Blue Summer Part Two by Everly Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Like Part one it has the same vibe as an adult version of the smurfs, It’s entertaining and captivating. It picks up straight from the end of Part one. Lillie gets captured again and the Zayeds must save her, they have so much banter and flirting together. I could not put this down until I finished it.
I enjoyed this romance audio book. This is an enemies to lovers story which is well developed. The narrator brings the characters to life with each word and they are so great together. Liam and Kendall are great, strong characters that are connectable and made the story for me. I enjoyed listening to their story and their growth throughout the story. The narrator made the story fun and entertaining to listen to. I am happy I picked this audio up and it made my drive to work a little more enjoyable. I highly recommend this audiobook.
Forbidden Wolf by C.R. Robertson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this paranormal story. This is not my first book by this author but it is certainly one of my favorites by her. This is a well developed story about vampires and lycans and the author’s attention to details bring their story to life. The characters are great, strong, connectable and they brought the story to life on each page. This is a fast paced story that is full of action and passion. How can one night change everything? I highly recommend reading this book to find out. I enjoyed watching their growth and chemistry. Will Levi and Tasha’’s relationship be the death of them? It is worth the pick up for sure
Review by @bjwagner
Carnival of Shadows by Leslie Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this paranormal story. This is a newer author for me and I look forward to reading more from her in the future. This is a well written story that brings a carnival to life especially the freakshow that is full of paranormal characters that attack a city. The characters are relatable and brought the story to life. They made the story engaging, fun and entertaining to read. Teagan has so much going on in her life from the death of her grandmother to demons to witches and now the carnival comes to town with a whole lot of trouble. She is now left to defend the town and a powerful ring master that could turn everyone against her. How it all ends, you will have to read this book which I highly recommend. This is a great story that anyone would enjoy. A great paranormal story!
Review by @bjwagner
Blue Summer Part Two by Everly Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the second part to the book Blue Summer which is just as great as the first book. I highly suggest reading the first book before this one to help your enjoyment of this series. This is a well written story that is a continuation of the first book. The characters are even better in this book and made the story pop. This is a shorter story that really packs the action. With Lillie being kidnapped a second time the sorcerer is out for more power than ever. Thinking that she knows more than what she is saying, will this put her in more danger and will she be able to save herself this time? This was a fun and entertaining book to read. The characters made the story come to life on every page. It is a fast paced story that you don’t want to miss. I highly recommend this book.
Review by @bjwagner
The Hunter’s Heart by Astrid Sharpe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow I really enjoyed this book. I loved the mixture of sci-fi, Romance and adventure. Astrid Sharpe has done an amazing job of creating not only the characters but also the world they are in. Both the lead characters Zensah and Poppy are strong willed and they compliment each other beautifully. You can feel every emotion the characters are going through from Poppy’s anger and fear to Zensah’s passion and restraint on his feelings.
Zensah is the leader of his tribe. When his tribe is wiped out he is hoping to be able to rebuild to stop his people going extinct. Imagine his joy when another tribe tells him of settlers who are willing to join his tribe.
Poppy is one of these ‘settlers and a very unwilling one at that. After being kidnapped her and the other humans need to escape.
When Zensah realises that the women are victims he and his hunters vow to help and care for these women.
And this is where the fun begins. The attraction between Zensah and Poppy is pretty instant but Poppy is determined to be an independent woman. With Zensah help she wants to learn how to live in his world on her own and not rely on him. As they spend more time together will they give in to their attraction? Could Poppy be the mate Zensah has been waiting for all along? Or will Poppy just think he’s after someone to mate to increase his tribe?
Wild Vamp (Jaded Vamp Book 2) Audio Book
By L.D. Wosar
4 stars
This is my first time reading/listening to anything by this author and I really enjoyed the story. Although I started with book 2 in the series I wasn’t lost or confused by anything that was happening. I really liked the narration; it was easy and pleasant to listen to. There was quite a lot of action in the story which made it really exciting to listen to at times. I liked the characters and thought that they were well developed. I would definitely like to listen to the first book in the series and absolutely more from this author again in the future,
Miss Understanding (The Miss Series Book 1) AUDIO BOOK
By Aubrey Bondurant
5 stars
I love this author and have read many of her books so when I saw this pop as an audio book I couldn’t wait to settle down and listen and I absolutely LOVED it! The story was as I expected from this author – she creates amazing characters. I loved Kendall – she certainly held her own against Liam and Liam – oh I know I shouldn’t have but I loved him straight away – who doesn’t love an arrogant but sexy as anything boss?!? Their story was brilliant, some great banter between them! The one thing I loved about this audio book was the use of dual narration, I’ve not listened to one like this before and it worked really well.
This is definitely a series I cannot wait for more from!
