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No Way Out (Mafia Elite, book 1) by Amy McKinley – Review by Allyson Ware

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No Way Out (Mafia Elite, #1)No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

No Way Out (Mafia Elite, book 1) by Amy McKinley – Review by Allyson Ware

I have never read a Mafia type or related book before. I never would have even considered it, but this drew my attention the minute I read the description. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Liliana is not what you expect out of a Mafia boss’s daughter, she’s better. She’s who I want to be when I grow up. She’s confident, intelligent, and just downright sexy.

Then you meet Max, her bodyguard. There is something about him that you cannot help but trust from the first time you meet him. As you make your way through the book, you realize your instincts are correct about Max. If you’re like me, you end up falling for him; possibly harder than Liliana does. Trust me, there’s No Way Out of staying up all night to finish this book.

Reviewed by @aware

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Swallowed by a Secret by Risa Nyma – Review by Allyson Ware

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Swallowed by a SecretSwallowed by a Secret by Risa Nyman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Twelve year old Rocky and his mom move in with his grandpa after his father passed away. Ironically enough, it’s not his dad’s passing that bothers him the most. He can still talk to his dad, but he wants to know why a perfectly healthy person’s heart just stops working. That just doesn’t make sense to Rocky and it doesn’t sit right with him. So, he gets Olive to help him figure out the big secret he believes his mom is hiding.

As an adult reading this book, having gone through the struggles of loved ones passing, I can say with absolute certainty that it would help bring someone comfort in hard times. I know it would have for me. It’s a novel I would recommend to anyone: big, small, old, young.

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Raven Woman’s Tavern by Laura Koerber – Review by Allyson Ware

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Raven Woman's TavernRaven Woman’s Tavern by Laura Koerber
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Raven Woman’s Tavern by Laura Koerber – Review by Allyson Ware

Very easy read and the detail is immaculate. The way everything is described from the main picture down to the minor itty bitty details that not many people think of. Definitely a book you have to pay attention to or you will miss a very important piece of the puzzle.

This book will have you considering who the bad guy is; a moral dilemma of sorts. When Baylor goes through what I would consider his “trials and tribulations,” you start to feel bad and want to help him through it. An overall interesting read.

Reviewed by @aware

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Drew: Book One of the Perfectly Independent Series by Amanda Shelley – Review by Allyson Ware

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Drew (Perfectly Independent, #1)Drew by Amanda Shelley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Drew: Book One of the Perfectly Independent Series by Amanda Shelley – Review by Allyson Ware

Okay, I hardly ever read romance novels. Quite frankly, I find them boring. But it was almost impossible for me to put this book down. Going back and forth between Drew’s and Abby’s thoughts, I was going to die of anticipation. I had to keep reading in order to find out what happened next.

I have never read a romance novel before that left me dying to read another. I was so enveloped in their world that I couldn’t get anything done until I finished the book. Waiting to find out whether or not Drew and Abby were going to have to separate and live across the country was the best/worst part of this book. And it all started with a chemistry class.

Reviewed by @aware

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A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Allyson Ware

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A Divided MindA Divided Mind by M. Billiter

A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Allyson Ware

As a psychology major in college, I was obviously immediately interested in reading this novel. Keeping in mind that it is a novel, it has enhanced my original thoughts on mental health: that it is greatly underestimated.

As Branson learns to cope with his intrusive thoughts, his mother believes she has to take matters into her own hands and fix him. She is not a perfect mom by any means, but that’s what makes this story that much more realistic. Dealing with something alone, let alone something that society doesn’t deem “normal” can be incredibly difficult, and Branson has an amazing support system to help him out of that void. Not everyone is so lucky. You won’t be able to put this book down once you learn more about Branson and Tara. I can assure you of that.

Reviewed by @aware

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SPOOKED BY A SUSPICION by Risa Nyman – Review by Allyson Ware

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Spooked by a SuspicionSpooked by a Suspicion by Risa Nyman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SPOOKED BY A SUSPICION by Risa Nyman – Review by Allyson Ware

Rocky. No, not the professional fighter. Rocky, the kid from Manhattan that figures out life is not as easy as it seems. When his mom brings up the idea of Ted, also known as Det, being in their lives forever, Rocky begins his detective work in his case against Ted. Rocky cannot fathom another man trying to steal the place of his father.

