REVIEW: Heaven and Earth: Three Sisters Island book two by Nora Roberts
Publication date: January 1, 2001

Ripley Todd just wants to live a quiet, peaceful kind of life. Her job as a sheriff’s deputy keeps her busy and happy, and she has no trouble finding men when she wants them—which, lately, isn’t all that often. She’s perfectly content, except for one thing: she has special powers that both frighten and confuse her—and though she tries hard to hide them, she can’t get them under control.

Distraction soon arrives in the handsome form of MacAllister Booke—a researcher who’s come to investigate the rumors of witchcraft that haunt Three Sisters Island. Right from the start, he knows there’s something extraordinary about Ripley Todd. It’s not just her blazing green eyes and her sultry smile. There’s something else. Something he can detect, but she’ll never admit. Fascinated by her struggle with her amazing abilities, he becomes determined to help her accept who she is—and find the courage to open her heart.

But before Ripley and Mac can dream of what lies in the future, they must confront the pain of the past. For Three Sisters shelters centuries of secrets—and a legacy of danger that plagues them still…

So far, I adore this trilogy. The dynamics of how the three sisters live in a cycle is very intriguing. Plus, the characters are super relatable. Even though Ripley, Nell and Mia are witches they still have very human lives/feelings. That makes it very simple to understand their feelings, from boy problems to ex-bestie problems, we've all been through it.

Now to the romance part! I adore Mac and Ripley together! Some of the scenes between these two had me tearing up. And the shocking part is, they wouldn't even be sad scenes! Mac was just so understanding and sweet. Who doesn't love a hot nerd though?

And finally, the magic. I love that the Three Sisters trilogy is based from the Salem witch trials. The trilogy brings a fun (at times) new aspect to the trials. (For those of you that aren't knowledgeable about the Salem witch trials they are, sadly, a real event in our history.)

All that said, I do find the books predictable. I can't say much here that won't spoil the story but I will say that I knew how the book would end way before it actually did.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars.

Link to purchase:
Amazon: Heaven and Earth   

REVIEW: We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach
Publication date: March 24, 2015

Four high school seniors put their hopes, hearts, and humanity on the line as an asteroid hurtles toward Earth in this contemporary novel.

They always say that high school is the best time of your life.
Peter, the star basketball player at his school, is worried “they” might actually be right. Meanwhile Eliza can’t wait to escape Seattle—and her reputation—and perfect-on-paper Anita wonders if admission to Princeton is worth the price of abandoning her real dreams. Andy, for his part, doesn’t understand all the fuss about college and career—the future can wait.
Or can it? Because it turns out the future is hurtling through space with the potential to wipe out life on Earth. As these four seniors—along with the rest of the planet—wait to see what damage an asteroid will cause, they must abandon all thoughts of the future and decide how they’re going to spend what remains of the present.

So when I saw this book I instantly fell in love with the cover and bought it mainly for that reason (I know, I know, "don't judge a book by its cover" but I love this cover!) I then went home and looked up reviews and the majority of them were not very good. However, I read it anyway, as I like to make my own opinion, and I am SO glad I did.

I love how Wallach showed multiple ways that people would respond to the end of the world, from acting like nothing is wrong to freaking out- it's all in this book. I also enjoyed the switching of P.O.V.'s Each character brought something new to the story. The bonds between friends (old and new) were tested throughtout the entire story. It really makes you wonder how you'd react if the end of the world was near.

[MAJOR SPOILER IN THIS COMING PARAGRAPH, PLEASE SKIP TO NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT A HUGE SPOILER]
I think my heart stalled when Peter died. I never saw that one coming! I was frustrated to the max, but, as a reader I understand what it adds to the story so, someday, I will forgive Wallach for that one.

Now, I don't want to give anything else away so I'll just say this:
This ending made me so mad and yet it was so perfect at the exact same time and I may have shed a tear or two.

I rate this novel 4/5 stars.

Link(s) to purchase:
Amazon: We All Looked Up

REVIEW: The Doll Maker by Richard Montanari
Publication date: April 28, 2015

Detectives Byrne and Balzano return to the streets of Philadelphia to put an end to a macabre succession of murders.

A quiet Philadelphia suburb. A woman cycles past a train depot with her young daughter. There she finds a murdered girl posed on a newly painted bench. Beside her is a formal invitation to a tea dance in a week’s time.

Seven days later, two more young victims are discovered in an abandoned house, posed on painted swings. At the scene is an identical invitation. This time, though, there is something extra waiting for Detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano: a delicate porcelain doll.

It’s a message. And a threat. With the killers at large, Detectives Byrne and Balzano have just seven more days to find the link between the murders before another innocent child is snatched from the streets. 

I found this novel to be very intriguing. Throughout the entire story the reader is piecing clues together to try to solve the murders along with Officer Brynes. The author did a great job at making the reader feel involved with story.

The dynamics of Annabelle and Mr. Marseille's relationship is so complex and mysterious that [SPOILER] I found myself, at times, rooting for them to get away- which I found to be really odd because, hello, they're serial killers! 

The only reason that I am not giving "The Doll Maker" five stars is because of the ending. It really leaves you open mouthed wondering "Is that really it?!" However, I'm sure that Montanari wanted to leave the readers like that as the ending is a great surprise.

I rate "The Doll Maker" 4.5/5 stars.

Link(s) to purchase:
Amazon: The Doll Maker