Cray Saves the Day by G. Pa Rhymes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another cute story with great meaning. I enjoy reading and discussing these with my grandkids. We meet a few new friends in this one. The illustration is well done and makes looking at the book very enjoyable for the younger kids. I look forward to more of Cray and his adventures.
Delayed Redemption: DAG Team Series: Book 3 of 4 Special Ops Romantic Suspense by Kel O’Connor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another smashing action packed romantic suspense story in this series! This one falls under the best friend little sister category, which I love. The characters are well done, believable and made me fall for them. We get to see a lot of the team which makes them more “known” quantities instead of just a flat one dimensional until their story pops up. This is very well done and I look forward to seeing more in this series.
Cutter: Devils’ Spawn Daddies by Victoria Saccenti
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Okay this was the something I did not expect. It has Daddy/little girl play. I really have not read anything like this before and this was a struggle for me. The actual storyline was pretty good. I like the whole MC v MC and then have the cartel thrown in makes for some exciting things and action that happen. I would recommend this if you are aware of the lifestyle that I mentioned above.
Hidden Mischief by Alyndra Quinn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is an interesting story covering a lifestyle I really know nothing about. I am not a huge fan of BDSM books and was unaware this was one. In here we follow Ashton on a journey of self discovery. I think I learned as much as she did. Ha ha! She is surrounded by Doms unbeknownst to her. Each is learning how to deal with each other in this new role from her besties, old classmates and family.
This is an okay story but just not for me.
Resisting Nature by Brooke May
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Good story! I struggled a bit with the timeline for a couple different situations. It seems this one runs alongside the same timeframe as the previous books. The ages and time from when she left did not seem long but the characters acted older/more mature. These situations were confusing for me since I have read the previous books. I do like the characters and the whole situation of Alexa. We have insight into her psyche so I could see it being tough on her. Miles and the pack are always a good time. They have wonderful camaraderie and are fun when they get together.
Overall its a good addition to the series.
Master Botosoni by Sylvia Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This one kept me turning pages. Simply a wonderful addition to the series. You would think the by book 9 things would be getting stale but..Nope! This is just as engaging at the beginning of the series. I loved how much this incorporated the characters from past books because it is always nice to see them.
Fade Into the Night by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Yikes! This is one story I could only read during the day! Everything is described so well that I struggled sleeping if read before bed. Creepy and scary! I really liked the pace and the suspense surrounding the main characters. I kinda suspected who “did it” so I wasn’t totally surprised. But it still rounded out nicely. The last chapter is one of my fav. as we see a change in a few people for the better.
Overall a good story that kept me engaged. This is book five in the series but can be read as a stand alone.
Portrait of Deception by Kathryn Dodson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This woman goes on quite the journey. I enjoyed reading this fast paced story. Never really knowing what would happen next or who I could trust. I like stories that make it difficult for me to figure it out. I always had hope just like Margo does and was not disappointed in the ending. I could easily see myself reading more by this author.
A New Day for Cray by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Cute quick story! I understood Cray and could feel for his dilemma. He is a bully and thinks just because he can that means he should. Luckily for him he actually has great friends that he didn’t realize until an accident. The meaning in this book is easy to see. It makes a good story to read to and discuss the actions and consequences of certain behaviors with children.
The illustration in here is wonderful! I would recommend it on that alone but add in the adorable rhyming story and it’s a winner!
Good Enough — The Deadman’s Tribe Book 1: A Protector Romance / Romantic Suspense by Nicole Craig
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
While I was hesitant about this one after the beginning I ended up loving it! Kai and Waters are wonderful characters. They made me laugh and cry! They both are deep and have a lot of secrets between them. Not only are these two unforgettable characters but the author created a team that hold up to the high standards of the two main characters. I enjoyed my time with them and seeing them work together was great.
This is a incredible first book for this author. The story is well put together and moves along at a good pace. It enthralled me and kept me engaged. This has a lot of cute little pieces that make this enjoyable as the author carries them throughout the whole story. Example: backpack of death or the list of creative words. Thinking of those just makes me smile.
Overall this brought me much enjoyment. I look forward to more in this series and from this author! But I really want all these boys..Ahem men to get their special someone.
Deja Brew All Over Again: A Runaway Bride Romance by Sylvie Stewart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A good story but not my favorite of the series. This is a runaway bride story and the meet cute is exactly what I expected. From there it gets interesting. I really enjoy this family and all the extenders that come with it. The fun this family has together is what everyone wants their family to be. I liked the wonder and freshness that Bear brought to the equation.
My major concern or dislike about the story is maturity. Miller is a guy who gets into trouble even unintentionally so I expected a lot of hijinks in this one. It was pretty tame on that front. I almost wish this was set a few years later so Miller would be older and 22 and be ready to settle. He just seemed so wild then to drop like a fly is just weird. Now Maisy is even younger than Miller. The difference is she has had to be “older” her entire life. Between piano and Bear she needed to always be the more mature than a normal 20 yo. So with her I get the whole “found the one”.
