Posts

No Names to Be Given by Julia Brewer Daily – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

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

Sandy has grown up with her parents, but when it is only her mother who is left to look after her, a new man comes onto the scene and becomes her mums live in boyfriend, but when one day he makes an abusive which move Sandy doesn’t appreciate or understand, she runs away and never returns.

Becca has been brought up in a well to do family in high society with strict rules and high expectations, but Becca cannot help but want to rebel and she does so when she attends University, but when she falls in love with the wrong man, her decisions are taken out of her hands.

Faith is the daughter of a preacher who travels on his tours around the world through his Ministry and sings hymns and songs to the crown, until she is brutally attacked by a man who takes what he wants and leaves her to deal with the consequences.

This is the story of three women from different walks of life and the shared experience which bound them together to create a bond which would last a lifetime when in 1965, Sandy, Faith and Becca meet in a Maternity Home Hospital in New Orleans, Mississippi and it is here that their stories intertwine as they have to acquiesce to the expectations of those around them and give up their babies for adoption so that life can go on as if nothing happened at all.

This therefore is a secret that these young women keep to themselves and try to continue to live their lives, until one day, twenty five years later it is brought back into the fore and threatens to topple the lives these women have worked hard to create. What will these women do to protect themselves from those around them and how did carrying this secret and ball of emotions affect their lives afterwards? This is a deep dive into the societal ramifications of being an unwed mother in the 1960’s and told through a narrative based on women’s experiences at the time which takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions as you read along.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Red’s Peril Part 2: The Prez’s Old Lady (Satan’s Devils MC Las Vegas Chapter) by Manda Mellett – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Red's Peril Part 2: The Prez's Old Lady (Satan's Devils MC Vegas #2)Red’s Peril Part 2: The Prez’s Old Lady by Manda Mellett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cheryl is a woman who has had troubles in her life and regrets that she has held onto for a long time, mainly surrounding the man she left behind at twenty, the biker who whisked her away at the drop of the hat and whom she has never forgotten. She still thinks about the life they could have had of she had made a different decision, one that wasn’t based on the fact she was cold and homesick, but the years have passed and she has been more of a nomad than she would have liked, but with good reason and now she has ended up in Las Vegas.

She believed that she had all the time in the world to find the one, settle down, have a man by her side and the whole white picket fence, but instead she is thirty five, single and a Croupier at a small casino with a comfortable, of not perfect life. That all changes when the man she has held a candle for all this time one day turns up in that same casino, but what she sees is not what she expected in the least, yes she knew he was a biker, but now he is a member of an outlaw MC and not just that, he is the Prez, a man of authority and pride in his club!

As she slowly reconnects with the man she fell for, but thought she would never see again, she comes to realise that if they are to have a future together, that it would come with strings attached, mainly the other members of the MC he calls brothers and the fact that although they are law abiding, it isn’t the be all and end all like for her, as a civilian. Can Cheryl look past the leather cut and the MC life she is faced with, or will she leave again and never look back? Could she see herself with this association for the rest of her life, with an uncertain and possibly violent future, or will she be accepted and be able to live the dream she has long for all this time? This is an MC romance with suspense, secrets and revelations where hard decisions need to be made and consequences planned for, but with twists and turns throughout, you will race through the story as you will not want to put it down until you find out how it ends.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Ember’s Secret (Solstice Quartet Book 1) by Catherine Peace – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Ember's Secret (Solstice Quartet #1)Ember’s Secret by Catherine Peace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ember Ngata is a young female shifter from New Zealand of Maori descent, she is in fact the direct descendent from their god Tane, an individual who was part god and part bird and Ember is also part bird, a Whakamanu, one of the only remnants of her tribe who were decimated and have been in Wyoming, hiding ever since. Embers passion is food, it connects her to things she has lost and so she has the dream of making the restaurant she owns and works in a success, but the more people who pass through and never return, the more lonely she feels, especially since her sisters had to leave, she misses them and just wants them home again.

Austin Garten is a television celebrity, he is best known and currently working as the host on the TV show Back Road Eats and has been travelling in an old RV with the rest of his crew sampling the cuisine of the US. However, there is only so much barbecue, pizza and pasta that he can take and he has become slowly more and more bored by the cuisine of Breadbasket America, so when their RV breaks down in Wyoming, they have to take an enforced break and it couldn’t be more welcome.

When Austin receives a recommendation for a Maori restaurant in the area called Kai, he is more then ready for a change of pace and so the crew go there the next day to see what this new kind of cuisine has to offer, however, when he encounters the hostess, he finds more than he bargained for. As soon as Ember sees some new faces who are not her regular clientele, she is happy and when she finds someone attractive as well as someone who enjoys his food, Ember finds a new sense of happiness, albeit tempered by worry and fear at the same time.

As the days pass and Ember and Austin spend more time together, the heat between them increases, but as the Maori New Year and the Solstice approaches, Ember struggles to hide her true nature from Austin, but what would happen if she finally let someone in on her secret, would it end in acceptance or disaster? This is a story of choices and consequences, risk and reward, as well as a sprinkling of magic where nothing is certain and is going all in a risk worth taking?

