Zibs for Sale: a retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I did enjoy this book and do recommend it to parents who have young children. It continues the adventure of Shirl and Eee-ahh. Children who enjoy playing at space travel. This author writes really fun stories and I think many children would enjoy it.
Tracker by Tam DeRudder Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A steamy romance that starts just about at the beginning of this prequel? Riley, his brother Rio and their friend Seamus are Warriors and they’re tasked to find their Talisman mate. Riley can’t stop staring at Lynnette when they first meet. Wouldn’t you know it, they seem to be attracted to each other in more ways then one. When they decide to figure out their connection things go off the rails. What happens to Riley and to Lynnette?
This is a fun read and I enjoy reading about their connection to each other.
Devil’s Claw: A Logan McKenna Mystery/Thriller Book 3 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Devil’s Claw is the third book in the Logan McKenna Series and it hits even closer to home for Logan. This time around, Logan’s daughter, Amy, is involved in the drama. Although I hope that no one has as bad of luck as Logan, in the fact that all these murders, kidnappings, and overall bad things happen around her, they do make for an exciting series! Valerie Davisson delivers again with the same realistic characters and amazing world building. There are so many twists and turns and several point of views, yet Davisson is able to keep things from getting confusing or jumbled. There are so many factors going on in this book, but they all somehow come together wonderfully in a fantastic, thrilling tale, complete with fuzzy, cuddly sea otters!
Safe Harbor: Logan McKenna Book 5 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I recently started reading the Logan McKenna Mystery/Thriller series. Safe Harbor doesn’t disappoint! The main character Logan seems to get herself sucked into situations that aren’t exactly safe but sure makes for a great story! As usual, this book sucked me in from the beginning with some great world building and character development. Enjoyed learning a bit more about Logan’s family in this book. I think it’s easy to connect with Logan’s character as a reader and it makes me want to read more about Logan and her family & friends.
Forest Park: Logan Book 2 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The second book in the Logan McKenna Series, Forest Park, delivers the same great characters along with some new and lovable faces. I love the introduction of so many unique, diverse characters and the way Valerie Davisson discusses sensitive topics such as homelessness, PTSD, and addiction. She delivers a harsh reality while not becoming overly sentimental or preachy. I did read the first book in the series and believe that, although having some of the back story helped navigate this book, the books could be read as standalone stories. This book seemed to flow a little better than the first and still included amazing world building and descriptive imagination! Davisson paints such a vivid picture in the reader’s mind of the setting in which the story takes place. I can’t wait to read the next book!
Zibs for Sale: a retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another great story from a wonderful author. My kiddos love it when we get to read these together, and this was no different! I loved that this was more based on STEM than some others. Both of my kids (7 and 11) enjoyed reading this and sparking conversations on finding solutions and how you can make a bad decision without fully realizing. The illustrations are incredible, and I feel they definitely add more to the story. While you can read this as a standalone, I highly recommend picking up others in the series for the young ones in your life because they are all amazing!
Reviewed by @shannlynn
Chasing Cheer by Heather Schneider
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I finished this book so fast because it was that good! Chasing Cheer has definitely put me into the Christmas mood! I love a good Rom Com when it’s based around Christmas time! They’re always so fun and cute and full of life! Having the dual POV, alone makes a book great in my opinion. I love when we can see and feel from each character! Makes me fall in love with them even more. Please ready this cozy romantic cheerful holiday read! It’ll sure put you into the Christmas spirit!
SAFE HARBOR: Logan Book 5 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Each time I read another book in the Logan McKenna series, I find a new favorite! There is plenty of danger, suspense, and action which follows suit with the others in the series. I always enjoy the way this author vividly paints the scenery in each book. I find it incredibly easy to picture myself in these locations without ever having visited, which is not an easy feat by any means. Logan is always such a strong and independent character who seems to find herself in the middle of very mysterious (and dangerous) situations. You can read this as a standalone, but getting to know more and more about Logan through each book is definitely worth picking up the entire series. I can’t wait to get my hands on more from this author.
Reviewed by @shannlynn
My Big Red Monster by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“My Big Red Monster” is a children’s book written by Lois Wickstrom and illustrated by Priscilla Lamont. The book follows a little girl who is afraid of the big red monster that lurks under her bed. However, when she finally confronts the monster, she discovers that he is not so scary after all – in fact, he just wants to be her friend. Together, they embark on a fun adventure through the city and even stop a bully in his tracks.