Overall this is a good story and nice addition while setting up Lynn’s storyline. But the answer to the question of “Where is Larry?” will haunt me
Song of Earth and Claws by Lena Abram
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a wonderfully complex story. It has a slow start but once it gets going I was completely hooked. This is a fantasy story with romance and a lot of suspense. I was held captive while reading and struggled to put this one down. The world building is phenomenally done. The different layers of fae and how they all interact was superbly done. I was excited to meet new and figure out their powers and how they are involved. How everything someone says or does has an underlying reason or hidden agenda would drive me crazy because the characters have to always be on their toes and thinking of different angles. Tiring for me but great for the story.
The female MC impressed me immensely. She is portrayed as meek and a follower but once she makes her move she is the complete opposite. Her growth is huge! Watching her change and learn for every situation always left me wondering what can’t she do. The answer is Nothing! She has learned from her family more than she ever thought she did.
I hope there is more to come in this series.
Kingdom of 7 Sovereigns: Wolf by R.C. Reigh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wonderfully enjoyable story! I loved the world and character building. The ran a bit slow at times since it is giving information from a variety of sources. Not a lot of action but lots of suspense. Thay necromancer…..such a troublemaker!! I enjoyed the fantasy theme and that each book will be about a different child and kingdom but filled mostly with characters we have already met. Very cool!
Recipe For Revenge: An Unputdownable Small Town Cozy Murder Mystery by Hazel Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While this is a cute story I did struggle sticking with it. I just could not identify with the characters. I would recommend reading the first book in the series. I did not and was frustrated with the many references to book one in the beginning. It is a nice mystery with suspense and a few twists. It also has a few moments that made me chuckle.
Grave Digger Academy IV by C.A. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I feel this is a better story than the last couple. It was a little sporadic in the beginning but once it got rolling it was wonderful! I was completely glued to the story and trying to figure out what is going to happen. The secondary characters are starting to fill out and become full of life. Plus we are seeing more out of Makayla. Who can she trust and who is part of the problem? I was unhappy with the way the story stopped but it leaves me wanting more!
Shadowed Agenda: An Enemies to Lovers Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller by Mavery Ellscott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Good story with a lot going on. I did not love it as much as book 1 in the series but it is still enjoyable. I just feel the unknown of a few things was too vague to actually care about it too much which led to me not being completely invested in the character. I did like the interaction between the two main characters. Why they were that way with each other I wasn’t completely sure. Each one has a few secrets and as they are forced together they slowly come out. I liked the action in here….and there is a lot! As for secondary characters the future story between Drake and Finlay had me awaiting with bated breath.
Unexpected by Laylah Abrams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Interesting story as we follow along with Nick and Claire. Both of them are so easy to read and guess what they are thinking most of the time. She is high class and he is low class so they nothing feel nothing can come of their dalliance. We really get to know them both so well. Secondary characters are fleeting and only her BFF is briefly memorable as the story focuses solely on the two main. I read this fairly quickly and the story flowed nicely. The epilogue rounds everything out nicely.
To Catch An Elf: Pennsylvania Fighter Pilot by Debra Parmley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Nice Suspenseful story! I was thrown off at the beginning but I realized that the author was setting the stage. It also made me become involved in the storyline and the characters. I was not surprised at anything that happened but that elf sure gave me the creeps! Not sure if I could stand that in the room either even unknowing as she was. The story has good flow and moves at a quick pace. It easily kept me turning pages until I got to the end.
Luna the Howling Husky Finds Her Howl by Samantha Shannon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
LOVE the illustrations! So detailed, colorful and there are hidden gems all over! No offense to the story (which is good itself) but I had more fun looking at the pages to see what I could find. Then imagine my surprise when I got to the end and it has all kinds of neat things! A child of any age will easily enjoy looking at all the pages while an older child will like both and get the meaning behind the story. Plus this will help a parent to chat about being kind to others and self.
I really like the “Sometimes we make mistakes and thats okay” little paragraph. The next couple pages are wonderful learning opportunities for all (adults too). This is such a good book all the way around that I can see sending this to families in my circle to help spread the kind word.
Well Done!
Finding the End Zone by Tam DeRudder Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is such a great story! There are many reasons I enjoyed it! Characters that are easy like and a smart and fun storyline. The cute little nicknames the MC’s have for each other is so adorable. The way Callahan kept going after the girl and wooed her until she changes her mind about possible playboys. Just made me swoon! Then the way he is secretly smart along with athletic. Or even when he explains football to her in a way that she can get excited about it and like it. See what I am talking about?? There is all that and so much more!
