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Rocketship Made of Stars (I am an Alien) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Candice Estes

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Rocketship Made of Stars: Naming Constellations (I am an Alien)Rocketship Made of Stars: Naming Constellations by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a cute book for grade school age kids. My 9 and 10 year old enjoyed it. Shirl is a little girl on Earth who reaches out to the vast reaches of the Universe by sending out a radio transmission that Eee-aah, an alien from a far away planet, responds to. Eee-aah is excited to go to school with Shirl, and Shirl is equally excited to introduce her new friend to her schoolmates. While Shirl and Eee-aah are at school, the young alien talks to Shirl’s class about her home planet and the constellations that can be seen from it, as well as the constellations that can be seen from Earth, with help from the other students and the teacher. The illustrations are fantastic, and the information section at the end of the book about constellations is an excellent addition.

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The Secrets of Arkaim (The Reeds of West Hills) by B. E. Padgett – Review by

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The Secrets of Arkaim (The Reeds of West Hills #2)The Secrets of Arkaim by B.E. Padgett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is book 2 in the Reeds of West Hills series. This is a great middle grade series, and I have been really enjoying the creativity, suspense, and world building that is going into it. This series is about 11 –year-old gifted twins, Jon and Frank Reed, are set to return to West Hills School for the Perceptually Gifted for the second year (though their first full year). The boys have missed their school, and their friends even though they were able to spend some time with Mira over the summer at a conference for the perceptually gifted and their families. The boys are also excited when they learn that the school is set to hold their Zodiac Games, a competition that occurs every 3 years. The competition is between the houses to see which house is the best. What nobody expects is the darker, more sinister game that someone else on campus is playing, and trying to manipulate Jon and Frank into being a part of. This gets especially dangerous when all of the telepathy students start coming down with an unknown illness, and Frank worries that he may be next, all while Jon deals with a dark and shadowy figure in his dreams that seems to be determined to get something from him.

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As Though You Were Mine by J. Marie Rundquist – Review by Candice Estes

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As Though You Were MineAs Though You Were Mine by J. Marie Rundquist
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Julie is happy with her life. She is single, has no kids, and no real wish to change anything. However, life has other plans for Julie, when she unexpectedly becomes the guardian of her twin niece and nephew after her brother and sister-in-law die unexpectedly. What Julie could never have predicted is how much this would change her life. She goes from single with minimal responsibilities to having to take care of two four year olds who are grieving and struggling to understand the changes to their lives. Mikey has stopped talking, something she is told is new, while Lucy has started throwing temper tantrums whenever things aren’t quite the way that she expects them to be or when she just can’t handle her emotions. While learning to navigate grief, family, and suddenly becoming a parent, one more curve ball comes into Julies life in the form of the children’s uncle, Grant.

This story is, at times, heart breaking and yet heartwarming. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a happily ever after, even if it there are a few wrong turns in the middle.

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Reticent Hawke (The Hawke Family Second Generation Book 2) by Gwyn McNamee – Review by Candice Estes

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Reticent Hawke: A Billionaire Reverse Age Gap Best Friend's Older Sister Forbidden Romance (The Hawke Family Second Generation Book 2)Reticent Hawke: A Billionaire Reverse Age Gap Best Friend’s Older Sister Forbidden Romance by Gwyn McNamee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is book 2 in the series, but can definitely be read as a standalone, though I don’t think you will want to. Jude had a rough childhood until he was found and adopted by the Hawke family. He slowly, but surely, learns how to be a part of a family, but still keeps the family at arm’s length. Angelina is 12 years older than Jude, and the older sister of his best friend, Allie, another Hawke family member who upon meeting him for the first time, helps him through the panic and the rough adjustment of being in their family. Then, suddenly Jude locks himself in his second story loft, and quits showing up or even going outside at all. Nobody is sure what caused the change, until he explains that one of the people whom made his young life so hard had suddenly reappeared in a place where he didn’t expect him to be and it caused him to retreat to what he felt was safety. When Angelina and Jude are forced to spend time together one-on-one due to Allie becoming unpredictable, they finally let down their guard and allow their feelings to flow, without fear of protecting themselves, the sparks fly.

