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Evil’s Whisper (Evil Saga book 1) by Jordan Elizabeth – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Evil's Whisper (Evil Saga Book 1)Evil’s Whisper by Jordan Elizabeth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Evil’s Whisper is the first book in the Evil Saga series.
The description of this book sounded interesting so I thought I’d give it a try. I liked the dark undertones to the story, but the format of the book made things a little choppy for me so I had a hard time sticking with it. The characters were awesome and I loved the premise. Since this is my first read by this author, it may just be that I need to get used to their format and writing style in order to fully immerse myself in the story.
If you like epic fantasy with some adventure, give it a try and decide for yourself.

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Moonlit Whisper: An Irish Romance (Moonlit Destination Series) by Amy McKinley – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Moonlit Whisper (An Irish Romance)Moonlit Whisper by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Moonlit Whisper is a novelette in the Moonlit Destination series. It can be read as a standalone.
This book is a quick read. It’s a little bit angsty, which I’m totally on board with because it offsets the tender moments nicely. It took me a minute to remember that soccer outside of the US is called football so I was little confused right at the beginning when it was talking about a football field but kicking to score a goal, lol. (*facepalm*)
I like that, even though this is not a full-length novel, you get the full-length feel. The characters are well developed and you get the background of the characters woven in so the picture is complete by the end.
Overall, good read!

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Echoes: Lucifer and the Dark Goddess by Nikki Broadwell – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Echoes--(Lucifer and the dark goddess book 1)Echoes– by Nikki Broadwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was not easy for me to get into initially. The prologue had an excessive use of descriptors and didn’t really tell you anything that you couldn’t figure out as you read the main story. Now, having said that, the world and character building in the main story is really well done. My suggestion would be to skip the prologue altogether and just go straight to the story because that’s where the magic happens – literally.
Echoes has a good mix of suspense, mystery, danger, and magic as you follow Feirin on her journey to figure out who she is and what purpose she is to serve. For me, this was not a quick read because of the writing style so you might find it takes longer than usual to get through, but it’s worth it.

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Eye of Death (Vampire State Book 3) by Alexander Charalambides – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Eye of Death (Vampire State, #3)Eye of Death by Alexander Charalambides
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Eye of Death is the third book in the Vampire State series. In order to truly appreciate this book, you need to read the two previous ones.
This book is a great continuation of the series. Rowena is deciding on her loyalties. Eye of Death contains some suspense, danger, drama, and social commentary that lead to some surprising twists. There isn’t much more I can say without ruining the impact of the story with spoilers.
I love the uniqueness of this series and look forward to reading the next book.

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Santa Got Run Over by a Vampire: A Paranormal Romantic Comedy (New Orleans Nocturnes Book 4) by Carrie Pulkinen – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Santa Got Run Over by a Vampire (New Orleans Nocturnes, #3.5)Santa Got Run Over by a Vampire by Carrie Pulkinen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Santa Got Run Over By A Vampire is the fourth book in the New Orleans Nocturnes series. It can be read as a standalone.
This is a quick, fun read filled with vampires and Christmas songs with alternate lyrics that will have you cracking up. Jane’s oops has her in quite a predicament when the responsibility to save Santa falls to her. And, to add to the holiday stress, her father is coming to town and she’s got a secret to tell him.
If you’re feeling the holiday stress, grab some hot chocolate and take a break with this upbeat tale.

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Lies That Bind (Logan McKenna Series Book 6) by Valerie Davisson – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Lies That Bind (A Logan McKenna Mystery Book 6)Lies That Bind by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lies That Bind is the sixth book in the Logan McKenna series. It can be read as a standalone.
This story is a winding, twisting tale that switches through events from the past and present weaving together the relationships of the characters. Lies That Bind has murder and mystery that keep you turning the pages to see how it all connects together. The author has great attention to detail and the characters are well written.
Overall and excellent read!

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Dead Lawyers Don’t Lie: A Gripping Thriller (Jake Wolfe Book 1) by Mark Nolan – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Dead Lawyers Don't Lie (Jake Wolfe, #1)Dead Lawyers Don’t Lie by Mark Nolan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dead Lawyers Don’t Lie is the first book in the Jake Wolfe series.
The story line is intriguing. There is a good amount of action and suspense as you read. I love the addition of the dog as an integral part of the book. That being said, there are a few places where the story is slowed a little by some filler that could have been cut and still left a superb adventure.
Overall, a good read.

