Animal lovers: The Pet Psychic Diaries by Jeanne Miller is a heartwarming read!

I finished reading The Pet Psychic Diaries by Jeanne Miller last night and loved it. Okay, so I am a major animal lover. But I can also be a bit skeptical. Not to say I don't believe in psychic powers - I do. I have seen them at work. I just need that extra proof of authenticity before I completely buy in. With Jeanne, I'm a believer. Now, I don't know Jeanne personally, but I do "talk" with her occasionally on a writer's forum and she is one of the sweetest people I have ever "met". So I bought her book to support a fellow author and because, of course, I love animals (have I already mentioned that?).

I don't know what I was expecting, but what I received was a heartwarming read and stories of animal interactions that I don't believe I will ever forget. I loved the pictures of each pet, it was so much fun getting to know these animals and see them too (and I kinda want a raccoon now). Talking to animals has always been one of my greatest wishes...if only I knew what they were trying to tell me with the little chuffs and meows and facial expressions! The Pet Psychic Diaries may not answer the question of what my pets are saying, but it did shed light on some of their behavior - and I've come to the conclusion that they are pampered to the point of being spoiled rotten ;).

Description:

"Pet Psychic readings from the first year of working Pet Psychic Medium, Jeanne Miller.

Read about Moosie, the horse who hated his name.
Zak, the kitty who was being terrorized by a Civil War ghost.
Krebs, the blackmailing Sun Conure.
Mariah Bayou, a rescued Raccoon and so many more.

These readings with our furred and feathered friends illustrate what we have long suspected; Animals have rich and emotional lives that are much like our own. After reading this book, you will never look at your pet in the same way again."

The last line of the description is so true! I have to say that every pet owner should read The Pet Psychic Diaries. I can't wait for the next one. The only thing I regret is that it took me so long to get to it!

Happy Reading!
           
        ~Heidi 

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this unsolicited review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

Romance Lovers: Barbara Freethy's One True Love is sweet, poignant and... FREE!!!

Another new author to add to my must read list! I finished One True Love by Barbara Freethy this weekend and absolutely adored it. Frustrating and tragic, the event that tore these two lovers apart is horrible, but adds such a touch of reality to the story it is worth it to feel the pain. While emotional, the story didn't make me weep... made me want to slap the heroine a few times, but that's just me. I enjoyed the added mystery that occurred as a sideline story and almost wished the two had been made into separate stories, as both were very involved and rewarding. All-in-all, a wonderful love story about passion, loss and coming home. I highly recommend this book to all romance fans.
Description:

"She Walked Back Into His Life ...

The last place Lisa Alvarez expected to find herself was babysitting for her ex-sister-in-law's three rambunctious kids. But when Maggie called her up and begged for time alone, something in Lisa made her say yes - for one weekend she'd leave behind the career she'd built and her new fiancé. But Lisa never expected her handsome ex-husband Nick to show up on the doorstep, walking back into her life, and taking over more than the weekend....

And His Heart

Nick can't believe how Lisa has changed over the years - and how she's stayed the same. His heart still races when her eyes catch his, his pulse pounds when she's near. After tragedy pushed them apart, Nick spent eight years rebuilding his life and his soul. Can he risk losing his heart again, for a second chance at true love?"

Currently FREE on Amazon, there is absolutely no reason not to download this novel now. One True Love is, quite simply, lovely!

Happy Reading!

~Heidi

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

Chick-Lit fans: Another fun, easy read - Sparks Fly by Lucy Kevin!

I've been on a kick of reading strictly Chick-lit recently and have to say that I'm having a ball! This week's guilty pleasure was Sparks Fly by Lucy Kevin. The novel is on the shorter side (32,000 words / 170 pages), but reads much longer, if that makes sense. This would be a perfect book to take on vacation because it was easy to step away from and recall what was going when I came back to it. Light and fun, if a little predictable, but that's what I love about the genre...I know I'm going to get a happy ending. Lucy Kevin is another I'll be adding to my "Favorite New Author's" list.

Description (from the book's Amazon product page):

"Angelina Morgan is a beautiful consultant who practices an ancient art form called Feng Shui. Will Scott is an all-business CEO who doesn't believe anything he can't see and touch. With the help of a meddling ex-wife, a well-meaning best friend, and a matchmaking mother, Angelina and Will are about to find out what happens when opposites attract...and sparks fly."

If you like Chick-Lit, or want a good, quick, economical option when trying the genre for the first time, I would highly recommend Sparks Fly, currently only $0.99!

Happy Reading!

~Heidi

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

Never Buried by Edie Claire: A new, highly entertaining mystery series!

I love reading books in a series! I stumbled upon Edie Claire's Leigh Koslow Mystery Series and couldn't resist purchasing Never Buried, simply because I LOVE that cat on the cover. I was a little slow to warm up to the main character, Leigh Koslow, but now I can't wait to see what happens to her next. I'm not really sure how to categorize the book, but I would guess that it could be considered a cozy mystery. My only complaint is that there's not a boxed set available... I really like boxed sets for the value and convenience :-). But I will be reading this series regardless. Back to the story:

Description:

"The truth about what happened in 1949 went to Paul Fischer's grave... Too bad his body didn't!

Advertising copywriter Leigh Koslow doesn't pack heat--just a few extra pounds. And she doesn't go looking for trouble. When she moved into her cousin Cara's refurbished Victorian house, she wasn't planning on discovering a corpse--certainly not one that had been embalmed ten years before. But as anyone in the small Pittsburgh borough of Avalon could tell her, her cousin's house has a history attached. A history dating back to two mysterious deaths in the summer of 1949.