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Holiday Hope (Holiday Express Book 1) by Shanna Hatfield – Review by Stephanie Colley

/0 Comments/in /by

Holiday Hope (Holiday Express Book 1)Holiday Hope by Shanna Hatfield
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This holiday romance story was everything you could ask for in a romance/ historical fiction book!

Cora Lee is on the train to Holiday to marry a guy she has never met! After being picked up at the train station by her soon to be father in law they go home to find out her groom(Jude) is no where to be found! What a horrible way to start a relationship!!
But as they try to figure out what to do next, Jude’s brother (Jace) steps in and well things between him and Cora Lee heat up!
You will have to read it yourself to find out the ending!!
This book is such a great read. Happy reading!

View all my reviews

Murder off Route 82: An Eve Sawyer Mystery by Jane Suen – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Murder off Route 82: An Eve Sawyer MysteryMurder off Route 82: An Eve Sawyer Mystery by Jane Suen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Eve Sawyer is back with another mystery to solve, this time it is one of her fellow students at Midway College, Eve has just gone back for her next semester at Midway after a summer full of investigating and all she wants to do is get ahead with her work and revitalise friendships which may have lapsed over the holidays. This however is not to be when the mother of a fellow student calls Eve early one morning worried because her daughter hadn’t turned up to her house as planned and that she hadn’t been in contact, this was unusual for the young lady and her mother was really worried. Eve agrees to look into the mystery as she liked her and was worried by this break in habit as well, but she can’t do it alone, so she calls on a fellow student who also helped her to solve her last beachside crime and enlists their aid in the search.

As Eve starts to investigate, every question seems to lead to more answers as she tries to create a timeline of the missing girl and talks to her friends, housemate and boyfriend first, but when no information is forthcoming, Eve soon realises that the missing girls boyfriend is also nowhere to be found, Eve now has two missing people to find and not just one. As things start to look like they will never be solved Eve and her friend decide to create a campaign to put in the local paper and make up some missing persons fliers and for some extra help, she turns to another friend and her Journalism professor for some professional help.

When a lead comes from an unexpected source, Eve may finally have a chance at solving the mystery, but this is also where dangers start to pop up when Eve and her friends find themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time and this means that more help is needed, so a few calls are made so that their whereabouts are known. Will Eve and her friends be able to stave off the dangerous elements of this case in order to uncover the dark secrets hidden away, or will tragedy strike before the mystery can be solved? This is another thrilling instalment into the Eve Sawyer mysteries where time is short and evidence is lacking, but the tenacious team have their sleuthing skills on their side as this fast paced story plays out.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Kissing Darkness (Dark Spell Series Book 5) by Isra Sravenheart – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Kissing Darkness (Dark Spell #5)Kissing Darkness by Isra Sravenheart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Isra the witch is back and has embraced the darkness within her heart, she has accessed powers she never dreamed of and now she wants more, but she is still young and naïve and has plenty of time to make all the discoveries she wants to, but there are others who want to stop her before she has even begun. Meanwhile, Astrid is still keeping an eye on Isra but even though she doesn’t know he exists, he is falling deeper and harder for her everyday and so has gone on a rebellious quest to make a request of an old friend and the demoness Rhiannon to enable him to be closer to Isra in everyway and in a human body, so he accepts the deal offered and goes to see Isra for real and carry out his own plan for her at the same time.

Astrid has been defying the orders of Samuel the light bringer, but when he comes bearing tidings of Isra and what has occurred with regards to her and the darkness within her, Samuel decides that it is time to take matters into his own hands and decides to have a conversation with Isra. This is where he neutralises her dark powers and brings her to his home for hot coffee and polite, if intimate conversation about her past and her future, he also offers advice and insight and offers Isra the chance for salvation instead of damnation, however, Isra politely declines and so he returns her to her wanderings and thinks about what he can do next. When Samuel returns from this conversation he talks to Astrid and sounds out his thoughts on the whole Isra situation and decides to bring in another person to help, James and after he believes Astrid had left, he calls on this other person, to discuss his need for them to carry out a task. Astrid overhears the conversation between them where they are discussing plans to try and keep Isra in the light and how they plan to make it known that there is an abandoned fortress currently awaiting a new tenant and that James will be the one to show Isra around and befriend her.

At the same time, in a dilapidated hovel, Everilda is about to discover a shocking truth that will send her on a darker path she never expected after the demoness Rhiannon pays her a visit and reveals secrets which will send her on another collision course with Isra, which the witch has no idea about. As this complex and mysterious tapestry is woven, with Isra at the centre, will she continue on the path of darkness where Astrid is leading her, or will Samuel and James be able to turn her back to the light in this fantasy land of magic and sorcery?

