Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz | Book Review #156

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz

Are there spoilers?

Nope.

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Title: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Author: Alvin Schwartz

Illustrated by: Brett Helquist

Series: Scary Stories #1

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Pages: 128

Published: 1981

Publisher:  HarperCollins 

Genre: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Children's, Young Adult

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Date Read: March 1, 2019

Rating: ★★★★☆

This spooky addition to Alvin Schwartz's popular books on American folklore is filled with tales of eerie horror and dark revenge that will make you jump with fright. There is a story here for everyone -- skeletons with torn and tangled flesh who roam the earth; a ghost who takes revenge on her murderer; and a haunted house where every night a bloody head falls down the chimney. Stephen Gammell's splendidly creepy drawings perfectly capture the mood of more than two dozen scary stories -- and even scary songs -- all just right for reading alone or for telling aloud in the dark.

If You Dare! 

The Rating:

My Review:

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was awesome!

But I don't really have much to say. I don't carry any nostalgia with these books because I didn't read them when I was younger. Or felt any fear because I had heard some of these stories in other places before I knew they were from this.

Still, the stories were great and the illustrations were fantastic.
Although the illustrations in the edition that I have aren't as scary as the original illustrations. Those were nightmare inducing. And also fantastic.
💀👻💀

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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Deja Who by MaryJanice Davidson | Book Review #155

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Deja Who by MaryJanice Davidson

Are there spoilers?

A little. Maybe.

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Title: Deja Who

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Series: Insighter #1

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Pages: 304

Published: 2016

Publisher:  Berkley

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Mystery, Humor, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

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Date Read: March 4, 2019

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Leah Nazir is an Insighter. Reincarnation is her business. But while her clients' pasts are a mess, Leah's is nothing short of a tragedy. She's been murdered. A lot. If left to that bitch, destiny, it'll happen again. Leah wants to know who's been following her through time, and who's been stalking her in the present...

P.I. Archer Drake has been hired by Leah's mother to keep an eye on her. But the more time he spends watching, the more he finds himself infatuated. Before long, he even finds himself agreeing to help find the person who wants her dead. Over and over again.

Now going full-on "rewind," Leah hopes it can stave off the inevitable. After all, she's grown fond of this life - and even fonder of nerdy Archer. But changing her pattern means finding out who her killer is today. And as Leah fears, that could be anyone she has come to know and trust. Anyone.

The Rating:

My Review:

Deja Who was a weird read for me. I didn't know if I should find the characters and situations funny or weird. Weird because I felt that if the author intended it to be a serious story then it was not good. But if it was meant to be a funny story and I just didn't get it I'm at fault and need to rethink my opinions. So here they are.

I didn't expect to read a funny book when I bought it or when I started reading it. It was only when I finished reading it that I paused and had to think if it was all meant to be funny.

I liked the concept of Insighters. A mystery where the main character was someone who could see peoples past lives and help them deal with their present life based on what happened to them in the past. Still, it felt like the concept was only superficial. Instead of the main concept.

Leah changed so much but maybe that was the humor in the story. She changed so much from the beginning to the end. And while that often means character growth, in this it felt too much. And childish. I mean, she wasn't my favorite character and neither was Archer.
Their relationship was weird too. But again maybe its meant to be funny. Archer would just blurt out whatever weird thought he had. And it made him way younger than he was. He was acting like a high schooler and not a 30-something-year-old, which he was.

And the story, although like I said was a good concept, it went above and beyond what I expected. Background characters got more detailed and were given more backstory than I would have preferred.
If more was established with the main characters or how they were portrayed rather than having overly detailed background characters I think that I would have enjoyed this more.

Still, I'm not gonna lie. The concept was good. And the explanations and stories about the people with past lives were detailed and well written. But I'm not meant to like the background characters more than the main characters. So in that, I ended up giving this a 3 out of 5 stars.

But now I don't know if I should re-read it or be satisfied with it. Or if I want to read the second one in the series or not.

