Books Are Sanity!!!

Blurb: The sequel to BEACH RENTAL Off-season at Emerald Isle In-season for secrets of the heart Frannie Denman has been waiting for her life to begin. After several false starts, and a couple of broken hearts, she ends up back with her mother, with whom she doesn't get along, until her elderly uncle gets sick and Frannie goes to Emerald Isle to help manage his affairs while he's recovering. Her uncle's oceanfront home, Captain's Walk, is small and unpretentious, and even though Frannie isn't a 'beach person' she decides Captain's Walk in winter is a great place to hide from her troubles. But Frannie doesn't realize that winter is short in Emerald Isle and the beauty of the ocean and seashore can help heal anyone's heart, especially when her uncle's handyman is the handsome Brian Donovan. Brian has troubles of his own. He sees himself and Frannie as two damaged people who aren't likely to equal a happy 'whole' but he's in...

Blurb: Zoe Miller is a 15-year-old witch with a talent for potions. She's working hard to find a substitute for toad slime. Since fat-free margarine has been found to be a substitute for dead man's toe, she's hopeful that she'll find one.  Then there's all the so-called normal stuff. Like high school, her annoyingly selfish "friend" Anya, and her crush on Anya's ex-boyfriend Jake. Now, Zoe's dad is dating Jake's mom, and things are getting more and more complicated. If only Zoe could brew a potion or two and set everything straight. Zoe can't. If she brews a self-serving potion, bad things will happen to her appearance. Like a crooked nose, giant wart, green skin, rotting teeth--the whole ugly witch stereotype.  Zoe's tired of fate interfering so cruelly in her life. Can you really blame her for putting her potions to not-so-good use and stirring up trouble? My Review: Stirring Up Trouble is a breath of fresh air in the ...

Blurb: Two Hearts. One Hope. Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her—a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill. When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny. My Review: The Healer's Apprentice is loosely based on the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty.  I have to say that this book has been on my to read list for ...

Blurb: Happily Ever After ...Or Happily Nevermore? Gisela's childhood was filled with laughter and visits from nobles such as the duke and his young son. But since her father's death, each day has been filled with nothing but servitude to her stepmother. So when Gisela learns the duke's son, Valten---the boy she has daydreamed about for years---is throwing a ball in hopes of finding a wife, she vows to find a way to attend, even if it's only for a taste of a life she'll never have.  To her surprise, she catches Valten's eye. Though he is rough around the edges, Gisela finds Valten has completely captured her heart. But other forces are bent on keeping the two from falling further in love, putting Gisela in more danger than she ever imagined. My Review: If I was going to buy a book based on the cover alone, I would purchase this one in a heartbeat!  But aside from the gorgeous cover, this book is a wonderful retelling of Cinderella with Christian ...

Blurb: Emily has waited over two years to give herself to Sergei. She couldn’t have asked for a more patient man. Now they’ve finally reached their wedding night, and after all Sergei’s patience and understanding, Emily wants to be everything for him. How will their first night together compare to their dreams? This is a 3500-word short story that contains mature content not suitable for younger readers. It is part of the EDGE series, but it's not necessary to read Life on the Edge or Edge of the Past first to enjoy this story. My Review: This is a super short novella, ( a little over 10 pages), and it follows book two in the Edge series.  It is Emily and Sergei's wedding night.  Emily wanted to wait for marriage for intimacy so this little novella describes their romantic and passionate wedding night.  The first two books in the series are what I term as clean/sweet romance without any descriptive bedroom scenes.  This  novella is all about their w...

Blurb: Emily's skating career and personal life have never been more golden. She and her partner Chris have won every competition they've entered this season, and she's found the man of her dreams in her coach Sergei. But when one of the biggest competitions of the year takes Emily and Sergei to Russia, Sergei's past explodes into the present and makes Emily doubt everything in their future. My Review: This is book two in a series, so if you haven't read Life on the Edge, then I highly recommend that you read it first!  Comeaux takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride in Edge of the Past!  Emily and Sergei are back and they are going to meet his parents while they are in Russia for a competition.  So many things happened in the short time they were there and NONE of them I saw coming!  Usually I can see these things but Comeaux surprised me as a reader!  Caution:  during this book you will feel frustration, anger, hurt, disbelief, surpr...

Blurb: Nineteen-year-old Emily is new to pairs skating, but she and her partner Chris have a big dream–to be the first American team to win Olympic gold. Their young coach Sergei, who left Russia after a mysterious end to his skating career, believes they can break through and make history. Emily and Chris are on track to be top contenders at the 2002 Winter Games. But when forbidden feelings spark between Emily and Sergei, broken trust and an unexpected enemy threaten to derail Emily's dreams of gold. My Review:  I was amazed at  Comeaux's ability to draw a reader into Emily's world from the first page.  I was immediately engrossed in the story and did not want to put the book down!  Why?  First, this book is about an ice skater, and I have loved ice skating since I was young.  Second, the story was magnetic and Comeaux's story flowed easily.  I continually thought, "Just one chapter more."  But one more chapter was never enough! ...

Newly Released, the much anticipated second book in the Eagle Elite Series, Elect!  You can check out my review of Elect  here.   It is an amazing story and my favorite series of 2013!!! Summary Would you die for the one you love? Nixon Abandonato made his choice. And now he has to pay the price. Tracey is the love of his life, but being with him has made her a target of his family's enemies. The only way to keep Trace alive is convince the world she means nothing to him. Trace Rooks has fallen irrevocably in love with the son of her family's sworn rival, and she knows in her bones nothing can tear them apart. Until Nix suddenly pushes her away and into the arms of his best friend... But Trace isn't ready to give up on a future with Nix--and if he won't fight for them, she will.  In the end, a sacrifice must be made. A life for a life. For what better way to cover a multitude of sins than with the blood of a sinner . . . And now an EXC...

