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Auctioned Surrender (Sinful Duets Book 2) by Via Mari – Review by Katie Turner

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Auctioned Surrender (Sinful Duets #2)Auctioned Surrender by Via Mari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Auctioned Surrender by Via Mari is the second book to the Sinful Duets series and is a
combined book hosting both Auctioned and Relentless.

Auctioned is centered around Bryanna, Jenny Torzial’s young niece and Damian, a bodyguard who is on a mission to extract Bryanna safely from the clutches of sex trafficking world. But an even darker threat is lurking if Bryanna isn’t extracted soon. There is an enormous amount of attraction between the two of them, but things are very complicated. Damien clearly wants her, but she feels compelled to protect her family.

I loved the characters in this story. The world Bryanna lives in is terrifying, but the author did such a beautiful job with keeping everything realistic, yet sensitive.

Relentless follows the story of Dereck and Layla. Dereck is an undercover bodyguard
who is put on an assignment that requires him to seek information from Layla. When he accidentally puts her into a potentially dangerous situation, it becomes his mission to help keep her safe. It doesn’t take long before Dereck is completely enamored by this beautiful woman and while he ultimately wants to protect her, he has a lot of desires to dominate this beauty.

If you enjoy lots of suspense, steamy dom/sub romance with fantastic characters, I definitely recommend! I suggest you start from the beginning. While you could technically read these as standalones, the stories to tie in with many repeat characters.

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Whispered Surrender (Sinful Duets Book 1) by Via Mari – Review by Katie Turner

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Whispered Surrender (Sinful Duets #1)Whispered Surrender by Via Mari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Whispered Surrender by author Via Mari is the first book of Sinful Duets, which is a combination of Wayward and Undercover. Two books in one? Yes please!

Wayward captures the story of Jay, the lead of a billionaire’s advanced security team, and Sasha, a ballet dancer who finds herself in some dark predicaments that Jay tries his best to protect her from. Although Jay is instantly attracted to her beauty and feels a deep connection to her, Sasha has incredibly low self-esteem and struggles with believing anyone could really truly care about her the way she wants to be. Jay’s dominating personality makes it hard for her to decipher his true feelings but I think as a reader, you know he is really is falling for her. She keeps trying to push him away as there are more secrets hiding in the dark.

While I did not feel much relatability to either character here in the beginning, I still appreciated the story and kept the pages turning. Eventually I did enjoy these characters more as the story continued to unfold. I think the jumping back and forth between their points of view and experiencing the scenarios from both of their view really helped me to understand the characters more. It really added extra depth to the story. And of course, I loved the steamy bits!

Undercover follows Matt, an undercover bodyguard and Marenah, Sasha’s Russian twin sister. She is caught by the Chicago mafia, who are notorious for brutally torturing women who cross them. Matt and Marenah meet under these harsh circumstances and from that moment, they are both immediately infatuated with one another. Matt makes it his mission to keep Marenah safe but Marenah is keeping dangerous secrets that make his efforts more difficult.

The chemistry between these two characters is delicious and caused me to devour every page without pause. I really admired Marenah’s resilience. She didn’t come off as a scared little mouse who needed protecting. She seldom allowed anyone to be close to her, but I loved how Matt was able to help her break down some of the walls she had built up to protect herself, and allowed herself to experience not only being with a man, but being appreciated and treated well by one.

If you enjoy a good mafia war story that leans heavy on the romance aspect, I highly recommend! Loved these books!

