Mom Kat Reads: 2024

Monday, October 7, 2024

Mail Order Bride’s Promise,
by Florence Linnington

Clara moved from England to America with her sister, brother-in-law, and their baby boy. She had been looking forward to a grand adventure in a new land and had just accepted a position working for a family in Chicago, but just before boarding the train to leave, she received word that her sister and brother-in-law were killed in an accident, leaving Clara as Elija’s only living relative. She couldn’t abandon him, but also couldn’t find a job that would hire her with a baby to care for. Just as she was running out of hope, she saw an advertisement seeking a mail order bride for a man in colorado. Taking a chance, she started writing to him, and soon found herself on her way to Colorado expecting to get married. Only when she got there, Adam had no idea who she was. It turned out that his father had been matchmaking, and had neglected to tell either of them that he’d sent for a wife for Adam. As you can guess, this did not go over well with either Clara or Adam.

I read a review copy of this book and as always, enjoyed reading Ms. Linnington’s latest book. The two main characters in this story had a unique set of problems, made more difficult by Adam clearly suffering from PTSD after the war. These challenges only strengthened the story, along with a few other challenges that I haven’t named here. This book definitely has a lot going on, and was one that I found very entertaining. It deviates only slightly from the pattern of most mail-order bride stories, but I feel it added something to the inevitable happy ending that I always look forward to in Ms. Linnington’s books. I will note that this book is pictured on Amazon with the title of Mountain Bride’s Promise” on the cover art, but in order to actually find it on Amazon, you need to look for the title of Mail Order Bride’s Promise. I’m not sure why there is a discrepancy in the title of this book, but when I first looked for Mountain Bride’s Promise to post my review on Amazon, I could not find it until I looked up Mail Order Bride’s Promise instead.

If you enjoy Mail Order Bride stories with a bit of a twist, slow-burn romance stories, stories that deal with a couple dealing with post-war PTSD, or are just looking for a nice, story that is easy to read and is usually guaranteed to have a happy ending, then I think you will enjoy this book, As always, I did.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Monday, September 30, 2024

Lost and Found
by Alex Andre

Long after the “E” rendered machines inoperable, society has changed. Within the remains of cities, people who refer to themselves as “Rats,” search for usable items to trade or sell, though with as much time that has passed, little seems to remain. Park Yun-Mi is a young “Rat” who believes she is meant for great things. But her beginning is a rough one, leaving her with a great deal to prove to herself as well as others.

I received a review copy of this book, and while I did enjoy it, I do need to mention that it is over 500 pages long and contains an attempted rape. The characters are interesting, but there is a great deal of necessary set up to the story before it becomes really clear what the story is about. Because of all the necessary setup to this story, and also likely due in part to the length, it feels like the plot moves somewhat slowly, though that may in part be an illusion due to it being a longer than usual book. (I expect that book two in this series will go much faster now that we have the history and background information already, and yes, I would be interested in reading book 2 in this series at some point.)

I will say that for longer than I expected, I was trying to figure out where the story was going, but even when not yet realizing what the story was supposed to be about, I was still enjoying it. It’s not often that I read something that keeps me guessing for so long. I enjoyed reading this book.

I think anyone who enjoys post apocalyptic stories that involve a variety of people, cultures, and societies. Will enjoy this book. There is a lot going on in this story, and I have only scratched the surface of it in my review of this book. If you’re looking for a story with a variety of characters and parts to the overall story, this is the book for you.

https://amzn.to/4dst5gm (Amazon link)

https://books2read.com/u/47Bv98 (Books2Read link to other vendors

Monday, September 23, 2024

Shadow and Bone
written by Leigh Bardugo
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang

Alina Starkov has always been of little importance. She was raised in an orphanage with her best friend Mal, and the two of them joined the army together: Alina as a mapmaker and Mal as a tracker. But where he has always been amazing (he can find anything even when it appears to most as if there are no tracks), she has always been someone who appeared merely average, nothing special. At least until their entire group was almost killed in the Fold. (An area of total darkness that tears the country of Ravka in two.) It is almost impossible to cross the Fold without attracting the attention of creatures that live within the darkness. The Greshia possess abilities that help them fight against these creatures, and sometimes they succeed, sometimes less so. And when Mal and Alina are sure to be killed within the Fold, abilities that Alina didn’t know she possessed awaken. She is a sun summoner, and her light can chase the darkness away, hurting the creatures of darkness trapped in the Fold. But Alina is an untrained Gresia, and has no control over power she didn’t know she had. How can one girl become the savior of the entire world?

