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Unexpected Entanglement (The Echo Series Book 3) by C.R. Alam – Review by LaliLovely

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Unexpected Entanglement (Book 3 of the Echo Series)Unexpected Entanglement by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love the Echo series !! This 3rd book is just as fantastic as the other 2. None of the characters resemble each other & none of the storylines are even close to the same . There is always an element of excitement, along with some steamy spots, but mostly they are so wholesome. Chris is such a great guy & it was wonderful to see him find love! I didn’t really care for Rowan & I would have liked to see Chris be loved as freely & enthusiastically as he deserved. She was very negative & self denying & hurt his feelings too often for me. It was kind of annoying. However, she was a tough cookie & courageous. There were good qualities in her, & her love for Chris & Rae were the most important thing. Plus, grief has a profound impact on personality & the author showed that beautifully. I LOVED that Rae finally got to meet her sister & brother, & loved even more that it was her friend & sister that connected. The bit of mystery was also done phenomenally & really kept me uncertain right up to the reveal. Even though I thought I knew, I still thought it could have been different too. I’m so excited to read more of these books & I hope we get a Kieran & Frankie story from this amazing author!

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Return to Hoodoo (Boudin, Bourbon, and Barbecue, Book 1) Audiobook by Reggi Dupree – Review by LaliLovely

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Return to Hoodoo: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel (Boudin, Barbecue, and Hoodoo Book 1)Return to Hoodoo: A Paranormal Women’s Fiction Novel by Reggi Dupree
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I threw myself into this book so completely that when the end came, it felt like sudden cold air across my skin while I was warm & cozy. I didn’t want to stop reading for anything, & then the end just popped up & swerved me hard. I had to recover for a day before I could write this. Return to Hoodoo is PHENOMENAL in so many ways, & all the best ones. The author’s writing style is so unique & refreshing, & I felt like I was hearing it all from Gwen herself, like we were old friends. She is such a character to a root for, & I wish I could give her real life encouragement. & universe, could I PLEASE get an Ash ?? like for real. PLEASE. It’s fantastic that Gwen is 45 & still learning & figuring things out. That perspective of age is refreshing & comforting. Intriguing characters aside, the storyline & writing are equally incredible. Love Reggi Dupree’s voice, creativity, & style. All the other books in this series will be devoured just as voraciously expeditiously.

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Dawnbreaker: The House of Blood and Sun by Hadley Thorne – Review by LaliLovely

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Dawnbreaker: The House of Blood and SunDawnbreaker: The House of Blood and Sun by Laura Morgan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I want so much more of this book! Such a lovely story & idea. I wish there had been more of Niamh & Connor because they are just so sweet & their time together was delightful. Niamh is entirely lovely & Connor is so playfully sexy. & honestly, Andreas is on fire. I want to devour him & everything about him. Sometimes it felt like everything was moving too fast with no explanation, & there were definitely places that could have been elaborated on. I would have loved to spend time in those in betweens! The beginning of the book was so fun & flirty I was instantly enamored, but I do feel like that was lost in all the action & events & background information. I actually missed that vibe before it started to come back a bit at the end. Everything was still fantastic, but like I said, I just want more! The author writes poetically & beautifully, with magical descriptions & captivating moments. The sprinkle of steam was very well done, & once again I loved it so much I want more! lol gotta love a giving man if you know what I mean. I’ll most definitely read more of their work. Especially if they ever decide to fill this one out more, I’ll obvi be all over it lol

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His Forever Muse (The Echo Series Book 2) by C.R. Alam – Review by LaliLovely

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His Forever Muse (Book 2 of The Echo Series)His Forever Muse by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This 2nd book in the Echoing Hearts series is even better than the 1st one ! I was truly hoping Brandon would get his own story & I’m over the moon that he did ! Beautifully written characters & complex layers to their relationships make their story heart wrenching & lovely. Callie is incredibly brave & strong. It is such a relief to read a DV situation & enjoy the survivor powering through without awful details . And of course I’m such a sucker for true love & happy endings . C.R. Alam is truly talented storyteller & gifted writer, & I can’t wait to read more of her work !

