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Dianne

Dianne

A very wise woman once said to me: When it comes to books who needs shelf control???

Check out this amazing blog for reading ideas, contests, interviews and GIVEAWAYS! ! http://www.tometender.blogspot.com
  • Harrison, MI, USA
  • member since December 15, 2008

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 2418 reviews
  • Whistling Past the Graveyard

    Whistling Past the Graveyard

    by Susan Crandall
    • Rated 5 stars

    Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall will warm your heart as you read of feisty Starla’s “adventure” in her own, young words. Starla, a 9-year old being raised by her cold, overstrict and resentful grandmother in Mississippi in 1963 narrates the story of her journey to find the mother who walked out on her years before. What young Starla discovers is a world she is in no way prepared for and that sometimes God works in strange ways to give us what we need. Even though she is living in the South and racial prejudices run high, Starla has no idea of the lines that are drawn between black and white. Young Starla meets a black woman with a white baby along the way, witnesses a horrible murder, finds her mother, who is nothing like the idealized version in her heart and is rescued by her loving father who realizes that being absent from her life has been a mistake and is back to make amends.

    Ms. Crandall has done a remarkable job in raising the awareness of what life was like for blacks in the South. Using Starla’s point of view, fresh, young and innocent makes the telling that much more shameful to read, but, Starla’s pluck and attitude lightens the tone of the book, her thoughts are often so simple, but honest, you’ll often find yourself chuckling at what she has to say and at other times wishing the world could view things through the eyes of a child, uncomplicated and straightforward.

    An ARC edition of this book was provided by NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for my honest review. Publication Date: July 2, 2013.

    Dianne wrote this review 5 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • NIGHT CLAN (Creatures from Otherworld)
    • Rated 5 stars

    Author Steve Peek has managed to straddle two worlds, bring his characters through the veils that separate them and still maintain a shroud of mystery around his tale, Longclaws. Are they from the realm we refer to as Hell? Are they behind the legends of the vampire? Are they going to cause me to sleep with the lights on for a while?
    Longclaws are predators with super-human strength, speed and bravery in their world, where survival is a constant battle. Each member of the clan has an important role to play, vital to their survival, yet, we do not meet them as individuals because that seems unimportant, they are what and who they are, able to see the big picture in the battle for survival, fiercely loyal to their clan and their traditions. When one Leader finds a way to cross the veils that surround their world from ours, it is to survive. Humans are unknown demons to them, weak, yet with the will to survive that is respected by the longclaws. If not for their passing through these veils or ley lines a young boy would never know how to belong to a family, how to feel loved, or how to find self-respect. I wondered if there was a villain in this tale. I saw factions fighting for survival in the only way they knew how!
    Steve Peek’s writing style is almost dreamlike, blending Indian folklore, ley lines, myths and legends into a tale that will stay with you, in a hauntingly beautiful way. He grounds his tale with humanity at its finest, everyday people coping with the impossible, often mirroring the clan’s will for survival, but who will win in the end?
    On a personal note, I absolutely loved the writing, the plot, the characters, the style, the pace and the world-building….my anticipated nightmares, not so much.

    Dianne wrote this review 5 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Girl with the Iron Touch
    • Rated 5 stars

    Who would think that beings created in a lab could struggle with growing pains, feelings, and having a human conscience! The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross brings together so many of her previous characters in the battle against evil! Each carries their won mixed feelings about their pasts, yet, when it comes to teamwork, they have it nailed! With great character interaction and dialogue, I felt I was like the tiny automated spider, watching an entertaining show unveiled!

    Kady Cross has a unique and refreshing style that works like a magnet on metal shavings! I was drawn into her world immediately and hated to leave it at the end! With her ability to create strong characters and bring them to life, her talent is unparalleled, kind of like her automatons that become sentient beings! Great job! Great series!
    An Arc copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Harlequin in exchange for my honest review. Publication date: May 28, 2013

    Dianne wrote this review 5 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Girl in the Clockwork Collar
    • Rated 5 stars

    Kady Cross shines again! At first, I was a little apprehensive, I loved the prequel to death! Book 1 was great, but not great-great, if you know what I mean! But her style is in full force with wonderful characters and a plot that will take you back to the steampunk era!

