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Soul Redeemed (War of Destiny Book 5) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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Soul Redeemed (War of Destiny #5)Soul Redeemed by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Soul Redeemed is Book Five in the War of Destiny Series. Each book builds upon the one prior so I recommend reading the first four books in the series first. It will also introduce you to each of the characters and give you their background and story. This is a fast-paced paranormal story full of action, suspense, danger, intrigue, vampires, and twists and turns that will keep you reading to the end. The characters are beautifully written, diverse, and complex. Julia is the MC, and this book focuses on her POV as she struggles through her journey of becoming a vampire. She is strong, smart, determined and we have watched her grow and mature through each of the books. Julia’s journey has left her with feelings of regret, and she struggles with self-harm behavior. This is heart wrenching to read, and you want to reach out and give her a hug. The author has done a great job of world building and creating vivid scenes that immerse you fully into the story alongside the characters. As their journey continues the stakes are even higher for the characters and they are in a race against time. I highly recommend this vampire paranormal series that will grab your attention from the first book and keep you reading to the end.

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Afflicted Love (Rhythm & Heart Series) by Autumn Sand – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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Afflicted LoveAfflicted Love by Autumn Sand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Afflicted Love is Book One in the Rhythm and Heart series. It is a MM romance story full of raw emotion, passion, lust, and forbidden love. It tells the story of Kyle and Lyle who met when they were younger, after Kyle saved Lyle from being bullied. The two became friends, and Kyle vowed to always protect Lyle. Over the years they had to navigate the feelings that they were having as they eventually started feeling more for each other. Both boys have grown up with abuse and neglect in their lives so when they met, they vowed to be there for one another. When they become separated after an unfortunate incident neither expects to see the other again. Lyle has spent years denying how he feels about Kyle and has tried to put it behind him until a death in the family brings them together. Can they put aside the hurt, anger, and betrayal and move on together?

This was a beautiful story of forbidden love, overcoming inner demons, and family dynamics. Please be advised that it does have some dark material that may contain triggers for some. The characters of Lyle and Kyle were wonderfully written, and their story is compelling, tragic, and complex. The bond they have and how they feel for one another must be kept hidden because it is forbidden and not tolerated by those closest to them. Their love is considered wrong and forbidden. This book will have you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions as you experience the pain, betrayal, anger, grief, love, lust, and despair that Lyle and Kyle navigate through. A fantastic read.

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A Curse of Ash and Iron by Christine Norris – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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A Curse of Ash and IronA Curse of Ash and Iron by Christine Norris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Curse of Ash and Iron is an imaginative and intriguing retelling of the classic Cinderella story and is geared towards young adults. It takes place in 1876 during the time when steam machines are becoming invented and has a bit of a steampunk element to it. The story is told from two different POV’s, Ellie and Ben’s.

When Ellie’s mom dies her father remarries and she becomes a stepsister to Rebecca who, unlike the classic fairytale, is not mean at all. The stepmother is cruel, mean, cold and puts Ellie and her father both under a spell. The spell must be broken before midnight on New Year’s Eve, or it can never be undone. Enter Ben, who is Ellie’s childhood best friend who has not seen her in years. When he realizes that Ellie is under a spell, he knows that he must be the one to save her. Will Ben have what it takes to be a hero and save Ellie and her dad from the spell before it is too late?

This was a creative retelling of the classic fairytale that I really enjoyed. The twists that the author put on it were interesting and fun. The characters are ones that you can love and hate at the same time. The stepmother is the typical, wicked, and evil stepmother that you naturally loathe. Ben wants to be a hero for Ellie’s sake, if he can stop swooning over her long enough. He is smart, kind, and cares for Ellie a great deal. Ellie seems to be a bit naïve, but I felt that was probably because of the spell the evil stepmother cast on her. A great story full of magic, historical elements, fantasy, romance, suspense, drama, and a steampunk element.

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