Goodreads

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Can't Wait Wednesday #22 - Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite + Maritza Moulite

.

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings. 

I've decided to switch to this since Waiting On Wednesday has been over for a long time now. But its basically the same concept. Books that I can't wait to get my hands on, or am really interested in that are to be released soon. I should also add that its rare that I manage to actually get my hands on these books.

_________________________________

Why I Can't Wait:

I don't know if its the beautiful black girl on the cover with amazing hair, or the bright colors, or that hot title font but I'm loving everything about this book.
🍒🍫🍒🍫🌿🍫🍒🍫🍒

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite + Maritza Moulite 

Quick-witted high school journalist Alaine Beauparlant gets booted from her elite private school after an intricate prank goes cruelly awry. She warily accepts an invitation from her aunt to spend her suspension at the family’s estate in Haiti--where her estranged mom is recuperating from a political fiasco. In her homeland for the first time, Alaine is immediately put to work at her aunt’s start-up helping native children in need. Alaine meets locals, interacts with kids connected to donors, and is shown the ropes by Jason, a fellow intern whose charming ways are making work a bit more challenging. What she doesn’t expect to find are letters, articles, emails, and diary entries that she compiles into a final project that will not only save her academic standing in school, but also help her finally know the mother she’s never really understood.

Published by: Harlequin Teen

The Release Date for the book is:

September 3rd 2019

Goodreads    ||    Barnes & Noble    ||    Book Depository.   ||    Amazon

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The Bookish Island

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The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg | Book Review #154

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

Are there spoilers?

I may have written down too much but that's how much I liked this book.

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Title: The Heist

Author: Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

Series: Fox and O'Hare #1

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Pages: 295

Published: 2013

Publisher:  Bantam

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Romance, Humor, Thriller

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Date Read: March 17 to March 21, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

From Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, and Lee Goldberg, bestselling author and television writer for Monk, comes the first adventure in an electrifying new series featuring an FBI agent who always gets her man, and a fearless con artist who lives for the chase.

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years, the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.

Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: he convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.

Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.

The Rating:

My Review:

The Heist was so good.

I have never read a Janet Evanovich book before. I mean I watched the movie for One for the Money but that's about it. Still, I had kept my eye out on her books so when I saw The Heist and The Chase - part of the Fox and O'Hare series - I snatched them up and brought them home a long time ago. But Just this month - for March Mystery Madness - I picked it up and started reading it.

I loved reading this book so much. This was a fun read for me. It was light and had a nice flow to it. The story was easy to follow and the supporting characters were original and cool.
There were character introductions, as it tends to happen in heist movies. And I loved it.

A female FBI agent has to team up with the Conman she has been trying to throw in jail in order to catch a bigger fish.

I loved the banter between Nick and Kate. The whole time I was reading I thought that they were a lot like Castle and Beckett, but also a little like Mulder and Scully.

In my head, this was Ocean's Eleven meets Castle. And I kept thinking "why hasn't this been made into a movie yet?".

One of my favorite characters was Kate's dad, Jake O'Hare. He was so cool!!! I totally see Bruce Willis playing him.

The duo Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg did such a good job with this book.
👍

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder | Book Review #153

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder

Are there spoilers?

I don't believe there are any.
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Title: Girl Runner

Author: Carrie Snyder

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Pages: 288

Published: 2015

Publisher:  HarperCollins 

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Sports, Canada

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Date Read: Feb 6, 2019

Rating: ★★★★☆

Girl Runner is the story of Aganetha Smart, a former Olympic athlete who was famous in the 1920s, but now, at age 104, lives in a nursing home, alone and forgotten by history. For Aganetha, a competitive and ambitious woman, her life remains present and unfinished in her mind.

When her quiet life is disturbed by the unexpected arrival of two young strangers, Aganetha begins to reflect on her childhood in rural Ontario and her struggles to make an independent life for herself in the city.

