Queen’s Destiny by Barb Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Fantasy must read.
Witches, werewolves, and vampires in a story that hasn’t been told before. Amber is a girl genius that just landed the job of her dreams in Seattle. Little does Amber know, her life will change drastically.
There’s action, history, a bit of romance and of course suspense.
Just One More Egg: A Science Folktale by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’ve now read a few of Wickstrom’s other children’s books and love each of them. This one was no different and a wonderful read! I just love hearing how simple scientific concepts are transitioned into tales for children to developmentally understand and interpret for their own sense of being. As a mother and a former preschool teacher, this will be another great addition to your children’s library!
This story deals with a nest of Warblers and one day a much larger, different single egg appears in their nest. Already presenting judgment from just its size, the mama warbler decides to take a positive approach by saying if she is able to bring food to her own younglings that she could do the same for this new, different bird. As criticism continues, an unexpected situation occurs, which changes the perspective of this new, larger bird being in the nest. Without giving too much away, this is such a great lesson for young children to learn acceptance, having a positive mindset, and working towards seeking the best in others.
Degrees of Innocence by Via Mari
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Kate is in Aruba for a project that the company she works for is spearheading. She showed up a few days before the conference regarding the project is set to begin so she can enjoy some rest and relaxation. Her first night takes an interesting turn when she saves the life of a man that collapses in front of her…and then meets a handsome stranger that she is almost instantly attracted to. However, she is surprised when she walks in on the first day of the conference to see the handsome stranger introducing himself as the owner of the company who has hired the one she works for.
Chase purposely didn’t introduce himself because people are usually after him due to his bank account. So, when Kate doesn’t know who he is, he is relieved to find her feelings are genuine. He does, however, have quite the challenge ahead of him to break down her walls and her reluctance to dating someone who she works for. But, when Kate’s safety is at risk, Chase will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.
Once they return to the US, Kate’s safety is still in danger and she finds herself in an extremely dangerous situation. When she is recovering, she is hit with even more shocking news when her mother reveals the truth about her father. How will this come into play in future books?
I found these characters to be interesting. The book spends quite a bit of time introducing different types of play in the bedroom. Chase and Kate’s relationship is full of chemistry…but also danger being who they each are (separately and together). I am interested in seeing how the last revelation plays out as they move forward. Overall, a good book.
The Magical Summer of Miranda Stone by A.D. Brazeau
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Miranda Stone is a typical sixteen year old girl from a conservative family. When she all of a sudden developed magical powers, she knew her parents would not take it well so she decided to flee. Miranda took what little money she had and went to New Orleans to become a singer. She finds a cheap motel and starts her new life. Instantly she becomes friends with her neighbours Billie and Neeta. She finds a job being an opener for a drag club and thinks that she can find a new life here.
Unfortunately this isn’t the case. Women from all over the world are developing the same powers as Miranda and then have gone missing after being found out. Miranda starts to fear for her life along with the others while trying to maintain a somewhat normal life. Miranda even meets the girl of her dreams. She knows love is a bad idea with everything going on but she can’t help the instant intense connection she has with this girl.
This book was exciting and reminded me of a more modern day of the Salem witch trials. Men all around the world are turning in these women to never be seen again. I did find the book was slower paced than I would have liked but still kept my full attention. I will be looking forward to the next installment!
This book is on fire! It’s Criminal Minds and Stranger Things intertwined into one. This book is fast paced, full of drama and action. Great story line and strong characters. Recommend to those who like sci-fi, drama, supernatural and plenty of action. This one will not disappoint!
The Intruders by Brett McKay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is on fire! It’s Criminal Minds and Stranger Things intertwined into one. This book is fast paced, full of drama and action. Great story line and strong characters. Recommend to those who like sci-fi, drama, supernatural and plenty of action. This one will not disappoint!
Just One More Egg: A Science Folktale by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I read this to my kiddos who are 6 and 10, we all loved talking about good ways to spread the love to others. It seems like a short and simple book, but it helps kids understand the importance of inclusivity and compassion in easier terms. I loved the illustrations and the similarities to The Ugly Duckling. It’s a cute read that helps start that conversation early and it’s fun! Pick this one up for the kids in your life and teach them how to take others under their wing.
