just the right guy to have with you while travelling across the world during an apocalypse but with his nightmares surfacing will he be able to find the strength to continue to help the group?
 
14 year old Jessica has had to watch her dad become someone else after being infected with the Kru Puru; emotionless and uncaring; he is now distant and wants to gather as many people like him as he can so he can emerge with a new race to overpower those immune to the disease.
 
While on their journey to the Libi Nati Peta faces her demons as a new kind of evil lurks in the Amazon Jungle will relying on everyone’s strengths be enough to overcome the barriers?
 
Currently Reading: Enslaved by Emily Vaughn
Read in 2022: 16/40

Review - Brink of Extinction by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Title: Brink of Extinction
Author: Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus
Series: Extinction #3
Pages: 183
Release Date: March 26^th 2021
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: While Peta's group barely escapes the Yellowstone eruption, Jason is shocked by an unexpected return and a dangerous new turn for the deadly Kra Puru in Book 3 of the Extinction series.
Tired of the usual post-apocalyptic story? Welcome to your new addiction.
An underwater explosion devastates a chain of islands.
A mysterious illness begins to spring up across the world.
Earthquakes shatter the west coast, causing untold damage and loss of life.
To the ordinary observer, these events appear random and coincidental - but for some they're all pieces of a global puzzle that leads to one conclusion: the end of humanity.
In a desperate race against time, the survivors must not only survive but learn to adapt to an insidious set of foes, each more dangerous than the last.
From the #1 best-selling post-apocalyptic author Mike Kraus, writing with best-seller Tara Ellis, comes a terrifying post-apocalyptic survival thriller tale that's guaranteed to keep you up at night.
Point of Extinction is a 6-book post-apocalyptic survival thriller series from the authors of Flashpoint, Final Dawn, Surviving the Fall and Storm’s Fury. With a deep emphasis on characters and real-world science, this post- apocalyptic tale will keep you reading well into the night.
 
My Review: This is the 3^rd instalment of the Extinction series and the part took a bit of a dip in the series compared to the last two but I still enjoyed reading it.
 
In Brink of Extinction it has been 12 days since the MOHO exploded and we find out why ICONS were really interested in the MOHO and now realising that they should have left it well alone and with the earths tectonics continuing to shift, nature and mankind are on the brink of being wiped out.
 
Peta thinks she know how to stop the world from ending but with travelling almost impossible due to the dangers of not just the earth but the people rioting she needs help in getting to the origins of the prion disease and Devon her colleague who escaped from the Mohorovicic Discontinuity (MOHO) with her is the man to help her and they head for the Centers For Disease Control (CDC) where the government’s last best hope failed due to The Kuru is Peta leading them on a mission that is doomed to fail?
 
Tyler fully believes that Peta can pull off the impossible after she saved him and his father from Madagascar and with both of his parents now victims of the MOHO disaster he is left on his own as they all travel to Suriname in hopes of finding a cure and nothing will get in his way.
 
From the moment the earth changing event began Jason was thrown right back into his past where he was struggling with surviving the war where many perished in front of him and with the help of his loyal dog Marty he is able to focus on the present and not give up on finding his daughter, he is hoping that whatever genetic property he has that makes him immune to The Kuru also makes his daughter immune too. Along with his friend Eddy who had managed to recover from the disease Jason travels to the CDC lab.
 
Jessica feels alone now that her father has been affected by the Kra Puru and left her alone she must come to terms with her new reality and although she doesn’t want to believe the old stories of the prion disease she can’t help but see that people who survived the Kra Puru have changed and now her loving jungle is sick too.
 
Peta, Devon, Tyler, Jason and Eddy are all on the same quest but for different reasons, can they all work together to achieve their main goals?
 
Currently Reading: Enslaved by Emily Vaughn
Read in 2022: 16/40

Review - Layers of Extinction by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Title: Layers of Extinction
Author: Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus
Series: Extinction #2
Pages: 168
Release Date: February 12^th 2021
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: As the world-wide effects of the apocalyptic scenario continue to develop, tough decisions must be made for the sake of humanity itself.
Tired of the usual post-apocalyptic story? Welcome to your new addiction.
An underwater explosion devastates a chain of islands.
A mysterious illness begins to spring up across the world.
Earthquakes shatter the west coast, causing untold damage and loss of life.
To the ordinary observer, these events appear random and coincidental - but for some they're all pieces of a global puzzle that leads to one conclusion: the end of humanity.
In a desperate race against time, the survivors must not only survive but learn to adapt to an insidious set of foes, each more dangerous than the last.
 
