Thursday 31 October 2019

✪ The Lost Ones ✪ Anita Frank ✪





Some houses are never at peace.

England, 1917

Reeling from the death of her fiancé, Stella Marcham welcomes the opportunity to stay with her pregnant sister, Madeleine, at her imposing country mansion, Greyswick – but she arrives to discover a house of unease and her sister gripped by fear and suspicion.

Before long, strange incidents begin to trouble Stella – sobbing in the night, little footsteps on the stairs – and as events escalate, she finds herself drawn to the tragic history of the house.

Aided by a wounded war veteran, Stella sets about uncovering Greyswick’s dark and terrible secrets – secrets the dead whisper from the other side…

In the classic tradition of The Woman in Black, Anita Frank weaves a spell-binding debut of family tragedy, loss and redemption.




ARC received from Harlequin Australia for an honest review

I watch TV shows  and documentaries about old houses and estates, and I always thing "boy there must be plenty of ghosts in those halls, and skeletons in those family closets".

The Lost ones was what I imagine a gothic style house would be.  Kind of a Jane Eyre kind of vibe with mysterious happenings upstairs.

What secrets is Greyswick hiding?  What have the residents got to hide?

I was drawn into the mystery along with Stella, Annie and Mr Sheers - I knew something was going on, they knew something was going on, it was a matter of uncovering all the truths.

There were some things that were pretty predictable with this kind of story, however there were a couple of things that surprised me - I usually have a good idea of the whos the whats and the whys, however there were a couple of "WOW" moments for me.

I found this story well written and flowed well.   I was engaged in the story the whole time I was reading.  Ms Frank has done a good job with her debut novel, and I look forward to more in the future.

 

Wednesday 30 October 2019

✪ LANDON & SHAY #1 ✪ Brittainy C. Cherry ✪

© Bianca Janeane ✰ 





• 30 October 2019
• Book #1 in the Landon & Shay duet

• Book #2 will be out December 4!

• Can be read as a standalone duet, but please also read how Eleanor & Grey found their happy end!

★★★★
5 Stars

Shay Gable hated my guts, and I hated hers, too.

We went out of our way to avoid one another at all times. When she came my direction, I went the other. When we locked eyes, she’d turn and walk away.

All of that changed the day I was presented with a challenge. It started out as a stupid bet: make Shay fall in love with me before I fell in love with her first.

That was an easy bet for me to win.
I didn’t love, I hardly liked.

Yet slowly the game started to shift. Shay made me crave things I never knew I wanted.
Love.
Happiness.
Her.

The closer we grew, the more she challenged my darkness, and the parts I kept locked away.
The hurts.
The pains.
The truth.

The game between us became too real, our feelings intermixed, and the risks of hurting one another grew higher.

But you know what they say...
All’s fair in the game of love and warespecially the heartbreaks.



Brittainy Brittainy. You cry-maker you!
She knows just how to get our eyes peeing, doesn't she?! Crazy woman! ☺

We already met Landon and Shay in Eleanor and Grey's book. And now they get their own book - a duet even.
This first book takes us back to their highschool days in 2003.
They can't stand each other!
Landon is this super popular, but very sad and troubled and moody guy. And Shay is this sweet and happy person. Everybody loves her, she's friends with every kid in school. But Landon and Shay together ... nope. They hate and insult each other whenever they meet.
All that is about to change one night at a party ... A BET! Whoever makes the other fall in love first, wins.
Let the fun times begin! ☺
But of course it's not just this funny and adorable highschool enemies-to-lovers story.
We have some very serious moments. Landon is drowning in grief and sadness and nobody but Shay is noticing it. And Shay's home life is very stressful for her too!
Shay and Landon would be so perfect for each other - but we can probably guess by the fact that this is a duet - that we won't be getting that happy end just yet :/


 I just loved reading this. Like with every single Brittainy book that arrives on my kindle. You just have to love it.
Even though I was constantly afraid of what might happen - because we just know that they won't get their happily ever after any time soon!

This was such a beautiful love story.
I adored all the people. Landon and Shay. Both so very different, but they also have so much in common. They could heal every little scar on the other's body, heart and soul. But maybe they're just not ready yet ...
I loved the friends. Such an amazing and understanding and loving circle of young people!

And even though I cried a lot - especially toward the end ... we don't get this über heartbreaking hanging from a cliff by one little finger cliffhanger.
We still want to read book #2 ASAP, and yes it was totally heartbreaking and sad, but also so full of HOPE!
I can't wait to see how this amazing love story will end!

LANDON & SHAY Part One was just beautiful. It was the most amazing & heartbreaking highschool enemies-to-lovers romance. I adored every single moment in this book!




ARC received for an honest review



Wow, just wow.

That is all I can say about this book.  Buy it and read it, that is all!

As with all of Ms Cherry's books, it is an emotional, 2-box-of-tissues read.

I went into this one a bit blind - I knew we had met Landon and Shay in Eleanor and Grey - but that was it.

I am glad I did go in blind.  All I knew when starting was that it would be an emotional read.

And Ms Cherry has definitely not disappointed with Landon and Shay Part 1.

This one hit very close to home with me with some of the issues that are dealt with.  I could completely and utterly relate to Landon's story and emotions. Oh my heart!

I liked that this first part is all as teenagers, and whilst we are left wondering what is going to happen, there is no real OMG! Cliffhanger!

I laughed, I cried, I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room. But most of all I loved this book.

Now I need part 2.

 

 Links to the Book & Author 
  



Book #2 will be out December 4th!

  



Eleanor & Grey

  


...if you haven't read Brittainy's ELEMENTS series yet ...
DO IT NOW ! Standalones!

Book #1


Book #2


Book #3



Book #4


Book #1 in the Music Street series - Complete Standalone!





Disgrace - standalone

  








Brittainy Cherry has been in love with words since the day she took her first breath. She graduated from Carroll University with a Bachelors Degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Creative Writing. She loves to take part in writing screenplays, acting, and dancing--poorly of course. Coffee, chai tea, and wine are three things that she thinks every person should partake in! Brittainy lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her family. When she's not running a million errands and crafting stories, she's probably playing with her adorable pets.