Category: 3 Star

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Kimberly reviews What You Deserve by Alicia Lawson

TITLE: What You Deserve
SERIES #: FBI Agent Erin Hastings #1
CHARACTERS: Erin Hastings
AUTHOR: Alicia Lawson
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/15/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When lives are on the line, failure is not an option…

FBI Special Agent Erin Hastings is driven by the pain of her past. Fifteen years ago, she could’ve stopped her twin brother from killing his sixth victim. All she wants now is a second chance at catching a killer.

Riding high after a media blitz over her latest arrest, Erin is plunged back to reality with her first serial killer case—in Erin’s hometown. Reminders of her brother’s murders plague her nightmares. Haunted by the similarities between the two cases, Erin vows she won’t make the same rookie mistake again. This time, she’ll stop the murderer before he can claim any more innocent lives.

But the race to catch this ruthless killer grows more desperate as the body count rises. And with every suspect her team clears, Erin’s chances at redemption wither away. All while pressure for an arrest from higher-ups intensifies.

Erin won’t quit until she gets her man. Not when history seeks to repeat itself. With another victim’s life at stake, she’ll risk going rogue before she gives up.

But will she jeopardize her own life, rather than let this killer strike again?

REVIEW:
2.75 Hearts This is a new series by Alicia Lawson which I have not read before. And to be honest, I am not sure I will read again. I never took a liking to Erin. Actually the opposite. I found myself really disliking her at times. And the story wasn’t any different than many others read for decades.

Erin’s brother killed 6 people, Erin blames herself for at least the sixth murder because she didn’t stop him and now she is going to use her brother to understand the MO of a killer. First: He was a teenager who committed murder. Second: They are twins so they were like 15 years old and she thinks their twin sense could have stopped this? And Third: Really? Because as a FBI Special Agent you have to use your brother for profiling?

This was just not my cup of tea in writing or characters.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews The Spires by Kate Moretti

TITLE: The Spires
CHARACTERS: Penelope & Willa
AUTHOR: Kate Moretti
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/21/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A troubled woman becomes consumed by a past she’s desperate to forget in this unsettling psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Year.

Strung between two teenagers, an unemployed husband, and a tenuous career, Penelope Cox barely has her life together when the past comes knocking at her door. Willa Blaine, her old roommate, needs her help: refuge from an abusive husband. “Two weeks tops,” she says—but it’s not the imposition that bothers Penelope; it’s the memories Willa brings with her.

Twenty years earlier, Penelope, Willa, and three friends lived together in a converted church. Insular and closed off from the rest of the world, the five roommates formed their own dysfunctional family, celebrating the pinnacle of their lives; they called themselves “the Spires.” But nights of wild parties gave way to a darker undercurrent: jealousy, resentment, unrequited love, and obsession. Tensions boiled over during a night of debauchery that ended in a deadly fire, leaving the Spires scattered and forever changed.

Now Willa is the perfect houseguest: accommodating, helpful, bringing a newfound sense of excitement to the Cox household. Yet Penelope can’t help but feel the cracks in her life widen as she begins to question Willa’s motives. Everyone has secrets, it seems—and the fire may have brought down the Spires, but not everything burned was forgotten.

REVIEW:
It’s weird to say but I enjoyed this book even though I really did not enjoy Penelope who is the main character of this story.

This story is told with chapters set in past and present. I wasn’t all that interested in “The Spires” when the storyline was in the past. But I thought Willa was a really interesting character in the present. I never warmed up to Penelope and didn’t care about everything going on with her.

Books like this have been written many times over so we aren’t reading a book that is unique but the telling is interesting.

The ending surprised me a bit but mostly it seemed off from the rest of the book. Almost like the author had the ending set and tried (being the key word) to fit the rest of the book to it.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews The Burning by Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman

TITLE: The Burning
SERIES #: Clay Edison #4
CHARACTERS: Clay Edison
AUTHOR: Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/21/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon  | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Things get personal for Deputy Coroner Clay Edison when a murder hits close to home in this riveting, emotional thriller from the bestselling father-son team who write “brilliant, page-turning fiction” (Stephen King).

A raging wildfire. A massive blackout. A wealthy man shot to death in his palatial hilltop home.

For Clay Edison, it’s all in a day’s work. As a deputy coroner, caring for the dead, he speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves. He prides himself on an unflinching commitment to the truth. Even when it gets him into trouble.

