Review: The Ghost Trap - K. Stephens

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 326 (ARC)

Format: Oversized Trade Paperback

Published: 2009

ISBN: 978098151471

Rating: 4/5

Another great free copy from the TNBBC via the publisher. At first I thought that I wouldn't like it as much as I did but I trust Lori (the super-mod from TNBBC) and she gave a pretty sweet review and how could I pass up a free copy??? SO I gave it a shot and boy am I glad I did!

This book sets the stage for lobster wars in Maine and how small towns function as a whole and the daily lives of it's people and how important it is to them all. These so-called wars are insane and get never let things go but it makes for a great story. Of course I loved Anya and Jamie but I just wish there was more sensitivity on Jamie's part since Anya's head injury. I can totally understand why Jamie gets a little off the handle with her because it can be frustrated. It is hard to handle someone like this especially since he has she her better and happy and now sort incompetent and fragile. But I just felt she was trying and she needed a little more support from him. Things could have worked out better but I don't think Jamie belongs in a small town and even though he made his way to big cities in the past, I don't feel like he is in the right mind set as the rest of the small townees.

I just love the way Stephen writes. She write the way people today talk (tawk). I like how she really describes the community. She has a real sense of description. I saw everyone and everything and then I looked at Stephen's website and there she had images of Maine and her friends and it made total and complete sense. The only negative I have is that some times I was a little lost and confused at where things were gonna go but then after a second or two I started to follow. I just hate to work so hard at books but I still gave it a high rating so my argument is small!

The Wishing Trees - John Shors

Genre: Fiction

Format: Trade Paperback

Source: Won an autographerd copy from TNBBC & author

ISBN: 9780451231130

Rating 4/5 Stars

I would love to have given this book more stars but I was held off by it's sadness. This novel is beautifully written and brought many tears to my eyes but it was also very hard to read at some points.

This story is about a father and his young daughter, Mattie going to many different parts of the world as a request from their recently deceased Wife/Mother. She sands them to these places where, Ian, the dad, and her has been before their child Mattie was born. She wants them to connect and grow together. She gives them each letters to open whenever they get to each country. In these letters she writes so sad and it was hard to read.

I love how Mattie and Ian grow together and of how she is an artist and he a simple man. They grow together in such a beautiful way. Mattie is such a Strong girl and forced to grow up so fast due to the dealings of her mother's death. I really could go on about this book but I really would like to thank John Shors, the author for giving away his great novel and to chatting with us as we read along. I truly believe he is such a great person and well as a gifted writer.

The reason why I gave this book such a rating was, not only the sadness. but because it was very touching to read such writing coming from a male. I can only explain it by telling others to read it and they will totally get it.

The Art of Devotion - Samantha Bruce-Benjamin

Genre: Fiction
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 378
ISBN: 9781439153949
Rating 3.5 Stars

I was one of the lucky ones who received this book for free from the author on The Next Best Book Club (TNBBC). This book not only has one of the most beautiful covers I have ever saw but it s filled will poetry, drama, scandals, twists, turns, and just plain ol' creepy-remarkable. It is told in 4 different voices; Sophie, who is the mother of Adora and Sebastian, Adora, who is the main center of attention who everyone seems to love but is crazy in her own poetic way, Miranda who I did feel sorry for in the beginning but grew to seriously hate her, she was the mother of Gigi and the former lover of Sebastian, and then the last voice was of Gigi who used to stay at the home of Adora on a Mediterranean island every summer. It gets confusing in the beginning to remember who is who and who does what but after the 30 or so pages you start to get the hang of it. There is so much melodramatic tragedies and so much scandal that it is amazing. No characters are really likable but I like that about the story. I rooted for no one. The closest person that I liked was Gigi only because I felt bad for her to be trapped in such a world with such people who really only cared about themselves or who were obsessed with something that they could not control.

There is so much going on in this book that it would take me all day to try to explain but it was a good read. This is definitely what people may call a good "beach read". I recall many times when I was reading this that my mouth was hanging open and people on the subway probably thought I was crazy or just plain ol' slow. I think that in every "chapter" I felt like "OH MY GOD, REALLY???" and I think that causes for a good book. I gave it 3.5 stars only because of being so much drama and no happy moments. I know that there were times when I wished for something and then when it happened I was mad. I never, or very rarely, do I give 5 stars and 4 stars bring it very close to 5 so I think 3.5 is a very good rating and I would recommend it to others.