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Urban Justice (A Chicago Vigilantes Novel Book 2) by India Kells – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Urban Justice (A Chicago Vigilantes Novel #2)Urban Justice by India Kells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Urban Justice is the second book in the Chicago Vigilantes series. You could read it as a standalone because the author does a good job of giving bits of backstory, but you’ll get a better feel for the setup if you read book one.
This story starts out with action and keeps you turning the pages! I liked Sloane. She’s brave and dedicated to her mission. While it did feel like the attraction to Luke was a bit abrupt, their connection is still hot and steamy.
With the action, danger, mystery, and suspense, Urban Justice makes a great rainy-day reading adventure!

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Rick: Ingram Brothers #3 by Roz Lee – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Rick (Ingram Brothers #3)Rick by Roz Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rick is the third book in the Ingram Brothers series. While reading the previous books might give more detail on how one event originated in this story, I was able to read this book without having read the others.
I LOVED THIS BOOK! All the feels, all the steaminess. I don’t usually read books that are based in the state I live in and I’m glad that I didn’t realize this one was or I would have missed out on a superb story. The characters are written in a way that makes you connect to them right away. And, you will definitely want to read the prologue in this to get the set up. It makes all the difference to the depth of emotion you feel later on in the story.
Oh, and I can’t forget the kitchen scene with the air freshener – laugh out loud hilarious!

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Grumbler’s Ride (Satan’s Devils MC San Diego #2) by Manda Mellett – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Grumbler's Ride (Satan's Devils MC San Diego #2)Grumbler’s Ride by Manda Mellett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grumbler’s Ride is the second book in the Satan’s Devils MC San Diego series. It can be read as a standalone.
I enjoyed that the author seems to be writing more mature characters in the San Diego series. The main male character in this book is almost sixty, so it makes the feel of this book a bit different than if he was in his thirties. I love how the romance develops from the two main characters being friends first.
Be aware that this book may contain parts that will be sensitive for some readers, including a brief description of harm to children and pregnancy risks after forty.

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The Sanctuary Chronicles Box Set – Book 1-3 + Novella by India Kells – Review by Naomi McDonald

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The Sanctuary Chronicles Box Set - Book 1-3 + NovellaThe Sanctuary Chronicles Box Set – Book 1-3 + Novella by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Short version: This is an amazing series! Read it!

Longer version: I love the way Ms. Kells writes her characters. They are relatable and you really get to know them as the stories progress. Witches, werecreatures, and vampires – what’s not to love! The world building is superb. The box set is a great way to read this series because you can binge read it without any breaks between stories. A definite must read for Paranormal Romance fans!

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City Without A Sun (Vampire State Book 2) by Alexander Charalambides – Review by Naomi McDonald

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City Without A Sun (Vampire State, #2)City Without A Sun by Alexander Charalambides
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

City Without a Sun is the second book in the Vampire State series. I recommend reading the first one before you pick this one up.
The suspense and mystery of this book will have you engrossed in the story and make you feel like you are right there beside the characters. Rowena is an amazing character. You will likely find yourself riding an emotional roller coaster as you follow her journey in this story. There is a lot of action packed in these pages and you won’t be able to stop turning them until you get to the end…and then you will want to dive right into the next one.
Excellent reading adventure!

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Age of Druids (The Druid’s Brooch Series #9) by Christy Nicholas – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Age of Druids (Druid's Brooch #9)Age of Druids by Christy Nicholas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Age of Druids is the ninth book in the Druid’s Brooch series. It can be read as a standalone, however you’ll get a much better experience if you read the whole series.
As with the other books in the series, the world building and characters are amazing. The author really weaves the whole thing together in a way that makes you feel like you are right in the story with the characters. The attention to historical detail is superb.
This book marks the end of the series, but there is so much packed in each book that you could probably read every book over again several times and still find something you didn’t notice before.
Excellent book! Fantastic series.

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Super Sorry by C.A. King, USA Today Bestselling Author – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Super SorrySuper Sorry by C.A. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked up this book because I was intrigued by the description, and the cover is awesome. The story was not at all what I expected, but it made for an entertaining read. Make sure you have enough time set aside because you will want to read this all the way through in one sitting. I can’t say too much more about it or it will ruin the experience for you. Give this book a chance, or you’ll be Super Sorry you missed out!