Reviewed by @shannlynn
Nightfall in Deptford by L.E. Towne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I dug right into this book with wide eyes as I leapt into a new world in this book. I often read books that take you places with joy to be able to step outside of my reality into fantasy. This story is full of time travel, lots of interesting detail, and a love story. I love memoirs and biographies but there’s nothing like a love story to lift me high off the ground. I was excited to watch her try and navigate time travel to the 16th century trying to live with her love for this man! You don’t want to miss this one! I’m looking forward to finding time to revert back to book one and understand the layers even further. Enjoy!
Queen’s Destiny: Blood Prophecy One: by Barb Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was blown away by the first book in the Blood Prophecy series, and I can’t wait to see where it goes. It is a very in-depth story with many characters which kept me on my toes. The flow of the book pulled me out of the storyline now and then, but that is just personal preference. This was still an amazing start to the series!
Amber and Chloe both work at museums and become friends quickly over odd dreams, but nothing could prepare them for a prophecy dragging them into a battle they’ll never forget. You’ll love this book especially if you’re into paranormal romance with tons of suspense and drama! You don’t want to miss out on Queen’s Destiny, pick it up and get lost in this wonderfully twisted world.
Reviewed by @shannlynn
Just One More Egg: A Science Folktale by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a really interesting children’s book! I say interesting, because I wasn’t expecting to feel sad, but boy did I feel a little sad reading this one! I like the sentiment of the story, that just because one doesn’t look the same doesn’t mean they’re not valuable or important. Or at least that’s the sentiment I got from this story. I enjoyed reading this and will definitely read it to my daughter when she gets a little older!
Fighting Chance by Toni Denise
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5 Stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I love sports romance stories with a mix of MMA fighting….this was a great read. Totally enjoyable.
Kendall is trying to make it as a sports reporter…..but when all of her articles are leading up to a downward slope of possibly getting fired…Kendall needs a great story to keep her job. When a tip from Kendall’s father, Rich, about a MMA fighter that he is currently training and about local fighting, this may be the story that Kendall needs to keep her job.
Chad is all business like…..has a love and passion for MMA fighting but also keeps his personal life and his fighting life totally separate. What Chad does not anticipate is the spark he has for Kendall even though he is trying to push her away…he does not want anything to do with any “story line”.
Once Chad finally agrees upon his approval..sparks fly between him and Kendall…but then he pushes her away…
Will Kendall give Chad a fighting chance when it is needed…
This story flowed so easily and it was hard to put down. I love the connection between Kendall and Chad. Highly Recommended!
The Magical Summer of Miranda Stone by A.D. Brazeau
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5/5 Stars
The Magical Summer of Miranda Stone (The Emergence Duology #1) by A.D. Brazeau
This isn’t the first book I’ve read by the author. The Magical Summer of Miranda Stone is the first book in the Emergence Duology Series. The book is well written and hard for me to put down.
Miranda gets powers and runs away. She doesn’t want to be caught by anyone. When she meets others that befriend her she finds that they all have hidden powers. Can they survive? The quote I chose for Miranda is: “Thank you, so much. I haven’t had time to eat, yet.”
Highly recommended for YA Witch lovers.
Fighting Chance by Toni Denise
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Kendall is a sports reporter who’s never felt like she found her place. Chad is a MMA fighter who found his place in a gym with Kendall’s father, a retired boxer, as his coach. Kendall wants the scoop on Chad, in more ways than one, Chad has secrets of his own, and just wants to fly under the radar. I loved this book! It had romance and sparks flying all over the place! This book has fighting scenes, arguments, friendships, and love. Everything a great book needs! Read this! I read it one day and could not put it down!!!
Queen’s Destiny by Barb Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book jumps right into the story! This story is really fast paced and keeps you wanting more. It reads from different characters perspective and moves to different times to paint a picture of a great read! I really enjoyed this authors descriptive writing style. I really liked reading the different storylines especially Amber’s and Chole’s story and how they are connected. This was definitely a great read and start to the series!
