Posts

Love’s Reverie (The Stardust Duet, Book 2) by KG Fletcher – Review by Karen Pearman

Love's Reverie (The Stardust Duet, #2)Love’s Reverie by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is book two in this series by this amazing author. I loved the first book so much I hated when it was over so to say I was beyond excited to get my hands on this book is an understatement. And once again, I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED! In fact, I thought I loved the first book and that it couldn’t get any better but gosh was I wrong. I love how these stories take you on a journey into another place and time through her storytelling as well as her music. These characters are amazing, even though there are a couple that are somewhat annoying, but she has such an inspiring way of writing their stories that you root for the annoying ones just as much. I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of this book. You won’t be disappointed.

View all my reviews

Snowfall Serenade (Soul Connection #3) by Nikki Lynn Barrett – Review by Karen Pearman

Snowfall Serenade (Soul Connection, #3)Snowfall Serenade by Nikki Lynn Barrett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the third book in this series by this author I have read and let me just say…WOW! What a wave of emotions I am feeling. What a catharsis I just experienced. Since I had already read the previous two books in the series I had an idea of what I would be getting, but I had to put this book down many more times to get out the tissues and ugly cry. She can bring such detail into her books that you literally get the feeling you are the main character. And she does not disappoint in bring these stories to life. As with the previous two books I was hooked from the first chapter of the book, and I was sad when it ended because I wanted it to continue. Unfortunately, that’s the sad part about books. They grab hold of you and then leave you wanting more. This was no different. I will advise that while this could be read as a stand alone book I do feel that it would be best for the reader to read them in order. I think that will give you a better meaning and understanding of her stories. I highly recommend this book and this series, especially if you feel the need to free all your emotions.

View all my reviews

Twilight’s Curse (Twilight Realm Series Book 1) by K. M. Wray – Review by Karen Pearman

Twilight's CurseTwilight’s Curse by K.M. Wray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book I have read from this author and while geared toward the middle to high school reader, I loved this book. I feel like the author has done a wonderful job of creating a story that not only is appealing to the young adult reader but to the adult reader as well. Especially if you love reading fantasy, folksy, myth and stories. She did a great job making me feel as though I was in this world around me. Her characters are amazing. I truly love the elves in this book. In fact, I wanted to be one. This book reminded me of several book series I love, and it took me on a ride to a realm I want to live in. I look forward to the continuation of this series and will certainly be checking out some of the other books by this author. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book to read.

View all my reviews

The Girl and the Demon (The Girl and the Raven Book 3) by Pauline Gruber – Review by Karen Pearman

The Girl and The Demon (The Girl and The Raven, #3)The Girl and The Demon by Pauline Gruber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the last of the books in this series and while I will miss reading about these characters, I would have to say this was the best book by far. I will say that if you haven’t read any of the books it is important to read them in order so that you will understand the characters and their story. In this book you finally see the main character come into her full self and become the person that she is mean to be. She is finally able to accept her abilities and use them to her advantage. I’ve been waiting for that to happen. This author is an amazing writer. Her attention to detail is phenomenal and she has me seeing everything going on. It’s like the story jumps off the page and onto my TV screen. The characters and their relationships are so realistic and relatable that I don’t think anyone could be disappointed in this book series.

View all my reviews

Come Back Tomorrow (Embrace Tomorrow Duet Book 1) by Amy Argent – Review by Karen Pearman

Come Back Tomorrow (Embrace Tomorrow, #1)Come Back Tomorrow by Amy Argent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So, this was a new author to me, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this book. I wasn’t prepared to bawl my eyes out, but that is exactly what I did. In fact, I found that it was quite therapeutic in many ways. This wasn’t quite the romantic read I was expecting and but feel like it truly changed my view and perspective on these tearjerker books I tend to steer clear of. I am usually a fan of funny rom-coms but found this book to be endearing in so many ways. I was shocked to find out that this was the first book written by this author because she is such a wonderful writer. Her description was so realistic. As a family member that was watched her mother and father suffer with cancer, she was so accurate in telling this story. I think that’s what hit home the most for me. It was gut wrenching to relive it all over through someone else. But in many ways, this was like a cleansing for me and something that I needed. This book came to me at just the right time in my life. I look forward to reading other books from this author. I highly recommend you read and share this story.

View all my reviews

Wild Desire (The Protectors Series Book 1) by Toya Richardson – Review by Karen Pearman

Wild Desire (The Protectors, #1)Wild Desire by Toya Richardson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was a good book as I have never read anything written by this author before. I wasn’t sure what to expect from her but found that her writing was very sexy and suspenseful. I thought she did a wonderful job describing the characters, so you felt connected with them emotionally and physically. There were several twists and turns along the way that I was expecting so she did have me biting my nails in certain parts of the book. I am excited to see what she does with the story and the characters from here on out.

View all my reviews

Runaway to the Outback (Welcome to Bunya Junction, Book 2) by Nicole Flockton – Review by Karen Pearman

Runaway to the Outback (Welcome to Bunya Junction, #2)Runaway to the Outback by Nicole Flockton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in this series from this author. I hadn’t read the first book in the series so I was concerned that I would be missing out on important information. I found that I was able to pick up the story and read. I immediately connected to the main character, and she wasn’t anything like I expected her to be. I thought the story was well written, easy to read, and I didn’t want to put it down. I’ve never been to the Outback, but the author did an amazing job of taking me there. Her description was fantastic, and I could see Australia in my mind. I can’t wait to see where the author takes the story in the next book, but I do intend to read the first one to see what I missed out on. I highly recommend that you read this book if you like romantic stories that take you on a getaway.

View all my reviews

Stranded (Cetacea Chronicles Book 1) by Feather Chelle – Review by Karen Pearman

Stranded: Cetacea Chronicles Volume 1Stranded: Cetacea Chronicles Volume 1 by Feather Chelle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is such a cute story for young readers and their parents to enjoy reading together or separately. I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures included along with the descriptions of the marine animals and their environment. There is a lot of knowledgeable information included in the story. So not only is this a wonderfully written story, but it’s like a little encyclopedia of information as well. Even as an adult I thought that this was a learning story. I learned quite a bit of information about our ocean inhabitants that I was not aware of. It made me think about how important the ecosystem is to our world. I highly recommend purchasing this book for children. I think this would make a wonderful gift to any school classroom or library in addition to homes of our kids. Even more so if they are into mammals, oceans, and biology.

View all my reviews

The Book of Carraig (The Cross of Ciaran Book 2) by Andrea Matthews – Review by Karen Pearman

The Book of Carraig (The Cross of Ciaran #2)The Book of Carraig by Andrea Matthews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading book one in this series, it was a must that I read this one. And I’m glad that I did as I enjoyed it probably more than the first one. I love how the author can take me on such an adventure filled with history like she does. I will point out that I think you need to read the books to fully understand the story being presented to you. It may work as a standalone read, but I feel that you would appreciate it more reading both books in order. She does an amazing job describing the scenes to make me feel like I am there. I loved these characters. I especially love reading a story about a male hero for a change. That was one of the things I appreciated with the first book, and this was just as good. If you like historical paranormal reads I highly suggest you pick this, and the first one, up.

View all my reviews

Love’s Refrain (The Stardust Duet, Book 1) by KG Fletcher – Review by Karen Pearman

Love's Refrain (The Stardust Duet, #1)Love’s Refrain by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is from a new author for me, and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t expecting to go on the journey that I did. It was quite a roller coaster ride. I loved it. She has a wonderful way of detailing her book so that you feel the realism in it. I know I certainly did. I thought she did a great job with the characters and I loved that she weaved the story between past and present. Her attention to detail throughout the story was amazing as she kept it so real. I literally felt that I was there. I will say that at first I felt it was dragging a little bit, but by the time I was finished with Chapter 2 I was hooked. And I couldn’t put it down. Of course, once it was finished I was begging for more. I honestly cannot wait to sink my teeth into the next book in this series.