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Faerie’s Magic (Seasons of the Fae book 2) by Jessica Feyden – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Faerie's Magic (Seasons of the Fae Book 1)Faerie’s Magic by Jessica Feyden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Faerie’s Magic is the second book in the Seasons of the Fae series.
The cover is magic all by itself! It puts a spell on you and you can’t resist getting the book. I don’t want to give the story away so I will simply say this – Faerie’s Magic is a wonderfully spun web of paranormal adventure, danger, magic, drama, and of course, romance. The world building and detail of the characters makes the story come to life.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book!

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Reign (The Larussio Legacy Book 3) by Via Mari – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Reign The Larussio LegacyReign The Larussio Legacy by Via Mari
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reign is the third book in the Larussio Legacy series. I would recommend reading the previous books to get the backstory.
This story starts off with a fast pace and keeps it up the whole way through. It is full of action, danger, drama, suspense, and of course romance. Serena is finally understanding what it means to be connected to Gio’s family and she makes a decision that she thinks will help protect her own family, but ends up leading her into even more danger. I enjoyed the strength of Serena’s character -she’s smart, spirited, and she can defend herself.
Overall, it’s a good read that will keep you entertained.

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Her Blackened Heart (The Blackened Series Book 2) by Isra Sravenheart – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Her Blackened HeartHer Blackened Heart by Isra Sravenheart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Her Blackened Heart is the second book in the Blackened Series. I recommend reading the first book to get a foundation for this story.
This book is told in fairy tale style like the first book. I found the detail in some places good, but in other places the story felt like more of a synopsis rather than an experience. I like the originality of the story and I do enjoy the Astrid character.
Overall, I’d say this book was a more enjoyable read than the first one as it had much less repetition in it. I’ll be interested to see what happens in the next installment.

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The Saint of Liars (The Lucky Devil series Book 2) by Megan Mackie – Review by Naomi McDonald

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The Saint of Liars (Lucky Devil #2)The Saint of Liars by Megan Mackie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Saint of Liars is the second book in the Lucky Devil series. I highly recommend reading the first book before you read this one to get a good grasp of the characters and events that set this book up. Plus, the first book is an amazing read too.
I truly love the blend of tech and magic in this series. In Saint of Liars, Rune discovers more about her abilities, which is a fascinating aspect of the story line.
The tension between St. Benedict and Rune is nearly palpable. I’ll be interested to see how that plays out in future installments. St. Rachel is kind of a person I love to hate. Well, not hate really, but she keeps throwing a wrench in the potential romantic works.
This book is a stellar read! Highly recommend it.

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Wild Bastard (A Dark Sparrow Novel Book 3) by India Kells – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Wild BastardWild Bastard by India Kells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wild Bastard is a great second chance romance with a kick. Isabel is a strong, smart, self-made woman. I loved her character. Getting to know Kai was interesting, but I will say that of the brothers so far, I connected with Kai’s backstory the least – which is odd because I usually connect to military characters pretty strongly. It might be because we didn’t really get to see how his past affects him to the extent that we see it with Archer and Aleksei. It’s mentioned a couple of times, but we don’t see the intense emotional toll so it feels superficial.
One thing I loved about the story is that Isabel chose to hang onto a piece of her past and used it strategically. Her relationship with her mother regarding that piece is awesome.
Overall, this is an amazing, intense story that will grab a hold of you and won’t let go.

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Cold Bastard (A Dark Sparrow Novel Book 2) by India Kells – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Cold Bastard (Dark Sparrow #2)Cold Bastard by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great read! I loved that Zoe is nerdy and snarky. Her wit is fabulously executed. The way she doesn’t back down from Archer creates spectacular tension between them. I loved the reappearance of the two neighbor characters. The odd pairing adds a little comic relief when they bicker with each other. The complexity of Archer’s character is excellent. The fight scene in the club shows his demons a bit. Cold Bastard is an excellent reading adventure. It’ll keep you turning the pages.

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Lost Bastard (A Dark Sparrow Novel Book 1) by India Kells – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Lost Bastard (Dark Sparrow, #1)Lost Bastard by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an intense story. I love how strong of a character Deva is. She hits a great balance of fierce and feminine. I enjoyed the way the layers of backstory were dripped throughout. The timing of it added depth and emotion. There is an emotional moment in chapter thirty-seven. Not going to lie, I teared up. Lost Bastard is a stellar read. You won’t be able to put it down.

