Book Review: Within A Dream by Tempest C. Avery

I'm back from vacation so first things first! I gotta put up this review!

Book received in exchange for an honest review through Lovers of Paranormal

I'm going to need some help with this review...



Much better.

I don't even know how to start with this one.

On one hand, there's an interesting premise to the book. 4 teenagers are reincarnations of magical beings and have special powers. Bad people are after them and they have to try to protect themselves and learn more about their heritage and their powers.

On the other hand, it was everything but the kitchen sink when it came to the magical/supernatural beings and I was wondering when it would stop. Shall I list them?

You know it.

1) Witches
2) Faeries/Fae
3) Werewolves
4) Aliens
5) Shapeshifters
6) Reincarnations
7) Voodoo/Hoodoo
8) Celtic Mythology
9) Viking Mythology
10) Some Wiccan incorporated



Some bonus features:

A. Insta-love
B. Insta-love + love triangle
C. Insta-love for secondary characters
D. Hot guy on a motorcycle
E. Evil ex-lover type
F. Absentee Parental Units



The characters and the story was interesting enough but there was just too much going on. Too many histories and stories getting mixed together with far too many magical beings. It works in something like Harry Potter because as far as the first book goes, there aren't major characters that are different beings from different planets. You cannot introduce all of these different creatures into a book without it looking like you are trying too hard.

I liked Lily, the main character, fine though. She wasn't completely helpless and she liked to take charge which was nice. Her love interests both occupied the dark broody boy character which was a little typical but it wasn't a bad description of a relationship. It did feel like it was trying to pull on the Shattered series a bit with the old love interest coming to you in dreams but I was able to overlook that part of it.

But there's one thing that doomed this book for me.

PROOFREAD. NOW.

There were typos or misspellings every ten pages if not more frequently. This book desperately needed some editing and a lot of love because there is absolutely no excuse for spelling "melodramatic" as two words. "Mellow dramatic".



So yeah, real rating about a 1.8 so I'm rounding it up to 2 stars. The saving grace was the interesting idea behind the book but there was just too much going on with not enough editing.

Book Review: Boost (A Haunted Addiction #1) by D.A. Paul

ARC received in exchange for an honest review

Blurb from Goodreads:

They call it a boost.
It’s the buzz you get from absorbing the spiritual energy of the dead, and it absolutely terrifies Lidia Powell.

Shortly after meeting Ander at summer camp, Lidia is thrust into the world of psychic mediums and brought to a new school. At Mountain Heights Academy, even a casual pizza-date is accompanied by a ghost, and only a frightened uberdork would refuse the boost. To Lidia, the peer pressure to absorb phantom apparitions is horrifying, but to everyone else, it's the drug of choice.

However, when one of the students delves into dark energy, Lidia suspects that a boost isn’t as innocent as it seems. Soon, the boost becomes an addiction and Lidia must act fast before the changes become irreversible.

Boost by D.A. Paul is probably best described as a mix of Ghostbusters, and Vampire Academy. The main character, Lidia, is a teenage girl (I'm assuming around 16? The age was never really given or I missed it somehow) who gets entangled into a world of ghosts, spirits, and demons. She never wanted this life in the first place, never knew about it to be honest, and she wants to go home and live a normal life with her dysfunctional family. It's all a bit too much for her, getting whisked off away from her charming, normal boyfriend to go live in the mountains with a bunch of other teenagers who add high school drama to her already messed up world.

Okay, so I don't do most high school drama type books. My high school was a bit weird, I only graduated with 55 people and we couldn't really have that much drama because it was impossible to have secrets in the first place. Whatever grudges we had (and there were some, no doubt) we kept them to ourselves. You were stuck with them anyways and how else were we going to get a senior prank together? That being said, sometimes I just can't relate to the mean girls and backstabbing that goes on in some YA books. My reference for normal high school life comes from old school Nickelodeon. 

