At All by Mindy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the third book in this series, and out of all the brothers Sebastian was by far my favourite. There is so many ups and downs in this book it draws you in. Sebastian swore he would never fall for a girl until he met Maelie they have so much passion for each other you wont be able to put this book down.
Beckoned by R.B. Fields
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Over the years, I’ve read many different kinds of vampire books – so many that I run the risk of reading the same old vampire story.
In saying that, I took a chance on this book and I’m happy that I did. I’ve really enjoyed the journey that R.B. Fields took me on. I felt transported into a new world and the characters are refreshing. The book starts off by introducing the strong, kick ass, independent human that quickly falls into the dreamy and irresistible world of Silas- The vampire.
Their story intrigued me – pulling me in with their quick wit, their banter and their burning emotions. Their story soon turns into a multi point of view story just as I was starting to learn about Dawn and Silas. As much as I love a multi voiced story, the amount of voices put in here almost became too much. It felt busy and almost like a competition too be heard. I got distracted and I felt some characters were just not as interesting as others.
That being said, this story still grabbed my interest from the first page and I completely fell in love with the world building too. It leaves me hungry for more.
February 15th, 2021
Sara Shalovelo
Learning to Live: An Enemy to Lovers Ugly Cry by Kira Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Learning to Live is book one in the Infinite Love series by Kira Adams. It is an enemy to lovers story and one that sounded intriguing and attention grabbing right from the get go. Learning this new to me author’s writing style was a rewarding experience. I love to read new and exciting authors that breathe some new life and personality into the romance genre. Kira Adams’ characters were colourful, stimulating, interesting and vulnerable. Ciera was a woman who did not realise her worth and capabilities. She learns a lot about herself and turns into a confident, self assured woman. Topher is a character that you warm up to gradually, and needs Ciera to help him realise you catch more flies with honey, so to speak. From bad boy to lovable lad, their personalities develop and they became a couple who I absolutely adored. The story was written with outstanding high quality and it is always apparent when the author puts everything into delivering a compelling and emotional read. A 5 star effort.
Love at First Haunt: A Ghostly Paranormal Romance by Carrie Pulkinen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Love at First Haunt: A Ghostly Paranormal Romance (Haunted Ever After Book 1) was a story about romance and the unknown. There is so much romance and drama that is ready to be unfolded. The paranormal is a nice bonus in this love story. Ghost,psychic, empath even rich caring guy this story has it all and so much more.
A ghost haunted Logan Mitchell who happened to be an empath driving him closer to the woman. Allison Gray who was a psychic afraid of ghosts that can give him all the love he never knew he needed. This pair is odder than they seem. Are they just what they need? They are both afraid of their feelings and what it will mean for their future. Are they destined to drive each other away?
This is the first book in the series and loved every single page of it. Can’t wait to read more. I’m getting ready to read book two as soon as I can
Hell In A Handbasket by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have quickly come to love the Life is Hell series by Naomi Valkyrie. I was super excited to read book 3, Hell in a Handbasket, and it did not disappoint. I do not normally read books about the paranormal, nor books focused around M/M/NGBTQ characters, but I really do love this series. Well done Valkyrie! I don’t know where your idea spring from, but keep them coming. The characters have come to life, and I love the little paranormal family that is built in this series. I appreciate that the relationships are clear, but they are subtle, and not graphic. More inferred than actually spelled out.
This book focuses around Teivel and Oren- the most unlikely couple ever! A Demon, and a Demon Hunter; a killer and a cop… but it totally works. I loved the reveal of Teivel’s past, and why he is such a jerk. As well as the history of Teivel and Malachai. The next story sounds interesting… I’m curious to see how that is going to work. To be continued…
Reviewed by @way2gosmartguy
Is This Me? by Tricia Copeland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Total Page-Turner!! Is This Me? is the first book in the Being Me series by Tricia Copeland. Set as a College/New Adult setting, Amanda is starting her freshman year in college. She thought she had it all planned until life sent her a curve ball. Her friend decides that she is going to attend her first college fraternity party. There she meets Doug, who of course, is all wrong for her. Thankfully that doesn’t amount to much until one day she becomes injured and needs the help of her friends and this guys is here to help. What will happen? You’ll have to read to find out. The characters in this book are really great! I loved reading about Amanda and the choices leading her into adulthood. This book is great for anyone but for those that are starting college, this is an excellent book. You will enter a rollercoaster of emotions and hard decisions. You will definitely not want to put this book down and want to read more afterward. I, myself cannot wait to read the book in the series to see how Amanda’s life has progressed!
