Book Review: Nowhere But Here

About the Book

Title: Nowhere But Here

Author: Katie McGarry

Series: Thunder Road #1

Publication Date: May 26, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.
Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.
Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.
No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

My Review of Nowhere But Here

As I started Nowhere But Here, I knew it was just the book to fill my Sons of Anarchy void. Thankfully, the Reign of Terror is a legal motorcycle club. The story is about family, instead of murder and mayhem. Emily has no real connection to her biological father except when he visits once a year. When she ends up stuck in her father’s hometown for the summer, she has no choice but to get to know the family she never had the chance to know. 

Of course, my favorite part of Nowhere But Here is the blooming romance between Emily and Oz. The alternating points-of-view allows readers to get the entire picture of Emily and Oz’s story. Nowhere But Here is not just a love story. It is full of adrenaline inducing action especially when Emily could be in serious danger if the Reign of Terror’s rivals, The Riot, find her. The suspense plus the love story really ties the story together and makes the story addicting. 

Emily is a young, sheltered woman who trusts everything her mother has said about her father and his motorcycle club. Even with her sheltered innocence, she manages to be brave, kind, and loyal in the face of dangerous and unfamiliar situations. Oz on the other hand has grown up wanting to be a member of the Reign of Terror just like his father, and has unquestionable loyalty. This bond puts Emily and Oz at odds and makes Oz question following every order handed down. Katie McGarry has a way of writing characters that I could not help but root for them throughout the story. 

Nowhere But Here is only the first book in the Thunder Road series. I, for one, cannot wait to see what the next installment had in store. I have a feeling it is going to be just as action-packed as Nowhere But Here.  I really want to see where some of the other characters end up. 

**Unabridged Bookshelf borrowed this book from the local library**

Thank you for visiting Unabridged Bookshelf!

Book Review: Forged In Stone

About the Book

Title: Forged In Stone

Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Series: The Forged Chronicles

Publication Date: June 9, 2015

Genres: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

The son of darkness is all grown up...
James is a Guardian. He is tasked with protecting the most important person in his world. For eight years he has done his job without complaint, but he has grown tired of living under the shadow of a father who is responsible for the most unimaginable violence and destruction his world has ever known.
Ainsley is at a loss for what to do with her life. She hates her two dead end jobs and the family who betrayed her. She has resigned herself to living one day at a time, but she longs for an escape from her lonely life.
When Ainsley finds James in her bed, their two lives and worlds collide. They may have both found exactly what they need, but the darkness James has been running from his whole life has just caught up.

 About the Author

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance

and

a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

    

My Review of Forged In Stone

Beckoning Light is one of the first review requests I ever had on Unabridged Bookshelf. It is what started my obsession with Alyssa Rose Ivy’s writing. I was ecstatic to see the return of Energo characters. While some of these characters are from a previous series of Alyssa's, you do not have to read them to enjoy the Forged Chronicles. James was a character I always wanted to see where he ended up. While there is more to his story to tell, I liked seeing him with Ainsley. Of course, the glimpses of other characters from the Afterglow series were also most enjoyable. 

James never had it easy and with his father’s betrayal, he does not feel like he belongs as a Guardian for the Essence. James feels like he no longer fits in Energo with the taint of his father’s actions. This drives him to blow off steam in the “regular” world, setting events in motion to meet Ainsley, the girl of his dream housesitting for his best friend, Charlotte. I love the relationship that develops between James and Ainsley. 

This is not a slow burn type of romance, almost immediately the both of them are thrown into danger. As the danger mounts, James and Ainsley grow closer. Ainsley is a girl burned in her past and not quick to trust. Forged in Stone is a story about two broken people finding their way to each other. Even with her jaded view, she gives James a chance and James who believes his is unlovable opens up to the chance.

Alyssa Rose Ivy is my go to favorite author. Even with my mounting To Be Read pile, I always make time for Alyssa’s new books. I am an ARI addict and I am excited to see what happens with James and Ainsley next. 

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book, in exchange for an honest review**

Thank you for visiting Unabridged Bookshelf!

