Category: Book Reviews

Marah Chase Shows You How To Conquer a Tomb the Correct Way!

Marah Chase Shows You How To Conquer a Tomb the Correct Way!

House of 1000 Books

Rogue archeologist Marah Chase is approached by MI6 with an impossible mission: to help them recover a lost treasure with the potential to destroy humanity.

Once a rising star in the field of archaeology, Marah Chase is now a black-market treasure hunter, her services available to the highest bidder. But when she s caught “rescuing” relics in Syria before they’re destroyed by war, an MI6 officer named Joanna Mason approaches her with an offer she can’t refuse: help save the world or rot in prison.

All Chase has to do is find Alexander the Great s lost tomb, recover an ancient weapon of mass destruction he may have used to conquer the earth, and destroy it before the bad guys can get it. Among those adversaries are a powerful church that believes in a forgotten epoch of advanced alien technology, the white supremacist thugs in its employ, and the rival archaeologist who recently left Chase for dead.

Chase can’t resist a challenge or the British spy recruiting her. There’s just one problem. If Chase has any hope of unearthing Alexander’s tomb before the forces hot on her heels do, she’ll need the help of the one person she’s been afraid to see since her fall from grace: Zoe Forrester, the heir to a hidden journal that holds the key and Chase’s ex-girlfriend.

A contemporary homage to the best adventure stories of literature, television, and film, Marah Chase and the Conqueror’s Tomb is an action-packed, globe-trotting quest, perfect for anyone who’s ever thought Indy really ought to be Jewish, female, and gay.

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Why Dark Flowers By Caytlyn Brooke Will Change Your Mind About Fairies

Why Dark Flowers By Caytlyn Brooke Will Change Your Mind About Fairies

House of 1000 Books

Are you one of those people who think fairies are adorable, tiny, mysterious beings that come and sprinkle their whimsical fairy dust all over the place making everything smell like cotton candy?

“Oh, they are so tiny and so harmless, right?”

Well then, I have some rather unfortunate news for you regarding fairies! They could be possibly the root of all evil! Read more →

Why You Should Read Murder for Christmas by Jo-Ann Carson

Why You Should Read Murder for Christmas by Jo-Ann Carson

House of 1000 Books

If you could pick one place on the entire planet, any place at all, that you could be during Christmas time where would it be?

Murder for ChristmasFor Madison Rathbone, it’s nothing less than being as far away from her family at Christmas as she can get. Evidentially, in this story, she got her Christmas wish in the form of an all-expense paid invitation for a week get-away at a lodge on a secluded island with 12 other people.

Travelling to the island on a boat Maddy learns from the captain the glorious news about her destination. What Maddy called Puffin Island is known lovingly, or not so fondly, to the locals as Deadman’s Island. That was unfavourable news indeed! That should have been her earliest clue that perhaps she should turn around and head home.

Of course, she didn’t, because that would be a short book indeed.

So, finally getting to her destination, she recognizes the mistake that she made when she comes to the estate. It was right out of thing from a horror movie, in this case, a horror book. Spooky, creepy, and pretty exhausted looking. Once she meets the rest of the guests, she knew her impression wasn’t right and that she wasn’t’ alone in her feelings.

With the scene set, what else could possibly go wrong?

The book is a page turner indeed! (Well, for me a screen tapper seeing it was on Kindle.) I found that the book was pretty exciting and suspenseful throughout. I kept on trying to guess the end of the book but just couldn’t put my finger on what I thought was going to happen at the climax.

The mysterious, isolated island couldn’t have been a better site for this story to take place. The solitude of no outside communication along with the eerie lodge gave the novel all that more spookiness.

Writing the book from Maddy’s point of view was a great choice. She was a strong character with a lot of great character traits. Intelligent, good looking, and a bit of an attitude.

With there being 12 guests to get-a-way you could assume the time it would take for the author to come up with outstanding personalities for each of the individuals. Each one was as distinct from the next as cats are to dogs.

For instance, Mercedes Brown. What a lady! She was one of my favourites. A movie star who brought the most important person to the dinner party, herself.

