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Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by Katie Matthews

Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid's Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series)Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a lovely book that would be great to read with children who have been asking for a dog to join their family. It gives lots of talking points for parents/carers to talk through about all the different ways you have to care for a new dog and or puppy.
The story is a delightful rhyming tale that will certainly capture children interest as they learn along with Lora and CJ everything they need to know about welcoming a dog into their family.
A sweet read!

@katiem
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The Complete Echo Series: A Heartfelt Romance Collection (The Echo Series) by C.R. Alam – Review by Katie Matthews

The Complete Echo Series (Echo #1-4)The Complete Echo Series by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Complete Echo Series (Books 1-4)
5 stars

Echoing Hearts
This was such a beautifully written story, I really did enjoy it. The characters were well written and were likeable. Dean and Rae were both great characters to read about, their first encounter actually made me chuckle – Dean was not impressed but there was so clearly an instant attraction between them. They both had past issues that was preventing them both from even contemplating a relationship but I was desperately rooting for them both the whole way through the book. I think Rae was definitely my favourite character, she had such a wonderful personality and was so full of confidence and independence – I just loved her!

His Forever Muse
This was such a wonderful story. I fell in love with the characters pretty much straight away. The way the author write from in both the past and present made me feel like a really did know that characters and the journey of their relationship. I think it was pretty clear from the moment that they reunited that there was this amazing chemistry and connection. The author did really with the handling of some of the sensitive topics in the story. She wrote them well and there is a trigger warning from her.
Brandon was a really lovely character and I loved how protective he was of Callie.
Callie is one of those characters who you just instantly take to, she has overcome so much in her past, she had such strength and resilience and I could tell how much she wanted Brandon but was really struggling to let go and move on with her life.

Dangerous Rhythm
Yes!! I loved this story so, so much! I loved the characters, the plot, everything really! Curtis was exactly as I wanted to be, however with what he witnessed we begin to see a little bit of vulnerability creep in. How amazing was Lina! She is my favourite character! She’s fierce, independent and just an all-round amazing woman!! The connection that these two had was great and I loved the chemistry between the two of them.
With a few twists and turns in the story along with amazing characters this story kept me engaged from beginning to end and I would 100% recommend it!

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Sugar & Spice (Spicetopia Series) by Phoebe Alexander – Review by Katie Matthews

Sugar & Spice (Spicetopia #1)Sugar & Spice by Phoebe Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book so much! It was really nice to read something a little bit different – and what’s more different than a theme park! I have read so many books by this author now and nothing she writes surprises me at all.
I loved the characters Cy and Jolie – I loved the undercover they didn’t know who each other was and in my opinion that gave them the perfect chance to get to know each other properly! They had such chemistry and it certainly made those pages sizzle at times! Jolie was such an amazing character, I really did love her and everything she did for and everything she did for her family, she was such a relatable character and I really took her into my heart and I 100% came to love Cy in the end!

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Make Me Burn (North Fork Series) by Alicia Street – Review by Katie Matthews

Make Me Burn (North Fork Series Book 9)Make Me Burn by Alicia Street
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a really great book and I loved every minute of it. I do love an enemies to lovers romance and whilst the characters weren’t technically enemies there was a lot of history between them and an ex best friend thrown in. I loved the characters Logan and Jinx, they did seem to have this genuine connection and I have to admit when I first picked up the book I thought I had got the whole story and characters planned in my head but I was wrong. Logan, yes was you head strong business man but he also had a respectful side to him which I really liked. I really liked Jinx too, she was so down to earth and genuine but she was also a smart business woman with her head screwed on!
Overall a really good read and one that I would highly recommend.

@katiem
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The Hidden Present (Invisible Magic Wand) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Katie Matthews

The Hidden Present (Invisible Magic Wand)The Hidden Present by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

These books are such sweet reads and I love to see what Caspian is going to get for his ‘unbirthday’. This year Grandpa is making Caspian search for his present. I love the magical themes that run through this story – they certainly get children’s imaginations going. Children will enjoy following Caspian and helping his solve clues to find the hidden present. The story is short and easy to follow – perfect for children aged 4-6 in my opinion and it is accompanied by lovely, bright colourful illustrations.