Odd note: if you google "high school drama gif" it's all Ouran High School Host Club and that makes me really happy

But anyways, Lidia ends up moving away from her boyfriend Ethan and basically being stranded in the middle of nowhere in the weirdest private school ever with his best friend who is not only a flirt but also terribly attractive. Because that's going to go well. Lidia has to learn how to deal with being away from the stability in her life while trying to figure out how to deal with the ghosties that keep cropping up in her life.

My appreciation for Lidia sort of waxed and waned throughout the book. I enjoyed the fact that she didn't feel the need to dress up when Ethan came by and rejected her mother's pleas to "look a bit cuter". My mother, to this day, still does the same thing. I went to church without lipstick and blush a few weeks ago and you would think I walked out of the house naked. We all know those mothers and I liked that this girl actually stood up for herself a bit. I didn't like the body shaming or the trash talking though. I know it was a few isolated incidents but wanted a girl to be smothered with her "overly large breasts" just rubbed me the wrong way. It's not the girl's fault that she is well endowed.

Also, the vegan part. 

Or semi-vegan. I get that some people do it for health, philosophical, and/or taste preference reasons and I completely respect that. What I don't like is when people call themselves vegan and then eat cheese and dairy saying that they couldn't resist the temptation. I don't care if an author makes a vegan character but PLEASE stop using it as a descriptor as if her diet dictates who she is as a person. I got it. She ate waffles for breakfast (which are made with milk by the way) and tried to avoid meat because it made her feel weird after something with her grandmother but it felt like it was every other sentence. Lidia was closer to a semi-vegetarian than a vegan and that really bothered me. It felt like it cheapened the point of her trying to be vegan.

Moving on from that, I actually really liked Ander for the most part. He's not a good boy and he's not a bad boy but somewhere in the middle. Lidia asked for him to leave her alone and he did so. He knew she was pissed off and he tried to protect her without being obvious about it. He respected the fact that Lidia was dating his best friend and respected her boundaries. He was flirty without being a jerk and there were no cringe inducing lines that you sometimes find in YA.

The idea of getting high off spirit energy is pretty unique and that was what held the book together for me. Getting a "boost" (hence the name) is literally like getting a tiny shot of adrenaline. It makes sense. Spirits = Energy. Energy = Endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't get into as much drama as angsty kids.

But despite all of the good, interesting things in this book, there were some major flaws that didn't work for me. 

It felt like the stereotypical high school set up, that I'm starting to get really sick of seeing. We had the curvy sexy bitch girl. Check. We have the popular cool guy. Check. We have the awkward couple that everybody is slightly concerned about. Check. We have the guy with the lip rings. Check. It just seemed like there was a formula there and nobody really stood out. Lidia was beautiful and random guys developed crushes on her and she not only had a sort of boyfriend but also had Ander and every other guy that looked at her. Give me a girl main character who is confident in herself but doesn't have boys wandering around her like cows off their feed. I want strong girls who have insecurities but are honest with themselves.

Building on that was the sex. They are teenagers at boarding school. They're going to get it on. But it felt out of place if we're going to be honest. There was very little sexual tension for me because it was treated so casually. I think that if they weren't all having sex with each other, the relationships might have worked better. It went from zero to a hundred real quick. Lidia was thrilled about someone's pinky touching her thigh and then they were in bed together. It was rushed and there seemed to be little consideration for the stuff that happened between the first kiss and sex. That's not to say that it needed to be racy but it jumped around too much. There is awkwardness and deeper kisses between those things. There is more frustration and anxiety. The characters need to have more interaction with each other between those two settings other than just avoiding each other. It was a missed opportunity in that regard because there could have been more build up there.

GIVE ME MORE FEELS

The kids never actually seemed to be in class or at camp. They were supposed to be students and camp counselors but there was never any mention of them actually participating in any significant way. When I was at camp, the counselors were always busy and when I became in charge of 80 seven year olds for a few summers, I understood why. There is always something that needs to be done and you don't have a chance to go work on your tan. At school, there's always homework. Especially at a school that has high college acceptance rates and these kids barely seemed to go to class! I wanted a few classroom scenes but they were noticeably absent.

