Dakota Diva Book Reviews


  • The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue  by V.E. Schwab
    FICTION / March 31, 2021

    Would you make a deal with the darkness to get what you deeply desire? Would you trade your soul? And could you deal with the reality of the deal gone wrong? Because it always does. I liked this book a lot, even though many have called is somewhat boring. No, it's not an in your face mystery or passionate love story. Instead it kind of meanders through love and the value of life. Addie is a comple....


  • Local Woman Missing  by Mary Kubica
    MYSTERY , WOMEN'S FICTION , ADVANCE READING COPY / March 07, 2021

    I spent the weekend reading Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica. Thanks to Harlequin Books, Mary Kubica, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. The reader starts out 11 years before the current day with a short prologue of a woman going for run, and meeting a vague but implied bad ending. The reader then transitions to the story of Delilah, in current time, before heading to another character 11 y....


  • The Burning Girls  by C. J. Tudor
    MYSTERY , WOMEN'S FICTION / February 28, 2021

    I always grab C. J. Tudor's books. I loved the Chalk Man so much and always hope the author's latest effort will live up to the Chalk Man in elements of mystery and character. The Burning Girls is the story of Jack (yes, that's her name- Jack) and her daughter and their move to a small English village. A group of quirky, mean, and secretive characters greet Jack when she arrives and she quickly b....


  • 10 % Happier - How I Tamed The Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works - A True Story  by Dan Harris
    NON-FICTION / January 30, 2021

    So, who doesn't want to be happier? Exactly! Everyone, right? This caught my eye and when I flipped it open I found it was about meditating for better mental health. Well, I have tried to use meditation in my life on a few occasions but never really felt I got the hang of it. Here in 10% Happier the reader learns about the author and his own struggles with discontent, racing thoughts, and his sear....


  • The Priest  by Tiffany Reisz
    FICTION , WOMEN'S FICTION / March 29, 2020

    Three steps forward, two steps back. The Priest was on its way to be my favorite of Tiffany Reisz’s The Original Sinners series. The characters are starting anew in New Orleans after leaving New York City. The story opens with Soren gone, this is not unexpected to the regular reader, new readers might be puzzled. Nora has gained a dog and the pair seem to be thriving together, no small feat for a....


  • The Family Upstairs  by Lisa Jewell
    FICTION , WOMEN'S FICTION / March 02, 2020

    Things can really go off the rails in life! The Family Upstairs is a twisting tale of children caught in circumstance created by parents who seem lost and gullible. Enter in a man and women who take control of these lost parents and also the children.  As the reader swings back and forth between the chapters we are taken through the story by Libby, who has just inherited a huge house, then by Lucy....


  • The Peacock Emporium  by Jojo Moyes
    FICTION , WOMEN'S FICTION / February 05, 2020

    This was almost a DNF.  I found it somewhat slow. No, really slow. I know readers love her other novels, but based on this one I don't think I'm a fan. Save yourself and your time : read something else.


  • Where I End & You Begin  by Preston Norton
    FICTION , YOUNG ADULT / January 21, 2020

    This book caught my attention and although I thought it a bit slow at first I have decided it was worth reading just because I am so out of touch with the teenage experience. It's been a long time since I've been one and this book reminds me why I never want to be one again! It's tough! Anyway, it's a body swapping (yes, you read that right) life's not fair, experimenting with sexuality, family is....


  • Theater Nights are Murder  by Libby Klein
    FICTION , MYSTERY , ADVANCE READING COPY / December 01, 2019

    Theater Nights Are Murder is the latest mystery by Libby Klein. It is cute and quick. Nothing exceptional in this reviewer's opinion and in fact I found the murder almost uninteresting, instead finding Poppy's love triangle with Gia and Tim the best part of the plot. Still, readers of the "cozy" will probably enjoy the book.


  • The Hiding Place  by C. J. Tudor
    FICTION / May 30, 2019

    I wish I liked The Hiding Place more. True, the main character, Joe, is somewhat interesting to follow along with, but the plot doesn't come together for me. Gambling debts, childhood secrets, and what seems to be a "Pit" with mystical powers spin around in the book, not fully fleshed out in my opinion.  It was a quick read, but I don't think I will remember it in a week.