Debut novel... really?!
343758
Sister-friends. The women we choose to be our life partners. The ones who are there for our everything, be it men or babies. In Center Ring, debut novel by author Nicole Waggoner, we delve into the friendship and lives of five women. Five women who love each other fiercely, and have each other's backs, no matter what mistakes are made.

Debut novel, really?! I'm eagerly anticipating picking up the story of Ellie, Kate, Norah, Leila, and Camille again, and can't wait for the second novel!! I was completely invested in the stories of these ladies, I felt like they were my own friends, that I was part of the circle.
1021114
Great cover and intriguing title for this author's debut novel!  However, the novel itself is another story altogether!!  IF you are a bike racing enthusiast, you just might be able to wade through the first 80% of this book.  I have NEVER read a more boring, unrealistic, novel in my life!!  I really cannot believe that Bella Books thought the manuscript was worth publishing and that Katherine V. Forrest was the editor.

Perhaps I'm being too harsh in criticizing but the premise, though interesting in the blurb, fails miserably in the telling.  Jenna Rosen, an attorney that hates her job, is a bicycle racing enthusiast.  She decides to lie to her company (fraud) and take a maternity leave (taking money under false pretenses) so that she can race full time for 3 months during the summer and receive a partial wage subsidy while doing so.  Sounds good until you start reading this dry, humorless, text book on bike racing.  Her boss (a partner in the firm) is described by Jenna as incompetent and is made to appear so clueless and gullible to what Jenna is doing that it boggles the mind.  What Jenna perpetrates more than justifies the outcome for her.

Jenna is Jewish and tells of her somewhat dysfunctional family.  I looked for some typical Jewish acerbic humor to help enhance the book but, alas, there wasn't even a smidgeon to elicit a chuckle.

The best part of this book is the last couple of chapters.  The rest is unforgivable!!
1518538
This was a very promising book. 5 star reviews left and right, what seems to be a unique take on the superhero agenda, the ultimate rival between two ex best friends...I was so excited to dive into this story.

However after a few "chapters", I realized this novel was not going to draw me in as I had expected. I found myself putting the book down constantly, wanting to finish until I reached the climax hoping to be rewarded for the patience and faith I invested in the authors story telling.

Sadly after finally coming to a conclusion that this will not be added to my list of favorite reads for the year, I realized that this just wasn't my kind of book.

Like other reviewers on here, I was not aware this was a young adult novel. However I've read my fair share of YA stories that I fell in love with. That is not an excuse for the mediocre writing that most of the reviews were boasting about. Don't get me wrong, I know that writing is not an easy task and telling a perfect story with flair is rare, and I appreciate the ideas behind the authors final product. She is a promising author however I don't believe this is the best she can do.

There are many cliches in this book, and I found that we only got to scratch the surface, "literally" as the author would say, of Victor and Eli. The disconnect that these protagonists (or should I say antagonists?) feel from their emotions after they've been resurrected end up leaving the reader feeling a lack of sympathy for them, which equates to the reader not caring what happens to them. Through flashbacks, the beginning of their rivalry is explained, the tension created by their mutual love interest Angie. However their feelings for her are never really explained or seem to run very deep, and the foundation of their rivalry ends up being incredibly shallow. To be honest I almost forgot how the whole conflict began and didn't give another thought to Angie.

The main characters I tried to invest in were Serena and Mitch. I felt like Serena's character was the most developed, starting out as a young naive teenager who looked up to her older sister only to change into the one EO (ExtraOrdinary being) who seemed to retain any emotion or empathy for those around her and come out stronger in the end. And Mitch, well he was the bodyguard who Schwab made clear was not your stereotypical meat head. Smart, sensitive, and funny. Your typical sidekick with traits opposite of his leader.

