Dakota Diva Book Reviews


  • Dracul  by Dacre Stoker and J. B. Barker
    FICTION / April 28, 2019

    Holy Cow, this book blew my mind! Dracula is one of my all time favorites so when I saw this I decided to give it a try. It is a combination of fact and fiction, woven into a prequel of sorts to Dracula. In it we meet Bram Stoker, who is inserted into the story as if he is a fictional character.  We meet his family too, and a slightly odd nanny named Ellen. This nanny is the source of the creepy, ....


  • Closing the Deal  by Marie Harte
    AUDIO BOOK / April 28, 2019

    At 3 hours and 45 minutes this audio book is a quick listen.  It is the story of Derrick and Sydney and although too quick to get into a lot of depth, I really enjoyed it. There are sex scenes, somewhat graphic, so if that's not your thing you should skip this.  On another note, I thought the voice actress Emma Wilder did a good job reading the parts, sometimes this can make or break an audio book....


  • Southern Discomfort  by Tena Clark
    NON-FICTION / March 01, 2019

    So many books come across my desk, but this one really caught my eye. I had no idea who the author was, but I knew this non-fiction story would be interesting. Tena Clark is a lesbian growing up in Mississippi during the 1950's and 1960's. That would probably be enough to fill a book, right? Now add in a cheating father and an alcoholic mother and we are really in for a story. Overall I thought it....


  • Baby Teeth  by Zoje Stage
    FICTION / February 13, 2019

    Whoa, just whoa. This book isn't just fiction, it's horror. Old fashion "The Omen" or "Carrie" horror.  Written as a domestic suspense novel, Baby Teeth is the story of Hannah, a terror of a child and her parents who are bewildered as they try to raise her. Hannah is intelligent, manipulative, and down right evil. A nightmare. My only criticism about this book is that I thought it wrapped up a bit....


  • The Rose  by Tiffany Reisz
    FICTION , EROTICA , ADVANCE READING COPY / February 13, 2019

    If you are a fan of Tiffany Reisz you might as well skip this review and go purchase The Rose.  I say this because I think this is one of the author's best offerings. It is explicit, actually sometimes just a touch beyond explicit, if that's even possible. Still, it is written as a combination of erotic fantasy and Greek mythology which is a perfect match.  The story begins with the characters of ....


  • Once Upon A River  by Diane Setterfield
    FICTION , MYSTERY , WOMEN'S FICTION / January 14, 2019

    This book is fascinating. The type of book that you want to read a second time. Like a river there are so many bends and runs, so many facets. This is a "story of stories" with family love at the center of three distinct families and their potential relationship with a mute girl who turns up in a small town. The characters of the novel are somewhat simple people. Some more or less educated than ot....


  • The Boy  by Tami Hoag
    FICTION , ADVANCE READING COPY / January 12, 2019

    The Boy is Tami Hoag's latest crime novel. In it a little boy has been brutally stabbed to death and it's up to Louisiana dectectives Nick and Annie to find the killer. It has been awhile since I have read anything by Hoag, but when I saw this on NetGalley I decided to request it. (Many thanks to Hoag, Dutton, and NetGalley for the ARC.) Some crime novels are hard to follow but Hoag's writing and ....


  • Christmas at Strand House,  by Linda Mitchelmore
    FICTION , ROMANCE , ADVANCE READING COPY / December 11, 2018

    Lissy has inherited Strand House and plans to spend Christmas there.  A few friends will join her. So begins a sweet story that revolves around each person's unique situation in life.  Nothing too gripping, but really a story of how we move forward in our imperfect lives. I received a copy from NetGalley. Thanks to author Linda Mitchelmore.


  • Will's Red Coat  by Tom Ryan
    NON-FICTION / December 04, 2018

    Will's Red Coat by Tom Ryan made me cry. In a good way, if that's possible. It is a non-fiction recounting of a dog's last years and how the author helps this abandoned dog trust and love again.  I enjoyed this quick read on many levels. The authors discussions of patience and simplicity and how they fit in with end of life can apply to us all.  A must read for animal lovers.


  • Unraveling Oliver  by Liz Nugent
    FICTION / August 30, 2018

    I couldn't stop reading Unraveling Oliver. This book grabbed my attention with exceptionally vivid characters and a fast twisting plot. We start with Oliver, who has just beaten his wife Alice into a coma. Yes, that is the start of the story!! The format of the novel goes from past to present and into multiple points of view, but I had no problem following along. We live and learn about the charac....