The Silent Forest by David Duane Kummer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was the second book to The House on the Hill series. It picks up exactly where Misery House ended. It keeps you guessing what will happen next. It gives a lot of answers to questions from the first one but it also adds a ton more. Looking forward to reading a 3rd installment.
The Misery House by David Duane Kummer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“The House on the Hill watched me. It observed without a sound as I exited the front door.”
Suspense, mystery, and Thriller in one. When a business is burned down and bodies found inside followed by a disappearance people in the small town of New Haven are looking for answers. This was part Thriller about a possible arsonist and murderer and part ghost story. It was enjoyable even if the ending left you with a multitude of questions.
Wasabi by C.A. King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wasabi is book 3 and the last, in C.A. King’s phenomenal Evil Sushi Series. I want to start off by mentioning how much I loved the cover design, the color scheme is perfect, and the overall feel is super ominous which was honestly a great decision considering the contents! I dove right into this after reading Sashimi, and I’m letting you know I wholeheartedly devoured this masterpiece in just one sitting! All three of these books really make you stop and consider what it is we’re really doing to the environment and I really think that’s important. I’m sad it’s the last in the series, however moving forward, I’ll be getting my hands on any C.A. King book I can find! I definitely adored this series, and I recommend reading them all, in order!
Sashimi by C.A. King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Sashimi is book two in C.A. King’s Evil Sushi Series. I knew the moment I picked this up it was gonna be full of more suspense, mystery, and dystopian horror, and boy was I blown out of the water! King has created such a truly unique series, that will absolutely keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through. Whoever thought the world would be depending on fisherman?! An absolutely gripping read, I’m diving right into book 3, Wasabi, and i think you should too!
What a great first in the series! This is my first book by this author, and I am really impressed. I love how the author came up with the name of this book. Libby almost burned her house down the first day of being there by her toaster. The fire department shows up, and Zach, a fireman, gets her out of the house, and this is when it starts. The chemistry is definitely there, and Zach is in love from the beginning, but Libby has a lot of emotional baggage from her life with her mother and her many men. Libby doesn’t trust love and is totally scared of it. This book has just enough spice, but boy, could the author really spice this one up if she wanted to. I rate this book as a 4.7, but that’s not an option on this platform. Can’t wait for the next book in this series!
.•°*°•. BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE .•°*°•.Goodreads – The Amanda Mini-Mysteries by Lois Wickstrom
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Lois is a former science teacher. She has written a series of science-based folktales. In each modernized tale, the protagonist achieves a better ending because of learning scientific principles. Lois likes to garden, ride her bike with her husband, cook, and she votes in every election.
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212422057-the-book-of-fears” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”The Book of Fears: A Collection of Short Stories” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1714564401l/212422057._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212422057-the-book-of-fears”>The Book of Fears: A Collection of Short Stories</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49546539.K_S_Gantt”>K.S. Gantt</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6620032847″>4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
While some phobias are weird and we may find them ridiculous they are very real. This took me back to the Scary Stories collection of my childhood but with more details to creep you out. While this book won’t keep me up at night it was still enjoyable. Each story dealt with a different phobia someone was trying to over come and some were relatable. I liked that these were short stories and each just enough details for the reader to get an idea of what was happening without being too drawn out.
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<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/106111308-charlisa-wahtomy-alba”>View all my reviews</a>
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/145631184-second-glance” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Second Glance (The Serrulata Saga)” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1682924106l/145631184._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/145631184-second-glance”>Second Glance</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21380380.A_E_Bennett”>A.E. Bennett</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6620000409″>5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Lord Upsur and Commandant Iseul embark on a forbidden relationship after a chance encounter. Both men have a lot to lose but staying away from one another is out of the question. Will their love be able to survive all of the hardships? Even though this wasn’t a very long book it had substance with a well developed plot and characters. I haven’t read any of the other books related to this story but I will be checking them out.
