Killer Smile by Allan Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I did not read the previous book, but it wasn’t difficult to jump into this one without it. This story has a detailed plot full of suspense and danger with some comic relief to break up the dark bits. The characters are well-written and easy to connect with.
If you are a thriller and crime novel enthusiast, this would be a great addition to your TBR list.
Conversations with the Tarot: Bewitching Meditations on Reading the Cards by Maria DeBlassie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I found this to be a book you can’t necessarily sit down and read cover-to-cover. It’s helpful to read the poetic descriptions of a card and the thoughts the author has written to go with it, then step away and let the information marinate.
This isn’t like a classic Tarot book, which can seem somewhat technical. I feel like this work has more of a gentle flow to it that softens the information and allows it sink into your subconscious.
An interesting reading experience.
Fortune’s Favorite by C.L. Schneider
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the second book in the series. You can pick up the story and keep up without reading the first book, but I’d highly recommend the first one so you can get a deeper connection to the characters.
Fortune’s Favorite is an amazing story. The characters are brilliantly written with many layers. There’s mystery, suspense, action, and danger. And the worldbuilding is fantastic.
Definitely a page turner!
The Secret Humankind: An Urban Fantasy Thriller by Gloria Oliver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The story takes a few chapters to get to the action, but once it does, it really takes off. I enjoyed the interesting spin on how paranormals exist. And I liked the way Julia discovered what she’d unknowingly gotten involved in.
Overall, a great read!
Love Bites More by T.L. Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ll admit that I had a difficult time getting into the story at first. The way the characters interact with each other in the beginning felt a bit formal, but as I kept reading it grew on me.
This story has a little of everything – magic, suspense, danger, and of course, romance. The world-building is interesting and demonstrates the strength of the author’s imagination.
Good read. Give it a try.
House of Arsceneaux by Caterina Novelliere
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a superb read. I loved the intricacies of the story line. It was full of twists and turns. I enjoyed the mystery and suspense. A little bit historical, a little paranormal, and quite a page-turner.
The Passion of 3 by Ariella Talix
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love a good Why Choose book, so I decided to give this one a try.
As I was reading, I felt like there was something off. It may have been the pacing, because at times it felt a bit rushed. It could also have been something about the way the characters were written. There were times I lost connection with them.
But a bit of spice, witty banter, and mystery kept things lively enough to make it a good read.
Truly Unfortunate by C.A. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a short, fun read. I found the characters interesting and the plot intriguing. The development of how you understand Truly in the beginning vs. the ending is a great journey.
There aren’t any graphic scenes in the story, but there are references to certain subjects that may be uncomfortable for some readers.
Overall, I found this a great little reading adventure.
Euphoric Wonderland: An Eclectic Collection of Psychedelic Poetry to Stimulate the Senses and Open the Mind by Ryan M. Becker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
My reading experience with this book was complex. I found it intriguing, yet challenging. The wide variety of subject matter keeps things interesting, however the composition of the book itself seems chaotic. The artwork on the pages, while beautiful, was a lot of visual noise that was very distracting at times. You can tell that the author is aptly expressive with words, but the overall presentation detracted from it.
It was a unique and interesting journey from beginning to end. If you like unusual reading adventures, give it a try.
Foxy Tails by Natalina Reis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a fun read. I enjoyed the characters’ interactions with each other. The worldbuilding was good. I liked the build up to the relationship between Huli and Xiao Ying. Ling Ling’s character was superb.
The story starts right in the middle of the action and keeps you reading with suspense and bit of mystery as the characters discover who they truly are.
Return to Hoodoo: A Paranormal Women’s Fiction Novel by Reggi Dupree
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this book! The characters are intriguing and vibrant. The world building is good. The only thing that could have been better is having some of the backstory fleshed out a bit more. But even so, I was so into the story that I kept turning the pages. The snark, sass, and witty banter throughout the book is amazing.
The author wrote a phenomenal main character in Gwen. She’s real and gritty. She’s tough, but deep down, she cares. It’s a great balance of strong and soft.
Ash… swoon. I need more Ash!
And that ending. Why is the next book not out yet, lol???
Overall, a stellar read!
Savage Lies: A High School Bully Romance by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
There is a prequel to this story that gives more insight into the tension between Riley and Cole, but it’s not an absolute must in order to understand what’s going on in this book.
As with the prequel, Riley’s character didn’t land as well for me as Cole’s, but overall, the story has a lot of angst and build up between the two that keeps you reading. Even though I didn’t connect with Riley’s character much, I think the character development on the whole was well done, as was the world building.
If you like enemies-to-lovers new adult stories, this will probably be right up your alley.
Shadow by D.M. Earl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This story picks up right after the events of the first book. As with the first book, be aware of content warnings. This story deals with some heavy subject matter that may be difficult for some readers.