Don’t’ get me wrong, the main character in the book, Maddy, was great! I absolutely did like her character. But Mercedes Brown took the cake! That lady, man oh man, seems like to be the most significant bi### at a dinner party. Hopefully, Jo-Ann writes a story all around her!

Here’s a bit from Mercedes and one of my favourite parts in the book, although when she says this doesn’t impact the storyline all, was when Mercedes Brown makes her debut to the rest of the guests.

Murderforchristmas2
Quote from  my favourite character in the book – Mercedes Brown

“Sorry darlings, I’ve been drinking since dawn. My agent is giving me such a headache.” Then to mark her own self-importance she goes on to comment, “I’m pleased to be with you all and will leave you autographed photos by the front door.”

Another great quote from the book was, “We need different in this world. It’s what makes life interesting”. This was said when Maddy was talking about her sister.

Now for what I didn’t like about the book. Overall, I loved the book. I had absolutely no issues with it. If I had to make any suggestions to the author, I would suggest making the book a bit longer. Just so you could create more of a back story for the characters. I am sure a lot of people don’t like that in books, but I for one, like a lot of detail and back story.

Another thing that would have been a great item to put in the book was a longer historical explanation about Deadman’s island.

Those two things DO NOT take away from the book!

Now for my recommendation. Don’t let the name of the book fool you, although it’s is called Murder for Christmas, this book won’t make you any colder if you read it in the winter. The island has no snow, only rain, so never fear. You do on the other hand run the risk of catching a chill during those dreary sections. In my opinion, this book is for somebody that needs a great read with a fabulous mystery and surprising ending.

Here’s Why The Novel Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage Has Bite

Here’s Why The Novel Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage Has Bite

House of 1000 Books

Have you ever known a kid that was so wicked that you dreaded that the parents would ask you to babysit?

babyteethIf not, you’re lucky, if so, still count yourself lucky that it wasn’t Hanna. She is one sick and twisted kid. I will get into in a few minutes, but first, let me tell you about the book.

This novel was one of the titles of the month in January for the book club I am a member of on the website GoodReads. If you haven’t heard of GoodReads, you should check it out. Definitely add me as a friend on there, I’d love to see what books you read.

Well anyways, the book isn’t that long. It’s 320 pages, which is about the perfect size. It’s also probably also a good thing the way that things were played out. It’s written from the thoughts of the two main characters. Suzette who is the mother, and Hanna, the daughter. The chapters alternate between the two of them.

In Baby Teeth a mother who is struggling with her illness, the raising of a young daughter, and trying to keep her husband satisfied all at the same time.

That sounds rough, right?

Rough is an understatement. Hanna, who is the reincarnation of the devil who makes babyteethpinterest2her mothers (Suzette) life even worse. Don’t fear, Hanna has her reasons. She wants her father, Alex all to herself and she is willing to make sure that mommy is out of the picture so she can have her all to herself.

During the book, Hanna doesn’t talk and leaves her mother outplayed trying to explain to Alex how awful their child is. Alex is doubtful about that, and the more Suzette seeks to clarify, the more Hanna plays the role of a good child to impress her father.

The author made you feel how it is to be inside a youngsters head that was, can I say, crazy? I believe the word I’m looking for to describe this child is a psychopath. The hell she puts her mother through doesn’t seem to make Hanna feel bad at all.

The author did a fabulous job making Suzette look like the prey. I really felt bad for the mother. It described when she was living at home with her mother, how sick she was, and how her mother treated her. How she got married and was ashamed of being sick around Alex. Eventually, you really start to feel sorry about how Hanna treats her.

This book is a strange battle between good and evil.

So is Baby Teeth a good read?  Yes, I recommend this book to all mothers of small children who do not seem as bad. Actually, I’m just joking. This book is probably not for them. This book is more for people who like a good thriller. The book is filled with a bunch ups, downs, and at times leaving you wishing that you could be there to warn Suzette out.

Give the book a read! What is the last thriller you read?

If you are interested in reading Baby Teeth you can check it out here.