THE MAGIC VIOLIN Eight-year old Melina wants to become a good violinist. When she loses confidence, her Rumanian teacher Andrea decides it’s time for a magic dose of self-esteem. A mysterious old woman in rags gives Melina some curious advice; a violinist Russian hamster, who happens to live under the old woman’s hat, offers her a virtuoso performance; a shooting star fills her with hope on Christmas Eve. Is Melina actually playing better, or has her violin become magic? Who is the old woman in the town square, and why does she wear the same emerald ring as her teacher Andrea? Praise for The Magic Violin “Mayra makes this storyline and its backdrop magical, with just the right hint of mystery to it. Her characters’ “voice” comes through loud and clear. Accompanied by the crisp, detailed, and lifelike illustrations of K.C. Snider, this book is a keeper. This is a great read, especially for kids interested in music, mystery, magic during the holiday season, and the beauty of winter...

Blurb: They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer . . .  Hostage Negotiation Team member Bart Gutierrez is shocked to find Lucy Aguayo, a girl he knew as a teenager, working for the deadly Castillo drug cartel. This revelation uncovers a secret in Bart's family so big it forces him to accept a dangerous offer: infiltrate the cartel to keep his family safe. Once inside the cartel's headquarters he discovers that a large-scale attack on America is imminent and the only way to prevent it is to bring Lucy in on his plans---and hope she doesn't betray him.  Lucy Aguayo has become a key player in the Castillo cartel, but not for money or power---she's on a mission of vengeance for her father's murder. Just when she gets a chance to bring down the cartel leader responsible, Bart Gutierrez appears, stirring up buried feelings and disrupting all her plans. But as the enemy closes in from all sides, Lucy must choose between being free from her past ...

Blurb: Would you die for the one you love? Nixon Abandonato made his choice. And now he has to pay the price. Tracey is the love of his life, but being with him has made her a target of his family's enemies. The only way to keep Trace alive is convince the world she means nothing to him.  Trace Rooks has fallen irrevocably in love with the son of her family's sworn rival, and she knows in her bones nothing can tear them apart. Until Nix suddenly pushes her away and into the arms of his best friend... But Trace isn't ready to give up on a future with Nix--and if he won't fight for them, she will.  In the end, a sacrifice must be made. A life for a life. For what better way to cover a multitude of sins than with the blood of a sinner . . . My Review: It is no secret that I LOVED Elite by Rachel Van Dyken!  Heck, I stand by my word that it is the best book I have read this year!  However, Elect gives Elite a run for its money!  All of my favorite an...

Blurb: Death loved his existence. He charmed women, completed his list, and was content until the day he tried to kill Gregan Parker and came face to face with Gregan’s guardian angel. She fought for the man’s life, challenging Death the way no angel ever had. In the face of her defiance, he felt his heart do something it hadn’t for centuries; it beat. Death found himself falling for the angel, but she already loved Gregan, a man who had never seen her. Watching Nyra love a man who didn’t know of her existence could terminate Death’s heart when it had just begun to beat, but taking away the one thing she cared about would destroy any chance he had with her. Could Death truly put himself last and risk letting his love slip through his fingers, or would he figure out a way to save both his heart and the angel who stole it? Social Media Links: website:  www.chereealsop.com facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/authorchereealsop   Twitter:  https://www.twitter.co...

Blurb: With six months until the Olympic Games, seventeen-year-old Harper's life is pretty much perfect. She's fighting for the starting spot on Team USA Women's Hockey, and for the first time ever, she has a crush on a guy who likes her back. She feels like the luckiest girl in the world, until she runs a risky play at practice and breaks her knee, thereby sentencing herself to six weeks in a cast and possibly ending her Olympic dream before it even starts. For seventeen-year-old Alex, being anything less than the best is unacceptable. That's why, after a miserable debut season at the senior level, the former junior national singles champion switches to ice dance. Her skating partner, Ace, is an "all skating all the time" type of guy, which would be fine, if he'd stop keeping secrets about the real reason he and his former partner broke up. Now is not the time for second thoughts, but how can Alex skate her best if she can’t trust her partner…or h...

  Illuminating Gracie by Lisa C. Temple As an old woman's lifeless body lies on a cold stone floor, her soul stands before an angel who offers her a miraculous opportunity: the chance to do it all again. But that is easier said than done. In order to change the path her life has taken, she must put aside years of self-loathing and pain, so she can help the young girl she once was become the woman she should have been. At 17 years old, Grace Bennett is a bitter young woman. Though blessed with a loving family, looks and brains to spare, she hides her light under a bushel, spending most of her time in the darkness of her mind with little more than sarcasm and self-pity to keep her company. But things are about to change for Grace. While delivering food for her family's bed and breakfast, she turns onto a desolate dirt road and drives straight into her destiny. It's on this isolated country lane that the damaged girl meets a strangely familiar old couple and two mysteri...

Blurb: Two friends. Two dreams. One night that changes everything… Ice dancer Aubrey London scoffs at romance. She’s focused on winning a medal at the upcoming Olympics and uses that as her excuse to avoid serious relationships. But when she and longtime friend Chris Grayden are thrown together by unforeseen circumstances, Aubrey finds herself questioning everything she's ever known about love, complicating her life both on and off the ice. Pairs skater Emily Petrov embraces romance. She and her husband Sergei still act like honeymooners two years after their wedding. As Emily’s coach, Sergei provides constant support while she prepares to challenge for gold at the Olympics. But Sergei’s support might not be enough to help Emily overcome the one challenge she never saw coming. With the Games only weeks away, Emily and Aubrey are on the verge of realizing their dreams. But one snowy, stormy night sets in motion a series of events that will test them in ways they never im...