I listened to the audiobook edition of this book after having watched the two seasons available on Netflix. There is no season three and season two, while it ties up the story begun in season one very nicely, also leaves you hanging on what was meant to happen in season three, So I bought the audiobook through audible to listen to while I exercise. The story in book one (this book) is very similar to the Netflix season one episodes with only very few changes to the story. (I would guess those changes were made in the video production for added visual effect that you wouldn’t really see from the book, and adds to some of the horror of what happens to Alina and Mal on their journey.

In the audiobook version, the voices of each character are very distinct from each other. The narrator did a fantastic job narrating this book. And while I knew what was going to happen from having watched the Netflix version, I still very much enjoyed listening to this book. There were some slight differences in the book from the show, and I think I preferred the book version, though as I mentioned above, I can very much understand why those changes were made in the Netflix series.

Overall, this is a story that I would gladly recommend for anyone who enjoys fantasy, magic abilities, pre-industrial war stories, friends to lovers stories, romantic problems, and found family. All in all, there is a little of something for almost anyone in this book, so I would definitely suggest giving it a try, whether you chose to read it yourself, listen to the audiobook version, or even just watch the series on Netflix. (Though with no season three planned, you’ll likely need to read book 3 to find out what happens after the dramatic cliffhanger at the end of season two.)

https://amzn.to/3MWHu9y (Amazon link)

https://books2read.com/u/b56jAO (Books2Read link to other vendors)

Monday, September 16, 2024

Facing the Music by A.J. Buchanan

Tristan DeVere is a lonely Rockstar. His last relationship ended many years earlier when his boyfriend not only betrayed him but broke his heart. Now, he has a hard time trusting others. Benedict Priestly (Priest to his friends) is a widowed man with two pre-teen children who don't know he is bisexual. His wife died several years earlier and he had not been ready to even think about dating again until he met Tristan. But can the two of them overcome their own problems and insecurities or will any romance be doomed before it begins?

I received and read a review copy of this book. I found it to be a sweet second-chance romance novel between two people who have both been dealing with heartache and guilt for years. And often those are very difficult to overcome even under the best of circumstances. I enjoyed reading this book. It has a nice tie to the previous book in the series, though the characters focused on in this book are different ones than were featured in the previous book, making it work as a standalone novel as well as part of a series.

I enjoyed the depictions of a budding romance and felt for the characters when things happened that might end that romance. All in all, this was a very enjoyable book to read. But you do need to be aware that there are some sex scenes in this book, so parts of it may nor be appropriate for younger readers.

If you enjoy second chance romance novels or have read the previous book in the series, then I believe you will enjoy this book as much as I did. I know that I'll be keeping my eyes out for book 3 in this series.

https://amzn.to/4er1DR8 (Amazon Link)

https://books2read.com/u/4AMOrA (Books2Read link to other Vendors)

https://4horsemenpublications.com/product/facing-the-music-no-strings-attached-2/ (link to book on publisher's website)

Monday, September 9, 2024

Manners and Mutiny
Written by Gail Carriger
Narrated by Moira Quirk

The Picklemen are up to no good, as usual, but this time, it appears that they just might succeed in their evil plan. Exactly what that plan is remains uncertain, though it clearly involves Madame Geraldine’s finishing school. Sephronia and her closest group of friends have become aware that something evil is afoot, but no one seems to believe them, at least not until it is too late to do much about it. Or so it seems. But once again, Sephronia and the others are determined to turn a situation where failure seems assured into a way to succeed and if not save the school, at least to save London.