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Colors of Darkness: Ability Awareness Activity Book by Feather Chelle – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

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

This book is a fantastic and insightful look into the lives of those without sight and how they perceive the world in a different way to those who can see. It speaks about different experiences of how not having sight can impact on the other senses and between the poetry, vivid descriptions and exercises within it, you find that it changes how you see the world as well by giving you a glimpse into a different version of the world around you.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Thief of Magic (Shadowed Minds Book 1) by Bree Moore – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Thief of Magic (Shadowed Minds, #1)Thief of Magic by Bree Moore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lee is a regular human gorl with an extraordinary ability, since humans were gifted by a race called the Ceteri with Thaumaturgy, different types of magic have been found and the type Lee has is slowly killing her, it is like a cancer which tears her cells apart each and every time she uses her power. Her power is a useful one, it is the ability to cross the veil between realms into the Liminal Realm, a place where she is neither seen or heard by others, but she can travel long distances by using Ley Lines as a power source, it is great for her profession as well. Lee is a professional thief, she is the member of a group of people who are just trying to survive, however, their money doesn’t come from legal ventures and because there aren’t enough jobs to go round, they are currently flat broke.

Lee is realising that her usage of her ability is bringing her closer to death than ever before and all she wants to do now is find out how she can travel to the planet which the Ceteri live on, ask them to cure her of her Liminality and save her life, but in order to get there, she has to find some directions. This is where she starts to keep things from her crew and goes on a job by herself to steal something that she can use to pay for the information she needs, however, when a member of her crew turn up, she has no choice but to let them in on the job, much to her annoyance, because she doesn’t want them to know what she is up to. The heist goes wrong and they are nearly caught and by the FBI no less, however, something strikes her as odd when one of the agents seems to be able to follow her into the Liminal Realm, but she has no time to think about it when all she can do is stay alive and Liminal long enough to escape their clutches.

When they return to the hideout, Lee finds that she is going to be watched and that if she wants to leave the crew, she is going to have to be more stealthy, however, as they realise how much money they will need just to get by, they decide to plan a last ditch effort heist. In order for this to go ahead, the boss decides that they need more muscle and much to her annoyance, the new muscle’s test is to take her down when she returns from one of her night-time walks. They pass the test and it is then that Lee finds out that this new muscle is her new bodyguard, much to her annoyance and theirs, but will this foil Lee’s plan to get the coordinates to the Ceteri’s home, or will it be the FBI or her own demise which will find her before she even has a chance to try? This is an urban fantasy with a magical twist where all the sides are hostile and the odds are stacked against the underdog as they race against time and mortality to achieve their deepest desires.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Practically Pagan – An Alternative Guide to Magical Living by Maria DeBlassie – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Practically Pagan - An Alternative Guide to Magical LivingPractically Pagan – An Alternative Guide to Magical Living by Maria DeBlassie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Practically Pagan is a guide to rediscovering your passion for life and the skills you need to look after yourself, it starts with Maria DeBlassie talking about her life and how she realised that she had disconnected from herself and how this is not just from being a bruja, it is from her culture and heritage as well. She goes on to talk about how important finding the magic in the everyday actions each of us may take for granted this can include cooking a home cooked meal, taking a walk somewhere that brings you peace or even those daily chores which have to be done and how turning these into something deeper and more meaningful through infusing them with a little magic can make the world of difference. It is using simple tools to enrich and reconnect you to life in all its highs and lows, it isn’t expensive or hard to find, it is just using what is around and within you.

The book starts with explaining what everyday magic is and what can block it from engaging with you, then it moves on to talking about the Goddess within and how radical self care can bring her back to the fore and how to do this through making routine into ritual. Pleasure is the next section and how finding joy in the everyday is as important as looking into the shadows and finding joy there too, how to explore what brings you joy and also what brings the opposing emotions and tensions into it as well. Finally, she talks about how being open to the synchronicities in life can lead to living beyond the expected and how little by little, things will start to flourish as the path you are on becomes the one you were meant to travel.

This book is an inspirational way to finding yourself and what makes you happy and magical in everyday life, it is about what needs to be learned and unlearned through experience, hard work and determination to bring you back to you and thus the magic within you as well.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Whatever Tomorrow Brings (Embrace Tomorrow Duet Book 2) by Amy Argent – Review by Stephanie Colley

/0 Comments/in /by

Whatever Tomorrow Brings (Embrace Tomorrow #2)Whatever Tomorrow Brings by Amy Argent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, this is my second book from this author, and I’m in love.
The story between Will and Tori is wonderful and heartfelt. If you have not read the first book you need to go back and get the details!
Will is fighting cancer and fighting hard. Tori walks in and brings light to the darkest hospital room! But after finding out Will revoked his DNR, there was a fighting chance for him! Also, a long road of recovery. But with Tori by his side and his caring friends and family, there is nothing they can’t do!
I felt like I was right there in the hospital room with them. The author is on point and this two book series will not be the last for me.

View all my reviews

The Crown of Stones: Magic-Price by C.L. Schneider – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Magic-Price (The Crown of Stones, #1)Magic-Price by C.L. Schneider
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ian Troy is a Shinree, a race of magic addicts whom have been taken into slavery, drugged and made to forget their history, identities and their addictions, but Ian was brought up differently, he was brought up to be a soldier for Rella, a kingdom in a perpetual war, but underneath is an innate talent for wielding magic which he wishes he could use more, but the Queen forbids it, until one day, in the midst of the latest battle, there is an earthly upheaval and during the throes of it, Ian starts to feel the vibrations of magic nearby. As he searches for the item, Ian is unaware of the power he is about to unleash, so when he finds the Crown of Stones, all he can feel is the magic within it, the pleasure and the pain combine and block out all sense and all he wants to find is peace, so he casts using the magic he has found, however, it isn’t until afterwards that he realises the price that he has just paid to achieve that wish.