Then, while working the murder scene, Clay is horrified to discover a link to his brother, Luke. Horrified. But not surprised. Luke is fresh out of prison and struggling to stay on the straight and narrow.

And now he’s gone AWOL.

The race is on for Clay to find him before anyone else can. Confronted with Luke’s legacy of violence, Clay is forced to reckon with his own suspicions, resentments, and loyalties. Is his brother a killer? Or could he be the victim in all of this, too?

This is Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman at their most affecting and page-turning–a harrowing collision of family, revenge, and murder.

REVIEW:
Having lived in California for a while I am fully aware of the burning that CA and the surrounding states can go through and having read the other three books from the father/son Kellerman team. So I was interested when this book was offered.

The problem is the story moves very slowly. Most certainly the slowest in the series so far. And some of the personalities from Clay didn’t mesh from the last three books.

While the book was slow, the writing was very palatable. You can practically feel the burning going on around Clay and his worry about his recently released from prison brother.

This was not my favorite in the series and I certainly do not think this can be a stand alone.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews The Bookbinder’s Daughter by Jessica Thorne

TITLE: The Bookbinder’s Daughter
CHARACTERS: Sophie & Will
AUTHOR: Jessica Thorne
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/20/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The song surrounded her now, the murmuring of the library insistent, and her foot took the first step on the winding stairs. She knew it wasn’t entirely a dream. It was the library calling her, its magic driving her.

When Sophie is offered a job at the Ayredale Library – the finest collection of rare books in the world, and the last place her bookbinder mother was seen when Sophie was just a teenager – she leaps at the chance. Will she finally discover what happened to the woman she’s always believed abandoned her?

Taking in the endless shelves of antique books, the soaring stained-glass windows, and the grand sweeping staircase, usually shy Sophie feels strangely at home, and is welcomed by her eccentric fellow binders. But why is the Keeper of the Library so reluctant to speak about Sophie’s mother? And why is Sophie the only person who can read the strange spells in the oldest books on display, written in a forgotten language nobody else understands?

The mysteries of the library only deepen when Sophie stumbles upon an elaborately carved door. The pattern exactly matches the pendant her mother left behind years ago, engraved with a delicate leaf. As the door swings open at her touch, Sophie gasps at the incredible sight: an enormous tree, impossibly growing higher than the library itself, its gently falling golden leaves somehow resembling the pages of a book. Amidst their rustling, Sophie hears a familiar whisper…

‘There you are, my Sophie. I knew you’d come back for me.’

An absolutely spellbinding read about long-hidden family secrets and the magic that lurks between the pages of every ancient book. Perfect for fans of The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Night Circus and The Binding.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts I actually enjoyed most of this book. The idea was very fresh and interesting. Any bibliophile would love living in a library and this would be a great one to stay at.

About Sophie. I had a bit of a problem with her. At times she seems so independent and at other times a wet dish cloth. I can appreciate that she and Will were able to rekindle a first love so quickly but it seems odd that she was ever even in love with Victor. She was just a doormat to him.

I enjoyed the “suspense” part of the story. Trying to figure out why one day her mom was there and the next day not. Why can she read a magical spell book when no one else can.

I felt that the library was in and of itself a character. And I wish there had been more magic in the special area of the library.

I think this story had a lot of potential and lived up to some of it.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz

TITLE: Orphan X
SERIES #: Orphan X #1
CHARACTERS: Evan Smoak
AUTHOR: Gregg Hurwitz
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/01/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The Nowhere Man is a legendary figure spoken about only in whispers. It’s said that when he’s reached by the truly desperate and deserving, the Nowhere Man can and will do anything to protect and save them.

But he’s no legend.

Evan Smoak is a man with skills, resources, and a personal mission to help those with nowhere else to turn. He’s also a man with a dangerous past. Chosen as a child, he was raised and trained as part of the off-the-books black box Orphan program, designed to create the perfect deniable intelligence assets—i.e. assassins. He was Orphan X. Evan broke with the program, using everything he learned to disappear.

Now, however, someone is on his tail. Someone with similar skills and training. Someone who knows Orphan X. Someone who is getting closer and closer. And will exploit Evan’s weakness—his work as The Nowhere Man—to find him and eliminate him. Grabbing the reader from the very first page, Orphan X is a masterful thriller, the first in Gregg Hurwitz’s electrifying new series featuring Evan Smoak.