Return Once More Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

Welcome to Unabridged Bookshelf's stop on the Return Once More Blog Tour!  Make sure to check out everything going on during this tour by clicking the banner above. 

About the Book

Title: Return Once More

Author: Trisha Leigh

Series: The Historians #1

Publication Date: September 29, 2015

Genres: Sci-Fi, Time Travel, Young Adult, 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

If you could learn the identity of your one true love—even though you will never meet— would you?
Years have passed since refugees from a ruined earth took to space, eventually settling a new system of planets. Science has not only made the leaps necessary to allow time travel, but the process engineered a strange side effect—predicting your one true love.
If you could save your one true love from an untimely death, would you be able to resist?
Sixteen-year-old Kaia Vespasian is an apprentice to the Historians—a group charged with using time travel to document the triumphs and failures of the past—and she can’t resist a peek at her long-dead soul mate in Ancient Egypt. Before she knows it, she’s broken every rule in the book, and the consequences of getting caught could destroy more than just her new romance.
Or would you have the strength to watch him die?
But when Kaia notices a fellow classmate snooping around in a time where he doesn’t belong, she suspects he has a secret of his own—and the conspiracy she uncovers could threaten the entire universe. If her experience has taught her anything, to changing history means facing the consequences. The Historians trained her to observe and record the past, but Kaia never guessed she might have to protect it— in a race across time to save her only chance at a future.

About the Author

Trisha Leigh is a product of the Midwest, which means it’s pop, not soda, garage sales, not tag sales,
and you guys as opposed to y’all. Most of the time. She’s been writing seriously for five years now, and has published 4 young adult novels and 4 new adult novels (under her pen name Lyla Payne). Her favorite things, in no particular order, include: reading, Game of Thrones, Hershey’s kisses, reading, her dogs (Yoda and Jilly), summer, movies,  reading, Jude Law, coffee, and rewatching WB series from the 90’s-00’s.
Her family is made up of farmers and/or almost rock stars from Iowa, people who numerous, loud, full of love, and the kind of people that make the world better. Trisha tries her best to honor them, and the lessons they’ve taught, through characters and stories—made up, of course, but true enough in their way.
   

My Review of Return Once More

As someone who loves History and would give up almost anything to be able to observe historical events as they unfold, Return Once More is my dream novel. Many interesting historical events are discussed or even witnessed during the course of this novel. I loved each of them, but the ones set in Ancient Egypt are my favorite as it is my favorite thing to learn about when it comes to human history. Trisha Leigh did outstanding research when it came to presenting these events in historical detail with accurate depiction even in the middle of a fictional story. 

Usually with Science Fiction especially those involving time travel confuse me or they are overly scoped out with rules and depictions that the reader has to understand to fully relate it to the story. Thankfully, while there are consequences for affecting the past, there is still enough wiggle room for the reader to enjoy each of the observations back in time. Trisha Leigh concentrates more on the story of Kaia and her friends then the science behind everything. 

As a character, I loved Kaia. She was full of risk taking just to see her one true companion, even if it mean the possibility of never having a proper future as an official Historian. When she discovered others are tampering with the past instead of observing, she readily jumps into action to preserve the past to preserve the future. This bravery is what I really loved about her, and I cannot wait to read more of Kaia’s story and see how the future plays out. 

Trisha Leigh has started possibly my newest addiction. I love The Historian series, and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next one even if this one leaves on a bit of dramatic cliffhanger (but not a cliffhanger that had me upset enough to want to throw my kindle.) I hope to see another The Historian’s novel from her very soon. This series is a great read for historical and science fiction fans alike. 

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book, in exchange for an honest review**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for visiting Unabridged Bookshelf!