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Shadowed Agenda: An Enemies to Lovers Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller (Shadow Defense Security Series) by Mavery Ellscott – Review by Katie Turner

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Shadowed Agenda: An Enemies to Lovers Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller (Shadow Defense Security Series Book 2)Shadowed Agenda: An Enemies to Lovers Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller by Mavery Ellscott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Shadowed Agenda by Mavery Ellscott is the second book to the Shadow Defense Security series. Full of suspense, romantic tension, and lots of plot twists, this is a strong story for a second book and definitely left me ready for more! I loved the characters. Regan and Pavlo are strong character leads and I adored them both. Regan is very headstrong but also a loving single mother that is willing to do whatever she thinks she has to to keep her daughter safe. Pavlo is a former Navy Seal and a member of the secretive group known as Shadow Defense Security. They are both authors on a book tour and due to some history between them, they try to keep their distance. But when the book tour takes a terrifying turn for Regan, Pavlo steps up and tries to help keep Regan safe as well as get to the bottom of threats and attacks being made against her. The tension between them grows as they spend more time together. But Regan doesn’t want Pavlo involved in this growing threat, and Pavlo doesn’t think he can be more than an occasional one night stand. The story had me hooked and turning the pages as quickly as I could, devouring every word until the end! I highly recommend for romantic suspense lovers. I look forward to more from this author.

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

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

Hope for a New World, by Renee W Peek, is the first installment to The Hope Series, and is a beautiful blend of science-fiction and space, with a side of metaphysical and so much more. I enjoyed the distinctly different personality types among the main characters. I felt they were all very well-developed, interesting and I felt a connection with each of them in some way. The strength of these women uniting for a cause they all believe in was very inspiring! The descriptions and intriguing storyline made it very easy to submerge myself into this story, without feeling like anything was repetitive or long-winded. The author really brought to life what I believe to be a very strong first book to this series. All in all, I would definitely suggest to anyone who loves science-fiction, although it goes much further beyond the sci-fi genre. I look forward to the next installment!

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The Podcast Chronicles by Kathryn Dodson – Review by Katie Turner

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The Podcast ChroniclesThe Podcast Chronicles by Kathryn Dodson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Podcast Chronicles tells the story of Sue Cleary, wife and mother who is really trying to find herself a new purpose as her children are all reaching adulthood and her husband is often away on business. When Sue learns that a developer has come to their town of Durango with plans to construct a resort near her home. She springs to action, with a fiery passion, to keep this development from taking place. But can she convince others to see her view of how harmful the resort would be? I loved Sue’s character very much and admired her strength and courage to fight for what she truly believed was right for her community. The story was beautifully written, characters were well-developed and by the end, I wanted more! And I will be looking for more. Such a delightful read. Thank you, Kathryn Dodson.

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Unclutter (Inner Voice Book 1) by Winnie D Pagora – Review by Katie Turner

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Unclutter: A Survivor's Story (Inner Voice, #1)Unclutter: A Survivor’s Story by Winnie D. Pagora
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Unclutter: A Survivor’s Story, by Winnie D Pagora, is a story that will make you really be inside all of your emotions. The novel centers around an eighteen year old girl, Tina, who is navigating life as best she can with deep-seated trauma. Many traumatic themes play a role here, but I didn’t feel like it was over-the-top or unbelievable. These subject matters addressed are things that really happen to people and my heart broke so many times. The author writes beautifully, perfect pacing and characters were very well developed. It made it easy to really connect with them. Despite the sad topics, this is an absolutely beautiful story and I am so thankful that I read it. I recommend to anyone. These topics deserve more spotlight.

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Mr. Wimp (The Human Mating Site Book 1) by B.L. Wilde – Review by Katie Turner

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Mr Wimp (The Human Mating Site #1)Mr Wimp by B.L. Wilde
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mr. Wimp, written by B.L. Wilde, is book one to The Human Mating Site novella series. Bella is absolutely blindsided by her husband Joel, who has made the decision to end their twelve year marriage. Bella feels as if her world is crumbling around her in an instant.. but with the encouragement of good friends, Bella starts to see her true worth as she rides through the waves of grief and all the emotions that come along with process of heartbreak and finding ones self again. I must say, I loved Bella! I really did not want the book to end. I will be awaiting the second novella to this series to see what happens next.. very curious about Liam!