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Ten Little Starfish by Kim Ann – Review by Candice Estes

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Ten Little Starfish: A Counting BookTen Little Starfish: A Counting Book by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great book for young kids just learning how to read and count. The story itself is easy but engaging. I would recommend this book for kids in lower elementary or below. Rather they can read on their own or not, kids are going to love the beautiful artwork found within this book. Kim Onn has written a great book to get kids interested in counting and in starfish, while Nejla Shojaie has drawn beautiful works of art to engage imaginations.

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Shadowed Obsession (Shadow Defense Security Series Book 1) by Mavery Ellscott – Review by Candice Estes

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Shadowed Obsession: An Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller (Shadow Defense Security Series Book 1)Shadowed Obsession: An Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller by Mavery Ellscott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is the first book in the Shadow Defense Security series, and it definitely did not disappoint. I truly cannot wait to see what comes next from this series and this author. Mavery Ellscott weaves a tale of mystery, intrigue, suspense, and love. Keira O’Ryan is soon to be a partner at her PR company, but she has a secret she’s been keeping for months. She has been getting AirDrop images of herself sent by an unknown number, that not only make her feel uncomfortable, but also let her know that she has a stalker who is intent on keeping tabs on her. When her neighbor, Cade Hartford intervenes to try and help her find her stalker and stop the terrifying ramp up of the things that are going on around Keira. This book will keep you guessing to the end.

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Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Candice Estes

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Goldilocks and the Six Simple MachinesGoldilocks and the Six Simple Machines by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a creative take on a classic story. Most people know the story of Goldilocks and the three bears, in which Goldilocks tries out all of the bears things until she finds which one works best for her. In this twist, Goldilocks helps the bear family by fixing things within their home. This is an interesting and creative way to introduce simple machines, such as pulleys, levers, inclined planes and others, to young readers, while making learning them fun and interesting. I would recommend this book for grade school age kids, mostly older grades, who will be learning this information in their schoolwork, but could probably use the refreshing while being entertained.

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Sliding into Home (Playing for Keeps Book 3) by Lauren Fraser – Review by Candice Estes

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Sliding into Home: A Secret Baby Sports Romance (Playing for Keeps Book 3)Sliding into Home: A Secret Baby Sports Romance by Lauren Fraser
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is book 3 of this series, but absolutely can be read as a standalone, but I’ve enjoyed all 3 of them and would definitely recommend them.

Six years ago, Saskia and Jeff had a one night stand that created their son, Max. Saskia wanted to tell Jeff, but by the time she found out she was pregnant, Jeff had disappeared. When she meets Max’s baseball coach for t-ball, she is surprised to find Jeff is the man that her son has been telling her so much about. Jeff is surprised to see Saskia again after so long, and even more surprised to learn that he has a son he didn’t know about. While the pair get to know each other, and Jeff gets to know his son, there are many things to sort out, including how to make their relationship work for the long haul.

With some steamy scenes, an adorable kid, and a guaranteed happily ever after, this is a great book, and a quick read. I didn’t want to put it down!

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Smooth Hoperator (Love on Tap Book 2) by Sylvie Stewart – Review by Candice Estes

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Smooth Hoperator (Love on Tap, #2)Smooth Hoperator by Sylvie Stewart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is book 2 in the Love on Tap series, and is a great addition. While it does overlap with the end of book one a bit, it can absolutely be read as a standalone, but I don’t think you will want to let these characters go any more than I did. Carter was on a rising path in the world of politics in Washington, D.C. until he hears something he shouldn’t have, and is forced to flee to the safety of his hometown and content himself with working in his family’s brewery and bar, though he is far less than happy with this outcome. Sunny is a librarian in a small library, and while she may have her rough spots, her name is generally very fitting for her personality. When Carter’s investigation into the situation that made him run from D.C. throws them together, along with Sunny’s grandfather, danger seems to be around every corner, until it can be deal with, once and for all. This is a guaranteed happily ever after, with plenty of wit, heart and drama to keep you reading.

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The Book of Hours (Coin/Hours Duology Book 2) by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra – Review by Candice Estes

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The Book of Hours (Coin/Hours Cycle 2)The Book of Hours by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a sequel to a previous book by this author, but it can be read as a standalone. I have not read the first book, but did not feel like I was missing much in the way of context. This book will keep you guessing at first, and then on the edge of your seats from there. Gabriela Martinez is a very talented illustrator, mother and wife. She is also in grave danger due to a manuscript that she is auctioning off in an effort to raise money for a children’s charity run by her cousin, a priest in California. When she refuses to sell her manuscript ahead of the auction to a man who has decided that he is entitled to it, he puts her life, as well as that of her children, in danger. When a former protector and lover from years past, Richard Harrison, learns of the issues, he immediately flies from him home in London to protect Gabriela with everything he has. This book takes place in Los Angeles, California and London, England in 1997, which allows for some of today’s tech to be left out, allowing for greater freedom in how the story plays out. This is an excellent read that makes me want to go back and read book 1!