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Rogue (The Talisman Series) by Tam DeRudder Jackson – Review by LaliLovely

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Rogue (The Talisman Series Book 6)Rogue by Tam DeRudder Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In only 2 books, Tam DeRudder Jackson has become one of my favorite authors. Her writing style, descriptions, & creativity make her entirely phenomenal. I fell in love with this series with Talisman, & even as out of order as I’ve now read Rogue, I feel like I haven’t missed anything. Each individual character is so different from the others, in thought processes & opinions & mannerisms – truly an amazing accomplishment! With steamy sexy scenes, exciting battles, adventurous vibes, & a little magic going a long way, I’ll thoroughly enjoy devouring every single word in every single book just as much as I did this one!

 

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Ocean’s Three (Made In Heaven #2) by Elena Kincaid – Review by LaliLovely

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Ocean's Three (Made In Heaven, #2)Ocean’s Three by Elena Kincaid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like the 1st book, this was a great quickie!
Steamy & sexy with a surprising little twisty bit. There were so many cute moments & a few that made me tear up. The cruise setting through most of the book makes this a fantastic beach read or anytime you have a couple hours to escape into a naughty fantasy! Be careful, even MORE crushes on fictional men could happen.

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Ocean’s Three (Made In Heaven #2) by Elena Kincaid – Review by LaliLovely

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Ocean's Three (Made In Heaven, #2)Ocean’s Three by Elena Kincaid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like the 1st book, this was a great quickie!
Steamy & sexy with a surprising little twisty bit. There were so many cute moments & a few that made me tear up. The cruise setting through most of the book makes this a fantastic beach read or anytime you have a couple hours to escape into a naughty fantasy! Be careful, even MORE crushes on fictional men could happen.

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Three Made In Heaven (Made In Heaven #1) by Elena Kincaid – Review by LaliLovely

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Three Made in Heaven (Made in Heaven, #1)Three Made in Heaven by Elena Kincaid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is like a good quickie – flirty, steamy, & fun! Most of this is smut, & the rest feels a bit rushed to get back to the smut, but I am not mad at it ! Still a super sweet & cute love story with clever, lowkey suspense to keep things exciting in a different way. Great for a 2 or 3 hour break from the real world to have even more crushes on fictional men.

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Echoing Hearts (The Echo Series Book 1) by C.R. Alam – Review by LaliLovely

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Echoing Hearts (Book 1 of The Echo Series)Echoing Hearts by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved Echoing Hearts! Gives off highkey Lifetime movie vibes that I really & truly adore. Steamy & sweet & a touch angsty, I read this book in a day & a half only because I have kids & I guess kids like, need attention or whatever lol. This book also gave me almost painful wanderlust, in the most delightful way though, so I’m cool with it. Brandon is a DREAM I wish I could bring to life, & I hope so much that there’s a next book about his wonderful self along with his mysterious past romance. Relatable, fantastically written characters full of self awareness & growth. There’s just the right touch of drama to make the love story exciting & make me tear up, without being heartbreaking & making me ugly cry. Definitely a good choice for a book pick me up any time!

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Loretta’s Caterpillar (Loretta’s Insects) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by @LaliLovely

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Loretta's Caterpillar (Loretta's Insects #4)Loretta’s Caterpillar by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This lovely little book!! What a beautiful way to learn about butterflies! It’s always great for kids to be learning without even knowing it lol. My daughter LOVES butterflies, & reading this together on a rainy day gave us such a peaceful moment. She adored the soft, watercolor vibes of the artwork. We especially loved how gentle & compassionate Loretta was to other creatures while protecting her little friend. Pretty illustrations are the icing on the cake that is this wonderful story.

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Lucky Stars by Fantasia Yu – Review by LaliLovely

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Lucky StarsLucky Stars by Fantasia Yu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cute, easy, quick read. A few profound gems of wisdom are sprinkled around & pleasantly surprising in a fun, adventurous story. I didn’t love the way JCee was treated through most of the book, but that changed by the end. The romance between Mora & Darin is a whirlwind & the best part of the whole book. The idea for this story is great!