As the years pass, Ian is devoted to another addiction, regret, his regret for what happened and the losses he still feels, so he tries to drown the pain and the need to cast with wine, women and bounty hunting, but as he is chasing his latest target, he is confronted with something entirely different. He has been chasing this particular woman for what seems an age, however, when she finally confronts him, nothing is as it seems and he is thrown back into that seamless addiction he had ten years before, but this time, Ian is not sure that he can control, or curb it again, but that is not the only thing that has him worried, this encounter has made Ian sure that the Crown of Stones is being sought by another.

As he makes his way back across the realms to Rella, he encounters more than he bargains for in both the people and the places he travels through, but deception surrounds him, as does magic and that is the one thing that he does not want. Will Ian be able to get to the Crown of Stones before anyone else has the chance to use it with nefarious intent, or will the danger and his addiction prevail? This is a race against time through a fantasy land filled with adventure, bravery, truths, lies and most of all magic as one man has to face his demons head on in order to find the peace he truly desires.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Fall to Pieces by Becky Flade – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Fall to PiecesFall to Pieces by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alexandra Danvers is a Homicide Detective in Philadelphia where she has a close circle of friends and a job she lives for, but that is all she has, her job, past events have shattered her and she is just about holding herself together, the problem is that others have seen it too and that is where Detective Xavier Knight comes into things, he is someone who investigates officers fitness for duty, but because of the need to move around a lot, he has no friends, family, or ties in any place and now his next assignment is Detective Danvers.

As Xavier heads into work for the start of his latest investigation, he is thinking that the man sat in front of him has no idea what he is doing as an officer, that he is more adept at being a politician, however, today, he is going to introduce Xavier to his new partner, Alexandra Danvers, but it is the attitude of his superior which irks him. The way that Danvers is described is as a sub standard cop with a chip on her shoulder, but her record says otherwise and when they are introduced and immediately sent out on a case, he can see why. It is the murder of a child and Xavier sees a whole new side to Danvers as she deals with the scene and the aftermath, however as the two investigate the crime, Alexandra is convinced that it is someone called Arthur Book, but nobody else believes her, apart from Xavier.

When things don’t go quite to plan, the two partners agree to start their own investigation on the side, they both know the who, but now they just need to figure out how to prove it before things turn deadly, or a known killer walks free. This is a thrillingly fast paced story with more questions than answers and mysteries that run deep into the lives of those surrounding the tragedy, while trust is gained, lives are lost and games are played throughout in this race against time.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

The Web of Humanity by Maria Turchin – Review by Stephanie Colley

/0 Comments/in /by

The Web of Humanity: A NovelThe Web of Humanity: A Novel by Maria Turchin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grab yourself a seat and get comfy. This story keeps you in one spot for a while!!
Finding out a family secret that keeps the questions rolling in.
You travel all over with the Anna to find some sort of answers.
You will get invested in the journey and want to stay till the book is finished. It will leave you with a lot of questions for yourself as well.
Books that make you think are the best books!

View all my reviews

Born in Darkness (Mafia Elite Book 3) by Amy McKinley – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Born in Darkness (Mafia Elite #3)Born in Darkness by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Stefano Rossi is the Underboss of the Rossi family, his has been a life of darkness from the start and his father is the main cause of it, however, losing others in his family has had a deep affect as well, but there is one spot of light and that is Emiliana Vitale, but she has her own darkness within that she fights on the daily as well, they would appear to be the perfect match, however, danger is always on the horizon for the two.

The Five Families have found out that there is a rat within their ranks and they have their suspicions, but they don’t have any solid proof, but hopefully that will soon change, Stefano is investigating with the other heads of the Five Families, but he has to play the slow game and when he is with his father, he has to project a cold demeanour where nothing and nobody mean anything to him, it is the only way to keep them safe from harm. Meanwhile Emiliana is slowly recovering from a past trauma which was inflicted by the rat they are all trying to catch, is still affecting her now, but she tries to do a bit more each day to break its hold over her, however, when she is triggered by an event in a supposed safe place, she realises that maybe she isn’t as far forward in her recovery as she hoped. The only shining light is Stefano, he can hold the demons at bay and calm her raging emotions like no one else, but the feelings she has for him are deep, strong and undeniable, but the stolen moments they share aren’t enough any more.

As the danger around Emiliana becomes apparent when she is attacked and Stefano realises that he cannot keep the necessary distance between them any longer and for them to truly be free, his father needs to go and he will target anyone who hurts Emiliana in the process, now they have made the first move it is no holds barred. Emiliana insists that she isn’t the fragile Princess everyone assumes her to be and she demands to be able to be part of the plan to defend herself. Will Stefano and Emiliana be able to remove the obstacles between them and their future together, or will they be torn apart before they can even begin? This is an action packed Mafia romance which draws you into their dark world and the danger surrounding the Five Families as they work together to ensure an insecure future for the next generation of bosses.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Priscida Finds Greatness by Constance Mays – Review by Stephanie Colley

/0 Comments/in /by

Priscida Finds Greatness: In Herself and in OthersPriscida Finds Greatness: In Herself and in Others by Constance Mays
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is such a good little book. Anyone could read it, from 5-95. ‘Greatness is Contagious’
This story follows a cat named Priscida and trying to find out how to be great!
What does it take to be great? Is it what you do? Is it who who are around? Is it both of those things and a little bit of love?
This story was well thought out and has great meaning in todays world. The artwork is very cute as well. Being a small artist myself, I love seeing other artists at work.

