Dark Circles

Let's take a break from reviewing books.  I recently noticed that I have dark circles under my eyes, probably because I have been going to bed late as I stay up late reading.

It got me thinking that I should do something about it - besides cutting my reading time at bedtime.  So I invested in a Dark Circle Corrector and love the results..

Are dark circles making you look older than you feel? Do you have too little time to work, let alone take care of those telltale signs of weariness? Anew Clinical Absolute Even Dark Circle Corrector is here to save you the stress and brighten your eyes! This eye cream contains Shadow Erase Complex which is designed to fight dark under eye circles three ways:

1. Brightens the look of dark circles with self-adjusting sheer optics
2. Visibly reduces under eye shadows
3. Smoothes the texture of skin of the eye areas
 
BENEFITS • Reduces the look of dark under eye circles
• Brightens appearance of eyes
• Smoothes texture of eye areas
• Non-greasy, non-oily and non-sticky

Review: Leilani's Gift

Leilani's Gift by Bette Lee Crosby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes you have to put down the books about serial killers, psychos and thrillers and just read a down to earth warm book. This story was just that. Read in one day, I really didnt want it to end.

Leilani lives in Hawaii and she "feels" things. Like she knew when the storm was going to hit her island and ruin everything in its path. No one believes her. But the storm came and devastated everything in its path. Including Island Palms, the new resort on the island.

But when the resort is re-built and Leilani becomes friends with the new owner, again her gift - or curse - threatens to touch the people she loves. This is a story of love, faith and the future....and Bette Lee Crosby brings it all out in this book.

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Review: Big Lies in a Small Town: A Novel

Big Lies in a Small Town: A Novel by Diane Chamberlain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read quite a few of Chamberlain's books and loved everyone of them. But I must admit this one is now my favorite. I am not a fan of the ending (that's just me) and almost gave it 4 stars because of it. But after pondering it for a while, I realized the story itself was really worth 5 stars.

It hit me in the heart. Such a warm story which switches back and forth between Anna (1940) and Morgan (2018) . Morgan Christopher's life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, she finds herself serving a three-year stint in the North Carolina Women's Correctional Center. Her dream of a career in art is put on hold—until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will see her released immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to leave prison, she accepts. What she finds under the layers of grime is a painting that tells the story of madness, violence, and a conspiracy of small town secrets.

This description alone got a hold of me. But when the story jumps back to Anna in the 1940s and her part in the mural, what heartaches she went through...I was totally hooked. The story kept me turning pages way past my bedtime to absorb more of this amazing story.

This is a must read. I thank #netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and Diane Chamberlain for writing such a powerful book that makes you think about love, family, consequences, relationships and the extents people will go through to survive. Place this on your TBR list. (Available January 14, 2020)

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Review: Say You're Sorry

Say You're Sorry by Melinda Leigh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After the devastating loss of her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane returns to Scarlet Falls, seeking the comfort of her hometown. Now, surrounded by family, she’s finally found peace and a promising career opportunity—until her babysitter is killed and her neighbor asks her to defend his son, Nick, who stands accused of the murder.

So Morgan gives it all up to defend Nick because she believes he is innocent. But proving it is another story. I loved this book because I for one, could not have guessed at who did it until the very end. Most of the time the whole case felt so hopeless that I really thought there would be a different outcome.

Also loved the relationship Morgan has with PI Lance Kruger and since this is book 1, I am sure I will be reading more about these two. #KindleUnlimited

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Review: Slater

Slater by Tina Hogan Grant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love this author and after reading her book "Reckless Beginnings" I had to read this one. But this books was different from her other one. Good different....good story, a little racy and a little surprising.

It starts with Sabela and her boyfriend breaking up because he is moving to Texas. She isnt. A day on the beach to relax brings out Slater - sexy, good looking - and the two of them hook up...really hook up. Anyway, when things seems good, back comes the old boyfriend Davin who stalks Sabela and insists she move to Texas to be with him. He even goes as far as having her put in jail.

And so Sabela and Slater continue their relationship (hot and heavy) and try not to let Davin into their relationship. Good story, good ending...and of course there will be a book 2.

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Review: The Regret

The Regret by Dan Malakin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First time I am reading this author. I love new authors and this one is fantastic. The book starts are interesting and ends with a bang. Never saw this one (and usually I am good with thrillers, picking up the bad guy right away).

I love when books revolve around technology. Even if it's for evil. Rachel has a stalker and he is making her life miserable. She was hacked via social media and her life changed forever. But she got back at him (again through technology) but just when she thought all was quiet, it seems that Griffith (her stalker) is out again. But is he back at his games again and more importantly, why?

This gripping thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat....until you are surprised by who is making Rachel's life a living hell. Read this author; you will be glad you did. #DanMalakin #thriller

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Review: One Fatal Mistake

One Fatal Mistake by Tom Hunt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I won this book in a giveaway here on Goodreads and finally had time to read it. You see, I am a Kindle person and this being a book I sort of put it aside. But I am glad I finally got to read it because it was great. It starts off with suspense....dad and Joshua out hitting golf balls and Josh accidentally runs over another man in the road. The man is alive but when they go to check him out he attacks the dad and Josh hits him with a rock killing him.