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The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by LaliLovely

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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 was such a pleasant surprise! I don’t tend to enjoy westerns, they just have never really been my kind of stories. However, the blurb for this one was so intriguing I figured I should give it a shot, & I am so happy I did. Beautifully written & artfully crafted, the reader feels truly involved in the lives of these men. Simon is truly a little cinnamon roll & I really adored him, along with the delicious jalapeno popper that is Monty. While this book is looong & slow, I was so interested & emotionally invested it didn’t feel tedious. There were some surprisingly spooky things in Simon’s dreams, a few heart pounding scenes, & unexpectedly heart tugging moments in both lovely ways & awful ways. I teared up multiple times throughout this book over small spots of big love. I did have to put it down a couple of times to take a breath or 2 because I’m highly sensitive to triggers involving children, but there are clues that lead up to those parts so anyone else like me can either be prepared or choose to skip over them. They aren’t overly detailed or gratuitous or anything, it’s just me being HIGHLY sensitive to that specifically. I also put the book down toward the end, for almost a whole day, because I was so mad lol. But that is a sign of a very good book! And when it came to the last word, everything that happened really did fit & make sense to the storyline, if not my battered heart. Truly worth the bittersweet read.

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

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

This story is fantastic ! I love that it’s part of a series & can still be read as a stand alone, but there isn’t any point where it feels like you’re missing something if you haven’t read the others. Just enough curiosity about all the wonderfully written characters to want to read their stories too. Dripping with magic & sweet romance, danger, & excitement, I loved reading this. I honestly wish things had been more drawn out so I could have read more, longer. I would have enjoyed a bit more flirtation between Faiza & Hagen at first to feel their love more authentically, but they definitely still ended up being very cute together. The villain is deeply creepy & there are truly tragic circumstances, but nothing too detailed or triggering. I can’t wait to read all the other books in this series!

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Arrrgh! Me Hate To Wait! by Mary Bleckwehl – Review by LaliLovely

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Arrrgh! Me HATE To Wait!Arrrgh! Me HATE To Wait! by Mary Evanson Bleckwehl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a cute story !! We loved the pirate theme & the adorable pig characters . We are going through a bit of the same thing, so my kids related very much to Half-Pint. Beautiful illustrations as well ! Really just a great little book.

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Talisman (The Talisman Series Book 1) by Tam DeRudder Jackson – Review by LaliLovely

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Talisman: The Talisman SeriesTalisman: The Talisman Series by Tam DeRudder Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I devoured this book ! I personally love the thought of ancient mythology being part of modern real life, so for me the whole idea was fantastic. There were moments when Alyssa annoyed me a bit, but that was only because I would have thrown myself at Rowan entirely too enthusiastically, it’s not her fault. She was doing the right thing! There is eternal love, sweetness, adventure, magic & mystery, & spice. Everything I adore just wrapped up like a sexy little present . Absolutely can’t wait to voraciously enjoy the rest of this series !

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Sharing His Nanny (Forever Our Girl Book 2) by Tori Chase – Review by LaliLovely

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 Sharing His Nanny (Forever Our Girl, #2)Sharing His Nanny by Tori Chase
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness this is delightfully refreshing. I read this after a heavy series & it was like a dip in the pool on a hot summer day. Things are juicy right from the jump in a bit of a sad way , but just get more & more juicy in a much better way. This is such a chill read, even the serious spots are easy. Enough drama to be a storyline, without focusing on anything negative & taking too much attention away from the fun. I personally love that it’s made almost entirely of spice, sprinkled with love story & a dash of drama. For being short & sweet, the characters were full & interesting. It takes true talent to be able to write 3 such different men & a woman in all their different perspectives. Beautiful body positivity & confidence encouragement. Deliciously dirty & a wild ride, like the book equivalent of riding with the top down with sunshine kissing your skin & wind twining through your hair. Everything came together wonderfully with a sweet surprise ending. I will most definitely read everything Tori Chase comes up with.