Boss’s Vendetta: Dark Mafia Romance by Via Mari
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Boss’s Vendetta (Sicilian Gods Book 1) by Via Mari – Review by Kaylee Johnston
3.5 Stars
Book 1 in the Sicilian Gods Series, Boss’s Vendetta, is about Salvatore and Adrianna. The book focuses on how the two of them come together, what the vendetta is, and how everything gets solved. The mafia romance genre includes many explicit and dark scenes – this story is no different.
The connection between Salvatore and Adrianna is great at the beginning. I am always a fan of enemies-to-lovers stories. I found the plot points and the development of this story to be unique and enticing. I loved how it progressed and the settings things took place. The main conflict was tense and I couldn’t keep myself from reading as quickly as I could. I loved seeing the relationship between Salvatore and his cousin, Dominic. I thought the way the characters were portrayed was done really well – especially the Great-Uncle. I loved when Sal and Adrianna finally come together and how seamlessly Adrianna fits into the family.
The things that kept this book from being four or five stars for me are the continuous use of the word “capiche.” It felt overused a lot, to the point I felt it was being included unnecessarily. The switch from a scared bystander who is helping where she can to a skilled and cold agent capable of disappearing and infiltrating certain locations and then back was a bit jarring. I also need to point out that there was a lot of repetition for why Sal and Adrianna couldn’t be together. There’s also a lot of repetition by both Sal and Adrianna about how dangerous Sal was and who he actually was, but there wasn’t much that supported that. Adrianna’s hate also kind of just fades away.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was definitely spicy and kept me intrigued the whole time. I definitely recommend reading this if you’re looking for a hot, action-packed story!
Just One More Egg: A Science Folktale by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Just One More Egg (Science Folktales Book 6) by Lois Wickstrom. This was such an educational book for me. I’m sure it would be great for older kids as well. It the story of a Mother Warbler who is sitting on her nest of eggs and one day out of the blue a cuckoo bird drops her egg in the warbler nest. Mother Warbler doesn’t know what to do so she decides to take care of it. The mother Warbler doesn’t waiver even when the other Warbler mom’s tell her to get rid of it. Cuckoo birds are much larger than Warbler’s and can be a danger to them. But Mother Warbler sticks to her guns and continues to take care of the Cuckoo egg regardless of the end results. Once the eggs are hatched the baby cuckoo actually protects his sibling eggs and saves them from a cat. This would be a great educational tool for middle to older children.
Queen’s Destiny by Barb Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5/5 Stars
Queen’s Destiny: Blood Prophecy #1 by Barb Jones
This is the first book I’ve read by the author. Queen’s Destiny is the first book in the Blood Prophecy Series. This book is very entertaining and the author knows how to write a fantastic book.
Amber is having these strange dreams. Something is coming and she doesn’t understand what is going on. She keeps spacing out and hearing things that aren’t really being said. The quote I chose for Amber is: “We might do some work together on the digs I’ll be cataloging. How big is your collection? One more bag to go.”
Chloe is the one who is showing Amber around. She knows that something is coming, but isn’t sure what. Then she finds out what it is. The quote I chose for Chloe is: “Okay, Amber, welcome to Seattle. The baggage claim is this way, and I paid a skycap to let me keep the car in the loading zone. Was your flight okay?”
Highly recommended for Paranormal Romance lovers.
Queen’s Destiny by Barb Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Queen’s Destiny (Blood Prophecy Book 1) by Barb Jones. This is a great paranormal romance. Its the first book I’ve read by this author but it won’t be my last. Its the story of Amber who is a genius and has been getting job offers left and right. Loving ancient artifacts is her passion and that is where her heart leads her. She accepts a job in Seattle and is met at the airport by Chloe who knows Seattle like the back of her hand. She makes Amber feel right at home and its a nice feeling having an immediate friend. Working at the Seattle Museum of Natural History is a dream to her and once she settles in she starts having dreams about that are very disturbing. She has had these dreams her whole life but they are becoming more scary each time she has one. When she opens up to Chloe about them Chloe knows all about them. When Chloe and Amber meet two handsome men they have no idea that the 4 of them are in for the fight of their lives. Will they be able to beat the 3000 year old prophesy and survive or will they be lost forever. Read this amazing paranormal romance to find out!