I felt like this book is actually better than the first one. Where the first one was a good story, it didn’t have the overall feel of a usual MC tale. This story brings the atmosphere you would expect from an MC book. The intensity was higher. The suspense was better. You get to see how strong the women are to a better degree. Shadow’s character felt more real to me.
The one thing that I didn’t care for is there were times it felt like Panther’s heritage was fetishized. I’m not sure if it was written that way on purpose to reflect something about the characters since most of it was in dialogue, or if it is the way I interpreted it. Example: One of the characters says, “I’m assuming he’s Native by those awesome cheekbones and beautiful long, black silky hair… Can I have one of those for my next birthday?”
Overall, I enjoyed the story!
Tink by D.M. Earl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
First, know going in that, as mentioned in the book description, this is not a sweet romance. There are no specific content warnings listed, but this story deals with some heavy subject matter and some on-page scenes that may be difficult for some readers.
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this story, but in just a few pages, I was hooked. It didn’t feel like the usual MC tale, but the world-building is great. The characters have good dimension. The story has suspense, danger, and romance. Even though I had it figured out shortly into the book, I enjoyed that there was a good story line with the romance. The one thing I didn’t care for was how some of the guys don’t view the women’s MC as a true club.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. Looking forward to the next book.
Emissary: An MM Forbidden Romance by A.L. Morrow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love the world building in this series. The characters are detailed and amazing. This is a great story that will keep you turning the pages. Danger, Suspense, Steam – it’s got everything!
What I Wish I’d Known: For Writers: 100 Authors Reveal What They Wish They’d Told Their Younger Selves by H. D. Thomson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
If you’ve been authoring for a while, this book will mostly be a refresher for you. A lot of the things mentioned are things prominent in author advice circles, so you hear them often. I think this book would be an excellent resource for aspiring or brand-new authors.
I liked the fact that there is a mix of traditional and indie representation. I also appreciated the book including advice from women’s perspectives, mentions of being an author while parenting, and BIPOC representation.
One thing that was disappointing about the book is that out of 100 authors contributing, there was only one brief sentence that mentioned OCD tendencies, and one brief paragraph mentioning ADHD in a general sense. There was hardly any neurodivergent representation at all. As a person with multiple neurodivergences, I think navigating the neurodivergent way of doing things has been one of my biggest challenges as an author. I’ve learned a lot of things the hard way because there truly isn’t much advice out there for neurodivergent authors. Most advice I’ve heard is geared toward neurotypical brain styles.
Overall, I’d say a great book for newer authors.
Chatroom with a View by Glenn Maynard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I picked up the book because the blurb intrigued me. Unfortunately, the story wasn’t what I hoped it would be. It starts out right in the middle of the action and then it sort of fizzles out in the middle, causing the story to drag. I felt like there were too many pieces of storyline going and none of them wrapped up with a bang the way you would expect in a thriller.
You want to feel bad for Troy because of what he’s gone through, but the more you read about how he handles things, the less you like him. Really, none of the characters in this book are likable at all… maybe that’s the point, but usually in a dark story, I can find one character that I at least feel something for. I guess there was really no contrast between the main characters. They’re all dark and have issues, so they all feel the same. It’s very heavy with nothing to break it up.
However, if you like a myriad of heavily detailed story lines and a cast of only dark characters, this might be the read for you.
The Man In Black by L.R. Liverpool
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Maybe it’s been too long since I’ve read a Western, but this story seemed to go on and on. It felt extremely dense. If you like a lot of world-building in your story, this is definitely the book for that. Personally, I feel like a lot of the first few chapters could have been condensed down. The part of the story that picks up more interest starts around chapter 9 or 10. The writing style took a little bit to get used to as well as it had a memoir feel, which I usually don’t prefer.
I read to take a break from real life, and the middle part of this book accomplished that type of entertainment. There were tense moments, danger, and emotional moments. But the end felt lackluster to me, probably because it was the more real-to-life outcome and not what I’d usually want in a novel with a romance type subplot.
While this review may come across as negative, I would like to point out that a lot of effort went into this story, and you can tell. There is a lot of detail and character development. And the author has even included footnotes to explain certain things in the book, which is helpful for people who may not be familiar with the time period or references.
Overall, I did enjoy the core story of Fenimore’s adventures.
Savage Start: A High School Bully Romance: Hidden Valley Elite Prequel by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Quick read as a lead in to the book Savage Lies. This story ends on a cliffhanger. When I started reading it, I was a bit iffy about it. I didn’t really feel any kind of real connection to Riley’s character. But things got more interesting when Cole’s character was introduced. The things going on in his life kept the pace of the book going to keep me interested enough to finish it. And while the events toward the end of the story are predictable, if I read through the series, it’ll be because I need to know how things play out between him and his father. Overall, a good read.
Talisman: The Talisman Series by Tam DeRudder Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I liked the idea of this story more than the story itself.