Book Review: Age of Blood

About the Book

Title: Age of Blood

Author: Shauna Granger

Series: Ash and Ruin #3

Publication Date: May 5, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Post Apocalyptic, 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

Hope is a dangerous thing, but powerful. Hope keeps you going. Hope can keep you alive.
But hope can shatter your world.
Kat and Dylan have found a home, but the monsters are still out there. The pox and plague still ravage the world. They have hope of finding a vaccine, but their encampment isn't equipped to develop it.
Dylan is still too weak from the pox to leave the encampment, so Kat must decide between staying by his side and protecting her last remaining family member as he leaves to find supplies. Separated for the first time since they came together, Kat and Dylan will have to fight their own battles to save what is left of their bloody world.
Kat will have to hold on to hope that she has anything left to save and someone to come home to. If she can survive.

 About the Author

Like so many other writers, Shauna grew up as an avid reader, but it was in high school that she
realized she wanted to be a writer. Five years ago, Shauna started work on her Elemental Series. She released the first installment, Earth, on May 1, 2011 and has since released four sequels, with the series coming to an end with Spirit. She is currently hard at work on a new Urban Fantasy series, staring a spunky witch with a smush-faced cat named Artemis.

   

My Review of Age of Blood

I cannot believe the world of Ash and Ruin is over. I loved the take on post-apocalyptic Shauna Granger, takes in this series. The Pesta spreading disease and death were ever they go. Even within the safety of the compound, Kat and Dylan may not be safe. Kat risks everything to go get supplies and tools that may give the remaining humans a fighting chance against the Pox and Pestas. Everything I loved about this series continued in Age of Blood, and there were defiantly some satisfying conclusions to Kat’s story throughout the novel. 

The Pestas were one of my favorite parts of this entire series, because they are terrifying. I do have to say they take a decreased presence in this novel, but they are still chilling in presence and in the connection they have of the almost decimation of the human species. To make matters worse, Kat and Dylan are separated for much of the story, and it is told from Kat’s point of view. This leaves readers wondering the fate of Dylan until the very end of the book, which adds to its intensity. 

Watching Kat grow and change over this series was a highlight of the story, but in this installment, Kat was on top of her game. She would do anything to protect those that she loves, and that really shines through in Age of Blood. This book in not without it tragedy and loss, but the post-apocalyptic world would not feel realistic without dangers and death. Shauna Granger handles all elements with a finesse and power that had me continually turning page without putting the book down. 

While I am sad to see this trilogy end, I have to say that it is handled perfectly by Shauna Granger. From the beginning to the end, Age of Blood and the Ash and Ruin series is addicting as ever. This series and this novel are a must read for any post-apocalyptic fan or anyone who loves a strong female lead. I know this series will remain a favorite for years to come. 

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book, in exchange for an honest review**

Thank you for visiting Unabridged Bookshelf!

Book Review: Unmade

About the Book

Title: Unmade

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Series: The Lynburn Legacy #3

Publication Date: September 22, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

Powerful love comes with a price. Who will be the sacrifice?
Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.
Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.
This final book in the Lynburn Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end.

My Review of Unmade

The last book in the Lynburn Legacy series did not disappoint. The stakes have never been higher, and Kami refuses to let Rob Lynburn and his sorcerers take over their town. Kami and her friends have to face insurmountable odds if they want any chance to free their hometown. Even with the dire circumstances, Sarah Rees Brennan manages a good bit of humor, which was always my favorite part of the entire Lynburn Legacy Series.

Kami has remained steadfast in her beliefs and her will to fight even against her own mother. Just the type of character I love to read about, and root for throughout the story. The anticipation I had reading this was intense, I was not sure I could stay goodbye to all these characters. I will say that Sarah Rees Brennan really managed to finish this series and give it a feeling of completion.  

The range of emotion I felt while reading Unmade was vast. There were times I was cheering or laughing aloud, and times I was crying. I have to give props to any book that makes me that emotional. Also Unmade can make you look unhinged if reading in public, I know I got a few looks while reading in the waiting room at the doctor’s office.

The Lynburn Legacy is the first book I have read by Sarah Rees Brennan but I plan to read many more books by her. If you have not read the first book in the Lynburn Legacy, Unspoken, go ahead and jump on the bandwagon now. Trust me it will be worth it.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book, in exchange for an honest review**

Thank you for visiting Unabridged Bookshelf!

