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Unlikely in Love (A Parker Lake Novel Book 1) by Olivia Sherwood – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Unlikely in Love (A Parker Lake Novel Book 1)Unlikely in Love by Olivia Sherwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my first time reading this author and it will not be the last!! I have a deep love for sweet, romantic stories; especially ones that have military men in them!

Having grown up in a small town, I was drawn into this story immediately. Everybody knows everyone and everything that is going on. When Wyatt came back from his overseas tours a changed man, all he needs is a good woman to heal his fractured soul. Even if he doesn’t know it!
Annabelle was the odd girl out in school that marched to the beat of her own drum, and still does. When she and Wyatt start working together, it’s only a matter of time before they realize that their rhythm is one in the same!

Knowing that this is the first book in this series… I am hoping that the next ones focus on her best friends finding love in their small town, too (especially with one or more of Wyatt’s friends!)! Can’t wait for the next book!

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The Girl and the Raven (The Girl and the Raven series) by Pauline Gruber – Review by Desiree Ottinger

The Girl and The RavenThe Girl and The Raven by Pauline Gruber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book! Once I started reading it, I didn’t want to put it down.

Lucy’s character draws you in from the very beginning. You really like her and love her heart for others. Even after her world is turned upside down and challenges assail her left and right, she is still able to love. Her dad is a stranger that has dark powers that she wants to reject, but can she? Marcus is her knight in shining armor holds his own secrets, and Dylan is a popular jock that evolves into something more…. but who will catch Lucy’s heart?

Can’t wait to read the next installment of this series to find out more!

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Georgia Clay (Southern Promises Book 1) by KG Fletcher – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Georgia Clay (Southern Promises, #1)Georgia Clay by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Admittedly, I do not prefer country music. However, if I had a high school crush that wrote songs about me… I probably would! This book had me from the beginning. I LOVE both Katie and Clay. They are perfect for each other! The ending almost had me in tears… You could FEEL the emotions coming off the page and swirling around inside you. <3

Side note, the author has a disclaimer at the beginning of the book that it is intended for an 18 and older reader. I appreciated their consideration for other readers in doing that.

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Journeys Through SpaceTime (Journeys Through Book 1) by James Talisman – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Journeys Through SpaceTimeJourneys Through SpaceTime by James Talisman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a thought provoking read! Four different time/story lines that all end up intersecting at the end to bring it all together, in a sense. Each timeline- think Star Trek (future), Egyptian (past), Chinese (past), and current times- has their different, yet similar, good vs. evil characters. You love to hate the bad guys and root for the good guys!

This was my first time reading this author. I have to say, I was blown away by how much he was able to convey with each timeline and it not feel repetitive! Immediately, you are drawn in to each time’s story and eagerly read to see how it all comes together.

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Caim (Antipodes 4) by T.S. Simons – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Caim (Antipodes #4)Caim by T.S. Simons
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book! It continues following the life that Cam and Freyja have built from her POV. There are plot twists that you don’t expect, and it keeps you reading to find out how it all ends. Just when you think The Collective can’t get any worse… they do, and you want them all to burn.

This series makes you think about your life and evaluate what is really important. Truly. Love this series! You FEEL the heartache and the triumphs of the characters to your core.

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Confessions of a Sophomore Prankster (Frat house confessions) by Danielle Jacks – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Confessions of a Sophomore Prankster (Frat House Confessions, #6)Confessions of a Sophomore Prankster by Danielle Jacks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First time reading this author. I feel like she did a great job portraying the college scene. It kind of made me reflect on my college years as I read it. While I am not a rich kid waiting to take over daddy’s business, I could relate to the wanting to have fun and put off becoming an adult. But then, when you meet the one you are meant for, it is unavoidable to grow up!

This is for mature audiences!

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Motherland (The Tom Grant Series Book 3) by Samantha Adair – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Motherland: A Tom Grant NovelMotherland: A Tom Grant Novel by Samantha Adair
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first time reading this author. And I have to say that I really enjoyed it! I was drawn in from the very beginning by the characters. Even though I have not read the first 2 books in the series, I did not feel like I was missing too much. The author did a great job including some of the back story so I wasn’t completely lost.

