Author: Marsha

Would you read Christian Grey’s viewpoint?

Posted June 3, 2015 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 2 Comments

Word is out that E. L. James will be releasing Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as told by Christian – just in time for his birthday on June 18th. Here is the blurb from the Amazon page of this not yet pre-orderable item…yet. I give you..Christian’s view:

In Christian’s own words, and through his thoughts, reflections, and dreams, E L James offers a fresh perspective on the love story that has enthralled millions of readers around the world.

CHRISTIAN GREY exercises control in all things; his world is neat, disciplined, and utterly empty – until the day that Anastasia Steele falls into his office, in a tangle of shapely limbs and tumbling brown hair. He tries to forget her, but instead is swept up in a storm of emotion he cannot comprehend and cannot resist. Unlike any woman he has known before, shy, unworldly Ana seems to see right through him – past the business prodigy and the penthouse lifestyle to Christian’s cold, wounded heart.

Will being with Ana dispel the horrors of his childhood that haunt Christian every night? Or will his dark sexual desires, his compulsion to control, and the self-loathing that fills his soul drive this girl away and destroy the fragile hope she offers him?

I confess I probably will – we shall see what June 18th brings.

Thoughts?

Review: Love On A Spring Morning by Zoe York

Posted June 3, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Love On A Spring Morning
Series: Pine Harbour #3
Author: Zoe York
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 2, 2015
Publisher: ZoYo Press
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley

Duplicity. Desire. Denial. They were doomed from the start.

Ryan Howard has zero interest in the movie being filmed in Pine Harbour or the high maintenance stars staying in the cottages at the end of his lane. He’s just barely holding on to the raw remains of his life and the fantasy world being concocted around him is, as far as he’s concerned, a complete waste of time and energy. The one bright light in his life is an intern on the set, Holly Cresinski, and their quiet conversations at the end of the day on his back porch.

Holly hates her life, too, which is entirely unfair because she’s blessed beyond measure. She’s at the top of her career–as film actress, Hope Creswell–and surrounded by people that mean well. But Ryan makes her laugh, and cry, and before she can find the words to explain her deception, he kisses her.

Read on for my thoughts on Love On A Spring Morning. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Never Resist a Rake by Mia Marlowe

Posted June 3, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Never Resist A Rake
Series: Somerfield Park #2
Author: Mia Marlowe
Genre: Historical, Regency Romance
Published: June 2, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Blurb:

John Fitzhugh Barrett is surprised to discover that instead of being a bastard, he’s the legitimate heir to the Somerset marquessate. Once word gets out that he must continue the Somerset line, eligible bachelorettes from across the country descend upon Somerfield Park, hoping to snatch John up before it’s too late. But John has no interest in a woman who’s only after his title.

Rebecca Kearsey, the daughter of a threadbare viscount, is the only one who understands. However, as her desire for John begins to build, she becomes painfully aware that she isn’t considered grand enough by Polite Society to be a future marchioness. Intrigued by the idea of challenging society’s rigid values, John’s interest in Rebecca grows. But can she show him that love is more than just childish rebellion?

Read on for my thoughts on Never Resist A Rake. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: The Lake Season by Hannah McKinnon

Posted June 3, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: The Lake Season
Series:
Author: Hannah McKinnon
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction
Published: June 2, 2015
Publisher: Atria Books
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Blurb:

Set in the weeks leading up to an idyllic New England wedding, this “enticing and refreshing” (Nancy Thayer, New York Times bestselling author) novel sparkles with wry wit, sweet romance, and long-kept family secrets.

Iris Standish has always been the responsible sister: the one who studied hard, settled down, and always made the right choices—even when they came at the expense of her passions. Meanwhile, her sister Leah dropped out of college to “find herself” by hiking through Yellowstone and switches jobs nearly as often as she switches lovers, leaving Iris to pick up the pieces in her wake.

But now Iris’s life is coming apart at the seams, and when Leah calls her back to their childhood home with a desperate cry for help, she is thrust headfirst into preparations for her sister’s wedding to a man their New Hampshire clan has never met…with her own marriage and family on the brink.

Still, despite the rush of dress fittings, floral arrangements, and rehearsal dinners, Iris is learning to put herself first. And amid a backdrop of late-night swims and a soul-restoring barn renovation comes Cooper Woods, a high school crush who beckons with the promise of a new start.