@katiem
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Critical Care (Chase Care Series Book 6) by R.L. Dunn – Review by Katie Matthews

Critical Care (Chase Care Book 6)Critical Care by R.L. Dunn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was another great read from this series – one that I am really enjoying. I loved Tim and Willow’s story – the author has done a great job with this series and cleverly intertwined all the characters but also allowing the stories to be read independently. The romantic suspense element to the story was great and I was certainly left guessing a few times. Tim and Willow definitely had a great connection and I loved watching their relationship evolve across the book, they definitely had some moments where they were up against things and it was interesting who they called upon for help!
This was definitely an exciting read and one I would highly recommend.

@katiem
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Fearless Love (The Bennetts of Langston Falls, Book 5) by KG Fletcher – Review by Katie Matthews

Fearless Love (The Bennetts of Langston Falls, #5)Fearless Love by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really do adore this author – she creates such wonderful, relatable characters that you can’t help but fall in love with them. Fearless Love is just another of those wonderful books that you love from start to finish. James and Sara’s story was a sweet read. There were so many elements to it though that I felt like I was on an emotional roller-coaster at times. This talented author definitely knows how to get you invested in her characters. I did like James, I know he was a little grumpy at times but there was just something about him that made me like him straight away. I though the chemistry between him and Sara was great, it felt genuine and believable. They had a great connection and that really shone through.
I would 100% recommend this story.

@katiem
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The Earl’s Match (The Thompsons of Locust Street Series) by Holly Bush – Review by Katie Matthews

The Earl's Match (The Thompsons of Locust Street, #5)The Earl’s Match by Holly Bush
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can’t help but LOVE a historical romance read they really are my absolute favourite to read. I was really impressed with this book and loved every second of it. The author did a fantastic job with the descriptive language and for me that is so important I this kind of story – I need to be able to imagine what I am reading in order to be transported back in time.
I really felt for Payden – what a journey he has been on. I could really feel hard everything had been for him and everything he had endured.
Clarice really wasn’t what I expected but I loved her. She was just so perfect for Payden and I felt like she was everything he needed to help him heal.
This book could be read as a standalone however I’d recommend reading the whole series to understand the family dynamics!
A fabulous read and one that I would highly recommend.

@katiem
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Detective Dylan and the Hunt for Home Plate (A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book) by MJ Murray – Review by Katie Matthews

Detective Dylan and the Hunt for Home Plate (A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book Series, #2)Detective Dylan and the Hunt for Home Plate by M.J. Murray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another wonderful book for young readers. Again, as with the first book it’s such a great way to introduce younger readers to chapter books and continuing series books. The characters in the story are really relatable and the plot was easy and clear to follow. Dylan and his little sister, Emily, are on the case of missing bases. This book is great for capturing children’s imagination as they will be able to find and try to work out clues along with the main characters in the story.

@katiem
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Hay Goes Home (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Katie Matthews

Hay Goes Home (The Adventures of Cray)Hay Goes Home by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another really sweet story form this lovely series. My 5 year old absolutely loves the rhyming element to the books from this series and he definitely loved Cray and all his friends! I love that each story has a different meaning behind it – this one was all about helping people who are a little scared and that its ok to admit when you are afraid and need a little bit of help and encouragement from your friends.
The illustrations that accompany this story are so beautiful and really do complement the story well.
I can’t wait for more adventures from Cray and his friends!

@katiem
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Divinely Dramatic (Divine Vintage Series) by Sandra L. Young – Review by Katie Matthews

Divinely Dramatic (Divine Vintage Series, #2)Divinely Dramatic by Sandra L. Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I first read the synopsis for this book I was instantly drawn to the story and I really did enjoy it. I loved Marcy so much, she was such a great, fun character to read about. The story was really entertaining and it definitely kept my attention from beginning to end. The authors writing was really great, I could certainly imagine all of the lovely vintage things she was describing, I love the 60’s and it was great to be transported back there with this story through their love of vintage fashion and the mysterious goings on of 1966!
I can’t wait to read more from this series!

@katiem
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Bailey and the CEO: A Corporate Love Story (A Better Man, Book 1) by Amy Q. Barker – Review by Katie Matthews

Bailey and the CEO: A Corporate Love Story (A Better Man Book 1)Bailey and the CEO: A Corporate Love Story by Amy Q. Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book so much, it was honestly such a wonderful read and one of those books that you wish you could start all over again and experience again for the first time. I loved the characters, they were so relatable. Bailey was such a wonderful character, so strong and independent and I really felt a connection with her and this isn’t something that happens a lot for me. I thought the author did an amazing job with her character development. I really liked Fox as well and I admit I’d probably have fallen for his charm too!
A really sweet story and one that I absolutely loved reading. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.