I listened to the audiobook version of this title. It is the final book in the Finishing School Series and does not disappoint. The narrator once again does a great job of keeping the characters’ voices distinct from each other so that there is no confusion as to who is speaking at any point. There is a lot happening in this story, and it will take all of Sephronia and the other girls’ skills as they work together to succeed. With the school evacuated of most of the students and Sephronia working to try and save it from the Picklemen who have hijacked it, the question seems to be whether or not Sephronia will be able to save the remaining teachers and sooties still on board the airship while not getting caught, all while finding a way to thwart the plot that is already underway. But if anyone can manage it, it will be Sephronia and her friends. This book was full of action and danger, as well as being entertaining to watch the girls use their skills and allies to do everything they could to stop these evil men and try to come out of it alive.

This was a very fun story and an exciting ending to the series. I also love how it sets things up for another series by Ms. Carriger, (one that I had already read before discovering this series). So I really enjoyed seeing how the characters not only became who they are, but how they fit into the other series (even if they are not prominent in that one. I believe they are at least mentioned if I am remembering correctly.) I enjoyed this series.

If you have read any of Ms. Carriger’s books and enjoyed them, then I believe you will enjoy this book as well, Of course, I would recommend that you read the first three books in this series before this one as I believe that you will lose some of the excitement if you do not know the why of some of the things happening in this book. If you enjoy steampunk stories, this will also be one that I believe you will enjoy as well.

https://amzn.to/3B4D1Pq (Amazon link)

https://books2read.com/u/mVLQE2 (Books2Read link to other vendors)

Monday, September 2, 2024

Just Stab Me Now
by Jill Bearup

Caroline is an author who is attempting to write a fantasy romance novel while working a full-time job in a busy company. Between a boss who is continually having computer problems happening at work, a heroine who is often less than cooperative with Caroline’s direction for the story, and an editor who does his best to keep her from adding in events that don’t make sense in the setting, it all makes for a very amusing story where there is always something happening, it just isn’t always what Caroline was planning.

I was gifted with a copy of this book for review. And it was a very fun read. As happens to many writers I know, Caroline’s story and characters take on a life of their own and often refuse to do what she wants them to be doing, thus taking the story in a different direction than the one she had planned. And to me, that added an extra level of entertainment to the story.

I also loved how Caroline would interrupt her characters at various points during the story to try and talk them into doing what she had expected them to be doing. It was also quite amusing to see the arguments she has with them about not only their story, but events and problems in Caroline’s life. And more often than not, these discussions or arguments with her characters, as well as their following their own instincts rather than her plans made the story in and of itself more entertaining and better. And again, the fact that I know multiple authors who have often wound up with one or more characters taking a story in a completely different direction that what was planned truly entertained me and often had me smiling as I read.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Fantasy romance novels with a twist, stories making fun of writing tropes, and stories that contain parallel storylines will enjoy this book. I think that most who choose to give this book a try will enjoy it.

https://amzn.to/3Z374Bb (Amazon Link

https://books2read.com/u/3J2dwv (Vooks2Read link to other vendors)

Monday, August 26, 2024

Waistcoats and Weaponry
Written by Gail Carriger
Narrated by Moira Quirk

In the third year at Madame Geraldine’s Finishing School for Young Ladies of Quality, many things are happening. Sephronia’s least favorite person, Monique, is no longer at the school, so you might think this year would be much more pleasant. However, the Kingaire wolfpack had staged a mutiny against the crown, and Sidheag feels that she must rejoin them as they are now without an Alpha Wolf. She feels that she is desperately needed there and is determined to find her way there, no matter what. So clearly Sephronia and Dimity are determined to help her. And not wanting them to face the dangers of the journey alone, their friend Soap, the head Sootie, won’t let them go without him, and Lord Felix Mersey is also determined to help. Naturally, Soap and Felix don’t see eye to eye on much, as both are falling in love with Sephronia, though she doubts the suitability of either as a potential future husband, though she is extremely fond of them both, and possibly even a little in love with each of them as well. With the girls disguised as young men, they hide aboard on a suspiciously empty train headed in the right direction, and soon find themselves involved in another adventure that requires all of the girls' espionage skills to survive.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story, and enjoyed it just as much as I did the previous books in the series. The narration was well done with each voice quite distinct from each other, leaving no difficulty in determining who was speaking at any point in the story. This book forces each of the characters to face significant changes in their lives, and ones that they may not have been quite ready for. It is a difficult journey for each of them, and not all of them reach the ending unscathed. I cannot tell you exactly what happened without including massive spoilers, which I don’t want to do. You’ll enjoy the story more if you discover what happens for yourself. But I can tell you that near the end of this one, my heart was nearly breaking for several of them. This one is a bit of an emotional story at the end, and will very likely have a significant impact on other books from this author that take place in this world.

