Posts

Under Jackson Bridge by Susan Specht Oram – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Under Jackson Bridge: A thriller (Beyond the Bridge Book 1)Under Jackson Bridge: A thriller by Susan Specht Oram
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Irena goes on a boat to celebrate the promotion of one of their friends. Joined with her is ex-husband Jack, their daughter Kelly, and Irena’s new boyfriend Buzz. What started as a celebration quickly turned sour when things were tense between the whole lot of them. Jack was in a sour mood and refused to listen to the boat rules or appear to even care. The water turns choppy quickly and Jack refuses to join them in the cabin. Irena goes out to at least make him wear a life jacket and instead the duo go overboard. Irena makes it back to the boat but there is no sign of Jack anywhere.

Irena makes it her mission to find her ex dead or alive for the sake of their daughter and for closure. She searches the waters, his apartment and everywhere in between and does not come up empty handed. Unfortunately all clues are pointing at something more secretive than Irena imagined. She learns that not all is as it seems and everyone has secrets. She doesn’t know who to trust anymore. Even Buzz is starting to show red flags. Irena has to get to the bottom of Jack’s disappearance if she wants to get closure for her and her daughter whether it be good or bad.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. The plot has potential but I couldn’t really get into it because it was very repetitive and the characters were dull in my opinion. None of the characters had much of a personality other than a glimpse here and there making it hard for me to connect to anyone. The story was written mostly in Irena’s POV but every so often you got another character’s POV to see their side of things more clearly.

View all my reviews

The Ghostly Diva (Divine Vintage Series) by Sandra L. Young – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

The Ghostly Diva (Divine Vintage)The Ghostly Diva by Sandra L. Young
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Ghostly Diva is the 3rd and final book of the ‘Divine Vintage Series’ but can be read as a stand alone. I have read all three and in my opinion, this one is my favourite.

Justine is invited to the estate of the late Liza Maddox, a small town actress, by her son named Jackson. She specializes in vintage fashion and cannot turn down the opportunity to find some unique antiques. When a snow storm hits, blocking Justine from leaving the estate, she finds herself trapped with the rude Jackson Maddox. Justine tries her hardest not to think too much of this. She came here on business and can keep this overnight stay professional. Fate has a different plan.

After finding some letters Liza wrote hinting at Jackson’s parentage, he lets his walls down with the help of alcohol in front of Justine showing her a side of him no one else has seen. Things start to get heated between the duo but Justine shuts it down quickly.

Liza is making her appearance known to Justine. She wants her to help her son get closure so Justine makes it her personal mission to find out who Jackson’s father might be. She may just be a small town girl living in a lonely world (haha) but she wants to change that and herself for the better.

Meanwhile Jackson just wants to get the estate dealt with and move on but he has weird memories attached to the house and is having difficult processing. It doesn’t help that his mind keeps wandering to thoughts of Justine.

I really liked this book. Small town girl meets big city boy. Justine is shy and caring while Jackson is angsty and rude. You would think they would not be good for each other but I found myself rooting for them the whole time.

View all my reviews

A Song of Salt and Secrets (Mythic Academy Collection) by Amanda Marin – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

A Song of Salt and Secrets (Mythic Academy Collection)A Song of Salt and Secrets by Amanda Marin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Corisande is a monster in her eyes. A siren without complete control. One day while singing her song at sea, she didn’t notice a boat until it was too late. The sailor had heard her song and was now heading towards the rock to his doom. Feeling guilty, Corisande rushed to help the sailor only to find out he was a handsome boy her own age named Noah. She did all she could and called for help.

Corisande tried to get Noah out of her mind but she couldn’t. She wanted to make sure he lived. She travelled to the hospital. Noah remembered her and the song. There was a rumour that if someone lives through the Siren’s song, the siren would die instead. She knows she should move on with her life but she just can’t seem to say goodbye. It’s hard to tell if feelings are genuine or if this is the curse at play. Once Noah finds out what Corisande really is, that will put her whole school in jeopardy. Plus who would love a monster who tried to kill you?