The Intruders by Brett McKay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book begins beautifully, full of suspense! It is full of strong and interesting characters. The author does not shy away from sensational plot twists! This is a good read, escapism at its finest, but I wouldn’t take it to the lake with me. (If you know, you know.)
Queen’s Destiny by Barb Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Amber is a young woman, a certified genius in fact, who has just obtained her masters and has had job offers flooding, as well as other offers from other places where they want her to intern, but there is one job in Seattle which calls to her more than the others and this is the one which sent a skull along with some other interesting artefacts. Chloe is also a young woman who has a passion for ancient artefacts and has a certain skill for accurately cataloguing them and is rewarded for the prowess she has shown in the area, not many know that she is also a prodigy, but of a vastly different kind and that is what helps her so much with her job.
When Amber arrives in Seattle, she is met at the airport by Chloe and they hit it off immediately, it helps that Chloe knows the area well and is happy to help Amber settle in to her new city and new job, so once Amber is ready to head out to see her new workplace, they head to the Seattle Museum of Natural History where she gets the tour and a look at what she will be curating. One thing about Amber is that she has never slept well and has had strange dreams all of her life, but recently they have become more disturbing and one this is one thing which Chloe can help with, so when Amber opens up about them, Chloe decides to open up as well, about the other part of her life she keeps well hidden.
One night, Amber and Chloe decide to live it up a bit as two single ladies out on the town and have a few drinks with the locals, this is where they meet two strangers, two men who are not what they appear and who seem to be unnaturally handsome and with aura’s so steeped in charm, nobody can resist them, but what the two ladies don’t know is that they will know them very well soon, as well as the three thousand year old prophecy which they being with them. Little do they know that these two strangers, as well as Amber and Chloe, are about to have their lives changed forever and be drawn into a battle which has been raging for at least a millennium, but can they survive long enough to see whether this blood prophecy comes true? This is a supernatural fantasy romance which will keep you on your toes throughout, as the twists, turns, truth and lies spin a tale of magic, mayhem and blood
Reviewed by @roxsannel
The Kidnapping by Linda Burson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Jenna Ladson sees Andy in their favorite bar on many occasions, though they never speak to each other. When Andy is given an envelope by a stranger in a bar, he’s perplexed. When he reads the message inside, he has to make a decision that will impact Jenna’s life and his own.
The author writes with detail that the characters come alive in this story. I was hooked from the beginning to the end!
This book is full of suspense, romance and clever characters. I enjoyed reading this book and was surprised by the outcome.
This is the first book I’ve read by Linda Burson, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
Queen’s Destiny by Barb Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I was super excited to read this story. Witches, vampires, werewolves, prophecy…yes please! I liked how we learned about the past and the present, but it felt choppy. I had to really slow down with this. I also had to make sure I wasn’t going to be distracted while reading. Other than that, it was a really good book! I am interested in the next book as well.
Shadow and Crystal Thorns by Kay L. Moody
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is book 2 of the Fae and Crystal Thorns series. Hard to put down yet again! Chloe is in Faeire, trying to protect it from humans who are trying to poison the fae. She’s not sure if she wants to return to the mortal world, or stay with Quintus. I really enjoyed reading how Chloe and Quintus progress as characters. The author did a wonderful job describing the world of fae so well that I can picture myself there. I can’t wait to see what happens in book 3, and another sleepless night, lost in a book!
Finding Bryce by Debra Parmley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow. Just wow. This was the shortest best story I think I have ever read. Diesel and Pippa. I feel like due to the storyline there should be a trigger warning. There’s so much intensity packed into such a short read but it’s like falling in love super fast haha! It was descriptive as well. I could see the costumes in my head and the little boy as well with Pippa in the park. I really would like to read the next one.
Queen’s Destiny by Barb Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
If you are into paranormal this is a great book for you. There is a lot that goes on throughout the book. It hops around a bit in different time frames to give a full idea of what all has happened since the time of the prophecy to current. A good read if you are looking for a new series to start. If you love reading about witches, vampires, werewolves and prophecy’s this is your go to book. A great read especially during this Halloween season.