What I can say is that I have been greatly enjoying listening to this series, and am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book. I think anyone who has enjoyed any of Ms. Carrigers other steampunk novels will enjoy this book, though I highly recommend having read the previous books in the Finishing School series before this one. It will help everything to make much more sense if you do. Those who enjoy reading Steampunk or any of Ms. Carriger’s series will also enjoy this one, as while it takes place slightly before some of her other series, many of the same characters do make appearances in this book as well.

https://amzn.to/4dCrzsX(Amazon link)

https://books2read.com/u/bPGv9A (Books2Read link to other vendors)

Monday, August 19, 2024

Highly Flawed Individual
by T.C. Roberts

Archie was a man who loved women, many of them and extremely often… at least until Jezebel and a sexually transmitted disease. The two may have happened at about the same time, but one did not cause the other. Needing to refrain from having sex, caused Archie to come to realize that he was a sex addict, and that Jezebel was special. She was someone he could actually fall in love with and see himself being with for more than just sex.

This was an interesting story. I will admit that I began by not really liking Archie, but through the story, something almost shifted, and I began to feel some sympathy for him. But I am afraid that the ending left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied and once again beginning to dislike him. While he has improved and grown in many ways, I am not really sure I can feel any true sympathy for him. Part of me feels like he grew as a person as his actions at the end were, in his mind, meant to protect Jezebel, but the other part of me sees them as much more about protecting himself from his own previous poor decisions. I have a hard time feeling like he actually did learn his lesson and feel like he will wind up returning to his own previously poor behavior, and will likely end up in more trouble than he was attempting to escape from.

While the book ends suddenly at the event that led to the beginning of the story, I felt like I wanted just a bit more. (I had to go back and reread a bit of the beginning in order to remember what happens to him after the book ends. Sounds slightly confusing to try and explain doesn’t it?) I also need to warn you that there are some pretty descriptive sexual encounters throughout this book.

It’s not a bad story. As I said, the character descriptions are vivid, and the character personalities do shine through quite clearly. I received a review copy of this book, but I don’t believe I was the intended target audience. I’ve heard this described as “lad-lit”, which might explain my luke-warm feelings about it. (Think “chick-lit” but targeted at men rather than women. So my being female may have colored my perceptions about the story somewhat.) I think that there are others who might enjoy it more than I did, particularly those who enjoy stories involving introspection and vivid descriptions, romance, and love vs lust stories. There is a lot of sex and a lot of sports and sports-related violence. There's also some instances involving what I perceive as male dominance posturing toward other males who are attracted to the same woman.

But for me, I felt like there was something more that I wanted from this story. I know that not all stories will have happy endings, but this one just left me feeling rather disappointed and unsatisfied. (Probably because as I mentioned above, I don’t feel like I was the target audience for this book.) Of course, if you really want to know why and what I’m talking about, you’ll have to read the book yourself to decide if you agree or disagree with my feelings about it.