The book is designed to help children learn to conquer their fears and embrace new friendships. The illustrations are colorful and engaging, which makes the book accessible and enjoyable for young readers. The storyline is simple yet effective in addressing common childhood fears.
Overall, “My Big Red Monster” is a lovely storybook that parents can read to their children as a bedtime story, or children can read on their own. It’s a fun and engaging way to teach kids about overcoming their fears and the importance of making new friends.
Almost and Forever by Angela K. Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Very touching heartwarming romance. You will laugh and cry but mostly you will fall love with this book and the characters. Beautifully written easy read, full of emotion, second chances, fate and forgiveness. The power of love is real and worth the wait. I don’t think you could be disappointed in this book, definitely a fantastic read.
Cruel Love: A College Sports Romance by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I couldn’t wait to read this book. Continuing Aspen and Phoenix’s journey. While faced with obstacles that young adults face. What will they choose? Will they fail or will they succeed? Overcoming that their now parents and now faced with harsh adult reality.
Cruel Love: A College Sports Romance by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Let me start this with PLEASE CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS. Your mental health is important! With that said, let’s continue.
You must read Cruel Start and Cruel Hate first! Otherwise, you will be very lost. Did the cliffhanger at the end of Cruel Hate leave you wanting and needing to know what happened because same. Aspen and Phoenix truly are a force to be reckoned with. I love their emotions and chemistry truly meshed so well within these pages. I loved them so much. Isla is definitely on my immediately-read list and I can not wait for the next one.
Reviews by @michellerenee6590
Woman Unbroken by Alexandra Fleder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Woman Unbroken by Alexandra Fleder. This was a very deeply moving book filled with emotion and heartbreak. Devorah Fields is a model and actress who is in hiding from her ex husband who was very abusive. Devorah truly believed she would be dead if she had not left. With her con artist dad in prison and her mother a British actress who had fled back to England due to the embarrassment of her husband. Devorah is all alone except for her cat Fergie. Devorah left home and married her ex at a young age because she wanted out of her crazy upbringing. Then when her prince charming turned into a monster she is devastated and heart broken. She decides to head back to her family home to hide from him and her only companion is her faithful cat Fergie. Every noise she hears she thinks its her ex and she is terrified. Will she be able to out smart her ex and finally get away from him forever or will he find her and finish what he promised. Such a gut wrenching read!
Shattered: Logan Book 1 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was my first book by Valerie Davisson but I love a good mystery/crime story so was eager to read it. The characters in this book are original, believable, and realistic. Logan seems like the type of person I could be friends with in real life. She is independent, hard working, and sassy; and I’m all for it! The story was original, combining an art festival with a murder, death and blossoming love. Amateur sleuthing takes Logan on a roller coaster of emotions and many twists and turns. I was unsure who was the killer for the longest time! I did feel like the story kept backtracking a few times, repeating contradictory information, but these instances were brief and I was able to pick up the story pretty well after. Overall, a great mystery by a new-to-me author!
Spectacular!
Great storytelling, with strong characters. This author paints a beautiful portrait of her stories. You will get hook from the start and not wanting it to end. I recommend this reading either as a separate piece or as a series.SAFE HARBOR: Logan Book 5 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Spectacular!
Great storytelling, with strong characters. This author paints a beautiful portrait of her stories. You will get hook from the start and not wanting it to end. I recommend this reading either as a separate piece or as a series.
SAFE HARBOR: Logan Book 5 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Logan our beloved main character finds herself in a sleepy peaceful Oregon town on vacation and going to go whalewatching with her boyfriend her son in law her daughter and her grandson.
But alas trouble follows Logan and another mysterious murder pops up in this sleepy little town and Logan finds herself again right in the center of it
Lots of small characters in this 5th book but wow I felt like I was watching a mind movie! All so realistic and incredibly well described
Safe Harbor: Logan McKenna Book 5 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Safe Harbor (Logan McKenna Series Book 5) by Valerie Davisson. I have loved every book in this series and this one was no different. Its about Logan is on a much needed vacation with Ben and her family and is excited to finally get to relax and explore Oregon and the Coast. When there is a murder Logan finds herself in the middle of it again and even finds herself as a suspect. She must solve this murder so that she can get herself out of this mess. When another body turns up and a long lost parent shows up things get even messier. Logan’s past has come to mess up her present and future unless she can get a handle on this situation! I have read all of these books in order but I do believe you can read them as standalones. This is a fun series that will keep you turning pages late in the night trying to solve who dun it!
Cruel Love: A College Sports Romance by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Cruel Love (Hidden Valley Elite Book 6) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Jessica Stone
Starting this review for anyone who doesn’t already know this is book 6 in this series and if you haven’t read the previous books you will have zero idea what’s going on, so go read them! They are super good, fun, fast, steamy reads.
This is the second part to Phoniex and aspens story and oh goshhhh it was so good. I love how much character development and relationships development takes place in this book, I always get so invested into the characters and I was genuinely worried for a bit that they weren’t going to get their HEA.
With every couples story’s coming to a head, more and more secrets and lies and manipulation within the family comes out and ties all the loose ends together and it has me feral the finish this series.
I think aspen faced some hard choices in this book and was put in some situations that she could have chosen to react to poorly with intention to hurt people like how she was feeling and she didn’t, and that speaks volumes for her character and character development in this story. Phoniex’s accident is heartbreaking, but honestly the best thing that could have happened to his character because it offer a sort of reset and ability for this book to head in a direction that you didn’t think it would reach in the first half of aspen and Phoniex’s duet.
All and all I’m thoroughly impressed with this series, the author has done a wonderful job of bringing everything together and leaving nothing behind to be forgotten in previous books. The characters are all real relatable people going through everyday challenges and situations facing their futures just we all have. I’m beyond excited for Shane’s Duet, this author loves her cliffhangers and I’m all aboard the Shane train to find out who/what his duet has in store for us readers.
Cruel Love, Hidden Valley Elite Series, Isla Vaughn, Review, Itsy Bitsy Book Bits, New Adult, Romance, Jessica Stone, October 2023
Merry Christmas, Montana by Elsa Winckler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another story by Elsa Winckler that gives you all the feels. The Millers welcome you into their family from book one and you feel like you belong there. A heartwarming story of Riley a single mother with a young son. A professional photographer who puts her child first. The Millers are a family that have faced tragedy, moved to a new location to start over. And over the course of the books man have they started new lives. In the 3rd book you just can’t help but fall in love with Riley as you get to know her better. The best part of all these books is that the characters are in each other’s book, so you really get to know them. Can’t wait to see what comes next.
Vanishing Day: A Logan McKenna Mystery/Thriller Logan Book 4 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
We continue Logans journey with her boyfriend Ben and her friends in Jasper California. In book 4 we also meet Lori a single mom hiding her 3 year old daughter and herself from a very abusive ex spouse hell bent on getting his daughter and everything he wants back. Logan and Lori become friends but when Lori’s ex crashes into the picture and grabs his daughter things turn ugly and Logan and the local detective Andrew are in a race against time.
Logan embroiled in this drama finds herself a target by Lori’s ex when he realizes Logan may have the information Lori’s been hiding from him.
Another well done story and though I fell in love with Logan books ago this easily could be a stand alone
Devil’s Claw: A Logan McKenna Mystery/Thriller Book 3 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
You just can’t resist the otter jokes in this one.
Logan and her ever interesting life finds her a struggling teacher trying to find funding for her music program. One day her daughter Amy who is currently home with Logan and Logan discover a tiny baby otter in need of rescue which Introduces you to an otter rescue and resource center in a sleepy seaside town funded by an elderly local who owns a prime piece of land that several greedy people want when she dies. Of course this will Introduce several new people Into Logans life and she finds herself in the center of another mystery racing to solve it as the perpetrator literally has nothing else to lose.
These stories are great. Logan always finds herself mid drama and this book finds several view points which can be confusing if you aren’t paying attention. I’ve gotten addicted to Logan and can’t wait to see what else happens in her life path!
Forest Park: Logan Book 2 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Logan goes on vacation to Portland and while she’s there a food truck explodes killing several. What Logan finds out quickly is she knows one of the deceased and it emblazoned her to get to the bottom of what’s happened. The police…. well they seem to be seeking all the wrong answers and are taking too long… are more people going to get hurt?
I love this character. She’s real and down to earth and relatable and this book weaves in other topics such as the struggles of immigrants chasing their American dream and all the ways they may be taken advantage of while following that dream. ON to more adventures with Logan in book 3!