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The Moon That Fell from Heaven (Empire at Twilight) by N.L. Holmes – Review by Katie Turner

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The Moon That Fell from HeavenThe Moon That Fell from Heaven by N.L. Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Moon That Fell From Heaven by N.L. Holmes is a story about an emperor’s daughter named Ehli-nikkalu. She is married to King Niqmaddu, and it is quite evident from the start that their relationship is not one crafted of love or respect for one another. When Ehli-nikkalu discovers a secret the King has been plotting, it sets her forth in motion to try to do the right thing and warn her father of the King’s deceit, along with the evidence. However, things do not go as well as she had hoped. More twists and turns take the reader on a bumpy road with Ehli-nikkalu. With elements of history, suspense and mystery, I feel the author did marvelous work crafting this adventurous tale. The story is well-written with lots of detail to really make your own imagination come alive as you read along.

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The Hand of God: From Oppenheimer to Hypersonics by Paul McCarthy – Review by Katie Turner

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The Hand of God: From Oppenheimer to Hypersonics - A Crash Course on Nuclear Weapons and Humankind's Most Dangerous GameThe Hand of God: From Oppenheimer to Hypersonics – A Crash Course on Nuclear Weapons and Humankind’s Most Dangerous Game by Paul McCarthy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Hand of God by Paul McCarthy is a fascinating and equally concerning look into the dangerous world of Nuclear Weaponry. The impact that this could have on the human race and our world as we know it is terrifying, and to think we don’t hardly bat an eyelash anymore at the mention of nuclear war is just frightening to me personally. ‘Why are there not more people paying closer attention’, is a thought that frequented my mind as I read along. There is a lot to unpack here and I mean is that we all should really be doing our due diligence as a human race to protect ourselves from this madness. Well written, well researched. I appreciate everything the author did here and I look forward to future writings.

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Russian and Royally Complicated (The Crowned Hearts Series Book 2) by Gwyn McNamee and Christy Anderson – Review by Katie Turner

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Russian and Royally ComplicatedRussian and Royally Complicated by Gwyn McNamee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Russian and Royally Complicated, written by authors Gwyn McNamee and Christy Anderson, is a
well written story spiced up with heavy doses of hate, desire, suspense and so much more. Daphne and Lev seperately face their two best friends marrying each other and these two rivals are both feeling abandoned, alone with no good outlet. Their personality quirks and attitudes have gotten under one anothers skin since they met years prior. But despite their feelings of contempt for one another, and being complete opposites, they are absolutely magnetized by one another and share. Neither one of them want to return to their lives after the wedding. Their friends run off on their honeymoon, and in an unlikely set of events, these two wind up in one another’s company begrudgingly. From there, unpredictable events take place and it kept me from being able to put this book down once I started. I was hooked from the beginning but I was so curious about secrets being kept, I am amazed at how fast I devoured the story. I absolutely do recommend if you like a good enemies to lovers with lots of heat!

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Conversations with the Tarot by Maria DeBlassie – Review by Katie Turner

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Conversations with the Tarot: Bewitching Meditations on Reading the CardsConversations with the Tarot: Bewitching Meditations on Reading the Cards by Maria DeBlassie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Conversations with Tarot: Bewitching Meditations on Reading the Cards by Maria DeBlassie is my third experience reading from this amazing author and she never disappoints me, no matter the topic!

In this particular book, Maria takes us into the mystic world of using tarot, but shows us that there is so much more to tarot than simply understanding the meaning of each card. To really use the cards, you need to have a deeper communication built with each one and in this book we are guided by the author on how she does exactly that. DeBlassie knows how to turn all of her writing into a magical experience for her reader, but in a way that can be easily understood by any person new to the practice. I highly recommend for anyone interested in a different sort of guide to the depths of tarot, but also to experience this author I have come to adore.

