ARC Review: Grace and the Guiltless by Erin Johnson

Title: Grace and the Guiltless Series: Wanted #1 Author: Erin Johnson Punlished: July 1, 2014 by Switch Press (Capstone) Amazon Goodreads   Synopsis: Grace Milton's peaceful life with her family on a horse ranch outside Tombstone, Arizona is shattered in one devastating night. Her family is brutally murdered by the notorious Guiltless Gang, leaving Grace the only survivor. Trekking into the wilderness on her stallion, Grace falls ill from the elements. A young man named Joe saves her life by taking her to an Apache camp where she learns about their way of life and begins to fall for Joe. When Grace encounters one of the Guiltless Gang, her strength will be tested. Can she survive as a bounty hunter, or will she fall into darkness again? This Western revenge epic will captivate teen readers with its ruthless spirit of suspense and adventure and a powerful central romance.

**** I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest view in return. This fact has not swayed my opinion****

Also fair warning, this is going to be a really ranty review!

I could not have been more excited about reading this book. It seems like forever ago now but there was once a Top Ten Tuesday where we had to discuss our bookish wishlists. One of my wishes was more books set in the Old West. Well I actually think it was books set on the Oregon Trail, but you get the idea. I love historical fiction and this is a fascinating period. The struggle for survival, the desire to start a new life, the adventure. But maybe it just sounds good on paper and not in execution because this is the second Western I have read and both of them disappointed me (the first was a DNF).

Despite some deficiencies Grace and the Guiltless did have some good moments. First was the beginning. This book started with a literal bang and I was instantly hooked. The author does a fantastic job of setting the tone of the novel by getting the reader emotionally invested in the success of the book's heroine. When Grace began her search for revenge I was right there with her. The first few chapters were full of action, adventure, and emotional turmoil. It was so good that I had high hopes for the rest of the book but things really fizzled. The author did bring things back up for a thrilling bit of action for the climax but the vast majority of the book was incredibly lacking in plot development for me. The book was a sandwich where you the most phenomenal bread but the meat inside is the boring part. The middle portion was this poorly plotted and quickly advanced through section of nothing but training montages and travel montages (which you know that I hate).

One of my biggest frustrations about this book was the ending. This is the first book in a series and if that wasn't clear before hand it absolutely was by the end of the book. It felt like the worst kind of culprit of First Book Syndrome. The climax of the novel was fantastic and trilling but when the falling action occurred, it fell, and it fell hard! It ended on a cliffhanger but not the kind of cliffhanger that makes you want to keep reading. The kind of cliffhanger where it just stops. Nothing really felt resolved and it even took this drastic turn at the end of the book that only served to set things up for the rest of the series. It was like you are running on a track towards the finish line and when you're almost to the end you switch lanes so you can run around around a second time. This was extremely frustrating for me as the reader.

I did however enjoy many of the characters in the book. Grace was a realistic and complex character that I found as a good protagonist for this story. She is brave and determined to achieve the task she has set out to do (seek revenge) but it is constantly clouding her judgement. She is fixated on this fact and her main character flaw is this need for vengeance and retribution. But her determination cannot overcome the fact that she is not at all prepared to achieve these ends and is always putting herself in harms way. Throughout the book she has the most cliche Hero's Journey imaginable and despite the fact that it was a little forced I do still really like Grace. I also really like many of the other secondary characters she encounters throughout the book. Many of them are tropes from traditional Westerns but they were still entertaining.

But what didn't entertain me was the romance. That was without a doubt my least favorite part of this book. Even just thinking about it now makes me roll my eyes. So much about this book seemed forced but nothing more so than the romance. Joe is one of those Western tropes, he's a white man who has basically been raised by Native Americans and knows their ways and culture. He decides to teach Grace how to hunt and track so that she will give up her vengeful ways and I instantly knew that this was going to turn romantic. And it didn't quite get there which made it all even worse. It was just constant flirting and references to how Grace thought he was attractive and how she wanted to kiss him. To me it felt like there were little moments thrown in at inopportune times so that it would lead to the endgame of a relationship, but I wasn't quite sold on the idea. I'm not sure I would call it instalove, it was more just out of left field and didn't quite fit with the tone of the story.