Josh is planning to go to college and his dad decides to cover this up and not report it. Their first mistake. The story continues by getting entwined in another story involving a bank robbery, double crossing and kidnapping.

This book is fast action and definitely a page turner. Just when you think you know what will happen you find another twist in the story.

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Review: The Shape of Night

The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved all the Rizzoli and Isles shows on TV, so when I got this from NetGalley I was thrilled. But this was no Rizzoli and Isles book. Very different, interesting and completely mesmerizing. When Ava goes to a remote village in Maine to write her book, she ends up at Brodie's Watch. A house with a history of its own. Some say it's haunted. Ava feels something in the house. Is it Captain Brodie? What about all the deaths that happened there? Is there a logical explanation?

And what is Ava's secret that she took with her? We are thrown into the book trying to figure all this out and only at the end does it all come together. This book keeps you turning pages but does drag out a bit because we cover a lot of history surrounding Brodie's Watch. If you love ghost stories, then read this one. It will have you wondering if ghosts are real or not.

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Review: The Turn of the Key

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first Ruth Ware book I have read. I won this hardcover through a Goodreads giveaway and must admit it wasnt what I thought. From the beginning I found it hard to put this book down. A young woman, Rowan, who takes a job as a nanny to 3 children in what I describe as a castle in the Scottish Highlands.

But this house is different. It has a sordid history, people died there. It's old but equipped with the latest technology. A house voice activated and not so perfect. The story is told by Rowan writing a lawyer for help. You see she is in jail awaiting trial for murder. And so we hear her story. She didnt do it, but then that means the killer is still out there.

But her story is filled with secrets and from the beginning of the book we need to find out just who Rowan is and her part in this suspenseful tale. I will definitely be reading her other books.

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Review: Blind Spot

Blind Spot by Brenda Novak
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, I have never read a Brenda Novak book that I didnt love. And this one is no exception. My only regret is that I finished it and I want more. I love the Dr Evelyn Talbot series and salivate until the next one is out.

The continuous story of Evelyn and the serial killer, Jaspar Moore, finds him finally in prison, in Hanover House where Evelyn is head psychiatrist. But when she goes missing and Jaspar is still behind bars, her plans to marry Amorak who is also the police is put on hold. Now Amorak's only job is to find Evelyn before this other psychopath kills or maims her.

The story kept my on edge, turning page after page - one of the things I love about Novak's books. If you havent read any of them you are missing out on an awesome read. Want to know more about her? Check out her website at https://brendanovak.com/

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Review: The Dare

The Dare by Carol Wyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

D.I. Natalie Ward has her hands full when the first school girl, Savannah goes missing. It gets worse when she shows up dead the next day. But when a second girl, Harriet, goes missing also, DI Ward feels pressured to the point that her team works over time to find this monster preying on teenage girls.

With a shortness of staff, Ward works more than she sleeps in order to find these girls, many times leaving her own family to work on this case. I could not for the life of me figure out who the killer was and still didnt until the end when it was revealed. Didnt suspect that one at all. But with the progress of the book, we find reasons for this gripping story.

This book is truly a page turner and keeps you guessing until the reveal at the end...

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Review: Dear Wife

Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book started off by grabbing me and never letting go. Beth Murphy is on the run. The story centers on an abused wife and her plan to escape her husband....something she has been planning for a year already. And then there is Sabine. She went missing and all roads lead to the husband. Sabine's life has also seen violence.

And so we follow these women and their secrets, the people who help them and the husbands who will stop at nothing to find them. The ending blew my mind...didnt see that at all!

This is the first time I have read this author and love her. I will definitely be reading her other books.



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Review: The Art of Remembering

The Art of Remembering by Alison Ragsdale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ever read a book you dont want to end? Well, this is one of those. I could not put it down and while I am not one to follow ballet, I not only learned a lot about the dance but actually enjoyed learning about it.

The story centers on Ailsa, a ballerina who finds out she has a brain tumor. Her husband, Evan, is always pushing her to be better at her dance and when Ailsa undergoes surgery with the possibility of many side effects - one of which is memory loss - he finds he is at a loss to help his wife. Of course he does all the manual help, like caring for her after surgery, but Ailsa finds there is one thing he can't help her with and that is the feelings she has about her dancing, her mental state and where she really wants to be this time in her life.

A very deep story that makes you think about what is in your heart and what you really want...not what the other person wants for you. A beautiful story.

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Review: Stay

Stay by Catherine Ryan Hyde
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasnt sure about this book. I received an ARC from NetGalley but it wasnt my usual genre - mystery/thriller/psychological so I wasnt prepared for what I read. The story starts with Lucas, a fourteen year old boy, who was very confused. His home was unsettling with his parents fighting all the time and as a teenager he had loads of questions about life. And no one to talk to.