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Shadowed Obsession (Shadow Defense Security Series Book 1) by Mavery Ellscott – Review by Katie Turner

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Shadowed Obsession: An Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller (Shadow Defense Security Series Book 1)Shadowed Obsession: An Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller by Mavery Ellscott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Shadowed Obsession by Mavery Ellscott is the first book in the Shadow Defense Security series. I felt like this book had a perfect pace as the story of Keira O’Ryan unfolded. She is a PR representative with a bit of a past she’d rather forget, and a stalker who is trying to work their way into literally every nook and cranny of her life to spy on her. She has a neighbor who happens to be a very attractive ex-Navy SEAL and owns his own security company. Cade tries to help keep Keira safe and get to this stalker before harm comes to her. Tension, thrill, and wonderful writing accentuate these well-fleshed characters and plot. I absolutely recommend if you are interested in a fast-paced, but well written thriller. I look forward to see what is next for the Shadow Defense Security series!

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Twisted Oath (Bound By Blood Book 1) by A. S. Roberts – Review by Katie Turner

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Twisted Oath (Bound By Blood Book 1)Twisted Oath by A. S. Roberts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Twisted Oath, by A.S. Roberts, is the first book of the series Bound by Blood and my first experience with the author. This darker style of romance had me drawn in from the very beginning. I really felt like all the story element boxes for a good, suspenseful and interesting read were checked off. The characters and plot were so brilliantly fleshed out. Serafina and Salvatore brought an intense but believable amount of chemistry and emotion to the storyline that made this very difficult to put down. If you love the mafia romance genre, this one is absolutely worth checking out. I am excited to see what comes next!

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Ladies of the Links (Ladies of the Links Book 2) by Haley Rhoades – Review by Katie Turner

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Ladies of the Links #2Ladies of the Links #2 by Haley Rhoades
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ladies of the Links #2 is the second book to this series by Haley Rhoades. While I did not read book 1, it was still easy to dive into this story and enjoy the storyline between Christy and Ryan. It was obvious from the intensity of the beginning that this story would be filled of passion and regret, and it only grew stronger as the story progressed. I absolutely enjoyed it. Christy was a joy for me from the beginning as a favorite character. I loved the writing and absolutely recommend. Perhaps would be even better if reading book 1 first. But either way, definitely worth it! Writing and plot was spot on!!

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Breathless Love (The Bennetts of Langston Falls Book 3) by KG Fletcher – Review by Katie Turner

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Breathless Love (The Bennetts of Langston Falls, #3)Breathless Love by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Breathless Love by KG Fletcher is the third installment to the Bennetts of Langston Falls, however I read this as a standalone and really enjoyed it! I am very intrigued to pick up the others due to how much I enjoyed this story- which is more than I thought I would! I really enjoyed Hank a lot and the connection between him and Ella Mae was really enjoyable, and it wasn’t really over-the-top as it unfolded. I felt like this was an enjoyable read, great writing and would recommend to others who enjoy a really sweet romance that is believable and easy to follow along with.

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Truly Unfortunate (Welcome to Knollville Book 1) by C.A. King – Review by Katie Turner

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Truly Unfortunate (Welcome To Knollville #1)Truly Unfortunate by C.A. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Truly Unfortunate by C.A. King is the first book to the Welcome to Knollville paranormal series. The story begins with Truly as a child, and one can quickly conclude that she is being brought up in an extremely toxic and abusive environment. As the story continues and Truly has become a young adult, it is evident that some sort of event has caused her to lock out the memories of her past. She has been working to try to regain the memories, but she could find that the memories were better off left suppressed. I quite enjoyed the writing and felt the paranormal aspects and plot were very fresh and exciting enough to keep the pages turning. I would certainly be interested in reading the next book.

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Ten Thousand Shells and Counting: A Memoir (Teenage War Survival Book 1) by Nadija Mujagic – Review by Katie Turner

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Ten Thousand Shells and Counting: A Memoir (Book 1) (Teenage War Survival series)Ten Thousand Shells and Counting: A Memoir (Book 1) by Nadija Mujagic
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ten Thousand Shells & Counting by Nadija Mujagic is a true story recounting the experiences of a young teenage girl in Sarajevo during wartime in the 90s. I could hardly put this book down once I started reading. This story invoked so many emotions for me. My heart ached so much for all the grief and pain Nadija endured during this time while still just trying to live life as normally as possible. As time goes on, she turns to acting out and taking to adult habits as her morale struggles to shatter under the weight of these confusing and saddening times. If memoirs on war interest you at all, I highly recommend taking this journey with Nadjia.