Hell Hath No Fury by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I found this paranormal romance both enjoyable and engaging and having read and enjoyed the previous book in the series I was not disappointed. This story focuses on hedonism demon Sheridan falling in love for the first time with Millicent who is a human and who has no idea about the paranormal world around her. To complicate things further for Sheridan, Millicent also has a secret admirer. Deputy Sheriff Millicent can’t deny the mutual attraction between her and Sheridan but then when a secret admirer starts leaving strange gifts which turn out to be magical Millicent gets distracted. Once the admirers intentions are revealed however, Sheridan worries that his involvement may get Millicent killed. The authors wonderfully detailed world building made me feel, yet again immersed in the story and the plot twists kept me hooked from start to finish. The characters are all likeable and have fascinating backstories which adds to the story. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Secure Decision by R.L. Dunn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have really enjoyed this series and I was really looking forward to reading this the fifth book and I wasn’t disappointed. It had the wonderful characters I expected and the exciting storyline I have come to love from these books. I really like the authors writing, I find the stories easy to read and the pace and flow is excellent – I’m engaged the whole way through. For me, I feel like this is my favourite book from the series, I had such a connection with Eleanor, she was so relatable to me, I felt like I really empathised with the her and the things she went through. I really liked Wes too and I’ve been waiting for his story to pop up!
Overall a wonderful story with great characters! A definite must read!
Hell Hath No Fury by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a good story. I wasn’t expecting “that” person as a love interest for Sheridan. That was a surprise. I liked the thought and idea of the story but it was a bit slow at times. It really focused a lot on the thoughts and feelings of a certain character. Sometimes it was her daily life and a lot of trivial stuff and then a nap would happen. But it really picked up the pace towards the end.
I really enjoyed some of the newer characters and some insight into existing characters. I did not feel a connection to either MC. I did not dislike them at all but did not live them either. I love how their “crew” is getting bigger and better with each book. Those added characters towards the end should be wonderful if they show up in upcoming books.
Blue Summer Part Two by Everly Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I had recently read the first in this amazing series. First off I love that this series is so orginal! Its not what you expect and your truly in for a great adventure. If an anuthor can captivate thie readers, as this wonderful author does, you know hands down the book is going to be beyond amazing!
In the second book in the series we go more down learning about Lillie and her relationship with the people she met whom are called The Zayed. I love learning about the Zayed. Its a culture defined in the novels like no other. You could give me a whole novel learning about them and Id be more than interested.
Not only do you see the Zayed change though out the book but you also see Lilie. Not only in mind and heart does she progress from whom she was in the first novel but with her powsers as well! And that to me was super awesome by far. But with everything comes a price..the more she grew profiecent with her powers more she was put in danger, as well as the Zayed I would say, by the sorcerer. But as I read on Lilli is not someone who needs saving or a danzel in disttress. She becomes quite brillant with her powers. In the sense of you wouldnt want to anger her, now would you?
But I also was suprised to learn the sorcereer himself was not the only one to grow some certain powsers which made him more of an even more interesting character or a villan I should say.
As I read on you learn of how much Lillie’s fondness for the Zayed and to me it really shown from the first novel to where she was now how much the Zayed have come to be not just a part of her life, but people she would risk everyting for, even if it meant her own life. She truly loved them in the way she showed how much she cared and knew she had to save them from what was to come in this novel.
I love this series. If your looking for a quick read where you stay up at night to finish bcause the pace really flys, this is a novel for you! I love the romance, suspsense, and the drama scenarios put into this.I really enjoyed this one, I actually think I might have been more in deep with love love for this novel by a bit more than the first!
This author truly has a gift and their amazing! I would say read these in order. It helps to understand Lillie and The Zayed very much. Trust me, it ll make sense if yo u read it in order 🙂
Again, loved this novel. Im so glad so far I have gotton two beautiful about The Zayed and the adventures they face with Lillie and those around them!
Again, Phenomenal work on this beauitul novel Everly Taylor 🙂
Hell Hath No Fury by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a wonderfully quick treat to read! Millicent is a town deputy who has no idea that there are paranormal creatures in her town (and they are her friends)…Through a series of magical stalker events, Millie finds out she has some amazing friends and that Sheridan may even be something more. Missing persons, dhampirs to (truly) mother-in-law from hell, you will love the plot of this mystery. My favorite characters were Millie and Sheridan because they were struggling with life issues that were so very relatable. Though not just a comedy, this is a story you just have to read.
Lighting the Path: Leaning into a Hopeful Future as a Special Needs Parent by Marcia Nathai-Balkissoon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Lighting the Path: Leaning into a Hopeful Future as a Special Needs Parent
By Marcia Nathai-Balkissoon
4-stars
This is a wonderful resource for parents of a special needs child, as well as, a good resource for any parent in any given situation! This author had me in absolute tears while reading her personal story, though her story is heart wrenching it also had me feeling so inspired and hopeful. The love that this mom has for her daughter can be felt through the beautiful words she wrote and I loved that.
