Apprentice in Death

Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb 384 pages, Hardcover Published September 2016, Berkeley
Source: Provided by publisher in exchange for review through NetGalley.
So, this is book #43 of Robb's In Death series. Just so you know, I have not read any of the previous books in the series. I went into this read with no background on the characters, on the writing style, etc. It sounded like an interesting police procedural and I did know that Robb is a pseudonym for Nora Roberts. A teacher I used to work with loved these books, so I was excited to give one a try.
Eve Dallas is a lieutenant with the NYPSD and is investigating deaths at an ice skating rink that were committed by a sniper. The suspects are identified and hunted by the entire department in an attempt to attain them before other deaths occur.
The plot was good, the pace quick and the suspense high throughout. I had a hard time with this one only because I had not read these books before. I was unfamiliar with the fact that these books are set in the near future, so the tech mentions were confusing. Didn't let it bother me too much and continued to enjoy the story.    
Happy Reading!

Current Audiobook: The Fireman by Joe Hill

Slowly getting through this one. How long ago was the RAL? I am a little behind. Need some more alone time in the car so I can listen to it. 

The French War Bride by Robin Wells

The French War Bride by Robin Wells
432 pages, paperback Published August 2016, Berkeley 
Source: From Publisher in exchange for review, NetGalley
My Review
Jack O'Conner left his small town of Wedding Tree, Louisiana to join the allies in France during WWII as a medic.  He also left a fiance, Kat, anxiously waiting for his return. Unfortunately, for her, when he does return he is not alone. With him is a French bride and a baby.
Many years later, Kat finds Jack's widow Amelie, in her retirement home and asks to hear her account of how she and Jack met and became married. Amelie's story is gut wrenching and tragic and also full of "adventures", as Kat describes them, that no one would actually want to experience.  The history of the Nazi Occupation, the workings of The French Resistance and the incredible horrors and losses during this time is seamlessly intertwined with the story of Amelie. It was a book that I had a hard time putting down and got completely invested in also learning her story.
The French War Bride is the second book in Wells' The Wedding Tree series. I have not read the first book, but had absolutely no problem in reading this one as it reads as a stand alone book, but I will be locating a copy for myself very soon. 
About the Author

When Robin Wells sold her first romance novel in 1995, her family celebrated at a Chinese restaurant. Robin’s fortune cookie read, “Romance moves you in a new direction.”

And it certainly has! Robin has since written sixteen critically acclaimed novels that have been translated into eighteen languages. Her books have won the National Golden Heart Award, two National Readers’ Choice Awards, the Award of Excellence, the Golden Quill, and the Holt Medallion. Robin’s latest book, Still the One, was nominated for a Rita Award, the highest award the National Romance Writers of America gives an author, at the RWA national conference last July.

Robin was born in Waco, Texas and holds a B.A. in liberal arts from the University of Oklahoma. Before becoming a full-time writer, Robin worked as an advertising and public relations executive for a major hotel chain. She loves working with new writers and teaches a course called “How to Write a Novel” at Southeastern Louisiana University’s Mandeville campus. 

Robin lives with her husband, two daughters and a very spoiled dog named Winnie the Poohdle in Mandeville.

For more information about the book and the author visit her WEBSITE.

Happy Reading! _________________________________________

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

So, has it been long enough since it came out to discuss Book 8? 
I was talking to my sister last week, who has read the book three times already, about it. As you can guess, she absolutely loved it. I was a little more lukewarm in my response to it.  I liked it, I read it in about 4 hours straight. There was just something about it that made it not quite stand up to the other books. Not sure if it was the script format, or the fact that it was co-written.  I don't know.
The characters were all there, older - but their personalities and quirks were still there. The new characters were believable and fit in to the HP Universe just fine. The storyline was plausible, but there were some things that happen that just didn't seem to align with the other books. I did like that we got to revisit some long lost characters and see how the world may have turned out had Voldemort not been defeated.
Okay, so I tried to review without giving anything away. Hope I succeeded. If you love HP, this is a must read, no matter what. I love the "where are they now" aspect to it. It was nice to get a Rowling approved look at what Harry, Ron, and Hermione went on to do.
Happy Reading!