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Things are Shaking (Invisible Magic Wand Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by LaliLovely

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Things are ShakingThings are Shaking by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As with all the Caspian books, this cute story has such a fun premise. My kids loved coming up with their own ideas of what they would do with a magic wand that changed time, & I loved that their imaginations & creativity were sparked.

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Whispers in the Waters (Blood of the Fae) by Sarah Chilson – Review by LaliLovely

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Whispers in the WatersWhispers in the Waters by Sarah Chislon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is enchanting! Beautiful title, wonderful writing style, delightful descriptions, unique plot, & charming characters. I especially adored all the entirely lovely comparisons to flowers! There’s just enough suspense to keep you curious & still be a welcome respite from the intensity other suspenseful stories tend to carry. This is the perfect kind of book to bring outside & read on a soft blanket laid out on grass soaked in springtime sunshine. I can’t wait for more of Jessa’s adventures!

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

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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

I’ve come to truly adore Maria DeBlassie. The more of her writing I’m blessed with reading, the truer my adoration becomes! She radiates such a magical vibe even through black & white, typed up words on paper, & this actually magical book is that much more amazing simply because of who wrote it. I felt seen, heard, & understood from the 1st words on the 1st page. This book is exactly what my soul has been craving for most of my life, & I just can’t be thankful enough for the gift she’s given to me & my daughters & the world. Magical Living will definitely be passed down to & through my children. Please soak in this book like a bubble bath of self care & enjoy the changes it will bring to your life.

 

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Amaleigha Loves a Good Story by Janice Pratt – Review by LaliLovely

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Amaleigha Loves a Good StoryAmaleigha Loves a Good Story by Janice Pratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As with all Amaleigha books, this one is full of hope and kindness. These stories are adorable and compassionate, and inspire change in the sweetest ways. This one in particular was wonderful because there are Little Free Libraries all over our neighborhood, & that recognition was very exciting for us. One of my lifelong favorite poems was also included after the “how to” section as well, so that was delightful! My family has really come to love Amaleigha, & my older daughters even “want to be friends with her” =) I would definitely recommend this book & series to other families with children who want to make a difference.

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If I Had a Magic Wand by Melissa Lavi – Review by LaliLovely

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If I had a Magic WandIf I had a Magic Wand by Melissa Lavi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is beautiful & full of love! Amazing representation as well, which is great for my biracial children to see. One of the sweetest stories I’ve ever read, the flow is gentle, & the sentiment is deeply relatable. This has quickly joined our regular rotation & we are so happy to have discovered it!

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The Sneaky Kitten (Invisible Magic Wand Book 4) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by LaliLovely

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The Sneaky Kitten: Invisible Magic Wand Book FourThe Sneaky Kitten: Invisible Magic Wand Book Four by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Love the idea! I do wish it had been a bit more filled out, as it left my kids with some confusion. However, this is a fun book. Having a grandparent as a main character is lovely, & the relationship is sweet. Love the name choice of Caspian. A lot of imagination & creativity went into this original & unique little story!

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Return to Gallanvaig (A Quirk of Destiny Book 2) by Catherine Greenall – Review by LaliLovely

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Return to Gallanvaig: Beyond A Quirk of DestinyReturn to Gallanvaig: Beyond A Quirk of Destiny by Catherine Greenall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is incredibly thought provoking. The premise sparks a lot of questions & really makes you wonder. It seems more informative than fictional, like it could almost be a documentary. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the storyline became more than just a storyline & spread into real life. Definitely left me pondering possibilities.

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Where Do Pirates Go on Vacation? by Kim Ann – Review by Lali Lovely

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Where Do Pirates Go on Vacation? : Fun pirate story that encourages imaginative and creative thinking. Ages 3 to 8, preschool to 2nd grade.Where Do Pirates Go on Vacation? : Fun pirate story that encourages imaginative and creative thinking. Ages 3 to 8, preschool to 2nd grade. by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We’re new to this series, & this cute little book has made us want to read the rest. It’s short & sweet & inclusive! I read it to my 4 year old 1st, & when he asked to read it again as soon as we finished, my 5 year old caught interest & she loved it too. They had so much fun answering the questions with different silly answers! We can’t wait to read it again!

