Jek/Hyde by Amy Ross

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to read and review Jek/Hyde by Amy Ross! Lulu is best friends with Jek, Jayesh Emerson Kapoor, who’s a scientific genius. It seems that someone named Hyde has stolen Jek’s bank account information and Lulu wants to get to the bottom of it. This guy Hyde also paid off a teenage girl that he presumably assaulted and people are talking about him and not at all in a good way. Lulu, with the rest of the community, is trying to figure out who Hyde really is and how he’s connected to Jek, especially since Hyde seems to be wreaking havoc and ultimately commits murder. When Lulu discovers the mystery of all that is Hyde, her life changes forever. 5 stars for this engaging young adult mystery with an ending that leaves space for the imagination!
*I received a complimentary copy for voluntary consideration

Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the opportunity to read and review Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne! Zivah has been an apprentice for years and now she’s a healer because she has passed the required test. Rose plague has broken out and Zivah is helping the other healers take care of the ailing patients. Dineas has suffered through the rose plague, healed, recovered and developed brown splotches and has been labeled as umbertouched. They meet under wary circumstances but become allies. The storyline becomes complicated but the author describes everything perfectly, which erases all confusion. I enjoy Dineas’ humor and personality and Zivah’s perseverance and outlook on life. Wonderful characters and an ending that leaves me anticipating the sequel make a 5-star fantasy adventure!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration.

Follow Me by Sara Shepard

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Book Groups for the opportunity to read and review Follow Me by Sara Shepard! The story begins with Brett and his prospects and then alternates with each of the main characters from the first book, Amateurs. Seneca is an intern handing out parking tickets, Maddox is still working on his running and wants to go to the Olympics, Aerin took a vacation and Madison is enjoying life, as she always does. Madison brings a letter to Maddox at the gym and they’re floored when they find out who it’s from and what it’s about. The Case Not Closed group is back again! The mystery, suspense and thrills are back in this sequel and so are the twists! 5 stars for another great mystery by Sara Shepard!

Haven by Mary Lindsey

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Haven by Mary Lindsey- Rain loses his mother and is sent to live with her twin, his aunt Ruby, in a small town. Rain unknowingly falls into an age-old legend as he’s trying to help a fellow classmate. He gets so much more than he bargained for. I don’t want to give anything away because the mystery is a big part of the story. Rain’s life grows more complicated and the suspense builds. He will do anything it takes to protect the people he cares about. 5 stars for this supernatural read! Entangled publishing surprised me with this wonderful box full of goodies!

The First Kiss Hypothesis by Christina Mandelski

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled: Crush for the opportunity to read and review The First Kiss Hypothesis by Christina Mandelski! Nora has a sound scientific hypothesis that she created based on her loving grandparents, their wonderful marriage and a kissing booth where they first met and kissed for the first time. Nora has a huge crush on Eli and he’s also her best friend and neighbor. She tried testing her hypothesis once on Eli but he had just taken a big gulp of soda, so it didn’t turn out well. Now she’s even more determined to prove her first kiss theory. The ups and downs of the relationship between Nora and Eli are funny, frustrating and everything in between. The story is fun, cute and romantic with entertaining secondary characters and main characters that are impossible not to root for. 5 star worthy!
I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration!

Queso! by Lisa Fain

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read and review Queso!: Regional Recipes for the World’s Favorite Chile-Cheese Dip by Lisa Fain! Queso! by Lisa Fain is a wonderful cookbook containing delicious variations on the chile-cheese dip. The queso recipes vary by region and ingredients. There’s even a recipe for sundaes. The history of queso is included, along with descriptions and suggestions for cheeses and peppers to use in your own queso recipes. The only thing I didn’t like about this book is that I would prefer the photos to be labeled with its recipe name. 5 stars for a scrumptious cookbook that made me crave queso!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration!

Holiday Cookies by Elisabet der Nederlanden

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read and review Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season by Elisabet der Nederlanden! Holiday Cookies is a wonderfully festive book full of lovely photos and delectable cookie and candy recipes. I like the setup of a recipe followed by its picture then another picture and its recipe. I love cookbooks with photos accompanying each recipe! I plan on purchasing this book worthy of 5 stars!

House of Furies by Madeleine Roux

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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House of furies by Madeleine Roux tells the story of Louisa, a fortune teller, who is given a gold coin by an older woman and offered a job at Coldthistle House. There’s more to the old woman than Louisa realizes and she’s not sure what to think of her. On their way to Coldthistle House, the wagon wheel breaks and a passing wagon stops to help them. These travelers are on their way to Coldthistle House too. Once Louisa finally reaches their destination, she finds out more than she bargained for and discovers that she will supposedly never leave. The art on the cover and introductions of the chapters are beautifully spooky and appropriate for the story. With interesting relationships and creepiness, I read this book nonstop. 4 Stars!

First We Were IV by Alexandra Sirowy

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book! First We Were IV by Alexandra Sirowy involves a group of teenagers that make a secret society and a pact so they will always stay friends. Izzie, Graham, Viv and Harry create the Order of IV as their secret society and their reasoning for taking dares and beyond. The four teenagers want to right the wrongs in their community and make sure justice is received by victims and served by the perpetrators. Their relationships grow and change as they discover the guilty and find out who really caused the death of a Jane Doe that became known as Goldilocks and who caused Harry’s father’s accident. Tragedy takes away more than just a friend, it completely changes their lives. 4 stars for a twisting young adult story.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration.