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The Monkey Island Murder: A Sparky of Bunker Hill Mystery (Sparky of Bunker Hill Mystery Series) by Rosalind Barden – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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The Monkey Island Murder: A Sparky of Bunker Hill MysteryThe Monkey Island Murder: A Sparky of Bunker Hill Mystery by Rosalind Barden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Monkey Island Murder is Book 3 in the Sparky of Bunker Hill Mystery series. It is a cozy historical mystery set in the early 1930’s and centers around a rambunctious, street smart, young 11-year-old girl named Sparky. She loves to solve mysteries and on her newest adventure she finds herself caught in the middle of a mystery that involves her “boss” Bookie. He has been implicated in a murder and Sparky must really put her detective skills to work to solve this case. The ensuing adventure is full of mayhem, mystery, intrigue, witty banter, and quirky characters. The author does a fantastic job of pulling the reader into the 1930’s through her vivid descriptions and attention to detail to that period.

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Unexpected Heroes by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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Unexpected HeroesUnexpected Heroes by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I first read the story Unexpected Heroes when it was part of a collection of short stories entitled Saved by the Everyday Hero written by thirteen different authors. One of my favorite stories in that collection was by one of my favorite authors, Naomi Valkyrie. Her story entitled Unexpected Heroes is a M/M Romance that centers around the characters of Elijah and Jude. Elijah moves in next door to Jude with his infant son. When Jude sees Elijah struggling late one night to soothe his baby and get him to sleep, he offers to help. From there a friendship grows as Jude helps Elijah unpack, runs errands for him, and helps with the baby. Both men have troubled pasts that each has been struggling to overcome in their own ways. Through their friendship they learn to trust, to love again, and they work together to overcome challenges that come their way. The friendship between them grows and blossoms into more over time and the two find their soulmate in one another.

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Marked Wolf (Protector Wolf Shifter Series Book 2) by Lilliana Rose – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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Marked Wolf (Protector Wolf Shifter Series Book 2)Marked Wolf by Lilliana Rose
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Marked Wolf is Book Two in the Protector Wolf Shifter Series. This book picks up where the first book left off so if you have not read it, I recommend starting with it or you may feel a bit lost in the storyline. Tamaska has discovered that Kodiak is not the man that she thought that he was. Instead, he is a shifter and everything that she loathes. Yet, Tamaska cannot stop thinking about Kodiak and is unable to deny the attraction that she feels towards him. Since the Blood Opal was stolen, she is determined to get it back at all costs. Even if that means walking right into the lair of the vampires with no thought for her own safety. Her job, her career, and her reputation are at stake and therefore her focus is to find and return the blood opal. Kodiak is unable to deny his attraction to Tamaska which put him at risk with his own pack. Under no circumstances are a wolf and a human ever to bond yet Kodiak is willing to risk everything to save Tamaska from the vampires. Can Tamaska and Kodiak ever find a way to be together through all the challenges they face? A beautifully written book that pulls you in and immerses you in the storyline and the lives of the characters from the first few pages. The scenes were described so vividly that you feel as though you are right there in the story. The characters were engaging, and I felt invested in the lives of Tamaska and Kodiak. I rooted for them to face the challenges that came their way and overcome them so they could be together. This book had action, drama, suspense, mystery, intrigue, shapeshifters, vampires, love, passion, and chemistry. I highly recommend this book!

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