BOOK REVIEW: "The Bootlegger's Wife" by Terri Lee

Frances Durant is the daughter of a high profile society family in New York in the 1920's. She's wild and reckless, svorning the life her family demands that she live: bored and rich, with a suitable husband and never, ever speaking her mind.
She then meets Frankie Lee, a Marine, and falls deeply in love, but he's poor with no family and her parents don't approve of the engagement...but they don't care.
This is the story of rebellion, true love, struggle, the Depression, prohibition and loss...of more than one kind.

I will give everyone reading this a warning: BUY TISSUES. If you don't cry, I highly suspect that you have no heart.
I have no words for The Bootlegger's Wife. It's the story of a young woman with a heart and soul as bright as the rising sun, who doesn't take no for an answer, who rejects the loveless life her parents have and want to force on her. Frances is one if the most delightful characters and a great role model for young girls today.
Frankie, likewise, is a wonderful leading man, with a lot of heart and sweet personality.
The supporting characters, like Lucy abd Sophia, are lovable, while others, like Lena, are absolutely detestable...but they need to be.
It's about forbidden love and hard-won happiness during a dark time: after WWI and during the Depression. While there were some editing errors, I couldn't find fault in this book. I read it in a day, and want to read it again. It's a sad story, but full of hope. There's no Hollywood ending, there's a real life ending.
I LOVED every word of it and want to read more!

5/5--a tearjerker.

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Book Trailer

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BOOK REVIEW: "Envious Obsession" by Katie Keller-Neiman

For years Sandy's life has been ruled by her visions. They led her to her soul mate, Eric. They warned her not to trust her childhood friend Aurora. But they were a lie.
She was on the verge of having everything she ever wanted. Just when she was about to have it all, though, it slipped through her fingers.
Sandy is sick. With this revelation, her world crashes in around her. Her visions are written off as hallucinations, symptoms of her illness, not memories of past lives.
But while she may not believe any longer, she is far from safe.
Aurora is not the kind person everyone thinks she is. She is dangerous and obsessed with Sandy, and Todd can't help getting caught in the crossfire.
Protecting his cousin Sandy once seemed so easy for him, but now it threatens to take away everything Todd fought so hard for: his sobriety, his sanity and his future.
The closer he gets to Sandy, the more danger they both are in. Still, he is determined to do whatever it takes to keep Sandy safe.

I loved the first Envious book, with one exception: I didn't think that Ms. Keller-Neiman had explored Todd quite enough. In Envious Obsession, she remedied that, making us go inside Todd's world just as much, if not more than, Sandy's. Todd is one of the most interesting characters I've read about, and his vulnerability and pain make him a relatable and lovable character.
Again, I love that there is such a plain paranormal element to what could have been an excellent story all on its own. But adding in voodoo dolls, animal sacrifices and spells, not to mention past lives, made it so much better! Rarely can you find such a mixture of harsh reality and fantasy that works so we. l and flows so naturally.
Tony and Amelia, characters we also didn't see enough of or at all in the first book, play a huge role in this story as well. This is a truly well plotted tale and the characters could be your friends or neighbors.
The struggles that they all go through are so real and so raw, you'll want to go inside their world and hug them (or slap them, depending). This book and its predecessor could very well be some of the best novels of this generation.
Katie Keller-Neiman's writing is addictive. You won't be able to get enough!

5/5--a wonderful novel!

Purchase Envious Obsession via:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Envious-Obsession-Katie-Keller-Nieman-ebook/dp/B00QSP3NMS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418239772&sr=8-1&keywords=envious+obsession

Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Envious-Obsession-2-Katie-Keller-Nieman/dp/1502534541/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418239772&sr=8-2&keywords=envious+obsession

Website: http://www.katiekellernieman.com/

BOOK REVIEW: "The Mirror Stage" by J.J. Stone

When Ada Brant was a little girl, she witnessed the murder of her mother by her father's hands and has never been the same. She still bares the emotional scars twenty-five years after the incident.
She's a crime novelist and professor when her uncle, an ex-FBI agent, brings in two colleagues who need Ada's help as a local analyst. A serial killer is on the loose in Seattle, and if Ada doesn't face her demons and do something, who knows why might be next?

In J.J. Stone's first novel, The Mirror Stage, you're immediately tossed into Ada's messed up world of hurt and death. You meet Ada, and she seems like a pitiable character...until you get to know her. She's strong, stubborn, resilient and deeply scarred...but also deeply clever. She's a leading lady with a brain instead of great boobs, and that's what I liked most about her.
Then you've got Agent James Deacon, who's the biggest jerk you could imagine, but he has his own demons, which you'll learn about as the book goes on. He's a jerk, but he's a kind, good-looking jerk, and that makes him an unlikely but excellent male lead.
Even the killer has a story, one you'll have to read to understand.
The supporting characters, like Brenda and Dade, are great. Even the dog, Tiny, is likable. There's also a character that only makes a small appearance, Janice, that I think we need to look out for in the next two books.
The plot is straightforward, at first. It then begins to take a road so winding you'll need a map to follow. No one is safe, and the killer is on the run. I love thrillers and crime novels, and this one is one if my favorites now. The cliffhanger at the end will keep me on my toes till book two is released.
While there were some editing errors, I loved this book. A great, fast-paced read!

5/5--you need this on your TBR list!

Purchase The Mirror Stage via:

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"Day Shift" by Missy Jane: DarkMedia Exclusive Review

http://www.darkmediaonline.com/book-review/day-shift/

Check out my DarkMedia exclusive review of fellow contributor Missy Jane's vamp/detective novel, "Day Shift"!