Carole Wooten

A real page-turner!

Revisado: 09-26-24

Why did I wait so long to read this book? Sarina Bowen is one of my favorite romance writers so it was a given that I would need to read her debut thriller. And it was excellent! I was drawn into this story immediately. I couldn’t imagine receiving a text from someone no longer living. If it is the man you love and the father of your child, the stakes are even greater. That text message sends Ariel on a mission to learn the truth about what happened five years earlier.

This story was filled with twists and turns that kept the story moving. I had such a hard time putting this book down that I grabbed a copy of the audio just so I could find out how things would work out a little bit faster. I enjoyed watching Ariel and Drew fall in love, while I watched for clues, in the parts of the book that flashed back to the time before Drew left. It quickly became obvious in the scenes set in the present day that there was more to the story than Ariel had previously known.

Kathleen Early, Gary Tiedemann, and Jason Clarke did a wonderful job narrating this story. I thought that their voices worked well together and the use of three narrators made it easy to tell when the story’s point of view changed. I liked that all three narrators were able to add just the right amount of emotion to their reading which helped to bring the story to life. I am certain that their performances added to my overall enjoyment.

I would highly recommend this book to others. This was a fast-paced story that kept me guessing until the very end. I cared about Ariel and her son, Buzz, and wanted to see things work out for them. I am crossing my fingers that we see more thrillers by this talented author in the future.

I received a review copy of this book from HarperCollins.

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Fantastic!

Revisado: 07-05-24

There are very few books that I will drop everything to read. This is one of those books. I downloaded this book as soon as it became available and spent as much time reading it as possible. I seem to be reading slower these days so I downloaded the audiobook when it was released a week later even though I had reached the 80% mark in the book simply because I couldn’t wait to see how it ended. I was a fantastic reading experience from beginning to end.

The characters in this series come alive on the page. I think that Sarah Lyons Fleming does an amazing job of creating characters that you can’t help but love, making it very easy to become invested in the story’s outcome. This series is told from 4 unique points of view. Rose loves to take care of everyone, especially her father and 2 young adult children. She tends to worry simply because she cares so much. Tom is Rose’s boyfriend and Clara’s father. He is incredibly competent and tends to be a steady presence in the story. Clara is Tom’s daughter and the girlfriend of Rose’s oldest child. We get to see a bit more about how the young adults in the story deal with a world turned upside down. Craig is Rose’s childhood friend. He has stepped up as a leader in the group and is someone that Rose and everyone else can count on. These four characters tell the story but it is easy to fall in love with the whole group and I worried about them with each challenge they faced.

The group seems to be in a bit of a better start than they were in the past. They have a solid group working together, plenty of supplies, and a location that meets their needs. Unfortunately, this is a world full of danger. They must constantly work to keep their food supply up and stay on guard against the zombies that now roam the world. On top of that, they know that the threat of wildfire is a real one. And this is a world without a team of firefighters ready to act. This story took my heart and broke it at times. I have to wonder just how much these characters can face.

I listened to a portion of this book and thought the narrators did a great job with the story. Each point of view was voiced by a different narrator which made it very easy for the listener to know when the perspective changed. I thought that their voices were very pleasant and complimented each other’s nicely. They added just the right amount of emotion to their reading which added to my enjoyment of the story. I plan to tackle the full audiobook when I pick this book up again for an eventual re-read.

I would highly recommend this series to others. This is the fourth book in a series that really should be read in order so I wouldn’t start with this book. The first book World Departed would be a much better place to start. I can’t wait to read the next (and possibly final) book in this much-loved series.

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Fantastic!

Revisado: 02-02-24

My Thoughts
I have had this book on my virtual shelves for years! I am kicking myself for waiting so long to finally get around to reading it. I love Kelley Armstrong's writing so I had a great feeling about this one and it did not disappoint. I loved getting to know Elena and the rest of her pack. There was plenty of excitement throughout the story. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a fantastic job with this book.

Book source: Purchased

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Atmospheric

Revisado: 01-24-24

I enjoyed this one! I am a sucker for dark academia so I was very excited to give this book a try. I loved the gothic feel of the story and liked Corvina right away. It took me a minute to warm up to Vad but I did end up liking his character as well. I loved that the story kept me guessing and there were a few twists and turns that completely surprised me. I had a hard time putting this entertaining book down once I started reading.

