The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson

A haunting tale of a past life revisiting the path she once trod and how the life ended in the first place.

At first glance it appears to be a story of three young people, who are connected via place and time.

The actual spirit seems almost menacing and is centred around the house Maggie and her parents have moved into.

It is a family property passed down through the ages. The presence thinks it belongs somewhere deep below in the cellar. It is unaware of its identity, has no inkling of how or when it came to be there.

What it does know is that something bad is coming, something is going to happen to Maggie, Pauline or Liam. Is it there to help them, save them or is it there to harm them?

The ghost tries to connect with other apparitions, but comes to the conclusion that they are not from within the same time frame or era. They just float and wander by without responding to her cries. She watches the three of them, sometimes from afar and often up close.

She sees them grow close, splinter and break apart. Love is fickle, relationships come and go, but friendships are supposed to be able to withstand the test of time.

I really loved the overall feel of this story. Never too dramatic or teeny. Subtle with just enough action or emotional turmoil to keep a nice flow to the it. The most memorable element for me was the layer of sorrow and the haunting ache left behind by her memories.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

Books about the Second World War tend to focus on the monstrosities perpetrated by the Nazi's and their collaborators during the reign of Hitler.

The war was not just fought by sadists and people willing to cross into the deepest depths of inhumanity.

It was also fought by normal men, women, boys and girls. The architect, the baker and the candlestick maker.

Leroy gives us an interesting and thought-provoking look at the men behind the uniforms and the relationships made within the confines of wartime occupation.

Vivienne has to choose between safety for her children and herself, and the innocent souls being annihilated by the Germans. It also becomes clear that the majority of Germans are confronted with the same choice. Their families, and their own lives or that of nameless victims.

Gunther tells Vivienne about superior officers, who have dared to speak out against the mass murder and maltreatment of others, and are now bullet fodder at the Eastern front. The German war and propaganda machine does not take kindly to any kind of criticism.

So the elephant in the room is whether the threat of death, violence or deportation would be enough to make you, me or anyone else stay silent. Or indeed instead try in our own way to help, even if it is only small ways. Those who stood and protested out loud were soon disposed of. The brave men, women and children, who fought silently by opposing the regime and the occupiers are the unsung heroes. Hiding prisoners, feeding them, helping them to escape. All of these things are huge in the face of the reality of being discovered.

Vivienne is confused by her reaction to Gunther. In those stolen moments together he is no longer the enemy, nor the soldier, he is just a man who wants her as much as she wants him. She learns about his life before the war, his family and career. She also has a friendly relationship with another soldier, who has come to her aid on behalf of Gunther. She finds herself in between a rock and a hard place.

Is she betraying her fellow islanders? Are the girls enjoying some fun with the German men, are they traitors for wanting a little attention and romance? Very thin lines and sketchy boundary issues for both sides of the coin.

I think the real question for me was whether Vivienne's attempt to balance the scales of justice was done because she felt guilty or wanted to redeem herself in some way. I would rather believe that the instinct to do the morally right thing, which isn't always the safest option, was a choice she made instinctively.

The ending is bitter-sweet. The repercussions remain unspoken, only the positive is relevant and that is exactly how Leroy finishes the story. She wants the reader to take that smidgen of positive in the midst of all that hate, pain and negativity. To remember that we are capable of bright moments within the deepest dark.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and MIRA UK.

Virgin by Radhika Sanghani

Ellie is a 21-year-old university student, who has yet to go the full distance in the horizontal tango department.

She tends to rely heavily on the support of her close friends. Her attitude to life in general and her problems, is quite flighty and immature.

Jealousy rears its ugly head when others do better and they have any type of sexual exploit or romantic relationship, especially when it's one of her friends.

Everything, simply everything revolves around her virginity. Almost to the point of obsession, which is probably why she is letting it influence all her relationships and her daily life.

The situations are slightly exaggerated and overly dramatic to instil an overall sense of comedy to otherwise awkward situations. The sexual scenarios are quite descriptive, so I wouldn't recommend this for younger readers.

To be more specific, I mean talking about certain sexual positions or a how-to descriptions on giving certain sexual gratification to your male bed partner. It is done in a funny, joking way, a conversation between good friends having a laugh.

So, I wouldn't give this book to my very shy and inexperienced 16-year-old, but I would have given it my more experienced (at the time) 18-year-old, and I will be giving it to my older daughters to read.

It would have been nice to see a more realistic and serious representation of  virginity in our day and age. In that regard Sanghani is right on the button. There is a clear lack  of reading material on the subject, especially ones written in a way that eases the fear and pressure.

A choice which is often frowned upon and scorned at. The pressure by peers to do as they do and be as they are makes it difficult for young people to make their own choices. It is a very personal choice to remain a virgin and there are many reasons for that choice. Waiting till you meet the right person, waiting until marriage (religious and non-religious), fear of sex and/or just not wanting to have sex at all.

I think real people in this particular situation, as opposed to fictional characters, who pick up this book may actually find some of the scenarios described in this story very off-putting and anxiety inducing. The fictional and fun aspect of the book should always remain at the forefront of a reader's mind.

Prepare to learn about all the de-hairing process of  a woman. Wax, cream, shave the stubble. Not always pleasant and most certainly a learning experience most of us could and would do without. Nothing quite like hairs being ripped from sensitive places via wax strips, especially when the waxer seems to appear gleeful at the sound of post ripping screams.