View all my reviews

Mom Is There A Santa Claus? by Susan J. Berger, Illustrator: KC Snider – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Mom, Is There a Santa Claus?Mom, Is There a Santa Claus? by Susan J. Berger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lucas is a young boy who is growing up quickly and as another Christmas arrives, he is excited that Santa will be coming again this year, but this excitement is dampened by his friends at school who tell him that “Only babies believe in Santa!” So when he gets home, he asks his Mom whether Santa really exists, this is where he is offered the chance to be a Dream Keeper and be a part of a big secret.

This is an illustrated tale of the part of growing up where things once strongly believed in, become things which children want to believe in, but feel like they can’t anymore because of their age, but does it also hold the key to something more? This a short and heartwarming story for all ages which keeps the magic of Christmas alive.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Diabolical Sword: An Urban Fantasy Mystery (The Charm Collector Book 1) by Melissa Erin Jackson – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Diabolical SwordDiabolical Sword by Melissa Erin Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Harlow Fletcher is a human living in an unbelievable city, the city of Luma in California where the humans live with other magical creatures and magical items, Harlow is someone who collects these items and sells them on, she is a Charm Collector. Harlow was born in Luma where her parents were bounty hunters, they were called in when crimes were committed and someone needed finding, that was until her father died and her mother left Luma forever because of it, since then, Harlow has become well known among the criminal underbelly for her talent for finding unusual and rare objects and selling them to the highest bidder.

Some days were more lucrative than others, so when she intercepts a message that a person well known to Harlow had been apprehended and she couldn’t resist checking out the merchandise which had been left behind, but when she does, it is more than she ever thought possible. As she sneaks into the warehouse where the items are kept, she enters the room and sees weapons, charmed necklaces and items galore, so she picks out the pieces which attract her and which she knows she will get a good price for until she sees a sword which looks beautiful and dangerous, but try as she might, she cannot leave without it and this is where her trouble begins.

As she is leaving, she hears some guards come in and hopes that she can get away before they see her, but unfortunately, this doesn’t happen and she ends up being cornered, however to her and the guards surprise, the sword she picked up which she swears has dragon magic in it comes to life and defends her. She cannot believe it, especially when it takes a shine to her and refuses to let her leave without it, but when she gets it home, things take a turn for the worse when she is rudely awoken from a deep sleep by the police and she is accused of murder.

As she tries to profess her innocence, the sword appears covered in blood and Harlow has to run for her life away from the police who turn out to be government trained shifters. Will Harlow and this sentient diabolical sword be able to work together to prove her innocence, or will the shifters catch her before she has the chance? This is a fast paced fantasy adventure where nothing is straight forward and the mysteries increase at every turn, it keeps you on your toes throughout as you try to figure out what will happen next in this rip roaring adventure.

Review by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Whatever Tomorrow Brings (Embrace Tomorrow Duet Book 2) by Amy Argent – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Whatever Tomorrow Brings (Embrace Tomorrow #2)Whatever Tomorrow Brings by Amy Argent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tori and Will are back in this tale of one terminal cancer patient and the woman who started out wanting to be his friend and turned into something much more. When she first walked into his room, all she saw were glorious and intense green eyes both challenging her to stay and telling her to leave all at the same time, there is vulnerability and strength, loneliness and determination there, but he has had nobody to visit him, this young man who is suffering all alone. Tori decides at that moment that she will be there for him and asks him whether she could “come back tomorrow?” and she did, everyday and each day she spent with him, each day she fell deeper in love.

What she didn’t want to think about is that Will was going to die, but she knew she was in too deep regardless, but the day she was going to tell him that is the day that she never expected. As Will is struggling to breathe as the pneumonia takes its toll, but between breaths he is trying to talk to Tori, saying that “He is scared and that he feels like he is falling apart and that he has nothing to hold on to to get him though.” this is where Tori says he can hold onto her, but he replies that “He wants her to leave and not to come back tomorrow, in fact not to come back at all!”

This absolutely destroys Tori, but she doesn’t realise just how much until she hears the alarm of “Code blue, code blue in room four-twelve” and she knows then that it might just be too late to tell him how she feels. However, when her best friend Jenny comes into the room and tells her that he hasn’t died and that in fact he has chosen to live, chosen to love, chosen to fight and chosen Tori over death, all she feels is relief that she has a second chance and this time, she isn’t going to let it pass her by and she will fight by his side, as he fights everything else. This is an emotional rollercoaster which will wrench you by the heartstrings throughout as the fight continues in this epic journey of uncertain tomorrows.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Conveniently Yours (Titans Of Manhattan BOOK 1) by Anise Storm – Review by Stephanie Colley

/0 Comments/in /by

Conveniently Yours (Titans Of Manhattan #1)Conveniently Yours by Anise Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story was so great.
At first I didn’t know if I would like the story of not. But turns out I loved it.
The details, the characters, the plot! I was stuck.
Finding love. Is it true love? Or just convenient for the time being? It’s a great read!