Shattered: Logan Book 1 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Logans life has shattered she lost her husband in an auto accident, so she sells their business and starts over as a middle school teacher. In a strange finding she’s exceptionally good at it…so good people accuse her of helping her students cheat on standardized tests! Now out her husband and her job for the Sumner she finds a small house in a seaside town to go to and enjoy a arts festival. The unthinkable happens though and a young girl dies in the glassblowing booth and the festival shuts down. Many are questioned until they think they think they have found a culprit or have they?
This author has expertly built this character for me to care about what is happening and scrambling for another book to find more!
The Earl, Her Reluctant Guardian by Wareeze Woodson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This author has created a yet another fantastic historical romance story. I loved this book from the moment I started reading. I connected so easily with the characters and wanted to know more about them. I wasn’t quite expecting the ghost element of the story (my own fault for not reading the description!) but, surprisingly, it only added to the overall story.
I have enjoyed each book I have read by this author so far and I think this one has to be my favourite. The characters are brilliant and I loved watching their relationship develop. The book was so clearly written that I could picture everything with ease. This was a well written and great story. I am already looking forward to the next book that I read by this author.
Almost and Forever by Angela K. Parker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is an emotional and beautiful story that really tugs at your heartstrings. The author has done an amazing job of portraying loss and grief and the conflicting emotions this can bring with it. And through all of this, the connection between the characters really stood out. It was strong and consistent and really added another layer to the story.
I was pulled into this story right from the start and couldn’t put it down until I had finished reading it. I wanted to see how everything would play out and what would happen to the characters. I became really invested in them and their journey. I definitely shed tears reading this book and it entirely worth it. I would highly recommend this book, it is fantastic.
Killer Smile by Allan Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow! This author doesn’t disappoint. This is book 2 in the series but you don’t need book one to follow along in book 2.
Cade is a plain clothes detective. He has several contacts in the community as police officers tend to do. One night he’s pulled into what can only be described as a underground lab and asked to sign a NDA. It’s then he discovers on the dark web that serial killer are not Lone wolf’s as he previously presumed but rather they disturbingly have a whole community and “market” if you will to hire each other. What’s worse? Cades a target on the list!
Master Sardinia by Sylvia Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a series that I have enjoyed reading from the first book. This is the eighth book in this series which just keeps getting better and better with each book. I enjoy this author’s writing style that makes her characters pop and bring the story to life. I highly suggest reading the previous books in this series to help with your enjoyment of this series and this author’s skills. This is a well written story that is full of romance, suspense and steamy vampires. I enjoyed how the characters pulled me into their world with ease. They not only kept my attention throughout but made the story easy to read. They are connectable, relatable and highlight the story. This is a fast paced story that has not only great growth of the plot but great chemistry with the characters. I really enjoyed reading this book. I highly recommend this book.
Review by @bjwagner
Mystical Midlife Mate: A Paranormal Women’s Fiction Novel by Reggi Dupree
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the second book in the Hoodoo Texas Novel series. Reggie Dupree did not disappoint! Gwen must navigate finding out she was a demon, a mating bound, and her biological dad coming to pay her a visit. There are so many great parts in this story that my head was left spinning, much like Gwen. Again, Gwen’s kick ass humor brings a smile to my face. The ending felt a touch rushed but it did wrap up with the potential to another book in the series. There are many parts in the book that I felt empowered as women, which is a nice touch. I highly recommend it if you love romance, small towns, southern hospitality, and magic.
House of Blood and Whispers by Natalina Reis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’m in love with Cahki and Sung-jin! Cahki is a wild woman from Northern lands filled with ice and snow. She has been captured by slavers to be the emperor’s concubine. Sung-jin is the son of a tyrant emperor. With the proposal of getting married being Cahki’s only option of escape and Sung-jin’s desperate attempt to overthrow his father with an unlikely ally. The growth between these two characters really makes the House of Blood and Whispers worth reading! So many good surprises in store! Natalina Reis is an amazing author with her details and suspense perfectly hitting chapter after chapter. I am anxiously awaiting the next book, House of Blood and Pirates.
Cruel Love: A College Sports Romance by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Cruel Love: A Dark College Sports Romance (Hidden Valley Elite Book) by Isla Vaughn
4 out of 5 stars
I loved the story so much. This was the continuation on Aspen and Phoenix’s story. The story was so good and engaging. I was unable to put it down once I started reading. As I have said many times, I always enjoy reading the work of Isla Vaughn. Highly recommend to read the previous books before you jump into this one.
