Category: 4 Star

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Kimberly reviews The Girl In White Gloves by Kerri Maher

TITLE: The Girl In White Gloves
CHARACTERS: Grace
AUTHOR: Kerri Maher
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/25/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A life in snapshots…

Grace knows what people see. She’s the Cinderella story. An icon of glamor and elegance frozen in dazzling Technicolor. The picture of perfection. The girl in white gloves.

A woman in living color…

But behind the lens, beyond the panoramic views of glistening Mediterranean azure, she knows the truth. The sacrifices it takes for an unappreciated girl from Philadelphia to defy her family and become the reigning queen of the screen. The heartbreaking reasons she trades Hollywood for a crown. The loneliness of being a princess in a fairy tale kingdom that is all too real.
Hardest of all for her adoring fans and loyal subjects to comprehend, is the harsh reality that to be the most envied woman in the world does not mean she is the happiest. Starved for affection and purpose, facing a labyrinth of romantic and social expectations with more twists and turns than Monaco’s infamous winding roads, Grace must find her own way to fulfillment. But what she risks–her art, her family, her marriage—she may never get back.

REVIEW:
As a HUGE fan of Grace Kelly I knew I was going to read this book come hell or high water. Luckily neither needed I just had to ask. I have read a number of biographies about Grace Kelly and know her story as much as the next fan does so I know that a number of liberties were taken with the writing of this story but then it is not being published as a biography so I was fine with the liberties and believed that maybe someone who reads this will go back and get a biography of her life and read the real Grace.

That being said the story is wonderful. The romance of Hollywood is not all we believe and even though we thought of her life as perfect it was far from it. And her life as a Princess was not all that wonderful either.

The reader flows through this book as Grace Kelly flowed on screen. The writing is great and as someone who can picture Grace Kelly in not only her fairy tale wedding dress but her beautiful “every day” clothes I could picture her on every page that was read.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Warsaw Protocol by Steve Berry

TITLE: The Warsaw Protocol
SERIES #: Cotton Malone #15
CHARACTERS: Cotton Malone
AUTHOR: Steve Berry
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/25/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In New York Times bestseller Steve Berry’s latest Cotton Malone adventure, the arrogant greed of politics comes face-to-face with the weight of history.

One by one the seven precious relics of the Arma Christi, the weapons of Christ, are disappearing from sanctuaries across the world.

After former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone witnesses the theft of one of them, he learns from his old boss, Stephanie Nelle, that a private auction is about to be held where incriminating information on the president of Poland will be offered to the highest bidder–blackmail that both the United States and Russia want, but for vastly different reasons.

The price of admission to that auction is one of the relics, so Malone is first sent to a castle in Poland to steal the Holy Lance, a thousand-year-old spear sacred to not only Christians but to the Polish people, and then on to the auction itself. But nothing goes as planned and Malone is thrust into a bloody battle between three nations over a secret that, if exposed, could change the balance of power in Europe.

From the tranquil canals of Bruges, to the elegant rooms of Wawel Castle, to the ancient salt mines deep beneath the earth outside Krakow, Malone is caught in the middle of a deadly war–the outcome of which turns on something known as the Warsaw Protocol.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts I have read some of this series but not all. But the thing is each book can be a stand alone. Even though knowing Malone from the beginning helps but it really isn’t mandatory.

What a book this one was! I was so glad I didn’t miss this one in the series.

One of the things I enjoy best about Steve Berry books is the history he puts into every one. History that most likely you have never heard about. I want to climb into the book and visit every city Berry writes about. And the concept story is great too.

Malone is serious but has his moments of levity which makes me enjoy him even more.

Right up there with Brad Meltzer and for me that says a lot.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Sisters By Choice by Susan Mallery

TITLE: Sisters By Choice
SERIES #: Blackberry Island #4
CHARACTERS: Sophie, Kristine & Heather
AUTHOR: Susan Mallery
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/11/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Cousins by chance, sisters by choice…

After her cat toy empire goes up in flames, Sophie Lane returns to Blackberry Island, determined to rebuild. Until small-town life reveals a big problem: she can’t grow unless she learns to let go. If Sophie relaxes her grip even a little, she might lose everything. Or she might finally be free to reach for the happiness and love that have eluded her for so long.