Without revealing who they are, or what they may want from her, the visitors take Aganetha on an outing from the nursing home. As ready as ever for adventure, Aganetha's memories are stirred when the pair return her to the family farm where she was raised. The devastation of WWI and the Spanish flu epidemic, the optimism of the 1920s and the sacrifices of the 1930s play out in Aganetha's mind, as she wrestles with the confusion and displacement of the present.

Part historical page-turner, part contemporary mystery, Girl Runner is an engaging and endearing story about family, ambition, athletics and the dedicated pursuit of one's passions. It is also, ultimately, about a woman who follows the singular, heart-breaking and inspiring course of her life until the very end.

The Rating:

My Review:

Girl Runner was a book I've been holding back on. It's probably one of the books I've had since the beginning of this blog's journey. And I didn't really want to read it. Not because I didn't like what it could be but because I wasn't feeling it.
With one of the challenges for Reading Women being to read a book about a female athlete. I knew that this book would be exactly what I needed.

Aganetha's story had a lot of interesting twists that intertwined with the past and present. As a runner who was an Olympic gold medalist. In a fictional type of biography.
And Aganetha dealt with a lot of things from members of her family not approving of her dream to be a runner, to figuring out her sexuality and dealing with some relationships she later had. And later as a 100+ year old her life wasn't all that easy.
I mean, she just saw the world differently. She was a fearless human being. A runner, and a  baseball player in a time where there weren't a lot of women who did that. Especially without being shut down by men or the rest of the world.

The characters were like an interesting cast of people from different places and circumstances. From her family at her childhood farm to the other athletes who became her friends.

I found myself liking Aganetha and the story she told. How simple and unique she was and how much her dreams mattered to her and the work she put in. I liked her for that. But I also liked how she dealt with her struggles and not being able to do certain things no matter how much she wanted to. I found myself hating the people who hurt her and cheering her on when she was happy.
And I think that with my history with historical fiction books it was refrehing to read. Because unlike some historical fiction books I've read before I actually liked and enjoyed reading this one.

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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Yasmina and the Potato Eaters by Wauter Mannaert | Book Review #152

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Yasmina and the Potato Eaters by Wauter Mannaert 

Are there spoilers?

No spoilers.
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Title: Yasmina and the Potato Eaters 

Author: Wauter Mannaert

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Pages: 144

Pub Date: March 20, 2019

Publisher: Europe Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Cooking, Food

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Date Read: March 11, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Eleven‐year‐old Yasmina and her dad lead a modest life in a small city apartment. Luckily, the food-loving Yasmina can whip up just about anything in the kitchen, with an assist from her edible herb books and her friends from the community garden. That is, until the day the garden disappears, bulldozed and replaced by a field of potatoes that are both experimental... and completely addictive! The only solution is for Yasmina to track down and eradicate the source of the problem. A fun and colorful tale for all ages.

The Rating:

My Review:

Yasmina and the Potato Eaters was a very entertaining story. With Yasmina being so into food and cooking and making elaborate meals for her and her father.

Yasmina was such a fun character to follow and the rest of the characters were all so unique and interesting. They all had their roles and colorful personalities.

And the food in this looked so delicious and colorful. Like I wanted to eat after I finished reading this graphic novel.

In the end, I was left wanting to read more about these characters and see what happens next.

What will Yasmina get up to next? What is going on with the Potatoes? I have so many questions.

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Ryan | Book Review #151

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Ryan

Are there spoilers?

I may have written down too much but that's how much I liked this book.
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Title: Dirty Little Secret

Author: Jennifer Ryan

Series: Wild Rose Ranch #1

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Pages: 384

Published: 2018

Publisher:  Avon

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Western

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Date Read: March 4, 2019

Rating: ★★★★☆

Meet the women from Wild Rose Ranch—and the men who want them—in New York Times Bestselling Author Jennifer Ryan’s breathtaking series of romance and scandal . . .