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Grand Slam (Ground Rule Book 3) by Bree Kraemer – Review by Candice Estes

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Grand Slam (Ground Rule Book 3)Grand Slam by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is book 3 of this series, and can be read as a standalone, though I don’t know why you’d want to!

Heath Bailey is a professional baseball player who first meets Grace Dyer while helping his friend and business manager, Zara, with a bachelor auction to benefit the animal shelter that Grace runs. At first, both Grace and Heath think that they hate the other person. Heath doesn’t like Grace because she’s bossy and he feels like she treats him like he’s stupid. She hates him because he is rich and she is afraid that he will look down on her. When Heath’s sister unexpectedly goes into labor on the weekend of her baby shower, it leaves Heath and Grace unexpectedly alone in her house, where both start to question their feelings for one another. When Heath adopts a dog from the shelter Grace runs, and unexpectedly rescues Grace from a set up for a date with a friend of her brothers (that she wants no part of) by pretending to be her boyfriend for a family dinner, the pair start to spend time together and sparks fly, despite Grace trying her hardest not to let that happen. There is plenty of steamy scenes, lots of heart and even a sweet dog (or more), and a guaranteed happily ever after.

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Sacrifice Bunt (Ground Rule Book 2) by Bree Kraemer – Review by Candice Estes

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Sacrifice Bunt (Ground Rule Book 2)Sacrifice Bunt by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is book 2 in this series, and while it can be read as a standalone, I doubt you will want to!

Years ago, Zara Dewan met Noah Ashe in a memorable way, by being completely naked in the apartment while waiting for his roommate, though she didn’t know he had a roommate at the time. Their meeting was short, and memorable for another reason as well, a fire that destroyed the whole apartment building. Since that day, Zara has hated Noah, because he carried her out of the apartment without clothing, gave her his shirt, and then disappeared. They have crossed paths many times since then, because Zara is a sports agent, and Noah is a professional baseball player. When the pair is thrown together due to Zara’s friend a business partner (and Noah’s agent) being sidelined from an important meeting due to an issue for another client, the spark that had been simmering just under the surface lights and the pair end up sleeping together. What Zara never saw coming was her developing feelings for Noah, who already wanted to be with her in more ways than one. There is some strong language, and plenty of steamy scenes, with a guaranteed happily ever after.

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Fetching Dreams by Mary Bleckwehl – Review by Candice Estes

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Fetching DreamsFetching Dreams by Mary Evanson Bleckwehl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Neyah is a young girl living in Africa, which means that she misses school a lot due to having to walk many miles a day to fetch water for her family to use for food, bathing, washing, crops and livestock. When her school starts a pen pal project with a group of middle school students in Minnesota, Neyah gets to know an American teenager named Abby. Abby is surprised by how different things are, such as a lack of running water, or that Neyah is the one that has to miss school and not her four brothers. Throughout the book, we see many problems that Neyah faces in her daily life, such as diseases caused by lack of clean water, her dad’s lack of willingness to change how things have always been done, the dangers of her climb to and from the different water sources in her area of Africa, bandits, and the possibility that her father will sell her as a second wife for cattle. Neyah at first thinks that Abby’s life is “perfect”, but quickly we learn that Abby has issues of her own. Her parents are struggling after issues of their own, and then Abby ends up with a brain tumor. The girls start working together to get access to water in Neyah’s village, by raising money and awareness of the situation that Neyah lives every day. This is a great book for reminding people that everyone has their issues, we are not that much different than other people our age in other places around the world. This is a great book for adults and teenagers, alike.