When Corvina is invited to attend the University of Verenmore, she doesn’t hesitate. Since her mother is no longer at home, nothing is holding her back. She is a little older than other incoming students but quickly starts to form a bond with her new roommate. Then she meets Vad, who just happens to be a professor, and they are immediately drawn to each other. Some strange things are happening at the university and Corvina and Vad hope to figure out what is going on before someone else disappears.

I wasn’t sure about Corvina and Vad at first but I was eventually convinced. He is a professor at the school but he is also a thesis student so the lines are a little more blurred. There isn’t much of an age gap between the pair but Corvina was a lot more innocent. I thought that the chemistry between the pair was palpable. The emotional connection between these characters felt authentic and I wanted to see them find their happily ever after.

I ended up grabbing a copy of the audiobook and thought that Aiden Snow and Scarlett Dorian did an amazing job with this story. I am not sure if I have listened to either of these narrators’ work in the past but I appreciated their performance with this story. I liked the fact that they were able to capture the characters’s personalities through their reading which added a lot to my enjoyment of the story. I would not hesitate to recommend this entertaining and atmospheric romance to others.

I received a review copy of this book from Bramble.

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Wonderful!

Revisado: 01-03-24 El oyente recibió este título gratis

This was wonderful! I am about the same age as the characters in this book, so I loved taking a peek back at the not-so-distant past. I have fond memories of life before everyone was tethered to a cell phone and enjoyed reading a romance set in the same period when I was young and going on dates myself. I found this story to be incredibly entertaining and had a very hard time putting it down once I got started with it.

Luke, a former child star, has come to town to work as a producing director on a television show. He does not drive anymore and wants to relearn the skill. Dani is certain that she does not want children after helping to care for her numerous siblings growing up. She cannot find a doctor willing to perform a tubal ligation because she is young and unmarried. The pair decide to help each other get what they want and grow closer than they expected in the process. I liked Luke and Dani and thought they were perfect together. The chemistry between them was incredibly well written and I loved how they were able to help each other through a few things.

I listened to the audiobook and thought Alastair Haynesbridge and Amy McFadden did a great job with this story. I found both of their voices to be very pleasant and thought that they complimented each other’s voices very well. I enjoyed the fact that both narrators were able to bring a lot of emotion to their reading which helped to bring the story to life. I had no problem listening to this audiobook for hours at a time and am certain that their performance added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to others. This is the third book in the Carolina Classics series but works perfectly well as a stand-alone. I had a great time getting to know this pair of characters and couldn’t wait to see them find their happily ever after. I am a fan of Karen Grey’s writing and look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from the author.

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Wonderful!

Revisado: 01-03-24 El oyente recibió este título gratis

This was wonderful! I am about the same age as the characters in this book, so I loved taking a peek back at the not-so-distant past. I have fond memories of life before everyone was tethered to a cell phone and enjoyed reading a romance set in the same period when I was young and going on dates myself. I found this story to be incredibly entertaining and had a very hard time putting it down once I got started with it.

Luke, a former child star, has come to town to work as a producing director on a television show. He does not drive anymore and wants to relearn the skill. Dani is certain that she does not want children after helping to care for her numerous siblings growing up. She cannot find a doctor willing to perform a tubal ligation because she is young and unmarried. The pair decide to help each other get what they want and grow closer than they expected in the process. I liked Luke and Dani and thought they were perfect together. The chemistry between them was incredibly well written and I loved how they were able to help each other through a few things.

I listened to the audiobook and thought Alastair Haynesbridge and Amy McFadden did a great job with this story. I found both of their voices to be very pleasant and thought that they complimented each other’s voices very well. I enjoyed the fact that both narrators were able to bring a lot of emotion to their reading which helped to bring the story to life. I had no problem listening to this audiobook for hours at a time and am certain that their performance added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to others. This is the third book in the Carolina Classics series but works perfectly well as a stand-alone. I had a great time getting to know this pair of characters and couldn’t wait to see them find their happily ever after. I am a fan of Karen Grey’s writing and look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from the author.

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So much fun!

