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stacking the shelves

Stacking The Shelves (4)

Kathryn Cooper

Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tygna’s Reviews, is a weekly post where bloggers list the books they recently acquired. The books can come from anywhere: publisher, author, giveaway, library, bought.

Click the book’s cover to view on Amazon and the title to add to your GoodReads.


Kelly Grace Pickens is an excited bride until she’s abandoned at the altar. Desperate, she accepts an offer to appear on a reality TV show, Count Down to Love. Her country ways are a stark contrast to the mysterious bachelor from New York. Wading through hurt and betrayal both on and off screen, Kelly discovers that being true to yourself is essential to finding happiness and love.

For Review:
Count Down To Love by Julie Ford (for an upcoming blog tour)

Thank You to Julie Ford!

utah book month

Utah Book Month: Answers to Who’s That Side Kick?

Kathryn Cooper

You guys did a great job on this mini-challenge. I don’t know about you, but it drives me crazy not knowing if I got the right answer for a challenge so . . . here are the answers.

In case you forgot, the challenge was to identify which book the sidekick/ side character was in.

1. Minho– The Maze Runner by James Dashner

2. Warren– Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull (Fablehaven #4)

3. Xander– Matched by Ally Condie

4. Poppy– Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

5. Razo– The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

6. Jude– The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

7. Bruke– Witch Song by Amber Argyle

8. Tasey– Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

I had fun with this challenge so thanks for joining me!

Book Review, leigh bardugo, shadow and bone

Book Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Kathryn Cooper

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Release Date: June 2012
Pages: 358
Series: The Grisha Trilogy #1
Source: library
5 Stars: I LOVED IT!!!

Alina Starkov doesn’t expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, the one thing she could rely on was her best friend and fellow refugee, Mal. And lately not even that seems certain. Drafted into the army of their war-torn homeland, they’re sent on a dangerous mission into the Fold, a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh.

When their convoy is attacked, all seems lost until Alina reveals a dormant power that not even she knew existed. Ripped from everything she knows, she is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. He believes she is the answer the people have been waiting for: the one person with the power to destroy the Fold.

Swept up in a world of luxury and illusion, envied as the Darkling’s favorite, Alina struggles to fit into her new life without Mal by her side. But as the threat to the kingdom mounts, Alina uncovers a secret that sets her on a collision course with the most powerful forces in the kingdom. Now only her past can save her . . . and only she can save the future.

My Thoughts:
I loved this book!! It was one of those reads where after I finished it I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The author created an imaginative, magical, and vivid world. It was not a world I’d like to visit though.

Alina had it rough through childhood as an orphan in this harsh world. I went on an emotional roller coaster for sure. I love those kind of reads. I don’t even know what to say without giving things away. I want you to read this book and discover this world for yourself. It’s great! I’ll tell you this: I cried tears of joy at one point which doesn’t usually happen when I read. It was the sweetest moment. I’ll have to choose this book for my book club to read so I can talk all spoilery about how wonderful it was!

The ending was great with enough closure to satisfy while leaving more to the story for the next installment. I can’t wait to read the next book!!! Is it really a year away?

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: mild with 1 short moderate ( some talk, kissing, moderate- kissing, necking, his hand up her skirt on thigh )
Language: mild ( a**-3, b****-1, h***-2 )
Violence: moderate ( fantasy animals attack, blood, death, injuries, hand to hand combat )

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Teen Fiction

Uncategorized

And the winner is . . .

Kathryn Cooper

The winner of the Feed Your Reader Giveaway Hop with a choice between the Kindle book of Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke or An Old-Fashioned Romance by Marcia Lynn McClure is . . .

RUTH

Congratulations! I’ve already sent you an email. There were 178 entries and Ruth was #176. Thank you to everyone who entered!!

Book Review, earlene fowler, fool's puzzle

Book Review: Fool’s Puzzle by Earlene Fowler

Kathryn Cooper

Title: Fool’s Puzzle
Author: Earlene Fowler
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 1995
Pages: 256
Series: A Benni Harper Mystery #1
Source: borrowed from my friend Kiera, Thanks!
4 Stars: I Really Liked It

Leaving behind memories of her late husband, Benni Harper is making a fresh start…Moving to the trendy California town of San Celina, she takes an exciting new job as director of a folk-art museum. While setting up an exhibit of handmade quilts, she stumbles upon the body of a brutally stabbed artist. Hoping to conduct an investigation on her own, she crosses paths with the local police chief, who thinks this short and sassy cowgirl should leave detecting to the cops and join him for dinner. But it’s hard to keep a country girl down, and soon Benni uncovers an alarming pattern of family secrets, small-town lies–and the shocking truth about the night her husband died…

My Thoughts:
This was a great read. I love murder mysteries. I actually read book 15 for a book club awhile back so now I’m going back and reading the first books of the series. The beginning books show the budding romance which is the best part. I loved how Benni and Gabe drove each other crazy at the beginning.

Benni was 34 years old and a 9 month widow. She had been married to her late husband for 15 years. This book goes into the heart ache and loneliness that comes with that life changing event. Every day memories of her and her husband broke my heart.

There were times during the murder solving parts where I was like “Use You Cell Phone!” but then I remembered this was written in the early 90s when cell phones weren’t as prevalent. Hahaha. Just keep that in mind.

This was a fun mystery! At times it felt a little slow, but the plot and characters kept me entertained.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: mild ( jokes, talk, kissing )
Language: mild ( a**-7, s***-8 )
Violence: mild ( murders, blood )

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Adult Fiction

Buy it!

Other Books By Earlene Fowler:

Book Review, firelight, sophie jordan

Book Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Kathryn Cooper

Title: Firelight
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 2010
Pages: 326
Series: Firelight #1
Source: library
5 Stars: I LOVED IT!

