Martina Cole's books get you in from the very first ...
587089
Martina Cole's books get you in from the very first page to the last, cannot put them down once i start reading,
312713
FOr all Michael Cole fans.  Summer reading list must have for the non-fiction lovers
1618600
If you're looking for a life-changing work of literature, Sophie Kinsella may not be the author of choice.  However, if you're seeking a well written read with hints of British flare, this book will definately fulfill your cravings.  If you fell in love with Becky in the first two I doubt you will need me to urge you to buy this one as well.  (In fact if this describes you you're probably reading my review to find the satisfaction of reading other reviews from people who are as addicted to Sophie Kinsella's books as you are.)  However if you haven't read any, I suggest starting from the beginning.  The first book is the funniest in the series in my opinon and makes it difficult to resist keeping up with Becky's misadventures.  The books are fantastic because Kinsella is able to latch on to many common female characteristics and integrate them into a seamless tale that's both humorous and easy to relate to.  It's a fabulous book for any woman that reads Vogue religiously, lusting after the newest Prada handback or the latest Vera Wang.  That doesn't mean, however, you have to be a obsessed with haute couture or shopping sprees in order to delight in a mindless afternoon with Becky.  Even my college roommate, who often criticizes my spending habits and doesn't obsess about fashion or shopping,  refused to be interrupted while reading about Becky.  The bottom line: Kinsella's latest book is so much fun you'll eagerly pass it off to friends when you're done so you can all laugh about how much you saw yourself in Becky.
354209
Kresley Cole seems to like to write very dominant, almost domineering men in her stories - whether erotica or YA novels. Some people find this off-putting, where Evie seems to be weak-willed and incapable, and overall a terrible example of a girl to look up to. While I agree with all of the negative criticisms of Evie and Jack's character (they are definitely apparent character flaws), I don't detract that from my reading experience whatsoever. As a reader, I look forward to the overall plot and take in stride the character imperfections (I'd never date someone like Jack, but it was fun reading him!) with a grain of salt.

In terms of pacing, people seem to hate the flashbacks that go on for chapters in the beginning. This is definitely one of the book's weaker points, but at the same time I felt like the book needed all that setup to push along the other half of the book, the latter half of which all the action and intensity appears. The scene in the first chapter is put off until the last chapter, with flashes in between. Think of Poison Princess as a book told as a story of the main character, with the entire story being a flashback. By putting yourself in that mindset, rather than the mindset of someone actually experiencing the events current time, it may help ease the wait for things to pick up their pace.

Having read Endless Knight as well, I definitely recommend both this and Endless Knight, the sequel. I wouldn't necessarily categorize this YA - seems more of a New Adult theme with all of the semi-explicit sex - but for those who don't shy away from these themes, this book is definitely a fun, intense read.

Book 3's title will be announced very soon!
4178921
I would recommend you read the previous books in this series before reading this one to avoid any initial confusion at the beginning of this book.

It begins with 7 characters having a conversation about the history of Wales (which was no longer called Wales nor run by the Welsh and had just dropped a bomb on Iraq!) as well as their experiences of time spent in different centuries and their discovery of a private code that they suddenly decipher hidden in a 10th century book which asks two of them to time jump.  Phew! A lot of information to absorb in two chapters and I found it hard to work out who was who and who said what, with so many characters contributing to the conversation wth no proper introduction.  I am sure this all made sense to readers following the series, but for us newbies, I think the author could have gotten the majority of the information across whilst using half the characters she did, which would have made details easier to follow and then introducing the final three of the group during the first time jump when they guard their friends bodies in the present time.

If I had been new to the author I would have probably put the book to one side after chapter one, however I love Tracey's novels so I persevered and as soon as Sydney and Rafe time-jumped (in chapter 3), the story picked up pace, made more sense and I was hooked.  Little snippets of information came through during the book to help make sense of the conversations at the beginning and I loved the detailed descriptions of the clothing, smells and politics of 10th century Wales and how the storyline panned out when you realise the person who was sent back in time to change events, was not the person to actually begin the change in the time line.