Reviews by @vegasdaisie
Nobody Knows by Kyra Lennon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Nobody Knows: A British Rock Band Romance (Razes Hell Book 1) by Kyra Lennon is a beautiful contemporary romance story. It is also a friend to lover’s romance. It is an emotional journey that is both heart wrenching and heart-warming. Kyra’s narrative makes this journey feel real and is easy to read. There is never a dull moment in this fast-moving drama filled with angst and emotionally heartfelt moments.
Three best friends. Two brothers who don’t always see eye to eye but are on their way to fame. One woman who has always been in their lives and loves them both and has to help them all deal with consequences.
Reviewed by @jennadb
Sacha T. Y. Fortuné writes “Real-life Romance” Women’s Fiction with difficult to love characters and unpredictable storylines that will make you think and feel things. If you like something that packs a greater punch than the usual fluffy Happily-Ever-After romance, and your heart can handle the twisting, torturous journey of these relationships, her stories will rattle you and remain with you. A Trinidadian writer, and print and web designer, she holds MA and BA degrees in International Journalism and Media & Cultural Studies. There’s a little bit of her in all the “Hart & Cole” women, who have been pleading with her for almost two decades to do them justice.
At Last by Mindy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
READ THIS BOOK!!! The first in a three book series, this book by far was the best of the bunch. I laughed, I cried, and I feel in love with Dom and Lula! The storyline was funny, heartfelt, romantic, and exciting. I was so invested in the story, I actually lost sleep staying up through the night to finish it, lol. If Mindy McKinley can recreate this story dynamic and flow with her writing on future books, I will definitely be reading more of her work going forward.
Learning to Live: An Enemy to Lovers Ugly Cry by Kira Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Learning to Live: An Enemy to Lovers Ugly Cry (The Infinite Love Series Book One)
By Kira Adams
5 out of 5 stars
I loved reading the book Learning to Live: An Enemy to Lovers Ugly Cry (The Infinite Love Series Book One) by Kira Adams. It is a story that had my emotions going up and down. I loved the character of Ciera. She is a young woman who is intelligent, strong, and faces situations that are very difficult to endure. I had a harder time warming up to Topher, He is arrogant, confident, and is seeing Ciera in a new light. After a while, he developed into a character that I liked. What does the future hold for them? Read this book to find out. This is a story that had me turning pages to see what happens next. The author does a wonderful job of making the story and the characters come alive. There are additional characters some of whom are friendly and others who are hurtful. Don’t miss out on an amazing book that is entertaining and takes you on an emotional journey that you will not soon forget. I highly recommend reading it.
Black Dog Rising by Kat Caulberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Black Dog Rising
By Kat Caulberg
5 out of 5 stars
I loved reading the book Black Dog Rising by Kat Caulberg. It is a story that pulled me in, and I didn’t want to put it down until the final page. I loved the storyline and the characters of Emma Aubrey and Toby Deering. What does the future hold for them? Read this book to find out. This is a book that had me turning pages to find out what happens. The author does an amazing job of making the story and the characters come alive. It takes you on a journey that you will not soon forget. Don’t miss out on a story that is interesting, intriguing, exciting, and entertaining. You will not be disappointed. I highly recommend reading it.
Learning to Live: An Enemy to Lovers Ugly Cry by Kira Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5/5 Stars
Learning to Live: An Enemy to Lovers Ugly Cry (The Infinite Love Series, #1) by Kira Adams
Adams has made my heart break with this story. Learning to Live is an amazing tear-jerker. It’s a great read and I can’t wait for the next one.
Ciera is in her senior year and has a brain mass. No one outside her mom knows she’s dying. Oregon is the one state where she can assist suicide. She’s chosen a date and falls in love. The quote I chose for Ciera is: “You don’t care what anyone thinks anymore. Your reputation is the least of your worries.”
Topher is the jock popular guy who picks on others. When he finds that his girlfriend is sneaking around with his best friend things change. He knows Ciera and he’s picked on her. When she seizes in front of him he panics. The quote I chose for Topher is: “Are we really going to play the what-if game? What if Sophia hadn’t slept with Joe? What if my dad wasn’t gay? It doesn’t f**king matter because it’s not real. I can’t take back the sh***y things I did to you, but I can be a better person. I can’t explain the way you make me feel, but I can tell you I’ve never felt more alive in my entire life than when I’m with you.”
Highly recommended for contemporary romance lovers.
Where Flowers Bloom by Nikki Vale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this story. It has a mixture of romance and paranormal which I love. It is a sweet story set in an ancient plantation. I’ve never read a book before where I was thinking about the main characters history or the colour of their skin but the beauty of this book is that the author brings a lot of the main characters history and culture into it.