View all my reviews

Dating the It Guy by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Karen Pearman

Dating the It GuyDating the It Guy by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am extremely familiar with this author as she is one of my favorite young adult romance writers. She has an amazing ability to capture the characters and their angst to perfection. This was no different. I am always able to read her books and feel like I am in these characters shoes at the same time and place. While I may not have enjoyed my teen years back then, I love going back and reliving it through these characters and their stories. As usual with her books, I was unable to put it down until the end. And once it was over I wanted I pick up the next book to keep the story going. If you love to read about teenage angst as much as I do, please give this story a read.

View all my reviews

Unsettled Scores (DAG Team Series Book 2) by Kel O’Connor – Review by Karen Pearman

Unsettled Scores (DAG Team #2)Unsettled Scores by Kel O’Connor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was the second book in the DAG team series by this author and was just as good as the first in my opinion. I would highly recommend that you read these books in order, so you are aware of the previous story and events as opposed to reading this one by itself. And believe me, the first one is a great thriller as well so you will be sitting on the edge of your seats reading them both. This one I felt had a little more romance than the first book did which I loved, but the drama and suspense is what makes this story. The author has an amazing knack for describing the characters as well as the events taking place around them, so I truly was able to picture this happening in front of my own eyes. This was another page turner for me as I couldn’t put it down, so I was reading past midnight to finish it. But it was all well worth it. If you love suspenseful books, you need to read this series.

View all my reviews

No Way Out (Mafia Elite, book 1) by Amy McKinley – Review by Karen Pearman

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

This is the first book in this series by this author. I am quite familiar with her writing as I have previously read books written by her for other series. I think she is a wonderful writer with some of the best descriptive writing I have read. She honestly keeps me on the edge of my seat biting my nails with every book she writes. This was probably the best book I’ve read by her to date. I immediately fell connected with the main characters and they did not let me down. This book was full of suspense and drama, but the romance was sizzling hot! I cannot wait until she releases the next book in this series to see where what happens next.

View all my reviews

Potager Plot (A Backyard Farming Series Book 5) by Vikki Walton – Review by Karen Pearman

Potager Plot: A witty cozy mystery with a hint of romance. (A Backyard Farming Mystery Book 5)Potager Plot: A witty cozy mystery with a hint of romance. by Vikki Walton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

WOW, what a great book. I truly wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book quite like I did. In fact, initially when seeing the book cover I thought that it was going to be a kid’s story. It’s not at all. What I found was a very romantic cozy mystery with laughs galore. It turns out that this is the fifth book in a series, and I haven’t read any of the previous books. Let me just add that I do plan on it. However, I don’t think it would be a must to read them in order. This was a great book on its own and I was able to dig right into the characters and the story. It was a quick read for me as I finished it in one night. Then again, I couldn’t put it down so that could explain why. If you want laughs, romance, and suspense please pick this book up to read.

View all my reviews

SPOOKED BY A SUSPICION by Risa Nyman – Review by Karen Pearman

Spooked by a SuspicionSpooked by a Suspicion by Risa Nyman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Apparently, this is the second book in a series by this author. I wasn’t aware that there was a first book, but I do plan to go back and read it as well. I don’t believe it is necessary to read the first book however I think that it could add some insight and the back story of the characters. Considering this is geared towards the middle school age readers, I found that as an adult I was also able to relate to this on many different levels. From being the child of a single mom to an adult with no children I can see how the main character was able to grow and develop while also experiencing the family dynamic issues that he did. It’s extremely relatable and I feel like all kids should read this book. Especially all the children of divorced parents because they will also relate to the return of a parent dating after divorce. It’s a great book.

View all my reviews

THE BOW (HER THREE IMMORTALS Book 3) by HAZEL STORM – Review by Karen Pearman

The Bow (Her Three Immortals, #3)The Bow by Hazel Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW, what an amazing installment in the “Her Three Immortals” series. If you haven’t read any of these books, you need to. I was afraid that this would be the end of the series but once I got to the end of this book I realized that it’s not and that there will be another book. And I cannot wait. In my opinion, this story gets better with each installment. And this book, as are the previous books, a fantastic romantic fantasy series filled with action and adventure. I think that this one delved into the romantic story a little more than the previous two books and helped develop the story even more. If you haven’t read this series, I highly recommend you pick it up. Now for me, I must patiently wait for book 4.

View all my reviews

Gone Country (Gone in Love) by Katrina Marie – Review by Karen Pearman

Gone Country (Cousins Gone #1)Gone Country by Katrina Marie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic book to read if you love romantic comedies. The main couple of characters are hilarious and full of wit and charm. This was a quick read for me because once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. I had to find out what was going to happen with the two of them and their relationship. And the cast around them, mostly the cousins, were phenomenal. I was wishing that I had cousins like them. I thought the author did a great job with the writing and detail to make me imagine this was taking place in my hometown even though it wasn’t. She kept me interested until the very end. And she has my anticipation high for the next book in the series.

View all my reviews

Notebook Mysteries ~ Decisions and Possibilities by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Karen Pearman

Decisions and Possibilities (Notebook Mysteries #2)Decisions and Possibilities by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Considering that I am a fan of history, mystery, and young adult book genres, this was a perfect book for me. Not to mention it is the second book in the series so I was excited to see what would happen next. I was not disappointed. I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of this novel as the author truly kept me in suspense. Did I say I wasn’t disappointed? I LOVED IT! The main character is phenomenal. To me, she is the female Sherlock Holmes. And the story took me back to the days of reading Nancy Drew. I absolutely enjoyed the trip back to Chicago in the 1800’s that this book carried me on. I am already waiting to see where the next mystery will take me in this book series.

View all my reviews

Scarlet Princess (Lochlann Feuds Book 1) by Robin D. Mahle and Elle Madison – Review by Karen Pearman

Scarlet Princess (The Lochlann Feuds, #1)Scarlet Princess by Robin D. Mahle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a book written by two authors that I was unfamiliar with. I must say that they did an unbelievable job of writing this book together. I LOVED IT! I fell madly in love with the main character, and I want to be her. Seriously. She is such a strong willed and independent person that I couldn’t help but love her. And root for her success I did. There is apparently a series that was written previously that takes place in the same land of Lochlann that I didn’t know about before reading this book. I don’t think it’s required to read it prior to beginning this one. However, I do plan to go to my library to check them out just so I can get more insight into the land. I will say, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! I promise that you will love and enjoy it just as much as I did. I honestly can’t say that this book had any flaws. I cannot wait to read book 2. Thank you ladies for such a wonderfully, well written book.

View all my reviews

Raven Woman’s Tavern by Laura Koerber – Review by Karen Pearman

Raven Woman's TavernRaven Woman’s Tavern by Laura Koerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very short, but interesting, story. While it’s not my typical genre of books, I thought the cover was gorgeous yet also had a dark tone to it. And this was very true for the story as well. I thought that it was an action-packed book about a small town that had a lot of strange occurrences going on. I found in some places that the hairs on my arms were standing up because it was so strange and chilling. But I liked it. I did however feel that there was something missing at the end, so I am hoping that there is another book in the series that will pick up where this one dropped off. It would also be nice to get to know more about some of the characters in the town and dig a little deeper into the main character as well.

View all my reviews

Journeys Through TimeSpace (Journeys Through Book 2) by James Talisman – Review by Karen Pearman

Journeys Through TimeSpaceJourneys Through TimeSpace by James Talisman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was excited to read this book and continue reading the second story in this series. I wasn’t disappointed! I honestly didn’t know if he could take me into a space story any more than he already had, but gosh was I wrong! I think I loved this book even more than the first one. I am so glad that he continued using the same characters and delved into their stories more. It was so nice to see how they were all connected not just in the now, but in the past as well. Once again, I felt like I was on this journey myself. A part of their group. He even threw some loops at me in this book and WHOA! I wasn’t prepared for some of the surprises I received. This could be read as a stand-alone story, but in my opinion, you truly do need to read the first book to really enjoy how well he writes and describes these characters and their world around them. Fans of sci-fi books will not be disappointed, and I highly encourage them to read it. However, even if you aren’t a fan of sci-fi I think you will still appreciate and love the journey that the author takes you on.

View all my reviews

Dire’s Club by Kimberly Packard – Review by Karen Pearman

Dire's ClubDire’s Club by Kimberly Packard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once again, I found myself reading a book by a new author and was not disappointed. Although I cried. A lot! And not because it is a sad book although it does tackle a lot of sad issues. But more so because I also started thinking about the life I would want to live if knowing I was faced with only a short amount of time to live. As in, my own bucket list and what I could accomplish without ever looking back on life and regretting it. It made me think about how I could live my life and be happy knowing I had a terminal illness. And what I found was that just as these characters learned to do, I learned to celebrate my own life journey and be happy with who and what I was and have. I highly recommend that everyone read this book because it will make you think and wish that there was such an adventure around us.

View all my reviews

DATING THE INTERN by Natalina Reis – Review by Karen Pearman

Dating the InternDating the Intern by Natalina Reis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a new author for me but based on the title and book cover I was pretty sure that I wouldn’t be disappointed. And I was right. This turned out to be a great romantic comedy. I laughed from the beginning chapter right up until the last page. Her characters were so warming and inviting, and she really has a way of writing about family dynamics that if like me, you find yourself wondering if this is your family. I wondered at times of some of this was based on actual real-life events because she did such a beautiful job describing what was going on. I felt like I was watching it all unfold before my very eyes. I can certainly say that she has quite a way with telling stories that made me laugh so hard I cried. I promise that this will not be the last book I read by this author. I look forward to many more.

View all my reviews

Dangerous Curves Boxed Set #1 (Dangerous Curves Books 1-3) by K.L. Montgomery – Review by Karen Pearman

Dangerous Curves Boxed Set 1: 3 Cozy Christian MysteriesDangerous Curves Boxed Set 1: 3 Cozy Christian Mysteries by K.L. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am a fan of this author and her other books, so I was excited to see that she had released a box set of this series. And I wasn’t disappointed. Just as with her other books, she is a wonderful writer and her descriptions have me feeling like I am watching the stories take place in front of me. I love those kinds of stories. And even more so when the stories take place in small coastal towns like the ones I vacation to in the summer. In fact, these books would be great reads while sitting on the shores of a beach. These are very clean stories of mystery and intrigue. That is the one thing I appreciated more than any other from this series. That not only are they mysteries, but they are told without all the guts and gore. Having these in a box set is so nice and is a great bang for your buck because you get 3 books together instead of individually.

View all my reviews

The Girl and the Gargoyle (The Girl and the Raven Book 2) by Pauline Gruber – Review by Karen Pearman

The Girl and the Gargoyle (The Girl and the Raven, #2)The Girl and the Gargoyle by Pauline Gruber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second installment in The Girl and the Raven series and was just as good as the first one in my opinion. I loved how the author not only continued the stories but decided to dive into more complex stories as well with the introduction of new characters. Her ability to draw you into the story from the first page with her perfect characterizations and descriptions of the surrounding and what is occurring is phenomenal. That was one of the things I loved the most about the first book and she didn’t disappoint with this one. Once I start I can’t put it down until I reach the end which is what happened last night as well. I look forward to picking up where this left off with book three. If you are a fan of Twilight, adult, or teen, you will love this series. Pick it up!

