A Match Made in Montana by Elsa Winckler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thought this was a beautiful story. I enjoyed the characters (Craig was annoying at times). The bed and breakfast as well as the setting was described beautifully. Annie was a strong character and while I didn’t necessarily connect with her, she was relatable. I would read more from this author.
Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines By Lois Wickstrom is a wonderful retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears! I love that even though Goldilocks makes messes in the bears’ house, she cleans it up and she uses science to help her. I like the different font faces used to highlight various words throughout the book because it adds movement to the pages and draws the readers eyes to the words. Everything that happened in the classic Goldilocks books happened differently in this book, which is refreshing and truly unique! The thing that I liked the most was that the bears were not mad at Goldilocks when they found her, instead they were thankful. In fact Baby Bear even asked her for help at the end of the book, and the Bear family invited her to come back to visit again. The back matter of the book identifies and explains the six simple machines found in the story. This book would be a great introduction to simple machines and can easily be used to help students think about making their own simple machines.
Ladies of the Links #2 by Haley Rhoades
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a quick, cute read. I love a good second chance story. I liked Christy in the story and thought her character was well developed. I also liked the sports themes in it as well. I’d read more by this author.
Notebook Mysteries Parisian Intrigue by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Love Is What It Is: A holiday Romance by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A fun holiday romance
This was another great lazy afternoon quick read from this brilliant author. The characters are quirky and the storyline engaging. Toni finds herself questioning love especially when she meets Mickey and feelings get involved. A great book for lovers of romance. Recommend.
Shalom Israel: A place like no other by Melissa Lavi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
While this book is technically a children’s picture book, it could also be called a travel book about Israel. I loved how informative it was. It touched on important places such as the wailing wall and the Dead Sea. There’s even a safari area that I had no idea was there. It also teaches about common food available in Israel. It was a fun little read that I enjoyed. As they say in Israel, Shalom!
The Misery House by David Duane Kummer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
David Kummer’s book The Misery House was hauntingly wonderful! This book had me guessing throughout the entire book, from one twist to another turn trying to figure everything out! I love the excellent characters that are developed so fully in this book, you never know what is going to happen to the Wood family next, but boy are you rooting for their safety. The abandoned house is downright eerie, it’ll have you checking all the rooms in your house at night to ensure nothing is going to jump out at you in the night! This story is very frightening and twisted, it’s my kind of story! I love that I had no idea what would happen next and that I was scared out of my mind. I cannot wait for the next book in this series, it is up there with some of my favorite thrillers for sure. If you like a good psychological thriller, this is a must-read that will have you on the edge of your seat, jumping at every little noise you hear.
@Brandy Rymer
07/2023
The Misery House by David Duane Kummer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book I’ve read by David Kummer. It is written in multiple POVs. Sometimes I don’t like that but it worked in this book. It helped build the suspense. It also shows the common fear of the creepy house on the hill. Every town has that one scary house that kids dare each other to go in. But what if there’s really something bad in there? This book leaves a killer cliffhanger and I can’t wait for book two!
Grand Slam by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Bree Kraemer continues the Ground Rule series with this steamy romance. I love that we got to continue with our favorite baseball player’s romance, moving on to Heath and Grace’s story. I love that we start right where we left off with all of our favorite characters from the past books in the series, revisiting Celia and Kyle, Noah and Zara, and finally Heath and Grace. The characters are developed so well, they are just like everyday people, it gives you a peak into the life of a baseball player’s routine. They work hard to practice before the season starts and must maintain their physical fitness by having a consistent workout routine. I love that we get to see this side of their lives and how their lives are so busy that there is not always time to find their soul mates. This book was hands down a great read, I had a hard time putting it down from the second that I started reading it. The plot of the story is very obvious from the beginning, and the setting is portrayed so well, I can imagine all those adorable animals in the animal shelter where Grace manages, working herself beyond what even she can physically handle most days. In walks Heath, the baseball player who she cannot stand from the last book’s Star Auction, to help save her from her own family. Will Grace be grateful for Heath’s help, or will she continue to push him away, denying her feelings for him? This was such a great enemy to a lover’s romance, that keeps you intrigued right to the very last page!
@Brandy Rymer
07/2023
Parisian Intrigue by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
4.5 Stars
Parisian Intrigue is the sixth book in the Notebook Mysteries series by Kimberly Mullins. This is a fabulous historical mystery with crime and investigation, intrigue, drama, family, friendship, travels, and adventure.
The series goes from strength to strength, with each new addition slightly eclipsing the last. Ms. Mullins me engrossed right from the outset. I was immersed in all the adventure, and sights and sounds of the Paris world fair, while I followed along to find out how everything would play out in the end.
I also found the historical notes at the end of the book were quite fascinating too.