Revisado: 12-14-23

This was so much fun! I am a reader who is always looking for something a little different that doesn’t fit nicely into a single genre. As soon as I heard that this was a serial killer rom-com, I knew that I needed to read it. It was gory, sexy, laugh-out-loud funny, and rather romantic. All the things that I love. Once I started reading this book, I couldn’t get it out of my head until I had reached the end.

I liked Sloane and Rowan and thought that they were perfect for each other. They were both killers and seemed to understand each other. Plus they were able to enjoy their hobby and even made it into a game that they play once a year. Some scenes are pretty intense so this may not be the right choice for every reader but I loved the way that the author was able to weave humor into the story along with the gory bits. The chemistry between the pair was incredibly well done and I wanted to see them work things out.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Joe Arden and Lucy Rivers took the story to the next level. They were able to bring Sloane and Rowan to life through their narration. I loved the slight accent that Joe Arden used for Rowan’s character. I thought that the narrators’ voices complimented each other very nicely and I had no problem listening to this book for hours at a time. Their performances added a lot to my overall enjoyment of this story.

I would highly recommend this book to others. I found it to be a really well-done and rather unique story. I found myself rooting for this pair of killers and I loved that there were some pretty big surprises worked into the story. I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book in this trilogy!

I received a digital review copy of this book from Zando.

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Well done!

Revisado: 08-24-23

This was really good! I have been a fan of Sandra Brown’s writing for a very long time and look forward to each new release so I was excited to have the chance to read her latest book. I was surprised to learn that this book dealt with a mass shooting but Sandra Brown handled the topic well as I trusted she would. The story took me on a bit of an emotional roller coaster since it was heartbreaking at times, and exciting at others, with just enough romance worked in to keep things very interesting.

My heart broke for some of the characters quickly after starting the book. Elle and Calder were both at the county fair when the shooting occurred and the danger may not be over. Everyone present when the shooting occurred lost something but Elle’s loss felt incredibly profound. Both Elle and Calder are committed to finding out who is responsible for everything that has happened. The story got very exciting as they encountered one dangerous situation after another while the police tried to find who was responsible for the tragedy. I liked the chemistry between Elle and Caulder and thought that they worked well as a couple.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Kyf Brewer did a great job with the story. I believe that this is the first time that I have listened to this narrator’s work and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up other books that he narrates. I found his voice to be very pleasant and thought that he was able to add just the right amount of emotion to his reading.

I would recommend this book to others. I found this to be quite the page-turner and I loved that the mystery kept me guessing until the very end. The story ended on a hopeful note which I also appreciated. I cannot wait to read more of this talented author’s work in the future.

I received a review copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing.

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Loved these characters!

Revisado: 08-17-23

Sarina Bowen never seems to disappoint! I have been a huge fan of this author for some time but I somehow missed grabbing this book when it was released. Weston and Abbi were great together. They both had some family issues that they needed to work out and I loved how they naturally stepped in to help each other. The chemistry between them was amazing. I loved the set up of the story with Abbi hiring Weston to be her fake date for Thanksgiving. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrators did an amazing job with this story. I found this to be a really fun romance filled with incredibly likable characters.

Book Source: Purchased

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Fun middle grade fantasy!

Revisado: 08-06-23

This was such a fun book! I believe that this middle grade fantasy is a perfect read for both younger readers and adults. We meet the sword Asperides right away once I realized a sentient sword would be one of the main characters, I knew that I was in for a good time. I was entertained by this fascinating tale from beginning to end.

Nack has been cast out by his family and hopes to prove his worth by completing a task to win back his place. I felt horrible for Nack since he was truly on his own with no place to go and even loses his sword right away. He decides to go on a knight’s quest where he finds Asperides and enters into a contract believing it is an angel sword. Nack was such a great character and I adored his interactions with Asperides. I found this story to be really exciting with quite a few surprises worked in. The characters all grow and change over the course of the story as they try to do what is right.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Mark Sanderlin did a great job with the story. I have listened to this narrator’s work on a couple of adult romance novels so it was fun to see him tackle a different genre. I thought that he did a great job with the various character voices which helped to bring the story to life. I do believe that his narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. It was an entertaining story featuring wonderful characters that should appeal to a wide range of readers. I would not hesitate to read more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a review copy of this book from Algonquin Young Readers.

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