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Grave Digger Academy (Grave Digger Academy Book 1) by C.A. King – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Grave Digger AcademyGrave Digger Academy by C.A. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. The premise was interesting. The characters were easy to connect to. Loved the helper/familiar character additions. A big bonus for me is that you get enough information about what’s going on, without a bunch of extraneous details. It keeps things right to the point of the story without a ton of fluff. This story doesn’t end on a cliffhanger per se, but it does leave you with questions that will make you want to keep reading the series.
If you want a quick, entertaining read, check out this story!

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Hard Lover (Houston After Dark Book 2) by Deborah Garland – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Hard Lover (Houston After Dark #2)Hard Lover by Deborah Garland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in this series, but I was able to pick it up and read it without having read the first book. This is a complete story, but the epilogue ends with a lead into the next book.

As much as I LOVE a steamy book, I feel like the steamy scenes in this one went on too long. I would have preferred a better balance of steam and story line. That being said, those steamy scenes will heat you up. -fans self-

Another thing I felt that could have been handled better was the idea that Noah felt that the activities he participated in at the club were somehow wrong or deviant. At one point he refers to what he does there as “sick s–t.” There’s a lot of stigma around kink communities and I feel like this was a missed opportunity to portray it in a positive light.

Aside from those two things, it was a good read. I enjoyed the suspense.

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Ritual Obsession (Blood Obsession Book 1) by R.L. Dunn – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Ritual Obsession (Blood Obsession Book 1)Ritual Obsession by R.L. Dunn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the series, and it ends in a cliffhanger.

If you are sensitive to violence against women, please heed the content warnings as there are on-page scenes.

I wanted to love this book because the description seemed intriguing. Unfortunately, it has a slow start. I felt like the first nine chapters could have been condensed down into two, maybe three to get all the pertinent pieces of backstory.

Also, Rose… did not like her at all. She’s a colossal B. Even when she mellows, she’s still abrasive. I mean, I guess in a male dominated industry that might be a necessity, but I just could not find a way to like her.

All of that being said, the story picks up the pace in chapter ten and gets much more interesting.

I wavered between three and four stars on this book but settled on four because things eventually started holding my attention.

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Watcher (Star-Crossed Celestials Book 1) by A.L. Morrow – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Watcher (Star-Crossed Celestials Duet #1)Watcher by A.L. Morrow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the series and ends in a cliffhanger.
I enjoyed this story much more than the original Romeo and Juliet. Loved the characters. Great twists and turns. Plenty of action, danger, and steam. There are a couple of moments that get you right in the feels. Overall, a great read! Looking forward to the next book!

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Sword of Darkness (The Vigilant Book 3.5) by LM Preston – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Sword of DarknessSword of Darkness by L.M. Preston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story is labeled as book 3.5 in the series. The overall story can be read as a standalone, but you’d probably relate to the characters better if you’ve read the previous books. This story ends in a cliffhanger as a lead into the next book.

Overall, I liked the idea of the story, but it felt like the main character was a bit slow to pick up on the clues around him. He knew something was up, but it seemed like it took him too long to start putting things together. The most interesting things happened toward the end of the book.

Interesting characters. Decent plot.

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The Second Alpha Heir by C.L. Ledford – Review by Naomi McDonald

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The Second Alpha HeirThe Second Alpha Heir by C.L. Ledford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did not enjoy this book as much as I expected to, however that is mostly my own doing. I didn’t pay enough attention to the categories this book is listed under and missed the fact that it’s a coming-of-age story (and probably could have surmised that from the blurb, but didn’t for some reason). Those are not my usual reads. In addition to that, it’s under a romance category, but it’s definitely more of a love story due to how things play out (which isn’t really clear by reading the book description). I don’t usually read those either. The writing style took a little getting used to as well.

That being said, if coming-of-age and love stories are your thing, you’ll likely enjoy this book very much. I like the overall concept of the book and the author did a great job of creating the characters. The world building was also great. You will experience many different emotions while reading this, and the tension keeps things interesting.