Grave Digger Academy III by C.A. King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This covers year three of Makayla’s school year. It’s a good story and easily kept my interest. It was nice seeing all the characters and seeing what and where they are now at. Makayla runs into a bump in the road and has to figure out how to compensate. The ending is a surprise and makes me wonder what will happen in the next book.
I like the covers of these books! Really drew my eye! I feel the author could really expand on the story if so desired. There are so many ways that this could be taken. I almost felt the story was good up to a point then it was a quick abrupt ending.
Quick Affirmations for Children: A to Z of Easy Motivations for Creating Better days – Positive Affirmations for Happy Children by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is such a fun positive read! It is easy to read and using the alphabet to put these positive thoughts out there. I could see using one a day. There also are cute pictures with correlate with the affirmations. I can see kids of all ages enjoying reading this alone or having it read to them and discussed. Happy I stumbled across this one!
Lost and Found: A Logan McKenna Mystery Book 9 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Good twisty story! I enjoyed this one because it doesn’t hide too much but still is intriguing and kept me turning pages to find out exactly how everything went down. The author does an excellent job telling this one. It is told from different characters POV so its not all about Logan.
I really liked the content in here. Crabbing and boating is interesting to me and the author does a wonderful job keeping my interest. I feel this is the best in the series and can be read as a stand alone.
In Plain Sight: A Logan McKenna Mystery Book 8 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a good story that held my interest. I enjoyed the characters and the whole “who dunnit”. I did struggle a bit near the end as either it slowed or I just became distracted. I did like the whole raptor center parts of the story. Very cool! I look forward to the next in the series.
Secrets at the Cafe by Susan Specht Oram
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a little mystery that revolves around a little red journal. It is a nice “who dunnit” story. I had suspicions but the author does a good job of throwing the reader off track. There is a slew of characters that grace the pages. All of them involved or suspect in this case. The story started off good but then seemed to drag a bit for me. The characters had a hard time holding my interest as the book moved along. I could easily flip several pages and still be in the same conversation between characters so I really didn’t miss anything. I have read books by this author before. One I loved and another was okay. So I figured I would give her another try. This one just did not work for me.
Hot Flashes and Hockey Slashes by Marika Ray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a cute story! It’s very enjoyable and made me laugh a time or two. I have to say that as an older woman I appreciated all the humor and comments on menopausal ailments. The characters are fun! They really have a great build of different personalities in here. Very enchanting! Not only the two main but a lot of the secondary just cracked me up.
Overall this one moves along at a good pace. Easy and quick read! I look forward to the next in the series.
The Inquisitor by Nadia Han
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
These two!!! Wow do they have chemistry! It is literally leaping off the pages! That helped entrance me into the story and then I really just went along for the ride! This is the fourth book in the series and it is my second favorite. Forrest and Kiera are both amazing. Each one has their own thing going on and when they are together its fire! He has the whole vendetta going on then he gets involved with Kiera and maybe that vendetta is not as important as it once was. The many changes he goes through during this action packed story are wonderful. That epilogue was perfect and actually even before that (maybe the previous chapter) so sweet! Kiera really gets Forrest!
The Inquisitor by Nadia Han
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
These two!!! Wow do they have chemistry! It is literally leaping off the pages! That helped entrance me into the story and then I really just went along for the ride! This is the fourth book in the series and it is my second favorite. Forrest and Kiera are both amazing. Each one has their own thing going on and when they are together its fire! He has the whole vendetta going on then he gets involved with Kiera and maybe that vendetta is not as important as it once was. The many changes he goes through during this action packed story are wonderful. That epilogue was perfect and actually even before that (maybe the previous chapter) so sweet! Kiera really gets Forrest!
The Christmas Escape by Belinda Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Cute holiday story! I enjoyed meeting these two main characters. Their meet cute was delightful and they both had some hidden secrets. I like the analogy he came up with about life from his career. Turns out he is a wonderful guy! Oh and the grand gesture…I loved it! Overall a quick read that made me want to head to the beach!
Mission Target by Mark Nolan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
While this is a good book I just didn’t love it as much as the previous stories. I hate to say this but it really seemed like non stop action(usually a good thing right?). He literally ends one and gets a call to go to another location for another assignment. I mean very little down time to spend time relaxing. There are too many govt agencies initials and explanations thrown at us for every little thing. I ended up just skimming those. Last issue was the girls. I am sure he is a hottie and has that great dog but not every woman he comes in contact with is after him(sexually) especially after stating he has a girlfriend and they know her. What Agent Green did..just weird…possible future stalker.
Anyhow I enjoyed seeing all the characters and meeting new ones. We get to see a whole gambit of people from Mafia to secret service. Watching Cody “work” and figure things out plus Jake..he is one smart cookie.
As always I look forward to reading these stories. This one really took us on a journey from the first incident to the last. The author did a good job winding it all together.
