12.22.2012

Showtime - Chloe Kayne ★★★ 1/2


I had the honor of being sent a free e-copy of Showtime by author, Chloe Kayne in return for providing an honest review. I wanted to do Kayne a solid and give Showtime 5 out of 5 stars...however, that wouldn't be "honest" of me and that is what she asked for.  I thought about it for a few days and I've make my decision to give Showtime 3.5 stars.
Showtime takes place in the world renowned Marvelle Circus in the early 1920s. After an incident gone bad, Laila Vilonia ends up being hauled off to Marvelle with an offer to stick with the circus. Overtime, Laila makes friends, enemies and falls in love with the outcast who has a dark history.
 I've decided on 3.5 because I felt like there needed to be more of an adventure. It seemed like something was missing. Don't get me wrong...there were a few suspenseful areas but nothing that made me sit on the edge of my seat. Kayne has done an excellent job with description in ways that I was able to picture everything as clear as day. That however, could have been the downfall. Certain areas of the book had so much description leading up to some event that when it reached its climax, I found myself thinking, "Eh, that was it?" The only time I didn't have that feeling, was (without giving away any spoilers) was with Laila and Benelli in the last chapter.
I did like the connection that Laila ended up having with Jodelle (her new best friend) and Dex (the outcast). Kayne's writing style was pretty good and like I mentioned above, her attention to detail was great.  Chole Kayne does have a sequel, Spotlight, to come out in 2014 and although I gave Showtime 3.5 stars, I'll still mark Spotlight down as an action item list and read it when it comes out.

A side note to Chloe Kayne; Thank you so much for asking me to read and review Showtime. I see potential in your next book.

12.11.2012

Hurricanes in Paradise - Denise Hildreth ★★★★


Hurricanes in Paradise is a tale of four unlikely ladies becoming friends. Riley Sinclair has made the decision to leave a tragic accident behind and move to Paradise Island and start over with her Daughter. Riley is in the hotel's guest relations and it is her duty to put her guests above all everything. She is soon caring for a writer who is demanding to no end and cannot accept what she has done, a beauty pageant winner with health issues that hasn't told a soul and an elderly lady who is in morning over the loss of her Husband.  After each guests paths cross numerous of times, they end up becoming great friends and each survive their own personal hurricane. As one Hotel employee told each guest when they reached the island: "these waters have healing powers." 
I enjoyed this book. There were some funny moments as well as a few predictable moments, but all in all, it was good. My favorite was Winnie, the corky old southern lady.

Only Time Will Tell - Jeffrey Archer ★★★★


Jeffrey Archer has managed to captivate his audience by telling a story not only once, but an additional six more times.
Only Time Will Tell is set between 1919 -1940 and I tend to stay away from books set in these time periods (and anytime before that) as they are not my most favorable books to choose from but I was suggested to read this book so I gave it a shot. Jeffrey Archer goes on writing the same story in the views of a mother, a child, an arrogant scoundrel, an old war vet, a best friend and a first love. With each story being similar, yet different all at the same time Archer has done a brilliant job of still tying everything together. He leaves out pertinent information from one story, but then adds it into another so you find yourself saying, "OOOH, I get it!!!"
Well played, Archer....Well played.