This could be read as a standalone, if you wanted, without feeling like you are missing anything major. But having said that, I highly recommend reading the previous books before starting on this one, as I feel that knowing what happened previously will give you a far greater appreciation of the characters, motivations, and series foundations- as well as enhancing your reading experience of this book.
Looking forward to seeing what Emma (and the team) get up to next…..
Happy Reading…
Thank you, Kimberly Mullins!
Reviewed by @angelahayes
Love Is What It Is: A holiday Romance by Marina Hanna
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
4.5 Stars
Love Is What It Is by Marina Hanna is a fun contemporary romance with a vacation fling, some angst, push-pull, chemistry, and steam.
As expected from Ms. Hanna, I was completely captivated right from the very first page. She crafted a wonderful story about how a holiday fling brings something unexpected- and about taking a chance on love, with just enough drama and angst to add some tension and keep things interesting.
I am happy to recommend this book- it is well worth the read!
Looking forward to more from Ms. Hanna.
Happy Reading…
Thank you, Marina Hanna!
Reviewed by @angelahayes
Sliding into Home: A Secret Baby Sports Romance by Lauren Fraser
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
So this is book 3 in this AMAZING series and yes you could just read it but I highly recommend reading the entire series start to finish. I promise you won’t regret even a single second spent reading. There is so much happening in this story with these fantastic characters, a bit of jealousy, meddling parents, trust issues and fear just to name a few, that you will be completely captivated from start to finish. I absolutely LOVE Jeff and Kia. I may have finished the book but they still have my heart and always will.
Grand Slam by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is book three in this sports romance set. If you have not read the previous two books in the series, you should, as you will love those characters just as much as the ones in this story. But if you choose to not do that, you can read this as a stand alone. The author does a great job connecting the reader with the characters. This was a quick book and just the right amount of romance to keep you interested. Can’t wait to read more by this author.
The Book of Hours by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wonderful, clear visuals. Well fleshed out characters, both lovable and easy to hate. Easy to follow, but I think I may have enjoyed it a bit more if I read the first book beforehand. The storyline was clear and well described, I just enjoy the prose and feel I’d have felt even more connected had I read that, first.
Gabriela is an artist, well known and with enough works that she is working to sell some to raise money for a local kids charity. Wickham is a crazy curator who is obsessed with Gabriela, and will stop at nothing to obtain a piece from her prior to the auction. Gabriela refuses the sale, regardless of where the possibilities may lead her. Enter Richard, a man with a passionate history with Gabriela who is willing to do what it takes to protect her.
Intrigue, passion, obsession, beauty, psychosis, attraction and suspense abound in this book.
My Goodbye Girl by Anna Gomez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Tessa has a lot going on right now. She just wrote a best selling novel that is still working its way up the charts. She is constantly on the road running from one book signing to the next press appearance to the next conference to whatever her agent has booked her for now. On the plane to one such event, she spies him. He is everything. Tall, beautiful, a little bit nerdy, a lot shy. Now is not the time for falling in love. She is not even sure she believes in love except the kind that fills the pages of the romance novel she wrote.
Simon only attended the conference because he had to. When he sees her on the plane, he stumbles. Simon has never been good at talking to the ladies, that has not changed. When he finds her again at the hotel, just at a different conference, he tries to talk to her. He knows when he asks her to meet him that she won’t but he goes there anyway on the off chance that she actually shows up. When she shows up not to meet him but randomly, he takes the opportunity to get to know her.
They each stand at a crossroads in their careers. Tessa’s star is only rising so she will be busy with all the events. Simon is transferring home to England and will be there permanently. As they find ways to meet up at her events, they become closer. When he finally confesses his feelings, she agrees to give it a go, his way. Then tragedy strikes. Her world implodes.
Three years later, out of the blue, Simon calls. Tessa can’t get him or his voice out of her mind. In order to find him and give them a hopeful second chance, Tessa must work through all the memories she has been pushing down since her world stopped. Can they get past the hurt, the anger, the pain to find their way back to each other?
A rollercoaster of emotions. First you are caught up in the excitement of Tessa and Simon’s globetrotting love story. Then it crashes down around them. Stay strapped in for picking up the pieces. There is beauty in their love story. Well worth the read.
Love Is What It Is: A holiday Romance by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love this author because she never disappoints her readers. She always brings us great characters, fun storylines and leaves her readers feeling good when the read is finished. This Book is another prime example of just that!! Toni starts her holiday by dumping her boyfriend and moving to a much better hotel then she meets Mickey and amazing chemistry follows. Between her just dumped boyfriend and his Ex this story takes some interesting turns. I promise you will be just as hooked on their story and seeing them get together as I was. Get reading!!!!!!