I will not be explaining the storyline as I am sure this will be covered by other reviews quite thoroughly, my review of this book is more directed to new readers of this series/author.  If you are having difficulties with absorbing the information of the beginning of this book, I would ask that you persevere through the first couple of chapters and I am sure you will then be gripped like I was and be adding Tracey's novels to your favourites list.  Alternatively read the previous books of the series first :). This author always creates great story lines with unexpected twists and fantastic romance/sex scenes, so you will not be disappointed.

Despite my comment above regarding my initial confusion within the first few chapters, I have still given Kiss Across Kingdoms 5 stars, as it is clearly labelled as part of a series.  The fact I have not read the Kiss Across Time series in order is no fault of the author and I am sure if I had read the previous four books first, they would have filled in the gaps in information that caused any confusion.
4736515
I absolutely love all three of the books that A.M. Smith has written about the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency!  Precious Romatswe is an incredibly brilliant character.  Her high sense of morality and respect for others (demonstrated by her following in the "old Botswana ways") is a breath of fresh air.  I also love how comfortable she is with herself, being a woman of "traditional build".  It is so nice to have a book about a large, successful, bright woman.  The fact that several cases are solved within each book is a bonus.  The cases are not the main part of the book, but only small part of the whole experience.  Precious Romatswe and the unfolding of her life hands her is what takes center stage.  The descriptions of Botswana make you feel that you are there, and make you long to actually see it.  It makes you want to take more notice of your own surroundings.  I recommend all three of the books from the Ladies' No. 1 Detective Agency to everyone, and cannot wait until the end of April for book number 4!
1590049
Before becoming a Book Reviewer Id never been a real on-going reader of books, but since becoming one and Im beginning to enjoy reading every genre of books. Which is why Im happy to have won the first three volumes [e-books] of the series these books are part of, as this is the first real adult mystery/suspense series Ive begun to read. The following is my honest opinion for Volume 1 of this series, Always Cambridge.

In Always Cambridge, H K Carlton takes us, as if weve been watching the episodic storylines of The Sopranos, into the life of a little girl, Holly Cambridge as she grows from being a nave child who has no realization of the type of family fate has chosen her to have been born into to realizing it all too well.

Holly lives an almost cloistered life and cant understand, at her young age, why she cant play like the rest of limited circle of friends, or why she has some huge grownup constantly watching her every move only a few feet away while no one else her age does. Growing up, she slowly begins to realize and understand the reality of her daily existence and the mob moss family she has had the luck or misfortune to have been born into.

When Holly turns that sweet sixteen and begins her long journey into womanhood, her family assigns a much younger and better looking man, Randy Phillips, to be her new bodyguard. With unfamiliar hormones coursing through her young body, Holly, the now extremely vulnerable young woman, looks at her new ever present companion as a friend and confident with an almost god-like attraction she cant understand.

Randy, on the other hand, understands his young charges behavior towards him, and is thrilled to have Hollys idolization. However, he knows what his limitations are and wisely maintains an appropriate distance from her.

The authors writing is clear and vivid when it comes to the authentic dialogue and interaction within her family and with other mob families; which for me made an exciting, page turning experience.

When Holly gets injured during a bloody and deathly on-going rival family confrontation, the association she has had with Randy gets unexpectedly changed forever. You might be able to envision whats going on here, but youll have to read this book to find out for sure; as well as what happens as she becomes a real woman.

At the present time, no matter how much Id love to read the other two volumes Ive received, I cant. As a Book Reviewer, Im not afforded that sort of luxury. I did however take a very brief look at the beginning of next volume, and as the author, herself, has promised, theres a seamless transition between the two volumes. This seamless transition makes it seem as if the two volumes had originally been one, and got separated later by the author.

