Dominion of the Star by Angelica Clyman

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My Ratings: 4/5 stars

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About this book:

The totality of a solar eclipse lasts only a few short minutes. That’s more than enough time for an apocalypse to erupt.
Almost eighteen years have passed since the Eclipse changed the Earth forever, and Sebastian Za’in rose from the chaos and seized control, imposing his order on the broken planet. In a world ruled by fear and superstition, where all gods have perished, there is no one who can stand up to Za’in, the man rumored to be one of the Nephilim—hybrid offspring of Angel and Man. In a few short months, another Eclipse will occur, and while there are those who expect a new natural disaster, Za’in has plans of his own . . .
Completely unaware of this global turmoil, Kayla Steelryn has spent most of her life in a quiet village, longing to uncover her hidden past. When she leaves her home in search of answers, she finds herself faced with the truth about her identity, forced to choose between the two men she loves, and thrust into a conflict where she alone has the power to stop an event more disastrous than the end of the world

The Night is Far Gone by Tim Jorgenson

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My Ratings: 4/5 stars

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About this book:

It is 1912 when a gentleman arrives at the gateway to the imperial hunting lodge known as Spala in Polish Russia. But Charles Sydney Gibbes is not just any gentleman—he is the Romanov family’s English tutor. Nicholas II, the most powerful and wealthy monarch of modern times, rules a nation spread across eleven time zones. Gibbes, who serves as English tutor to the Romanov children, has already gained the family’s affection. But as Gibbes dutifully teaches, a strange holy man begins orchestrating a chain of events that eventually lead to the loss of a war and the family’s wealth, their murders eight years later, and the abolishment of the monarchy. As Gibbes discovers the price of his loyalty, he also realizes that even when the book of history closes, the book of life never ends. The Night is Far Gone shares the historical tale of an imperial Russian family, its patriarch, and their loyal English tutor as they all attempt to find their way in a chaotic world. 

Silver Spoons by Sarah Dickinson

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My Ratings: 4/5 stars

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My Review:

Silver Spoons is a story told in the form of letters. The entire book is comprised of letters telling the journey of an addict and what happens when one goes through withdrawals. Reading those letters, I felt like I was peeking into the mind of the person, feeling their helplessness, their addiction first-handed. The letters described the intimacy of their relationship, the dependency. It was just an entire ride of emotions through and through.

The Goblins and the Gravedigger by Kenneth L Chumbley & Tonya Clarkson McCain

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My rating: 5/5 stars

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About this book: 

Charles Dickens wrote four Christmas ghost stories, of which the first was “The Goblins Who Stole a Sexton” (ch. 29 in The Pickwick Papers). A Christmas Carol, the second, largely followed its outline. In Goblins, a surly, malicious sexton (gravedigger) is kidnapped by goblins on Christmas Eve. They take him to their underground cavern and through various scenes shown him, redeem him from his evil ways.Utilizing character names from other Dickens’ stories, Kenneth Chumbley and Tonya Clarkson McCain used the outline of the original Goblins to create a 10,000 word novella, The Goblins and a Gravedigger. The drama involves child abuse (a classic Dickens’ theme) and is a darker story than Carol. In writing fantasy, any mythical character can be used (elves, dwarfs, goblins, etc.), but the story must be real and human. This is exactly what authors tried to do in their adaptation.

Why She Lied by Julie Coons

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My Rating: 5/5 stars

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About this Book:

Will she have to lose her child to save her child?

The day she tells her boyfriend she’s pregnant, is the same day he tells her he’s been accused of molestation. His trial is set to begin the following day.

She needs answers…

To get them, she tricks her boyfriend into signing a release form, giving her full access to all of his legal documents. She uncovers the truth, he’s guilty.

To save her unborn child from this monster, she gets an abortion. 

Beneath Pale Water by Thalia Henry

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My rating: 4/5 stars

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About this book:

Set amidst the physical and psychological landscapes of New Zealand’s southern hills and grasslands, Beneath Pale Water is a social realist and expressionistic novel that follows a triangle of three damaged individuals – a sculptor, a vagrant and a model – who have grown calcified shells against the world. Their search for identity and belonging leads them into dangerous territory that threatens both their sanity and lives. As their protective shells crack they are left vulnerable – both physically and emotionally – to the high country winds and their own conflicts that, ultimately, might free – or destroy them.

Simone LaFray and the Chocolatiers’ Ball by S.P. O’Farrell

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Genre: Children’s book, Mystery

My Rating: 5/5 stars

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About this book:

Simone leads a double life.
As a covert agent, she walks in the footprints of her spy mother, darting between the shadows. If she’s not sleuthing, she’s icing eclairs and dusting pastries in her father’s patisserie.
When a notorious thief returns to Paris, the patisserie is threatened, and Simone questions everything. She and her father must participate in the exclusive Chocolatiers’ Ball to redeem themselves and catch the thief. Simone’s concealed life is crumbling, the shop hangs in the balance . . . and now she needs a ball gown!
Life in a French patisserie may not be as sweet as she thought.