SEQUINS, SECRETS, AND SILVER LININGS by Sophia Bennett-REVIEW

  

Nonie loves fashion. She has her own style that sometimes stumps her friends and family. At the beginning of the book you get the impression that she and her mother don't have much of a relationship, but towards the end it seems they develop a mutual respect for one another. Nonie seems closest to her older brother Harry.

Jenny had a small part in a recent hit movie. At first every time she shows up on the red carpet everything she wears looks totally disastrous on her. Instead of looking like a young starlet she looks miserable. She also has a crush on the boy who played her brother in the film. He is the new drool-worthy hot young hunk that all the girls are screaming about.

Edie is the humanitarian of the group. But for someone who has empathy for the downtrodden she can be brutally honest.

While shopping one day they meet Crow. She has set up a booth to sell her homemade clothing. They take her under their wings, and provide a place for her to create her clothing. They learn that she is from Uganda sent to live with her Aunt to get her away from her village and away from the rebels that kidnap children and make them into slaves or soldiers.

When approached to do a fashion show the girls set out to help Crow reach her dream of creating fabulous clothing. They also have the goal of raising awareness of what is going on in Uganda and to provide help for families to find their abducted children.

I really enjoyed this story. I enjoyed getting to know each girls' character. It was light-hearted yet there was compassion in each of the girls. The next book in the trilogy comes out in Spring 2012 entitled: Beads, Boys, and Bangles.

IN THE SHADOW OF EVIL by Robin Caroll-Repost from October 2010

MY ONLY VICE(Julie's other blog) is offering this book as a giveaway on her blog. Check it out to enter the drawing. 

Layla is a contractor. An unusual profession for a woman. But she is very good at her work. In fact she has just been nominated for a prestigious award. When one of the homes that she has built burns down and a dead body is found in the remains Layla becomes a suspect.


Maddox is the detective working the case. He too is good at his job. His one regret is that he was never able to find the person who murdered his mother. With a broken relationship with his father, and resentment towards a God that would allow his mother to die Maddox is only too willing to believe the worst of Layla.

Layla decides that she is going to try to discover who burned the house and murdered the person inside. While seeking answers from the various people that she contracted to work the site the killer realizes that she needs to be warned off. Layla is side-tracked when people she knows are brought to the hospital with bleeding noses that won’t stop and respiratory problems. The doctors can’t figure out what is the common denominator in the symptoms and they can’t identify what is causing the symptoms.

When Layla’s sister Alana’s fiance’ is hurt in an explosion, Maddox and his partner decide that they need to protect Layla from whomever is trying to hurt her. With their growing attraction for each other sparks fly! But Layla’s faith baffles Maddox. As the mystery unfolds and relationships are mended Maddox begins to see how faith is an important part of our existence.

As the killer becomes more desperate Maddox and Layla race the clock to find out the reason behind the killings. Will they be in time to prevent another tragedy?

Robin Caroll has written an excitement-filled story that will keep the reader wanting to turn the pages until the very end.

This is an inspirational novel appropriate for Young Adults and older.

THE LEGACY by Gemma Malley-REVIEW

It is unheard of for people taking Longevity to die. But it is happening. People are dying. Pincent Pharma is blaming the Underground for sabotaging a batch of Longevity. Panic ensues and once again people are turning against the Underground, Opt Outs, Surpluses and anyone known to be sympathetic to them. Neighbor turns against neighbor.


Peter and Anna are hidden away with their family. Jude is monitoring Pincent Pharma while also feeling underappreciated. Sheila is still looking for her parents. Pip, the leader of the Underground, has many secrets.

Has Longevity been sabotaged or was there something wrong with it from its inception? Were people really meant to live forever?

It took me a little bit to get into this book, but it was worth reading. It took a bit to get into because the beginning was pretty boring with all of the rehashing of what went on before in the other two books(The Declaration and The Resistance). But once that was finished the story picked up the pace and ultimately turned into a page-turner.