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Walk Off (Ground Rule Book 1) by Bree Kraemer – Review by Candice Estes

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Walk OffWalk Off by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When she was 18, Celia Mullen fell in love with Kyle Dulanay, and just as he was being called up to play major league baseball, Celia found out she was pregnant. To protect his ability to live his dream, Celia broke off their relationship, and broke Kyle’s heart. Nearly 8 years later, Kyle is invited to a wedding that Celia, and their daughter Jasmine, are a part of. Kyle is angry, and devastated, to learn that he has a daughter that he knew nothing of and missed out on so much with. Celia feels guilty and knows that she made a mistake, but at the time felt like she was doing the best thing for Kyle, by allowing him to live his dream and not have to make a choice. Kyle now wants to get to know his daughter, and after the anger dissipates, he realizes that he still loves Celia and wants both of them in his life. This is a great start to this series, and I cannot wait to read the rest of them as they come out! There is some strong language, and plenty of steamy scenes, with a guaranteed happily ever after.

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Falling Again (Buckeye Falls Book 3) by Libby Kay – Review by Candice Estes

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Falling AgainFalling Again by Libby Kay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Natalie and Anthony Snyder have been married for 10 years, but have recently started to struggle in a way that they never have before. Natalie and her best friend, Ginny, have recently started their event planning business. Anthony is now on his second term as mayor of Buckeye Falls. The couple also now has two kids, a 5 year old and a 2 year old. Between all of the different demands on their time, Natalie and Anthony have lost each other and have both started to feel like they are drifting apart and are unsure of how to fix the problem, though they both know they want to fix it and save their marriage. When Natalie and Anthony are given the opportunity to spend a week alone, helping to pack up his parents’ lake house, they are finally able to reconnect and really talk through what they feel and want. This is a great book, the 3rd in this series. It can be read as a standalone book, but I truly doubt that you will want to once you start.

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Acting Counsel (Kings of Screen Book 3) by Morgana Bevan – Review by Candice Estes

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Acting Counsel (Kings of Screen, #3)Acting Counsel by Morgana Bevan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nathan and Catrina met one night in a bar, had one incredible night together, and thought that would be the end of it…until they meet again, in Catrina’s office at her law firm. Nathan is working on a deal to purchase a movie studio, and needs a competent lawyer, something he sadly didn’t have in his previous lawyer. Catrina needs this deal to go through, quickly, so that she can make partner at her law firm and move up in her career. What neither had bargained for was the attraction and connection they feel. Catrina insists that they keep things platonic until they get the deal inked and Nathan is no longer her client, both to help Nathan’s image and to abide by her firms strict no dating clients rules. When pictures of the two of them kissing in her office surface, everything comes undone, and Catrina ends up getting fired, and Nathan’s deal falls through. With a guaranteed happily ever after, this book is a great addition to this series. This book can be read as a standalone, but once you meet Nathan, Catrina and their friends, you likely won’t want to leave their world, I know I don’t.

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The Guardian of Whispers (The Reeds of West Hills Book 1) by B. E. Padgett – Review by

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The Guardian of Whispers (The Reeds of West Hills #1)The Guardian of Whispers by B.E. Padgett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jonathan and Franklin Reed are twin boys living in Florida with their family, which consists of their parents, Aunt Gladys, older brother Eugene, younger brother Peter, and younger sister Clara. The bossy life is pretty typical, until just after they turn 10. Then Jonathan begins to see shadows of events that happen shortly after, while Franklin starts to hear voices that nobody else hears. At first, the boys keep these new abilities to themselves, until one night Franklin has a nightmare that he is almost unable to wake up from. That’s when his mother calls in an old friend who looks at the boys and figures out what is going on with them. The friend, as well as the mother, has gifts, for the mom, it’s being an empathy, which she puts to work in her job as a cop. For the friend, it’s being able to hear other peoples thoughts, much like Frank. Jon on the other hand has a much rarer gift, the ability to see the future. The twins head off to a school in Washington state for people with just such gifts. Here they find friends, mentors and others like them, but also danger and trouble.

This book is an excellent read. I would recommend it for anyone over the age of about 10, who likes magic, mystery and friendship. I truly cannot wait for the next book in this series.

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Stay For Me (The Balefire Series Book 5) by Tam DeRudder Jackson – Review by Candice Estes

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Stay For Me (The Balefire Series Book 5)Stay For Me by Tam DeRudder Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ten years ago, Garrett and Olivia were in love, but parted ways because they were both focused on their careers and their paths took them in different directions. Garrett was the manager of a band, Balefire, and decided to focus on making them the megastars he knew they could be. Olivia wanted to start a video production company, and needed to be in a place that work could be found, which was not Denver, Colorado, where the band and Garrett were located. When Garrett and Balefire suddenly want to work with Olivia, after her skillful work with the Oscars, Olivia is uncertain at first, but she cant turn down the work, because her company needs the money, desperately. Working with Garrett and the band again, reminds Olivia of what they had, but when Garrett’s mistakes from the past, where the band members and their relationships are concerned, comes back to haunt him, Olivia must decide rather she can get past the distance in their relationship and Garrett’s past choices, to find the love they shared. This book is a part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone book, though now that I’ve read this one, I am adding the rest of this series to my summer to be read list.