Although I didn't love this book, it did leave me wanting more, and I think I'll give V.E. Schwab another chance. There were things I enjoyed, certain scenes were depicted well and I enjoyed the small bits of humor here and there. I also purchased A Darker Shade of Magic and I'm hoping I'll enjoy the series more then I did this standalone novel.
4012470
Nice start, it really is, but can you tell me why broken into pieces is better ?
I mean this isn't a kit Kat ,( my gluten free life misses those) ( any way) why this better broken in to tiny pieces ? This would have been soo much better as a whole book instead of just 12 short chapters ,especially stoping at 86% soo I can read a chapter from another book... which was annoying when I already felt I wasn't getting enough here already...
Dont tease me with something else when you already have me feeling shorted here...
Ok, I liked Ava a lot even though I still don't get the insane need for the h thats being blessed w/3-5 or more needs to be a young inexperienced virgin, especially in paranormal romance,where soo many things can and or done to extend her life... its just silly... most of us that are lit here reading ,especially this genre are probably 25-35 or older for the most part,soo for me personally a clueless virgin no matter how sweet or fun can be annoying... but moving on , my biggest peeve here other than the length,I mean if the whole book is a,ready written,aaaaaaa why not just be a who.e book ?
Sorry,Im honestly not wanting to be itchy,long day,too many annoyances ...sorry..
Other then the length,Id have loved this soo soo much more if the men hadnt been soo clueless about her,you know expecting soo much from her, they all acted a bit like rejected puppies every time she didn't immediately want to jump in their bed and say Take me! Im yours !
We all know whether she knows it or not , Ava. Is. The . Oath. Forger. but even though shes  completely honestly about who she is and where shes from and her background and such they were just soo freakin clueless, and I started to cringe when she was with Koah , poor guy was on this self inflicted emotional roller coaster and it got painful to watch, especially once more men were added...
It was like Ava finding her fated mates in a shifter book,and but even though she knows of the existence shifters , shes human and doesnt understand the pull to her mates and feels like an imposter while they all act rejected.....  and really there didn't seem to be a good need for all this pain ( especially mine!) ... surely this story could have been just as good with the men having a clue and not making us all cringe with  their false expectations and as a whole book ...
Im eagerly off to return this one and get the next Thanks to KU, just wish those two things could be changed...
Ok,  I just went back for more and realized this wasn't KU I bought it.... I'm still planning to read more but not I see why it was broken up... for more money.... I plan to ready more even thought I'm very angry now.... This bites...
4589198
A great debut novel.  I would have given it five stars if it hadn't taken SO LONG for Ben and Henry to say they loved each other.  That was just far too prolonged, as many reviewers have commented.  It was really well written, though, and the author's "internal dialogue" narrative style was terrific. I like all the slices of life - you really got to know all the characters.  Ben and Henry and supporting cast were vibrant and loveable.  Again, this would have been 5 stars except for the prolonged HEA moment.

I was especially tickled to see that Henry was based on Harry Styles of One Direction (right down to the tattoos and slow talking!) and though the parallels aren't as strong with Ben, I'm sure he was inspired by Louis Tomlinson.  It was fun that the author was re-imagining the Larry Stylinson "romance" in a new context.  (Louis the footie player becomes an actual footie player and Harry a struggling music student.)  And the irony that in this book they are PUT together as opposed to being kept apart, as most "Larry shippers" claim - a fun twist that made me enjoy the book even more.

Looking forward to more from this author!
3186023
I will definitely say that the premise of this book hooked me!  It's a different and potentially interesting storyline, although so far there has been a fair amount of predictability.  The grammar and spelling are terrible though, and it definitely takes you out of the story when there are missing words, or completely wrong words.  Small things like mixing up he for she drove me batty!  My other issue is the length.  This is realistically about a prologue and maybe 2 chapters worth of a story.  Which would be fine if there was a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end within those 2 chapters... however here all we really get is a semi-strong beginning.  We are barely introduced to these characters, and suddenly the book is over?  Before anything has even happened?  Only in the world of self published books would this be sold!  I don't want to tear apart the author, because I do think she has some good ideas, and has the beginnings of a nice little world to work within.  But this book desperately needs some editing, and a whole lot of re-write before it should be released to the public.
2445447
A debut novel--WWII crime/espionage--with a few problems.  Interesting setting--small town (city) 1943 Germany, but some serious plot loose ends that are not tied off by book's end.  Bottomline for me, I wouldn't by a sequel to this novel if it appeared, even if the idea was to round-off the story from book one.
One reviewer nailed it for me with the comment that the potential reader should stick with Philip Kerr.  I might add David Downing and Alan Furst to that list.
3082302
"Splattered Blood" is the debut novel from the talented and hard-working Michael A. Draper, a top American Amazon reviewer.  It's a mystery/thriller set in Boston and the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area, cities on the American East Coast.