View all my reviews

Strega: Magic: The Spirit Never Dies by Lynne Russell – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Strega - Magic: The Spirit Never DiesStrega – Magic: The Spirit Never Dies by Lynne Russell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Angela Scotti, also known as Annie is a woman who was born in November on the day that the baptismal font cracked in half at the local church, this is not a good omen, or at least not to her Italian-American family. When she was baptised in her grandmothers salad bowl, her family were up to their usual tricks and her Godfather was frantic and constantly clockwatching throughout as he was late to a meeting, but none of this surprised the priest who was running the baptism. She has been through a lot in her life from experiencing multiple tragedies to having an unusual childhood and family dynamic, but she has dealt with it all, however, the whispers she has been hearing at night all her life have started to become louder and more urgent, but her fiancée is not accepting what is happening and refuses to believer her, being the straight laced lawyer that he is. Meanwhile, she is learning how to become a healer, but the person who should be a mentor to her in the workplace has instead become someone who is against her with every fibre of their being, but what Annie doesn’t realise is that the stress she is under is about to send her on a quest to find herself and to a tiny town on the coast of Massachusetts.

While we learn about Annie and her life, we also learn about her family history, from the year 1617 where it all began with her ancestors, their destined meeting and the skills which were to be passed down through the feminine line of magic and witchcraft and it’s roots in Benevento in Italy land where a Strega, or witch was able to live freely and have a legendary place in that Southern Italian land and the mysterious liquore famed for its potency and enablement of everlasting love.

At the same time, the history of the small coastal town is being revealed to Annie piece by piece, but what she finds out leads her to both joy and despair as the events detailed in the year of 1899 weave themselves into an unexpected place in history. Will Annie be able to recognise the signs around her and live up to the Destino, or destiny which has been laid before her, or will she crack under the pressure and let defeat destroy everything she holds dear? This is a story of strength, weakness, happiness and sadness which takes you on an emotional rollercoaster as hidden truths and connections are revealed to the unprepared and told in a magical way which pulls you along, as you learn how past, present and future are all interlinked.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

The Colors of Darkness by Feather Chelle – Review by Stephanie Colley

/0 Comments/in /by

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

Simply, WOW.
This book should be read in classrooms around the world.
The author of this fabulous book is blind. They have went into detail, for the reader, about experiences and answered questions that are most commonly asked.
They also supplied the alphabet in braille and ASL.
This part is great. I have been taking ASL evening classes to help learn to talk with one of my neighbors. It has been a trial, but I keep at it.
Just like the author, they keep going. They don’t let being blind be the end. They adapt and use other senses to carry on. And we as a world need to do better to help everyone. Not just people that don’t have disabilities.
This story/activity/poem book is perfect for all ages. Everyone should read this.

View all my reviews

Broken Chains by Karina Kantas – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Broken ChainsBroken Chains by Karina Kantas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is only for those over 18 due to the graphic nature of the content within.

Liz Finley was a lounge singer and she was good at it, with a steady job and a steady life, but something was missing, excitement, she needed something which would thrill her and so she decided to start writing a book, she was inspired by a tv series and wanted to see whether that life was really like how it was prortrayed there, so that is how she ended up in the café and how she ended up meeting with Alex. This was a meeting which would change her life forever and in more ways than one, it was a meeting which left her both excited and scared all at the same time and it was that meeting which put her on a path she did not expect.

Liz left her job and returned to education so that she could follow her new dream and the job which it was centred around, however, what she expects to happen doesn’t, it is far worse, but she perseveres and attains her goal, but this is where things really start to go downhill. Danger soon comes for Liz and she soon finds out is because of her name and the blood which runs in her veins, so when she falls into the hands of the mafia she is tortured and abused for information, but she has no idea what her destiny has had in store for her and how she now needs to learn to live with it and accept it, but before she can, another mafia boss takes matters into his own hands and she goes through the abuse and torture all over again.

All through this emotionally and physically taxing time, she uses her brain to try and keep her sanity alive as she puts the pieces together and realises that she is wanted by three different mafia bosses and although she cannot understand why, all she wants is for it to end. Will she be able to survive long enough for someone to come along and be her knight in shining armour and help her through the turmoil, or will the chains that are binding her to her destiny be too strong to break and allow her to become free once and for all? This is a dark mafia romance with twists and turns which are full of action and is a definite rollercoaster of emotions, which does not let up until the very end.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

The Box: A Greek Gods Urban Fantasy Romance by Hazel Storm review by Heather Knalls

/0 Comments/in /by

The Box: A Greek Gods Urban Fantasy Romance (Her Three Immortals Book 4)The Box: A Greek Gods Urban Fantasy Romance by Hazel Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vanessa and her three gods; Grey, Aroz and Raef, are set to help her on her last task to fulfilling the prophecy of Psyche. She is set to take a golden box to the highest mountain in Tartarus to obtain eternal beauty. Vanessa completes all of her tasks and has become immortal and is now Psyche, Goddess of Souls. Along side her are all three of her gods that will continue to be by her side as she is to help all three in their businesses. An amazing and captivating story as well as series. I would love to see more out of this series.