    Dianne wrote this review 5 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Intuition
    • Rated 3 stars

    "In the sequel to Transcendence, past lives and lost loves make the present more thrilling than ever.
    As Cole begins to accept her new life as Akhet, every new vision from her past lives helps explain more about who she is in this life.Her love for Griffon grows as quickly as her Akhet abilities, while Cole learns to recognize other Akhet around her, including Drew, a young millionaire who reveals a startling connection-he was Cole's true love in Elizabethan England. But Drew's intense desire to restore their past relationship alienates Griffon. Now Cole is caught between the person she was in the 15th century and the person she is now, as she searches for her own special role in the Akhet's worldwide plan..."

    Intuition is the second book in this series, and definitely needs the background of book one in order to identify with the plot and the characters! As I did not read book one, I was at a disadvantage, being unaware of the world built for Cole, Griffon and Drew. What I did discover was that Cole matured throughout the book regarding her love triangle with Drew and Griffon. Both men held her heart, but in different ways. Drew is part of Cole's past, part of a woman she once was and will never be again. Cole is struggling not only with her heart, but with the new world she is now a part of. Her "abilities" are not as honed as those around her and she seems to try hard to gain her footing.

    C. J. Omololu has a smooth style that flows through each scene, which did make this a pleasant read, particularly if you have the background of book one!

    An ARC copy of Intuition was provided by NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books in exchange for my honest review. Publication Date: June 18, 2013

    Dianne wrote this review 5 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Runes (Paranormal Romance, YA,)
    • Rated 4 stars


    Runes by Ednah Walters is a refreshing take on the supernatural YA genre as she cleverly uses runes as part of the arsenal of her otherworldly characters! Raine’s father disappeared in a plane crash months before, but her mother talked to him, insisted she KNEW he was still alive and would come home. She is on the cusp of making her best friend, Eirick, her boyfriend, after all, he is amazing, they have so much in common, they have shared everything since they were kids. And then the mysterious Bad Boy moves in next door with his superior attitude, his infuriating smirk and his oh-so-hot looks! Torin is unlike anyone she has ever known and he frightens her as much as he intrigues her. There is just something different about him and her heart is in panting mode! As members of the swim team at Raine’s school start dying in strange accidents, Torin must reveal his identity and risk all to keep Raine safe. But Torin isn’t the only one with deep secrets to reveal, is anyone as they seem in Raine’s life? Now that she has chosen Torin, can they be together?

    Ednah Walters has created likeable characters, some are quirky, some are purely evil, some float somewhere in between. It is the way she has allowed them to interact with each other that makes this book a great read with a good pace and enough twists to give you whiplash! Besides, if an author can create a heroine that is so stubborn that you need to roll your eyes and shake your head, she has done her job well. The hook was there to keep me reading, engaged and looking forward to the next book!

    An ARC copy was provided by NetGalley and Firetrail Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

    Dianne wrote this review 5 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Neptune Project
    • Rated 3 stars

    THE NEPTUNE PROJECT by Polly Holyoke takes the reader into the cold beauty of the ocean with a group of children who have been genetically altered in order to save them from the control and oppression of a dystopian world. Nere and her group of fish-like friends travel the waters to a safe haven run by Nere’s father, who she long believed dead. The journey is well-told with little angst and only slight romance as these kids finally discover who they were meant to be.

    Like taking part in an underwater expedition, aquatic creatures are spotlighted in all of their glory, the good, the bad and the dangerous, all struggling to survive in a world invaded by humans. The intelligence of dolphins, the lethally silent sharks and the looming giant octopus play a huge part in making this fantasy YA tale feel plausible in its sci-fi, paranormal-type world.

    Polly Holyoke has taken a jump into the deep end with her unique twist in this underwater world, giving her story a fresh entry into the YA fantasy genre that will entertain the entire family! This well-paced quick ARC read was provided by NetGalley and the Disney Book Group in exchange for my honest review. Publication Date: May 21, 2013.