Here They Lie Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

Welcome to Unabridged Bookshelf's stop on the Here They Lie Blog Tour! I have a review and giveaway for you today. Make sure to check out everything going on during this tour by clicking the banner above. 

About the Book

Title: Here They Lie

Author: D.K. Burrow

Series: The Bloodstone Legacy #1

Publication Date: October 5, 2015

Genres: New Adult, Southern Gothic

Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

Reese Everett’s aunt picked a bad time to die.  Just weeks after a car accident left Reese’s mother unable to travel, her aunt’s house needs to be emptied and sold, leaving Reese as the only member of the family who can do the job.  She typically wouldn’t balk at the opportunity to sift through her aunt’s collection of antiques, but when she arrives in Devil’s Vale, Georgia, she discovers the family house in a state of disrepair she won’t be able to handle alone.
Colton Waters is back in Devil’s Vale – whether he likes it or not.  After he loses his acceptance to medical school with no explanation, he’s left with a single job offer…one that will return him to the hometown he’d hoped to escape.
When an errand to help his sister ends in a meeting with Reese neither will easily forget, Colton takes a job as her temporary handyman.
The longer Reese stays in town, the more she realizes the condition of her aunt’s house isn’t the only thing she hadn’t expected when she made the trip to Devil’s Vale.  Reese isn’t the only gifted member of the family – her aunt Kate has been practicing the family business…the business Reese has been sworn never to discuss.
After a ghostly visitor arrives one night, Reese and Colton learn Kate wasn’t the only one practicing the darker arts.  They begin to uncover secrets that refuse to stay buried.
Here They Lie won the Young Adult Romance Writer’s 2014 award for New Adult fiction.

About the Author

D’Ann Burrow once told her preschool teacher she wanted to be a witch when she grew up. That
simple comment signaled the start of a life-long fondness of things that go bump in the night. As she grew older, she could most often be found with her nose buried in a book, and she was especially fond of the Nancy Drew series as well as anything by Christopher Pike or Stephen King.  Occasionally she’d take a trip to the world of the classics where The Scarlet Pimpernel and A Little Princess reigned among her favorites.  She’s lost count of the times she’s read Little Women.
Today, D’Ann enjoys the world of Supernatural, stories about guys with fangs, and she’s seldom met a disaster film she hasn’t liked.  When she grows up, she’d like to work at the Haunted Mansion. Until then, watching Ghost Hunters will have to count as research.
D’Ann writes about secrets people keep.  Even the bravest heroine or a guy with a heart of gold has a few skeletons in the closet they’d rather not share with the world. When those secrets get out, things get interesting.
A Texas native, she knows making great guacamole is an art form. As a theater mom, she’ll happily chat about Broadway musicals by the hour.  Molly and Lizzie, the family furry ones, are frequent stars of her Instagram account.    

My Review of Here They Lie

Here They Lie is just the sort of ghostly, spooky book I needed to read to get myself in the Halloween spirit. It was not a pulse pounding action, but more of a goose bumps inducing what goes bump in the night type of scare. Here They Lie is the kind of story that slowly creeps up on you, until you realize you have huddled far down in your covers in anticipation of reading the next chapter. 

Reese shows up in the tiny town her ancestors help settle, to clean up her great aunt’s house and shop and settle her estate. When she arrives she realizes she is in over her head, but thankfully the easy on the eyes neighbor has been hired to help her restore the house to its former glory. All she can think about is getting the heck out of Devil’s Vale as fast as possible, but it turns out it may not be that simple. 

 I like Colton and Reese and the slow buildup of a potential relationship between them. I cannot wait to see more of them in the next installment in The Bloodstone Legacy series. I am also curious if some of the unanswered questions will be answered, because I am still thinking about this book, even days later. I will warn readers that there is a bit of cliffhanger at the end, but it is not the type to make you want to throw your Kindle across the room. I also like that Reese has the ability to see ghost and deal with them, even if it puts her at risk for whatever is going down in this suspicion tiny town. 

