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Caging Grace (Grace Series Book 1) by Carsen Lane – Review by Ashley McMillon

Caging Grace (Grace Series, #1).Caging Grace (Grace Series, #1). by Carsen Lane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Caging Grace is a story of a young woman who has so much on net own shoulders. Grace is weighed down heavily by tragedy and supporting her family. Grace has been forced to grow up due to poverty, mental illness in her family, and the loss of a parent. Ultimately as the reader you are intrigued by this tragic story and root for Grace the whole way through. This story hits close to home for anyone who has witnessed how tragedy can attempt to destroy a life, and will give you hope to find strength within yourself and keep pushing on. This book was a really great read with great character development.

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The Mind-Reading Hat (Invisible Magic Wand Series Book 6) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Ashley McMillon

The Mind-Reading Hat: Invisible Magic Wand Book SixThe Mind-Reading Hat: Invisible Magic Wand Book Six by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved reading this cute outlet book about the magic hat! The author has great illustrations in the book, which help to tell the story without words so very well. I enjoyed reading this original story about this young man. I’m excited to share this new book with a few toddlers I know!

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The Wish-Eater by Claire Luana – Review by Ashley McMillon

The Wish-EaterThe Wish-Eater by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was written so beautifully. Each character is loveable on their own way, and the author makes sure you are well acquainted with them. I love that the story has stop many levels and prayers to it. It’s a fantasy book without taking your mind off of the reality that we live in. I am such a visual person that while reading this I could see every scene. I’ve read another book by the author and I was looking forward to this read! It did not disappoint! I could barely put it down and I read it in a day!

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The Scent of Gardenias by Lorraine Haas – Review by Ashley McMillon

The Scent of GardeniasThe Scent of Gardenias by Lorraine Haas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’m completely in shock at how amazing this book was! I recall flipping through the pages early on and thinking it would be a really long read but it wasn’t. The story flowed so well. At every turn I wanted to jump inside the book and encourage Margaret. The development of all the characters was very well done within the story, I was not a fan of Pa from the start! This story felt very realistic, loosely based on a true story, but it gave me perspective on how our parents grew up. This book has a gut wrenching story but a complete pleasure to read. In the end, the authors note sheds light on the story. After reading this masterpiece I’m looking forward to reading many more books by the author.

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Finding Melodie and The Wedding Special Boxset by Laura Rossi – Review by Ashley McMillon

Melodie Boxset (Melodie #1-2)Melodie Boxset by Laura Rossi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Melodie is an extremely lovable character, who falls in love secretly with one of her street customers. He’s nothing like her, out of her league even, but she’s in love! The story builds with her helping her mysterious love on a quest! The author does a great job of keeping the story interesting, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for Melodie to meet the parents! I’ve never been to London, but the author did a fantastic job of making me feel like I was a passerby right there on the streets. You’ll love and be truly inspired by their realistic and super romantic love story!

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Unabridged (Lovestruck Series Book 2) by Melinda De Ross – Review by Ashley McMillon

Unabridged (Smart & Sassy in the City, #2)Unabridged by Melinda De Ross
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Unabridged is a wonderful love story about a couple renewing their love. While reading I was rooting for them so hard to be together, and as the events unfolded I was ecstatic that it resulted in their love continuing. There are a couple of steamy moments in the book which certainly add a bit of flair! I love the way that the author illustrates the happenings of the book. It didn’t happen all too fast, and the book has levels! I thoroughly enjoyed our main characters and Rat too!

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The-Know-It-All-Pencil (Invisible Magic Wand Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review By Ashley McMillon

The Know-It-All Pencil (Invisible Magic Wand)The Know-It-All Pencil by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This little book was so super cute! I love the illustrations. This story was cute for children as they realize that Caspian is on a little mystery driven by his know-it-all pencil! It is nice to see that his grandma gave him this pencil to begin with, and the story centers around his family and those closest to him. Very cute story!

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Class Clown (Ghost Girl Series) by Allan Evans – Review by Ashley McMillon

Class ClownClass Clown by Allan Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Abbey is the most lovable quirky character in this breathtaking novel about these scary clowns. This book was a really fun read, and as a girl COMPLETELY AFRAID of the movie IT, I am taken aback by this fact. I have been reading many types of books lately, including books about the history of racism…so I was not afraid while reading this book. I recommend not picturing what is going on to deeply, this certainly kept me safe while reading this entire book. The author is fantastic at telling the story, so much so I read all the way through to the acknowledgements, and it did not disappoint. The great thing about this book is it felt so realistic and haunting, and you truly believe Abbey, and feel like this could happen to you if you had this hidden strength she possesses. Here is another book on my highly recommended list of reads. I will say this, I am SUPER happy I did not see this in a movie, though it is movie worthy. I promise myself I won’t even try to see it in the theaters! Happy reading everyone!