Noah Cordero is a modern-day cowboy who loves three things: ranching, his younger sister, and his step-father. John Cordero groomed Noah to take over the Montana spread where he learned to ride and work the land. But when John unexpectedly dies, he leaves half the ranch to a woman Noah doesn’t even know.

Roxy shares Noah’s last name, but not his blood. Estranged from her father, haunted by regrets, and eager to escape her notorious mother’s past, she is forced to fulfill her father’s last wishes. Inheriting means sharing a home with infuriating, challenging, and oh-so-tempting Noah. But John didn’t just make her owner of his ranch and guardian to her sister, his hidden sideline is her worst nightmare—she’s the new owner of the notorious Nevada brothel called Wild Rose Ranch where she grew up.

As their strictly business relationship starts to turn to true love, Roxy begins to wonder, what will happen when Noah discovers her dirty little secret?

The Rating:

My Review:

Dirty Little Secret is the first book in Jennifer Ryan's new series, Wild Rose Ranch.

And it follows Roxy, who is just trying to put her past behind her and show everyone that she is more than what they say about her, and Noah, a man trying to make sense of the secrets that are unfolding around him.  Together the two work so well. The chemistry between them was intense in all the right ways. Like, fan yourself to cool of kind of intense. They found true love in each other despite all odds. And that's just wonderful.

Roxy was kind of the best female character I have ever read about. Honestly. This woman can do it all. From teaching herself how to ride and train horses to computer science. Which made me love her even more because we have the same degree.

She is confident, strong, smart and looks banging in a dress and heels, AND jeans and cowboy boots.

Which only made me hate how she was treated by everyone in this story. It was so unfair and dumb. She didn't deserve any of it.

The characters were excellent. The good guys were easy to love and the bad guys were horrible and deserve what they got. And the story was just so well done that I was left wanting more from these amazing and lovable characters.

Now I already had a sneak peek of the next book in the series. Since it was at the end of the book. And from the tiny bit that I did read I already know I need the next one. I NEED IT!

I should add that I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway.

I also need to add that at first, I was holding myself back on reading this book. But I did and I'm glad because I thought that the whole step-sibling thing was just too weird. But Roxy and Noah have no blood ties and they didn't grow up together. And the way the author as I thought it was gonna be. It was actually pretty good. Their relationship had its ups and downs but they also knew what they wanted from the other and weren't afraid to convey those feelings. Which was so brave and idyllic. It made me want that kind of relationship. 

But ya girl is S.I.N.G.L.E. and doesn't need no boday.

But a good book.

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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Can't Wait Wednesday #21 - Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith

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Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings. 

I've decided to switch to this since Waiting On Wednesday has been over for a long time now. But its basically the same concept. Books that I can't wait to get my hands on or am really interested in that are to be released soon.

_________________________________

Why I Can't Wait:

I have wanted to read a Jenifer E. Smith book for the longest time but despite owning one of hers I still haven't read it. Which only makes me want to hurry up and read it more because I want to know if I'll like her writing. Cause I really want to read Field Notes on Love.

Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith

Having just been dumped by his girlfriend, British-born Hugo is still determined to take his last-hurrah-before-college train trip across the United States. One snag: the companion ticket is already booked under the name of his ex, Margaret Campbell. Nontransferable, no exceptions.

Enter the new Margaret C. (Mae for short), an aspiring filmmaker with big dreams. After finding Hugo's spare ticket offer online, she's convinced it's the perfect opportunity to expand her horizons.

When the two meet, the attraction is undeniable, and both find more than they bargained for. As Mae pushes Hugo to explore his dreams for his future, he'll encourage her to channel a new, vulnerable side of her art. But when life off the train threatens the bubble they've created for themselves, will they manage to keep their love on track?

Published by: Delacorte Press

The Release Date for the book is:

March 5th 2019

Goodreads    ||    Barnes & Noble    ||    Book Depository.   ||    Amazon

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The Bookish Island

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The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen | Book Review #150

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen

Are there spoilers?

