The Forever Girl by Rebecca Hamilton

Witches, Wiccans, Vampires and Elementals make up the cast of this book. Sophia is a practicing Wiccan with a thirst for knowledge about her family's past.  She begins digging in her grandfather's old boxes and runs across an important document.  It sends her on a quest she never expected.  Sophia Parsons has always been the outsider in town. She never felt as if she belonged. Her parents didn't understand her and her friends knew little of what she was dealing with inside.  On this quest, she meets Charles. The first man to show interest in her that she returned.  There is something about him though. She can't quite figure it out. Then one night at a club opens a door Sophia isn't sure she wants left open. She'll find the answers she seeks, but at what cost?


I'm not a big vampire, witches fan but this book is absolutely amazing! It hooked me and I followed the incredible journey of Sophia Parsons.  Exciting, historical and detailed, this book is one you will enjoy very much.  It taught me some things I had no idea of.  Made me wonder about the people I knew growing up and those still in my life today.  The love story between Sophia and Charles is timeless. You have to read this one.


The only problem I found is that it was a slow starter. It kind of dragged at the beginning as if it wasn't sure where to go first. It does take off though and it's like opening a window and letting the air in.


I gave this one 4 out of 5 books because of the slow start.

The Opening by Ron Savarese

Joe is a very hard worker. He really wants to make sure he always has money for him and his family. The problem is, it's costing him valuable time with family and friends. His wife is fighting cancer, two kids in college, one in high school and for Joe a mid-life crisis.  Joe begins to drink to much and to often. He's never really there for the family or his wife. His answer is to throw money at the problem. Joe grew up poor, lost his family young and learned money makes the world go around.. or does it?  While visiting family at Christmas, Joe has an experience most only hear or read about.  It could possibly change his whole outlook on life and the world around him.
Eskimo Proverb: Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven, where the love of our lost ones pours through, and shines down upon us to let us know they're happy.


A book that takes you through one man's life and shows him and us that the things we think are important are only a part of life. They aren't the most important things. It shows the lengths heaven will go to, to show you where you went wrong and how to fix it.  It's moving, educational and a terrific read. 


I found nothing wrong with this one.


I gave it a 5 out of 5 books because the message is a universal one we all need to learn.

The Professor by Cathy Perkins

Someone is killing college girls and dumping their bodies. The whole campus has heard the stories.  Rules are in place to protect the young women of the local colleges. Meg Connelly is a student, but she's also a teacher too. She works as an advisor to a sorority house too. Meg tries to remind the girls of the safety rules, but doesn't really apply them to herself. She knows she shouldn't be walking alone at night on campus.  Mick O'Shaughnessy is called in as an agent to help find this killer. His first investigation however takes a more political turn than he'd like.  It's then that he meets Meg. It's as though they can see into each others hearts and minds.  Can Mick protect Meg since she won't protect herself?

This book grabs you by the shirt and pulls you in from page 1.  It's exciting, action packed and filled with little "bumps in the night" until all is revealed.  The love story winding through this book is very real and well written.  You learn so much about people that you didn't even realize could be going on behind the scenes. 

I found nothing wrong with this one. Kept me on the edge of my seat until the end.

I give this one 5 out of  5 books because it truly is a thriller.

Prime Time by Jane Wenham-Jones

Laura Meredith is a 40 year old divorced mother of one. Her husband's affair with a younger woman did a real number on her self esteem and confidence. She saw herself as ugly, fat and old.  Her midlife crisis sends her along a path she never saw coming.  A chance to renew herself and be the woman she wanted to be.  During this midlife crisis, she finds out her best friend's husband was having an affair with a woman at work. She is desperate to prevent their marriage from going the same path as hers. Laura goes to some pretty extreme measures to make herself beautiful in her own eyes and she just might find love. After all she's in her prime.


I found this book delightful. The message is such a terrific one for women of all ages.  Be who you are. You are beautiful.  It's heartbreaking, funny and full of wonderful writing.  This book is a real look at women today and just what they deal with. The way they perceive themselves.  Jane Wenham-Jones did a beautiful job of capturing just what millions of women the world over deal with every day.  


The only problem I had with this book is there was almost no romance. It was more of a last minute thought.   


I gave this one 4 out of 5 books because it seemed a little too devoid of romance.

Kensington Facebook Page

HI everyone! I'm happy to tell you that the Kensington Facebook page has a lot of things going on. Find some great contests and excerpts, along with polls and quizzes about our books. You can't go wrong here. You'll learn more about the books Kensington has coming out and you'll get the chance to be part of polls, contests and quizzes.   I highly recommend you check them out. OH and they have a teen page too. You can let your teens know and they can be part of the fun.  


Here are the links for both pages..  http://bit.ly/xGzDj5 (Kensington)  and http://bit.ly/xdiiXK (KTeen) . Check them out and learn what's new in the world of books.


Melanie/Kissablysweet1

What Every Married Woman Needs by Steve Caresser

This book is more of a manual for men about how to have a good relationship.  It doesn't matter if you are married or in a relationship with someone, the rules in this book still apply.  They are thoughtful, compassionate and accurate.  It's based on the experiences of the author during his 35 years of marriage.  He admits he's dealt with some of the situations himself and learned how to get through them with his marriage stronger and more importantly..intact.  Every man should be given this book at puberty to learn before he actually needs the information.  


I found this book to be fun, well written and easy to understand. It hit all the spots where men seem to flounder when their relationship experiences problems. Mr. Caresser put a lot of thought into this book and was kind enough to openly share of his own life. I think it really helps to read that someone else was in the boat you find yourself in and the information isn't from someone who has no clue.


I didn't find anything wrong with this book.


I gave this one 5 out 5 books because it really will help marriages.

Rys-Rising by Tracy Falbe

In another world, civil unrest is just as much a part of their lives as it has been for others.  The Rys, Tabre, and humans were trying to coexist in one world.  The Rys were considered the lowest of the low. The Tabre thinking themselves superior tried to keep the Rys as slaves and under their thumb.  It was a battle of magic, wits and intelligence.  They even tried to breed to Rys with Tabres in hopes of enhancing the Tabre race. What happened was not expected. The Tabre's left their Rys children to fend for themselves and they went back to their city.  Humans became instrumental in helping the Rys to overthrow the Tabre.  


This book is like a soap opera. There are so many characters and so much complex information, you really have to be in the "zone" to get this book.  It's good, don't get me wrong. I enjoyed it. It just seemed to try to tie to many knots in one place. You will enjoy the colorful people and the new things you learn.


I did find this one to be a tough read for someone who doesn't read a LOT of fantasy.  It was complex, full of characters and hard to follow. 


I gave this one 3 out of 5 books because of the complexity of the book.