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Notebook Mysteries ~ Decisions and Possibilities (Notebook Mysteries Book 2) by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Ashley McMillon

Decisions and Possibilities (Notebook Mysteries #2)Decisions and Possibilities by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this book. I actually read book 3 before book 2 and I realized though the story does build upon each other, the book can be read as a stand alone! I loved learning more about Emma and her friends and becoming more familiar with the characters. The author is very good at creating depth to the characters, along with their romantic interests. The author loves to build upon stories to pique your interest, and I love a great mystery. If you love a mystery like I do you will love this series! I am looking forward to more development of these fun characters!

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Notebook Mysteries ~ Changes and Challenges (Notebook Mysteries Book 3) by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Ashley McMillon

Notebook Mysteries ~ Changes and ChallengesNotebook Mysteries ~ Changes and Challenges by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was full of interesting stories and characters. Once the story really built up I became more and more interested in where the story was going and the ending. This author does a really good job at building the characters from the start, and as more and more characters are added to the story with more depth I realized the story was going in a much different direction than I originally thought! I enjoyed reading it and you will too! I also noticed that although it was set back in time, I did not feel this negatively affected the book. I’m thinking the author was really working to set up the entire series starting here. I look forward to what will happen next!

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Mermaid and the Rainbow: Mermaid Science by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Ashley McMillon

the mermaid and the rainbowthe mermaid and the rainbow by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thought this book was a really cute and fun book to learn about science. I enjoyed reading this book and finding all of the tricks that the mermaid knew and taught to the children. This is definitely a book that children will love. The illustrations are bright and colorful, and display the scientific experiments well. This little book is a fun conversation starter with your little one to do some of these experiments on their own with their own mermaid!

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My Valentine’s Day Cookie Match (Welcome to Cupid’s Cove) by C.A. King – Review by Ashley McMillon

My Valentine's Day Cookie Match: Welcome to Cupids CoveMy Valentine’s Day Cookie Match: Welcome to Cupids Cove by C.A. King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was so super fun to read! Definitely an original story, and I found myself wondering how sweet things can cause some people to find love! Well as you read the story, you fall right into the joy of being in love. I don’t want to give the story away but there are two very fun additions to the story that play an interesting part in building the book and. one makes it a book to keep coming back to! Now I must say through the entire book I wanted one of these delectable treats and a visit to Cupid’s Cove! I am sure this series will not disappoint!

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Juliet’s Journey to Love (Great Smoky Mountain Getaways Book 1) by Elsie Davis – Review by Ashley McMillon

Juliet's Journey to Love (Great Smoky Mountain Getaways, #4)Juliet’s Journey to Love by Elsie Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Juliet’s story was fun to read. I was excited to hear more about her journey leading her group through the mountain trails. I personally think that this alone would be enough of a tear jerker for me to try and accomplish! You meet Juliet and her friends, and a tragic incident leads to a need for help! This romantic story feels realistic to me. I found myself looking at my own relationship, and the differences in my walk with Christ vs my husband’s, and I see that there is hope for love. The author does a fantastic job of teaching the principles of Christian living within the pages of this book. I found myself smiling big at the close of the story. I believe you will love it just as much as I did!

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The Mesmerist by Claire Luana – Review by Ashley McMillon

The MesmeristThe Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was a spectacular read to me. I found myself very intrigued by the description, and the first chapter had me hooked. The author is very talented in her work, character development, and scenery depiction. I fell in love with our main character from the start, and as she transforms in the story I’m amazed at who she becomes. In her own investigation into the crimes, she reminds me of me, how I would be just as adamant about learning the truth, and protecting my friendships. It was indeed a mystical book, but seemed very realistic! It was a treat to read! I look forward to reading more from the author.

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Depending On You by Jessica Aiken-Hall – Review by Ashley McMillon

Depending On YouDepending On You by Jessica Aiken-Hall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a very fast read and kept me interested! It was nice to read of the story of our best friends. I felt like I knew then and everything they dealt with. This was a twisted little tale full of secrets that threaten to destroy the lives of all of our characters. This was a nice view of how shame can truly rip through our lives. I hope to take this as a reminder to move past the haunting that shame can put on me! I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I did!