It just felt like parts of the book were missing. I was looking for tension. I was looking for teachers and kids getting caught out at night but it didn't seem to happen. This book could have been a hundred pages longer because it seemed like some of the descriptions and interactions had been pared down. Readers want to know what classroom life is like and what they do on their days off. Sometimes, it is good to see the characters lounging around talking shit and it just wasn't there for me.

But you know what? I probably would have really enjoyed this book in high school when I really think about it. It's a young adult book and I think it would be perfect for young adults. I wanted more from it but that might be because I like high tension and more crazy drama. I want high speed chases and hiding in the woods overnight with ghosts surrounding the main characters. The drama in this book was, I feel, suited for a particular age range and that worked well.

Big thank you to D.A. Paul for contacting me and providing me with this ARC!

Oh my goodness, am I getting old? Is that really happening to me?

Book Review: Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout

ARC received in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.

If you know me, you know I love KPop. And I was so flipping pumped when I got approved for this book. But then the negative reviews started and I got a little bit apprehensive about it. But I charged ahead and I read this book anyways.  Let's just say that the negative reviews are well deserved.

Quick Summary: Grace moves to South Korea to get away from the drama of her family. It's spontaneous and crazy but she can't handle life anymore with her mother and her past. She enrolls in an international boarding school and finds herself immediately taking a liking to her exuberant roommate, Sophie. But Sophie's twin brother is a music star and is cocky beyond belief. He has a right to be though. He's famous, gorgeous and obviously talented. 

But Grace moved to Korea to get away from the music industry that her family is so entrenched in and she wants nothing to do with Jason. Being friends with Sophie means that she has to get along with her brother though and soon a grudging alliance forms. Grace realizes, after spending so much time with Jason, that not all is as it seems and not everything in his world is perfect. Their bonding sparks a romance that crosses language barriers and obvious fatal flaws in each other.

I'm just going to come out and say it: Grace is a ridiculous spoiled brat of a bitch. She's blonde, skinny, pretty, and is a princess in the music industry. She can't sing or play instruments but she's *awesome* at composing and is fantastic at everything.

She has trust and panic issues but it isn't really enough to make her relatable as a character. I wish someone in the book would have told her to lay off and actually be respectful of Korean culture and her friends but that never happens.

Grace repeatedly bashes Korean culture and shows such American elitism it made me want to gag.

"So people do play Western music"

She never really makes an attempt to dive in headfirst and opts to complain about everything that they do in Korea. Women wear skirts during winter? *Judgement* Girls are skinnier than her? *Judgement* They like to listen to bubbly pop music? *EXCESSIVE JUDGEMENT*

"I’m not sure what I expected--that they would be good? Pop is in the name of the genre. That never bodes well for the quality of the music. But I guess I’d hoped since they’re a big deal, they would be more than your average bubblegum band. After ten songs, my brain is ready to explode."

Get off your high horse. You sound like a baby. And it's not that I don't like her music taste. It's actually pretty good stuff in my opinion. But there's no need to be that person that judges everybody based off of what they are playing and listening to.

I guess that out of everything about Grace that bothers me, the worst is her obvious disdain for everything that she hasn't been exposed to. She tries to flaunt her hipster cred at every opportunity and it made me want to punch her in the face. 

Moving on now to some other flagrant flaws in this book.

Jason flip flops. He doesn't have any real personality to me. One second, he is cold and removed and then he is apologizing. This author started with what could have been a strong character in him but seemed to sort of give up and try to make him nice. I like him mean and rude. I liked how he pushed Grace and made her lose her cool. Jason clearly just didn't care and that was part of his character and all of that changes very quickly. He turns from outwardly aggressive to making snide comments and trying to push everybody away.

Sophie is obnoxious as well. She's happy and bubbly (which is fine) but for being a "best friend" she abandons Grace for a guy. And then tries to hide it from everyone. I can understand hiding a relationship with your brother's best friend from him just so it doesn't get awkward, but don't sneak around and act like nothing is going on and lie to your roommate. Everybody knows. Just be honest.