My Review: After the MOHO explosion causing V8 eruptions and 9.3 earthquakes the survivors learn that they are not over the worst of it yet as a deadly virus is unleashed and not everyone will survive unharmed.
 
Peta is tasked with finding out what is causing the spreading disasters but after finding out that ICONS are not who they portrayed themselves to be Peta and Devon go rogue and now on the run they have to find a way to stay alive.
 
Now in the Nevada plains after escaping the military in the midst of a Yellowstone eruption Tyler and his parents teamed up with Peta and Devon out of desperation and with already losing so much will the coming days take more from the young boy?
 
Jessica was fortunate to be tucked away on the Libi Nati Preserve in Suriname being one of a few to escape the original events unscathed, the local hot springs erupted into geysers and people began to fall ill including her father but when he wakes up he is not himself and Jessica has to turn to the local Lokono for help and they reveal the terrifying truth about the Kra Puru disease that the whole world is calling The Kuru.
 
Jason left Seattle trying to figure out how he was still alive when he had watched so many die from the disease while working in the hospital, he goes in search of a daughter he has never know while carrying a folder full of crucial information and trying to survive.
 
Mads worked with ICONS to try and cover up her guilt but she is blinded by the real threat as she works becoming infected with The Kuru, she is forced to choose what her final act will be, will she do good or be selfish?
 
This was a great 2nd instalment in the Extinction series and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds in book 3
 
Currently Reading: Enslaved by Emily Vaughn
Read in 2022: 16/40

Review - Point of Extinction by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

Title: Point of Extinction
Author: Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus
Series: Extinction #1
Pages: 216
Release Date: February 6^th 2021
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: An ancient killer. A nation torn apart. One woman will stop at nothing to save her family - or die trying.
Tired of the usual post-apocalyptic story? Welcome to your new addiction.
An underwater explosion devastates a chain of islands.
A mysterious illness begins to spring up across the world.
Earthquakes shatter the west coast, causing untold damage and loss of life.
To the ordinary observer, these events appear random and coincidental - but for some they're all pieces of a global puzzle that leads to one conclusion: the end of humanity.
In a desperate race against time, the survivors must not only survive but learn to adapt to an insidious set of foes, each more dangerous than the last.
 
My Review: This is the first book in the extinction series and another post- apocalyptic series by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus, again this story is told in several POVs which is not my favourite way to tell a story but it works in these kinds of stories.
 
When Dr Henry Crane a brilliant Marine Geophysicist goes into the Indian Ocean to take a look at the MOHO Island an underwater volcano he that had started to collapse to get samples the seafloor collapses, the MOHO Island explodes and causes a deadly pyroclastic flow, tsunamis and a toxic methane to be released into the air killing millions but this is just that start of a series of events.
 
Peta and her assistant Devon are a few hundred miles away when the explosion occurs and they have to run for their lives to escape death, being rescued by a mysterious corporation ICONS Peta is wary of their intentions.
 
Tyler is a 16 year old who though he had finally found somewhere he could belong before then explosion but when he is trapped in Madagascar with his dad he must follow a plan that his mother set out for them and Tyler find out that his mum a Naval intelligence officer was hiding stuff about the MOHO Island from him.
 
Jessica grew up in Suriname with her father deep in the Amazon Jungle and all she wants is to keep her family together, her father created their own island on an old Dutch Sugar plantation and converted it into a scientific research post where he studied the unique qualities of the local hot springs the Libi Nati, when the MOHO exploded the hot springs changed.
 
Jason a retired combat medic is now suffering from PTSD and when the disaster occurs the United States suffers from record breaking earthquakes he goes to the trauma centre at the hospital he now works at to help out
 
Madeline a crazy and relentless researcher had researched the cataclysmic anomalies from the safety of her home and she could see patterns through her unique view and she knew parts of the truth about why ICONS were so interested in the MOHO.
 
Tara is one of my go to authors and even though I don’t really read post-apocalyptic books I had to read this especially after liking the first one she did with Mike Kraus and I couldn't put it down and I had to read the second one as soon as it came out.
 