I love the spooky, out of the corner of your eye type scare the author, D.K. Burrow provides. It also adds an air of mystery to the town, and when towns folk started acting suspicious, I just had to finish Here They Lie in one sitting. I am excited to see what D.K. Burrow’s is up to next. 

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book, in exchange for an honest review**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Organizer:

Thank you for visiting Unabridged Bookshelf!

The Assassin Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

Welcome to Unabridged Bookshelf's stop on The Assassin Blog Tour!  Make sure to check out everything going on during this tour by clicking the banner above. 

About the Book

Title: The Assassin

Author: Pamela DuMond

Series: Mortal Beloved #2

Publication Date: July 5, 2015

Genres: Time Travel, Young Adult

Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

Time Traveler. Messenger. Beloved. Spy.

“I was a Messenger: I kept the memory of all our encounters, our lives, like a locket that brushes the skin and bones covering my heart. But Samuel was a Healer: he didn’t time travel. His kind lived, died, re-incarnated, and he didn’t retain memories from his past lives. Every year I landed in required starting our relationship over: from ashes, from scrap… Every place I journeyed had beauty as well as darkness; all my time-travels were bittersweet.” ~ Madeline.

Madeline’s a Messenger: time traveling across lifetimes and delivering messages that could change one life or many. When she discovers that her true love, Samuel, is alive in present day, but doesn’t remember her from their past, she journeys to a deadly royal conflict in medieval Portugal hoping to rekindle his memory. Mortal assassins as well as dark-souled time travelers seek to kill her. Will Madeline and Samuel be together again in life—or only in death?

THE SEEKER (Mortal Beloved, Book Three) publishes Winter 2015/2016

.

About the Author

Pamela DuMond is the author who discovered Erin Brockovich’s life story, thought it would make a
great movie and pitched it to ‘Hollywood’.
She writes romantic comedic mysteries, romantic YA time travel and New Adult romance.
Her book The Story of You and Me was a Quarterfinalist in the Amazon Breakout Novel Award (ABNA) 2014 in Romance.
Cupcakes, Pies, and Hot Guys was a Quarterfinalist in ABNA 2013 in Mystery .
She’s addicted to TV shows — The Voice and Reign. The movies Love Actually and The Bourne trilogy (with Matt Damon — not that other actor guy,) make her cry ever time she watches them. (Like — a thousand.)
When she’s not writing Pamela’s also a chiropractor and cat wrangler. She loves reading, the beach, working out, movies, TV, animals, her family and friends. She lives in Venice, California with her fur-babies.
She likes her coffee strong, her cabernet hearty, her chocolate dark, her foods non-GMO and she lives for a good giggle.
   

My Review of The Assassin

The Assassin is the sequel that I have been waiting for, ever since I read The Messenger a few years ago. I am glad that the author was finally able to write the sequel and I enjoyed where she took the story even more than last time. The part I love about the Mortal Beloved series is each addition to the story takes Madeline on a new mission into a historical moment. This time Madeline finds herself in the middle of 14th Century Portugal in the middle of the tragic love story. The author wove Madeline and Samuel’s story around the true history of Inez de Castro and Prince Peter. As someone who loves history, I love that this story can give you a glimpse into real history even while weaving a beautiful story. 

I love that Madeline and Samuel continually find each other throughout history as Madeline travels through time as a Messenger to help change the lives. When the book starts and she finds Samuel in present day, I could not help but want her to find a way for her to make him remember her. As the book went on, and she was sucked back in time, I found myself wanting to watch her past love story unfold. There is a beauty in watching Samuel, who cannot remember Madeline in his past life, still fall in love her time and time again. Madeline may only be 16, but she has this burden of knowing she has an epic love out there, and he never remembers. 

The historical aspect of The Assassin is very well written and even with the fictional story woven around and through it, it still maintains a solid base tied with actual events. Even with all my love for history, I did not know the tragic love story of Inez de Castro and Peter I of Portugal. Now after reading The Assassin, I really want to read more information about their lives. Thank you, Pamela DuMond, for reigniting my love of history. 