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Savage Truth (Hidden Valley Elite Book 2) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Katie Turner

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Savage Truth: A High School Bully Romance (Hidden Valley Elite Book 2)Savage Truth: A High School Bully Romance by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Savage Truth by Isla Vaughn is the third book to the Hidden Valley Elite series. This book picks directly up where Savage Lies ends. Raelyn, Riley’s mom, is now involved with Cole’s dad and are all living under the same roof. The tension between Cole and Riley seems to heighten at every turn of the page and is dangerously close to reaching its peak. Will these two push each other to the very edge of their limits with their antics of blackmail or will they finally be able to realize that they are not the reason each others worlds have been turned upside down, and give into their deeply seeded feelings for one another? You’ll just have to read and find out!

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Insomnia: (A Short Stories Collection) by Kelly Covic – Review by Katie Turner

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Insomnia (A Short Stories Collection)Insomnia by Kelly Covic
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Insomnia was my first experience with author Kelly Covic and I really enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Insomnia includes quite a few short, spooky stories – some that leave you questioning and some that are abundant with twists and turns, leading you down a path you did not expect to wander down. If you love a chilling, quick read then I highly recommend giving this new author’s book a chance. You may be as surprised as I was with how enjoyable it is and creeped out you may feel with only a handful of pages per story.

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The Silent Road by S.N. McKibben – Review by Katie Turner

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The Silent RoadThe Silent Road by S.N. McKibben
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Silent Road is the first book I’ve read from author S.N. McKibben. This story takes the reader on a journey with Dan, a divorced father and truck driver who cannot seem to catch a break in any aspect of his life. He feels like a failure of a husband because he loved the road as a truck driver more than he enjoyed time with his family. He feels like a failure of a father because of the turmoil of a somewhat absent father. Now he is having to be trained to drive a truck, although he has been doing it since he was a child. He is racing to get to Texas while apprenticing under a gay man named Jake so that he can help his daughter with moving into her dorm and to pay for her first semester of college. It is evident he feels passionately about being there for his baby girl, and might seek some redemption from the past. Dan has considered himself to be a “bigot” but still respectful enough to not wish harm upon anyone who is different or thinks differently from him. However, this trip with Jake seems to opening his eyes to thoughts and feelings he’s never thought or felt before.

This story was very well written and I loved seeing how this story grew and how Dan grew as a person as well. Sometimes it’s the things and situations we detest and refuse to accept, that we actually need to open ourselves up to to be okay with or even find our true happiness, whatever that may be. Overall, I do recommend giving this story a try if it sounds interesting to you!

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Savage Lies (Hidden Valley Elite Book 1) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Katie Turner

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Savage Lies: A High School Bully Romance (Hidden Valley Elite Book 1)Savage Lies: A High School Bully Romance by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Savage Lies by Isla Vaughn is the first book in the Hidden Valley Elite series, following the prequel Savage Start. In this story, it picks up where some time has passed since Cole and Damon lost their mother. They blame their father and his inability to be faithful to their mother for her taking her life. But when Cole finds out who his father is seeing and connects the dots to Riley’s mother, he decides to make it his mission to run Riley and her mother off. The tension between Cole and Riley is fierce as they toy with each other and it is so gripping, it was hard to put this book down. I am anticipating diving right into the second book next to see where it goes next.

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Manipulator’s War (Ruarnon Trilogy Book 1) by Elise Carlson – Review by Katie Turner

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Manipulator's War (Ruarnon Trilogy, #1)Manipulator’s War by Elise Carlson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Manipulator’s War by Elise Carlson is the first book in the Ruarnon Trilogy and my first book with this author. This is also my first book with a nonbinary character lead. I didn’t have any particular expectations going into this book but it sounded interesting. While the story did not take off immediately for me as I got into the rythym of it all, I eventually found myself absolutey enthralled in this tale and then the pages turned faster and faster. I felt like the characters and their interactions, the plot, and details were beautifully crafted and all came together perfectly inside its fantasy realm. And at the end, I was ready for more. This book has definitely opened me up to be more willing to read outside of my norm. Never know when you’ll find an absolute gem where you’re not necessarily looking for one. I look forward to reading book two!