View all my reviews

Fate, Frankincense & Funerals by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Fate, Frankincense & FuneralsFate, Frankincense & Funerals by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kharon is known as the city of the dead and this is for good reason, it is where the dying go to live out their last days and be prepared for the afterlife by the shifters who live there, they are the jackals and the vultures and they are the ones who tend to the dead and dying. The High Priest is in charge of the temple and is the one who deals with the final requests and hands out the dying to their caretakers, today Acheron, a vulture shifter is going to meet with him, he has been feeling extremely restless of late and the time off he has been given hasn’t helped, so as he makes his way to the office, he is wondering if he has done something wrong. When he arrives, he finds that he has not done anything wrong, but he has been given an important job, however, to complete it, he has to leave Kharon and travel to the city of Mandara, this is forbidden because of ancestral laws and the fact that because he touches the dead, he is not welcomed with open arms, but despite the danger Acheron accepts the request and prepares to leave.

Thankfully, the journey is completed at night and therefore is less dangerous for Acheron, however, when he arrives, he is greeted by the nurse looking after his client, Errapel, but Acheron is shocked when he isn’t met with disgust and tolerance, but instead with kindness and compassion, this continues when he meets the person he will aid to the other side. Acheron cannot deny that he feels a pull towards Errapel, however, his kind are also forbidden from taking a mate, so when he realises that Errapel might be his, he does not know what to do, will Acheron and Errapel be able to defy ancient laws, or will this forbidden life be taken away from them before they can even enjoy it? This is a shifter romance with an edge of danger which you will not be able to put down, as hope and wariness war in the emotions of a shunned shifter stuck in place by societal values.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Conveniently Yours by Anise Storm review by Heather Knalls

/0 Comments/in /by

Conveniently Yours (Titans Of Manhattan #1)Conveniently Yours by Anise Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Caspian and Paisley have known eachother since they were kids. Neither grew up in the best of ways, but Paisley always seemed to get along a tad better than Caspian until he was saved by his Uncle Preston. Fast forward many years later and Caspian is now a multimillionaire and Paisley is an up and coming artist who’s mother was in an accident and is now in a coma. A chance meeting and a stipulation in a will bring these two back together again in a marriage of convenience. Will it end in true love or is it destined to fail from the beginning?

View all my reviews

The Box: A Greek Myth Paranormal Romance (Her Three Immortals Book 4) by Hazel Storm – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

The Box: A Greek Gods Urban Fantasy Romance (Her Three Immortals Book 4)The Box: A Greek Gods Urban Fantasy Romance by Hazel Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vanessa Maan is back and is still surrounded by both mortals and Immortals, more of the latter mainly and some of whom she wishes she wasn’t around, but after she wakes up with her gentleman Raef in a sumptuous bed, she prepares for the day in more ways than one. Unexpectedly though, she finds herself hungry, which is unusual for a dead person, however being away from the Underworld can apparently do that to you, so after she eats breakfast with Raef, Grey and the newly reunited Gods Aroz and Antaroz, she goes to pick up the object she needs to return to the Underworld, but it looks different and before she knows it, she is being whisked away again!

When she arrived at her destination, she can’t believe her eyes, it is the hairdressers she used to work at, however this one is made of ice and as soon as she enters it and comes face to face with a other Goddess she has annoyed, she knows that another task is probably coming her way. She isn’t wrong and this time it is the Aroz’s mother and it turns out that this Goddess wants some eternal beauty and is sending Vanessa to collect some in a specially made golden box, but the kicker is that she has to go to Tartatus to get it, yes Tartatus, the place where monsters of all kinds go to die.

Next thing Vanessa knows is that she is in the ferryman’s lift and off back to the Underworld and without her men to keep her company, all the while they have been trying to figure out where Vanessa is and what she might be doing, Grey has an idea and takes Raef to the human Realm whole Aroz decided to go and see his mother.

Grey finds that he cannot leave the mortal realm thanks to a contract which he has to see to completion, so that leaves Raef to find a way of getting to Vanessa himself, but a friend helps him to get to her. Vanessa meanwhile is getting some friendly and not so friendly advice of how to get to the tallest mountain in Tartatus and see an old crone about some eternal beauty and once the party of Gorgonita, PK the prettiest kittiest Underworld Moth and Raef, now he has convinced Vanessa to let him come along despite the danger are ready, they set off on this next adventure.

Will their mortal souls be in more danger than ever crossing Tartatus and will they fail at the first hurdle, or will Grey and Aroz be able to come to their aid in time? This is a fantasy romance with action, annoying goddesses and sexy Immortals galore as this adventure flies across the realms in this gripping series finale.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

Shadows of Doubt: A Crawford Mystery by Merissa Racine – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Stenographer Lauren Besoner is back and this time she is working freelance, but she is desperate to earn some money, so when an opportunity comes up to report on murder trial in her own home town of Crawford, she jumps at the chance. The only drawback is that she has to work with her ex husband and she isn’t looking forward to that in the slightest, she only hopes that she can put her negative feelings aside so that she can do her job successfully.