I have no clue what is going to happen to Madeline or Samuel in the next book, The Seeker but I know I will have to find out. The Assassin doubles the adventure while creating a believable story woven through the fabric of history. The Assassin is a must read story for fans of The Messenger, historical fiction fans, and science fiction fans alike. There is something for everyone in The Mortal Beloved series. 

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book, in exchange for an honest review**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for visiting Unabridged Bookshelf!

The Foxglove Killings Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

Welcome to Unabridged Bookshelf's stop on the Foxglove Killings Blog Tour!  Make sure to check out everything going on during this tour by clicking the banner above. I also have a review of The Foxglove Killings and a giveaway for you to enter. 

About the Book

Title: The Foxglove Killings

Author: Tara Kelly
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication Date: September 1, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

Gramps always said that when the crickets were quiet, something bad was coming. And the crickets have been as silent as the dead. It started with the murdered deer in the playground with the unmistakable purple of a foxglove in its mouth. But in the dying boondock town of Emerald Cove, life goes on.

I work at Gramps's diner, and the cakes―the entitled rich kids who vacation here―make our lives hell. My best friend, Alex Pace, is the one person who gets me. Only Alex has changed. He's almost like a stranger now. I can't figure it out...or why I'm having distinctly more-than-friend feelings for him. Ones I shouldn't be having.

Then one of the cakes disappears.
When she turns up murdered, a foxglove in her mouth, a rumor goes around that Alex was the last person seen with her—and everyone but me believes it. Well, everyone except my worst enemy, Jenika Shaw. When Alex goes missing, it's up to us to prove his innocence and uncover the true killer. But the truth will shatter everything I've ever known about myself—and Alex.

About the Author

Tara Kelly adores variety in her life. She’s an author, one-girl-band, graphic designer, editor, and
photographer. She lives in Sin City with her beloved guitars, sound design master husband, and a fluffy cat named Maestro.    

My Review of The Foxglove Killings

The Foxglove Killings had me on the edge of my seat from the first opening scene to the very last pages. I am so glad I picked up The Foxglove Killings; it is the perfect book to get back into mysteries and get myself in the mood for Halloween next month. While I loved the synopsis, I have had trouble reading anything lately. I was nervous that I was not going to be able to get into the story and mystery plot line and be able to devote my full attention to it. Most enjoyably that was not the case, this book managed to send my book blues away and have me so focus on reading I could not put it down until I finished in one setting. 

Nova is a teen who wants to grow up to work in the police force, but it currently stuck being harassed by the local rich kids also known as cakes while working at her grandfather’s diner. The only thing she can count on besides her family is her best friend Alex. When animals turn up mutilated with a foxglove in their mouth, Nova certain it going to lead to something more. Suddenly a “cake” turns up murdered and Alex is prime suspect due to a few rumors. When things start to go sideways, Nova has to work with the one girl that despises her most. This kind of antagonist relationship leads to a great deal of drama in the book as well as Nova’s new feeling for Alex. I kind of like the added dramatics for the poor townies versus the rich tourist “cakes.” It was like a mild version the Socs and Greasers from The Outsiders aside for the raging serial killer storyline. 

The drama really unfolds as Nova tries to prove Alex’s innocence as everyone around starts to believe he is guilty. As she uncovers more about those around her and the “cakes” the more everyone begins looking like a suspect. For once, I did not know who was behind the killings until the very last chapter as things unfolded. Even when I thought I knew who was guilty, there was a twist after twist that kept me on my toes until the final reveal. Not often do I not see a murder mystery suspect for who they are before there is any reveal, but The Foxglove Killings defiantly had my blinded until the end. 

The action had my heart pounding, the mystery had my brain whirling, and the relationships had my romantic bone tingling. The Foxglove Killings balanced all the elements perfectly and I loved every minute of it. I would say I probably read it much faster than I normally would have because the tension had my heart pumping and my brain wanting answers. I would defiantly read another book from Tara Kelly, and I am overjoyed that I chose to read The Foxglove Killings. 

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book, in exchange for an honest review**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for visiting Unabridged Bookshelf!