Monday, August 12, 2024

Curtsies and Conspiracies
Written by Gail Carriger
Narrated by Moira Quirk

At the end of her six month probationary period at Madamoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing School for Young Ladies of Quality, all the girls in her class are given individual tests to see how well they have been learning their lessons. These tests are particularly important given that while the students are being trained to be proper young women, they are also being trained in espionage, although this is something the headmistress is unaware of. Thus part of their training involves keeping the headmistress from learning about the more covert aspects of the girls’ education. But even the test itself comes with its own lessons for the girls to learn. And after this comes another surprise. The school, along with several young gentlemen from the Bunson’s school for boys, which is one of the best schools around for young men who wish to be known as evil geniuses, will all be traveling to London for a test involving travel in the Ethersphere. An exciting time for all involved.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and really enjoyed it. Once again, Sephronia and her friends find themselves in quite a bit of trouble. And they must put the skills they have been trained in thus far to use in an attempt to not only figure out who is behind a new danger, but to help rescue some their own from a kidnapping. But the question remains, who actually is the bigger threat, the Vampires, the Werewolves, the Flywaymen, or the Picklemen? And which one is behind the current danger that Sephronia and the others suddenly find themselves in the middle of. And of course, there is Monique’s London Society Debut Ball to attend.

This was a very fun story with quite a few twists and turns. And if you are familiar with some of the other series of books by Ms. Carriger, then you will likely recognize some familiar faces in this book, though I believe this series takes place before the others. Still, it was fun to be introduced to those characters in a new light, and this book does give the reader quite a bit of insight into many of the dramas that take place with the characters within the various series.

The narrator does a fantastic job with keeping each character distinct from each other so that the listener does not get confused as to who is speaking. And I found the steampunk novel as well as the characters themselves quite entertaining. If you’ve enjoyed any of Ms. Carrager’s other books, either read or listened to as an audiobook, then I believe you will also enjoy this book as well.

https://amzn.to/3WYV2qT (Amazon Link)

https://books2read.com/u/mqQ6Yd (Books2Read link to other Vendors)

Monday, August 5, 2024

Back to You
by Richard Plourde

John Fisher thought he had it all: Money, a gorgeous girlfriend, fantastic life, expected to soon be given a partnership position at work, his life was pretty perfect. And then he was diagnosed with leukemia. His life was saved by an anonymous bone marrow donor, but after that, it seemed like everything fell apart. His girlfriend left him, he threw himself into his work, his attitude turned to being rude and no longer caring about other people, and his employer didn’t give him the promotion and instead forced him to take a six-month leave to find himself again, telling him to come back as the kind and caring person he used to be. Now, feeling quite lost and alone, he must find a way to put his life back together by facing his past.

I received a review copy of this book and enjoyed it. It was a very sweet tale of a man who had lost who he truly was inside. He had embraced vanity, pride, appearance and possessions, but lost something much more important, and this journey takes him back full circle. Confronting his past, his personal demons, discovering what he wants the future to hold, and how to find both himself, and his future. I found it to be an interesting contemporary tale of self-discovery. And though I saw the ending coming from early on, it was still an enjoyable tale of how they got there.

I believe that anyone who enjoys reading contemporary novels about lost love, found love, self-discovery, and facing one’s past will enjoy this book.

The following links will be posted in the comments on the Facebook page, as Facebook has started complaining that my adding links in the post itself violates community standards, but does apparently allow them to be posted in the comments. But on the Mom Kat Reads blog site itself, these links will remain here. (If you have not yet checked out the Facebook page for Mom Kat Reads, please feel free to do so as I include tea pairing suggestions with each review and often include other information on a variety of subjects/happenings in my life as well.)

https://amzn.to/4d9S8p4 (Amazon Link)

https://books2read.com/u/b6gkdA (Books2Read link for other vendors)