Kendyll is a romance writer. Her relationship with her partner is rocky so when she gets a chance to move them to a new home and a fresh start she jumps at it. However the home she falls in love with is a old plantation home. As a young black woman why is she drawn to a place where they used to have black slaves? After she takes over the house she starts to have dreams about the people who used to live there.
Are the dreams memories or just the imagination of a romance writer?
Add to this the confusion she feels with regard to Wes the man helping her restore the house. Feeling attraction to a white man is not allowed and is frowned upon by her family. So why can’t she stop the feelings towards him? Is Wes the man that appears in her dreams or is the romance of the house and its history making her recreate things.
Is This Me? by Tricia Copeland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What I love about this book is there is a chance for forgiveness, love and recovery in more ways than one. But there’s more fight you would think as Amanda has two guys to consider. I love that she was able to overcome all of her obstacles and find love but it’s worth a read to see how much she’s been up against.
Is This Me? by Tricia Copeland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I found myself pulled into the pages of this story and couldn’t put it down until I was done.
Amanda is starting her first year of college with her best friends. Since one of them is in a fraternity, and one of them is dating a fraternity member, she finds herself at the frat house her very first night on campus. There, she meets Doug and Zack. She finds herself spending a lot of time with Doug…but he never makes the move to be more than friends. A serious injury has her spending even more time with Doug…and Zack. An almost-kiss on Halloween sends her away from one while bringing her closer to the other. Can Amanda find happiness? Or is she hiding the truth from herself?
I found myself drawn to Amanda. Her character enjoys her independence and finds it hard to adapt when an injury has her relying on others. Her feelings are a mess because she can’t tell if she is being strung along or if she is imagining something that isn’t there. All the supporting characters were enjoyable and I wanted to know more about all of them! I am hoping there will be other books in the series!
Is This Me? by Tricia Copeland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Is This Me? By Tricia Copeland is book one of the Being Me series. I absolutely devoured this book! This book is a coming of age/new adult clean romance.
Amanda is a college freshman and she’s got it all planned out. She doesn’t expect that her plan will be derailed on the first day. Amanda meets up with her friends and is introduced to the brothers at her friend, Mark’, fraternity. Doug and Zach are two people she ends up being pretty close to especially after an accident leaves her needing a lot of assistance from her friends, especially Doug. Even though he’s turned her down, she’s determined to be friends no matter how difficult it is. Zach makes it a little easier though, that and avoiding Doug. Can Amanda withstand all the turmoil she’s facing and make it out unscathed?
I don’t like Doug. I did at first and his develops well but I don’t like him for Amanda. From the beginning, Zach felt more like where Amanda should end up. This book is deep and you can relate to the characters and the feelings. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Black Dog Rising by Kat Caulberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Black Dog Rising by Kat Caulberg was a gripping story! I felt hooked by the supernatural elements and could not put it down. I loved all the twists and turns, it really developed beautifully. I loved Emma and Toby and the wild ride they went on. I was rooting for Emma and really felt connected with her. Toby was a mystery I felt compelled to solve. Acaptivating read with all of my favorite elements!
Is This Me? by Tricia Copeland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the story of Amanda Avery, she is about to start college as a freshman and is looking forward to in one way and in another is dreading the need to be social, so as she is woken up by her sister leaping on her and the smell of pancakes and bacon from her mum cooking breakfast downstairs as her dad went in commander mode and got them all ready to go. As she gets to her room, her best friend asks her to go and see her in her room, she had moved in a little earlier and had already gotten to know some people, she also meets one of her suitemates and they get on well when she goes to sort out her own room. After a few hours of sorting and a family dinner, she is left on her own and agrees to go to orientation with her suitemate, they meet her best friend there and after the obligatory parts, they leave to go to a frat party. She is introduced to some of the other guys, including the President and the Vice President and surprisingly feels comfortable around them, while also admiring how good looking they are, as the event goes on, she tries to find her best friend, but is distracted by one of the guys she met earlier and they end up staying up late discussing shared hobbies, he then proceeds to escort her home and she realises that she had a good time, despite breaking a few of her parents rules.