REVIEW:
This is a re-release of the first in the series. I have read the second in the series and it was nice to understand a bit more of what book two was really about.

However, it did not change my mind on Evan. I really am not a fan of his. He is a bit of a jerk and the writing is a bit winded. I have read Hurwitz before but this series seems like he is using 3 words where one will work.

I am sure I will continue with the series but I hope he starts a new series soon.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews What Hurts The Most by Willow Rose

TITLE: What Hurts The Most
SERIES #: Mary Mills Mystery #1
CHARACTERS: Mary Mills
AUTHOR: Willow Rose
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/20/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
You will never guess the ending!
Am I pretty?
Imagine being asked that question standing face to face with a killer. What would you answer?
While her life is going from bad to worse, journalist Mary Mills receives a phone call from her father telling her that her brother has been arrested for murder. Mary decides to go back to her hometown of Cocoa Beach, Florida, which she left twenty years back and has never visited since.
Working with her old friends from the 7th Street Crew, she tracks down the most disturbing and surprising killer this town has ever faced before a shocking conclusion turns everything upside down for them.
Determined to solve the murder and to have her brother acquitted, Mary is forced to face demons from her past she never thought she would have to again.

REVIEW:
This came back up on NetGalley and I thought it might be a good chance to be introduced to a new author but I am just not sure. The story was interesting but there were soooooo many inaccuracies that it drove me a bit crazy. The whole Army/Air Force thing was so inaccurate that I found myself getting mad at the author.

I also had a hard time with the description of the murders. There was so much gore that honestly was not necessary. I was pleasantly surprised that I was not sure of the ending which is why I gave it three stars.

I requested another couple of books from NetGalley by this author so I will give them a try but I am not thinking I found my next fav author.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Highland Thief by Alyson McLayne

TITLE: Highland Thief
SERIES #: The Sons Of Gregor MacLeod #5
CHARACTERS: Kerr & Isobel
AUTHOR: Alyson McLayne
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/31/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When a Highland laird makes a promise, nothing can stand in his way…

No one ever accused Kerr Macalister of being a nice man. Everyone would agree, however, that when he makes up his mind about something, no one will change it. Which is why everyone knows Isobel MacKinnon will end up his wife.

Isobel spent most of her childhood in love with the tall, dark, and deadly sexy Scot. It wasn’t until she was fifteen and failed to entice Kerr into kissing her, that things turned sour. Now, Kerr is the one trying to entice her.

But Isobel knows how to hold a grudge and won’t be swayed unless he proves his love. So she tricks him into believing she’s eloping with another man. Kerr responds by kidnapping her to a remote cabin in the Highlands where both love and danger lurk…

Will this Highlander’s fate be to finally have the woman of his dreams?

REVIEW:
This is the last in the series and I honestly wish there was more. I have loved the Sons of Gregor MacLeod series and men. What I wasn’t too fond of this time around was Isobel.

I have enjoyed Kerr from the beginning. I couldn’t wait to see who McLayne chose for Kerr but what a disappointment. Isobel was nothing but a selfish, childish brat who did things half the time I couldn’t even understand. Why pull the stuff she does on Kerr? And why does Kerr allow it and still want her?

I really wish the series had not ended this way. But I have enjoyed the series up to now. I wouldn’t say this was the worst book ever or anything but what it is would be the least favorite of the series.

With all that being said the series is worth reading and I look forward to the next series by McLayne.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Bombshell by Sarah MacLean

TITLE: Bombshell
SERIES #: Hell’s Belles #1
CHARACTERS: Sesily & Caled
AUTHOR: Sarah MacLean
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/24/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with a blazingly sexy, unapologetically feminist new series, Hell’s Belles, beginning with a bold, bombshell of a heroine, able to dispose of a scoundrel—or seduce one—in a single night.

After years of living as London’s brightest scandal, Lady Sesily Talbot has embraced the reputation and the freedom that comes with the title. No one looks twice when she lures a gentleman into the dark gardens beyond a Mayfair ballroom…and no one realizes those trysts are not what they seem.

No one, that is, but Caleb Calhoun, who has spent years trying not to notice his best friend’s beautiful, brash, brilliant sister. If you ask him, he’s been a saint about it, considering the way she looks at him…and the way she talks to him…and the way she’d felt in his arms during their one ill-advised kiss.