Someone wants Leigh and Cara out of the house--someone who has something to hide. But that someone doesn't know Leigh's impetuous cousin, and when Cara digs her heels in, Leigh looks to her old college chum, local policewoman Maura Polanski, for help. But the answers the trio find only point to more questions. Were the scandalous deaths of fifty years ago really an accident and a suicide? Or were they murder?

The nearer the women get to the truth, the more desperate someone becomes. Because some secrets are better off kept. Especially when they hit close to home!"

I enjoyed how the author completed the storyline for this book without leaving me guessing, but kept me interested enough to need the next book. Well done! If you enjoy light mysteries, Never buried is a good choice. Priced at only $0.99, you can't go wrong. Well-written, well-edited and just plain fun! I have found a new author to enjoy :-).


Happy Reading

~Heidi

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

A Fun Read: Matchmakers 2.0 (a Novel Nibbles title) by Debora Geary

Over the weekend I read Matchmakers 2.0 by Debora Geary and absolutely loved it! I don't know why I was so hesitant to read a short novel... I guess I felt there couldn't be enough character development. I was WRONG! This book was a perfect Sunday read and I was able to finish the entire thing without making myself any more sleep deprived than I already am. Matchmakers 2.0 was a clean read, with enough playfulness to not make me miss the heat. Actually, there was a fair amount of sparks flying, but nothing needed to spelled out.

Description:

"Mick - guppy scientist and victim of her self-inflicted dating adventures.
Miri - astrology whiz and promoter of steamy sex for the greater good.
Derrick - data genius and life idiot.

Meet the match team at MatchMakers.com, the web 2.0 online-dating service with a personal touch.

Can Mick lead her team, find a guy, and finally win Match the Loser? Enjoy a little humor, a little romance, and occasional trivia about guppies.

Matchmakers 2.0 is humorous romance with a chick-lit flavor.

Novel Nibbles are snack-sized reads. Short novels for your lunch break, your iPhone, and any other time a quick read is the perfect length. They are about 20,000 words (70-80 pages). There will be several more Nibbles coming out in 2011."

I'm looking forward to reading To Love a Witch, another Novel Nibbles title - looks like a fun read. I definitely recommend this book and it is an absolute steal at $0.99!!! What are you waiting for? I'm done rambling, so you can go buy it now :-)

Happy Reading!

~Heidi

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

Chick-Lit fans: The final installment of Gemma Halliday's Hollywood Headline series rocked! And is a bargain, too!!!

It's done, over with, complete... I finished Hollywood Confessions last night, the final book in Gemma Halliday's Hollywood Headlines boxed set. Fun, Fun, Fun! The final book in the series concentrates on Allie Quick, the newest reporter for the L.A. Informer tabloid. We first met Allie in the High Heels Mysteries, although I can't remember which exact book that was in. Throughout this series, Allie has been portrayed as an antagonist, but we finally get her side of the story and you can't help but root for her happy ending as well.

Description:

"Allie Quick has high aspirations - much higher than reporting on the latest celebrity gossip for the L.A. Informer, Hollywood's most notorious tabloid. But if she's going to join the ranks of the real reporters, she's going to need a headline worthy story under her belt. Which is just what she gets when the producer of the trashiest reality shows on TV winds up murdered, and Allie convinces her editor, Felix Dunn, that this story has her name written all over it. Between an aging dance-off judge, a family with sextuplets and triplets, and the star of a little person dating show, Allie has no shortage of reality stars to question. But when she finds herself falling for her prime suspect, Allie's relationship with her editor is suddenly on the rocks, and her life is in danger. This is one deadline Allie can't afford to miss!"

Buy the whole set and get ready for hours of entertainment! Currently only $6.99 on Amazon for 3 books (all full novel length), you can't go wrong! I started reading Gemma Halliday as an alternative to Janet Evanovich (love her, but I am not spending $13 on an ebook, sorry) and have not been disappointed yet. Yes, as soon as the prices come down, Smokin' Seventeen is mine. Until then, I'm discovering an amazing amount of authors I've never heard of.


Happy Reading!


~Heidi

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

Attention all Chick-Lit fans: Gemma Halliday's "Hollywood Secrets" is the best in the series so far...

I love happy endings! And the ending in Hollywood Secrets by Gemma Halliday is the best so far. I breezed through this book because I simply could not put it down. Yes, the character's can sometimes blend together as they all seem to share certain traits (barely making ends meet, insecure, jealous), but doesn't that describe half of the female population, thereby defining the Chick-Lit genre? Cameron Dakota was an exception to this rule because she really stood out amongst the other character's in the Hollywood Headlines Mysteries series. I keep saying this, but every book by Gemma Halliday gets a little bit better.

My only complaint, if it can even be considered such, is that I am now on the last book in the series and am going to have to start searching for a new series to read. Or, Finish writing mine;). Either way, I have really enjoyed getting to know the people of the L.A Informer!

From the product description:

"Cameron Dakota is the L.A. Informer's staff photographer and paparazzi extraordinaire. Her latest subject is Trace Brody, top-shelf actor and half of America's favorite Hollywood couple. Trace is about to get married in a blow-out wedding, and Cam’s editor, Felix Dunn (from the High Heels Mysteries), has assigned her to get the first shots of the bride and groom. But when Cam takes pictures of what looks like Trace being threatened at gunpoint, she suddenly finds herself smack in the middle of a scandal more sensational than even she could invent. On the run, under fire, and in serious danger of falling in love with one leading man, Cam must get to the bottom of this story... before she becomes tomorrow's headline."

I've said this before as well, but for fans of the Chick-Lit genre, you can't go wrong with Gemma Halliday. I recommend buying the boxed set as it is an incredible deal, but right now the first book in the series, Hollywood Scandals, is free on Amazon -- a risk-free fun time!

Happy Reading!

~Heidi

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional literary reviewer. I do not know this author and I am not being paid or otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions stated here are mine alone.