Monday, July 29, 2024

Etiquette and Espionage
Written by Gail Carriger
Narrated by Moira Quirk

Sephronia Temmenick was the youngest daughter in a large family. Her eldest sister is about to have her “coming out” party to introduce her to the other noble families and which could make or break her chances for an advantageous marriage. However as Sephronia is still a rather wild and unruly girl who is more interested in climbing trees and other “unseemly” things (such as dismantling clocks) for a young lady, and who cannot even curtsy or show the proper manners, it is recommended by an older family friend that she be sent to Madame Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. What neither Sephronia nor her family are aware of is that this finishing school is not the normal finishing school that most assume it to be. Instead, while it does train the students in the usual things taught at a finishing school, it also trains the girls in covert espionage tactics. And Sephronia is a covert recruit, who until she arrives, is herself unaware that this is not a normal finishing school.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book. The story in this steampunk novel was very entertaining and the narrator did an excellent job of keeping the individual voices distinct from each other. I enjoyed listening to Sephronia’s exploits at her new school, and her discovering that there were advantages to knowing some of the things a “proper lady” was expected to know, and how to use those skills to her benefit, both personally and professionally.

And naturally, as can be expected when there is a large group of students gathered together, there are usually some bullies among them. And in this case, Sephronia seems to have started out by making an enemy out of one of the older girls, simply in the process of trying to save her from a group of villains attempting to kidnap her.

This book clearly ties into the world of both the Parasol Protectorate and Custard Protocal series, though it takes place in a time before either of them. So if you happen to have read any of the books in either series, some of the characters within this book may be somewhat familiar to you.

Overall, I did enjoy listening to this book and look forward to continuing on with this series.

https://amzn.to/3LLmYYU (Amazon Link)

https://books2read.com/u/31nLV6 (Books2Read link to other Vendors)

Monday, July 22, 2024

Heart of Night by Angelina Steffort

After watching the man she loves die, Anya is kidnapped by the traitorous crow faerie who had secretly allied with the flame faeries and is taking her to them, to eventually be sold to the King who originally gave her as a bride to the Crow King. It seems her life has now come full circle back to where she began, as he prisoner of the King who wants her to suffer for her father’s crimes. She is almost ready for it all to be over, for what is there left worth fighting for without Myron? But what she doesn’t know is that Myron is alive and hunting for her, determined to get her back. She is the love of his life, and the one who broke the curse that all crow faeries have lived under for centuries. He is not willing to give her up, but first he needs to find her and rescue her from whatever horrible fate is being planned for her,

I received a review copy of this and enjoyed it as much as I did the previous book in the series. I enjoyed the multiple twists that took place along the way. This story definitely tugs at the heartstrings quite a bit for a number of reasons that aren’t all related to only Anya and Myron, but I do not want to spoil any of the surprises in this book for you, and there are more than a few.

The roughest part about the ending of this book is the fact that it ends where fans of the series are left waiting desperately for the third book in this series to see what will happen next, and I can assure you that I will be waiting just as impatiently as everyone else for book three to be released. I do recommend reading book one in this series before this one as you may feel a bit lost if you try to jump right into the middle of the series. But I do think this series is worth reading if you’re looking for an entertaining, magical story that tugs at the heartstrings periodically along the way.

But do be warned that there is violence in this story. Several of the characters are tortured at times throughout the book, though the worst of it is behind the scenes. It is pretty obvious that it happens, and the after-effects of it aren’t hidden from the readers. Still, for most, I think you will probably enjoy this book. Especially if you have enjoyed any of the other books in this world/setting. Recommended.

https://amzn.to/3SgI7xL (Amazon Link)

https://books2read.com/u/mByXLO (Books2Read link to other vendors)

Monday, July 15, 2024

Mannigan: A speck of Light
by L Ross Coulter

Will has just been released from incarceration after a very long time. While he was there, most of his organs had been harvested, and the doctors have told him that he has very little time left. He is bitter and angry with the world, for when his wife was judged not worth the cost of fighting her cancer, she was left to suffer and die. After that, things fell apart for him and left him with nothing save his anger and bitterness toward the world. That was what had led to his becoming incarcerated in a modern facility, where those who survive long enough to be released rarely live more than a week or two beyond their release, usually dying alone and in a great deal of pain. But the doctor who oversees his final days, believes that he can offer him a chance for something more. A life that won’t end, as a part of a group called Legion.