@katiem
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Dancing Butterfly (Butterflies Fly Free Series) by Debra Parmley – Review by Katie Matthews

Dancing Butterfly (Butterflies Fly Free Series Book 2)Dancing Butterfly by Debra Parmley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a story Dancing Butterfly was! It was a really great read. I was completely captivated by what I was reading – the author really did do an amazing job with it!!!!
I absolutely loved the era for the story and because the authors writing was so detailed I could completely imagine what I was reading from the scenery to the clothing the people were wearing. I really liked Suki, I thought she was a great character! The plot for the book was really exciting and it kept a great pace so I was constantly waiting to see what was going to happen next, my interest never wavered at all.
I read this as a standalone but I would definitely like to read the first book in the series now and I. really do hope there’s more to come!

@katiem
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CUTTER (Devils’ Spawn Daddies Series) by Victoria Saccenti – Review by Katie Matthews

Cutter: Devils' Spawn DaddiesCutter: Devils’ Spawn Daddies by Victoria Saccenti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have read books by this author previously and I really liked her writing style so I was looking forward to getting stated with this one. Overall I enjoyed it, I’ve read quite a few stories in this genre so nothing really surprises me although I would say that DD/LG is probably one of my least favourite to read however the story was much more than that. There was a lot of action that kept my interest throughout and the characters were great to read about. They had their own things going on. I did really like Cutter, he was a great character to read about and the chemistry between him and Emily was undeniable!
I would recommend this book and I am looking forward to reading more from this author again in the future.

@katiem
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Cray Saves the Day (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Katie Matthews

Cray Saves the Day (The Adventures of Cray on the Bay)Cray Saves the Day by G. Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another wonderful book about Cray and his friends. In this book the author touches on the subject of dropping litter and trying to save our oceans and beaches from the rubbish that people leave behind after they have enjoyed their days out. The story again is told in a lovely rhyme that is really engaging for children. My 4 year old really enjoyed this story. For slightly older children this book would be a great introduction to the subject of dropping rubbish and how it can have an effect on our environment.

@katiem
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Beach Ball Blunder (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Katie Matthews

Beach Ball Blunder (The Adventures of Cray on the Bay)Beach Ball Blunder by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another really cute and fun story about Cray on the Bay and his friends. The authors lovely rhyme throughout the story is so engaging and my 4 year old loved the story. There is a great moral to the story to about lying and how it is always better to tell the truth, something that we always teach children so this story would be a great starting point to encourage discussions about the subject. Again the story was accompanied by beautiful, colourful illustrations that complement it well.

@katiem
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A Miracle In Muffin: A True Story by Darlene Duemo – Review by Katie Matthews

A Miracle In Muffin: A True StoryA Miracle In Muffin: A True Story by Darlene Duemo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is not the usual book that I read however I do love cats so I thought I would give it a go. The story was sweet and you could really feel how important God and faith is to the author – whom this story is based on and this really came across well in the story. I can imagine people who have a particularly strong faith would find this book lovely to read and especially for younger children who are learning about prayer and believing. The book was well written, a nice short story for young children/adults to enjoy.
Whilst it was not my kind of story I did enjoy reading it.

@katiem
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Fade into the Night (Philly Heat Series) by Becky Flade – Review by Katie Matthews

Fade Into the Night (Philly Heat series, #5)Fade Into the Night by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another amazing story by this author – I really enjoyed it. I loved that the story is told through multiple POV’s I always find this enables me as a reader to fully understand each of the characters. It definitely helped in this story as I wasn’t too sure about Sadie’s character but it did enable me to kind of understand some of the ways she acted towards Noah. I really liked Noah – think I might be a little bit in love with him to be honest! He had a vulnerability that I liked about him.
There were some great twists and turns in the story which kept me guessing about what was going to happen and the action was there the whole way through.
Overall a great read and one that I would highly recommend.

@katiem
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Relic Hunters: Betrayal of the Gods (Relic Hunters Series) by Martin Ferguson – Review by Katie Matthews

Betrayal of the Gods (Relic Hunters Book 5)Betrayal of the Gods by Martin Ferguson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So, I haven’t read any of this series previously but I actually found it pretty easy to read and follow. This isn’t my usual genre to read either but I thought the synopsis sounded interesting so thought I would give it a try. I was really impressed with the authors writing style, his writing was very engaging and I know my attention was kept throughout. It was easy to read and was a perfect book for YA readers. There was quite a lot going on in the story, it was very fast paced and full of action but at the same time it wasn’t confusing and easy to follow. The characters are really interesting and I would certainly like to read the previous books in the story to find out more about them.
Overall a really good read and one that I would highly recommend.