While Leah faces a past that has finally caught up to her, Iris prepares to say goodbye to a future that is suddenly far from certain. As Hampstead Lake shimmers in the background, Iris must decide when to wade in cautiously and when to dive—and, ultimately, how to ferry herself to safe harbors in this novel of second chances and the ties that bind.

Read on for my thoughts on The Lake Season. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Don’t Turn Around by Caroline Mitchell

Posted June 2, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 2 Comments

Title: Don’t Turn Around
Series: DC Jennifer Knight series #1
Author: Caroline Mitchell
Genre: Supernatural Crime Thriller, Mystery, Paranormal
Published: April 24, 2015
Publisher: Bookouture
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: Author, Personal Collection
Cover Blurb:

You don’t know him. But he knows you.

Soon he would be able to touch her, to feel the warmth of her blood. And when the time came, nothing would stop him.

As D.C. Jennifer Knight investigates a routine stabbing in the quiet town of Haven, she is shocked at what seems like a personal message from beyond the grave.

When more bodies are found, Jennifer is convinced the killings are somehow linked. What she discovers is more chilling than she could possibly imagine. The murders mirror those of the notorious Grim Reaper – from over twenty years ago. A killer her mother helped convict.

Jennifer can no longer ignore the personal connection. Is there a copycat killer at work? Was the wrong man convicted? Or is there something more sinister at play …

With her mother’s terrifying legacy spiralling out of control, Jennifer must look into her own dark past in a fight not only to stop a killer – but to save herself and those she loves.

Read on for my thoughts on Don’t Turn Around. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Spore by Tamara Jones

Posted June 2, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: Spore
Series:
Author: Tamara Jones
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal
Published: June 2, 2015
Publisher: Samhain
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

The dead are coming back.

Ten naked people walk from a cemetery into artist Sean Casey’s backyard: ten Spore People who used to be dead. One, Mindy, stays with Sean while trying to reclaim her life, but her ex would rather she return to her grave. Sean struggles to protect Mindy and other Spores while battling his recurring—and worsening—nightmares. Meanwhile, the media feeds a panicked frenzy that leads both the hopeful and hateful to Sean’s front door.

As the Spore fungus spreads, so does the fear. When mutilated children match Sean’s nightmares, he realizes his own worst terror may be closer than he thinks.

Read on for my thoughts on Spore. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Kiss the Bride by Rachael Johns

Posted June 1, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 2 Comments

Title: Kiss the Bride
Series: Montana Born Brides #5
Author: Rachael Johns
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 1, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Wedding fever has hit the little town of Marietta…

And that suits single mom, Magdalena Davis, just fine. It means the local gossips will stop hounding her about returning to town and the secret she’s kept for fifteen years. Home to make peace with her sick mother, the last thing Mags wants is to get involved in Marietta’s big celebrity wedding. But when her teenage daughter cajoles her into auditioning to sing with a local heartthrob, all her plans for flying under the radar zoom out of the window.

Country music singer, Jake Kohl, has lost his muse. He’s jaded from years of life in the fast lane and wants to settle in Marietta and lead a normal life. He reluctantly agrees to sing at the celebrity wedding, but what he doesn’t expect is his duet partner to reignite his passion. But it’s not just the music she awakens. For the first time in a long time, Jake feels alive again and wants more out of life, starting with her. But there’s more to Magdalena than meets the eye.

Read on for my thoughts on Kiss the Bride. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: The Major’s Faux Fiancee by Erica Ridley

Posted June 1, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: The Major’s Faux Fiancee
Series: The Dukes of War #4
Author: Erica Ridley
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: June 1, 2015
Publisher: Intrepid Reads
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

When Major Bartholomew Blackpool learns the girl-next-door from his childhood will be forced into an unwanted marriage, he returns home to play her pretend beau. He figures now that he’s missing a leg, a faux fiancée is the best an ex-soldier can get. He admires her pluck, but the lady deserves a whole man—and he’ll ensure she gets one.

Miss Daphne Vaughan hates that crying off will destroy Major Blackpool’s chances of finding a real bride. She plots to make him jilt her first. Who cares if it ruins her? She never wanted a husband anyway. But the major is equally determined that she break the engagement. With both of them on their worst behavior, neither expects their fake betrothal to lead to love.