Kristine has become defined by her relationship to others. She’s a wife, a mom. As much as she adores her husband and sons, she wants something for herself—a sweet little bakery just off the waterfront. She knew changing the rules wouldn’t be easy, but she never imagined she might have to choose between her marriage and her dreams.

Like the mainland on the horizon, Heather’s goals seem beyond her grasp. Every time she manages to save for college, her mother has another crisis. Can she break free, or will she be trapped in this tiny life forever?

Told with Mallery’s trademark humor and charm, Sisters by Choice is a heartfelt tale of love, family and the friendships that see us through.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Oh how I adored this story and Oh how I love Susan Mallery! Susan has a way of bringing you right into her world and you not only want to visit you want to pack up and move there. Blackberry Island has been no different.

In this story we meet Sophie, Kristine and Heather. They are “Sisters By Choice”. We all have one of those or maybe more than one like in this case.

Having my own Sister By Choice made this story more real to me. My SBC and I have been through so much and yet when we should have fallen apart we grew closer together. As I read about Sophie, Kristine and Heather I knew they could and would survive it all together.

Susan Mallery is simply the best when it comes to writing. She is always the first I mention when someone asks who I read. And this story is just proof as to why. Another wonderful trip to Blackberry Island.

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

4 Hearts

 

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Kimberly reviews The Intended Victim by Alexandra Ivy

TITLE: The Intended Victim
SERIES #: The Agency #4
CHARACTERS: Remi & Ash
AUTHOR: Alexandra Ivy
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/31/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
ONCE, SHE GOT AWAY
The body lying on a cold steel slab bears all the hallmarks of the Chicago Butcher. There’s a cruel slash across her throat, deep enough to sever the carotid artery, and a small crescent carved into her right breast. Her delicate features are painfully familiar to Ash Marcel, once a rising star in the Chicago PD. But though the victim resembles his former fiancée, Remi Walsh, he knows it’s not her.

BUT THIS TIME
Though Remi escaped a serial killer five years ago, her father died trying to save her. Grief and guilt caused her to pull away from the man she loved. Now Ash is back in her life, insisting that Remi is still in danger.

IT’S A DEAD END . . .
Someone is targeting women who look just like Remi. With or without a badge, Ash intends to unmask the Butcher. But the killer isn’t playing games any longer. He’s moving in, ready to finish what he started, and prove there’s nothing more terrifying than a killer’s obsession . . .

REVIEW:
I have truly enjoyed all the works from Alexandra Ivy. There is nothing she can’t write and I can’t enjoy!

The suspense is well written (but then anything by Ivy is) but I found myself on the edge of my seat a few times. And this is certainly one that I said to myself “one more chapter” and then at the end of the chapter “ok one more”.

Remi and Ash make a great partnership and I hope that Jax (Ash’s brother) gets his own story soon. Because I have to say he was my favorite character in the book.

Another great read from Alexandra Ivy. I would say to read from the beginning of the series but that is just so you can be familiar with Ivy’s Agency. But it can be read alone.

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

4 Hearts

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Kelly reviews A Longer Fall by Charlaine Harris

TITLE: A Longer Fall
SERIES #: Gunnie Rose #2
CHARACTERS: Lizbeth Rose
AUTHOR: Charlaine Harris
NARRATOR: Eva Kaminsky
PUBLICATION DATE: January 14, 2020
RUN TIME: Hours & Minutes
ORDER LINKS: Audible | Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
NUMBER ONE ‘NEW YORK TIMES’ BEST-SELLING AUTHOR CHARLAINE HARRIS RETURNS WITH THE SECOND OF THE GUNNIE ROSE SERIES, IN WHICH LIZBETH IS HIRED ONTO A NEW CREW, TRANSPORTING A CRATE INTO DIXIE, THE SELF-EXILED SOUTHEAST TERRITORY OF THE FORMER UNITED STATES. WHAT THE CRATE CONTAINS IS SOMETHING SO POWERFUL, THAT FORCES FROM ACROSS THE THREE TERRITORIES WANT TO POSSESS IT.
In this second thrilling installment of the Gunnie Rose series, Lizbeth Rose is hired onto a new crew for a seemingly easy protection job, transporting a crate into Dixie, just about the last part of the former United States of America she wants to visit. But what seemed like a straight-forward job turns into a massacre as the crate is stolen. Up against a wall in Dixie, where social norms have stepped back into the last century, Lizbeth has to go undercover with an old friend to retrieve the crate as what’s inside can spark a rebellion, if she can get it back in time.
Number one ‘New York Times’ best-selling author Charlaine Harries (Sookie Stackhouse mysteries and Midnight Texas Trilogy) is at her best here, building the world of this alternate history of the United States, where magic is an acknowledged but despised power.