@katiem
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A New Day for Cray (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Katie Matthews

A New Day For Cray (The Adventures of Cray on the Bay)A New Day For Cray by G. Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such a cute read for young children about how being nice to people means that you end up with far more friends around you and to make you feel happy. Cray was a little crab who liked to pinch his friends who often moved away when they saw him coming. Cray had to learn his lesson the hard way. I like how this story provides talking points for children about how they behave and what is nice and not so nice. The story had a lovely rhyme to it which is bound to capture children’s interest alongside some beautiful and colourful illustrations.
A really lovely story that my 4 year old especially enjoyed!

@katiem
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Sasha Smart by Shermaine Perry-Knights – Review by Katie Matthews

Sasha Smart: Short Stories for GirlsSasha Smart: Short Stories for Girls by Shermaine Perry-Knights
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such a lovely collection of short stories about Sasha and some of the things she comes across in her everyday life. I really liked the length of the stories, I can imagine children reading one each night before bed. Each one provides different opportunities for children to think about what they would do in Sasha’s position. There are some illustrations in the book to accompany each story but this book probably would be more suitable for children 7 and up I feel.
Overall a lovely book of short stories that I would definitely recommend for young readers.

@katiem
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Nessie and the Viking Gold (Nessie’s Grotto) by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah – Review by Katie Matthews

Nessie and the Viking Gold (Nessie's Grotto)Nessie and the Viking Gold by Lois June Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve really enjoyed these longer length books from this author. I love the magic that comes through in this story as we go along with Craig, Linda and the Loch Ness Monster. With all the superstitions around the Loch Ness Monster and does it really exist I like that these books are opening up some magical and imaginative world underneath the loch where the monster lives. It’s great for getting children’s creativity and imaginations going.
This was another great read. It was a lovely engaging story with nice illustrations to accompany.

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The Scent of Snow (The Winemakers Series) by Giovanna Siniscalchi – Review by Katie Matthews

The Scent of SnowThe Scent of Snow by Giovanna Siniscalchi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yet again another wonderful read by this very talented author. This novella was so beautifully written that I couldn’t put it down and more to the point I didn’t actually want to!
It was so lovely to be back with Pedro and Anne again! I just loved the connection between them, it really was so genuine and beautiful. You could almost feel the love pouring off the pages at times. I really did feel for Pedro because as much as he loves Anne, he cannot let his past demons go with how he was treated by his father. It was so painful for him that it made him not want to be a father himself.
As with all of the other books in this series, the author does an amazing job of transporting us to Portugal and with all of the rich detail and descriptive language in the story you really do feel like you are there with the characters.
I 100% recommend this read but would also recommend you read Pedro and Anne’s full-length story (The Taste of Light) before reading this wonderful novella.

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The Round Box (Grandma’s Closet) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Katie Matthews

The Round BoxThe Round Box by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such a lovely children’s story that will definitely spark some imagination. Carrie certainly got more than she bargained for when she tried on her Grandmothers fascinator! The magic begins the moment she places it on her head. One thing I really love with the witing in this book is the way that font changes for the lovely descriptive words the author uses – this could provide quite a few talking points for children when talking about how to improve sentences by adding these wonderful words.
This is a really lovely story and one that will definitely create some imaginative thinking from the children reading it.

@katiem
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Elusive Surrender (Sinful Duets Book 3) by Via Mari – Review by Katie Matthews

Elusive Surrender (Sinful Duets #3)Elusive Surrender by Via Mari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Elusive Surrender Box set is another wonderful set of stories from a very talented author. This box set features 2 books – Elusive and Tenacious.

Elusive – Sheldon and Alexis

This series just continues to get better and better. Elusive was a fantastic 5 star read, I loved every single minute of it! I love this author, she had such an amazing writing ability, her stories are just an absolute pleasure to read – she creates some brilliant characters and I am always completely absorbed in their story. I love Sheldon, he was definitely book boyfriend material! I loved Sheldon for her dominance but Alexis was certainly one who could hold her own but the passion and sparks between them was off the charts! Their story is definitely a steamy one!! Fantastic read and highly recommended!!