My children are not special needs; however, I still feel like I was able to take away so many lessons from this book. It really puts things into perspective and I love her checklists, because they can be applied to any parenting situation.
I would highly recommend this book to any parent looking for any sort of guidance. It’s a wonderful read full of valuable information.
Blue Summer Part Two by Everly Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Blue Summer Part Two – Everly Taylor
5-stars
This was another phenomenal read by this talented author! Just like the first book I completely devoured this one, I ended up reading it in one sitting as I couldn’t bring myself to put it down!
This author once again took me on a roller coaster ride with the non-stop action, steamy moments, and mystery. I loved every second of this book and wouldn’t change a thing about it. I loved the characters, all of the detail, from big things to small everything was intricately detailed leaving nothing to the imagination which I loved!
This cannot be read as a standalone so I would suggest reading Blue Summer Part One first before diving into this one. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for their next paranormal read, it’s a story you won’t want to miss!
Moonlit Whisper by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Amy brings her page-turning intrigue to this story, and I think that she is becoming one of my favorite authors, and not just because we share the same first name! As soon as you start reading this novel, you’re drawn to the characters surroundings, and can even hear the accent in their voices as you read. Full immersed in this love story, I fell in love with the main characters and their inner turmoil. I was saddened by how quickly their story wrapped up, but that’s also because I sat down and read the entirety within the course of a few hours. I laughed, was angered, and my curiosity was peaked from the very first chapter. The only thing I wish was that it dug deeper into Connor and his time in the US. I cannot wait to read more by this author and look forward to my next adventure written by her. Would definitely recommend this author to any family/friend looking for a new author to be obsessed with!
Moonlit Mirage – A Cook Islands Romance by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a beautifully written love story based on the lives of two souls burdened with misfortune and unfortunate circumstances. From the very start of their love story, I was entranced. I couldn’t stop reading, wanting to know more. I especially loved the way that you are introduced to the two main characters, but you don’t really learn much about them, until they start to learn and discover more about each other. I knew that there would be a twist somewhere, but it still shocked me when everything started happening. Amy McKinley does a phenomenal job capturing the reader and keeping them interested until the very end. Very well done, I personally read the entirety of their love story within the course of an afternoon. It left me wanting more from this gifted author.
Chased by Felicity Brandon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a new author for me but I am a fan of the dark mafia romantic genre so I thought I would give it a read. I’m glad that I did. It’s a good story. I will admit that it did take me a couple of chapters to really get into but once I did I found it hard to stop reading. This author did a fabulous job with her characters and making me despise them yet root them on at the same time. She has an ability to leave the reader holding a grudge due to all the events that take place, but you also feel like you can understand the reasoning behind what they are doing. I did have some issues with the main characters relationship not feeling real but that subsided the more I read into their complexities. I look forward to reading a follow-up to this book.
Mountains Wanted by Phoebe Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Mountains Wanted is the first book in the Mountains series by Phoebe Alexander. It is a unique story that really gets your feelings going. I will say it has some themes that are not usually my cup of tea, but it was well written and kept me wanting more.
Sarah is a professor at the University of Maryland (UMD). She teaches Sociology and in turn studies some pretty unique topics that she also practices in her own life. As a single mom, life isn’t always easy, but somehow she manages to get through each day.
James is in charge of the ROTC program at UMD and meets Sarah at a lecture she gives on evening at the University.
Sarah and James hit it off, obvious chemistry between them, but with life and personalities as they are, will they get in the way?
The insecurities the characters have in this novel are so real. It makes for a very realistic read! I appreciate being able to venture out of my own norm. If you are looking for an interesting and unique read, this novel is for you!
Carnival of Shadows by Leslie Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. It is the second in the series. Even though I believe you can read it as a stand alone it will connect if you read in order. Teagan is a brilliant character and I loved seeing her grow more into herself as well as her powers. The different abilities her friends had definitely added to the story as well. I feel that she learned so much at once and then the Carnival adding to the the storm. She grew so much as a witch and I just really enjoyed seeing the development in her. I would seriously recommend this series and i’m excited to see what comes next!!
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Carnival of Shadows by Leslie Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What an entrance this book has you are straight into the story. It very interesting to see how the development is going in this story. I kept dipping on and out of the story as it didn’t feel as connect to the characters and felt they were just through at me. It’s a decent read.
Forbidden Wolf by C.R. Robertson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ooo! I really liked this one! This one isn’t my first book by this author but it was definitely my favorite!! I was sucked in from page one and devoured this paranormal story!