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Wild Lavender (Heart & Hand Series Book 1) by Nicole E. Kelleher – Review by Katie Turner

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Wild Lavender (Heart & Hand, #1)Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher is the first installment to the Aurelian Guard fantasy romance series. Lady Aubrianne (Anna) is arranged to marry Lord Roger not long after meeting and while she tries to fulfill the role, it’s apparent she’d rather be left to her own thoughts with her horses that she raises than be in his company. His cruel nature eventually surfaces, and Anna realizes that he is not the man she’d hoped he would be. But Anna is a strong woman and is not going to let his treatment of her and Lord Roger’s people break her. But then Larkin, a man she had met during an interesting encounter only a couple of years prior and not seen again, is hired to do detective work on Roger. He has had Anna in the back of his mind ever since, but will she be found to be tied to the evilness of her husband?

This story was immaculately written, whirling with secrets and romance in a medieval setting. The author paints such a vivid picture for the readers without becoming monotonous and the plot builds at what I thought to be a perfect pace. It was very easy to get lost in the pages and difficult to put down. I am very intrigued to read the next installment and see what comes next.

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The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Katie Turner

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The Man In BlackThe Man In Black by L.R. Liverpool
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Man in Black is a MM romantic thriller by L.R. Liverpool. The story takes the reader along on a journey with Fenimore James as he sets off to make a new name for himself, literally and figuratively. At the beginning of Fenimore’s journey, he transitions into his new self- Simon Shaw. As he travels west, he contemplates on his dreams of all the fame and glamorous lifestyle of being an outlaw. There are times where he feels like he should turn around and go back to his old life. But eventually his dreams are in reach and joins with Red Evan’s gang. It’s there, he makes some very confusing and deep revelations of himself and who he really is as a man he despises becomes his love interest. Members begin dying and the boss is on edge as he suspects it is one of their very own. Is this dream everything he really wished it could be or will he regret this adventurous life he sought out as it all takes a dark turn?

While this is certainly no quick read, the author has put a lot into this story and by the end of it, I felt like everything came together so well. So many feelings were felt along with Simon and just wished I could reach into the story and give him a big hug. The character growth and writing was immaculate and really kept me drawn in. I quite enjoyed this!

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Lucky Stars by Fantasia Yu – Review by Katie Turner

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Lucky StarsLucky Stars by Fantasia Yu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mora is a moon princess who aspires to do more and see more. However, she is arranged to wed Prince Fidge, whom she clearly has no interest in. Despite gaining acceptance, her parents do not seem to be very supportive of her dreams to go to the Bronze City for school, where she hopes to be far, far away from Fidge. And from that point, she begins to care less and less about the opinions of others about her, as well as her safety. When she is introduced to the handsome Darin, she is instantly smitten and becomes quite the risk taker. But if Darin found out who she really was, Mora is not sure he would still be accepting of her being a Princess. How long can she hide her identity from him when the royals send a bounty hunter to retrieve her?

Lucky Stars is my first experience with Fantasia Yu’s work. The way she writes keeps you pulled in and able to easily imagine the world that characters are engaged in. She has really created a fun adventure within space in this short sci-fi romance.

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Savage Start (Hidden Valley Elite Prequel) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Katie Turner

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Savage Start: A High School Bully Romance: Hidden Valley Elite PrequelSavage Start: A High School Bully Romance: Hidden Valley Elite Prequel by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Savage Start by author Isla Vaughn is the prequel story to the Hidden Valley Elite series. It features Riley, a teenager who is constantly on the run with her mother. They never can get too comfortable anywhere before it’s time to pack up what little they have and take off again. But there’s a boy she is swept away by and she has to know more about him. The handsomely popular Cole is often finding himself having to nurture his mother’s mental health while his dad is constantly gone for business conferences and working late hours. Will he find time to try to bump into the girl that comes along with blurry memories of a party, but definitely a kiss he can’t forget?