The reader gets to follow Ellie on her very determined path to have her 'untouched inner lotus' well and truly deflowered. A path filled with many mortifying experiences, quite a few moments she would rather forget, and a journey worthy of a book.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and Mills & Boon.

A Place For Us (part 1) by Harriet Evans

There is a lot going on in this story. Loads of characters, each with a story and everyone is linked to the core characters Martha and David.

Even though I do think the beginning suffers a little from the constant change and hop skip jump from person to person, I would suggest sticking with it.

I found myself being drawn into the strange behaviour of Martha and the ominous event she is planning. In fact at the end I was surprised by how much the author had convinced me that I need to know what the secret is, ergo will have to read the next part to find out more.

Martha has come to a decision, something she has kept hidden for years has become too much of a burden to carry any longer. Perhaps old age and the need for a clear conscience is the reason for her sudden change of heart.

I am going to assume that whatever the secret is, the revelation will have an impact on each family member. I also think it is fair to say that at least one of the things she is about to reveal is about her daughter Daisy.

Daisy is notorious for her lack of mothering skills and constant absence throughout the years. Something about certain comments, recollections and conversations made me think she wasn't exactly the angel her mother portrays her to be.

Looking forward to the revelations in the second part of this family drama.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.

Swamp Bones by Kathy Reichs

UK Cover

Swamp Bones is a straight to digital Temperance Brennan short story by Kathy Reichs.

The occasional interim novellas are a great way to whet the appetite for the release of future novels.

In that respect the Brennan books by Kathy Reichs are no exception.

Swamp Bones is a quick delectable morsel of the crime series.

For a novella length story it manages to pack quite a punch and a lot of interesting facts at the same time.

For instance the plague of Burmese pythons in Florida. The Burmese python has adapted to its new habitat and is thriving. It is responsible for the declining numbers of native mammals in the Everglades. They are an endangered species in their natural habitat, because of the decline in their numbers due to poaching.

US Cover

Of course that makes the large number of them in the Everglades even more ironic. They have to be culled to keep the number local species in Florida from becoming extinct, and yet it is illegal to capture or kill them to use their skins.

People really should think twice about buying exotic pets, which then outgrow the owners capabilities and houses, really quickly.

They in turn think letting those pets free in the wild, and I say wild with the complete irony it deserves, is doing the animals a favour.

The crime is discovered by accident by Tempe Brennan, just the right person at the right moment in time kind of thing.

Human bones where there aren't supposed to be any at all. Not much, just a smidgen of bone and Tempe is wading through swamps to find the rest that should be attached to the smidgen. You sort of need a least a bit of a body to be able to find a cause of death.

It is an invigorating and witty read. Just enough to keep a reader going till the release of  Bones Never Lie.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of  Penguin Random House UK.

At the end of this book readers get a chance to read the first few chapters of the upcoming new Kathy Reichs novel Bones Never Lie.

Buy Swamp Bones at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Read The Bone Collection, Bones Never Lie, Speaking in Bones by Kathy Reichs.

Read Exposure by Kathy Reichs and Brendan Reichs.

Read Two Nights by Kathy Reichs.

Dangerous Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

The novella Dangerous Dream is the prequel to this new instalment of the Beautiful Creatures series, Dangerous Creatures.

It is suitably sassy, adorably adept and torturously teeny. Aside from the occasional innuendo it is also suitable for younger readers. At times it lacks substance and is filled with a lot of candy floss fluff dialogue and moments.

Can I see why the series is so popular? Yup, it ticks all the boxes for teens. Cutie-pie boys, mysterious dark strangers, good girls, bad girls and the inevitable very bad boy. Heartbreak, betrayal, lies, love, obnoxious attitudes and friendships bound by blood oaths or by loyalty.

At the beginning of this book Ridley is her usual selfish, manipulative and demanding self. Everything has to revolve around her needs, her wishes and her sense of entitlement. This time it also revolves around fixing a mistake she made, whilst playing a game with high stakes.

Slowly Ridley begins to notice things aren't exactly hunky-dory in the Big Apple. Something just doesn't gel right, and suddenly Ridley is concerned about something other than herself for once. She learns important lessons, some of which are long overdue, but perhaps a little late in the day to stop whatever has been set in motion.

I have to say I think the Caster element of the story is the one with the most potential for development. The authors can take it down a darker route with deeper, which I think is a possibility considering the ending.

The Caster light and dark aspect of the story would be interesting in a more adult setting. Taking the teeny bop out and either creating new characters for such a setting or having the current characters evolve into maturity.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

Dangerous Dream by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This digital short Dangerous Dream is a lead up to the Beautiful Creatures book Dangerous Creatures. This prequel introduces the story of Ridley and Link, or rather what happens to them when Ridley gets in over her head.

Dark Caster Ridley is a narcissistic diva with a heck of attitude and no regard at all for any casualties she leaves in her wake. She is quite simply a Siren.

Her elitist attitude is what gets her into a heap of trouble. Ridley ends up overestimating her own deck of cards and owing a very dangerous Caster a lot more than she is willing to give up.

Leading up to the actual introduction of the main plot of the next book the reader gets  to experiences all the characters at their graduation ceremony.

A wee bit of a half leg in and half a leg out, as far as creating a solid platform to introduce Dangerous Creatures. The game and Lennox scenes are enough to create interest, but they only take up a few pages.

The rest was and is rather weak for the purpose of creating hype for the book Dangerous Creatures..
I received a copy of this novella via NetGalley.