Book Musings - The Torment of Rachel Ames by Jeff Gunhus

Title : The Torment of Rachel Ames
Author : Jeff Gunhus
Genre : Thriller/Mystery/Suspense
Source : Xpresso Book Tours

Blurb :

Suffering from writer’s block, novelist Rachel Ames escapes to a lake cabin to calm her mind and regain a sense of herself. The location is perfect. Isolated. Beautiful. Inspiring. It even comes with a good-looking landlord who shows an interest in her. But she can’t shake the sense that something terrible has followed her to the lake, something just beyond her consciousness, something out on the edge where the sounds of a raging fire and sirens linger whenever she slows down to listen. Determined to make the cabin work, she tries to settle in and give her new life a chance. But when strange things begin to happen around her, she wonders if she’s made a terrible mistake. As the darkness that’s followed her manifests itself in inexplicable ways, her concept of reality is stretched thin and she realizes nothing at the lake is what it seems. As she fights to survive with her sanity intact, she understands too late that the location she’s chosen for herself is far from perfect.

My Musings : 

 I received a free copy for an honest and unbiased review.

The book is so appropriately named. The whole story is about the torment Rachel undergoes in the form of her visions and memories. The beginning was quite attention grabbing with the perfect wrongness of the situation. It had me eagerly turning the pages to know more and try to figure out all the details of Rachel and her life.

I read the book in a single sitting. That's how immersing and haunting the book was. The author has perfectly showcased the inner workings or demons of a human mind and how much it is capable of trying to manipulate the thoughts of a human. In short, it shows how complex a human mind is.

This novella is perfectly paced and all the questions raised are answered at the end of the book.

My one line review : A perfectly paced dark thriller/suspense 

My rating : 5/5

My reread factor : 4/5

Floryie

Blog Tour / Book Musings - Kim Iverson Headlee - Snow in July

Blog Tour / Book Musings - Shadow in the Sea by Sheila A Nielson

Book & Author Details:


Shadow in the Sea by Sheila A. Nielson
Publication date: July 15th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

When sixteen-year-old Sadelyn Hanson washes up on the shores of Windwaithe Island, her beauty and the strange marks on her wrist make superstitious locals suspect she is a mermaid. Feigning amnesia, Sade hides a far worse secret: she was sailing to her own murder trial when she was thrown overboard by the real killer, the cunning and cruel Captain Westwood.

Sade’s quiet effort to rebuild her life on the island is threatened when she meets an actual young merman. Unable to speak his language, Sade still longs for the warm companionship he offers, despite the locals’ dire legends about merfolk and their dark magic. But her confused feelings for the impossible boy become the least of her problems when Captain Westwood’s ship docks at Windwaithe. With nowhere to escape, Sade must trust in the one person who doesn’t fear the merfolk. A woman who had dealings with them herself—years ago.


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25318717-shadow-in-the-sea?ac=1


Purchase:

Amazon (Paperback and Kindle): http://amzn.to/1Nnu2ad
Barnes and Noble (Paperback and Nook): http://bit.ly/1Mx6kt1
eBook Mall (ePub version): http://bit.ly/1TOb1CR


My Musings : 

I have mixed thoughts on this book. I still have not decided how much I like it but I would rate it 3+ because of the story and the characters and the writing.

The characters appealed to me from the start , from Sade to Araedyn. I could feel every nuance in the emotions of the protagonists and I enjoyed going on the ride getting involved in the characters' intense feelings. The starting was a bit slow in my opinion. It took a while to get to the main plot. But after it did, it was a very cool tale of mermaids and love at first glance. The ending made me sad a bit but it was all good.

The slow pace of the story was a negative to me since I like good or fast paced plot. Another off putting point was the absence of the antagonist, Captain Westwood. He was absent from 75% of the book I believe. He was there at the start and the end. I would have known more about his devious nature. I like reading about clever and book worthy antagonists. They make a good part of the tale.

I didn't know this was a companion novel to the first book. I just realised that when I visited the author's blog just before reviewing this book. Now I am curious to read the first book. I just might look into it. The author's writing style has definitely made me think of trying her other and future books.

My one line review :  A good love story of mer with a slow pace and intense feelings

My rating : 3.5/5

My reread factor : 3/5


AUTHOR BIO:

Sheila never did figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up. She graduated from college with a BFA in illustration, has worked as a children's librarian for over eighteen years, and would eventually like to be a full-time author. Why pick one career when you can have many? Sheila lives with her two pets, a goffin cockatoo and a tiny toy poodle. She was born and raised in California but has come to also love her adopted home in Utah where she currently resides.

Author links:

http://www.sheilanielson.blogspot.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/Sheila-A-Nielson-918440858215447/
https://twitter.com/sheilaanielson
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3090324.Sheila_A_Nielson

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Book Blast - Seaside Christmas by Stacy Claflin

Seaside Christmas by Stacy Claflin

He can’t stand her. She thinks he’s crazy. Will their feelings stay etched in permanent ink? Cruz Hunter has always stuck out in his small hometown. Now that he’s covered in tattoos, the residents peg him as even more of an outcast. It seems like the whole world is against his dream of opening a local tattoo parlor. When he finally finds the perfect place for his new business, Cruz discovers a pastor and his daughter have already bought it. The only thing more irritating than the change in his plan is Talia, a beautiful and feisty argument in a dress. Cruz would like nothing more than to have her out of his life and his mind, but for some reason, she’s the only thing he can think about. If Cruz and Talia can stop arguing long enough, opposites may do much more than attract.

   

  Meet the Hunter brothers of Kittle Falls… 

 The Seaside Hunters novels are a series of contemporary sweet romances. They’re set in the beach town of Kittle Falls, following the Hunter brothers as they make their way back to their hometown and find the loves they couldn’t elsewhere. Each book is a standalone.

   

 

Author Stacy Claflin 

 I don’t stick to a single genre in my writing, reading, or viewing. My favorite shows include Supernatural, The Walking Dead, Pretty Little Liars, Lost Girl, Vampire Diaries, and Once Upon a Time. I've been writing and telling stories for as long as I can remember. As a kid, my story telling would get me into trouble because I would try to convince others that my stories were real. When I'm not busy writing, I like spending time with my family and friends. I also educate my kids from home.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

 

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Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com.

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