The book opens in the Boston area as the body of Johnny Kelly, chief of internal security for New England's professional basketball team, the Highlanders, is found in his office, with a suicide note.  Yet there is conflicting evidence of foul play. His widow Roseanne, her brother Graham, a very protective sort, and his best friend Randy Larkin refuse to believe he would kill himself; they are frustrated with the lack of police progress on the case, and decide to investigate it themselves. They dig up evidence that Johnny, just before his death, was running his own undercover investigation into the drug overdose of a Highlanders' star player. The amateur detectives find themselves mixed up with a gang of Russian mobsters who are responsible for the drug trade-and a string of violent murders - from Washington, D.C. to Boston.

SPLATTERED BLOOD, to my mind, suffers to a degree from having been self-published.  To begin at the beginning, the title put me off a bit; guess I'm more squeamish than I realized.  There are also typos and small errors that a professional copy-editor would have caught.  More importantly, the book is slow to start, partly because there's a lot of "And then I..." Brushed my teeth.  Put on a blue shirt.  Stuff readers don't need or want to know.  Also, on a first reading, I didn't understand why the venue of investigation had suddenly shifted to Baltimore.  And I really had problems trying to believe that a couple of experienced drug dealers/gang leaders would accept a couple of unknown white guys claiming they wanted to make a major purchase quite as casually as Draper represents.  So I've no doubt that professional editing would have helped this author.  But, he did manage to arrive at a slam-bang conclusion; the book holds promise of better to come.

Draper holds a master's in teaching from Vermont's Saint Michael's College. He was in the Air Force for four years, retired as a captain. He currently works in insurance sales and retirement planning for law enforcement personnel.  As a writer, he's evidently put what he's learned from his work to good use.  And, in case you're wondering, I purchased this book myself, privately: I could show you the check stub.
4072766
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. What a debut novel! Wow! I read this book in a few hours and quickly grabbed the 2nd one and devoured that one too. CAN'T wait for the next one in the series.

1. Story- 10/10
 I don't go into the blurb too much. You have eyes, you've read it. So I'm not going to reiterate it here. The story was well written, flowed well. A little insta-lust between the main characters. Fast paced and enthralling.

2. Grammar- 10/10
 For an ARC this had very little to no grammatical errors.

3. Male Character- Caleb 10/10
I want a Caleb in real life! He owns a deli shop with his best friend, drives a motorcycle, gets a tattoo, has a dirty mouth, plays in a band, sometimes even sings in said band, and has a sweet side! Oh and can DANCE! Man... why is Caleb not real and single? You will definitely fall in insta-love and insta-lust with this character.

4. Female Character- Katerina "Kat" 8/10
 She wasn't as endearing to me as Caleb. I get that she had just gotten out of rough relationship but she definitely got on my nerves a little bit and irritated me with how mopey she was. She was a little wishy-washy and caused problems that weren't really there. But overall, she got it together and redeemed herself.

5. Sexual Content- 10/10 Chili peppers
 This book was HOT! I'm pretty sure I needed a few cold showers. It could have been that I had a mad crush on Caleb.

Total Points-48/50

I would absolutely recommend this book and the rest of the series to a friend. Becca Taylor is going on my one-click list.
4060841
I liked it a lot with a few reservations. I need to put some thought into my review. It's very hard to review without spoilers!

I did like this, more in parts one and two than the rest. It was absolutely an impressive debut. I guess I consider it somewhat slow paced in parts but I liked getting to know the characters so well. The chronicle of the time they spent together really got me invested in what would happen between David and Brandon. I enjoy the older-younger man trope, as well as someone trying to rebuild their life after a loss. I also think that Brandon actually felt more mature than David much of the time. David was very easy to empathize with though, since I'm older. In fact, "real" was my foremost thought for much of the story. David, being a successful, wealthy attorney, seemed to live in kind of a bubble and it contrasted well with Brandon's young career and his more down-to-earth struggles, as well as fitting the plot line. There was some detail and minutiae that could have been left out, like; David took his shirt off and Brandon removed his, then David toed off his shoes and socks, then... Just tell me they removed their clothes! It didn't distract me from the story, just noticable.

