COVETOUSNESS: (A Havenwood Falls Novella) by Randi Cooley Wilson

COVETOUSNESS: by Randi Cooley Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this ARC from Red Coat Publishing and the author in exchange for an honest review.
That was a lovely treat. Elements of mystery, paranormal and romance all come together for a highly entertaining read.
The characters were quirky, full of life and interesting to follow. The protagonist was a refreshing change from the all-too-well-known special snowflake that needs a fresh start. She was witty, awkward and realistic. I cannot express how refreshing it was to read a story about a young woman, who doesn’t expect a red-carpet reception wherever she goes.
The plot was straight forward with some unexplained mysteries still surrounding the continuing story. It was easy to follow, but never boring.
The writing was great. I was impressed by the author’s style of creating dialogue that flowed so effortlessly and that created a mental picture of the scene unfolding on the page. It was fast-paced, but never filled with unnecessary details or fluff. And the intimate scene added just the right amount of heat, spice and adult excitement.
Overall, this novella was just the right amount of fun, mystery, romance and the otherworldly. A tease that makes the reader want more in just the right way. I would definitely recommend it to anyone, in the mood for a quick, sexy, mystery filled paranormal story.

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Essex County by Jeff Lemire

Essex County by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can't really say that I grew up in Essex County per se, but I did spent a considerable time in my late teens and early twenties in that general area. The mood the author/artist creates captures the mood perfectly. It was little bit sad, a little bit nostalgic and shows a part of Canadian life in southwestern Ontario so perfectly.

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Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Yes Please by Amy Poehler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I got the audiobook version from my library. The beginning was slightly slow, but her candid and honest way of talking about many topics and issues made up for any hesitation I had in the beginning. I appreciated how open Poehler wrote/spoke about all the obstacles and insecurities women experience and how it is ok to be our true selves.
I am definitely considering getting the print version to read various chapters again in the future

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LTB Ultimate 1 - Phantomias - Die Chronik eines Superhelden

LTB Ultimate 1 - Phantomias - Die Chronik eines Superhelden by Guido Martina
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was not aware of this series until recently and growing up, reading Donald comics I would always skip the Phantomias stories, since I never really understood his origin. Somehow I stumbled upon a Phantomias comic not too long ago and I was hooked and excited to read more. It's been difficult finding and reading them in order, but I'm glad I finally got to read the beginning of Phantomias.

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Stalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper, #1) by Kerri Maniscalco

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Originally, I gave this story a three-star rating, but after much consideration and mulling over my feelings during and after reading it, I have come to the conclusion that I should change it to a one-star rating. As a historical fiction piece, I felt disappointed by the execution of this potentially great new series that could have put a new spin on the young adult, historical fiction crime/mystery genre, sadly it fell flat due to the following reasons:
The characters were inconsistent in their personalities and overall nature. As a reader, I felt torn between cheering on the female protagonist, who appears to be determined to stand up against turn -of-the-century London and all of its constricting social rules for women, and then turns out to be nothing more than a very naïve and easily distracted girl. Her “main Squeeze” felt completely out of touch with the time period this story was set in and even the entire context of the story. Other secondary characters felt stiff and barely present, only to serve the purpose of moving the plot along, without enriching the narrative in the slightest.
The writing felt out of sync with the time period. Multiple times I had to stop reading and remind myself that this story was supposed to be set in 1888 London and not in New York during that time period or even in the 21th century. It wavered between common teenage language and the attempt to create the gruesome reality of the unrefined London during the reign of Jack the Ripper.
The plot as outlined in the book blurb was the reason I was excited to pick up this story in the first place, Sadly, potential never became reality in the writing of this story and it fell short of the promise it made to provide the reader with a gripping tale of a young woman defying societal restraints to uncover the gruesome murders that plagued west London.
Overall, I am a bit behind the publication schedule, since the second installment of this series is about to be released, but I have to say even the glimpses and potential that this story offered weren’t enough to keep me interested in reading the sequel. I wouldn’t recommend it, there are better written stories set during the late 1800’s in London.

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