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A Dark Sparrow Box Set – Books 1-3 by India Kells – Review by Naomi McDonald

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A Dark Sparrow Box Set - Books 1-3A Dark Sparrow Box Set – Books 1-3 by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lost Bastard – Deva & Aleksei
This is an intense story. I love how strong of a character Deva is. She hits a great balance of fierce and feminine. I enjoyed the way the layers of backstory were dripped throughout. The timing of it added depth and emotion. There is an emotional moment in chapter thirty-seven. Not going to lie, I teared up. Lost Bastard is a stellar read. You won’t be able to put it down.

Cold Bastard – Zoe & Archer
This is a great read! I loved that Zoe is nerdy and snarky. Her wit is fabulously executed. The way she doesn’t back down from Archer creates spectacular tension between them. I loved the reappearance of the two neighbor characters. The odd pairing adds a little comic relief when they bicker with each other. The complexity of Archer’s character is excellent. The fight scene in the club shows his demons a bit. Cold Bastard is an excellent reading adventure. It’ll keep you turning the pages.

Wild Bastard – Isabel & Kai
Wild Bastard is a great second chance romance with a kick. Isabel is a strong, smart, self-made woman. I loved her character. Getting to know Kai was interesting, but I will say that of the brothers so far, I connected with Kai’s backstory the least – which is odd because I usually connect to military characters pretty strongly. It might be because we didn’t really get to see how his past affects him to the extent that we see it with Archer and Aleksei. It’s mentioned a couple of times, but we don’t see the intense emotional toll so it feels superficial.
One thing I loved about the story is that Isabel chose to hang onto a piece of her past and used it strategically. Her relationship with her mother regarding that piece is awesome.
Overall, this is an amazing, intense story that will grab a hold of you and won’t let go.

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True Bastard (A Dark Sparrow Novel Book 4) by India Kells – Review by Naomi McDonald

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True Bastard (A Dark Sparrow Novel #4)True Bastard by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

True Bastard is the fourth book in the Dark Sparrow series You could probably read this as a standalone, but you’ll enjoy it more with the backstory from the other books in the series.

I have to say, I relate to the opening in chapter one where Liam feels like meeting Catriona is a cosmic joke. I have felt that way many times in my life. Things seem to line up perfectly, and then the universe lowers the boom. I felt for the guy, lol.

This story is everything you would expect from this author – great chemistry between the characters, adventure, angst, and romance. Once you start reading, you’ll stay up all night just to finish it!

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DEADLY WEAPON (Jake Wolfe Book 5) by Mark Nolan – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Deadly Weapon (Jake Wolfe #5)Deadly Weapon by Mark Nolan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book seems in step with the events of 2020 given the subject matter. If you need an escape from current events, this particular book may not be one you want to read until everything calms down.

However, don’t dismiss it entirely. Deadly Weapon is a great read with a ton of action and adventure mixed in with a bit of mystery and danger.

I love the interaction between Jake and Cody. Of course, who doesn’t love an intelligent dog as a side kick? One of my favorite parts of the story is the sidecar bit where Cody is enjoying the ride, in spite of the danger.

Overall, I found Deadly Weapon to be an intense and entertaining read.

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Accountability (Scope of Practice Book 3) by Jessica Aiken-Hall – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Accountability (Scope of Practice #3)Accountability by Jessica Aiken-Hall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Accountability is the third book in the Scope of Practice series. You need to read the previous two books in order to get the full impact of this story.

Even though I had parts of the mystery figured out before the end, I enjoyed the suspense of this story. In Accountability, you finally get some answers about Norma. I can’t say too much more about it because any details could take away from the reading experience. There was one piece that totally took me by surprise and that added to the depth of the story.

This is definitely a book that will keep you turning the pages!

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Road Tripped (Satan’s Devils MC Utah #1) by Manda Mellett – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Road Tripped (Satan's Devils MC Utah #1)Road Tripped by Manda Mellett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Road Tripped is the first book in the Satan’s Devils MC Utah series. You can read it by itself and follow the story line, but it will be more impactful if you read the other series’ connected to this one to get background of some of the characters that make an appearance, and a couple of the incidents that are mentioned in this book.

After reading other books from other series connected to this one, I have to say that this particular branch of the MC has a very different feel. I like it! I like the type of intrigue and action the Utah branch has.

Gah! There are so many things I want to say about this book, but I can’t because it’ll give away the intensity of the reading experience. What I will say is you get some answers in this book that have been left open from other books, and Swift = amazing!

