Review: Toil and Trouble

Title: Toil and Trouble (Jolie Wilkins ~ Book 2)
Author: H.P. Mallory
Publication Date: November 30 2010
Publisher: Self Published
ISBN: 1456428810
Length: 272 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

I can not remember the last time that I have fallen so in love with a series of books. I dread having to stop reading, I get excited when am able to go back to reading and I am already dreading catching up to the latest book as I do not know what I will be doing with myself until the next one comes out. It does make me happy that I did not discover this series right away so that I can read 3.5 books in one go because the wait between them would have been terrible.

I also find myself very torn between Rand and Sinjin. I have never really faced this problem before it has usually always been so clear in the past in other books. Team Edward, check. Team Peeta, check. I can not for the life of me stand Jacob or Gale. However in this book... I love Rand and Sinjin both so much!

However after writing out some of my favorite passages below they are mostly centered around Sinjin. hhhhmmmmm.... maybe that is a sign? But no it can't be because I found myself in tears during some moments between Rand and Jolie in this book and I love them together.

Honestly, I can't pick. I have no idea how Jolie is going to come to her final decision. I have an inkling who it will be. I guess my true feelings will be found out when that decision is made as I am sure I will feel saddened with either choice.

It is now 12:55am and I am in work at 8:00am so unfortunately I can not start Be Witched right away but as soon as I am off work tomorrow I will begin. It is only a Novella but I am so excited to see parts the story of Toil and Trouble through the eyes of Rand.

Do I really have to go to sleep????

Review: Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble

Title: Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble (Jolie Wilkins ~ Book 1)
Author: H.P. Mallory
Publication Date: July 2 2010
Publisher: Self Published
ISBN: 1470088282
Length: 304 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

This book had me from the first sentence "It's not every day you see a ghost." I honestly read this book in less then a day and found myself unable to put it down. I had to stop to make and eat Tea and couldn't stop thinking about going back to reading it.

This is the first book by HP Mallory that I have read and I must say I found it highly enjoyable and I will be reading her other books without a doubt. In fact I can not wait to start Toil and Trouble which is the next in the Jolie Wilkins Series.

A few lukewarm reviews I have found are because they say there is too much mention of sex in the book. This is a Paranormal Romance book, I would be disappointed if it didn't mention sex. I found the level of sexual tension in this book at just the right amount to be honest and wouldn't sway anybody away from reading it. Except of course if you are a prude or can't read about somebody being sexually attracted to other people.

But if you would like a great fun read then start this book today. It has romance, danger, fantasy and I found myself smiling many, many times while reading.

Now I am off to start the next one...

Review: Charlotte Street

Title: Charlotte Street
Author: Danny Wallace
Publication Date: May 10 2012
Publisher: Ebury Press
ISBN: 0091919029
Length: 416 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 3 Stars

This is going to be a tough review to write... not because I loved this book or because I hated it, in fact I am decidedly somewhere in the middle. If they allowed 1/2 stars then I would give this book a solid 3.5, as there are only full stars I have decided to bump it up to 4.

This is a book about real life. The good, the bad and the ugly. There is more good than bad and ugly but I did find myself struggling at certain points. I even found myself skipping small sections (gasp) when I saw it was entering into another very drawn out life experience montage. I also found that when something happened in Jason's life the story would all of a sudden switch to some other time and place and I had to reread to make sure my Kindle hadn't skipped a page or section.

I was a bit disappointed in the ending, would have loved to had more of 'The Girl', I mean after all this is what it was all building toward right? Although this is more of a story about friends and life in general, you know the stuff that gets in the way of your dreams...

In the end I am glad I read it and I would suggest to others, however I would suggest the sample first. If you find yourself not loving it or the style of writing then I would skip it because it will not be for you.

Review: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Title: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Author: Seth Grahame-Smith
Publication Date: March 2nd 2010
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
ISBN: 0446563080
Length: 336 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

What a marvellous book! Seth Grahame-Smith has been able to seamlessly combine the real life history and facts of one of America's most beloved Presidents with such a bizarre subject... vampires!

I started this book with the idea in my head that it would flirt on the edge of insane or quirky but instead I actually found myself thinking far too many times, "This could have really happened." My suspension of disbelief completely melted away and I found myself believing every word that I was reading. Even today at work I was explaining the book to a co-worker and I had to actually stop myself as I was retelling parts of the story because I found myself speaking as if it were all truth and facts. The writing seemed effortless in how it weaved fact and fiction flawlessly.

I was so happy when I reached the end, not because I was glad for it to be over but because I enjoyed it so much I was nervous that somehow the ending would let me down. But thankfully it did not.

This book is dark, gory in places, violent and completely wonderful.

Review: Love... From Both Sides

Title: Love... From Both Sides (Book 1)
Author: Nick Spalding
Publication Date: September 2 2011
Publisher: Racket Publishing
ISBN: 2475002956
Length: 142 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

Do not attempt to read this book:

1) In bed with somebody who is trying to sleep next to you or in bed if you have cats who try to sleep on top of you when you read
3) Are in a public place. On a train, in a waiting room or at work? Forget it
4) If you can not laugh at sex and or poop

Do read this book if:

1) You don't mind laughing out loud more than once (please note you may also have a few full on belly laughs, hence the reason the cats were not happy about me disturbing their sleep)
2) You have a good sense of humor and just really want a hilarious easy read

Needless to say I absolutely loved this book! Honestly found myself laughing so hard a few times that I had proper tears in my eyes and even my husband came to check on me to ask what I was reading and what was so funny. I have read another of Nick's books, Life... With No Breaks and I found it so enjoyable I knew I would love this. It did not disappoint. I fell in love with Jamie, it was so refreshing to also read the unfolding love story from his point of view. Too many books are solely from the woman's point of view, this made for a nice change to see he was not afraid of the feelings he was having and in fact embraced them (long story short, it was good to see the man do a little of the chasing for once...)

I have already purchased Love... And Sleepless Nights and plan on starting it right away.