Grace and the Guiltless was a fast read that may appeal to fans of Westerns. It did do a pretty good job of establishing the tone of the historical period. I absolutely felt the idea of the lawlessness of the Old West and the struggle for survival that many of the people at the time must have felt. I also really felt the feeling of conflict between the Native Americans and the Settlers and the book did a great job of showing both sides of that story. Unfortunately the world-building could overcome my disappointment in the plot.

I give Grace and the Guiltless by Erin Johnson a 6 out of 10 stars.

Have you read Grace and the Guiltless? What were your thoughts? Do you enjoy Westerns? Any recommendations? I really would like to find one that I enjoyed. One with lots of action or good world-building and a solid plot. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Feature and Follow Friday #37

A weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read & Parajunkee's View

How it Works: 

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you visit the blogs of our illustrious hosts and leave your name on the post using using the linky tools, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.

This Week's Question: 

Social Share! What is your favorite social network and leave us a link so we can join you.

This Week's Answer: 

My favorite social network is without a doubt Twitter. I used to not understand it's awesomeness but then I realized it's not only a great way you express your self (in 140 characters or less) but also a great way to connect with people on shared interest. I have had amazing conversations with fellow bloggers, book lovers, and even authors. I am seriously obsessed with twitter and spend way more time then I probably should on there.

If you are on Twitter please feel free to follow me at @MyThoughtsLit

How about you? What is your favorite social network? Leave me a comment with your thoughts.

 And remember this is a blog hop so take a look around and if you like what you see give me a follow and leave me a comment so I can follow back. I am indifferent to the manner in which you follow so pick your poison: GFC, Bloglovin, and/or Twitter. I'm also on YouTube now so you can check me out HERE and subscribe! I've been posting videos every Friday!

And one more shameless plug! I am doing a giveaway to celebrate the release of The Magician's Land last book in The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman, a fantastic adult mystery series that has a creative an interesting take on magic and if makes things better or worse. One winner will receive the entire series to marathon and love as much as I do! You can enter the rafflecopter HERE or check out MY REVIEW for more info on the series.

Thanks for dropping by, Happy FF and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Something Strange and Deadly byTitle: Something Susan Dennard

Title: Something Strange and Deadly Series: Something Strange and Deadly #1 Author: Susan Dennard Published: 2012 by Harper Teen Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Eleanor Fitt’s brother is missing. And when she discovers that the Dead are rising in Philadelphia and wreaking havoc throughout the city, she knows that her brother is involved. So Eleanor enlists the help of the Spirit-Hunters. This motley crew, hired to protect the city from supernatural forces, is after the necromancer who has been reanimating corpses. Their skills can save her brother. But as Eleanor spends time with the Spirit-Hunters, and their handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. Now not only is her reputation at risk, but her very life may hang in the balance. In Something Strange and Deadly, the first book in a trilogy, Susan Dennard weaves together vividly imagined scenes of action, adventure, and gorgeous Victorian fashion to create an entertaining steampunk tapestry of humor, horror, and romance. Readers who love Cassandra Clare’s Infernal Devices series will be intrigued from the start.

I have heard nothing but good things about this series. It combines so many things that I absolutely love in my reading. It's a Young Adult Historical Fantasy/Mystery set in the Victorian era with zombies! And while I enjoyed so many things about this book, I didn't quite love it as much as I had hoped.

One thing that I did love about this book was the world that Susan Dennard created. Like all good Historical Fiction you are able to immerse yourself in the period and understand what it was like for a young women growing up in a world that is at odds between what she wants and what others want for her. But even more than that Dennard effortlessly balanced the realism of the historical period with the supernatural elements of the dead coming to life. It seemed so natural and normal to have something so outrageous as zombies walking into the Centennial Exhibit and wreaking havoc. On top of all that there was a very cool steampunk vibe with all kinds of creative machines used to help fight the zombies.

