Dahlia's best book yet.
927837
I received an ARC of this book to read and review.

I wasn't sure I would like this book. I had a hard time putting this book down. It was one of Dahlia's best books.

I was not really a fan of Jack (Preacher) after reading about him in the Burnout series, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Not sure if it was because of Erin or what but Jack became a true gentleman by the time this book was done and had won me over.
4115357
Loved it!  Keep them coming.  I guess you had to show the Black Dahlia who was boss!  Keep them coming.  I am still waiting on a book writing by Ashley & JaQuavis "Cartel 5"!
3224500
I've been a fan and reader of Gemma Halliday for a long time and this by far is the best book yet.  She brings the characters alive and it's been fun reading them grow.  Maddie and her entourage of crazy family and friends adds so much at times that you either want to hug them or strangle them, but you always can't help but love them.  I absolutely recommend this book along with all the others 7 High Heels mysteries.
2442575
Sara Alexi's Greek Village series just keeps getting better and better.  Others have detailed the plot here, so I'll skip that and say that what I appreciate about Alexi's work--especially in The Illegal Gardner and here in The Gypsy's Dream--is how she gets inside the skin of her characters and makes them live on the page.  I feel as though I know each one of them, their struggles and triumphs, their innermost thoughts.  It's the rare writer who can pull that off in one book, much less in four.  Read this book. You'll like it.
4192037
I received these books from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Dahlia is book one in The Blood Crave Series. This series has something for everyone: fallen angels, vampire-like beings, familiars, and of course humans oblivious to the magical chaos surrounding them. Main character Dahlia, has been in an orphanage or foster care since she was five and has no memories of her life prior to that. When she moves in with a new foster family, her dreams for a normal life fly out the window.

The novel opens with Dahlia and her rather creepy memories as a child. She knew she wasn't normal, and everyone around her sensed her strangeness, so of course the poor girl never fit in anywhere. I'm not sure if finally finding out the reason why helped her or made everything harder. Dahlia doesn't know who to trust, and neither does the reader as we navigate the story. It would be hard not to have sympathy for Dahlia. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to know you were different from everyone else and not know why.

Since this is a first book in a series, there is quite a lot of world building, which hits about halfway through in the form of a major info dump. It's easy for the reader to understand Dahlia's confusion since we receive the information at the same time she does. The second half of the novel is one revelation after another. It was enough to make my head spin, but it also made for some rather exciting reading. Even with the massive amount of information during the last half of the story, there's still so much left to the imagination. I'm sure many answers will be presented in the later books.

At the very end, the reader is told that the bad guys (not sure at this point if they are bad or merely bad for Dahlia's health) are now looking for Rowan. Fortunately for us, we can learn much more about Rowan and why the baddies are after her in the novella Fallen Tears. This story takes place between Dahlia and book two Rowan, and gives some background about Rowan and her life story.

I found the plot line of Dahlia to be rather intriguing, and I do like the fallen angel aspect. Being a first book, prepare for a cliffhanger at the end, and of course to have more questions than answers. If you like urban fantasy/paranormal, consider adding The Blood Crave Series to your TBR list. I recommend it to ages 15+ due to graphic violence and mature content.

You can find this review and many more at [...]
4640028
Dahlia digs deep into the idea of reckoning with and realizing the truths about your sexuality as a woman. This book was a sublime way for me to explore things I've only wondered about. This is a fabulous depiction from inside the mind of a good girl who has always wondered what it would be like to step behind that curtain or up onto that stage and all the thoughts that go along with actually doing it. Definitely a recommended read.
169632
Centralia by Mike Dellosso is one of my favorite books of the year. It only took me two days to read and thats fast for me. Centralia is a thrilling book full of suspense. You never know what will happen next. Each chapter, almost every page has something new happening. If you like to guess what will happen next in a book you will never be able to in Centralia.
  Centralia is a real place. Centralia is a borough and a near-ghost town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population has dwindled from over 1,000 residents in 1981 to 10 in 2010 as a result of the Centralia mine fire that has been burning beneath the borough since 1962. Centralia is the least-populated municipality in Pennsylvania.
  In the novel Peter doesnt believe his wife and daughter are dead and then he finds a message from his daughter in the back tank of the toilet. So the search begins, but there are so many things that happen that you will be on the edge of your seat.
  This is an amazing book and you will love it. You won't believe the things that happen. I highly recommend Centralia and know you will love it. Fantastic job Mike Dellosso.

Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
2863001
Couldn't put it down. Interesting revelation about The Black Dahlia and very well written.  I give this book a 10!
2262487
This is only the second book I've read about Lucrazia Borgia, and it was a much more realistic potrayal than the first. I know many people differ on whether or not they think she had a sexual relationship with her father, the Pope, and her brother Cesare, but I tend to lean more towards Ms. Plaidy's opinion, which is that they were just VERY close, and that Lucrezia was more a pawn for her father and brother than some vicious poisioness.

The book opens with the birth of Lucrazia and follows her through to her wedding day of her second marriage. We see her grow up with her two very competitive brothers, Cesare and Giovanni, who constantly fight for her attention and love. Their destructive relationship comes to a head near the end of the novel, and Lucrazia must come to terms with the monster that her brother Cesare has become. She comes to fear him, and this is why (according to Ms. Plaidy) Lucrazia acts the way she does around him, always subservient and fawning all over him.

In this telling of her life, Lucrazia is portrayed as an innocent. She does what she's told to do, she goes where she's told to go, and she marries when she's told to marry. She can never get too close to any outsiders because her brothers intense jealousy is always a concern. Cesare will kill anyone who rubs him the wrong way, and anyone who gets too close to his sister automatically falls into that category. Lucrezia just wants to live a quiet simple life in the country, but her ambitious father has other plans for his beautiful daughter.

Overall, I absolutely recommend this (as I do all Jean Plaidy books!). I really enjoyed this version of the life of Lucrazia Borgia, and as soon as I finished it, I picked up "Light on Lucrazia", which tells of the second half of her life, and picks up right where this book left off.
3629856
Her best book yet! So moving and believable!  It is an excellent, realistic look into the war on terror and America's role! If you are a supporter of the war, adamantly opposed or ambivalent ; this is truly a "must read".
3274639
I have been a fan of the Battaglia Series from the beginning. Sienna has built on the progression of this series in a masterful way.  In this installment, we see the rise of the Donna after Gio is shot and left in a comma. She learns about the secrets, lies and the truth of Giovanni's business dealings. All of the characters are changed through unfortunate circumstances and are left scrambling for there survival. In this book, I think we see what living the Mafia life is all about. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
1475551
Barbara Stanny's best book yet. She gets to the matter of money without leaving behind our emotions and connection to something even bigger.
1913294
In 2007, Jenny Downham wrote a heartbreaking book about a terminal preteen called, 'Before I Die'. In it, the edgy protagonist valiantly pushes forward despite her illness, and eventually succumbs, leaving the reader surrounded by gobs of soaked Kleenex. This is not that book. Dahlia, a foul mouthed, spoiled JAP who is languishing in her Venice apartment provided by her father, learns she has a tumor on her brain that is months away from doing her in. Abrasive, dark, and laugh out loud funny, Dahlia transcends the maudlin and morose by adopting a defense is the best offense in her attitudes towards her friends, parents and loved ones. Albert is a great writer,and even though Dahlia is a bit hard to love, Albert manages to make her winning despite her bite.
4800045
My first instinct was to hate Dahlia and put her into the "spoiled slacker" box. While there's some merit to that label, Elisa Albert did a great job of explaining Dahlia's world view and taking her far beyond the stereotype she seems to be. After she's diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, Dahlia begins narrating the story of her troubled family: overindulgent dad, selfish mom and emotionally stunted brother. Because she's so aware of her own shortcomings, Dahlia never comes across as self-pitying. The ending is perfect, and haunting.
2968863
I have read everything Amulya Malladi has written and I must say this is her best book. (And it was cheaper to buy because it is in trade paperback format!) This book is definitely more mature. It is also a pure delight to read. I read it in two days and now have to wait god only knows how long for her next book...
2531283
Matilda is a thoroughly compelling book that held my attention at every point. Couldn't put this book down!
Roald Dahl is marvelously creative and equally funny making this book a sheer pleasure to read.
What an imagination!  And..part of the proceeds of the book sale go to his children's' charities in the UK.
587954
I was too tired to finish in one night! I LOVED every minute of this book. I cannot say anymore than it exceeded my expectations so much so I had to buy the series. Dahlia West is now one of my TOP author's. Will be watching for future books. Thank You!