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Love is Worth Fighting for (The Meraki Series Book 3) by Effie Kammenou – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Love is Worth Fighting forLove is Worth Fighting for by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I started this story I had not read the previous 2 books and I was worried it would make it hard to follow along with the storyline of this book, but I thought the author did a great job of touching on information from previous books with just enough information I didn’t feel confused, but not so much information that I felt like it would be pointless to check them out. After reading this story, I fully intend to read the first 2 books to see Krystina’s older sisters’ stories. This was such a great book; I loved reading about Krystina and Loukas’s relationship and the history behind her hurt and his guilt. I loved how the author would give the different characters the POV and we got to go back to the past and see her grandmother’s relationship begin with her now missing grandfather. The author did a great job of describing the panic and uncertainty when the pandemic hit and how families and businesses had to navigate through it. Overall it was a great story that made me laugh and cry. I can’t wait to read the first 2 books and the 4th book by the author.

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Finding Starlight (Quimby Grove Book 1) by Shannon Nikole – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Finding Starlight (Quimby Grove #1)Finding Starlight by Shannon Nikole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a wonderful debut novel by the author! From the first page it hooked me in and I couldn’t stop reading until the final page. I found it a well written story with well-developed characters, and I absolutely love the name Ellawyn or Ellie for the main character. You could really relate to the characters in the story, they weren’t perfect and I thought the author did a fantastic job of show realistic reactions to the different events in the story. There was a nice balance of mystery, suspense, and romance throughout the storyline. The small town vibe felt spot on and it seems like such a wonderful place to visit. I loved the interactions between Ellie and Benji and how sweet they were together and it was a pleasant surprise at how steamy the relationship between Ellie and Beckett got. I am so excited to read the second novel coming out later this year!

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Queen of Hearts (Heels, Rhymes & Nursery Crimes Vol. 21) By Natalina Reis – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Queen of Hearts (Heels, Rhymes & Nursery Crimes, #21)Queen of Hearts by Natalina Reis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my first story by this author and I am so glad I took a gamble on the getting this book! I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this fast paced short story definitely kept me on the edge. I devoured the story and didn’t stop reading until I got to the end. We meet Mimi the Queen of Hearts, a gambling woman in a house of ill repute, who uses her looks and her games to ensnare the bad guys and teach them a lesson. One by one she will make them all pay, but when one of the richest and evilest men steps foot into her game, will it be too much or will the Queen of Hearts prevail? In a short story, the author was able to fill it with vivid descriptions and well-rounded characters with depth and heart. A definite page turner!

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Dark Sparrow Box Set: The Complete 6-Book Series (A Dark Sparrow Novel) by India Kells – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Dark Sparrow Box Set: The Complete 6-Book SeriesDark Sparrow Box Set: The Complete 6-Book Series by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness, I am so glad I was able to read all 6 books at once, because I think I would have gone crazy while waiting to read the next book! This is an explosive series, full of sexy alpha males (a description I never thought I would ever use), strong, gorgeous, intelligent women, and a dark twisty story line that hooks you from the start. Over the course of 6 books we get to know 6 half-brothers, who call themselves the bastards and their father, Jamison Finch, a dark sick man, who after realizing his oldest son Lazarus, would not be taking over his empire, instead decides to use his resources to destroy his children. Lazarus a former MI6 operative has been working to take down his father and keep his brothers, Aleksei, Archer, Kai, Liam, and Sam safe. Lazarus reaches out to an old friend who runs a deep secret agency called Purgatory to help him destroy his father. The leader Beatrice is unwilling to involve her agents, but instead offers a different solution, her Dark Sparrows. Women she assisted in getting out of horrific situations and starting over with a clean slate, who have vowed to come to her aid whenever called. Each book focuses on one brother and the dark sparrow who comes into his life to help him with his specific concern. Over the course of the books, we get to see how truly evil Jamison is and the extremes he will go to destroy his sons and inflict even more damage than he already has, but we also get to see how the brothers learn to work together and fall in love with the women who come into their lives. Each story is extremely steamy and action keeps you focused until the final page. As the books progress, the subject matter does get darker, but it’s not overly descriptive with the darker elements. I love how the author is able to create strong women who were able to overcome their pasts and become the amazing women they are now., who don’t back down from a fight and will work with the men they love to overcome an evil megalomaniac bent on destruction. If you like action adventure, twists, steamy scenes, and fully developed characters who will keep you guessing until the final page this is definitely a series you will want to check out!

Distant Heart Sounds (Nurse Morgan Series Book 1) by Kate MacInnis – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Distant Heart Sounds (Nurse Morgan #1)Distant Heart Sounds by Kate MacInnis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this story and I am so excited to read the sequel! When we meet Nurse Morgan she is experiencing weird paranormal situations that she cannot explain, while trying to get back into the swing of things at her job as a charge nurse at the emergency center in a metro Detroit hospital. She had just recently survived a blown aneurysm in her brain six weeks previously. Things start ramping up when she starts being able to communicate with ghosts. Initially she thinks she is going crazy, but as she continues to get to know her new friends and share her secret with her best friend and boss Dr. Savannah Holt, she starts to lean into the experience. Mixing into all of this chaos is a new doctor at the ER, Dr. Caleb Lightfoot who isn’t freaked out by the new ghostly friends that Morgan is making. The author did an amazing job of keeping a tight pace with the writing and slowly guiding us through the story. She even throws in cool scientific theories regarding auras and the fourth dimension. It was a fun mix of paranormal and romance. I look forward to seeing how Morgan, Caleb, and Savvy continue to deal with the added complication of ghosts in Morgan’s life.