Read on for my thoughts on The Major’s Faux Fiancee. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: The Beautiful One by Emily Greenwood

Posted June 1, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: The Beautiful One
Series: The Scandalous Sisters #1
Author: Emily Greenwood
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: June 2, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Tomboy Anna Black has no idea how a book containing nude drawings of her is traveling around town. Everyone’s calling the woman in the drawings the “Beautiful One,” but Anna knows that if her true identity is revealed, she’ll be ruined. To escape scandal, she becomes a temporary companion to the outrageous teenage ward of Will Halifax, Viscount Grandville.

Will wants nothing but to be left alone. When cheeky Anna unexpectedly arrives with his scandalous ward, suddenly he has two intolerable women filling up his once-quiet manor. But as Anna’s charms begin to soften Will’s hard exterior and uncover his shrouded heart, she hopes that love can fully blossom before her scandal erupts.

Read on for my thoughts on The Beautiful One. No true spoilers, promise.

Hello June ~ Welcome Back Around

Posted June 1, 2015 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 0 Comments

Hello-June The wee hours of June 1, 2015. The year is half over, or half is yet to come – depends on how you look at things, isn’t it?

I have a lot to accomplish this month. And I’m certain that more will be added to that pile as the days move on.

Looking at my shelf over at NetGalley shows me I’ve some reading and reviewing to get done, but not overwhelming – at this point, anyway. And thinking of the physical novels I bought yesterday plus the ones I downloaded from Amazon — *rolls eyes* What was I thinking! But, it’s okay, it will all get done, eventually.

The May ARC Sweep is ended, and I got a lot cleared out, reviewed and up-to-date, until June. I’ll take that accomplishment and run with it. Thanks to the Blog Ahead event, I’m doing well on scheduled posts ready to drop. So for the two specific challenges for May – it went well and I’m satisfied with my personal results.

Speaking of Challenges – I really need to update the ones I joined back in January. I know I’ve read the books *hangs head* – I also know I’ve been horrid about going and listing them either on the Challenge hosts blogs or on my own pages. Something else to add to the June to-do-list.

I have definitely upped my time on Twitter this month – but still more needs to be done. Not truly comfortable there yet, but that will come. On my list for this month is working on Pinterest – gosh, I’ve been so bad about that. Actually, as a shy person who usually isn’t very talkative – I haven’t done badly this past month – so I should cut myself some slack. *grin*

I really, really need to spend more time on the genre specific blogs, and silly me, I added another one a couple days ago. Logic says I “should” keep it all here at Keeper Bookshelf – but, I dunno. It’s a brand that I’m working and I really should not water it down too much. Yet I enjoy the idea of the diversity of the genre specific blogs… once I get a better handle on scheduled posts, I should not have to worry about them too much. Time, there rarely seems to be enough time. Aw well, again, it will get done eventually.

Anyway, enough of my mind wandering out loud here. *sheepish grin* Summer is upon us and I’m looking forward to complaining about humidity and high temps, you too? Lots of novel releases to look forward to, new friends to make and brand new worlds to explore. I’m looking forward to the chaos – I think. *wink*

Happy June to you all – and I hope all you wish for this month comes true.

Marsha

Review: The Light by Kate Thomas

Posted May 31, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: The Light
Series: Equilibrium #2
Author: Kate Thomas
Genre: Paranormal
Published: May 20, 2015
Publisher: Patchwork Press
My Rating: 5 star
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

With the truth of Ellie’s place among the Balance Keepers finally coming to light, training now begins. She must learn to harness the powers that are growing within her, some spiraling out of control. Confusion and frustration become her constant companions, as her search for answers does nothing but push her further from the man she’s come to love.

David is The Light, the speaker of truth, the whisperer of good in the world. His desire for more than he can have with his new apprentice tears at the fabric of his own stability, bit by bit. He knows what the future holds — and just how damning it will be for Ellie if she’s not prepared to handle it — but he’s forbidden to help.

As tragedy becomes reality, will she reach for The Light, or run into the soothing arms of The Darkness?

Read on for my thoughts on The Light. No true spoilers, promise.