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Love in the Roses (Love Through the Ages Book 1) by TL Clark – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Love in the RosesLove in the Roses by T.L. Clark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a very sweet romance about a young couple in medieval times when Richard the 3rd was king. Isabel’s father has arranged her marriage to a knight she has never met before. Isabel is concerned when it is discovered that while her family supports the house of York in the War of the Roses, while her husband’s family are supporters of the house of Lancaster. Determined to be a dutiful daughter and a good wife, Isabel marries Sir William and they embark on their journey to their new home. They have to work together and figure out how to trust one another if they want to make it succeed. The author did a great job of describing different situations and holidays and how they would have been handled back then. Having the War of the Roses in the background added to different intrigues that the characters had to face. I thought the characters were well written and complex. The author didn’t shy away from making the bedroom scenes steamy, but still keeping with the time period. Definitely a great book to check out for fans of romantic history books!

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Twilight’s Curse Book 1 by K.M. Wray – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Twilight's CurseTwilight’s Curse by K.M. Wray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic start to a magical new series! We start by meeting Phoenix, the crown prince of the Twilight Realm. Unfortunately his parents are murdered in a coup and he and his sister are separated and he is raised in obscurity until he is old enough to take back his crown. We then meet a young Zoe, a virtual prisoner in her parents’ castle, and she is desperate to escape. She begins to realize how her magic can work for her and she is determined to keep it a secret from those who would use it to harm others. The book bounces back and forth between the two characters and from when they are younger until the present time for them. I loved seeing how the story unfolded and the characters grew and matured. Both Zoe and Nix want so badly to feel love and be needed, but they are so scared of being hurt that they keep their guards up. It was so sweet to see how they get to know each other while working to try and save a Kingdom! It was an awesome book to read and I can’t wait to read the rest of the trilogy!

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Twilight’s Spy (Twilight Realm Trilogy Book 1.5) by K.M. Wray – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Twilight's SpyTwilight’s Spy by K.M. Wray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a great bridge story between Book 1 and Book 2 of the Twilight Realm Series. We get to meet Yarissa, a young adult elf who thinks she has everything planned out and then bam! Everything starts to spiral out of control. At the start of the book, she is on a spy mission that she has to complete for her training and the mission starts to go sideways, but thanks to her quick thinking, she is able to complete the mission. This sets off a series changes she didn’t expect or plan for. As we progress through the book we see her start to grow as an elf and start to believe in herself. She begins to make new friends and slowly lets herself start to trust again. She has been entrusted in an important mission by King Phoenix to find his missing sister and she is determined to complete her mission. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and made me even more excited for book 2.

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another cute story about the relationship between Fig, Maia and her mermaid friend Trezzie and how they can learn different scientific skills from each other. I think it is adorable that Fig just can’t see Trezzie and still seems on the fence as to if Maia is actually talking to a mermaid or if she is just making it up. I enjoy that there is a mermaid involved in the story to help engage kids in learning about science. This particular story deals with how to make a magnifying glass using a clear container and water droplets. I love the easy to read story line and the artwork is well done. The author does a great job of clearly explaining the science at the end of the story in a way that young children will be able to understand. I absolutely recommend this story to anyone looking for a cute children’s story.

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The Happily Ever After Bookstore by Bernadette Marie – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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The Happily Ever After BookstoreThe Happily Ever After Bookstore by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this story! It was a three part book, so it was like having 3 mini books in 1! I love how they all started and ended in a bookstore, one of my favorite places to be! Everything starts at Leona’s book store where we meet Sadie and Charlie, two singles people trying to making it through the holidays, and then Fiona, a famous author, and Price a traveling musician who after years of being divorced, are reunited at the bookstore and small town. Leona sets up a book signing and ensures Price will be there, is that the nudge they need to make it work? Part 3 Leona meets Jon, a fix it man, who is working on the building her bookstore is in. The thread the winds through all of the stories is a love story about a woman named Ellen who met a man named Charlie and the next day they ran away on a train and got married and their happily ever after resonates through all of these stories. I just loved the writing and I loved how well written the characters were. This was such a sweet story, I haven’t read anything by this author before, but I will be checking out the rest of her books!

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Saved by Love (Bellevue Bullies Book 7) by Toni Aleo – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Saved by Love (Bellevue Bullies #7)Saved by Love by Toni Aleo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I very much enjoyed reading this book! I had not read the previous stories, so it took me a bit to organize all of the characters, but once I did, everything flowed nicely. I love the focus on mental health and especially men’s mental health with a focus on athletes. My heart broke for Evan trying to work through his mental blocks, depression, and anxiety. While I don’t have a lot in common with a former pro male athlete, it was nice to see that other people struggle with the same internal negative voices. Callie was an amazing support to Evan and it was so sweet seeing how they support each other’s dreams and goals. This was definitely a very sweet and steamy book that I recommend for sure! I look forward to checking out the previous books and the rest of the series!

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Distant Memories (Nurse Morgan Series Book 2) by Kate MacInnis – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

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Distant Memories: A Nurse Morgan Series: Book TwoDistant Memories: A Nurse Morgan Series: Book Two by Kate MacInnis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was so excited to read book 2 of the series and it did not disappoint! We picked up where book 1 left off and I loved getting to see how Morgan’s relationships with everyone have continued to grow and mature. She is learning more about her other worldly visitors and it has been interesting getting to know Elizabeth and Jonathon better. Elizabeth is so much more than just a sweet homemaker and it’s awesome to see her fiery side. Reading this book just felt cozy and comfortable, even with all of the craziness that was going on, it had a down to earth feel to it. I loved reading about her growing relationship with Caleb and seeing how she handles all of the changes. It was wonderful to see Gloria again and see how she is taming her afterlife. We get to learn more rules about the ghost world and meet some new characters as well. It was wild seeing Esmeralda throw all of rules out the window and create complete chaos as she tries to steal Caleb for herself. Definitely a page turner and series I need more of!

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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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