View all my reviews

Sweet Nightmares (The Dream World Chronicles Book 1) by Chynna Pace – Review by Karen Pearman

Sweet Nightmares (The Dream World Chronicles #1)Sweet Nightmares by Chynna Pace
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I must say that I love young adult genre books, especially fantasies. I hadn’t heard of this book before but noticed in on the library shelf. The cover caught my eye, and it was a recommended by one of the staff picks for the month. I loved it. I felt engulfed in the story from the beginning as the author does a wonderful job of describing the characters and the world the live in. I love her way of using all types of paranormal characteristics in the book, especially dream catchers. This isn’t something I am used to reading about in books but was glad to see that she decided to use them in this story. I look forward to picking up the next installment in this series to find out what happens next.

View all my reviews

Stripped (Stripped Book 1) by Stacy-Deanne – Review by Karen Pearman

Stripped (The Stripped Series Book 1)Stripped by Stacy-Deanne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book from this author that I have read. I was surprised to learn that she has written over 100 top bestsellers and wondered how I had missed out on her books. I can say that I look forward to reading those others as I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found it to be very interesting and full of intrigue and suspense. There was also plenty of romance as well and I love that she didn’t go overboard with the romantic details to take away from the suspense. I couldn’t put this book down once I read the first chapter. My only regret is that I did realize it was a spinoff from another series written by the author that I hadn’t read, and I do think that would have benefitted me and given me more knowledge going into this story. So, I highly suggest that you read that before starting this one. In fact, I am going to go back and read those and then re-read this one again. Great book!

View all my reviews

Hairballs and Homicide (Kitty Beret Café Mysteries Book 1) by Ruth J. Hartman – Review by Karen Pearman

Hairballs and HomicideHairballs and Homicide by Ruth J. Hartman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a first book written by this author for me. It will not be my last. As a crazy cat lady, myself, I found this to be a wonderful read involving cats. And add into the mixture that it is a mystery, and we all know that cats are curious so of course that led to their involvement. It was hilarious. In fact, the cats were such an integral part of the storyline that I couldn’t put the book down. Even if you don’t love cats I think you will find this to be a very good read. However, if you are a cat lover you have got to pick this book up. It’s phenomenal. I can’t wait to read what the next cat caper entails.

View all my reviews

Jake the Growling Dog Shares His Trail (Jake the Growling Dog Book 3) by Samantha Shannon – Review by Karen Pearman

Jake the Growling Dog Shares His TrailJake the Growling Dog Shares His Trail by Samantha Shannon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the third book in this series that I have read. I have thoroughly enjoyed all these books. They are all have such great messages that they teach. This was probably my favorite out of all the books so far just because of the story that it told. It has such a powerful meaning to it, and I think that it is important for all children to read it for understanding that not all of us are born perfect and that there is nothing wrong with that. The illustrations are just as great in this book as the previous two. I love the animals and nature scenes. Also, at the end of the book were some great activities to help kids overcome or at least talk about their own personal fears. I highly suggest getting this book for your kids, friends, or family members kids and even for classroom teachers. It’s a great book that needs to be shared with our children.

View all my reviews

Bared. (A Green St. Girls Romance) by N.D. Jackson – Review by Karen Pearman

Bared. (Green St. Girls #1)Bared. by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another new author for me but looking at the book cover reminded me of a soap opera, so I had to pick it up. I found this to be a very will written book with a wonderful cast of characters. I especially fell in love with the main character as she seemed to be acting irrationally trying to find herself. Something that I have also experienced in my younger twenties. I feel like this made the story more relatable to me and therefore I couldn’t put it down. Watching the main character overcome her emotional and inner turmoil made me laugh and cry as I could feel not only her pain and angst, but her need to find trusting anyone to be a problem. I can truly say I have been in her shoes. This is a good read and I do recommend you pick it up and give it a read.

View all my reviews