Currently Reading: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Read in 2022: 15/40

Review - Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

Title: Plain Truth
Author: Jodi Picoult
Pages: 464
Release Date: October 25^th 2004
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: From the bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper comes the riveting story of a murder that shatters the picturesque calm of Amish country -- and tests the heart and soul of the lawyer defending the woman at the center of the storm.
 
The discovery of a dead infant in an Amish barn shakes Lancaster County to its core. But the police investigation leads to a more shocking disclosure: circumstantial evidence suggests that eighteen-year-old Katie Fisher, an unmarried Amish woman believed to be the newborn's mother, took the child's life. When Ellie Hathaway, a disillusioned big-city attorney, comes to Paradise, Pennsylvania, to defend Katie, two cultures collide -- and for the first time in her high-profile career, Ellie faces a system of justice very different from her own. Delving deep inside the world of those who live "plain," Ellie must find a way to reach Katie on her terms. And as she unravels a tangled murder case, Ellie also looks deep within -- to confront her own fears and desires when a man from her past re-enters her life.
 
My Review: I originally read this book about 10 years ago and even though the plot is sad I enjoyed it.
 
Katie had been sneaking away from her Amish home with the help of her mother to visit her brother who had left the Amish community  and these she meets a boy and they grow close and do what any normal 18 year old does and they sleep together, this results in Katie getting pregnant but she doesn’t tell anyone about the pregnancy and pretends that it never happened.
 
One night she goes into labour and she sneaks off into the barn and gives birth but this baby does not survive and Katie hides the baby, this has the police getting involved and 18 year old Katie is charged with murdering her newborn baby and it is Ellie job to prove that Katie never killed her child.
 
Currently Reading: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Read in 2022: 15/40

Saturday Review - In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It by Lauren Graham

Title: In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It
Author: Lauren Graham
Pages: 64
Release Date: April 3^rd 2018
Format: Hardback
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
Synopsis: Advice for graduates and reflections on staying true to yourself from the beloved Gilmore Girls actress and New York Times bestselling author of the memoir Talking as Fast as I Can and the novel Someday, Someday, Maybe.
"If you're not where you want to be on this day - don't worry about it. Because the spotlight aspect of life? That's not the satisfying part."
In this expansion of her 2017 commencement speech at her hometown Langley High, Lauren Graham reflects in her hilarious, relatable voice, on growing up, pursuing your dreams, and living in the here-and-now. "Whatever path you choose, whatever career you decide to go after, the important thing," she writes, "is that you keep finding joy in what you're doing, especially when the joy isn't finding you." She reminds us to be curious and compassionate, no matter where life takes you. "Whether you hope to be an actor or a politician or a mathematician, I've learned that empathy and kindness are your most valuable tools." Grounded and inspiring, this is Graham's roadmap to a happy life: "Be a fan, not a theater critic."
 
My Review: Lauren Graham’s dad nominated her to give the commencement speech at her old school and this short but funny book gives advice to the students who are graduating, it tells them to remember that no matter what they want to do in life sometimes you might get their right way sometime it may take longer than you first thought but to always be true to yourself.
 
Currently Reading: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin and Sky's Story by Louise Allen
Read in 2022: 14/40

Review - Shadowed Heart by Candace Wondrak

Title: Shadowed Heart
Author: Candace Wondrak
Series: A Death So Sweet
Pages: 337
Release Date: February 1^st 2021
Format: Kindle
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
 
My Review: I read this book as my good friend Alice was starting a book club and this was the chosen book, it sounded like it would be something I would really enjoy so I voted for it but I actually didn’t really enjoy it at all.
 
After the death of her parents, Lola becomes a killer she is known as the Night Slayer as she stalks the clubs and kills anyone who harasses her while she’s having a good time only she end up killing the wrong guy, the son of a crime lord.
 
The Luciano family track her down and kidnap her and make her their pet where she has to do their bidding she actually fits into the family and helps them out on ‘jobs’.
 
To be honest the books was okay but I didn’t think that a murderous lunatic like Lola would be someone who got along with the mob, sure she fits in and enjoys helping them with their ‘jobs’ but surely she would rather just keep doing what she was doing before they captured her.
 
Currently Reading: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin and Sky's Story by Louise Allen
Read in 2022: 14/40