Hopefully, Ill be able to come back to this series and read the next two volumes Ive received. So, with no one holding a gun to my head, Im giving this volume of the Always Cambridge series, 5 STARS.
4729068
Start at the beginning of the series, you will find characters that you will fall in love with. These are lovely books and as an avid reader I can really recommend them as the type of book you won't want to put down. If you have ever considered extending a holiday into a long stay to "live like a local" but not quite had the guts to do it, this is a good way to enjoy the experience from the comfort of your own home. Who knows, maybe you will become inspired to try the Dolce Vita for yourselves!
4419653
This is a really great introduction to the worlds of J.R. Rain.

First, you get the first three books of the Jim Knighthorse series, which alone is worth the price.  Jim is a private detective in the vein of Robert B. Parker's "Spenser" series - wise-cracking but effective and charming - and the stories are clever and engrossing.

You also get introductions to five other Rain series, which will definitely whet your appetite for more!  Each of Rain's characters are unique in their own way, and each of them are interesting and relatable.

If this is your first step into the Rain world, welcome!  You're getting off to a great start :)
1479069
The absolute best recommendation I can give in order to get the most out of the Birmingham series, is that you must read the books in this order:
1. The Flame and the Flower
2. Three Weddings and a Kiss (Anthology - The Kiss)
3. Married at Midnight (Anthology - Beyond the Kiss)
4. A Season Beyond a Kiss
5. Elusive Flame

This puts all the stories in chronological order and makes you appreciate revisiting characters to see how they fared.  As for the 2 Anthologies, 3 Weddings and a Kiss and Married at Midnight, they are literally the beginning that is missing from the novel A Season Beyond a Kiss.  The Kiss in 3 Weddings and a Kiss tells how Raelynn and Jeff meet.  Beyond a Kiss in Married at Midnight tells you how Raelynn and Jeff's marriage starts out and leads you perfectly to where they are at the start of the novel A Season Beyond a Kiss.  As for the Elusive Flame being read after the Season Beyond a Kiss, you will appreciate seeing Jeff and Raelynn again and see how many children they end up with....

While this and the Elusive Flame are not nearly as good as the Flame and the Flower, they are both decent (3 stars) reads especially when read in chronological order.
3707242
Redemption Calls by Jack Cole is a great follow-up to Midnight Chill. The plot builds on information from the 1st book, while extending the scope of the story line and adding more depth to established characters. Though it is helpful to read the 1st book in the series, Jack Cole includes enough material that a new reader can pick up this volume with no problem following the plot. Cole is gradually broadening a base for future books. It is hard to put these books down! Hurry up book 3!!
635319
My daughter has really been enjoying these books.  I love that they start off so simply, which helps build confidence!  Even with the stories being very simple, they manage to include fun pictures and ideas - which keep the kiddos coming back for me.  I would absolutely recommend these for newly budding readers.
712805
I will be looking into more from Lady Cole ;) She really is a great story teller and makes you feel like you're there! Great job!
4577123
There's a fine mystery of who/where/when built into this first book of three in Maggie Secara's 'Harper Errant' series. Scholarship is shown to have a definite survival value, too, as does musical training. If you know the mythology and legends of the British Isles, you'll have an idea of what you - and the protagonist - are getting into. Otherwise, it's a roller coaster from Fairyland in more senses than one. Maggie also manages something very difficult - she writes about musical performances several times, and manages to make them come off the page and into the readers' ear quite gracefully - and that's far harder to do than you might think. Best musical scenes I've ever read!
1772095
Witchwood Estate - Books 1 & 2 & 3.  Patti Roberts.