Grand Slam by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love this series and I also love how it intertwines with other series the author has written. Grand Slam is here and the author didn’t disappoint. I love it. Not my favorite in the series but still lots of love.
What happens when privileged meets someone from the other side of the tracks. That’s this romance, with some baseball thrown in.
Heath and Grace claim to hate the other. But do they really? He’s a baseball player. She’s a director of the LA animal shelter who’s struggling to get by. What could either of these two have in common? More than they realize. The main question is will stubbornness and insecurities get in the way of happy ever after?
Grand Slam is the third book of a series, but holds its own as a standalone novel. It’s not necessary to read the predecessors, but I would. Makes it more fun. Brings on the joy of a new author. While you check this book out, I’m going to check out other books by this author. Enjoy!
Rise of the Hunter by Barb Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Rise Of The Hunter
Book 4 of The Blood Prophecy series
Book 1 of The Tall Dark Man
By: Barb Jones
Review by: Susan Ratchford
4 Stars
I am a big big lover of the supernatural so I was immediately drawn to Rise of The Hunter, Barb Jones fourth installment in this intriguing and action packed series! Against my better judgment I started this book of The Blood Prophecy Series before the first three. Without the prior knowledge of the others this book was admittedly a little hard to follow. Especially since it also counts as the first book in its own trilogy as well, which is so unique! I will definitely have to reread it! Even so, Rise of the Hunter has beyond interesting characters and is entertaining from the first page to the last! It truly did keep me on the edge of my seat! That being said I would highly recommend starting with her first book Queens Destiny! I know I can’t wait to start Queens Destiny and join Ms. Jones on this fantastic supernatural journey from beginning to end!
Blood Prophecy One: Queen’s Destiny by Barb Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Queen’s Destiny
Blood Prophecy One
By: Barb Jones
Review by: Susan Ratchford
5 Stars
After reading the fourth book Rise Of The Hunter on a whim I knew I had to go back and start Barb Jones Blood Prophecy series from the start! I was surely not disappointed! I absolutely love this series! Ms. Jones’ writing is intriguing and smart. Her scenes are fast paced and entertaining with all of the supernatural aspects any fantasy lover could want! I absolutely love when a series can mix witches, werewolves, and vampires and Ms. Jones does it with paranormal expertise! The flashes back to the past also help elevate this story to such a cool level! I cannot wait to pick up Queen’s Enemy and continue this fun and unique series!
The Misery House by David Duane Kummer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Woods family have been members of the New Haven community forever, but when tragedies start occurring in their small town that point directly to them, will they be able to prove themselves to their neighbors?
Between a local store burning down with 2 bodies inside, and a newlywed couple going missing and their disappearance seeming to do with the haunted house on the hill, will the family be able to protect themselves and each other? Will they be able to continue to be members of the New Haven community?
A small town like this can be both very loving and warm, as well as very secretive and cold – depending on their feelings about you. Which will it be for the Woods’?
This book heaps on the suspense drop by drop, leaving lots of little hints and clues that you discover to be just that later on. I couldn’t put it down, feeling constantly like I’d miss or forget an important clue hidden in its pages. This story is written from multiple POVS to fill in the timeline, which was an interesting way to approach it. It kept me riveted, jumping into books 2 and 3 ASAP!
A Match Made in Montana by Elsa Winckler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Oh the absolute sweetness of this love story!! It had the steamy and the sweet all mixed nicely together. Annie is perfect with just the right amount of shyness but still has bold honesty when it comes to her feelings. And Craig has such a big heart and an even bigger soft spot for Annie. Not to mention the character growth for both Craig and Annie. This was the perfect romance to read and I really love the author’s writing style. I am really looking forward to reading more of their books. Especially when the stories have just the right amount of romance in them! You don’t have to read the first book in the series but I know I will be going back and reading it!
Grand Slam by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Grand Slam is the third book in the Ground Rules series in which the subject matter centers around romance, and sports. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone but it’s nice to read them in order as a lot of the characters are in other books throughout the series, which I liked. This book is focused on Heath, who is a previous character, and grace whom we had not heard as much about. It’s definitely an enemies to lovers as they definitely rub each other the wrong way in the beginning and are super confused as to why they feel the way they do when they are together. This was another great addition to the series and I really enjoyed how the author pulled me into the characters lives and really made me care about what happened to them and I was definitely cheering them on in my mind as I was reading. I also really like how the endings are always pulled together, happy, and complete.
The book Shalom Israel takes the reader on an adventure to Israel, get ready to say Shalom, “hello!” To a new country! I love how the illustrations in this book are both real photographs and illustrations. It is wonderful to see a book that is easy to understand that takes children around the world to see what it is like there. From what I saw online, many of the things that are in this book are prominent to Israel. The words used help children and adults alike understand words used within the story. I really like that the book also has a glossary that includes interesting facts. This is such a wonderful book!
