Now in My Bookbag: 1984 - Against All Odds

I am disappointed in this and it is amazingly similar, and extremely frustrating.The beginning of Against All Odds is different, but soon catches up with the plot of others like it. The woman, who is a former country/pop singer with their own reasons to step away from the spotlight. The rock star life style is hard on relationships.

The end of the stories are pleasing, as I am a big fan of HEA. books. I just wish that this book wasn’t eerily similar to the books I already read. However, as a stand alone, Against All Odds is an okay read.

It is fast paced, and incorporates all of the elements of the basic new adult format.   2 1/4 stars

Now in My Bookbag: 1983 Cruel Summer, (Love in the 80's), by Amber Lynn Natusch

This is a good novella. While some of the plot follows a somewhat standard design, (i.e. woman scorned, stuck in town she hates, forced to get a job, runs into first love), there are facts added throughout the story to make it belong solely to Natusch.

I like these characters. Braxton and Izzy, were cruelly manipulated apart many years ago. The circumstances surrounding that manipulation are creative, imaginative, and maniacal. The truth, once revealed, fractures everything Izzy thinks she knows about her past.

Braxton is a broken man without access to the one girl he will always love. He has a secret that, once told, he hopes will draw her to him once again. Izzy (also broken) has a terrible secret, one that she hopes will never come out. She should know better in a town this size. You know what they say about people in glass houses.

The interaction between the characters is enlightening. The ending is exciting and revealing. I think that the second half of the book is more interesting than the first, and it definitely helps the rating. 3 1/4 stars

Now in My Bookbag: In This Life, by Christine Brae

What a beautifully written, emotional rollercoaster! The story is wonderfully imagined. The feelings expressed, and drawn from me, are beyond compelling. It has been a very long time since a book has affected me to my core. The story is poignant, touching, and tear-jerking. I could not put this down.

The characters are perfectly imperfect. There is a lot of love, a lot of hurt, and a lot of grief. I never thought it possible to be happy for a character, while also being disgusted with them. Getting inside the heads of both Anna and Jude is very enlightening, though adding the point of view of Dante would add to the depth of the story.

I consider myself very lucky to have found this magnificent book. I am enamored of this story, and its author, Christine Brae. I look forward to finding more of her books, and I recommend this story to readers of contemporary books. 6 stars… (5 stars)

https://www.amazon.com/This-Life-Christine-Brae-ebook/dp/B019HXWKVC/https://www.amazon.com/This-Life-Christine-Brae-ebook/dp/B019HXWKVC/

Now in My Bookbag: Winter Shadows, by Casey L. Bond

This book is far different than Bond’s other books set in West Virginia. Where the other books fit within the New Adult/College Romance genre, Winter Shadows is a Christian/Dystopian novel.

I believe the story is okay. I find the multiple point-of-views a little confusing because there are no chapter headings to delineate one voice from the others. It is necessary to read through the beginning of each chapter in order to determine whether it is Claire, Ethan, or Colin speaking. If these headings were added, it would make a dramatic difference.  These characters are interesting and likeable. Their evolutions throughout the novel are surprising and unexpected. I feel that one evolution in particular is a bit of a stretch. It is a tangent that pops up near the end of the book, and it doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the story.

The concept of the book is interesting. The pace of the plot seems to flow steadily, then suddenly hits a fast pace. Then it slows. Before long, it speeds up again. For me, this is a bit disconcerting. There are also several typos in this work, nothing that another proofreading wouldn’t fix. 3 1/4 stars

This will not, however, keep me from reading more from this author. I have been very pleased with her work.

Now in My Bookbag: Shady Bay, by Casey L. Bond

I really enjoyed this spinoff of the Devil Creek novel. The plot was great, sweet and emotional. I loved the characters, all of them.

I was thrilled to follow Jaxon from Devil Creek, West Virginia to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He was so much more than he originally showed. It turned out that he was kinder and gentler. When Mercy fell into his life, proud and emotionally battered, he couldn’t get her out of his head. Mercy needed to lean on others to save her from hunger and homelessness. She made great friends who offered her a way up.

Author Casey L. Bond did a fabulous job creating and developing all of the characters. She also built their world in such a way that I could picture it all in my head. I found a few typos, but nothing that truly detracted from the success of the story. 4 3/4 stars

Now in My Bookbag: Devil Creek, by Casey L. Bond

I like this novel about love, heartbreak, and acceptance. Set in rural West Virginia, this story delivers a sense of community, old and new friendships, and the story of unconventional family. It also contains suspense and some violence.

It has lovable characters who face life, the highs and the lows. Aislin, the female protagonist, has experienced a lot of hard knocks. The history of her life includes abandonment, abuse, betrayal, loss, and heartbreak. She works continually to overcome and persevere. Her best friend, Gabe, suffers from a misplaced sense of duty, a tendency to overprotect, and a desperate need to suppress the survivor’s guilt he feels. The other characters are also well imagined and well written.

The plot of the story is very interesting. It contains a lot of different elements, yet remains cohesive throughout. I am unsure, however, about the end of the book. I can’t help wondering if the story resolution might have been better served at the end of chapter 16, then there could be a look a couple of years into the future. However, I am okay with the ending as it is. This is an enjoyable book that I really like. 4 1/5 stars

Now in My Bookbag: 1982- Maneater (Love in the 80's Novella), by Cambria Hebert

This is another great novella in the Love in the 80’s serial. This book is really enjoyable, and author Cambria Hebert puts an imaginative spin on this song by Hall and Oates.

The plot is creative and the characters feel very real. Kelly and Eric could be people with which I went to high school. I like the overall theme that “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” There is nothing that can affect you like someone who knew you well years ago. I also like the addition of 1980’s phrases together with their definitions.

This blast from the past is perfectly crafted for high school life in 1982. 5 stars