As her orientation continues and she hangs out with the Fraternity brothers more, she finds that her feelings towards the good looking President start to develop and she is becoming friends with some of the other guys as well, so when she is badgered and eventually convinced to sign up for some of the co-rec sports teams, as well as working out with the frat brothers in the college gym, despite taking a tumble during a flag football game and ending up needing stitches and fainting from the sight of the blood. She is starting to get into a routine with classes, study, working out and being social, but that changes when she gets injured during the first co-rec volleyball game of the season when she crashes into the president and is thrown to the ground where can’t move, there is immeasurable pain in her arm and eventually she blacks out, when she wakes up she is in hospital with the guy she crashed into at her side, after the doctor comes in and explains that she has had to have surgery to pin her arm back into place and to relieve the bleeding on her brain from her head injury. When she is released from the hospital, her friends organise a rotation to look after her and her feelings and emotions are in turmoil as she realises that her recovery will take a lot longer than she originally thought.
How will Amanda be able to deal with the aftermath of this injury while also keeping up with classes and maintaining her GPA, as well as the hot and cold interactions of the guys around her? This is a story of recovery, both emotional and physical, as well as looking into the pressures of coming of age and growing up in America and the experiences that go with it, it is a read that keeps you hooked throughout.
Reviewed by @roxsannel
Hell In A Handbasket by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Hell In A Handbasket by Naomi Valkyrie is the 3rd book in the Life Is Hell series. I love, love, love, this series. The characters are well written and you will want to read them in order to get the best experience of reading about them. There’s action, suspense, romance, the group works as a team, and all in all it keeps my attention. We met both Oren and Teivel in previous books. Oren’s family are Demon Hunters who have lived in Juniper Lake for generations but didn’t receive all the training due to his relatives passing. Teivel is a Demon who has a big attitude. The way these two come to be close and more sure of each other is a great part of the story. You won’t be disappointed!
Anguish by D.M. Earl
Narrated by Nya Simpson
Five Stars
Anguish is the first book in The Journals Trilogy by D.M. Earl. This is the first book I have read/listened to by this author. I have to say this book surprised me. It wasn’t what I was expecting when I stated listening. It was a roller coaster of a ride from the very beginning and it never stopped. Quinn is such a strong woman who suffered greatly. There are some explicit scenes in this book that could be triggers. I listened to this book in one sitting because I just had to know how it ends, but that just left me wanting more. So I will be listening to Vengeance in the near future.
This book was narrated by Nya Simpson and this is the first narration I have listened to by her. Her voice was mellow and easy to listen to. She really brought the characters to life. I look forward to listening to many more books by her.
Review by @sunbarn
Black Dog Rising by Kat Caulberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Black Dog Rising by Kat Caulberg was a good read. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this novel, but I wasn’t disappointed. I was a little thrown off at the beginning, because it felt it was starting off as a historical novel, with some modern items thrown in, until I got further into the novel then the time became a little more clearer. I really enjoyed reading this novel but it didn’t grab me and keep my attention like I was hoping it would. The characters were great and the storyline was good, there just wasn’t anything that popped out to me personally. I really enjoyed the writing style however. I definitely do want to read more from Caulberg in the future though.
Black Dog Rising by Kat Caulberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Black Dog Rising takes place in Ninestone Downs, a sleepy country village where people still whisper of fairies and a hellish phantom canine prowls its streets. The female character, Emma Aubrey, is forced to flee her ex-boyfriend and the vengeful ghost of his dead wife. The male character is Toby Deering and he has no more room in his life for the paranormal. He’s got secrets of his own. This novel is a romance novel with a twist. Kat Caulberg has a wonderful fun imagination and it shows in her writing. I had to reread this novel because it is that good. I do recommend this to anyone who is into paranormal and/or romance.
Bound by Secrets by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Don’t judge a book by its cover alone. While the cover has a great eye catcher, its the blurb that gets you more interested in the novel. While reading this novel, I kept thinking that it is so far from a typical romance novel based on the cover. It has action, sadness, regret, you name it. While the male character may be on the front of the novel, it’s female character that really pulls you in. Who doesn’t like reading about a fragile yet strong female? Amy McKinley is a talented and superb author and her Deadly Isles Op series is just as great.
Black Dog Rising by Kat Caulberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5/5 Stars
Black Dog Rising by Kat Caulberg
This is the first book I’ve read by the author and it was amazing. You’ll want more of Emma and Toby when you are done.
Emma is trying to run from her ex. What she doesn’t know is she’s stepping into another world. It turns out for the best in the end. The quote I chose for Emma is: “I like you, Toby Deering, even if you don’t believe in fairy tales.”
Toby is the innkeeper that has been stuck at his inn since he burned it down. He finds himself drawn to Emma. When things go bad he turns to get. The quote I chose for Toby is: “I’ll look different. You might not like what you see. I’ll not be the pretty man you know me as now.”