The story started out alright, but once the two main characters meet up the second time, it felt like they barely even had a connection on Alyssa’s end of things and they were already jumping in bed. It also felt like Rowan was pressuring Alyssa. An example without being spoilery – Rowan goes to get some extra clothes. Alyssa comments on him looking like he’s moving into her house and he blows it off. Then, he moves his clothes into her dresser and closet without telling her. But he’s expecting her to trust him, even though he’s pulling shady stuff. I didn’t like that vibe at all.
I did enjoy the mythological aspects of the story and the attention to detail.
All-in-all, it wasn’t the read I was hoping for, but it was entertaining.
Night Hawke by Gwyn McNamee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ve heard good things about the first series, but I haven’t picked up any books from it. I decided to check out this prequel to get a feel for what the second generation series might be like.
What I liked: The writing is well done, the story is easy to follow, and the author writes good steamy scenes.
What could have been better: The story gave me nothing to connect to the characters. You get very little backstory outside of some vague statements. I knew it was going to have some steam from the blurb, but I really expected more story line than there was. Even though the story ends on a cliffhanger, it didn’t make me want to grab the first book in the series to find out anything more.
Conclusion: If you want to read a ton of steam, this is the book for it. I feel like I would have appreciated this story more if I had already read the book this is leading up to and had made a deeper connection to the characters.
The Daredevil by Nadia Han
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed the story line around Royce. I found Michelle’s story line to be chaotic. It feels like the author tried to pad out her part of the story with too many variables. I also found the flashbacks to the past slowed the story down and I had a hard time sticking with it.
Despite struggling through parts of the story, the author does have good attention to detail and manages to connect all the pieces together.
If you like intricate story lines, this might be the read for you.
Murder on oak street by I. M. Foster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I thought it sounded interesting, so I gave it a shot. The author is a historian, so the historical aspects are done well. Unfortunately, I had difficulty sticking with the book, as the story felt like it was dragging in some places. I found myself wanting to skim through to get to the more intriguing parts.
This book was not a great fit for me, but if you are a fan of historical mysteries, this will likely be a must-read to put on your TBR.
Dia’s Lure by Catherine Peace
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the third book in the series. I have not read the previous books and I was able to pick up on everything that’s going on in the story. That being said, it would probably make even more of an impact if I had read the previous stories.
There are a lot of things to love about this story. The world building is excellent and detailed. The characters have a lot of depth. And the story line is intriguing.
The first part of the story is a little slow, but it picks up later on and keeps you glued to the pages.
Overall, a great read!
Misfortune of Song: An Irish Historical Fantasy Family Saga by Christy Nicholas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Misfortune of Song is the fifth book in the Druid’s Brooch series. It can be read as a standalone.
The author has done a superb job of weaving an enchanting story. The characters come alive on the pages and the plot sucks you in. I loved the strength and sassiness of the main character, Orlagh, even though she does show her youth by making some rash decisions. There are many twists and turns to the story and everything may not be as it seems.
Misfortune of Song is a great tale of young love, heartbreak, betrayal, magic, and adventure.
Ghost Talker by Byrd Nash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book in this series. It was a quick, easy read. The story had a good flow and great characters. The one thing I feel could have been expanded on a little more is the Morpheus Society. It’s mentioned, but you don’t really get a feel for it. Although, it may be expanded upon in future books.
Overall, great read!
Friends with Benies: An AMBW Paranormal Romance by T.B. Bond
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
While this is the seventh book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
I’m going to be honest, I nearly passed up this book because of the word Benies in the title. For some reason that word just grates on me. But, then I read the description of the book and decided to give it a chance. I quickly learned that I am not the ideal reader for this story.
That being said, if you are a fan of rom com hijinks, this might be a good read to pick up. It’s got sweet moments, steamy moments, and a lot of pining with a satisfying HEA.
From Brick & Darkness by J.L. Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but the description intrigued me. It turned out to be a great read. The characters were easy to connect to and the story moved at a good pace. I loved the distinctions between the djinn. The way everything played out kept me turning the pages. Definitely recommend!
Necrosis by C.L. Schneider
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a quick read, but it doesn’t disappoint. It starts off with action and keeps up a steady pace throughout the story. Intense, but then again, it wouldn’t be a good zombie-type story if it wasn’t. The main character, Amy, was easy to connect with right away. I can’t say too much more without spoiling it. If you like quick, intense reads, this is a great late-night story – unless you spook easily, then maybe read it during the day, lol.
Grave Digger Academy II by C.A. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This installment has a ton of HP vibes, especially with the flying car and the competition among the schools. I enjoyed the story and the character development. You get to know more about the main cast of characters in this book, which was interesting. I particularly liked the scenes with the helper/familiars and the addition to that group.
As with the first book, I liked that the author doesn’t put in a bunch of fluff. The story is right to the point with no unnecessary detours.
Quick read. Excellent follow up to the first book.
