Gabriela and The Widow by Jack Remick
Does the setting fit the mood and the plot? Every time Remick introduced a new setting, he also provided visual imagery that easily transported the reader so you are able to experience the scene with the character. I enjoyed the story immensely.
Did you like the way the story ended? The ending was great and by the time you get to it, you understand all of Gabriela’s thoughts, feelings and motivations. In my eyes, this book holds the reader’s attention with a lot of twists and turns.
What did you enjoy about this book? The book pulled me in from the very beginning. It was lively and interesting with characters who could compete with any long running soap opera. Gabriela always felt real to me and it saddens me that somewhere, some time a woman had to undergo a life such as this.
Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Source: http://ukbookclub.blogspot.com
Colorado Mandala by Brian Heffron
Top 3 things I liked about the main character - Paul was like a rock. he was solid and stable. Despite being shoved from Michael’s life physically and emotionally, he never gave up on his friend. From start to finish, he only wanted to do the right thing for everyone. What I liked about the setting in this book - It was beautiful and from the writer’s poetic style, the view was breathtaking. It also made for a lovely setting for a romance although this story was filled with adventure. Cover - The cover was beautiful but only after the reading the story and understanding each of their primary conflicts. Had I seen this in a store, I wouldn’t have picked it up or assumed that the book was a non-fiction book. Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Source: http://ukbookclub.blogspot.com
For Gods and For Men (Lifeblood Saga, #1)
What did you like about the main character - I liked Marcus because he was an intelligent character who added more magic to this mythological tale. I appreciate the attention that the author gave to creating a multi-layered character. What I liked about the setting in this book - The cave was interesting and I liked Marcus's Roman house. I'm not sure if all the settings are time accurate but the author must have done some research to make sure the settings kept the reader entertained.
Cover - I liked the cover, the castles were an accurate depiction about what the story would be. Although, I did feel that this novel is unique and it could have had a better cover which also focused on Marcus.
Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Tainted Waters
What is one word you would use to describe the main character? I think she was driven. She searched through tons of old documents. She even searched houses. She teamed up with Keegan and listened to tapes. She asked a lot of questions which didn't make things so safe for her. Compare 2 characters in the book. Mr. Ozz was a killer and drug dealer. He became rich by selling organs on the black market. Keegan, on the other hand, was an honest, grandson of one of the original owners of the lake property. True owner of the news paper.
Would you change anything about the story? Sam keeping DD with her. I felt that this was the the only part in the book that didn't make sense. People were trying to kill her, why put herself in more danger?
Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
The Secret Of The Sacred Scarab
What were the main relationships explored in this book? Family. Aunt Isabel is a famous journalist and is strict with the boys. Their gran provides the reader with a lot of entertainment and reminded me of Betty White. The boys who are cousins, although very close, each want to be better than the other. Character development is one of the best I have seen in a long time. What I liked about the book … Given that Egypt is not at all what it used to be, this book offered a walk down memory lane. The charming, historical feel of Egypt is revisited and I felt almost sad for the state it is in. Author's research on the location was done well.
Favourite character(s) … Gran. She's a hoot and a half, almost as childlike as the boys. She's more easy going than Aunt Isabel and does her best to see things from the boys' perspective. She created an ideal balance of the characters. The eldest but the most approachable.
Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
The Hunter's Son (JC Mather, #1)
Do you find the characters convincing? The author did a magnificent jobs creating characters who are convincing and believable.How would the book have been different if it had taken place in a different time or place? Might not have been so mysterious and spooky. I liked it the way it was.
Make a list of facts you learned from the story. James was a slayer of creatures. The town had lots of witches living there. John's dad and wife were killed by witches. James was killed by Paris. Paris was the head of the secret society. They wanted all boys to join on their sixteenth birthday. They lived in Hawthorne Valley where the society was experimenting on the creatures.
Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
The Final Straw
What were the main relationships explored in this book? Family. Colin's family is dysfunctional and just when he thinks he finally has created a safe zone for himself and his family, everything comes crashing down.3 things I liked about the book … I loved the writing and the fact that it was a quick read. Lastly, I liked the use of Colin's relationships and interactions with other people to show how dysfunctional things are.
Favourite character(s) … Karen. She appears to be the most human of all and her emotions are the most realistic.
Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
The Druid legacy
Did this book remind you of anything that has happened to you? This is a fantasy book so I don't have any real life experiences which I can connect with this book. That being said, Wess is a good rolemodel for any young adult. He uses his intelligence to get out of sticky situations and when the going gets tough, he deals with it the best ways he can. Even if it means eating fish with a bear.What would the main character be likely to do if s/he visited out classroom? I would think Wess would talk about his early days before he knew anything about his powers and then how he felt and got used to his powers. Also, I'm quite sure he would give at least one demonstration on what he can transform into.
Did the book description relate to the story. Well, it offered an extremely short intro with no clue on plot, timeline or supporting characters. Would have preferred a bit more information. For instance, if I stumbled across the book and thought of buying it, the book description wouldn't be enough.
Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
City of the Fallen (Dark Tides, #1)
Top 3 things I liked about the main character. Of the two main characters, I'll pick Isabelle. It was easy to connect with her. Sometimes, I felt like she was in over her head and she had brought disaster on herself. But then, she was out to save the world (or what is left of it) and I felt her compassion. She knows her stuff. Loved the lab scenes where she shares her insights on blood types. Third thing I liked was how she felt torn about her relationship with Marcus. For me, this is what made her the most human.Which secondary character resonated most with you and why? Miles. He's the faithful butler of sorts who sees all, hears all and knows all but says nothing unless he is asked for an opinion. His loyalty is to Marcus and Marcus alone.
Cover. Loved it more than I loved the ending. The darkness that surrounded the embracing couple was exactly what happened in the book.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.
Straight Dope A 360 degree look into American drug culture
Compare two of the characters in this book. Cannot compare two addicts, one is just as bad as the other. The only thing that might be different is the type of drugs or the duration they were using it for. At the end of the book, do you feel hope for the characters? All of these people are in prison. The only hope I have is that they do not get out and try to sell drugs again.
How do you define the central theme. I would think that the central theme was for people to understand that they needed to stay away from using and selling drugs.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.
Spare Change
At the end of the book, do you feel hope for the characters? I feel hope for everyone. Would you recommend it? I recommend to anyone looking for a nice book to curl up with on a rainy day. It is a book that touches the heart.
Was location important to the story? No, location was not really important to this story. I feel it could of taken place anywhere.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.
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Bloodstorm (Heart of a Vampire, Book 1) (Volume 1)
What I liked. We had a chance to read the first book in the series and the newest which was Magic Storm, the build up is AMAZING. Each of the female leads are strong women you want to keep on reading.Did you find that the cover and title represented what the story was really about? Yes, we've seen covers of all the author's books. They all bring meaning to the overall theme and story.
What did you think of the story structure? Very tastefully written. The sexual tension between Niki and Shane will have anyone salivating for more.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.
Orange Karen: Tribute to a Warrior
What were the main relationships explored in this book? There were many different stories and genres in this book but I won't focus on that relationship. What drew me to this book was the relationship between the writers and their cause of helping another author.3 things I liked about the book … There's something for everyone. It's a perfect gift for any book lover and lastly, it's been well-edited and compiled professionally.
Favourite character(s) … Katya in Walkin' Blues. Her role as the 'wounded' healer seemed to fit in with what this book was all about. Not too sure if this was done intentionally.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.
An Unquiet American
Were there any other especially interesting characters? Other than Rufus, it was the three supporting characters that propelled the story.From whose point of view is the story told? Rufus, he is kidnapped and accused of terrorism. As he tries to clear his name, his captors find out that he is no normal captive and this if of course, where the story becomes really interesting.
Were the characters and their problems believable? It most definitely was and like David Icke the author raises some interesting questions about world history and past events.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.
Did anyone in the book do something you did not like? Tim, he couldn't have left sooner and I'm glad that Jasmine was finally rid of him.
Top 3 things I liked about the main character. As with any steamy romance, she was beautiful. Then, there was her off the chart talent to write best-seller. Lastly, I liked that she was a little insecure, it made her human and it was easier to connect with her.
Did the plot pull you in or did you feel you had to force yourself to read the book? From the word, go, all of us at book club were pulled into this book. It was a light read that was filled with humour and romance.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.
Evergreen (A Serial Killer Thriller)
Favorite location or setting? Favorite setting was the basement.Which character do you dislike? Didn't like Aiden at all. He was a vicious being I have no interest in meeting.
Problem in book, solved? The problem was who was committing the murders. It was solved, the murderer was someone related to Patrick.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.