A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki, a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will’s dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She’ll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

My Thoughts:
I love this cover! The fire red hair, eye scales makeup, and slit pupil make the cover amazing. This book had me hooked by page one. I loved the idea that dragon like Draki could be in human form. What an exciting story idea!

The plot was great, the characters likeable. The plot felt like reading a story from Edward’s perspective (Twilight). The main character wasn’t the innocent human this time but a powerful Draki trying to stay in human form with all her volatile emotions. Intense.

The only thing that annoyed me about this book was the insta-love. There was a reason for it, but it still bothered me that their relationship was at a certain level before they decided to spend some time talking. Oh well, it was still enjoyable to read.

Firelight was an intense, exciting, and deeply romantic book. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: moderate ( kissing with guy shirtless, kissing on couch while guy’s hand touches girl’s back up her shirt, more kissing )
Language: mild ( God-5, d***-1, s***-1, h***-4 )
Violence: mild/moderate ( draki injured from arrow, fist fights, bullying )

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Teen Fiction

Buy it!
[ Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository ]

Other books by Sophie Jordan:
stacking the shelves, vlog

Stacking The Shelves (7) Vlog!

Kathryn Cooper

Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tygna’s Reviews, is a weekly post where bloggers list the books they recently acquired. The books can come from anywhere: publisher, author, giveaway, library, bought.

Click the book’s cover to view on Amazon and the title to add to your GoodReads.

Won:
ARC of Definance by C.J. Redwine (won from HarperTeen via First Reads)
How to Take the Ex Out of Ex-Boyfriend by Janette Rallison (won on author’s blog)

eBooks for Review:
eARC of Witch Born by Amber Argyle
My Boyfriend Merlin by Priya Ardis

Bought:
Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren (I already read and loved it!! Review coming soon.)

Thank You to HarperTeen, Janette Rallison, Amber Argyle, and Priya Ardis.

Book Review, darby karchut, griffin's fire

Book Review: Griffin’s Fire by Darby Karchut

Kathryn Cooper

THIS IS THE 2ND BOOK IN A SERIES!
Book 1: Griffin Rising ( My Review )

Title: Griffin’s Fire
Author: Darby Karchut
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
Release Date: April 2012
Pages: 200
Series: Griffin #2
Source: author
3 Stars: I Liked It

For centuries, there have been rumors about a lowly caste of supernatural beings known as the Terrae Angeli. Armed with the power to control Earth, Fire, Wind and Water, these warriors and their apprentices clandestinely serve as guardians for humans in danger.

Forced to become mortal, ex-teen angel Griffin has been banished from the Terrae Angeli. Struggling to adjust, he enrolls in the heaven-and-hell known as high school. In spite of his friends’ support, Centennial High proves to be a battleground, complete with a malicious math teacher.

And to make matters worse, his Mentor, Basil, has been ordered to take on a new apprentice, the gifted and egotistical seventeen-year-old Sergei, whose covert attacks make Griffin’s home life as bleak as a Siberian winter.

Caught between school, Sergei, and a desperate secret, Griffin is certain of one thing: the only way to fight a Cold War is with Fire.

My Thoughts:
Book 2 picks up right where the 1st book left off. Something life changing happened in book 1. Griffin was still dealing with his emotions from that event. He’s angry a lot of the time during this book which made me sad since Fin was such a fun guy to be around in book 1.

I enjoy the journal entries throughout the book. It’s fun to find out what some of the characters are really thinking. This book didn’t hold my attention as much as book 1, but I still liked it. There were some good twists throughout the story. The characters are great, and I want to know what will happen next.

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) to view details
Sexual Content: mild ( kissing, light kissing with boy’s shirt off )
Language: mild ( bloody-12, h***-7, God-1, a**-1 )
Violence: mild ( flashbacks to his physical childhood abuse, fist fights )

I received the book from Darby Karchut. Thank you! I am not paid for my reviews. My reviews are solely my opinion.

review 1
Reviewed by Kathryn Cooper
Creator of Clean Teen Fiction

Buy Griffin’s Fire!

Check out Book 1: Griffin Rising

giveaway

Feed Your Reader Giveaway Hop!

Kathryn Cooper

I’m participating in another great giveaway hop! I Am a Reader, Not A Writer and Books: A True Story are hosting. If you don’t already follow both of their blogs you should. They’re great! Visit the host blogs to see who else is on this giveaway hop.

If you win the giveaway you can choose 1 Kindle eBook: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke OR An Old-Fashioned Romance by Marcia Lynn McClure. Open internationally. Fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter. Good Luck!

Hannah Swensen already has her hands full, between dodging her mother’s attempts to marry her off, and running Lake Eden, Minnesota’s most popular bakery, The Cookie Jar. But when the Cozy Cow Dairy’s beloved deliveryman is found murdered behind Hannah’s bakery with her famous Chocolate Chip Crunchies scattered around him, Hannah sets out to track down a killer. The more Hannah snoops, the more suspects turn up. This is one murder that’s starting to leave a very bad taste in Hannah’s mouth, and if she doesn’t watch her back, her sweet life may get burned to a crisp.

Life went along simply, if not rather monotonously, for Breck McCall. Her job was satisfying, and she had true friends. But she felt empty-as if part of her soul were detached and lost to her. She longed for something-something that seemed to be missing. Yet there were moments when Breck felt she might almost touch something wonderful. And most of those moments came while in the presence of her handsome yet seemingly haunted boss-Reese Thatcher.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If these books sound like ones you’d like to read, you might want to check out some other books by these authors. Click the cover to view on Amazon.