Neither David or Brandon had many close friends, so most of the secondary characters were written as casual friends. David did have Chris, Joe and Terry and they played important parts in the narrative. Brandon hadn't really gotten too close to anyone because he'd moved so recently but Colin became one. But the interactions with the more casual friends drove some major plot points. Those made me think of commentary I've heard and read, where the gay community can cling to its own prejudices and stereotypes where age is concerned. David and Brandon's reactions all felt quite plausible, even though their reactions differed in similar situations. I have to mention the sex scenes and once more "real" is the only description. They were scorching hot but also didn't get overly romanticized.

My issues came up in part three. At that point I was totally disgusted with David's cowardice, which is a good thing, since it meant I was invested in him. I just hated the plot device used at that point. I had to really think about whether it's my personal peeve about this sort of thing or actually a fault in the book. The best I could do was, it's both. It felt too much like a contrivance. I think the same device could have been used to move the story along without making it a catalyst for the characters actions. In the last two parts I felt certain actions, at two different points on Brandon's part, seemed too abrupt. Considering the amount of detail in the first chapters, I didn't think there was quite enough for those. It took me out of the story at those points and didn't feel true to the previous pace.

So now that I've been purposefully vague and anyone reading this has no idea what my effing problem is, let me sum up. Great story, well worth reading and your opinions will no doubt differ from mine. I will be keeping an eye out for the next release from this author!
4283894
A solid start to a series by a solid debut novelist!

I don't normally read Romance novels of any sort, but made an exception in "Amaranthine" because lets face it, the cover and description are great! If you enjoy the genre, I think that you'll find that Lanie Jacobs has created not only a solid romance story, but also characters you'll connect with and a plot with a few twists that will keep you involved with the story and leave you waiting for book two.

http://wp.me/p6pena-78
1563220
My Thoughts: When I heard about this novel, I knew I had to read it. It sounded so freaking good and it was! So happy I gave this debut a chance!

We are introduced to Meg aka the girl with more than one name. She's in the witness protection program along with her mother, father, and little sister. They have moved town to town quite a few times already on what Meg believes something her father seen. She hates moving and changing her name but she deals with it.

She ends up in a small town and meets a boy at her school. His name is Ethan and he's so adorable! She instantly clicked with him but knows she needs to stay away from him. No point in putting down roots just to have to leave him behind. She's been there and done that.

She finds herself falling for him and actually liking the town. She gets a job making pizzas and things are setting down a little bit. She's getting into a routine and she knows that is bad.

After a while, she becomes a little paranoid and things change for her. She starts to realize why the family is in witness protection and that scares her the most. I loved Teeny. She was such a cute little sister.

I can't go on and on about this one, because I'll give away way too many details and I don't want to spoil it for you. I saw a few things coming but never to the extent it went too.

I adored all the characters and there were a lot of laugh out loud moments with Ethan. I loved his group of friends and even his sister a little bit. Meg and Ethan together= Loved!

Awesome characters, even more awesome plot, great 2013 Debut!

Overall: I really loved this one to pieces! I loved Meg and the way she looked at things. I liked how she tried to keep a level head. I loved the plot of this and how fast it went. I got so wrapped up in the story, I lost track of time and I was down before I knew it! This will probably end up as one of my favorite 2013 debuts! This rocked!

Cover: Love it! Love how she is barefoot!

What I'd Give It: 5/5 Cupcakes
________
Taken From Princess Bookie
530543
When I was approached about reading the debut novel "Ghellow Road" by T.H. Waters, I had to admit I was a little surprised. I haven't done a book review in a while and with all due respect, I don't normally read any type of coming-of-age literature. But hey, I enjoy debut books and even though I had two other books going, I saw no problem with working this one in too. After all, there was snow on the ground and it was colder than blue blazes outside, so I could take advantage of the weather and do a little hibernating. The book was a quick read but had me a bit confused about its genre. It is a novel but stated on the back cover it was "a story of my life". That was a bit confusing, but none the less an interesting read.
The prose flowed well with good characters. You could feel the vast amount of heartache, upset and anger in the young mind of "Twink", a pet name her father had given his little girl. It's sad when small children have to endure so much while they're growing up, but Waters tells the story well. From a foster home to temporary stays with their relatives, Twink and her slightly older brother were moved from one place and then to another. For me, I think the saddest part of this book was the way Twink's mother could so easily push her children out of her life, but obviously blamed on her schizophrenic condition. I often found myself wondering just how much of the story might actually have been based on the author's life.
Better set a Kleenex box close by if you pick up this book...it'll come in handy. Waters has a gift and I think she should follow through with her writing ambition, the talent is definitely there.
4287397
What a wonderful debut novel!&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Irreparable-Harm/dp/0983492700/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Irreparable Harm</a>&nbsp;appears to be Melissa Miller's first published full length novel after&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Dark-Blooms-Two-Crime-Fiction-Shorts/dp/B004O6N198/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Dark Blooms: Two Crime Fiction Shorts</a>&nbsp;. Ms. Miller has created an engaging and memorable heroine sure to have readers clamoring for more books.