Tom Grant was a likeable character as was Isabella/Irina. I am looking forward to reading more about them!

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Shield & Shade (Ascended Guardians Book 1) by Misty Hayes – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Shield & ShadeShield & Shade by Misty Hayes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this YA book about angels vs. demons! It’s the kind of book that sticks with you when you have to put it down and do real life things… but REALLY you want to keep reading it and NOT put it down.

I appreciated that there wasn’t bad language or over sexualized characters. It is beautifully written from multiple points of view. The author did a fabulous job of writing their views in such a way that you were drawn in by each character’s thoughts. The world building was fascinating and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

This is a spin off series and I have not read the original trilogy it’s based off of but you better believe that I will be soon!

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Dragons by Ty Drago – Review by Desiree Ottinger

DragonsDragons by Ty Drago
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this book! It could be because my maiden name is Dragon and I use to day dream about what it would be like to be one. I appreciated the author’s take on “dragons” and how they weren’t the great big lizards that we think about when we hear that name. I enjoyed the characters and development of how there was more than meets the eye to this book as well. It was wonderful world building, too!

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Ouroboros (Antipodes III) by T.S. Simons – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Ouroboros (Antipodes #3)Ouroboros by T.S. Simons
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So enjoyed this!! I did not see the twists coming AT ALL! But I enjoyed them nonetheless! I was happy to read from Freya’s viewpoint in this book! She saw things and experienced things that Cam didn’t and it was refreshing to see her old character come back out. She is pretty amazing!

The thought process to write this book must have been immense! Wonderful writing that I haven’t read in awhile! Thank you, T.S. Simons for putting this out into the world!

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Forbidden Wolf (The Shadow Chronicles Book 1) by CR Robertson – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Forbidden WolfForbidden Wolf by C.R. Robertson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I truly enjoyed reading this book! I was sucked in immediately with the young love that was forbidden and their promise to meet up years later. The author did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life in my mind and their inner struggles to survive. Admittedly, I am a sucker for strong male characters that find their mates and will go to any length to protect them.

Cannot wait for the next book!!

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Courage of Us (Code of Honor Book 1) by Brooke May – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Courage of UsCourage of Us by Brooke May
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I truly enjoyed reading this! I probably felt a little more attached to it since it was a military guy and his girl. I loved the description of the town, the parents’ (on both sides) involvement, and how Patience got back to herself before moving on from her loveless marriage. May did a fantastic job of making Duke redeem himself before getting the girl!

It says book 1, which means there should be more in this series! My hope is that it’s about the rest of their guy friends and finding love!

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Blue Summer Part One by Everly Taylor – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Blue Summer Part OneBlue Summer Part One by Everly Taylor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was very interesting to read. I liked the characters and how they were developed. At times I couldn’t help but think that I was reading an adult version of The Smurfs! I mean… the guys are blue, the girl is blonde with a white dress, and there’s an evil sorcerer who talks to an animal side kick. (shrugs shoulders)

It was entertaining to say the least! Since she left it with a big cliff hanger, I now need to read the second part to find out how it ends!

Definitely an adult book.

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Antipodes by T.S. Simons – Review by Desiree Ottinger

AntipodesAntipodes by T.S. Simons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a well thought out dystopian tale! I found this read to be fascinating; especially, at a time like this! It really made you think about how would we, as a society, cope with something more devastating than Covid. I felt like I was learning how to survive as I read and that kept me reading. I had to know how the characters dealt with everything!

Definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

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Antipodes by T.S. Simons – Review by Desiree Ottinger

AntipodesAntipodes by T.S. Simons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a well thought out dystopian tale! I found this read to be fascinating; especially, at a time like this! It really made you think about how would we, as a society, cope with something more devastating than Covid. I felt like I was learning how to survive as I read and that kept me reading. I had to know how the characters dealt with everything!

Definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

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The Way to Storey by L. B. Anne – Review by Desiree Ottinger

The Way to StoreyThe Way to Storey by L.B. Anne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Such a fascinatingly, cute read! It was full of adventure that ended entirely too soon! The author did an excellent job of accurately describing relationships with people through the eyes of a child. Luella is an extraordinary character with exceptional powers. Her “Gramps” did a wonderful job raising her to make good decisions; even when it was hard. I hope that there will be more stories to come from the world of Storey!