But what I also liked about this book was the characters. The main character, Eleanor Fitt, was far from perfect but that's what made her so great a character. Throughout most of the book I kept wondering why she doubted herself so much. She was such a strong and brave character because she didn't outwardly try to be a hero. But when she needed to be a hero, to stand up and fight, she had no problem doing what needed to be done. And while I'm not sure even she would believe it, she was a great problem-solver. In addition to Eleanor there were some great secondary characters. All the Spirit-Hunters were fantastic but no one was more fantastic than Daniel Sheridan. I didn't quite know how I felt about him until I quite literally swooned. The romance between him and Eleanor was the slowburn romance that I always prefer seeing. But he wasn't just a one trick pony. He was complex and interesting and like the other Spirit-Hunters played a role in the group that you would not have expected. The book was full of interesting and layer characters that I always love reading about.

But with all the good there were some things about the book that I didn't quite enjoy and sadly the biggest thing with that was the plot and mystery of the book. At first I was quite intrigued by the prospect of why exactly the zombies were rising and attacking the city. But then it became evident to me much sooner than it did to the characters who was responsible. I normally like being able to solve the twists but sometimes it is frustrating. I was a little disappointed by the way things developed. It was like the basis of the plot was something that I found quite obvious. But it was redeemed a little by the action of the story. The book was full of thrilling fight scenes that captured my interest despite the lack of mystery.

This is the first book in a trilogy and I'm honestly quite interested in to see where the series develops because while there are some things unresolved it seemed pretty well wrapped up. But I did like that about the book. It's kind of refreshing to have a book in a trilogy that doesn't end in a cliffhanger.

I give Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard a 8 out of 10

Have you read Something Strange and Deadly? What are your thoughts? Leave me a comment. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Magician's Land by Lev Grossman

Title: The Magician's Land Series: The Magicians #3 Author: Lev Grossman Published: August 5, 2014 by Viking (Penguin Random House) Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: Contains spoilers for first two books! Read with caution! Quentin Coldwater has lost everything. He has been cast out of Fillory, the secret magical land of his childhood dreams that he once ruled. Everything he had fought so hard for, not to mention his closest friends, is sealed away in a land Quentin may never again visit. With nothing left to lose he returns to where his story began, the Brakebills Preparatory College of Magic. But he can’t hide from his past, and it’s not long before it comes looking for him. Meanwhile, the magical barriers that keep Fillory safe are failing, and barbarians from the north have invaded. Eliot and Janet, the rulers of Fillory, embark on a final quest to save their beloved world, only to discover a situation far more complex—and far more dire—than anyone had envisioned. Along with Plum, a brilliant young magician with a dark secret of her own, Quentin sets out on a crooked path through a magical demimonde of gray magic and desperate characters. His new life takes him back to old haunts, like Antarctica and the Neitherlands, and old friends he thought were lost forever. He uncovers buried secrets and hidden evils and ultimately the key to a sorcerous masterwork, a spell that could create a magical utopia. But all roads lead back to Fillory, where Quentin must face his fears and put things right or die trying. The Magician’s Land is an intricate and fantastical thriller, and an epic of love and redemption that brings the Magicians trilogy to a magnificent conclusion, confirming it as one of the great achievements in modern fantasy. It’s the story of a boy becoming a man, an apprentice becoming a master, and a broken land finally becoming whole.

**** I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher and at BEA for an honest review in return. This fact has not affected my opinion of the book ****

You can also check out my BookTube review of the book if you want to hear me ramble about what I loved and watch me make a bunch of emphatic hand gestures! 

This book and I have quite a tumultuous past! One of my most anticipated reads of the year, I drop everything to get it at BEA, then I decide to start it a little early and leave it at an event I was at causing me to spiral into a self-loathing reading slump, only to get it back a few days later. I can barely put into words how happy I was to read this book, and how giddy it made me feel while reading.

The series, which was marketed at Harry Potter for grown-ups, is so much more. It can be a little polarizing within the fantasy community because what Grossman does is take well-known moments and tropes from traditional fantasy novels and pokes fun at them. It's very tongue and cheek and gives the books a feel as if it were a satire or parody. But at the same time you can tell that Grossman is coming from a place of love and affection for these classic stories. This series is a must read for fans of the fantasy genre but you will never look at things the same way again. 

This is the third and finally book in The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman. Check out my review of the first book, The Magicians, and second book, The Magician King, if like me you need a refresher of the series (I should have done a reread). If you haven't read the series, what are you waiting for? Just skip all the way down to the end of this post and enter the fantastic giveaway that the folks at Viking have made possible. (Or enter the rafflecopter here) But tread lightly throughout this review. There are no book 3 spoilers but may (does) contain book 1 or 2 spoilers. 