While the book is not even remotely lengthy, it certainly packed a punch and definitely has left me wondering what is yet to come. I felt like the bouncing back between Riley and Cole’s thoughts worked out very well and didn’t become confusing. I am definitely interested in seeing what comes next with Riley and Cole.

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Titanian Warrior (Titanian Chronicles Book 3) by Victoria Saccenti – Review by Katie Turner

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Titanian Warrior (Titanian Chronicles #3)Titanian Warrior by Victoria Saccenti
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Titanian Warrior is the third installment to the Titanian Chronicles series by Victoria Saccenti. With the author’s phenomenal writing, she has a wonderful way of setting the stage for her readers. I lost all concept of time as I was pulled into the story of Faiza and Hagen’s separate journeys that unite them. Their lives are forever changed and entwined as they stand side by side with their friends and family to try to save the world from the evil necromancer Master Oras and his army. A world full of all types of supernatural beings, good versus evil, love and loss- this story has a bit of everything and is weaved together in this beautiful fantasy. I highly recommend this story, and reading the previous as well. You can read this as a standalone like I did, but I would recommend reading the previous stories as well for perhaps a bit more context. I plan to do so myself. Fantastic story!

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The Taste of Light (The Winemakers Book 2) by Giovanna Siniscalchi – Review by Katie Turner

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The Taste of Light (The Winemakers, #2)The Taste of Light by Giovanna Siniscalchi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Taste of Light by Giovanna Siniscalchi is the second book to the Winemakers series. I have to say this book was absolutely beautiful in every way. From the setting of Portugal 1872 to the character growth of Pedro, who is previously portrayed as a bad guy. I really loved Anne. She is not just a proper lady who teaches Tony English, but also has the ability to be tough when required. These characters have so much depth and layers, along with the plotline. I absolutely implore you to give this story, as well as the previous book ‘The True Purpose of Vines’, a chance if you love a good historical romance. The author has a fantastic way of ensnaring you into her writing and helping you visualize everything as you read along.

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Practically Pagan – An Alternative Guide to Magical Living by Maria DeBlassie – Review by Katie Turner

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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 An Alternative Guide To Magical Living by Maria DeBlassie is a guide to help open your mind, body and spirit to allow more magic into all the crevices of everyday life, without the need of intricately worded spells and expensive tools, or anyone else’s permission. Maria has such a beautiful way with words that whether it is a personal guide such as this, or a fictional story, she manages to pull me deeply into her writing and by the end, I am always impacted in some way. In this guide, expect to find encouragement that it is ok and selfless to love yourself entirely, to say no, to carve out quiet time for yourself. I found myself feeling completely refreshed after reading this book- as if she helped me find the “reset” button I have so desperately been searching for. Even if you are not a practitioner of magic, there is still so much that can be harvested from within these pages.

Thank you to Maria DeBlassie for this book. I was searching for it and did not even know it.

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Freedom Rings (The Circle Book 3) by Brenda Hardwick – Review by Katie Turner

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Freedom Rings: Book Three of The CircleFreedom Rings: Book Three of The Circle by Brenda Hardwick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Brenda Hardwick’s Freedom Rings is the third book to The Circle fantasy series. I cannot say that I have read the two previous books beforehand. However, I am definitely intrigued to do so after reading this book to get the full scope. I was still able to follow along well enough and was completely enamored by the storyline and most of the main characters, even if there were a few gaps for me. I especially adored Soraya, with whom we get to share her journey of growth in power and leadership and fight against this hatred of people of color.

I absolutely recommend checking out this series if you are at all intrigued by witches and magic, good and evil. The writing was fantastic, with a strong and descriptive narrative. So, if you’re a fantasy fan, don’t deprive yourself! Check out The Circle series by Brenda Hardwick!

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