REVIEW:
A Longer Fall is the second installment of Charlaine Harris’ Gunnie Rose series.

A Longer Fall picks up a few months after the end of An Easy Death. We catch up with Lizbeth Rose (aka Gunnie Rose) and her new crew of Gunnies. We find them on a train headed to Dixie with a package. Dixie is not a place the Lizbeth would normally want to be but the package needs to be delivered. What should have been an easy sit on the box and deliver turns out to be not so lucky for the Lucky Crew. A train derailment leads Lizbeth and her crew facing enemy after enemy. But in the midst of all the chaos a familiar face emerges. One Lizbeth never thought she would ever see again.

Eva Kaminsky does a great job again bring these characters to life. I really enjoyed having her read this story to me. I do hope that she stays on for the rest of this series.

I really enjoyed this book and I am already looking forward to the next installment in this series. Lizbeth is a great character and I enjoy watching her grow as a person. I have high hopes for what might come next in this series.

Note: I would recommend reading this series in order. I think you could read book two without book one but there is a lot of history that you will miss if you don’t.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley, Edelweiss & Gallery / Saga Press in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Scorched Grounds by Debbie Herbert

TITLE: Scorched Grounds
SERIES #: Normal Alabama #2
CHARACTERS: Della Stallings
AUTHOR: Debbie Herbert
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/28/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From bestselling author Debbie Herbert comes a chilling, fast-paced story about family tragedy and confronting what terrifies us most.

In the eighteen years since her father went to prison for killing her mother and brother, Della Stallings has battled a crippling phobia. Her fear only grows when her father’s released. She still believes he killed her family, but the police don’t have enough evidence to arrest him again.

When new grisly murders occur—each bearing the telltale signs that seem to implicate her father—Della begins to wonder if the real murderer is still out there. Could her father have been framed?

To find the truth, Della must face her greatest fears and doubts—not only to find justice for her family but to ensure her own survival.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is the second in the series but I didn’t read the first but that being said this could be written as a stand alone.

Della witnessed her mother and brother murdered and her father charged with the crime. Now he is getting out of prison and when a murder occurs Della suspects her father but she and Detective Whitt take up the investigation but is it to find her father guilty or innocent?

The suspense was very well written and I enjoyed the characters. Normal, AL seems like a place that has a lot going on. Herbert has a way of writing that makes you interested in the characters and wanting to know what will happen next.

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

4 Hearts

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Kelly reviews Wicked Bite by Jeaniene Frost

TITLE: Wicked Bite
SERIES #: Night Rebel #2
CHARACTERS: Ian & Veritas
AUTHOR: Jeaniene Frost
PUBLICATION DATE: January 28.2020
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | Audible | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In the newest Night Rebel novel, set in New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress world, beautiful, daring vampire Veritas risks all to protect Ian…
Some promises are meant to be broken…
Veritas spent most of her life as a vampire Law Guardian. Now, she’s about to break every rule by secretly hunting down the dark souls that were freed in order to save Ian. But the risks are high. For if she gets caught, she could lose her job. And catching the sinister creatures might cost Veritas her own life.
Some vows are forever…
Ian’s memories might be fragmented, but this master vampire isn’t about to be left behind by the woman who entranced him, bound herself to him, and then disappeared. So what if demons, other Law Guardians, and dangerous, otherworldly forces stand against them? Come hell or high water, Ian intends to remind Veritas of the burning passion between them, because she is the only person seared on his mind–and his soul.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Ian is back and he is pissed!!
A mad Ian is not something you want to get in the way of. Not even his best mate Bones (sigh… Bones) can stop Ian from his mission.
The mission you ask?
To find his wife of course and ask her why the bloody hell she has been hiding from him.

Another great book from Jeaniene Frost!!!! Ian and Veritas story is great. I love that we are finally seeing another side of Ian that we all knew was there hiding under his tough guy façade. If you enjoyed Shades of Wicked (bk1) you will love Wicked Bite!! And we get a lot of camoes from some of our favorite Night Huntress characters, think Cat, Bones, Vlad, Lelia, and Mencheres.

