Carries Book Reviews

The Glass Mermaid: A Falling in Deep Collection Novella by Poppy Lawless
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kate is the last of her kind, a mermaid. She’s lived for three hundred years on land since the loss of her entire clan of mermaids to a disease. Moving back near her home she knows that her time is about out and just want to be near her underwater home until then.

Cooper is an artist who has moved back into his childhood home after he finds out that he has cancer and there isn’t any hope left for him. He vows to paint each sunset and sunrise during his remaining days overlooking the lake where he spots Kate for the first time collecting sea glass for her shop. Cooper although he knows he shouldn’t begin a relationship finds himself drawn to Kate until he finally talks to her.

A well written beautiful love story between Kate and Cooper. Couldn’t help but feel for both characters right away. If any complaints about this novella I would have to say I did have a feeling I knew the ending right away but being a romance that wasn’t that big of a deal.

Overall, lovely novella length romance. Would definitely recommend.

The Favorite by Kiera Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Favorite is another companion novella to the Selection series. In this installment we get a behind the scenes look at Marlee and Carter’s relationship told from Marlee’s point of view.

I really enjoy these extra looks into the story as I often feel like the main books left out a lot of background information. This one let’s us know how Marlee and Carter met and fell in love and what happens to them after the caning. There were peeks to the events in the main story but adding the extra details makes the story much more appealing to me.

Overall, an enjoyable addition to the Selection series, best to be read after finishing The One as it gives hints to the ending of that if you haven’t read it yet.

Winter Kisses – The 12 NA’s of Christmas by Addison Moore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Winter Kisses is actually the second book in a series from Addison Moore. This novella focuses on Laney Sawyer and Ryder Capwell rekindling a relationship after a year apart. Ryder’s mother didn’t want them together and had done everything in her power to break the two apart.

I actually haven’t read the first book in the series myself but this seemed to read fine without having read it. A few mentions of past events but most of which could just be characters giving out their back story as with any other book.

Starting off I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this story just for Laney’s complaints about Ryder in the first chapter. Really it didn’t sound like he was all that bad for her to continue on and on about him. It really seemed to grow on me from that point though, lots of chemistry between Laney and Ryder and a better look into the behind story later on got me rooting for them in the end.

Overall, hot and steamy novella for a good quick read.

Black Woods by Laura Wright LaRoche
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Laura and Julie are a couple of ladies in their sixties who have grown up exploring the woods their whole life. Every spring the pair spend two months going out daily to mushroom hunt. They also volunteer with the local search and rescue since they know the woods so well. When four young venture into an area known as the Black Woods they find themselves in trouble and needing help.

When this story starts off I really got the feeling all of the characters seemed much younger then they were. Laura and Julie were likable though but the four “boys” are supposed to be in their early twenties but acted very very immature so I really just didn’t care for them at all. The comments about the ugly girl and the fat girl and some of their antics just really turned me off.

However, when it came to the overall story I thought it wasn’t too bad. Found myself thinking I knew how all this would end but the ending ended up something I wasn’t quite expecting and bringing my rating up a bit more.

Overall, a decent quick read, not amazing but not terrible either.

Fade to Black by Tim McBain
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Jeff Grobnagger suffers from seizures and when these occur he dreams the same thing over and over, his own death from a mysterious hooded man. When one of these occur in a public place Jeff meets an older man who thinks he may know what is going on with him and that it may also have something to do with his missing daughter so he asks Jeff’s help to find her.

Starting off with this book I honestly thought I’d end up giving it four of five stars, there are a lot of others that have done so. The first few chapters were great and I really thought I would enjoy it but the further I read the more it lost my interest and just seemed a confusing mix of different ideas that weren’t really fitting together well.

I didn’t really care for Jeff, he kept insisting he was a loner and out for himself which really became a bit annoying to keep stating but then he would end up doing the exact opposite anyway. The story starts off with a bit of a mystery but then adds more and more to it which really don’t even seem to fit together. By the time I got to the end I ended up with one of those that’s it? feelings. Just not my cup of tea I’m afraid.

Overall, lost interest really quickly and really wouldn’t recommend this one.