This book was fabulous, like dusting off the old nifty thrifty time traveling machine and landing right in the middle of the New York socialite scene of the forties and fifties. Of course, I would arrive in Chanel and loaded with diamonds. This story is opulent and luscious, a feast of deliciousness. One thing though, when my Rolls Royce time machine stops at La Côte Basque, I hope Truman Capote is standing right there so I can smack him in his obnoxious, schmucky little head. He didn't deserve the love and admiration of Babe Paley. For that matter, I'm not even sure he deserved the love of the literary scene. How could this doink write such a brilliant book as In Cold Blood and then transform himself into a glorified gossip columnist, no better than Hedda Hopper or Louella Parsons. Or even worse, Perez Hilton. Oh! Truman! How could you?!

Visiting this glamorous time in history was so much fun. I've always been fascinated with the beautiful women that were trend setters and style icons of the forties, fifties, and sixties. Unfortunately, just because they were gorgeous and rich didn't mean these social elites were happy. But, they were happy for a little while, Truman and his swans. This book was juicy goodness.

~ Sixth book completed in #CleanSweepARC Challenge. ~

**Won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Opinions are my own.**

The beautiful and gracious, Babe Paley

Gloria Guinness, Bill Paley, CBS founder, Babe Paley (in mask),

at Truman Capote's Black and White Ball, 1966

Slim Keith

Marella Agnelli

Pamela Digby (Churchill Hayward) Harriman

Gloria Guinness 

CZ Guest

Truman Capote

Capote and Gloria Guinness 

The Paley's and a young Capote

Slim Keith and Capote

CZ Guest and Capote

Capote and Marella Agnelli

Babe Paley had only one fault; she was perfect. Otherwise, she was perfect. -

Truman Capote. 

Bookburners is a serial about a detective named Sal Brooks who joins a secret Vatican Black-Ops Squad after her brother gets possessed by demons after handling an ancient text that houses dark magic and demons. The squad is tasked with retrieving these books before more demons are spread through the world.

I wasn't sure what to expect going in to this but I knew the serial was about books so I couldn't pass it up. I know my description sounds far out there but the story was actually pretty realistic and not too unbelievable. There's a little bit of mystery, a little action and fantasy and the story moves at a good pace. The black-ops squad is a mix of some pretty cool and quirky characters too.

This was the first episode of Season 1 and there are 16 episodes in this season. I'm definitely going to continue with the serial. I'm very curious to see what happens next. If you're interested in learning more, you can go to www.serialbox.com 

*I received Bookburners: The Complete Season One ARC from NetGalley & Serial Box Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

24hr Clean Sweep ARC Read-a-Thon Book 1

To kick off the 24hr ARC Read-A-Thon I'm starting Season One: Episode 1 of the Bookburners serial. I wasn't sure what to expect but it's kind of cool!

It's 3:30 am and I'm just kicking off the 24hr Clean Sweep ARC Read-A-Thon! Anyone can join the fun! If you have some ARCs you need to clean out, you can still sign up at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. Good luck to everyone participating!

A Mystical Reading Experience.

Upon completing this book, I feel like I might have drank ayahuasca myself. Was it a great reading adventure? Yes! However, I'll admit that I was often confused with events. The journey through the story was like nothing I've read before. Points for that. I enjoy a book with magical qualities and subject matter that is new to me. Gods of Inca, past life regression, reincarnation, finding one's self in Ecuador. Like I said, quite the adventure. I'm always amazed at an author's ability to write such imaginative stories. How does one conjure up such imagination, one that seems so vivid, like the only way one would know this stuff is through experience? I guess that's why I'm a reader, not a writer. Or, not a published writer. I write but I doubt my mind could think up stuff like the story between the pages of this book. One thing, I could've done without so many unimportant thoughts and observations made by the characters. A little wordy at times. This is Bensman's first novel. Hard to believe. The writing has a poetic quality. It's very deep and psychological. Again, I won't pretend to understand the entirety but I get the story being told. I only wish I knew how and why the protagonist has lived then and now. I know the triggers, I'm just not sure of the how'd-that-happen. Its fiction, though. Good fiction is not required to give an answer.

Was it a dream? What do the visions mean? Shortly after seeing unexplained hallucinations, Megan Kimsey is struck by tragedy, a tragedy that will change the course of her life. Somehow, the visions Megan thought she imagined are now coming true. Why? How is she seeing events before they occur?

Dreams, and a feeling of déjà vu, will lead her to Baños, Ecuador, where her past will catch up to her future.

**DRC courtesy of indieBRAG, bragmedallion.com. 

~ Fourth book completed in #CleanSweepARC Challenge ~