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<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/106111308-charlisa-wahtomy-alba”>View all my reviews</a>
By Your Side by Ashley Erin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Can I say this book definitely gave me Nicholas Sparks vibes as I read it and I love that author so you know I devoured this lickity split lol and so will you. Also you might want to grab a tissue or two lol . By Your Side is the first book in the Willowbrook Lake series by Ashley Erin. This author has crafted a heartwarming tale between the main characters Adeline and Owen. The small-town charm this author has vividly built with well-developed characters that were weaved together perfectly. Through love, friendship, personal growth you’ll definitely love the journey this authors storytelling will take you on🥰 I know I did. I am looking forward to Raelynn and Cameron’s I can’t wait!
By Your Side by Ashley Erin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Can I say this book definitely gave me Nicholas Sparks vibes as I read it and I love that author so you know I devoured this lickity split lol and so will you might a tissue or two. By Your Side is the first book in the Willowbrook Lake series by Ashley Erin. This author has crafted a heartwarming tale between the main characters Adeline and Owen. The small-town charm this author has vividly built with well-developed characters that were weaved together perfectly. Through love, friendship, personal growth you’ll definitely love the journey this authors storytelling will take you on🥰 I know I did. I am looking forward to Raelynn and Cameron’s I can’t wait!
Opposite Day for Dinopotamus by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a great book to teach “little ones” about opposites!
Dinopotamus has an adventurous day at school…it’s “Opposite Day!” Wickstrom has created a great way to teach opposites to children. The illustrations are engaging, and the story keeps children’s attention. It isn’t your average book about opposites. It really makes children think, but it is also a fun book to read.
Oscar and Emmy’s First Christmas: An adorable Christmas story of two kittens enjoying the holidays. Christmas cat book. by Terri Sabol
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a precious Christmas story about two kittens adopted by their forever family!
Oscar and Emmy’s Christmas is a dream come true, with their forever home and a loving family. The two children in the family play a significant role, showering the kittens with love and adoration. Sabol beautifully captures the kittens’ curiosity, especially during the festive season, with bright decorations and crinkly gift wrapping.
This was a great book about Christmas traditions, family, and furbabies!
Stout of My League by Sylvie Stewart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Stout of My League is the 4th book of the Love on Tap series. I have read 3 of the 4 now, and I really love them. Somehow I missed one, but plan to go back, because they are really good! I feel like this book was a little more steamy than the others, so mature readers only. This book focuses on Lynn Brooks (her 3 older brothers were each featured in the previous books in the series). Her brothers are over protective of her- she’s the youngest, the only girl, and their father passed away… its a given! However, she is bound and determined to be a strong independent woman, and proves to be so many times in this book. She has no intentions of dating an athlete, but working in a baseball stadium, she is bound to see one or two hotties… Fate may be in play, as Lynn and Joey cross paths several times, until they can no longer ignore it.
Reviewed by @way2gosmartguy
Oscar and Emmy Weather a Hurricane by Terri Sabol
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Oscar and Emmy Weather a Hurricane is a fun yet informative book about preparing for a natural disaster.
The book is beautifully illustrated, and the reader experiences the hurricane through Oscar and Emmy’s eyes. The author includes essential facts about hurricanes and gives readers a detailed list for a pet disaster kit. In addition, it provides vital facts like keeping phones charged, batteries for flashlights, having extra gas for the grills, and safe places to stay in your home.
Facts about Hurricane Harvey are included, as well as how the community came together to help each other, especially organizations that helped with pets. This was a great story that was very informative for people of all ages who may find themselves in the same situation.
Opposite Day for Dinopotamus by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Very quick read with cute illustrations. Love that the author uses easy examples of opposites as well as a more difficult example. My kids are really enjoying the stories by this author.
Fast pace with lots of twist and turns. Great characters with great descriptive scenes to engage you in the book. This author does a great job of drawing you in and allowing you to keep peace with her throughout. Can be read as standalone or part of the series.