Quick Review: Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary

The  5 year old has given this book only one star. 

She only "likes it a little bit". She thought Ramona wasn't being a good girl. She liked Beatrice because she's older. She had to plug her ears many times when Ramona was up to no good and was about to get in trouble. It actully took her a couple weeks after starting it to want to finish listening to it.She said it was too scary.

As for me, I loved it. Just as much as I loved it as a kid. This book had me laughing as much as the little girl was cringing. Ha. I liked that as she is getting older, Stockard Channing has made Ramona's voice a little less whiny.

Happy Reading!

Influenster Vox Box

I decided to try out Influenster. Have any of you tried it?

You review products to get free products to review which in turn gets you qualified to review more products. Thought it would be fun.

So far it has. 

My one concern was bombarding my friends and family with reviews. I have really been trying to spread out my posts on social media so no one gets annoyed with them. Hopefully I have been successful in doing that. 

The latest box, is the Bonita Vox box. 

It came with five different free samples to review. Some lipstick, a nail polish, a FiberOne bar, witch hazel and some hair products. It is always interesting to see what comes in the box. Check them out below. 

Fiber One Brownies

Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick

Sinful Colors Matte

Madame CJ Walker Beauty Culture

Dickinson's Witch Hazel Toner.

Lettering by Mari

I have recently become obsessed with getting better at lettering. Check out my progress on Instagram. @letteringbymari

Quick Audiobook Reviews

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

This was a great listen for the entire family. We listened to it twice on our road trip this summer and were completely entertained. My 5 year old loved it. Scarlett Johansson did a fabulous job reading. She used different voices for all the characters and just brought the whole story to life. 

Seriously, this was perfect for entertaining a young kid on a very long drive. 

Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
I purchased the audio collection of this series of books to take along with us on a road trip with our five year old. She loves books and I thought she would love these as I once did. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its reading by Stockard Channing. One critique, though, I wish she hadn't given Ramona such a whiny voice.

The little girl enjoyed it but definitely got sad and upset when Ramona did some of her worst things.

We have yet to finish Ramona the Pest, due to some uncomfortable situations for the little girl. She doesn't like when Ramona is going to get in trouble. 

Happy Reading!

Summer In pictures...

Strawberry picking

Davenport, CA

The Exploratorium

San Francisco, CA

Red Rocks

Sedona, AZ

Rio Grande Gorge

Taos, NM

The Grand Canyon

Williams, AZ

Giants-Diamondbacks game

Chase Field

Phoenix, AZ

The Academy of Sciences

San Francisco, CA

Happy Summer!

Since She Went Away by David Bell

Since She Went Away by David Bell 432 pages, Paperback Published June 2016
Source: From publisher in exchange for review, NetGalley
The Diamond Mom. 
Celia disappears after heading out to a park in the middle of the night to meet up with an old friend. Has she been murdered, kidnapped or has she run off and left her husband and daughter for another man? 
The mystery of what could have happened to this woman haunts Jenna Barton for she was the one that invited Celia out to meet her. She waits nervously every day waiting to hear if she has been found. She visits online chatrooms hoping to find clues to what happened. I believe she has the detective-in-charge's number on speed dial.
Questions, family secrets, murders and suspicious newcomers months after her disappearance quick start the investigation and send Jenna, her son and Celia's family reeling when the truth to what happened is revealed. 
About the Author

David is the writer of Cemetery Girl, published by NAL, a division of Penguin Random House. Cemetery Girl (2011) went on to win the prestigious Prix Polar de Cognac in 2013. Since then, David has published five more novels with NAL: The Hiding Place (2012), Never Come Back (2013), The Forgotten Girl (2014), Somebody I Used to Know (2015), and Since She Went Away (2016) as well as a novella, Rides a Stranger (2013), with Mysterious Press. When he is not teaching or writing, David watches lots and lots of movies and reads lots and lots of books. He also enjoys walking in the cemetery near his house with his wife, writer and blogger Molly McCaffrey.
For more information about the author and book visit his WEBSITE.
Happy Reading.