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The View from Here by Leon Stevens – Review by Ashley McMillon

The View from HereThe View from Here by Leon Stevens
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thought this book was pretty interesting to start with, in terms of the story itself. I was intrigued by reflecting on what I would do in an incredibly uncharted world, and I was eager to find out what Thomas and his new acquaintance turned friend did! The book was pretty easy to read, and visualize, but as the story progressed, I became really confused. I let that feeling subside and continued to try and read it. I believe that the description of the surroundings needed to be viewed, which instantly made me want to SEE this book in cinema! Not being able to visualize it was really tough but I tried as much as I could to progress. I think this book could benefit from an accompanying set of drawings, or a YouTube graphics video etc to help visualize. At any rate, by the end I was interested in moving through the novella series. The ending was highly disappointing.

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Shake Loose the Border (Thunder on the Moor Book 3) by Andrea Matthews – Review by Ashley McMillon

Shake Loose the Border (Thunder On The Moor Book 3)Shake Loose the Border by Andrea Matthews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The author really has you on the edge of your seat as you read this final book in the Thunder one the Moor series! The author is very descriptive down to the language used to portray these wonderful characters, and you sit in suspense as you wait impatiently for the next twist and turn! I was so excited to get to book 3, AND it did NOT disappoint! You will fall in love with and be incredibly irritated by some characters, wonder, wait, what just happened, and then reach the end better off than when you started. This is a great book and I am looking forward to other series from this intelligent author!

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Ride with the Moonlight by Andrea Matthews Review by Ashley McMillon

Ride with the Moonlight (Thunder On The Moor, #2)Ride with the Moonlight by Andrea Matthews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I will say this, the lives of Maggie and her suitor Will continue to be challenged in book 2 of this series. I was in awe of the pure love shown by Maggie as she saved her love from certain death! Being from the 20th century helped her a lot in this case, and she’s lucky no one knows of this. With all of the turmoil that is Will’s accused crimes of being with her, Will still charges on fighting tooth and nail every step of the way to secure his love for Maggie. This second book in the series will definitely keep you entertained with the antics of her new family, along with those of her own. I’m one again excited to see the next book in the series and how the saga ends for these two in love. Now on to book three!

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Thunder on the Moor by Andrea Matthews Review by Ashley McMillon

Thunder On The Moor (Thunder On The Moor, #1)Thunder On The Moor by Andrea Matthews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was incredible! I was in shock just from the prologue! From time travel to violent raids, to the unfair treatment of women and scandalous men, this book has it all! It would not be the masterpiece it is without including love, heartbreak, deceit, and the suspense of this original story. With some patience, it will be well worth the time it takes to finish the book and you’ll be more than ready for book number two! Happy reading!

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ConQuest: The Art of Selling at Cons by Megan Mackie – Review by Ashley McMillon

ConQuest: The Art of Selling At ConsConQuest: The Art of Selling At Cons by Megan Mackie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was surprised in a great way while reading this book. The author does her very best and succeeds at keeping you entertained! I felt very intrigued by every step and care for detail and now feel more knowledgeable and prepared to write and present a book! Not only did the author prepare you to present a book at various Cons, she helped you learn how to properly market yourself, your book, your table, and all with example photos as well. Every step of the way, a do and a don’t is given. I feel as if this is helpful in every area, whether you need to get your book sold, or if you need to get ready for the next job interview. There are many hidden skills that help you to know how to make your product stand out in a crowd! I was excited to read about each level of con, and where you will take too many chances, and when it is worth the money. Great tips. Very well written and entertained me all the way through! Quick yet informative read.

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Exiled South by Harriet Cannon – Review by Ashley McMillon

Exiled SouthExiled South by Harriet Cannon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While reading this selection I was excited to dig into this story and explore the main character. It started off great with some major life changes for her, and as I read I became more and more interested in what was to come. I personally think that the storyline is great, but it was a very slow read for me. With as many levels there are too this book it might have been better served as a series.

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No Names to Be Given by Julia Brewer Daily – Review by Ashley McMillon

No Names to Be GivenNo Names to Be Given by Julia Brewer Daily
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reading this book captivated me from the prologue and I couldn’t put it down except to ponder what went on! The author did an amazing job of telling the story from so many points of view. To witness in what felt like real time the tragedy of these women’s lives was drop great breaking. I’m always pinched inside when I hear of women worth such harrowing stories regarding their children. I feel very blessed top have two children of my own. The multiple stories from every perspective really made me happiest while reading this book. It is amazing what can go on in the minds of other people and how perception is everything. My heart was broken to read of the problems women faced in those times. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends!