The great thing about this series is that each book takes on a very different classic Fantasy subgenre. The Magician's Land had an Epic Fantasy feel and was extremely reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings. And because this is the last book in the series things really come full circle for Quentin and his friends. It returns the reader to moments, places, and people from as far back as the beginning of the first book and even resolves some unresolved questions from The Magicians. As a fan of the series I couldn't help but squeal with delight when these characters reentered the picture and had their stories resolved. We also got to learn so much more about the mythology of Fillory and their first Kings and Queens, the Chatwins.

But true to form it turned the idea that magic makes everything better on it's head. In this series magic is the cause of and solution to all life's problems (like beer to Homer Simpson). This, more than anything else is what makes this series feel like a parody. It really makes you think about the use of magic in the fantasy novels we know and love. In The Magicians trilogy the magical system is very cool and unique with a clear set of rules, but it is not very fantastical. It's much more analytical and scientific. And unlike a lot of fantasy there are no easy conclusions and things that you think will go well end up going very poorly. This point is extremely evident in The Magician's Land and the characters even ask themselves, more than once, what the purpose of magic is and whether or not their decisions are going to result in anything positive. I read and enjoy a lot of fantasy, but you all know there are a lot of things I don't like. For me the almost self-deprecating manner of looking at magic in this series is amazing, creative, and without a doubt my favorite thing about the world that Lev Grossman has created.

Much of the criticism of this book, besides that it pokes fun at traditional fantasy series, is the characters. The book is full of unlikable characters who tend to spend a lot of time feeling sorry for themselves and never being fulfilled despite the fact that they have everything they ever wanted. This was absolutely the case for our main character Quentin in the first two books, but in this book he is much more sympathetic and likable. The way the last book ended completely wrecked me and I wanted nothing more than to see Quentin succeed in this book. My annoyance with him was replaced with annoyance at other characters but by the end of the book I found myself invested in the success and happiness of every single character, including new characters that quickly become favorites. Maybe they're not very likable, maybe they are extremely whiny and selfish, but because of this they are realistic, relatable, and easy to empathize with. 

And because I was so invested in seeing them succeed, this book was full of an incredible range of emotions. It's funny, sad, heart-warming, and dramatic. There were moments where I laughed out loud, moments where I cried, and moments full of action and excitement. What Lev Grossman does a fantastic job with throughout this series is establishing an atmosphere where anything can happen. As you're reading you become so engrossed with the plot development that you are on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. It's an ominous sort of tone where the tension is palpable. It's like when you watch horror movies and the dramatic music comes on. You know something big is about to happen and you're extremely anxious until it does finally happen. 

The book not only took me on a roller coaster of emotion, but it also took me on a roller coaster of pacing. Things were very up and down throughout the story. One moment it would be building up to dramatic incident then things would slow down, only to go back up twenty-five pages later. Normally that frustrates me but in this series it works. In The Magicians Land we once again alternated perspectives between Quentin and his continued quest for self-discovery and satisfaction, with the rest of the Physical Kids in Fillory dealing with their own kind of adventure and desire to be heroes. At times I was frustrated when things would switch points of view but they were both so compelling that I would quickly dive into the other storyline. 

And despite the fact that the ending felt a little rushed this was an incredibly satisfying final book in a series that is one of my absolute favorites now. Fans of the series will love the direction that this book takes and I hope that like me they will close the page on The Magicians with the same feeling of satisfaction and vindication as I did. 

I give The Magician's Land by Lev Grossman a 9.5 out of 10

Have you read The Magician's Land? Leave me a comment with you thoughts. And if you haven't read it...

If you are a fan of fantasy, parodies, or even coming of age stories I definitely suggest checking out this series. And to encourage you to do just that I have an amazing giveaway. The generous folks at Viking have donated a finished copy of The Magicians Land for me to giveaway and to sweeten the deal, I will be throwing in paperback copies of the first two books of the series so you can marathon the series and learn to love it as much as I did. Enter the rafflecopter below (US only).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Tuesday: Just Getting into Historical Fiction?

A weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

So I figure I should choose Historical Fiction because it's my theme for the month. But also because I know a lot of bloggers are just getting in to the genre. So allow me to recommend some of my favorites that would be a good introduction to the genre because they are also something else...

Like Fantasy?

1.) A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray - Add to Goodreads
This is the perfect book to break into Historical Fiction if you are a fan of Fantasy. It effortlessly combines elements of both genres with the fantastic writing of Libba Bray. It's also a good book to break into the genre because it immerses you in the historical period without overwhelming you with history.


2.) The Falconer by Elizabeth May - Add to Goodreads 
This book definitely creates an amazing and fantastical steampunk work of faeries and adventure but it also gives you the sense of what life was like for young women in the Victorian Era. Pick it up for the fantasy elements but enjoy the historical setting!

Like Romance?  

3.) A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller - Add to Goodreads
If you are a fan of romance then I definitely suggest checking out this piece of Historical Fiction. It's got great characters with a swoonworthy romance but it is also incredibly well-researched and captures the feelings of change in the period. I mean who doesn't love a book about the woman's suffrage movement?

4.) The Luxe by Anna Godbersen - Add to Goodreads
I've always said that this series is Gilded Age Gossip Girl. Fans of that type of book should pick up this Historical Fiction series. I'm a huge fan of this series and it's characters, romance, and the way it was like for young women of wealthy families at the turn of the 19th century. Plus there's so much drama and backstabbing!

Like Retellings?

5.) Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth - Add to Goodreads
You know I had to, I can't shut up about this book! It could have gone in the fantasy category but this is a dark, gritty, and tawdry retelling of the story of Rapunzel. But in it's heart is a story about the lives of women in the middle ages and how they cope with the hardships. It's also my number one book of the year and an absolute recommendation!


6.) Egg and Spoon by Gregory Maguire - Add to Goodreads
Gregory Maguire is the king of retelling and he doesn't disappoint in this one which incorporates a lot of Russian folklore and illusions to the Prince and the Pauper. Plus there's lots of magic and fun characters but it also a book about Tsarist Russia with dystopian undertones. Basically this book is deep, yo!

Like Thrillers?

7.) The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova -Add to Goodreads
SO this is one of my favorite books and it's not quite Historical Fiction but it does take the reader back in time as you attempt to solve a mystery and track down the truth about the actual Dracula. Fans of supernatural thrillers will love this book but it also takes you on a globe trotting adventure that fans of thrillers will love!


8.) Sekret by Lindsay Smith - Add to Goodreads
This book absolutely reads like a spy thriller. The characters are trained to go on missions for the KGB. But did I mention they're psychics and it's set in Communist Russia? Fans of thrillers should pick it up for that aspect but I hope they also enjoy the way Lindsay sets the tone of uncertainty that came with the time period of the 1960s.

Like Comic Books?

9.) The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon - Add to Goodreads
This book is not your average book set during the mid-20th Century. It's not about the Great Depression, World War II, or even the post war successes. No friends this book is about the golden age of comic books. The characters are fantastic, the writing is amazing, and it fools into not even realizing it's totally Historical Fiction!

Honorable Mention: Maus by Art Spiegelman - Add to Goodreads
This amazing graphic novel is an allegory for the Holocaust

More Traditional but Excellent Writing?

10.) Code Name Verity - Add to Goodreads
A traditional Historical Fiction but one that people who are not usual fans of the genre tend to love. It's extremely well-written and a creative take on books set during World War II. It definitely immerses you in the time period but it does so in a way that gets you emotionally connected to the story and the characters

Those are my recommendations. Have you read any? What are your favorite Historical Fiction novels? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. And if you haven't read any of these books and like Historical Fiction or want to read a little more, check them out.

ARC Review: Dear Daughter

Title: Dear Daughter Author: Elizabeth Little Published: July 31, 2014 by PenguinRandomHouse Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: As soon as they processed my release Noah and I hit the ground running. A change of clothes. A wig. An inconspicuous sedan. We doubled back once, twice, then drove south when we were really headed east. In San Francisco we had a girl who looked like me board a plane to Hawaii.  Oh, I thought I was so clever.  But you probably already know that. LA IT girl Janie Jenkins has it all. The looks, the brains, the connections. The criminal record. Ten years ago, in a trial that transfixed America, Janie was convicted of murdering her mother. Now she's been released on a technicality she's determined to unravel the mystery of her mother's last words, words that send her to a tiny town in the very back of beyond. But with the whole of America's media on her tail, convinced she's literally got away with murder, she has to do everything she can to throw her pursuers off the scent. She knows she didn't like her mother. Could she have killed her?