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Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Future World Changers by Janice Pratt – Review by Candice Estes

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Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Our Future World-ChangersBrave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Our Future World-Changers by K.J. Kaschula
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great collection of short stories for kids. My girls (ages 9 and 10) liked many of these stories, and I cried reading some of them. Each short story takes on a situation in which children may realistically face. For instance, some of them handle the loss of a loved one, or bullying and other situations. I would highly recommend this book for parents to read, and share stories as they may be helpful to children, but also may handle situations that aren’t necessarily “easy reading” for young children, unless the situation arises that may be helped by one of these stories.

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Unexpected Entanglement (The Echo Series Book 3) by C.R. Alam – Review by Candice Estes

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Unexpected Entanglement (The Echo Series, #3)Unexpected Entanglement by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is another excellent addition to this series, that can be read as a stand alone, but I doubt that you will want to once you get started.

When Rowan and her brother Kieran lose their father and learn of a half-sister all at the same time, they are not sure what to think or do. Rowan and her father were working on restoring their family inn, located in Vinalhaven, Maine, to its former glory, when her dad unexpectedly has a heart attack and passes away, leaving Rowan with a final message to find her sister, Rae. As Rowan and Kieran try to finish the work they had already started on the inn, as well as the farm attached to the inn, they try to find Rae, as the three siblings have been given the property to run together, and they all three have to be a part of it. Rae, however, is unable or unwilling to just suddenly become a part of what is going on, so her friend Chris decides to go check things out for her first. Rae is a well known travel blogger and her husband is part of a popular band, and they are worried that the siblings only want to find them for their investment abilities. Chris Sullens shows up without warning, but does explain to the siblings why he is there. Chris’ family owns a large, well known hotel chain, and Chris, himself, owns and runs a smaller hotel chain of destination based hotels. Chris is able to help Rowan to formulate more ideas of how to help her family’s inn come back, while getting it back up and running for a family wedding. When the pair unexpectedly find themselves to be fake engaged, in an effort to ward of unwanted advances of a suitor for Rowan and unwanted criticism from town elders who think they have the right to run the island and view it as theirs to control, the pair discover that they are good together – in more ways than one.

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Non-Verbal by Molly Zenk – Review by Candice Estes

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NonVerbalNonVerbal by Molly Zenk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was an amazing read from start to finish. I couldn’t put it down, and had to know if things would get better for Emerson. Emerson Rayne is a middle school girl who is Autistic and mostly non-verbal. She can speak sometimes, usually short one or two word answers, and very infrequently. When she was a toddler, she could speak perfectly fine, until she was around fifteen months old, and then her words left her. Emerson wants to be like the neurotypical girls she sees sometimes at school, but the sensory overload that comes from being in a school with bright lights, loud noises and mean kids, sometimes makes Emerson’s days more difficult. Emerson wants to be a good girl, but sometimes she finds it too difficult to fight the urges to run away, to eat things she shouldn’t, and possibly worst of all the feeling of bugs crawling on her that she knows is not on the outside, as well as the feeling of fire that is also not on the outside but leads her to harming herself in an effort to make the pain stop. Sometimes her attempts to get the feelings to go away cause her to hurt those around her, like her best friend Ryleigh or even her teachers. As her behavior problems at school continue to escalate, her parents try everything they know how to try and so does the school, until the finally are forced to put her back into what she calls the hospital school, an inpatient treatment for children experiencing behavior crisis. Between a new treatment plan, and a new school targeted at helping ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) kids, Emerson and her family hope things will get better. As a part of two ASD kids, as well as a SpEd parapro for a middle school child, I found this book to be very authentic and helpful. I quickly got attached to Emerson, while also being able to empathize with her parents as well as with her teachers/parapros. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know a little more about what it’s like to be in any of these positions.