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And Then She Fell by Dreena Collins – Review by LaliLovely

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And Then She FellAnd Then She Fell by Dreena Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This beautifully written book left me wanting more in the very best way! It was so easy to get caught up in Catherine’s day to day life & tag along with her. She is a lovely narrator & I loved her character. The author’s style of thriller writing gave me the most pleasantly suspenseful experience I’ve had with a book, & I’m so happy to have discovered it. Even though I thought I knew, I was genuinely uncertain of what really happened to Susie all the way up to the end. The ending snuck up on me so calmly I felt a hard “wait a minute!! it’s over??” that I don’t usually feel, which was fun. Even a few days after finishing, I still find myself wanting to spend more time with Catherine & come along on the rest of her journey. There were a few more intense moments, & they were just enough to knock your heart rate up a notch without crossing over into being too much. Brilliantly created & intriguing in such a refreshing way!

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Amaleigha and the Big Idea by Janice Pratt – Review by LaliLovely

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Amaleigha and the Big IdeaAmaleigha and the Big Idea by Janice Pratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is super cute ! I adore the encouragement & appreciation for the different ways a mind can work. Amaleigha is innovative & altruistic.
My children loved her idea so much that the links at the end sparked a fantastic conversation. Amazing book for kids!

 

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Weep, Woman, Weep: A Gothic Fairytale about Ancestral Hauntings by Maria DeBlassie – Review by LaliLovely

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Weep, Woman, WeepWeep, Woman, Weep by Maria DeBlassie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED Weep,Woman,Weep! The storytelling is phenomenal, the vibe is magical, the writing is lovely. Though I do wish for more of this story, I’m still happy with the ending. The whole story is poetic & thought provoking & endearing . Spooky around the edges & intriguing with touches of surprise sprinkled here & there . Mercy is inspiring & her character development is fantastic. This book is definitely in my favorites now & I can’t wait to share it with my children when they’re ready.

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Lucas the Spy Cat (Jake the Growling Dog) by Samantha Shannon – Review by LaliLovely

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Lucas the Spy Cat: A Children's Mystery Adventure with Creativity & Imagination Boosting Activities (Jake the Growling Dog)Lucas the Spy Cat: A Children’s Mystery Adventure with Creativity & Imagination Boosting Activities by Samantha Shannon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is so cute ! The story is intriguing & adventurous. Full of beautiful illustrations & adorable scenes. I read this to my kids for a bedtime story, & they asked for it again & again. We loved the poetic vibe & the mystery. There are also fantastic little activities at the end that were so fun! I’m so happy to have discovered Lucas & I hope there will be more adventures to go on with him!

 

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Elemental Fire (The Hidden Realms Book 1) by EG Manetti – Review by LaliLovely

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Elemental Fire (The Hidden Realms #1)Elemental Fire by E.G. Manetti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first time reading anything by EG Manetti, and this book is their first time writing fantasy! While the author’s scifi background is definitely noticeable, they did great creating a fantasy story. I appreciate the more thorough descriptions of the characters’ thought processes , though I would have liked for them to have more personality. The romance between Sin & Rad is a little awkward in the beginning because they don’t really flirt or talk about anything other than work. There are a few flirty moments & a few spicy moments farther in that are great, I just would have liked more of them to really feel the love & buildup. For me it ended up being more of an acceptance that they’re together than a ship. They’re still cute! Sin is great on her own & Rad is great on his own. One of the villains, Aisha, is fantastic & I would have been happy with her being the main one. She was very well written. The main villain didn’t really appear long enough to feel much about them, but they were enough of a jerk to fit. The storyline is interesting & enjoyable with a couple twists that definitely made things better. There were a lot of pop culture references, which was nice, & a few were funny rather than just informational. I also appreciated that there’s enough of a set up for a 2nd book to be interested in reading that one too, without having a cliffhanger. All in all, this was a pretty good book & I would read the rest of the series as well as other work by EG Manetti.

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