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Castor’s Kiss (Soul Bonded in the Stars Book 2) by Tai James – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Castor's Kiss (Soul Bonded in the Stars # 2)Castor’s Kiss by Tai James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I haven’t read much sci-fi romance lately, so I thought I’d give this book a try. I enjoyed the toughness of Mia’s character. Totally related to her disdain when she saw the dress she had to wear near the beginning of the story. Also, hard relate to the trust issues.

One thing I liked was that even though Mia is tough, she still cares about other people enough to try to save them – as is shown in the beginning with De’ara.

I had little bit of a harder time connecting with Castor’s character, but he grew on me.

Favorite character interaction (because, you know, love isn’t perfect):
“So, you admit this isn’t going to be all flowers and roses.”
“I have no doubt that we’ll have many fights. I hope that at the end of each one, you yell, ‘I love you,’ into my face and not run away.”

Overall, a good read with some intense moments to keep you turning the page.

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Dark Sparrow Box Set: The Complete 6-Book Series (A Dark Sparrow Novel) by India Kells – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Dark Sparrow Box Set: The Complete 6-Book SeriesDark Sparrow Box Set: The Complete 6-Book Series by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a superb collection of stories. Great suspense and romance. Wonderful characters. I recommend the box set so you can binge read all of them. The only bad thing about it is when the reading adventure is over. Gotta love those book/series hangovers.

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Tickety Tock (Wicked Warriors MC Arizona Chapter) by Manda Mellett – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Tickety Tock: Wicked Warriors MC Arizona ChapterTickety Tock: Wicked Warriors MC Arizona Chapter by Manda Mellett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve read a lot of books by this author, Joker’s Fool is my all time favorite, but this one is now following a close second. Even though I had the outcome figured out within the first few chapters, the spook factor was excellent. I think the subject matter was what contributed to it.
Great read on a stormy night!
*Be advised, there are no on-page scenes, but the book does mention child abuse.

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The Wolf’s Shadow (The Lycanthropy Files Book 1) by Cecilia Dominic – Review by Naomi McDonald

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The Wolf's Shadow (The Lycanthropy Files #1)The Wolf’s Shadow by Cecilia Dominic
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What I liked: The characters were well-written. Plenty of suspense and mystery. I liked the overall story line and world building.

What I didn’t like: After dealing with all of the discussion around vaccines for the last year and a half, I could have done without that mentioned in the story. However, the author does address this in an author’s note.

Note: If you are triggered by cheating spouses, know that this subject matter is included in the story. Danger to children is also part of the story line, although there are not any graphic descriptions on-page.

On the whole, it was a great read and I’m definitely interested in book two.

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A Veil of Gods and Kings (Apollo Ascending Book 1) by Nicole Bailey – Review by Naomi McDonald

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A Veil of Gods and Kings (Apollo Ascending, #1)A Veil of Gods and Kings by Nicole Bailey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good reimagining of the Apollo mythology. I enjoyed the interpretation of the characters. It’s NA so it has pretty much no steam, but you can still feel their connection. The blurb calls it enemies-to-lovers, but I wouldn’t say they are enemies so much as just a bit angsty. Still made for an entertaining read.

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Blood & Ravens (The Casket Girls Series Book 1) by A.D. Brazeau – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Blood & Ravens: A dark, paranormal romance (The Casket Girls Book 1)Blood & Ravens: A dark, paranormal romance by A.D. Brazeau
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked up this book because I was intrigued by the premise. The story did not disappoint. I loved the main characters. Very much looking forward to reading the second book!

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Nite Fire: Slash & Burn (Book 4) by C.L. Schneider – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Slash & Burn (Nite Fire, #4)Slash & Burn by C.L. Schneider
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the fourth book in the series and you definitely need to read the others before this one.
The story opens with action and keeps you turning the pages. Excellent worldbuilding, as always. Wonderfully original characters that you continue getting to know on a deeper level. Complex story line. There’s so much in this story to love. The entire series is a must read!