Arc provided by author
I need to start with a caveat. When I agreed to review these books I didn't realise they were an ongoing series, of short novellas rather than a traditional type of series,  and that's something I never read, although I love traditional series. Still, I started with book one on Saturday and quickly became engrossed in the world of Witchwood. The description covers the storyline that's going to be revealed over a series of books, and each are a reasonably priced quick read. As I said its not how I prefer to read, but I'm a quick reader, I've friends who only have limited time to read and I'm sure they'd enjoy this type of book. It's certainly worked for womens magazines for many years, I can recall my mothers ones serialising books back in the sixties so though its new to e-books the format certainly works.
Its a beautifully descriptive book, full of evocative mystery and mood setting. I really feel as if I'm one with whatever scene Patti sets. I do feel its aimed at the Young Adult market and that's a genre I only dip into occasionally, but this is so well written that it will appeal to older readers too looking for something a bit different. I enjoyed the characters, there are a lot of them and I did find it difficult remembering just who was who, and where they fit in the tale but then for an ongoing series we need lots of people to carry the story and keep it interesting. The basic plot is laid out but its early in the series so far, and though I've an idea where the story is going its very open as to what adventures are going to be revealed, and what sort of magic and mystical creatures it will contain.
What's incredibly useful is the info at the end of the book on the witches calender, the herbs used in spells, crystals and their meanings, animal symbols and a host of other interesting details that will help the reader follow what promises to be a complex series.

Even though I don't usually read books in this format I found the world and people Patti has created to be engrossing, and the writing style is just perfect for the story that's slowly being revealed. Its like drawing back a curtain to expose another world, each glimpse tantalises and seduces the reader into wanting more. Alexandria is the perfect heroine for this tale, she has a blend of innocence, combined with intelligence and a strong sense of morality. With the evil I feel is coming she will need to be able to draw on all her strengths to do the right thing.

Overall even though its not my preferred type of reading I can see how this series will appeal to young adults and others who have limited time for reading. Its an exciting story broken down into easily read bite sized instalments. Though my star rating is a three and a half-only because of my personal reading preferences, I can see that for the right reader this will be a five star series.
1829887
This is part of a trilogy so it will come as absolutely no surprise that there is a cliff-hanger at the end of this story but rest assured by the time you get to the end you will be so caught up with everything that is going on, the cliffy will be the least of your problems, youll be chomping at the bit for the next book long before you get to the final chapter!
Cole Manchester could be described as a blueprint for a Rockstar, look up the term in the dictionary and I am sure you will find his picture carefully glued in place as an illustration of the perfect depiction of everything expected from a Rockstar but don't judge a book by its cover because his charming faade hides much more than you will have ever thought possible. He is an enigma of the highest order!
Rose has been through so much in her lifetime that I couldn't help but think that someone like Cole would chew her up and spit her out but I hold my hands up and am willing to admit that this was so much more than that. Life for Rose is best served from the wings, she is comfortable in the background but since taking on the challenge of being Cole Manchesters publicist, she has no option but to venture a little further into the limelight and a lot further out of her comfort zone than she really wants to have to deal with but needs must and as much as she is reticent of the changes that she is making, it is soon apparent that the direction her life is taking because of Cole is being reciprocated because she is beginning to rub off on the enigmatic Mr Manchester too.
There was a lot to both love and loathe about both Cole and Rose, although I probably shouldnt say loathe, it was more a case of being frustrated with the two of them at times, so perhaps peeved might be a more accurate description. But yes they kept me on my toes!
But what is undeniable is the quality of the work produced by Ms Rivers, this was very well constructed with characters that lead the story from the very front and never allowed the story to actually over take them, they stood their ground and demanded my attention, the pull the author was able to put, on not just the two of them but the peripheral characters and the story that was building alongside them was super.
The second book is a much needed read, I may have to start counting the days.
3407584
With her debut novel TIES THAT BIND, Carolyn Arnold manages to outdo many of her contemporaries by keeping the reader engaged chapter after chapter. A carefully crafted tale, TIES is not formulaic but does have all of its twists and turns very well timed, a trend that I hope continues for the upcoming books in the series.

The Madison Knight detective series is built on a strong female lead and if TIES THAT BIND is any indication the upcoming books promise more of the same. As the father of a young daughter I am encouraged by the choice of bucking the popular trends of shopaholics and vampires, and instead relying on the mental strength, intelligence, and dogged perseverance of her character to win over the reader.

If you like detective novels Carolyn Arnold's TIES THAT BIND is a must read.