I received a review copy of this book, and when I began reading this story, I thought it was primarily a dystopian novel, though it also seems to be a bit of a story about humanity. But it does also paint a very bleak future for mankind. Will was a very angry and bitter man, and achieving an inability to die or be killed doesn't seem to change that throughout the book. While he does still possess some kindness, especially towards those who are also suffering for various reasons, he still wants his revenge on those in charge who had allowed his wife to be declared not worth saving, and who had used his body to save others who were deemed worthy without his permission while incarcerated.

I must warn readers that this book does contain a great deal of violence. It paints a very dark picture of the future, and while I don’t want to spoil the ending, from what I can see, the only real sign of hope for the world comes at the end of the book, and even in that moment, I am uncertain as to whether it truly is a hopeful ending or not. And that possibility, I find a bit of a depressing thought, because either possibility is equally possible in my mind. But it is clearly something meant for readers to decide for themselves.

It was interesting, but I’m not entirely sure if anyone actually grew or changed in any positive way or not. I don’t know what we were supposed to learn from what Will went through, though I have a few ideas. I believe that perhaps this book was trying to teach a lesson about what the future may hold that comes with an implied warning about repeating the mistakes others have made rather than learning from them.. And honestly, I think that for me, not being able to decide whether the ending was meant to be positive or negative is what disturbs me the most. I’m not sure if that was the point of the story, but this one just didn’t really resonate with me for some reason, though it has stuck with me. (There is more that I would like to say about the ending, but I am trying to avoid spoilers for those who decide to read this book for themselves. As I said, it does make you think about quite a few things.)

If you’re looking for a book that will truly make you think about the ending, then you will likely enjoy this one. It may paint a somewhat bleak picture for the future, but it also does seem to show that despite everything, hope always survives. For despite all the bad things that happen to quite a few people, most of them still manage to be kind and have hope, even Will.

Monday, July 8, 2024

I'm engaged to Mothman by Paige Lavoie

Heather and Moth are very happy with the life they are building in their cabin in the woods. But when a portal suddenly opens and takes them back to Moth's home in the Faerie realm, will he still want to remain in a cramped cabin with Heather? Or will he want to stay in his home realm and become the king he was once meant to be?

I enjoyed reading this book. I have visited both the Mothman statue and the Mothman Museum, so naturally both this book and the previous one in the series. (If you haven't yet read it, I highly recommend reading I'm in Love with Mothman before reading this one.) You'll likely be a bit confused about a few things if you haven't.)

Moth is a very interesting character with quite a few surprising layers to him, but his family history is quite a lot for a girl born in the human lands. And honestly, I believe that Heather is even more fascinating. She has Hashimoto's Disease, making their time in the Faerie lands a bit of a challenge without her medication, and is also a former social media influencer. So if anyone can win over Moth’s family, it should be her … even if she isn’t royalty herself. And this is not the only difficulty she and Moth will have to face. But are they capable of facing those challenges together, or will it drive them apart.

If you like fantasy stories involving a variety of creatures, multiple realms, and stories that tug at your heartstrings, then you will likely enjoy this book. I know that I did, and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I’d recommend giving this fun series a try.

https://amzn.to/4bktdNK (Amazon Link)

https://books2read.com/u/3n9d8e (Books2Go link to other vendors)

https://4horsemenpublications.com/product/im-engaged-to-mothman-mothman-in-love-2/ (link to book on publisher's website)

Monday, July 1, 2024

2040 by Robert Albo

Michael Knightsbridge was going nowhere in life. He lived off of government assistance programs and felt no drive to achieve anything more in his life. Then, after his twin brother sells their parents’ house and convinces Michael to move to California and move into his family's home. He even gives Michael a job at the lab where he works. But after an accident happens while Michael is working, his life takes a very different turn, and everything changes.

This was an interesting story set in the near future, where technology and Artificial intelligence plays an integral part in everyone's lives. In this story, we see both positive and negative possibilities for both. We also see how emotional intuition and responses can sometimes be as or more beneficial in the long run to simple logic. This story has a number of hidden (and not so hidden) themes running through it. Some of them deal with politics, technology, emotions, logic, kindness, cruelty, right and wrong, as well as a few others. All of this combined to create a story that turned out to be something quite different than I had expected.