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

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Weep, Woman, WeepWeep, Woman, Weep by Maria DeBlassie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The beginning of this book felt a little disjointed because the way it is written, the character gets ahead of herself several times while telling the story. Once I got used to the writing style, it was a good read. It wasn’t like an adventure or thriller where you’re on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens, but the story does subtly sink it’s hooks into you. You start reading and before you know it, BAM! You’re entranced.
Good read for a rainy night!

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Doctor D’s Orderly Affair (Doctors of Eastport General) by C.A. King – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Doctor D's Orderly AffairDoctor D’s Orderly Affair by C.A. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Main points: Enjoyable characters. Good story line. A little bit of steam.

This book is a quick read. I enjoyed that there was a good amount of story line balanced with the romance. One thing I will say is that if you are a reader who doesn’t want the pandemic mentioned in a book you are using to escape, this one might not be the book for you. It doesn’t overpower the story, but it is mentioned.
For some reason, I had a difficult time with the feel of the first chapter and struggled to get into the story, but it smoothed out in chapter two. I can’t pinpoint what exactly the challenge was for me, but I pushed through it, and it was worth it.

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Savage Secrets (Mafia Elite, book 4) by Amy McKinley – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Savage Secrets (Mafia Elite, #4)Savage Secrets by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the fourth book in the series. It could be read as a standalone, but I feel like I would have connected better to the characters if I’d read the previous books. That being said, you won’t be lost if you pick this up out of order like I did. There’s enough backstory to get you caught up.
The story starts out with action and just keeps going. Since the two main characters are previously acquainted, there’s already an attraction right at the start due to that history so it has an insta-love feel. If you like mafia romances, this one is pretty on par with the genre.

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Journeys Through Collection: Volumes 1-3 by James Talisman – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Journeys Through Collection: Volume 1-3Journeys Through Collection: Volume 1-3 by James Talisman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A lot of thought went into the creation of these books. Having them all in a collection is great because you can binge read all the way through! There are many layers to the story so it gives you an immersive experience. Interesting characters, great worldbuilding. Loved the spiritual aspects woven through.
You’ll definitely want to read through the series several times to soak up all there is to be absorbed. Subsequent readings will have you noticing things you didn’t before, and give you a deeper understanding of the story.
An epic reading adventure!

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The Mesmerist by Claire Luana – Review by Naomi McDonald

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The MesmeristThe Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wonderful read! Intriguing characters. Superb world building. Suspense. Danger. Masterful plot twists.
I loved the reading adventure this author took me on.

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King of Pain (Interstellar Rescue Series Book 5) by Donna S. Frelick – Review by Naomi McDonald

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King of Pain (Interstellar Rescue Series Book 5)King of Pain by Donna S. Frelick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the fifth book in the series but I was able to pick it up and read it as a standalone. I’m sure I would have gotten even more impact if I’d read the previous books, as I understand some characters from those appear in this book. However, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything.
Superb tension throughout the story. This book had more suspense in it than an entire eight book series I just read that was specifically supposed to be suspense. You don’t want to stop turning the pages, that’s for sure.
I enjoyed that there was depth to the story outside of the romance as they are dealing with some serious subject matter.
Good action. Great flow to the story. Excellent read.

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ConQuest: The Art of Selling at Cons by Megan Mackie – Review by Naomi McDonald

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ConQuest: The Art of Selling At ConsConQuest: The Art of Selling At Cons by Megan Mackie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked up this book because I’ve been considering branching out into working events. It’s a quick read, which is nice. There’s not a bunch of unnecessary stuff to weed through. I liked the personal examples the author gives. Most of what is included in this book is common sense stuff and yet simple things that often end up being forgotten in the hustle and bustle of preparing for an event. If you’ve worked events before (even if not as an author) you’ll recognize a lot of the tips in this book because some things are universal, no matter what you are selling. One thing I thought was awesome is that the author included a small section on interacting with neurodivergent people. As a neurodivergent person myself, this is really important thing to know!