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A River of Crows by Shanessa Gluhm – Review by Candice Estes

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A River of CrowsA River of Crows by Shanessa Gluhm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you are in the mood for a mystery/suspense/who-done-it/edge of your seat, keep you guessing book, you have found the perfect one. I started this book, and finished it within two days…around a 40 hour a week job, and homelife. I did not want to put this one down, and spent far more time awake at night flipping pages than was wise. This book kept me guessing, not quite until the end, because most of the lose ends were tied up before that, but it was definitely close to the end.

Sloane Hadfield is struggling with having to return to her hometown, which she’d fled many years before, to take care of her mother, who has had problems and been in and out of mental health facilities since shortly after her younger brother died when they were children. What’s worse for Sloane is that, although no body was ever found, her father was tried and convicted of the death because the father and son were alone together on a fishing trip at a nearby river. Sloane must now deal with all of the memories and pain caused by her childhood, while also wondering if what she thinks she knows is actually the truth…and just who she can really trust after all.

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The Innovator (WaterFyre Rising Book 3) by Nadia Han – Review by Candice Estes

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The Innovator (WaterFyre Rising, #3)The Innovator by Nadia Han
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Natalie Chapelle is more than she appears. Natalie is working for the city of Providence, trying to learn information about a building that her father left to her when he passed away, though she is not sure why he would have done so. What Natalie hopes nobody figures out is that the background that got her the job is all a lie, and she is really the heir and designer for a major fashion label in Europe, a family owned company called LaRue. When Natalie first meets Grayson Wu, an architect that is helping the city with a new project, sparks fly as the battle of wills and tempers begins nearly immediately. Both are attracted to one another, but it’s not until they are parent trapped into spending time alone together in a secluded location that they finally allow themselves to give into the lust they feel. Both of them are dealing with a lot of stress and pressure outside of the project they are working together on for the city, but they start a relationship that helps them to both feel more grounded and happy than they have in a long time. When Grayson’s outside business becomes more dangerous, he pushes her away to try and protect her, going as far as sending her back to Paris and her family (with some help) to try and protect her. Once the danger has passed, Grayson hopes to be able to convince Natalie to forgive him. This is a good quick read. It is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone, with plenty of sex and intrigue to keep you reading.

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The Crown of Stones: Magic-Borne (The Crown of Stones Book 3) by C.L. Schneider – Review by Candice Estes

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Magic-Borne (The Crown of Stones #3)Magic-Borne by C.L. Schneider
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ian Troy is determined to save not only his own people, but the people of all the realms from the evil that is his own father. Jem Reth is determined to bend all of the people in all of the realms to his will, no matter how much death and destruction it takes to get there. Ian decides that to try and circumvent the future he has already seen, his best choice…and perhaps his only option…is to go into the distant past and try to fix what was broken so long ago. This is the final book of this series and will keep you on the edge of your seat to the very end.

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His Forever Muse (The Echo Series Book 2) by C.R. Alam – Review by Candice Estes

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His Forever Muse (Book 2 of The Echo Series)His Forever Muse by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First, let me say, while Calliope, or Callie as she’s most often called, is one of the strongest heroines I’ve read about, there are multiple conversations in this book that may be triggering for some people, as Callie has had the unfortunate experience of being in a relationship with an abusive, controlling, and manipulative person who is aided and abetted by his family along the way. While the book does NOT go into graphic detail or show most of the incidents, these conversations can still be triggering for some people, so please, PLEASE take your own mental health into consideration before reading this book.

That being said, this book was well worth the read. Callie Chen-Bisset goes through a lot, both within the confines of a romantic relationship, but also with her own family before that, and comes out stronger on the other side. She is abused mentally and physically, and comes out wanting to help others who have also been victimized by not just the same person, but others as well. Her main goal in that is to protect her daughter from the father who only wants her to try and gain the upper hand on controlling Callie. In the middle of all of this, she rediscovers a lost love from her youth unexpectedly. Brandon Rossi, was friends with Callie and her brother Curtis when they were all kids and teenagers until Curtis interferes due to his own jealousy, causing Brandon and Callie to not speak for fifteen years. When they meet again while Brandon is on a trip to try and find himself, and Callie is working with a client for her art business, they instantly feel the old attraction return. Brandon travels next to Paris where Callie lives and they begin a relationship while also trying to fight for custody of Callie’s daughter Eleanor, to protect her from her abusive father who only wants her to try and get Callie back so he can control her once again.