Yep, a smidgen of spoilers ahead. 

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Disclaimer:
This book was sent to me by the publishing company(Minotaur Books) in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Vanishing Season

Author: Joanna Schaffhausen

Series: Ellery Hathaway #1
.........................................................

Pages: 274

Published: 2019

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Adult

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Date Read: March 11 to March 12, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Ellery Hathaway knows a thing or two about serial killers, but not through her police training. She's an officer in sleepy Woodbury, MA, where a bicycle theft still makes the newspapers. No one there knows she was once victim number seventeen in the grisly story of serial killer Francis Michael Coben. The only victim who lived.

When three people disappear from her town in three years, all around her birthday—the day she was kidnapped so long ago—Ellery fears someone knows her secret. Someone very dangerous. Her superiors dismiss her concerns, but Ellery knows the vanishing season is coming and anyone could be next. She contacts the one man she knows will believe her: the FBI agent who saved her from a killer’s closet all those years ago.

Agent Reed Markham made his name and fame on the back of the Coben case, but his fortunes have since turned. His marriage is in shambles, his bosses think he's washed up, and worst of all, he blew a major investigation. When Ellery calls him, he can’t help but wonder: sure, he rescued her, but was she ever truly saved? His greatest triumph is Ellery’s waking nightmare, and now both of them are about to be sucked into the past, back to the case that made them...with a killer who can't let go.

The Rating:

My Review:

The Vanishing Season is just wow.

The Vanishing Season was is such an excellent read. I took it with me to a dentist appointment. And while I waited for it to be my turn I opened this gem and tried to finish it since I had already read a little less than half of it. And I was so embarrassed because it kept me on edge the whole time. I couldn't put it down for a second. I was worried that if I looked up from the book someone would be staring at me wondering what that crazy lady was doing with all her on edge hand movements. Like I kept gripping my knees and murmuring my disdain for a certain cop. I was all over the place. And I hadn't had that kind of experience with a book since I read The Prettiest One and The Body Reader.

It's well written. The writing style flowed so well chapter after chapter. I liked it so much as I wouldn't say no to another book by the author.

Ellery and Reed's interactions with each other were great. They just worked well together. With how they connected the dots and rounded up any evidence that could help them with their case. The evidence leads them to many suspects. That any of them could be the suspect and at the same time, it seemed like it was none of them.

There isn't an ounce of romance. None at all. Though with Ellery and Reed I would not have hated it if there was something more between them.

The mystery and suspense were SO good. Lots of turns and twists and many strategically placed red herrings. There were some pretty creepy scenes that almost got to me with how gruesome they were. But I'm a girl who listens to Last Podcast on the Left. So I wasn't that faced.

Speaking of wish. 

The number of serial killer references did make me think of Last Podcast so many times. Mostly because I knew of them from listening to the podcast.

I feel like Ellery wanted to be a good cop so much. With how she wanted to solve a crime that seemed to be just a disappearance. How frustrated she got when no one saw what she did.
Despite that, it didn't matter that she had been a cop for years because at times she acted and was treated like a rookie.

I would also like to add that this book is the debut of the author. What?!!
So well done.
*round of applause erupts in a dark theater. lights turn on showing a bunch of well dressed beautiful people who keep applauding and smiling brightly*

Goodreads

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Devilish Lord, Mysterious Miss by Annie Burrows | Book Review #149

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Devilish Lord, Mysterious Miss by Annie Burrows

Are there spoilers?

Yes, there are some spoilers.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer:

This book was sent to me by the publishing company (Harlequin) in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Devilish Lord, Mysterious Miss

Author: Annie Burrows

Illustrated by: Naoko Moto
.........................................................

Pages: 160

Published: 2018

Publisher:  Harlequin / SB Creative

Genre: Romance, Manga

.........................................................