Tenacious – Allie and Nick

Yet again another 5-star read from Ms Mari – absolutely love her books! Allie and Nick’s story was so captivating to read. I loved them both so much. Allie was a great female lead -strong, sassy and definitely independent! The chemistry between the two of these characters was scorching hot – I mean seriously hot! I think they are definitely my favourite couple from this series (and I have loved all the previous ones too)! There was so much going on in this story that I literally could not put it down and read it in one sitting! Ms Mari’s writing is so exciting to read, she brings her story to life on every single page and I adore her work. I cannot wait to read more from her in the future and I certainly recommend this 5-star book to other readers!

@katiem
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Nessie and the Living Stone (Nessie’s Grotto) by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah – Review by Katie Matthews

Nessie and the Living Stone (Nessie's Grotto)Nessie and the Living Stone by Lois June Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another wonderful read from this author. This is the first time that I have read one of her longer children’s books and it was great. A lovely introduction to chapter books for children. The story was fun and easy to follow with so many opportunities to encourage children’s imaginations. The illustrations that accompanied the story were well drawn and thought out – they added an extra depth to the book by bringing some of the story to life. Craig and Linda had a great sibling relationship and I enjoyed following their story as they tried to uncover the mystery of the Loch Ness monster and try to find her. Beneath the story are some important messages for the children and this author always does, I love how she weaves these into her stories.
This was a great read and one that I would highly recommend for children.

@katiem
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Sweet Dreams by Claire (Capture the Light Series) by Nanette Littlestone – Review by Katie Matthews

Sweet Dreams by Claire (Capture the Light, #2)Sweet Dreams by Claire by Nanette Littlestone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a wonderful read to start off my 2024 reading journey! I really enjoyed this book; it was easy to read with really lovely characters who were likeable and relatable. I read this story in one sitting as I was so engaged in everything that was going on. I’ve not read anything by this author previously so I will definitely be on the lookout for more of her books to read. The authors wonderful descriptive language really did make me feel like I was right there in Ireland in a bakery at times!
Although this is book 2 in the series, I read it perfectly well as a standalone but having met some of the characters now I would definitely like to read book one and learn more about them.
I really liked Claire, she is that kind of character that draws you in and you kind of wish she was real as you know she would be a great friend to have. I admired her determination to be what she wanted regardless of her mother wish for a predictable life! She wanted to go after her dreams.
Finn was a great character too and I loved this connection these two seemed to have. They had a great genuine chemistry and I was rooting for them from the beginning!

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Porter and Midge: Paws and Playtime: A Kid’s Guide to a Happy Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by Katie Matthews

Porter and Midge: Paws and Playtime: A Kid's Guide to a Happy Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series)Porter and Midge: Paws and Playtime: A Kid’s Guide to a Happy Dog by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another wonderful book in this series and I love that it helps children to learn how to be respectful to dogs and helping to keep themselves safe as well. The story is well written and accompanied by beautiful illustrations. I read these books with my little boy who loves them for their rhyming content. I think that they are lovely engaging stories and the characters CJ and Lora and their lovely dogs Porter and Midge are really loveable. I really enjoy these stories and think they are a great addition to any child’s bookshelf!

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Hope For A New World (Gaia’s Voice Series) by Renee W Peek – Review by Katie Matthews

Hope For a New World (The Hope Series Book 1)Hope For a New World by Renee W. Peek
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This isn’t my usual genre to read and I honestly wasn’t sure whether I would enjoy this book or not but I was genuinely intrigued by the synopsis so thought I would give it a go. It was an interesting read and the authors attention to detail was amazing. The characters in the story were intriguing and the storyline very unique. It certainly made me think about a few things! This is the first book that I have read by this author and although maybe not my complete cup of tea I would definitely like to read the next book.

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A King So Savage (The Savage Duet) by April Moran – Review by Katie Matthews

A King So Savage (The Savage Duet #1)A King So Savage by April Moran
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a story to finish my 2023 reads with. I loved this story from beginning to end. It was exciting, dark, dangerous and so much more. I have to say I LOVED Ava! She was so fun to read about. She was not going to lie down and take whatever King threw at her, she definitely had a backbone and stood up to him. King is one of those characters that you know you shouldn’t like but can’t really help it – he is dark and he is absolutely a villain – he is not a nice person but his protectiveness of Ava to some extent makes him a little bit likeable. The cliff-hanger at the end has me eagerly anticipating book 2!

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