***I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review in return. This fact has not affected my opinion***

When I first saw this book for review on Netgalley I thought, "that's a book I would enjoy." And it certainly did not disappoint. From an interesting and solvable mystery, to a fun and likable cast of characters,

I used to read a lot of mysteries but now it's just one here and there. I sometimes forget how much I love the thrill of the chase, so to speak, with mysteries. The speculation of guilt, the search for clues, the feeling of satisfaction when you get something right. Dear Daughter was the perfect book for that. The clues were there for the taking and so was the speculation. And while everything built to the big reveal of the killer, it was a complex mystery with many smaller pieces that built on one another in a thoughtful and logical way. And yes, I was able to solve things very early on in the book but it didn't lose my interest because it was purely speculative and I enjoyed reading for the clues to back it up.

Or maybe what kept me reading was the characters. I was almost instantly a fan of the main character Jane, maybe because she reminded me so much about Veronica Mars. She's a former celebutante who pokes fun at her contemporaries like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Kim Kardashian. She's a California girl but with a tough shell and snarky attitude. I often found myself laughing at her and her sassy or sarcastic comments. But she's further hardened by the ten years she spent in prison accused of murdering her even more fabulous mother. But the hunt for clues also took her to a small town in South Dakota full of interesting and likable secondary characters. From the small town cop, to his sister who runs the book store, the owner of the towns only hotel, her daughter who wants out of the small town life, and the town's only real criminal, they were all complex and fun to read about.

And the town it self was just as mysterious and interesting as it's inhabitants. It had definite Gilmore Girls undertones with it's characters and it's old-fashioned idealism. A former mining community that was hoping to restore it's prominence by focusing on tourism and become a historical site. Jane's visit brought her to town the same time as a local festival that kept her busy with kitchy activities and down-home potlucks. But just like Jane there is more under the surface and it was just as fun and interesting to learn about the town's past than it was to solve this mystery, even though the two went hand in hand.

And despite the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I would have liked a little more meat to it. It was a quick read and as I said I solved the mystery pretty early in, about 100 pages. I really enjoyed it and was entertained but I didn't have a real emotional connection to the book. And then the ending threw something completely out of left field and took what could have been a really satisfying conclusion and made me frustrated and annoyed. It sort of left things open for a sequel and I'm seriously not a fan of that kind of ending. It's not really a cliffhanger, it's more like standing on the edge of the cliff considering whether you want to turn back or try leaping over the chasm. To me that's not a great way to end a book that was otherwise fantastic.

I give Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little an 8 out of 10

Fans of Veronica Mars and those who enjoy cozy mysteries should check this book out. Or if you're someone like me who enjoys celebrity gossip and terrible reality shows where you get an "inside look" at celebrity life, then check this book out. 

Feature and Follow Friday #36

A weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read & Parajunkee's View

How it Works: 

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you visit the blogs of our illustrious hosts and leave your name on the post using using the linky tools, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.

This Week's Question: 

What is the biggest city you live near (or interesting landmark)? Show us a postcard picture.

This Week's Answer: 

This is a funny question for me because I live in a medium-sized city, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I moved here a little over a year ago and I love living in a city. I grew up in the country where you had to drive everywhere and I am so glad to live somewhere that allows me to walk or take public transportation to get where I want to go. I also love that there is a lot to do both in my neighborhood and in the city. Plus it has a pretty school skyline. You may recognize it from The Dark Knight Batman movies!


How about you? What is the city nearest to where you live? Leave me a comment with your thoughts.

 And remember this is a blog hop so take a look around and if you like what you see give me a follow and leave me a comment so I can follow back. I am indifferent to the manner in which you follow so pick your poison: GFC, Bloglovin, and/or Twitter. I just started a BookTube channel so can check me out HERE and subscribe! I've been posting videos every Friday! Thanks for dropping by, Happy FF and HAPPY READING!