Second Glance by A.E. Bennett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Fast pace with lots of twist and turns. Great characters with great descriptive scenes to engage you in the book. This author does a great job of drawing you in and allowing you to keep peace with her throughout. Can be read as standalone or part of the series.
Flying at Recess by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Soara and her friends Lulu and Zanie do everything together, except Soara has the ability to fly. Her friends support her on her adventures, but when recess is over and they become worried Soara needs to hurry to get back to her friends and school.
A great book for using your imagination. The illustrations are beautiful in this story and Soara is a wonderful character.
Oscar and Emmy’s First Christmas: An adorable Christmas story of two kittens enjoying the holidays. Christmas cat book. by Terri Sabol
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Cute short children’s book about 2 kittens and their first experience with a Christmas tree and all things Christmas. This is a quick read and would be perfect for Christmas eve with littles at home.
Oscar and Emmy Weather a Hurricane by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an informative story. From reading the title we learn this is based on a true story. Very adorable illustrations of the cats and their humans. Learning about emergency kits and evacuations. All very informative and helpful for young kids and for pet owners alike. End of the book even gives you a list of all things that should be kept in an emergency kit.
Flying at Recess by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a cute read for young readers. We follow Soara who can fly! At recess she cannot be seen but her friends know where she is at. One day she flies farther than usual to follow the butterflies. We get to join her on her adventure and see if she can make ut back before recess ends. An adorable story that shows with imagination you can do anything. It is complete with beautiful illustrations. An absolutely fun read!
Flying at Recess by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another wonderful story by an incredible author! I make a point to seek out this author’s books because my kids love them so much. I may be (a little) older than the targeted audience, but I’m a child at heart, so I end up having a blast too. Soara loves to fly around high in the clouds and spend time with the butterflies. Can you get lost when you’re flying? Find out with Soara and her friends. We played an imaginative ‘what if’ game after reading this and explored our own flying world at home. We loved the illustrations as they really add more depth to the story and kept both of my kids’ attention. Share this fun adventure with the young ones in your life at home, at school, or at daycare!
Reviewed by @shannlynn
Second Glance by A.E. Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Second Glance is a Serrulata Saga Romance Novel. It’s part of The Serrulata Saga but can be read as a standalone, as I did. On its own, it is an enjoyable M/M romance with a disabled main character, and it certainly got me interested in reading more of the series with occasional hints to the events covered in other books.
Patrick and Iseul’s relationship is certainly something they cannot pursue in public, so they have to find ways to meet and communicate in secret. Events beyond their control sometimes bring them together, and sometimes push them apart as they try to make their dream of a life together a reality.
This book is set over a fairly long period of time, with lots of time jumps. At times it felt a bit rushed and lacked flow, but I do like that their relationship had time to develop.
I’d recommend this book to fans of LGBTQ+ fantasy. It gets four stars from me!
Opposite Day for Dinopotamus by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My family loves it when I bring home books by this author! We always have such a fun time and great discussions. Opposite Day is exactly what it sounds like. The teacher wants everyone to try to do the opposite of what she says. But she doesn’t make it easy for them. This was a fun read that made both of my kiddos giggle as they acted everything out along with the story. It also prompted us to try and create our own Opposite game with more difficult instructions. Pick this up and share with the little ones in your life at home, at school, or at daycare.
Reviewed by @shannlynn
The Book of Fears: A Collection of Short Stories by K.S. Gantt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am a huge fan of anything that frightens me, so this was right up my alley. I hadn’t read anything by this author before but as soon as I saw this book, I knew I had to pick it up. I really appreciate that the author includes trigger warnings at the beginning to prepare you for what you will encounter. These stories were the perfect bite-sized length and somehow not sacrificing the quality of them. I was absolutely hooked on each and every story! I couldn’t put this down because there are no slow moments whatsoever. Each phobia that is explored is chilling and had me questioning if I have more phobias than I realized! If you enjoy horror and suspenseful short stories, do yourself a favor and pick this up. You won’t regret it!