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States of Grace (Grace Locke Mystery Series) by Mandy Miller – Review by Ashley McMillon

States of GraceStates of Grace by Mandy Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my gosh where do I start! This book is exceptional! Get ready to not want to put it down okay? Very fast paced story with levels to every turn! I’m so glad I read this. From cover to cover Grace shows us that she is a real woman with real issues, she’s facing them and is determined to get her life back. I love that the author gets gritty in her character building of Grace. I’ve always been a fan of law and order type dramas, and after reading this, I am happy to admit this would be amazing in movie form. I’m already looking forward to book two!

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Holiday Hope (Holiday Express Book 1) by Shanna Hatfield – Review by Ashley McMillon

Holiday Hope (Holiday Express Book 1)Holiday Hope by Shanna Hatfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was looking forward to the chance to read this book. I noticed from looking into her a little more that she is a best selling author, loves to write these types of fun characters and the romance writing was bringing high expectations! Well this book did not disappoint. I always love a great period piece when it comes to great writing. Everything about this book was enjoyable. The author made sure that we could visualize every scene, down to the wardrobes, dialect, and scenery. I must admit getting into the Christmas season this year has been a rollercoaster experience, but reading this book gave me all the holiday hope that I need! I am looking forward to finishing this series!

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Blindsided by T. Christensen – Review by Ashley McMillon

Blindsided: A Contemporary Sports RomanceBlindsided: A Contemporary Sports Romance by T. Christensen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was chilling. The trauma displayed in the teenage girl’s life is haunting. Let’s just talk about that first. I turned every page just WAITING for it to get better! But wait, there is so much more to this book! I like the way the author gets us twisted into the love story, and shows us how ignorant we can be as young lovers (don’t forget about the old people too, sheesh)! The ending was so unpredictable for me! This book was great though at putting you in the shoes of your teenager, and I will be paying closer attention to mine!

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The Colors of Darkness by Feather Chelle – Review by Ashley McMillon

Colors of Darkness: Ability Awareness Activity BookColors of Darkness: Ability Awareness Activity Book by Feather Chelle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had the opportunity to read the messages within the book, and it was great to see what it is like to work within the confinements of blindness and other impairments as well. It reminded me of some of the exercises done to settle anxiety and return to oneness! I think these exercises were quite calming, and the commentary throughout the book was insightful. I look forward to continuing these exercises regularly!

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Blood Oath (Mafia Elite, book 2) by Amy McKinley – Review by Ashley McMillon

Blood Oath (Mafia Elite, #2)Blood Oath by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a page Turner and tough to put down! Once again, the author gives us a book that feels eerily authentic and simply normal as a reader of a mafia family book. This story of Sofia and Enzo is so intense and you are on the edge of your seat from the start learning about their love for each other. You’re in for a treat once the story takes a turn, as you learn of Sofia’s fate. Good read!

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No Way Out (Mafia Elite, book 1) by Amy McKinley – Review by Ashley McMillon

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

I was so thrilled reading this book. You will fall in love with Max almost instantly! Lilliana is in for a wild ride throughout this entire book, and with every turn of the page I hoped for the best for her. I love the way that the author painted a full picture of the Mafia life, indicating the danger that was present, but not from yours or my point of view, but from the point of view of someone right there in it. The bloodshed was not so hard to stomach, but the focus was on Max and his dangerous plight to rid Lilliana of her father’s terrible reign! Extremely well written and I was SO ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT!!!

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Spoilsport (Pierce Brothers Book 2) by Belinda Williams – Review by Ashley McMillon

Spoilsport (Pierce Brothers, #2)Spoilsport by Belinda Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I will admit, it was a little bit of a slow read for me, but I LOVE this story! Very well written story line, and I fell in love with the characters at each level of change within the story! Nadia is giving all the vibes of an independent yet broken young woman, fighting with this crazy possessed home. This woman is fighting to create her own life, and deals with family drama (who doesn’t have any, amirite?), and then meets up AGAIN with this handsome builder. The incessant fighting with him was so fun to experience, as it felt realistic! I understand her desires to stay within her own boundaries….but who can really fight against true love for long?!? Great story with twists and turns, and now I want to know more about all of the Pierce Brothers!

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Born to Fight (Can’t Resist You Book 1) by Brittany Anne -Review by Ashley McMillon

Born to Fight (Can't Resist You, #1)Born to Fight by Brittany Anne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was in love from the moment I opened this book! My first thought was that it was a very interesting story and I was waiting for the romance to show up and it got me like a smack in the face and I was not ready! Their bond is intense and it reminds me of true love’s connections between a couple! I could barely put it down because of obligations but it was a pleasure to read from beginning to end! Looking forward to the rest of the series!

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