Honestly, out of all the characters, I liked Yoon Jae the most. He came closest to what I expected out of a book about KPop and he is thrown under the bus as far as character development goes. Yes, he's the drummer of the group but maybe he got roped into something he didn't want too. Everybody treated him like he was the one that caused the tension but really, he was just as unhappy as Tae Hwa and Jason in the band. Doesn't anybody else consider his dreams too? He wanted to be an Idol and he had to play backup to a sexy singer. Yoon Jae could have grown so much more and could have competed a bit more for Grace but he is one of the most passive characters I've ever encountered.

It's telling when your favorite character is a secondary character that has little to no personality. But hey, he danced and he sang and he was what I wanted when it came to a Korean star.

The plot was rather weak as well (now that I've raged about the characters). Grace helps Jason with a music project and somehow ends up being her Korean tutor despite not being able to read Korean. And then later, magically, he can write in Korean. It doesn't make sense. Sophie drags Grace around the country following the guys like a groupie and it came off as desperate. Yes, you're there to support your brother but it's borderline stalker for the guy in the group you like. It seemed awkward and forced.

Grace's mother and father are obviously a point of contention throughout the book and Grace has some baggage that she's carrying around but it never felt real to me. It felt like a plot device throughout and it was too dragged out. She focused on it too much while there was other stuff going on. What about the concern for your roommate? Does she not matter anymore?

Ugh...sorry for the rage filled review. When I hate a book, I always find I have a lot more to say about it. I wanted sexy KPop. I got a little bit of drama and a whole lot of whining. Whatever, I'm over it. Crash and burn.

So this book definitely deserves the negative reviews. It portrays Americans as elitist and self centered. It barely shows any of the Korean culture. The main character is a complete bitch and her love interest is so contrived it's ridiculous.

All of that being said, if anybody has any suggestions for other books based on KPop, I'd love to hear them. I watch Korean dramas a lot and I love stuff like that so I would love some more input!

One Star

Book Review: Risking Ruin by Mae Wood

I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

I don't often do this, but I'm going to start with the blurb from Goodreads:

Marisa Tanner's most important client, multi-billion dollar family-owned Brannon Company, has been sued by nine of its employees for sexual harassment. Marisa is a pro at handling sexual harassment allegations, but will she be able to handle the CEO's prodigal son as well as she can handle the lawsuits?

Clients are off-limits and Marisa could lose her law license and livelihood, but Memphis playboy Trip keeps making strong plays for her. Their attraction is undeniable and chemistry electric. Can she have her career and Trip, too, or will she have to choose?

A steamy debut novel by Mae Wood, "Risking Ruin" is a standalone novel that blends the styles of chick-lit and steamy contemporary romance to create a world filled with strong characters in the lush environment of Memphis, Tennessee.

Risking Ruin by Mae Wood was a great, fun read and it was one of the books that got me out of my reading slump. The characters have real personality and this isn't just one of those books where the main character can't love her man because reasons. There is a real worry in their relationship and it avoids all of the major pitfalls of modern romance novels.

I love the cover (obviously, since it is my favorite color) and I am usually not a fan of drawn covers. This one was well done and relates to the story line of the book. It isn't just two generic people holding onto each other or almost kissing like every Nicholas Sparks book written. It's cute and eye catching to me.

Marisa is a strong woman who stands on her own two feet, running her law firm, and being very good at it.

She loves her job and loves being the boss but when her biggest client's representative retires, she finds her world shaken up. Marisa strives to be professional and respected, keeping her clients at an appropriate distance. It's amazing how one man can change all of that.

Trip Brannon is one hell of a man, after all, and he is hard to put in the box that the rest of her clients reside in. He won't let her put him in that box and he is not shy about his affections. Marisa sees him as an entitled playboy with no real focus in life. He seems to drift around and the only reason he is working at his new position is that he will one day inherit the company.