Levi & Tasha are the main charcters and they couldn’t be more different. Levi is a Wolf Shifter & Tasha is a Vampire. This is a case of opposites attract and man so they have chemistry! Such a shame that they’ll be put death if anyone finds out If they’re having any kind of relationship between them. Truth is brought to the surface and survival might just depended on their “forbidden” relationship.
Ugh I couldn’t get enough of this one and I am so glad I picked it up. I cannot wait until I can get my hands on more by this author! I would definitely recommend this to anyone that loves Paranormal romances!
Happy Reading!
The Cross of Ciaran by Andrea Matthews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Cross of Ciaran explores a Celtic priest waking up 1500 years after his internment. I love the way that he is so overwhelmed by his new surroundings and yet finds explanations for his survival/eternal death through his conflicting faiths. All of the characters, including Father Mike and Mary were very believable and I loved the natural conversation that develops between them all. I struggled a few times with concepts that I didn’t think would come realistically as naturally for Ciaran but these were few and far between I am really looking forward to reading book two (actually I am excited to read book two!!).
Review by Penelope Taylor, June 2021
Courage of Us by Brooke May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Courage of Us (Code of Honor Book 1) by Brooke May
I’m a giant sucker for second chance romances and this book did not disappoint me one bit.
I loved the young, fiesty Patience and was so happy that she found her way again after so much heartbreak and pain over the years. I don’t think she realized how strong she was even after all the dust settled.
Duke was an idiot, regardless of his reasoning. I wanted to knock him upside his head being such a moron. He dealt with his own pain over the years but wasn’t able to start healing until he was home.
I am 100% invested in this series and I can’t wait for the second book to come out.
Sexy Drug by Melody Calder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sexy Drug, (Losing my Heart book 1) is the first book I have read by Melody Calder and I am so happy it is part of a series because it will not be my last! I loved that the storyline was fast paced from the first to last page and it had everything I look for in a romantic read- suspense, excitement and an element of danger. I had really hoped to connect with Katie as the story progressed but I much preferred Ramone. Admittedly, I don’t like many main female characters in the “romance” genre BUT there is something lovable about a tough guy with a soft spot. Overall, I think the best part of Sexy Drug was Melody Cader’s attention to detail, from the very first page I was impressed with the way she could describe something like pavement with such detail without making the storyline feel heavy or bogged down. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Brink of Denial by Cam Johns and Sonja Jesus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Milana Lombardi, also known as Mila Blanc, has spent the last eleven years running as a model in California. For the last several years, she has been blackmailed by the first photographer she met, Tyler Pence. Now, he’s asking for a lot more money, and she’s ready for it to stop.
Dane Giordano, Milana’s forever boyfriend, is tired of Milana coming home to see him just when she’s back in town. He is ready for that forever love, especially since his little brother, Seth, is engaged to be married.
The Brink of Denial takes you back into the world of the Jersey Mafia as someone is trying to find out more dirt on the Sindicato family. Will Dane and Milana be able to put the past behind them? Can Milana stop Tyler before he ruins her name? Who is digging up dirt on the Sindicato, and can the brothers, Dane and Seth, stop this person in time?
Wow! What a read! It’s hot and sexy. The suspense grows with each passing chapter. Such a great job by Sonya Jesus and Cam Johns.
Kissing Scars by Jim Shomos
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Kissing Scars by Jim Shomos was a really good read. This novel was unlike any I’ve read before, in the way it read like fiction but was based off what has happened to the author in real life. He goes on to explain more at the end. I don’t want to go into too much detail, so I don’t spoil anything, so all I will say is that it was interesting reading what happens culturally in this novel. I also enjoyed the fact that this was a fast read. All in all I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I would read more from this author in the future.
Courage of Us by Brooke May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was certainly a page-turner. I typically not interesting in military-esque stories, but the storyline had me captivated by the characters. There are so many elements in this story that you wanted a happy ending for the main character.
Moonlit Kiss by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Moonlit Kiss: A Venice Romance by Amy McKinley is one of the books in the Moonlit Destination Series written by the author. From the start, I felt like I was in Venice with Gianna experiences the city. The feeling kept me reading more of the story because it was so captivating. The characters are well written and make the story even better. The romance between Gianna and Sergio captured my heart. Add in the mystery of ghosts and the history of Gianna and Sergio makes it even more exciting.
Sugar & Spice by Phoebe Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sugar & Spice (Spicetopia #1) by Phoebe Alexander – Review by Krista Vaughan
Jolie is the Red Velvet Queen and a single mom fighting for her and her sons’ survival. Cy is a spoiled, entitled billionaire who draws the short stick to go Undercover Boss in the family theme park. Cy is more of the artsy-fart of the family. I love how he and Jolie have such an electricity between them. This hidden-identity romance is a fun trip to the theme park where there is fun and frolicking going on behind the scenes. Definitely a fun read!