Highly recommended for Paranormal Romance lovers.
Linda Gets Her Groove Thing by JD Frettier
Narrated by Hollie Jackson
Five Stars
Linda Gets Her Groove Thing is the second book in The Green Room Chronicles by JD Frettier. This series cracks me up. The short stories are fun to listen to and they make me hope there is a Green Room after death. This book can be listened to as a standalone but you really don’t want to miss the first book because they are both five stars for me. This story had me laughing out loud and I love when books do that.
Hollie Jackson did a great job narrating this book. Her voice and inflection is easy to listen to . She really brings the characters to life.
This is definitely an 18+ book. I can’t wait to read more from this author. Highly recommend.
Review by @sunbarn
At All by Mindy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
At All by Mindy McKinley is the final book in the Adams Brothers series. We all have been waiting to see Seb fall in love because he swore he would never settle down. And boy did Seb not see Maelie coming (literally!).
This was another great story, that has an instant attraction with the slow love/hate burn that will set your e-reader on fire. With, of course, the other Adams brothers giving Seb a hard time about finding the right girl.
I highly recommend this family connected series with lots of laughs and great romantic chemistry.
Reviewed By @jbruno26
View all my reviews
Is This Me? by Tricia Copeland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Amanda is off to college at her dream school. She is planning on focusing on school, but instead she meet Doug, a dreamy senior who she can’t avoid. She is drawn to him even as he tells her there’s nothing there.
This was a quick read. It was a clean coming of age story about a young woman finding herself and falling in love. I thought the author did a nice job of capturing the budding love between Amanda and Doug. I could understand Amanda’s avoidance of situations and it made sense how lack of communication caused so many problems in her life.
I was upset that the story didn’t end how I wanted it to. And I found Amanda hard to relate to and I wasn’t sure why everyone was so drawn to her. There were several times I grew frustrated with her. I wish we had gotten to know more about her friendships especially since some of the friends were supposed to have been life long friends. Doug was kind of boring and brooding and his indecisiveness made me tire of him quickly. They’re relationship didn’t seem like a particularly healthy example for young readers. However, I thought Tyler was fun and lovable, and I wanted so much more for his character. This is a guilty pleasure book and I will probably want to read the next one.
Night Justice (A Chicago Vigilantes Novel Book 1) Audio Book by India Kells
4 Stars!!!!
I have no listened to the audio book and I have to admit that it really does add to the book and experience.
The narrator does such a great job not only with different accents and voices but also with emotion and feeling
in the reading. I really find the choice of narrator a good choice. Sometimes it can be a toss whether or
not audio will add but in this case it definitely did. I really enjoyed this second reading of the book
and as in most cases found new things that I had overlooked when reading the normal book.
I have read another series by this author and I have to say that I was not let down with this new
series. I really like the author’s style and find her plot very original. I also like how the characters
just really come to life and just seem to jump off of the page.
I like how there is drama and intrigue along with romance. All the elements are very balanced and the
book really just flows. I was not able to put it down. I really like how Orla works with the vigilanty and
how their connection blooms. I like how there is a crime element to the romance and that both genres
really blend together to a great start to a series. I will read more from this author in the future and this
series.
Review by @caraleeloonat
Capturing Fate by Abbie Roads
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow where to start with this book. There is literally such going on that it takes you on an amazing rollercoaster of a ride. Just when you think you have it worked out it changes again taking you up and dropping you down. The characters are really well written then you feel completely invested in their story and emotions.
Daughter is a successful psychiatrist. She knows she’s been adopted but little does she realise her father is a serial killer. When she find out it turns her world upside down and with a threat to kill her family she tells no one her secret.
Dolan works with the FBI. He’s certain something strange is going on with regards to the serial killer as there seems to be more bodies turning up but no one believes him. He is sent to a psychiatrist to work through his issues and that’s when he meets Daughter.
The twos story is entwined long before they meet and their futures are even more twisted together. However there is a lot of heartache, despair, fear and eventually happiness along their journey with makes it a story you can’t put down.
Learning to Live: An Enemy to Lovers Ugly Cry by Kira Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this enemy to lovers story. This is a romance story that will pull at your heart strings and keep you turning pages at the same time. This is a great story that has characters that not only bring the story to life on the pages but also made the story pop. This is Ciera and Topher’s story. Their story is one of healing, hope and love. One is broken and learns that it is okay to live and what that means for them. The other is determined to help heal and teach life. Their story is emotional with ups and downs. They have great chemistry and they just made a great story. I highly recommend this book.
Review by @bjwagner