Trip isn't some aggressive dominant alpha male, which was awesome. Don't get me wrong, I love my cavemen but it was refreshing to encounter a male lead who isn't shoving his love interest up against the wall and claiming her as his property. He is respectful and charming like all properly raised Southern men should be. He is a gentleman with a naughty side. He is the man you take home to meet your mother and grandmother who will stay after to help you with the dishes. He is your dinner party guest. He is your plus one at your friend's wedding. Trip is the gentleman in the streets but a freak in the sheets. 

Do you know how rare that is? Yes, Southern men have a reputation for all of this but for them to actually achieve this is beyond rare. He isn't a perfect man but he is genuine and that's what makes him a compelling character.

I know this is a weird thing to fixate on, but I have to mention it. In so many books, especially romance novels, the main characters are fit beyond imagination but you never actually witness them maintaining their shape. I loved that both Marisa and Trip were active. You want to stay healthy? Good. Work for it. Marisa is a runner. Trip is a cyclist. 

Thank you, Mae Wood, for making realistic characters that know the meaning of hard work and the benefits of staying active. They aren't staying in shape by shagging all hours of the night and that's wonderful. Nobody just *gets* a six pack. Those are earned and it sucks getting there.

But onto the story, now that I've gone on about the characters.

Being a lawyer is tough and it can only be made tougher by having a ridiculously hot client. Client/Lawyer relationships are off limits though and Marisa doesn't want to lose a client over a pretty face. There is real danger here to her career. What would the professional world think about her dropping a multi-million dollar client just so she can go at it with the CEO's son? It could potentially ruin her. Especially with the case she is dealing with.

The company has been hit with a string of sexual harassment cases over the past few months and with a big company, that's not all that uncommon. What is strange is the man who is the latest of being accused. Sure, he's a bit of a flirt but nothing as extreme as the case is alleging. Marisa's radar is up and with the help of her assistant, she finds out that this case is a lot bigger than she imagined. It goes a lot further than sexual harassment cases at work. I certainly didn't expect the outcome!

I loved that Marisa didn't do everything on her own. She asks for help from her friends and family and gets it. She knows that she isn't all powerful and she can't do it all so she relies on others. This isn't a rogue lawyer that don't need no stinking assistance. This is a big deal and she is overwhelmingly professional. She keeps the personal drama out of her work life which is where it belongs. There was more to this book than just romance and I was just as eager to find out about the lawsuits as I was to learn more about Trip and Marisa.

Their relationship, while it seems a bit like insta-love at the beginning, takes some time to develop. Trip is definitely the pursuer but Marisa doesn't let him push her around. He gives her the space she needs to think it over but he also doesn't let her forget him. Trip makes sure that he is at the front of her mind and is very successful at it. I loved the restaurant scenes. So incredibly hot. I'd be freaking out if my man did that to me and nowhere near as composed as Marisa was. I mean, hot damn.

I even liked the fights that the characters had. They are incredibly realistic. I can see how some people would think Marisa is overreacting in some situations but you know what? I'd probably do the same thing. I'd react the exact same way except probably hold onto my anger for longer. Marisa has the right to be upset and confused in these situations and Trip doesn't just get out scot free.

So overall, a good romantic story and well written as well! The characters are realistic and you find yourself cheering for them.

There are emotions, conflict, attraction, lust (definitely) and consequences. There is a real story to go with a charming romance and I loved that it was set in Memphis which can be a fun city. The landmarks and descriptions were great and I could definitely picture myself there although I was somewhat disappointed that there was no mention of Central Barbecue. I mean...come on. That place is effing magical. And Gus's. Those two are just as iconic as the Rendezvous.

Anyways...4/5 stars. I enjoyed it thoroughly. :-)

Book Review: Skeletal by Kathering Hayton

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

What the hell did I just read?

I'm still in shock. This book was a whirlwind of action throughout and I have a lot of conflicting feelings about it.