I don't know if this is meant to be the first book in a series or a stand alone novel, but if it does ever have a sequel, I would be interested in seeing what happens to the characters next. If you enjoy speculative fiction, science fiction, stories involving Artificial intelligence, aliens, and humanity, then I think you should give this book a try. It may not have been what I was expecting, but it was something that I did enjoy reading.

https://amzn.to/3RIiO7H (Amazon Link)

https://books2read.com/u/bP8PYr (Books2Go link to other Vendors)

Monday, June 24, 2024

Blood Thirsty by Chelsea Burton Dunn

Vampires and Werewolves have long been at war, each determined to wipe the others out. Witches have aligned with the Werewolves, While Chenja are allies with the Vampires, though due to their low population, the Chenja tend to stay out of the fighting as much as possible. Ace is a vampire and has been monitoring Werewolf activity, as they are clearly up to something, but what it is, is something that no one was truly prepared for. Can they learn enough to prevent the planned ritual before it begins, or to stop it from being completed before it is too late?

The characters in this book are different from the Werewolves in Ms. Dunn’s Werewolf series (By Moonlight). I am uncertain If this series takes place in the same universe as the other or not, as this series takes place primarily in London rather than the United States, and may also be set in a slightly different time period. (I wasn't able to tell.)

This series is a bit darker than the By Moonlight series, but that should be expected when it appears to center around a Vampire/Werewolf war. Still, I did enjoy reading this book, even if my preference, at the moment, is for the By Moonlight series. But that won't keep me from continuing to read and enjoy this series as well.

I received a review copy of this book, and I did enjoy reading it. As I said above, it does seem a bit darker than the other books that I have read from this author, and it does include a fair amount of violence and some torture (though not graphic, it is clearly what is happening), and also includes some instances of abuse and sacrifice.

If you've enjoyed other books from this author, enjoy reading Vampire, Shifter, and Werewolf stories, then you are likely to enjoy this book as well.

https://amzn.to/4exIiyn (Amazon link)

https://4horsemenpublications.com/product/blood-thirsty-dead-mans-hand-1/ (link to book on publisher's website)

https://books2read.com/u/mgDqoD (Books2Go link for other Vendors)

Monday, June 17, 2024

Purrs and Peril
Written by Jinty James
Narrated by Devon Sorvari

The Norwegian Cat Cafe is a licensed cat cafe, run by Lauren and Zoey, however unlike most cat cafes, they do not have cats available for adoption. The only cat in the cafe is Annie, who acts as a hostess, greeting the customers as they enter and guiding them to their tables. The regulars all love Annie, and she truly is the heart of the cafe. So when one of the regulars is murdered, the three of them can't help but try to figure out who killed him and why.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book. I enjoyed the story, and loved how important Annie was throughout the story. She may not have left the cafe, but without her help, Lauren and Zoey would have had a much more difficult time finding the clues needed to figure out what happened.

I will admit that the ending felt a little rushed in that the murder outed themself and provided the details that had not previously been found during the story. But despite that, it was pretty clear to me before that point who was the most likely to be the killer and I had a decent guess as to why, so despite the ending coming sooner than I had expected, I still enjoyed listening to this one. (It was a fairly short book, which is likely why the ending came sooner than I had expected. Had I been reading it rather than listening, I would say it was a very quick read.)

The narrator did a wonderful job keeping the voices of each of the characters distinct from one another, making it easy to tell who was speaking. And the portrayal of Annie was enjoyable as well. The narrator did a very good job in differentiating her vocalizations to show what the cat was trying to say to the humans.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, especially ones where a cat plays such a large and integral part of the story, then I believe you will enjoy this one, whether you read or listen to this book.

https://amzn.to/4bHL0zA (Amazon book link)

https://books2read.com/u/3JgZKP (Books2Go link to other vendors)

https://amzn.to/458EBLh (Amazon audiobook/audible link)

Mom Kat Reads