Can’t wait to see what is next!!!!!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Edelweiss & Avon Books in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Moral Compass by Danielle Steel

TITLE: Moral Compass
AUTHOR: Danielle Steel
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/07/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
At an elite private school in Massachusetts, a wide circle of lives will be forever changed by a devastating series of events in Danielle Steel’s riveting new novel.

Saint Ambrose Prep is a place where the wealthy send their children for the best possible education, with teachers and administrators from the Ivy League, and graduates who become future lawyers, politicians, filmmakers, and CEOs. Traditionally a boys-only school, Saint Ambrose has just enrolled one hundred and forty female students for the first time. Even though most of the kids on the campus have all the privilege in the world, some are struggling, wounded by their parents’ bitter divorces, dealing with insecurity and loneliness. In such a heightened environment, even the smallest spark can become a raging fire.

One day after the school’s annual Halloween event, a student lies in the hospital, her system poisoned by dangerous levels of alcohol. Everyone in this sheltered community—parents, teachers, students, police, and the media—are left trying to figure out what actually happened. Only the handful of students who were there when she was attacked truly know the answers and they have vowed to keep one another’s secrets. As details from the evening emerge, powerful families are forced to hire attorneys and less powerful families watch helplessly. Parents’ marriages are jeopardized, and students’ futures are impacted. No one at Saint Ambrose can escape the fallout of a life-altering event.

In this compelling novel, Danielle Steel illuminates the dark side of one drunken night, with its tragic consequences, from every possible point of view. As the drama unfolds, the characters will reach a crossroads where they must choose between truth and lies, between what is easy and what is right, and find the moral compass they will need for the rest of their lives.

REVIEW:
Danielle Steel is truly one of the best and with this one she brings you into a dark and serious subject.

A boys school has been open to girls now but when that happens it brings trouble. After underage drinking and the rape of one of the girls the school and the students in it are dragged into the dark but real consequences that happen every day in this country.

WOW! What a story. In the age of #MeToo this is poignant and provocative. I found myself hurting for each of the characters even the guilty but especially the victim. This story is a must-read for every teenager, boy or girl.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Nothing Ventured by Jeffrey Archer

TITLE: Nothing Ventured
CHARACTERS: Detective William Warwick
AUTHOR: Jeffrey Archer
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/03/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Nothing Ventured heralds the start of a brand new series in the style of Jeffrey Archer’s #1 New York Times bestselling Clifton Chronicles: introducing Detective William Warwick. But this is not a detective story, this is a story about the making of a detective . . .

William Warwick has always wanted to be a detective, and decides, much to his father’s dismay, that rather than become a lawyer like his father, Sir Julian Warwick QC, and his sister Grace, he will join London’s Metropolitan Police Force.

After graduating from university, William begins a career that will define his life: from his early months on the beat under the watchful eye of his first mentor, Constable Fred Yates, to his first high-stakes case as a fledgling detective in Scotland Yard’s arts and antiquities squad. Investigating the theft of a priceless Rembrandt painting from the Fitzmolean Museum, he meets Beth Rainsford, a research assistant at the gallery who he falls hopelessly in love with, even as Beth guards a secret of her own that she’s terrified will come to light.

While William follows the trail of the missing masterpiece, he comes up against suave art collector Miles Faulkner and his brilliant lawyer, Booth Watson QC, who are willing to bend the law to breaking point to stay one step ahead of William. Meanwhile, Miles Faulkner’s wife, Christina, befriends William, but whose side is she really on?

This new series introduces William Warwick, a family man and a detective who will battle throughout his career against a powerful criminal nemesis. Through twists, triumph and tragedy, this series will show that William Warwick is destined to become one of Jeffrey Archer’s most enduring legacies.

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts This is a new series by Jeffrey Archer and I found it really interesting. First, I have a problem with British stories. Mainly it takes me a time or two of reading the same sentence once in a while to understand the different meanings of the same words between Britain and the USA.

That being said it was still a quick interesting read. It kept me wanting to keep reading. The new character of William Warwick I found very interesting to read. The best part was he wasn’t proficient at his newly acquired private eye job and it was fun to see him learning the ropes.

Highly recommended if you enjoy suspense. Can’t wait to read more in this series by Archer.