A truly moving novel, Nyman brings Rocky to life for many kids that go through the struggle of a new family member. Whether it is divorce, or in Rocky’s situation, his father passing and his mom finding a new boyfriend. I truly believe this novel could be life-changing for many children experiencing similar situations.

Review by @aware

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Hanging Softly in the Night: A Detective Nick Larson Novel by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra – Review by Allyson Ware

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Hanging Softly in The Night: A Detective Nick Larson NovelHanging Softly in The Night: A Detective Nick Larson Novel by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hanging Softly in the Night: A Detective Nick Larson Novel by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra – Review by Allyson Ware

Hanging softly in the night… isn’t that the truth. Such a fitting title. Detective Nick Larson has his hands full with random suicides. Suicides by hanging. Are they random though? Detective Larson does not believe so. After his ex-wife’s suicide, these deaths are a constant reminder of that incident, which he unfortunately witnesses himself. Released by the police department’s psychiatrist, he takes on these challenging cases.

Not only will you appreciate Nick for his amazing detective skills, but you are greeted by Laura Howard who you cannot help but feel complete and utter sympathy for. The two are made for each other like biscuits are made for gravy.

Feeling queasy? I guarantee not like Nick at these crime scenes. This novel case has more twists and turns than a good rollercoaster. A crime novel that has you on the edge of your seat as you get closer to the end of the book. You can’t help but read until your eyes hurt. Or until you finish the book. Whichever comes first.

Reviewed by @aware

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Effacement by Hieronymus Hawkes – Review by Allyson Ware

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EffacementEffacement by Hieronymus Hawkes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Effacement by Hieronymus Hawkes – Review by Allyson Ware

Talk about a realistic novel. Hieronymus Hawkes leads you into the future of technology. It may be fiction, but the conspiracy theories that could be discussed based off of this book are infinite. The way technology is being ingrained into our daily lives forces us to rely on it , which is exactly what Cole experiences when he is attacked and his lifelog is destroyed.

Effacement, according to the government is punishable by law. “Not having a lifelog,” is how effacement is defined. So what is a lifelog? A lifelog is a chip that is inserted into the back of your head, and keeps track of your everyday life. It also keeps you connected to everything from the internet to your insurance. Nothing can be done in your daily life without your lifelog, which I suppose is why law writers decided to enforce punishment.

When Cole is attacked, his life is turned upside down. Not only is he arrested for being attacked and his lifelog being destroyed, but his fiancé assists in the attack. Forced to start his life over, Cole finds help in the most unlikely of places, and learns that he cannot trust those that he originally would have put his life on the line for.

Cole goes from a monotonous life to one filled with adventure and suspense. From worrying about when he will marry the woman he has spent five years engaged to, to worrying about how long he may or may not spend in jail/prison. The author has you on the edge of each page, waiting to find out what happens next to Cole. A novel I would recommend to any science fiction fan.

Review by @aware

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Sweet Nightmares (The Dream World Chronicles Book 1) by Chynna Pace – Review by Allyson Ware

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Sweet Nightmares (The Dream World Chronicles #1)Sweet Nightmares by Chynna Pace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sweet Nightmares (The Dream World Chronicles Book 1) by Chynna Pace – Review by Allyson Ware

Three words: can’t. put. down. From the first sentence of Sweet Nightmares, book one of the captivating Dream World Chronicles, you are pulled into the world of Alex and Zoey. After the first chapter, it is nearly impossible to stop. A true tale of sisters, complete opposites, Alex wears her heart on her sleeve and Zoey finds her emotions in painting. Grief ripples through them as they move to their grandmother’s home and find true meaning of the prophecy. You feel immersed in the emotions and thoughts of Alex as she finds her way in her new reality, one she thought she could only find in a novel. She finds that trusting people is not always as easy as it seems, and she quickly realizes she pours her heart out to the wrong person.

I found myself at the end of the book in no time, realizing I would have to wait to find out what happens next. I will impatiently stand by for Chynna Pace’s next book in The Dream World Chronicles.

Reviewed by @aware

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