Flame and Crystal Thorns (Fae and Crystal Thorns Book 1) by Kay L. Moody – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Flame and Crystal Thorns (Fae and Crystal Thorns)Flame and Crystal Thorns by Kay L. Moody
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I first started this book, I was unaware that there was a previous series that explained more of the back story of Chloe and Quintus’s relationship prior to the beginning of this book. As I read on, the information the author shared gave me a clear picture of the relationship and definitely made me want to read the original series to get even more information. The author was able to summarize and recap the previous book without it feeling like a recap or rehashing old information. When we meet Chloe, she is living a quiet life in the mortal realm with her family. She still has some access to magic, as she brought a book back from Fairie that helps her in her role as the apothecary, and her brother is a fae, who has masked himself to look like a mortal. She is trying to combat a strange illness that has broken out in her village, one that is similar to an illness she finds in her book from Fairie. As she is trying to save lives, Quintus arrives, demanding she return to Fairie to help the fae fight against the mortals who have attacked them, including her sister. Initially she refuses, she isn’t a fighter, she doesn’t like Quintus and distrusts his motives, and she has people to save from the illness. Unfortunately she realizes that the poison the mortals are using against the fae is poisoning Fairie and it has seeped into the mortal realm, making them extremely ill. If she wants to save her people in the mortal realm, she is going to have to go to Fairie and help fight against the mortals. Despite her physical attraction to Quintus, she doesn’t trust him and doesn’t like him. She just wants to save the fae and go home. Unfortunately the mortals are far more dangerous then she realized. . As they continue to work together and face new dangers, Chloe starts to recognize not only changes in herself, but in Quintus as well. As she starts to trust him further, she starts to realize that some of her core beliefs about herself might not be what she thought they were. The pacing of the story was excellent and the author did a great job of balancing the emotional scenes with action. I devoured the book in one sitting as I wanted to see how things ended. I can’t wait to continue the series and see how things will grow between Chloe and Quintus as they continue to fight for Fairie and the fae in it.

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The Mermaid and the Ice Cube Necklace (Mermaid Science) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Mermaid and the Ice Cube NecklaceMermaid and the Ice Cube Necklace by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Mermaid and the Ice Cube Necklace (Mermaid Science) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Amanda Haller Doris

The Mermaid and the Ice Cube Necklace is a very cute story about 2 girls Maia and Fig who go on a picnic and are visited by a mermaid Trezzie. Trezzie can only be seen and interact with Maia, which makes Fig think she might not be real. Trezzie is very interested in the ice cubes and so Maia uses a straw to blow a hole through them in order to make a necklace for her. This is a cute story with lots of pictures for children to enjoy. The author does a great job of explaining scientific ideas in a way that children can understand. I especially enjoyed at the end of the story where she goes into more details about the different forms or phases of water. She does a great job of explaining scientific ideas in an easy to understand manner that is fun for children!

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A Veil of Gods and Kings (Apollo Ascending Book 1) by Nicole Bailey – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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A Veil of Gods and Kings (Apollo Ascending, #1)A Veil of Gods and Kings by Nicole Bailey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Veil of Gods and Kings (Apollo Ascending Book 1) by Nicole Bailey – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris
This is the first book in what I hope to be a very long series. The series is a twist on Greek Mythology and the first book focuses on a new interpretation of the relationship between Apollo the Sun God and Hyacinth. It is written from the view point of 3 of the main characters in the story, Apollo, Hyacinth, and Epiphany. At the start of the book, Apollo is still part mortal and has not ascended to become a God. He lives in the mortal realm with his younger half-sister Temi. Apollo would prefer not to ascend and take his place as the sun god, but his father Zeus’s patience is waning. Zeus gives Apollo an ultimatum, ascend now or spend a year with Prince Hyacinth learning how to be a better prince. Since Apollo would rather stay mortal longer, he begrudgingly travels to Hyacinth’s kingdom with Temi. Hyacinth or Cyn, as he is called, would rather not have a spoiled half God underfoot, but if Zeus commands it, he must follow it. The two slowly begin to work together and get to know each other on a more personal level. Gradually the relationship moves from enemies to friends, into something more. While Apollo and Cyn are trying to figure things out together, we are also seeing the view point of Cyn’s younger sister Ephiany who has started spending more time with Temi. Epiphany is soon to be on the marriage market, but she would rather make her own destiny. She and Temi become close friends who encourage each other to step outside their comfort zones and see the world with a different perspective.
The author uses modern language in the book which makes it enjoyable to follow. She writes in a way that it feels like she is seamlessly bringing ancient Greece into the modern world, while still capturing the feel of ancient times. The story definitely kept me engrossed until the last page. Her interpretation of the different Gods and how they interacted flowed well. The characters are all well developed and the storyline was tightly woven. She took a well-known story and created a whole new world for the characters to live in. I can’t wait to read the following books.

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