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

4 Hearts

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Kelly reviews A Hero On Mount St Helens by Melanie Holmes

TITLE: A Hero on Mount St. Helens: The Life and Legacy of David A. Johnston
AUTHOR: Melanie Holmes
PUBLICATION DATE: May 18, 2019
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Serendipity placed David Johnston on Mount St. Helens when the volcano rumbled to life in March 1980. Throughout that ominous spring, Johnston was part of a team that conducted scientific research that underpinned warnings about the mountain. Those warnings saved thousands of lives when the most devastating eruption in U.S. history blew apart Mount St. Helens, but killed Johnston on the ridge that now bears his name. Melanie Holmes tells the story of Johnston’s journey from a nature-loving Boy Scout to a committed geologist. Blending science with personal detail, Holmes follows Johnston through encounters with Aleutian volcanoes, his work helping the Portuguese government assess the geothermal power of the Azores, and his dream job as a volcanologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Interviews and personal writings reveal what a friend called “the most unjaded person I ever met,” an imperfect but kind, intelligent young scientist passionately in love with his life and work and determined to make a difference.

REVIEW:
May 18, 1980
“Vancouver, Vancouver, This is it.”

Being from the Pacific Northwest and loving our mountains I understand David Johnson’s draw to Mt. St. Helens. It was amazingly beautiful mountain, it still is but in a very different way. I have climbed St. Helens twice now, once before reading this book and once after. I took a few extra moments the second trip up just for David. I was young when St. Helens blow but grow up learning about it and remember hearing David’s warning to Vancouver.

It was a wonderful tribute to a man who died doing what he loved. If you are from the PNW (or really anywhere) you should pick up this book and learn more about this wonderful young man.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & University of Illinois Press in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Fallen by Rebecca Zanetti

TITLE: Fallen
SERIES #: Deep Ops #2
CHARACTERS: Brigid & Raider
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Too quiet. A talented hacker who got caught, Brigid Banaghan is now forced to work with a secret Deep Ops unit. But she won’t reveal any more to these renegade Feds than she has to. Especially not to Raider Tanaka, her control freak of a bodyguard and handler. It’s enough that his body is tensed for action and his heated gaze is always on her . . .

Too sharp. Raider knows there’s more to his new assignment than he’s been told. Why send a deadly agent of his experience to guard a computer genius—even a gorgeous, unpredictable, undisciplined one? But when Brigid’s estranged father is named in an investigation into Boston’s organized crime, Raider’s mind switches onto high alert, just like his senses . . .

Too close. To clear her father’s name, Brigid needs Raider’s help. The Unit’s idea that she bring a straight-laced Fed in as her “fiancé” won’t fly, though—not unless Raider can release his inner bad boy and become the rebel Brigid can’t resist . . .

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts To know if a book is good you only need to read two words… Rebecca Zanetti.

Raider and Brigid… Aw! Love them! They are perfectly meant for each other.

What I enjoyed most was the twist and turns. There were so many in this story.

Rebecca Zanetti is one of the best. She drags you into the story within the first few pages and never lets you go. By the end of the story you aren’t glad it is over you are sad that you have to come out of her world and leaves you waiting for the next in the series.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Bloody Genius by John Sandford

TITLE: Bloody Genius
SERIES #: Virgil Flowers #12
CHARACTERS: Virgil Flowers
AUTHOR: John Sandford
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/01/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Virgil Flowers will have to watch his back–and his mouth–as he investigates a college culture war turned deadly in the latest thriller from #1 New York Times-bestseller John Sandford.

At the local state university, two feuding departments have faced off on the battleground of PC culture. Each carries their views to extremes that may seem absurd, but highly educated people of sound mind and good intentions can reasonably disagree, right?

Then someone winds up dead, and Virgil Flowers is brought in to investigate . . . and he soon comes to realize he’s dealing with people who, on this one particular issue, are functionally crazy. Among this group of wildly impassioned, diametrically opposed zealots lurks a killer, and it will be up to Virgil to sort the murderer from the mere maniacs.

REVIEW:
Great book! I really enjoy books that keep me guessing but then also I enjoy when I am pretty sure of the “who-dun-it” and find out I was right.

Virgil is such an interesting character that I find myself trying to figure out how he is going to act before he even starts his investigation.

This is a great story that has twists and turns and I loved reconnecting with some of the characters we have met in previous books.

I also love the sub-plots and crimes that Virgil somehow gets wrapped up in.

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

4 Hearts