Except someone has to keep Sesily from tumbling into trouble during her dangerous late-night escapades, and maybe close proximity is exactly what Caleb needs to get this infuriating, outrageous woman out of his system. But now Caleb is the one in trouble, because he’s fast realizing that Sesily isn’t for forgetting…she’s forever. And forever isn’t something he can risk.

REVIEW:
Ok here is the deal with this story. You can not go in expecting a true historical romance. I will say having read the reviews I was ready for this. It has been a while since I read MacLean so when the new series began I thought “why not?” and picked up the book. Usually I do not read the reviews before reading a book. But I am glad I did in this one. Because I might have been upset as some others have been had I not realized this was more of a contemporary romance wrapped in a historical wrapper.

BUT… I enjoyed the book. It is written very differently than most HR because the women aren’t the typical Victorian ladies we expect. They are some bad-assed women who are out to save women who are in abusive situations. These are modern day vigilantes in long flowing gowns.

I enjoyed the women and I liked Caleb with Sesily. The romance between them is slow moving but worthy of the read.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews The Highlander’s Pirate Lass by Heather McCollum

TITLE: The Highlander’s Pirate Lass
SERIES #: The Brothers of Wolf Isle #2
CHARACTERS: Eliza & Beck
AUTHOR: Heather McCollum
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/23/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Eliza Wentworth is no lady. After the notorious pirate Jandeau murdered her family, she vowed to spend the rest of her life at sea, saving others. She’d rather be firing cannons than embroidering pillows—or worse, bowing to the demands of a husband. But when she’s stranded on an island off the coast of Scotland, now she is the one in need of help. And, annoyingly, that help comes not only from a man, but a man she struggles to resist.

Highlander Beck Macquarie has never met a woman like Eliza. He hasn’t met many women, period, thanks to the blasted curse set upon Wolf Isle decades ago. To save the clan, he needs a wife and bairns, and rough-around-the edges Eliza is anything but wife material. She has no intention of staying once she’s able to set sail again. He should let her go. But the desire between them is impossible to ignore.

When she asks Beck to teach her the ways of the bedroom while she bides her time on his island, he can’t say no. As they learn more about each other, though, past trauma and secrets resurface. Now, Eliza must choose between the freedom and comfort of the only life she’s ever known and sacrificing it all to save the people she loves…including Beck.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts I read very few Highlander romance books but Heather McCollum is one I enjoy. McCollum never has a “damsel in distress” feel to her stories even if the heroine needs help (which we all do) sometimes. But, I have never enjoyed pirate romance. Something doesn’t appeal to me with that genre but since it was McCollum I picked up this story.

With all that being said, this was not one of my favorites by McCollum but for a pirate romance it wasn’t bad. I never really enjoyed Eliza. She is so harsh and self-centered. Beck is another thing altogether. I adored him. He was so sweet and cared so much for Eliza. Was willing to do anything she needed. While she treated him like a doormat.

A part of me kept hoping Beck would realize he deserved better and some sweet lass would steal him away from Eliza. But, of course, this is a romance so a HEA happens and while not my favorites by McCollum I enjoyed the story.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Complications by Danielle Steel

TITLE: Complications
CHARACTERS: Olivier & Yvonne
AUTHOR: Danielle Steel
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/17/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Scandal and tragedy erupt against the backdrop of an exclusive Paris hotel in Danielle Steel’s riveting novel.

Known for its luxurious accommodations and bespoke service, the Hotel Louis XVI has been the most lauded boutique hotel in all of Paris for decades, attracting an international clientele of the rich and famous. Now, after four years of renovations and the death of its legendary and beloved manager, it is set to reopen its doors at last. An esteemed group of loyal returning guests is set to descend upon the hotel, joined by a number of new faces who have managed to secure coveted bookings in the wake of last-minute cancellations.

Awaiting them all is the Louis XVI’s new manager, Olivier Bateau, an anxious man whose lack of experience leaves him unprepared. He and his level-headed assistant manager, Yvonne Philippe, both strive to continue the hotel’s tradition of excellence. But they quickly realize that anything can happen at any moment, and on one cool September evening, everything does.