As she arrives at the courthouse ready to set up, she has to go to her old office and with it her ex colleague, who seems to be as useless as before, however, eventually, she sorts out the paperwork, powers up and connects her machines. She is surprised to hear who the victim and accused are and how quickly it has been brought to trial and as the testimonies start, she is wondering whether they have accused the right person.

The more she thinks about it, the more things start to not add up and as she starts to investigate further herself, she is more than sure of her convictions, especially when a second murder occurs. As she asks her own questions and puts together her own evidence, she has to ask herself whether it is really worth jeopardising her job to prove somebodies innocence and are the secrets it is dredging up from her past life going to remain hidden to all but her?

Will Lauren be able to convince anyone of her way of thinking, or is she going to find herself another heap of trouble? This is another thrilling mystery full of hidden truths and contentious behaviour which will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

The Crown of Stones: Magic-Price AUDIO BOOK by C. L. Schneider – Review by Stephanie Colley

/0 Comments/in , /by

The story was phenomenal. It grabbed me in the prologue and didn’t let me go till the end.
It was a great take on magic. It can’t be used without a price, something living has to die. I haven’t heard of that take before that I remember. That part alone had my interest.

The story line was great also. Ian Troy is a Shinree soldier. He has the magic for battle, yet is kills everything and everyone around when doing it.
This type of power is hard to control.

Troy is running from his past. But now he has to go back to battle for his nation. But after vowing to never use his magic again, after a terrible loss, will he be able to help??

The narrator was on point with changing his voice and tone for each character. It made the story worth listening! I would love to listen to more books read by him.

Blood Oath (Mafia Elite, book 2) by Amy McKinley – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

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

Enzo Vitale is the Underboss in a branch of the Chicago Mafia, he is the heir to the throne and as such, has a large target on his back and is surrounded by danger at all times, but it also means that he is left alone by the authorities because of his blood. Sofia La Rosa is a Mafia Princess who is surrounded by friends and family who love her and will do anything for her, but she is also faced with danger because of this. Her best friend has always been Enzo from a very young age and they know that they would do anything for the other, but everything which seems clear cut as a child, isn’t that always way in adulthood.

Sofia is a fashion designer and one day as she is working in her studio in preparation for her first fashion show during Fashion Week, she is confronted with an unexpected and disturbing sight, this leaves her on edge, even though her best friend who has come to see her is pretty oblivious to the danger. She calls her brother and tells him what is going on, however, they are overprotective of her and soon give her orders to stay where she is until some guards arrive to escort her sagely home, she is annoyed, but understands, so she packs everything she will need up and prepares to go home. Enzo finds out about what happened at the studio and cannot believe what he has heard, he thought that Sofia was safe there and is now worried about her safety, he has tried to keep his distance, but she makes it harder for him at every turn, even though it is the last thing he wants to do.

As the next few days pass and Sofia and her friends try and figure out why this new danger is here and what it means for the present and the future, Sofia hopes it isn’t related to a past event which she has had to swear secrecy about, but as time progresses, she realises that it is indeed that. The danger increases around Sofia as she tries to regain some semblance of normality and because of this she is thrown towards Enzo and despite his best attempts, he cannot deny her anything, however, he is holding onto secrets of his own. Will these secrets destroy everything that Sofia and Enzo have worked towards on their own paths, or will they explode and rip the two best friends apart? This is a battle of past and present to secure a future where nothing is certain and trust is hard to find, earn and be earned as this mafia romance violently flies through from one event to the next in a flurry of action packed storytelling until the conclusion is reached.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews

No Way Out: An Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance (Mafia Elite Book 1) by Amy McKinley – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

/0 Comments/in /by

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

Liliana Brambilla is the daughter of one of the Five Families in the Cosa Nostra, they are all Italian-Americans and are all a part of the Mafia and because Liliana is a Mafia Princess, she is known to be untouchable to those around her, as much as they may want to. Max is another member of the Mafia, however, he has been brought up by the Sicilian branch of the families and knows Liliana’s grandfather, but when he goes to America to infiltrate into an arm of the five families, he changes his appearance and his name to Matt Trambino so that his identity remains a secret, all so that he can protect Lilliana.

Liliana has graduated from college and returned to the fold and her family home, however, life isn’t as straight forward or as pleasant as it seems from the outside, the only saving grace is that she has her small circle of best friends who would do anything for each other and in the past have. To anyone outside of that circle though, her life is perfect, a loving family and wants for nothing, but behind closed doors, she is trapped and will only gain her freedom when her father deems it the right time. Max’s plan is right on schedule, he is disrupting the branch of the family he has chosen in order to become vital in their day to day running, this all changes when he becomes her bodyguard, he realises that the feelings he had from looking at her photograph were nothing compared to real life.

Lilliana is introduced to her new bodyguard, or as she sees it, another soldier under her fathers thumb, but can she trust him to keep her safe, or will her father marry her off to the person who can offer him the best deal in exchange, moving her from one gilded cage to another first? This is an action packed dark romance with an undercurrent of violence which will keep you engaged and on your toes as a mix of truth, lies and secrets threaten to tear apart the life of a young woman who only wants her independence and the ability to be free.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

View all my reviews