Perfect for 4th graders and up!

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The Earl’s Scandalous Wager by Wareeze Woodson – Review by Desiree Ottinger

The Earl's Scandalous WagerThe Earl’s Scandalous Wager by Wareeze Woodson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was quite an interesting read from the very beginning. The Earl draws you in with his gallantry and then his misunderstanding of the workings of the female mind! (I feel like the author captured how men think eloquently!) Emily is someone you want to be friends with because of all the misfortunes that happen to her. You want to cheer her on and encourage her.

This was a romance novel without being over the top explicit. I appreciated that, too!

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Southland Academy for Supernatural Youth by Sandra Tentler and Brooke Tentler – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Southland Academy for Supernatural YouthSouthland Academy for Supernatural Youth by Sandra Tentler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such an enjoyable read! All the characters were lovely to read about. The fact that these kids struggled with fitting in with their peers/family made it a realistic read (even though their talents are supernatural). I feel like a lot of kids struggle with finding their own talents, self-confidence and mostly, finding like-minded friends. So it was fitting that as their relationships grew with each other, they realized the true meaning of friendship and what it looks like.

I would recommend for middle schoolers and up! Good job to this mom and daughter author pair!

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Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Love UnexpectedLove Unexpected by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Picked this book up on a whim and was sucked in by the ease of the story’s progression. The characters kept my interest and while their language could be crude at times (they admitted to the same in the book), it was easy to see why they thought/spoke that way once you got into the story. Jules was a believable character in her take-no-crap attitude, but I truly enjoy female characters who know their worth. Adam was a more complicated person to dissect. While he was an alpha type character, there was more that you had to delve into to really understand him.

Just FYI, this is definitely an adult book.

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A Gentleman’s Stipulation (The Scarlet Salon Book 4) by Jean Wilde – Review by Desiree Ottinger

A Gentleman's Stipulation (The Scarlet Salon, #4)A Gentleman’s Stipulation by Jean Wilde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love Regency London books!! This book did not disappoint! I just found this series and will be looking for more! You could read this as a standalone book, but if you are like me, you will probably want to find the other books, too! The author writes witty dialogue and intriguing word play between the characters. I couldn’t help but read this in one sitting!

Fun, witty, definitely an adult book.

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The Earl and the Peahen (The Scarlet Salon Book 5) by Jean Wilde – Review by Desiree Ottinger

The Earl and the PeahenThe Earl and the Peahen by Jean Wilde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love a good historical/Regency England love story?!
Jane is a character that you couldn’t help but love and feel sorry for, too. She knows she is not the prettiest girl in the room but her character more than makes up for it. When she meets the Earl… you can’t help but root for them to end up together! Their banter is wonderfully written!

This was a fun, witty and definitely an adult book.

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Betrayal at the Beach (Dangerous Curves Book 1) by K.L. Montgomery – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Betrayal at the Beach: A Cozy Christian Mystery (Dangerous Curves Book 1)Betrayal at the Beach: A Cozy Christian Mystery by K.L. Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a breath of fresh air to read! Sunshine and her friends are wonderfully written Christian characters. The characters all had pluck, were realistic and relatable. It was fun to try and guess who the real culprit of the theft was and in the end to be surprised! I look forward to book two and finding out who Sunshine’s admirer is. I have my suspicions…

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Murder at Honeybee Lake (Shadow of a Doubt Book 2) by Jessica Aiken-Hall – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Murder at Honeybee Lake (Shadow of a Doubt, #2)Murder at Honeybee Lake by Jessica Aiken-Hall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a read that made me think. It will have you think about how you look at people, how you treat them, and how you don’t always see/know what is going on inside of someone. The simple kindness of a candy bar can literally save someone’s life, and you might not ever know until later. Evil is very real and the author did a great job of conveying that in this book. Not my normal read, but I am glad that I picked it up!

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The Lightning Horse (Empire at Twilight Book 1) by N.L. Holmes – Review by Desiree Ottinger

The Lightning Horse (Empire at Twilight, #1)The Lightning Horse by N.L. Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book drew me in from the very beginning. I love historical fiction, and read it often but this was a very different historical fiction for me! It was fascinating to be reading and learning about chariots and history in the middle east at the same time! Oh, to live in that time and to be in the middle of all the intrigue of bringing a king into power and keeping him there.