His best friend, Connor wasnt much help either - having an unstable mom and being depressed himself. The story takes you through their friendship and relationship with Zoe, grandma-aged lady living in the woods who was responsible for the deaths of two children when the school bus she was driving veered off the road.

And from there the story took hold of me and wouldnt let go. It hit home a bit because it also covers the time of the Vietnam War which Lucas' brother served in and I grew up in that era. I found myself turning pages and reading every minute I could because the home life these boys had was what brought them to be closer and rely on each other for their well being.

Lucas' philosophy on life was amazing especially the book , in the second half, fast forwards 50 years and finds Lucas telling his stories to Connor's grandson.....who states "everyone dies in your story" to which Lucas replies: "If you think having and losing is so bad, try never having." So profound are the statements in this book. A must read. I was glad I read out of my usual genre.

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Review: The Woman at Number 19

The Woman at Number 19 by J.A. Baker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you ever wanted to get into the mind of a mentally ill person, this book will do it for you. Esther lost her husband and children in a car accident. She is then left to deal with this grief. The story centers around how she copes with this tragedy.

But the more you get into Esther's mind the more you see that things are not what they seem. As Esther loses her grip with reality we find her obsessed with the woman at number 19....and this obsession has control over her. The more I read the book the more I even became obsessed with both woman.

To say more is to give away the story which you will find mind boggling. It is a kindle unlimited book, so put this one on your list as a must read.

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Review: I'll Never Tell

I'll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What happened to Amanda? This book takes place around a camp that is run by the MacAllisters and their 5 children who attend every summer. But the mystery is about to be unravelled because they all return when their parents pass away and they hold the memorial at the camp.

The story runs back and forth between the time back when Amanda was found with a head wound and the present. Mr. MacAllister makes his will out leaving one son out because he believes he was involved in the incident. But the further I read the more the book was implicating others. What exactly happened to Amanda? No one is telling.

I enjoyed the story but found it a bit slow. But at the same time it kept me going because I, too, wanted to know what happened to Amanda.

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Review: When We Believed in Mermaids

When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O'Neal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What happens when your sister has been dead for 15 years and you suddenly see her on TV? Well, you get yourself on a plane and search for her. And that is exactly what Kit does - and that is where the story starts. It goes back and forth to the terrorist attack on the train her sister was on to the time that Kit is in New Zealand looking for her sister.

Kit also find romance in New Zealand and finally finds her sister. But at what price? Josie's family doesnt know about her past and Kit's showing up brings up all the memories, past hurts and trauma and a flood of emotions. Actually found myself tearing up over some of the incidents that happened to these two sisters.

But the bond is there and we find out how strong it is. Lovely story that kept me turning the pages. Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC copy and right now it is on Amazon as a Kindle Unlimited book.

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Review: The Arrangement

The Arrangement by Robyn Harding
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, I did not see that coming. I thought I knew what was going to happen in this book but the ending surprised me.

The story centers around Natalie who is a young art student in NYC, barely getting by on her scholarship, low paying job and living in an apartment with two other girls. Until a friend tells her how she can make money...by being a Sugar Baby. Through an online service she can hook up with men older who will take her to posh restaurants, pay her for her time, and maybe more.

We follow Natalie and her relationship with Gabe until he breaks it off with her. Things get weird and suspenseful until a murder occurs....then all I wanted to do was finish this book. It is being released on July 30, make sure you get this book. You won't regret it!

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Review: I WILL MAKE YOU PAY

I WILL MAKE YOU PAY by Caroline Bale
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my, never in a million years did I guess the ending of this book. I usually try to figure out who the culprit is and I was way off. I kept this book with me always reading here and there because it was a fascinating story.

A female detective, Ellen McClure, gets herself involved in a murder investigation of an ex-prostitute. Her boss thinks it's the victims former clients but Ellen feels different. Being female also doesnt help her in a predominantly male precinct.

Now the predator is after Vicky and her daughter and it is up to Ellen to save them. But who does she trust? This is a page turner and you will not be disappointed in the story but you will be surprised with the ending. Definitely looking forward to more books in this series.

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Review: The Wall: A psychological thriller

The Wall: A psychological thriller by I. C. Cosmos
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The story centers around Alex....who had everything. Beautiful home, handsome husband (Jack) and money. She was the best at what she did - interior designing and her husband built the places she designed for. Together all was well....perfect....but was it?

You see Jack had a psycho ex-wife, Vivien, (who I would have killed) and she made life miserable. Why not? She was miserable....a greedy little witch (not the word I wanted to use, lol) who did everything in her power to bring Alex down.

This book had me turning pages to see what Vivien would do next and she kept surprising me at the lengths she went through to do damage. But it also showed how strong Alex was - "What doesnt kill you, makes you stronger". So true.

My only regret is that it ended BUT this is Book 1 and so I must wait to read the continuing story of Alex Demarchelier...looking forward to it.

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