Skeletal is a story of a girl who was lost. Daina moved from town to town with her mother, changing schools three to four times a year, running from problems and never putting down roots. Daina is heavily independent and tries desperately to maintain control of her hectic life. She tries to prevent her mother from spending all of their money on alcohol and keeps her grades up. She never expected a bully to turn on her and make her life a living hell.

But this is much more than a bullying story. Daina is a fighter and she strives to make the struggles in her life building blocks. She tries to make friends and is happy for a short while. Life has a way of going to hell really quick and despite her best efforts, Daina gets sucked down a road that she never wanted to go down.

Daina is an interesting character but I struggled with her age, among other things. She was 14 in all of this. I understand that she had to grow up quick because of the life that she had but it felt too extreme. She didn't react in a relatable way. Certain things that would drive most teenagers into a panic barely phased her. I can understand rolling with the bullying but she lets everybody take advantage of her. Her mother, her guidance counselor, the bullies, the creepy guy in the bushes...I won't go further. She was a doormat. 

All the rest of the characters were severely twisted. Who does this? Even adults don't do this! It's so messed up. Maybe I am having issues with this because I've never experienced bullying in this extreme but I feel like most people haven't either. 

The administration of this school is unbelievable at best. NO SCHOOL WOULD IGNORE WHAT IS GOING ON. No school. At all. Know why? Lawsuits. The school would be shut down in a hot minute. And then teachers and administration and principals would be fired and possibly go to jail. It's simply not logical.

There were just so many plot holes. 

The paranormal element in this book was understated at best and left me a little underwhelmed. There was really no reason for the way things played out and I can understand having a ghost as a plot device but it didn't feel fully realized.

The end of the book was rushed and the conclusion was never fully explained. There was too much suspense and building on the front end to justify the conclusion.

In the end, I couldn't connect with the characters and there were too many missing parts for me to enjoy this book. Maybe I'm in a bad mood but this book was not for me.

Book Review: Facade: A Vampire Love Story (Immortal Memories #1) by R.M. Webb

Guess who is back! I finally got my computer back from the repair shop. Turns out that the DC jack had basically separated from the battery and they had to order the part and solder everything back together. I'm glad it was an easy fix and not a reason to replace this laptop.

Moving onto a book review! First one in a while and the first one of the New Year.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Facade by R.M. Webb is a great first book from this author.

I usually struggle a lot with vampire books. I think Twilight and that whole fiasco sort of turned me off books that are centered on vampires but this was really well written.

It follows the story of Claire, a young woman who, due to some unfortunate events, can no longer do the one thing she loves most: ballet. Instead, her friends dance while she plays piano for them, never really being able to look up from the keys. She only remembers the last 7 years of her life and she cannot connect with people easily like others seem to.

So Claire puts on a brave face and tries to mimic as best she can. She seemed like she was half a step behind with her reactions to things that normally wouldn't faze people at all. Laughs a little late, takes an extra second to figure out what emotion or reaction she should have. She feels extraordinarily lost and vacant among her friends a lot of the time.

Then, William enters the picture. He is strong. He is demanding. And he knows all about her past and wants to help her in any way that he can. What follows is a whirlwind adventure with revenge, betrayal, lust, love, confusion, and blood. This is not an easy road but it is what it will take to make everything right again.

I felt so sorry for Claire at the beginning. It is difficult to be in her position. I know how it is to watch all your friends do what you love and you are physically unable to participate anymore. It is heartbreaking. It kills you slowly and people will still try to be nice about it but it feels like a huge chunk of you is ripped out.

So she is already feeling lost without dance then add onto that not knowing anything about her past and she is looking at a lot of loneliness. I can't imagine what that must have felt like. Clair is a strong character though and she is remarkably resilient. Her friends don't get how depressed she is and they act like nothing is wrong. Josh is clearly all about her but he doesn't step up and assert himself.