The author did an exceptional job developing the characters in such a way that you could feel their pain, confusion, and heartbreak. The mystery of who the culprit was that attempted regicide kept me guessing until the end! If this is only book 1, I am definitely looking forward to book 2!

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The Lightning Horse (Empire at Twilight Book 1) by N.L. Holmes – Review by Desiree Ottinger

The Lightning Horse (Empire at Twilight, #1)The Lightning Horse by N.L. Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book drew me in from the very beginning. I love historical fiction, and read it often but this was a very different historical fiction for me! It was fascinating to be reading and learning about chariots and history in the middle east at the same time! Oh, to live in that time and to be in the middle of all the intrigue of bringing a king into power and keeping him there.

The author did an exceptional job developing the characters in such a way that you could feel their pain, confusion, and heartbreak. The mystery of who the culprit was that attempted regicide kept me guessing until the end! If this is only book 1, I am definitely looking forward to book 2!

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Tapestry of Worlds, Part Two: Running and Gunning by Hadley Thorne – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Tapestry of Worlds, Part Two: Running and GunningTapestry of Worlds, Part Two: Running and Gunning by Hadley Thorne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an excellent read by Ms. Thorne! I enjoyed reading what was happening to Ransom and his team at the same time as Erika’s timeline was playing out. (Admittedly, I had to go back and read book 1 because I read this one first!) Their story is so intertwined that you knew what was happening to the other as you read. Her characters are people that you would definitely want to be friends with and have on your side should the end of the world happen!

I can’t wait to see how everything ties up in the end and how their past lives influence what happens!

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Try Right (Aloha Series book 3) by Jill Brashear – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Try RightTry Right by Jill Brashear
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a fun, whimsical read! Take it to the beach and get caught up in the world of Claudia and Henry!

Let the miscommunications, and the over thinking begin! The characters were enjoyable and the setting spectacular! You couldn’t help but love Henry and want to be Claudia. While the scenes were explicit at times, you could feel the energy between the two. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

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On Viking Seas (The Forerunner, Book 3) by Jay Veloso Batista – Review by Desiree Ottinger

On Viking Seas (Forerunner, Book #3)On Viking Seas by Jay Veloso Batista
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First of all, I LOVE “The Last Kingdom” (Netflix show) and anything to do with the history of England and Scotland. So, for me, this book kept me reading, looking for characters that I would know from previous readings/shows/history (for example, Aethelred, Alfred, etc…).

Jay did a TREMENDOUS job describing each person’s perspective on where they were and what was happening around them, as well as how they felt. The way in which he described it all, I couldn’t help but feel for the Agneson clan. To have your family spread all over, never knowing if you would see them again, was heart wrenching. This was a fascinating read. I truly enjoyed reading about the characters’ adventures! Can’t wait to continue the story of the Agneson clan!

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To be a Fae Queen by Tricia Copeland – Review by Desiree Ottinger

To be a Fae Queen (Realm Chronicles #1)To be a Fae Queen by Tricia Copeland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fascinating read for a first book into a fae series that is very different than any I have read before. This is my first time reading this author and I really liked her take on how the fae were made and their purpose in the different realms. Her imagery painted such a beautiful picture in my mind that I could SEE the landscape/world. I truly appreciated that her book was a true YA book in the fact that her language was clean and the young love wasn’t sexualized. Thank you, Ms. Copeland.

Additionally, I was happy to see that there are other books based off this world! I will be looking for those books next!

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Bound by Secrets (Deadly Isles Special Ops Series Book 2) by Amy McKinley – Review by Desiree Ottinger

Bound by Secrets (Deadly Isles Special Ops, #2)Bound by Secrets by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was not disappointed with Book #2!! She did it again… reeled me in, hook, line, and sinker!

Truly, enjoyed reading about the next Hale brother, the woman that he loves, and how he conquers her heart. I was lost in both stories from the beginning and could not stop reading! Amy does a phenomenal job of setting up the intro to the next book!

Can’t wait to read about the last brother to lose his heart!!

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