Just One More Egg: A Science Folktale by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Mama warbler has six eggs of her own in her nest when a cuckoo suddenly drops an egg into the warbler’s nest. A friend of mama warbler suggests that she kick the cuckoo out of her nest, but mama warbler will not do any such thing, saying it is just one more egg. Not only do cuckoo babies eat six times more than warbler babies, but they are large and smell bad. Mama warbler must make several trips everyday as she continues trying to keep all her babies fed. When a cat climbs the tree and tries to attack the baby birds in their nest, the cuckoo bird protects the other babies in the nest with his stinky smell.
I loved this book and found that it taught some valuable lessons not only for children but for each of us. It may have seemed cruel for the mama cuckoo to abandon her egg into the warbler’s nest, but it proved to be beneficial for the warblers. By the mama warbler accepting the cuckoo egg and not giving up on it, the reader is shown that we are all deserving of love and acceptance regardless of what makes us different from others. This book also shows the reader the deep love a mother has for her children whether they are biological or not. Once again, the author has done a beautiful job of creating a story that is both educational and fun. I highly recommend!
Friends with Benies: An AMBW Paranormal Romance by T.B. Bond
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a sweet paranormal romance story told from 2 points of view (Ryder and Wednesday).
Initially, I didn’t realise that this book was the 7th in the series, but it can be read as a standalone as I didn’t feel I missed any crucial information by not having read the previous books. There are hints at various points about other couples who may have been the focus of other books in the series, but this only makes me want the read their stories rather than detract from Ryder and Wednesday’s story. This was my first book by this author and I cannot wait to dive into the other books in the series!
The emotions felt by the characters resonated with me from my own experiences despite the main characters being a mage and a Panda shifter. As a result, the characters, their emotions and actions were truly believable, and I could see myself and my friends in them.
Even though paranormal romances are one of my favourite genres and I try to read all that I come across, this book pleasantly surprised me – not only by the inclusion of a Panda shifter as one of the main characters, but also the exclusion of the typical toxic controlling mate which are often portrayed in many of the works I’ve read. This paired with the strong female lead who is intelligent and not afraid to show it had me loving this book even more!
Honestly, the story had me smiling all the way through and although I’m sad that it ended, I feel closure as I’m not left with unanswered questions regarding their journey together.
Lucas the Spy Cat by Samantha Shannon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Lucas the cat’s family believes he is up to mysterious deeds when he goes out at night. Deciding to put a camera to track his actions they hope to find out what Lucas has been up to, but will they?
I thought this was a lot of fun. Interactive with fun surprises at the end of the book for children. The illustrations are beautiful and a good way to get children active with the story. Very well done.
Fighting Chance by Toni Denise
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a good story and a quick read. It definitely draws the reader in and kept me turning pages. It is a slower burn between the two main personalities. While I liked that I was also over half before I realized there was mot even a kiss. There is a lit of info on Kendall and her thoughts and feelings. Not much on Chad. Really just vague info. I wish the author was a bit more expansive on his character and his secret. I never really got any specific info on who he really is, what he does that makes him so powerful or why he wants to fight. Opening that area up would make this a more rounded story and make me feel more complete when I was finished reading.
Finding Bryce by Debra Parmley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a quick novella and I loved every part of it. The down-side of this story is the fact that it is a novella. I would have loved a much more substantial story for this couple. While the whole, one-night stand turns into a pregnancy, story line is perfect for this story I just felt like there was so much more that could have happened.
With that being said though, Military romances with a suspense filled story line are wonderful. I can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the SEAL team.
Queen’s Destiny by Barb Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I did enjoy this story once I was able to get into it. It has all the elements I love, Romance, Suspense and paranormal romance. The author does do an amazing job with creating the characters, giving them past story’s and connecting them all in a way that makes this story interesting. However the way the author introduces the characters and we get bits if the story from each one and the story moves forward and back in time did make this story confusing at first but once I got the hang of the characters it was enjoyable.
Amber’s life gets turned upside down when she comes to realise she is part of a prophecy and part of a war that has been going on for years. She is about to get her eyes open to a world she wasn’t aware existed and her part in that uniting all these paranormal species will be an interesting story to read as Amber try to figure out what and who she is meant to be.
I am looking forward to reading on and learning more about the prophecy.