William steps up though and shows her what she truly is. Unfortunately, her best friend Josh gets wrapped up in this whole thing and he suffers the consequences. It was hard not to sympathize with him throughout the book because he friendzoned himself real bad. Poor lamb.
The conflict in this book was compelling as well. There is nothing as juicy as revenge really.
Facade has helped heal this rift I have with vampire books.  I usually find them whiny and over dramatic with that whole prey/predator-but-I-love-you thing. But since this is the story of two vampires who love each other and eventually figure things out, it works better. There is no "I'd die for you but I can't die unless someone really wants to kill me and oh, there is someone that wants to kill me" crap that tends to ruin vampire books.

It was a unique plot line throughout and there were freaking consequences for their actions.  People die. Bad things happen.  And nobody fucking sparkles.

Overall, a solid read.

Book Review: Guilt Trip by Maggie Farrell

Alright y'all...I know I went AWOL for a week or two but I have a really good reason!  I was down at the beach and didn't have a lick of internet access besides what was on my phone.  We spent the entire week eating good fried food, walking on the beach, collecting shells and generally having a nice relaxing time.  Oh, and....

Yup! I got engaged over the weekend.  He proposed at the beach Saturday morning while we were on vacation and it was perfect.  Everybody I know is really excited but apparently I have been remiss in my upbringing as a Southern Lady as I do not have a date, location, caterer, cake and wedding colors already picked out and on deck.  Ah, well at least I have some ideas.  The color pink is already off the table as well as there is a requirement of bourbon and or scotch to be at the reception.  I think I can accommodate both fairly well.

Moving onto a book review.  This isn't a wedding blog, it's a book blog!  Time to get back into the rhythm of things and I have lots of books coming your way!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review through the Goodreads group, Lovers of Paranormal.

I've honestly been in a bit of a reading slump as far as Read 2 Review stuff goes.  It has been hard to find a really good well thought out book that was intriguing enough to keep me happy with it.  This book broke all my expectations and blew me out of the water!

Guilt Trip by Maggy Farrell is sort of an unassuming book at first.  It is about a young girl who is suffering from Survivor's Syndrome after she escapes a car wreck and her mother does not.  As a way to take her mind off things, her father takes her on a holiday while he photographs the geologic features of the English moorlands and judges a photography competition.  Melissa has been struggling to cope with the events of the last year and is medicated to take the edge off the hallucinations and nightmares that plague her.

Melissa thinks it is just another symptom cropping up when she starts to recall memories that aren't hers but when they start to involve the older yet attractive landlord of the hotel, she realizes that something much more than nightmares is going on.

The cover itself isn't all that thrilling but as I understand it, it is a depiction of some interesting limestone cave features that are somewhat prominent in the book.  I loved that this book included so much as far as geology.  It helps place the setting well and adds to the spookiness of the book.  The pitch black of a cave is a great location for some of the action.

Melissa is a wonderful character to read, mostly because it is so easy to sympathize with her.  She is a victim from the beginning and plays the role well.  I mean, her mother died right in front of her.  I can understand how that would torment you and follow you around everywhere.  Melissa pushes her father away to some extent in order to protect him from her sad realities and instead becomes attached to a much older man.

Luke is somewhere in the range of 35 and she, I believe, is 16.  Yes, it's creepy.  Yes, it is a bit of insta-love but it really works in this context.  He is also the landlord so it adds some more of that forbidden nature to the relationship and local people keep saying that she reminds them of someone else that Luke was somehow connected to.

That's another well written aspect of this book.  There is a small town feel with small town gossip.  While people talk among themselves about rumors and scandal, they do not let outsiders in and that contributes to the thriller feel.  There are closed doors and whispers behind backs that make up a decent portion of the story.

And the plot twists.

This book cannot be predicted in any way.  In the middle of it, you are sort of going "Alright, so x, y, and z are going to happen" but it was so different that what I expected.  It had me flipping pages back and saying "No way!"  It takes a lot for a book to catch me off guard in such a way that it makes sense but this was perfectly done.

So overall, 4 out of 5 stars.  Some aspects of the story could have been written better but it was a great read.