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Swipe Right to Bite (New Orleans Nocturnes Book 6) by Carrie Pulkinen – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Swipe Right to Bite (New Orleans Nocturnes, #6)Swipe Right to Bite by Carrie Pulkinen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the sixth book in this series, but it can be read as a standalone.
A fun, humorous read! I loved Katrina’s spiciness. I also enjoyed the focus Gabe had on building relationships on feelings and trying to make it deeper than the physical, and appreciated that it wasn’t instalove.
It’s got an enemies-to-lovers feel, but in a fun way.

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King Bastard (A Dark Sparrow Novel Book 6) by India Kells – Review by Naomi McDonald

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King Bastard (Dark Sparrow, #6)King Bastard by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the sixth book in this series. I highly recommend reading the previous books in order to get the full scope of the overarching story line.
Finally! We get to know Oz. It’s been quite a journey to get to this point, each brother bringing another layer to the picture. Loved Sasha’s character – brave, strong, resourceful. I found the direction that the author took Sasha’s past was interesting. It wasn’t what I expected and definitely added an intriguing layer to the character.
There are a lot of other things I could comment on, but it would contain spoilers.
Un-put-downable read!

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Diabolical Sword (The Charm Collector Book 1) by Melissa Erin Jackson – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Diabolical SwordDiabolical Sword by Melissa Erin Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love Urban Fantasy and was intrigued by the idea of a sentient sword so I decided to give this story a try.
There are a lot of things to love about it. The characters are interesting. The meat of the story is great. And, of course, the magic and paranormal aspects we love are plentiful. However, I found that there was a bit too much extraneous world building. It felt like I was getting lost in a lot of minor details that slowed down the story quite a bit. That being said, if you are a person who loves intricate worldbuilding, you’ll probably love that part of it.
Overall, I’d say the heart of the story was good, but I definitely will have to be in the right headspace to keep going with the series since the superfluous world building is distracting to me.

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Thief of Magic (Shadowed Minds Book 1) by Bree Moore – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Thief of Magic (Shadowed Minds, #1)Thief of Magic by Bree Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is book one in the series and you are definitely going to want to pick up the next book! I loved this unique cast of characters and the unusual pieces of worldbuilding.
Having magic powers is great… until it isn’t. Lee is on a quest to cure what ails her and it’s an intriguing adventure filled with thievery, danger, betrayal, conspiracy, and secrets.
Sometimes writing a review is difficult because the things you want to comment on contain major spoilers, so I’ll just say, you won’t regret reading this wonderfully written tale!

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Red’s Peril Part 2: The Prez’s Old Lady (Satan’s Devils MC Vegas Chapter #2) by Manda Mellett – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Red's Peril Part 2: The Prez's Old Lady (Satan's Devils MC Vegas #2)Red’s Peril Part 2: The Prez’s Old Lady by Manda Mellett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second part of Red’s story, so it is not a standalone. The first book was more of a recap from events of previous Satan’s Devils series with pertinent parts of Red’s story mixed in. My suggestion is to read the other series before you start this one so nothing is spoiled for you. I really feel that there were pieces from the first book that were crucial to this story that could have been condensed down and merged with the second part to make one book.

That being said, THIS IS THE STORY I CAME FOR! Part two lives up to the standard that I am used to reading from this author. The suspense, the drama, the real-life struggles of the characters – I am here for it!!! I loved that Cher is a strong character. And Zeke… loved their ability to not let what they’ve been through make them hate the world. I’m glad I stuck with it after being slightly disappointed with part one, because part two was everything I needed.

Superb read!