Sasha is a successful attorney on the partner track of a prestigious law firm. The author draws on her own legal background to write convincingly about the law firm and court room experience reminding me of John Grisham. The plot is thrilling and timely.

This book is fast paced and well constructed. The characters are believable and well developed.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.
2330190
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things is an amazing debut novel that is sure to make my top reads of 2016 list.  Beware - it's not a book that everyone one will love and, readers who steer clear of stories involving the abuse of a child should avoid this one.

The story begins in 1975 in the wide open space of Kansas where Wavonna "Wavy" Quinn, age 5, lives with younger brother Donal and her irresponsible parents.  Mother Val is mentally ill and often high on meth or pills.  Her father Liam and his thug buddies cook and deal meth nearby while, Wavy assumes responsibility for her younger brother.

"Scary mama" has drilled frightening thoughts into Wavy's head about never talking to anyone, the mouth being dirty and never touching anyone. Wavy must walk on egg shells as she tries to navigate life,  never knowing which mama personality will wake up each morning. Although she briefly gets to live with her grandmother, the stay is brief as her grandmother is unable to care for the children longterm.  It is here that Wavy does learn all about constellations and becomes fascinated with the night sky.

Wavy's life does get better when an acquaintance of her fathers crashes his motorcycle and Wavy comes to his rescue.  Jesse Joe "Kellen" is a mechanic and occasional drug runner for Liam.  Kellen has also had an abusive childhood and although he's in his early 20's he is kind and caring and he and Wavy form an unusual bond with Kellen becoming a protector of sorts.

This is an amazing debut novel and although a work of fiction, the author states that parts are autobiographical.  This is a book that made me squirm and feel uncomfortable at times. I read it slowly as sometimes I felt almost afraid to turn the page. The writing is raw and gripping and the story progresses at just the right pace. Many readers will be shocked and, not since, A Little Life, Hanya Yanagihara, has a book moved me as much.
864455
I did purchase this book with the anticipation of a religious theme, yet it ended up being a Mystery and Suspense Novel.  I guess I should have read between the lines a little better.  I will definitely be reading it in it's entirety at some point, it just hasn't caught my interest right off the bat.  Going to keep my review at 3 stars but will definitely update once I finish the book completely.  Until then - my advice to future buyers is to make sure you read that this is NOT a religious book... (maybe they should change the name?)  I received this Novel at a discount in exchange for testing and reviewing the product. I stand by my review and do not give discounted products great reviews if they do not deserve them. I count on honest reviews as much as you do when making purchases!  Please click YES if my review have been helpful to you;  it will encourage me to continue writing and updating my reviews, and leave a comment if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer if I can be of help.
778481
It was hard to decide on a star rating for this book. I read almost all of it in one day, engrossed by, enchanted with, and envious of Harwood's talent. *This*, I marveled, is his debut novel? And so I eschewed all the day's tasks in favor of sitting on the deck and reading, reading, reading. And then, with about eight pages left to go, it all went south. When I read the last sentence, I actually turned the page, hoping for something more, not because I was sorry to see the story end (I'm often sad to say goodbye to characters), but because I thought there must be, on those blank end pages, the "real" ending. But no, there was nothing. And I stood up, set the book down and said, "What the hell just happened?!" So much of it is so good that I want to give it five stars, but the ending seemed so tacked-on -- or maybe just silly -- that I was tempted to knock my rating down to three. Instead, I split the difference. But now I'm torn, torn between telling people to read it so they can explain to me what I might have missed or telling them not to read it, because the ending is so unsatisfying. I feel a bit gypped.