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Falling for You (Buckeye Falls Book 2) by Libby Kay – Review by Candice Estes

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Falling for You (Buckeye Falls, #2)Falling for You by Libby Kay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

CeCe and Evan work well together in the kitchen of the diner that they both work at. Evan is young, energetic, and finally living his life the way he wants to, after getting out from underneath the family that always thinks they know what’s best for him. CeCe has recently moved to Buckeye Falls for a fresh start after breaking up with Eric, when she learned that he was married. CeCe finally manages to move on, and finally decides to open her heart up to Evan, despite the age difference that she thinks makes it a bad idea. The diner they work for enters a food truck contest to promote their business, but it comes with a major catch, CeCe’s ex is a part of the contest because he’s a celebrity chef.

This book is great, and is a guaranteed Happily-Ever-After.

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Ale’s Fair in Love and War by Sylvie Stewart – Review by Candice Estes

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Ale's Fair in Love and War (Love on Tap, #1)Ale’s Fair in Love and War by Sylvie Stewart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hollis Hayes has just opened her own dog grooming business next door to the Blue Bigfoot bar, own and run by Cash. The two initially get along like oil and water…or worse. A prank war, started over a dumpster, eventually leads to more when Cash mistakes a real inspector for a fake, hired by Hollis to antagonize him. When he mouths off and makes some comments he really shouldn’t, his family bar is hit with a list of complaints that will cost a bunch of money. Hollis assumes that the inspector is really a plant from her stepfather, after it comes out that Cash’s younger brother briefly had a relationship with Hollis’s teenage sister. While trying to raise the money to save the bar, the pair discover that they are much more alike than they originally believed, and begin to have a real relationship. This book is a guaranteed happily ever after, with lots of humor, love and relatable characters.

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A Stranger in Disguise (A Commissario Scala Mystery in Rome) by P.J. Mann – Review by Candice Estes

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A Stranger in Disguise: An Italian Murder Mystery (A Commissario Scala Mystery in Rome)A Stranger in Disguise: An Italian Murder Mystery by P. J. Mann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is written in English, but is set in Italy, and some of the grammar makes me think the author is more familiar with a different language. This in NO way makes the book unreadable, just seems like valuable information for readers who may have issues with this sort of style.

This book was very well written, and kept me guessing until the very end. This book is set in Rome, Italy, and follows Detective Maurizio Scala in his attempt to solve the murder of a costume maker for a foreign acting group that is set to perform at a local theater. What at first seems like a straightforward case soon reveals itself to be more complicated. The victim, who at first is thought to just be a part of the acting group, is in fact a part of a bank robbery that had taken place many years ago, and had ties to the Romania mafia. As Detective Scala tries to put the pieces together, he is pulled into a world of lies, deceit, drugs, and murder.

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What I Wish I’d Known: For Writers by H.D. Thomson – Review by Candice Estes

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What I Wish I'd Known: For Writers: 100 Authors Reveal What They Wish They'd Told Their Younger SelvesWhat I Wish I’d Known: For Writers: 100 Authors Reveal What They Wish They’d Told Their Younger Selves by H. D. Thomson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book takes the advice from 100 different published authors, and shares with those it is meant to help…people who wish to be writers. As someone who has been working off and on to write my own book over the past few years, as I have time to do so, this book had some great tips and advice. I liked that the advice was laid out by different topics, and then by individual authors as well. This book is easy to pick up, read a few things rather it be just to get out of your own head, to learn something new, or to learn from those who have come before you on a specific topic. I would definitely recommend this to new authors or anyone who just wants to hear the advice of others.

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Ruthless Hawke (The Hawke Family Second Generation Book 1) by Gwyn McNamee – Review by Candice Estes

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Ruthless Hawke (The Hawke Family Second Generation Book 1)Ruthless Hawke by Gwyn McNamee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With plenty of steamy scenes and twists and turns to keep you pulled in, this book is one of the best I’ve read so far this year. Giacomina Marconi is awakened and rushed out of the only home she and her daughter, Viviana know and unceremoniously dropped into the laps of the Hawke family she had previously only known by reputation. What Mina doesn’t know until that moment is the family is also that of the man who fathered her daughter on a long ago weekend away with only fake names and more steamy time together. Mina’s mom runs one of the mafia families of Chicago, while Isaac’s family is legitimate, but has some…questionable business interests and ties.

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