Grand Slam by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Grand Slam (Ground Rule Book 3)
Baseball, animals and love make for a good story in my opinion and this has all three of those qualities.
Heath starting pitcher for LA has a pretty good life. His team won the championship the previous year, has a great group of friends and family including a new baby in the family. But he realizes he is missing something or someone. Enter Grace and her animals at the animal shelter she is in charge of.
They didn’t start off on the right foot, but slowly things shifted much to her dismay. She didn’t want a relationship and fought it in every imaginable way.
They fit together in my opinion from the moment they met and I was hoping they would find a way to make it happen.
I have enjoyed all of the books I have read by Ms. Kraemer and have no doubt I will enjoy all of the future books I will read.
Grand Slam by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I LOVE Heath and Grace so much! It shouldn’t come as a surprise to me since I love this author, but this was such a cute sports romance. I was immediately pulled into the story and relating to the characters even though I’m far from athletic. Heath seems like the nice, respectful young man who lets Grace knows his feelings but doesn’t pressure her into making any decisions right away. You’ll feel the chemistry jump right off the pages. This is the third book in the series, and although it can be read as a standalone without confusion, you’ll be running back to grab the previous books anyways! I highly recommend reading Grand Slam even if sports aren’t your thing because this author knows how to pull you in.
Reviewed by @shannlynn
Shalom Israel: A place like no other by Melissa Lavi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the second book we’ve read by this author, and my kiddos and I loved it so much! They are both bookworms at the ages of 7 and 11, and they loved the illustrations and really enjoyed learning about a culture that differed from their own. I can say that I also learned some things I didn’t know which is always lovely! Both of my kids love to dig deeper into anything they hear about, so this book started a nice conversation that engaged us all. We will definitely be looking for more books by Melissa Lavi!
Reviewed by @shannlynn
The Misery House by David Duane Kummer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I hadn’t read anything by this author before, and what a way to introduce themselves! The Misery House is definitely a psychological thriller you won’t want to put down. It twists and turns, making you change what you think the outcome will be (which you’ll never see coming anyway!) I love the flow, the characters, and the fact that it is told from multiple points of view. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was that there wasn’t more to read! But that just means I get to continue the adventure when the next book comes out, and you better believe I’m keeping an eye out for that one. I need to know what happens next!
Reviewed by @shannlynn
Falling Again: A Buckeye Falls Novel by Libby Kay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Falling Again: A Buckeye Falls Novel
I think anyone who has been married has felt the disconnect in there marriage even if it was a fleeting moment. Throw in a kid or two or in some cases more and there no time to be a couple. I have been where Anthony and Natalie were in this book and I could relate in so many ways.
They are in a never-ending loop, kids, work and sleep then repeat day after day. They know they are in this rut but not too sure how to fix it. Thankfully Grandparents step up to help along with the fun Aunt (which every family should have and my family has two).
I was pulling for them from the beginning after not being too fond of Anthony in the beginning. I laughed and cried on and off throughout the book.
I’m pretty excited for the next book. Looking forward to seeing what happens with Alice.
Parisian Intrigue by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
4.5 stars
This is my favorite of this series so far. Each of these can be read as a stand alone but it would be helpful to have some background information on the relationships between all the characters.
A mysterious invitation has appeared Emma, Jeremy, Tim, and Dora. They are expected to leave the next day for a 5 week vacation in Paris. Everything is paid for and arranged….not one bit weird, right?!?!? Of course, Emma’s hackles are immediately up but she’s not one to turn down a challenge.
The group arrives in Paris but not without some unexpected and uncomfortable situations. There are 3 people from the ship over that are becoming rather clingy to the group, but not all at once. Julian is more concerned about Emma and Jeremy, while Lenora and Michael buddy up to Tim and Dora.
Next thing, there is the girl in the lobby who looks scared. Then someone comes up missing, a few bodies are found, and the trip is in full swing work mode for this group. Will they ever get to enjoy the City of Lights and the Paris Expedition?
Lovers of crime set in historical settings will love this book!! It was an enjoyable afternoon read. There is plenty of action involved along with a smidge of romance (nothing overly done at all). I love reading about Emma and her clothing and how she uses it to her advantage and has taught Dora the same. I am excited to read the next edition of this series!!
Grand Slam by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a quick short read, possibly a beach read for those needing a good book for beach days!
Absolutely love this author and need to continue reading her series. Even though this book is number three in the series, this one can be considered stand alone. Heath appears to be a cocky, baseball player who ends up with a fixation on the one girl he can’t stop thinking about.Grace meets Heath at a work event and although he appears arrogant, she can’t stop thinking of him. Kraemer definitely has a way in her words to give characters depth, relationship connections and humor. I truly enjoyed the entire series!