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THE BOX (HER THREE IMMORTALS BOOK 4) by HAZEL STORM – Review by Naomi McDonald

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The Box: A Greek Gods Urban Fantasy Romance (Her Three Immortals Book 4)The Box: A Greek Gods Urban Fantasy Romance by Hazel Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the fourth book in this series and definitely not a standalone. Be sure to read the previous books to get caught up on the events that led up to this finale.
As with the previous books, I loved the world building and the unique characters. A couple of new types of characters are introduced in this book and I loved the way they were worked into the story. Of course, there are old favorites like Gorgonita and PK as well. You ‘ll definitely be hooked as you read about Vanessa’s final harrowing adventure!
Great ending to a fabulous paranormal romance series!

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A Sweet Christmas: A Sweet Confections Novella by Nicole Richards – Review by Naomi McDonald

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A Sweet ChristmasA Sweet Christmas by Nicole Richard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you like Hallmark type holiday stories, this read is for you. It was a bit to sweet for me as I normally prefer my reads on the darker side, (though sometimes I revisit trying sweet stories just to see if my tastes have changed), but it was a well-written story.
I didn’t really care for the way things played out with Ben when he first meets Thea. He seemed a little creepy, but maybe that’s because he was really forward. It felt very contrasted to the way he is throughout the rest of the story, which I found a little too perfect.
But, if you are looking for low angst, contemporary romance, take-her-to-meet-the-family, and HEA, this is the story you want.

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Still Taking Chances by Roz Lee – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Still Taking ChancesStill Taking Chances by Roz Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this book, but I gave it a chance. It turned out to be pretty good. I don’t see books about Dominatrices very often so it was interesting to see how that character interacted with Elgin. I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t really read this type of character before, or what exactly, but I couldn’t get the love vibe from it, even though the characters were falling in love with each other. The only time I really got a hint of romantic vibe was after Mary Beth gave Elgin the gift and he’s using it. I totally got the healing aspect from the BDSM scenes that happened in the book.
Not sure Dominatrices are something I would choose to read regularly, but it’s not bad for an occasional book fling.

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

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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 had disempowered myself when I stopped valuing my happiness and overall wellness.”
“…remember that beauty standards are often racist, gendered, ableist, and shaped
by a ton of other toxic -isms.”
“Saying no is a form of self-care. No is a two-letter spell for happiness.”

This book came into my life at the perfect time, as all magical things do. Even though a lot of the material in this book wasn’t new to me, it was a great reminder of things that I haven’t thought about in a while.
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of performance pressure, especially when it’s essentially what our society runs off of. We’re steeped in it from birth. I love how this book reminds us that even the most mundane thing can be magic if we tune into it and allow it. That is exactly what I need for myself right now.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from the life you want, this book may be exactly what you need.

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Red’s Peril Part 1: The making of an MC Prez (Satan’s Devils MC Vegas Chapter) by Manda Mellett – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Red's Peril Part 1: The Making of an MC Prez (Satan's Devils MC Vegas #1)Red’s Peril Part 1: The Making of an MC Prez by Manda Mellett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Red’s Peril: The Making of an MC Prez (Part One) is book 1 Satan’s Devils MC Vegas Chapter series. This is not a standalone book and ends in a cliffhanger.
For people who have read all of the related Satan’s Devils MC series, you’ll find a few places that might be a little slow as they recap events from those other books. If this is the first Satan’s Devils book you’ve picked up, some of the recapped events may contain spoilers to other stories.
I have to say, while I always appreciate the research this author does on real-to-life events and have enjoyed all of the books I’ve read in this world thus far, this one has a completely different feel to it. I’m not sure if it was all of the recapping or what exactly, but I found myself skimming through several places to get to the more pertinent parts of Red’s story. I’m not saying it’s a bad read, but as someone who has read other books in this world, it didn’t pack quite the punch the others have. Still, I’ll be reading book two at some point because I do want to find out how things play out based on the events at the very end of this book.

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