    Dianne wrote this review 6 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Knightfall (The Chronicle of Benjamin Knight)
    • Rated 5 stars

    Knightfall by R. Jackson-Lawrence hits the ground running and DOES NOT STOP! From the first page, which appears to be a journal entry with the tortured thoughts of someone scared and alone, to the last page that I ended up reading twice just to keep the story going, I was utterly and completely captivated. Fifteen year old Ben is a genius, dealing with numbers made life make sense to him. He could solve complex problems faster than a computer, so when Excelsior Technologies offered him the chance to use his abilities to their fullest in the name of science, he jumped at the opportunity and began experimenting with theories that could change the world. And that’s where things went horribly wrong. Ben is cast into another existence, a dystopian world where technology is non-existent, peace is a tenuous thing and Ben becomes a pawn in a world where one man’s crazed mind threatens to take over the world at any cost.

    But - this story isn’t just about Ben, the cast of characters is huge, the sub-plots and scenes depicted are well done down to the last detail! I had to remind myself that this was the product of an author with a true passion for his work, that the characters were not real, they were THAT lifelike, that filled with emotion and heart.

    With a crisp writing style that spares nothing in the details, I lived every minute of this tale, I felt the pain, smelled the fear and saw the love and loyalty people shared with each other. R. Jackson-Lawrence has created characters so vividly lifelike, with such depth of personality that I felt I was watching them as I read, I was that involved. With often brutal clarity, the scenes unfold in 3D, complete with surround sound, causing me to gasp, sigh, and cringe from my toes on up. It isn’t often that I’m not ready for a book to end, but even knowing there is more to come in this series, I was not ready to return to reality. It. Was. That. Good. If you enjoy your fantasy filled with non-stop action, clear cut villains in a world filled with turmoil and heroes who show uncommon bravery against seemingly insurmountable odds, you MUST read Knightfall!

    Dianne wrote this review 7 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Chalice
    • Rated 5 stars

    Author Nancy Bilyeau that takes us back to the reign of King Henry VIII in her novel The Chalice, book two in her historical fiction series, The Crown. Young novice Joanna Stafford, a distant relative of King Henry VIII becomes embroiled in a conspiracy that makes her an unwilling pawn when prophets and politicians face off against each other in this beautifully told historical work. Joanna is intelligent and strong-willed with a highly developed sense of duty and honor that take her on a journey fraught with danger and intrigue as opposing forces fight for power. Politics versus religious power, Joanna must decide which road she will take, because in the end, the choices are hers to make.
    The richly detailed scenes, the dialogue and the atmosphere created in The Chalice tells me that Nancy Bilyeau has made a commitment to her craft and is gifted with the ability to bring everything together into a riveting tale that transcends time! The brutality and inequalities of the era, the machinations of the royal court, as well as the struggles of life in general during a time where turmoil was the norm will draw you in and hold you to the very last page. For the historical fiction reader, this is a gem of a find!
    A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

    Dianne wrote this review 7 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Night Is Watching (Krewe of Hunters)
    • Rated 4 stars

    A modern day ghost story in a town that hints of the Old West, The Night is Watching by Heather Graham may just have you looking over your shoulder next time you visit an old hotel…or an old theater…or anywhere else where the claim to fame are its ghosts haunting the town! Forensic artist, FBI special paranormal investigations agent, Jane Everett mosies into the Old West town of Lily, Arizona to reconstruct the face of an old skull found among the props and costumes of an old theater. Turns out, the skull seems to have belonged to an actress of long ago, who mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind her family. Now her ghost is often seen wandering the town. The town sheriff, Sloan Trent is the actress’s great-great grandson, on a mission to put her soul to rest and solve the mysteries of several murders around town, both past and present. As they try desperately to follow the clues, Jane and Sloan find much more than danger around every corner. There’s no butler, so he didn’t do the crimes, the clues are buried deep in the history surrounding the town, literally. Is the promise of riches the motivator behind the deaths? Are people really who they seem to be? Will Sage, the long dead actress turned ghost finally lead the way to the truth and justice?

    Heather Graham has taken an FBI case, tossed in the dust from an old west tale, blended a little who-dun-it, some modern technology and good old fashioned brilliant detective work to create a fun, fast, slightly paranormal romance! Her strongly divined characters are sometimes clichéd, sometimes quirky, but always cleverly drawn! I swear I saw tumbleweeds blowing by as the sounds of an old time saloon floated on the air! Very entertaining!

    An ARC edition was provided by NetGalley and Harlequin in exchange for my honest review. Publication date: May 28, 2013.

    Dianne wrote this review 8 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
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Displaying 1-10 of 2418 reviews