Date Read: March 3, 2018

Rating: ★★★★☆

Mary has been working as a seamstress ever since she came to London six years ago. The dresses that she embroiders have become very popular in socialite circles, but she doesn’t receive any compensation for her work because her employer rescued her after she lost her memory and had nowhere to go. One day, Mary is pursued by a man in black on her way home. Several days later, that same mysterious aristocrat confronts Mary demanding to know why she ran away from their engagement!

The Rating:

My Review:

Devilish Lord, Mysterious Miss managed to be one thing in the beginning and a whole different thing in the end and I liked it a lot. The was a great mystery weaved in and out of the story and the plot was great too.

I loved the historical setting. It wasn't too obvious what time the story takes place in history which works for me since I don't know a lot about that era in the past. So the historical aspects of this story were great. Even the illustrations made everything look good. From the architecture to the costume design. And every character looked and acted different which is always good.

This is also about a grieving young lord who has been pining over the loss of his love. And keeps seeing her ghost. And a young seamstress who has amnesia who the young lord mistakes as his lost love.
I loved how he treated her. With such respect and adoration and in turn she loved him fierce. Truly a great romance.

Everything about this manga is great. I have nothing bad to say about it.

When I found out that Harlequin made manga I was shocked. So I requested some through NetGalley not expecting to get approved since my percentage is low. But I did get approved. And after I read it I was so into it that I wanted to read more of it. It's such a cool concept.
I have read manga before. My favorites being Josei and Shoujo manga (super faves are School Life ones) but its a Harlequin book adapted into a manga and for some reason that is cooler. Now I'm curious to know if the original story is exactly the same. I'm not going to read it but I'm just curious.

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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A High Stakes Seduction by Jennifer Lewis | Book Review #148

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
A High Stakes Seduction by Jennifer Lewis

Are there spoilers?

Yes, there are some spoilers.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer:

This book was sent to me by the publishing company (Harlequin) in exchange for an honest review.

Title: A High Stakes Seduction

Author: Jennifer Lewis

Illustrated by: Motoyo Fujiwara

.........................................................

Pages: 128

Published: 2019

Publisher:  Harlequin / SB Creative

Genre: Manga, Romance

.........................................................

Date Read: March 1, 2019

Rating: ★★★★☆

I know I’d lose everything if I fell in love with you.
Meet Constance, a scrupulous and by-the-book accountant. When she's assigned to investigate a casino's finances, she visits the casino with the bad reputation. If there are any illegal activities afoot, she’s confident she’ll uncover them. Then, she meets John Fairweather, the CEO of the casino. Flashing an irresistible smile, he compliments her and plants his lips on hers! Is this the game he’ll play to undermine her work? Bewildered by John’s uninhibited behavior, Constance can’t entirely suppress her desire for him…though she’s acutely aware that she’d lose everything if she ever got involved with him.

The Rating:

My Review:

I am going to mention again that this is a book I received through NetGalley by the publisher. 

I was scrolling through the page when I saw that they had manga available. And then I saw that some of the titles were Harlequin books adapted into the manga format. I nearly lost my mind because I didn't know they did that and found it so cool. 

Then I requested two and was happy to get approved. One of them was this book. A High Stakes Seduction. A book about a businesswoman who is not looking for love or any kind of relationship, she just wants to do her job and do it right. It just so happens that her new assignment at a casino leads her to meet the very handsome playboy owner of said casino. And although this is a romance so obviously their relationship will go through changes.

I felt dumb when the main character's serious personality and passion for her work went out the window when the owner f the casino made a move. It bothered me because she could have kept her seriousness and get affected by the guy. It's possible. But not for Constance.

Although Im not gonna lie their interations were cute and I was rooting for them to end up tgether. Also, I dont know if its just me but was I the only one who suspected the uncle right away. Or have I been reading too many mysteries.

In the end, I felt that it was a quick and easy read, that had good characters and an intriguing ending. I'm just gonna say that they tied things up at the end like they do in telenovelas.

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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