A successful art consultant arrives at the hotel for the first time since her brutal divorce, and is surprised to find new love—if she is willing to risk her heart again. A new guest contemplates ending his life, and saves a life instead. A couple finds their once-in-a-lifetime trip interrupted by a tragic medical emergency, leaving the idyllic future they’ve long waited for hanging in the balance. And one of the hotel’s most high-profile guests, a French politician and assumed presidential candidate, holds a mysterious meeting in his suite that will threaten his life and legacy. Rocked by the events of this one fateful night, guests and staff alike brace themselves for the aftershock, as it quickly becomes apparent that more dramas and misfortunes are still in store.

Danielle Steel tells an unforgettable story about a famed hotel, where a few complications quickly escalate into a matter of life and death, changing the lives of everyone who passes through its doors.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This story is perfectly titled. Why? Because well this story was a bit complicated to read for me. I have been a fan of Danielle Steel’s since I first read Jewels and then I moved back and read most if not all that I found of hers in garage sales and used book stores.

This story was her normal writing and yet not as familiar as her stories usually are. There were so many other stories going on that it was hard to keep up with the main characters. But that being said, the writing kept me interested and wanting to turn the page. But there were a number of times I actually had to go back and figure out who someone was.

The thing is I did give this a lower rating than I usually do for Danielle Steel but I am comparing this to her many many books (over 40) and we all know from any favorite author we have favorite reads and ones that do not fall into that category.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Dangerous Ground by Rachel Grant

TITLE: Dangerous Ground
SERIES #: Fiona Carver #1
CHARACTERS: Fiona Carver & Dean Slater
AUTHOR: Rachel Grant
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/17/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In the remote and unpredictable Aleutians, danger comes without warning in an adrenaline rush of a novel by USA Today bestselling author Rachel Grant.

Archaeologist Fiona Carver has unfinished business in the Aleutian Islands. After an emergency evacuation cut her first expedition short, she’s finally back. But time is not on her side as she races to finish documenting the remnants of a prehistoric village, recover missing artifacts, and track down missing volcanologist Dylan Slater.

Having bluffed his way onto Fiona’s team with fake credentials, wildlife photographer Dean Slater is willing to risk more than federal prison to find his missing brother, but he needs Fiona’s help. She knows the inhospitable terrain better than anyone.

When the two set out together on a perilous journey, it becomes more than a recovery mission. In their fight for survival, nature isn’t the only threat. They aren’t the only ones on the hunt. Mile by dangerous mile, someone is hunting them.

REVIEW:
I will say I picked this book thinking it was a different author (same last name) but once I realized I figured it was the first in the series so let’s give it a try. There are a few things that made me give this book a low rating.

One: it is more suspense than romance. Two: there is no true ending to this story because it is ongoing into the series, which I did not realize. Three: I really did not like Dylan at all. He thinks he is God’s gift to women, he actually thinks Fiona is his brother’s girlfriend and still hits on her, and he just doesn’t appeal to me at all. And finally: I have no idea why Fiona was written the way she was. She is so busy stroking Dylan’s ego that she seems like a doormat to me.

This was just not my cup of tea.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews The Island House by Amanda Brittany

TITLE: The Island House
CHARACTERS: Alice
AUTHOR: Amanda Brittany
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/11/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Once you’re on the island you’ll never want to leave… until you can’t

A DARK FAMILY SECRET

When Alice’s father dies after a tragic hit and run, his death stirs up unanswered questions about her childhood. Who was her mother, why did her father never speak of the past, and why can’t she remember anything before the age of seven?

AN ISLAND CUT OFF

But when she receives an anonymous letter containing a photograph of a refurbished gothic guesthouse surrounded by water, and an invitation to stay, old memories fight to resurface.

Alice has visited before. She is certain of it.

WHO WILL SURVIVE?

Convinced the clues to her past lie at the hotel, she checks in. But once on the island, a wild storm rages, waves crash violently into the rocks, and the house is cut off by the roaring sea.

Then two guests are found dead. And the hotel owner is missing. Will Alice ever uncover her secret past?

And will anyone leave the island alive?

An utterly gripping thriller that will leave you reading long into the night! Fans of The Guest List and The Sanatorium will love this nail-biting read.

REVIEW:
2.75 Hearts Honestly this was not for me. I gave it 3 stars because the writing was well done but I am realizing that I do not like the locked down mysteries that seem to be a big thing right now.

I liked some of the characters and like I said the writing was good. I ended up skimming a number of pages reading the conversations to get the gist of the story.

This trend is not for me but the writing was well done if I had been interested in the storyline more.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.