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Her Blackened Soul (The Blackened Series Book 1) by Isra Sravenheart – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Her Blackened Soul (The Blackened, #1)Her Blackened Soul by Isra Sravenheart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Her Blackened Soul is the first book in the Blackened series.

I will be honest; I struggled a bit with this book. I LOVE the premise of the story. It has a lot of potential. I gave the book four starts for creativity and originality. What I had a difficult time with were the parts of it that were slow-moving. I felt like the book didn’t have a steady flow to it.

Her Blackened Soul is written in fairytale tale style, but from the villain’s angle. I am a fan of dark fantasy so I enjoyed that aspect of the story. Overall, I feel like this book could be fabulous with a little bit of added depth and removal of some of the more repetitive parts (i.e. the constant reminder of Isra’s evilness).

Even though I had a challenge with this book, I’ll probably check out book two to see if the writing has progressed. It may be that this book, because it is the first in the series, is a little bit rougher and things will polish up as it goes forward.

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Confidentiality (Scope of Practice Book 2) by Jessica Aiken-Hall – Review by Naomi McDonald

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ConfidentialityConfidentiality by Jessica Aiken-Hall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Confidentiality is the second book in the Scope of Practice series. You need to read the first book in order to get the full picture of what is happening in book two.

In the first book, I related to some of the main character’s attributes, but there is a side of her that I don’t relate to so much. That part of her life started in book one but is further explored in book two as things start spiraling. I found myself wondering how I could relate to a character’s personal attributes so much, but not align with her actions, even though I understand her motivation for it initially. The author has done a great job of layering the main character to give her complexity.

I enjoyed the anti-hero aspects of the story as well. Even though I had it figured out pretty quickly, I thought the choice was interesting.

Overall, this was a great continuation of the first part of the story in book one. As with book one, sensitive readers should note that there are potential triggers in this story.

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Boundaries (Scope of Practice Book 1) by Jessica Aiken-Hall – Review by Naomi McDonald

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Boundaries (Scope of Practice, #1)Boundaries by Jessica Aiken-Hall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Boundaries is the first book in the Scope of Practice series. The main story line wraps up, but the ending does leave room for more in the following book.

The way the main character, Valerie is described at the beginning of the book made me relate to her almost immediately. The way she keeps to herself, doesn’t like the unknown, can’t seem to keep up with time, and her feeling of being awkward are all things that I can relate to very much.

The way the author has written the story, you don’t know Valerie’s past right away. Because I related to her so much in the beginning, I had to keep reading to find out what her story was.

Boundaries is full of mystery and intrigue. At times it can be heavy on the emotions. And, there are some interesting twists that keep you turning the pages.

Overall, a good read. I look forward to seeing where Valerie’s journey takes her in the next book.

Note for sensitive readers – there are potential triggers in this book.

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TWO HEARTS UNSPOKEN TARGETS (Two Hearts Wounded Warrior Romance Book 11) by Tamara Ferguson – Review by Naomi McDonald

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TWO HEARTS UNSPOKEN TARGETS (Two Hearts Wounded Warrior Romance Book 11)TWO HEARTS UNSPOKEN TARGETS by Tamara Ferguson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Two Hearts Unspoken Targets is the eleventh book in the Two Hearts Wounded Warrior series. It can be read as a standalone.

The overall story has promise, and I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, the Kyle character is written in a way that personifies the stereotypical perception of Autism by the neurotypical community. As a person with Autism myself – and a person who has two children on the Autism spectrum, I appreciated the author’s willingness to include an Autistic character. The issue that I have on the whole is that almost every book I’ve read with an Autistic character ONLY includes a character with the severe side of things and with the attributes that most people think Autistic individuals display based on stereotypes, this book included. Perpetuating these stereotypes reinforces the stigma that Autistic people face every day while trying to interact in the world. When I read the blurb for this book I was hoping for a different portrayal. A person can be Autistic with challenges that require more assistance without being violent or having a mental impairment. I would have loved to see other challenges addressed instead.

And on a side note, I really wasn’t pleased that Beth called Kyle a dope at one point. I felt like that was demeaning and unnecessary. Many Autistic people struggle with self-esteem issues because they feel different. Using that kind of language can be hurtful.

It was a tough decision between three and four stars, but I’m giving a rating of four stars on this because, even though I was unhappy with the way the Autistic character was portrayed, the overall premise of the story was good.

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