Reviewed by @shannlynn
The Book of Fears: A Collection of Short Stories by K.S. Gantt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. Not necessarily in a bad way though. So there’s eight different stories, each with different characters and different fears. None of those fears bother me, so it wasn’t what I would consider a horror book. They clearly give trigger warnings, so anyone who may be triggered by one of those fears have fair warning to skip it. I found the stories to be very quick reads and almost not enough story to them. I would be interested in reading more if they were to write on more fears. Now, all that being said, I do think they were well written. I just needed more. I will give this author another go when I find something else from her.
Second Glance by A.E. Bennett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was such an amazing book relating to The Serrulata Saga! I have enjoyed this series very much and love that it gets even better as it progresses. I was pulled in by the cover and once I saw the dedication page, it gripped my heart and never let go. I dove right in and lost myself in this amazing romantic sci-fi world. This author has a unique way of crafting a story that is subtle at first, making you believe you can read a few pages really quickly. Hours later, I realized that what was meant to be a few minutes of reading turned into devouring the entire book. Patrick is relatable to me as I have a chronic illness with ‘bad days’ so I immediately bonded with him. The chemistry between him and Iseul is delightfully steamy and very well written. If you enjoy MM historical romance with spicy scenes and amazing characters, please give this book a chance! You can definitely read this as a standalone as well.
Reviewed by @shannlynn
Oscar and Emmy Weather a Hurricane by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Oscar and Emmy Weather a Hurricane is a wonderful book and the great nieces and great nephew and I all enjoyed. All of the Oscar and Emmy books are great and learning to prepare in bad weather is vital. This story is educational, meaningful and full of engaging illustrations.
Charlie and Abby are helping their parents prepare of a hurricane…the best solution is emergency kit boxes!! Preparing every item that may be needed during the hurricane also includes Oscar and Emmy, their cats.
This is a great story for any age and learning to be ready if bad weather may come about….also I think it is fantastic to not forget the animals as well they are family too!!
One Quarter Villain by Cori Cooper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The first book I’ve read by this author and it did not disappoint. This was a fun and captivating YA fantasy. The author did a great job developing her characters. I particularly liked the FMC Maddie and her getting the gift of a DNA test from her grandmother as a gift. She has always been a rule follower and much to her surprise the results reveal she is one-quarter villain! Highly recommend this one.
Secrets, Lies and Betrayals by Lynn Wood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This story is one of politics, violence and death, with a little bit of hope and love thrown in. Lea is the victim throughout the story however she doesn’t always play that way. She is trying to get on with her life with her new identity since her real life was stolen when she was 3 years old. For years Lea has been hiding but as she turns 18 and graduates, she discovers she needs to learn how to take care of herself, build a life and as Max tells her: “Gotta live, girl”.
This story takes many turns and when the world starts looking for lost little Michaela, Lea must go back into hiding, but will she ever be able to come out and live a normal life.
This story was a little slow to start as this trope isn’t my go-to. About a third of the way in I was hooked. Looking forward to reading more in this series and about these characters.
This is book two of this series. Just like book one, this one has kept me on my toes the entire time. There is always something spooky about a house in the Forrest and this one isn’t any different. The characters were also creepy to me, especially Rhys and Malaki. The book got creeper the further I got into it. I never thought a building could be creepy but its like everything else in this story, even buildings get creepy. I can’t wait to read book 3 and see what S.H has in store for Kaia Woods. I am definitely going to be rereading both books before I read book 3 when it comes out.
The Silent Forest by David Duane Kummer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is book two of this series. Just like book one, this one has kept me on my toes the entire time. There is always something spooky about a house in the Forrest and this one isn’t any different. The characters were also creepy to me, especially Rhys and Malaki. The book got creeper the further I got into it. I never thought a building could be creepy but its like everything else in this story, even buildings get creepy. I can’t wait to read book 3 and see what S.H has in store for Kaia Woods. I am definitely going to be rereading both books before I read book 3 when it comes out.