This was a cute stand alone novella geared towards young adults. A slow budding but forbidden romance between an unlikely duo.

View all my reviews

The School of Nine (Mythic Academy Collection) by Amanda Marin – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

The School of Nine (The Mythic Academy Collection, #1)The School of Nine by Amanda Marin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bianca Harper is a legacy at Brightling Academy due to her family lineage. Being a muse, there is a certain standard to follow. When she finds out she is flunking Poise and Charm class and close to not graduating, she is willing to do anything to pass. The Headmistress tells Bianca that if she takes the new student, Sebastian, under her wing, it would count as extra credit.

Sebastian is the only male in the entire school. He is loving the attention he is getting from all the girls. Bianca is immediately annoyed and thinks he is a jerk.

When bad things start happening around the town, mostly targeting the arts that the muses are trained to protect, Bianca and Sebastian team up to figure out who and why would someone do this. Bianca’s best friend is suspicious of Sebastian. All of the trouble started when he first arrived at the school but Bianca is getting blinded by her potential feelings for him. There is an unfulfilled prophecy of the destruction of the ‘Well of Imagination’. All signs point to someone trying to speed up that prophecy. It’s up to Bianca to stop the prophecy from happening while also trying to keep up with her classes.

This was a fast paced filled with action. The premise of a school full of muses was unique and I really enjoyed that aspect. Bianca is a take action now, deal with consequences later kind of girl but she was also calm and caring. I could see myself befriending her if I went to her school.

View all my reviews

Sure as Hell (Life is Hell Series Book 4) by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Sure As Hell (Life is Hell #4)Sure As Hell by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After Jaru was treated poorly in the past by previous “masters”, he decided to start his own business for companions to make sure they are kept safe. Jaru knows he has a lot to take on but with the help of Teivel and Oren, he can do anything he sets his mind to. When trouble starts appearing within the business, Jaru doesn’t want to be bailed out like always. He wants to prove to himself he can do this… alone. He hires Soren to keep an eye on the boys under his management.

Lark misses his best friend. Now that Jaru is always gone, Lark finds himself lonely and bored which is a bad combination for him. Boredom leads to mischief and mischief leads to getting in trouble with the other housemates. Lark decides to start hanging around the office with Jaru. As they get to know each other better, they start to cross over the line of staying platonic.

Jaru has very little self esteem so he is constantly questioning himself and as a result is questioning whether he is good enough for Lark. When threats towards Lark come to light, Jaru must find a way to keep Lark safe while fighting his own inner demons.

This book is book 4 of the ‘Life is Hell’ series and although it has less action than the previous books, this one was my favourite. Jaru is riddled with self doubt and anxiety making him feel unworthy which hit close to home for me. His anxiety gets so severe at times that he starts getting manic. Lark at first seems like a childish adolescent when you are introduced to him but as time goes on, he starts to mature into a caring, strong, independent and powerful being. I was happy that Jaru had a chance to find his happily ever after.

View all my reviews

Breaking Apart (Finnerty and Liccione Mystery Series) by Wanda Venters, MD and Mary Rae, MD – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Breaking Apart (A Finnerty and Liccione Mystery, #2)Breaking Apart by Wanda J. Venters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After the chaos that ensued in the first book of the series, Louise and Marnie both decided they needed a career change. They both decided to care for veterans. On Marnies first day at her new job, she parks beside a truck and has blood all over it. Jumping into doctor mode, she breaks the window to find a young man, named Josh, dead. The clues all point to Josh taking his own life.

Louise is coming to Denver for a course during the summer and will be staying with Marnie. All Louise wants is to do her course and decompress after the horrible events that happened last year. Marnie has another plan. After talking to the widow of Josh, Marnie thinks that there might be more to the story.

With not much to go on, Marnie still thinks that maybe Josh’s death was potentially murder. Marnie and Louise will once again have to band together with their knowledge and figure out the cause of death of this young veteran while juggling everyday life.

This book, in my opinion, was much better than the first one in the series. It was more fast paced and you got to know more about Louise and Marnie. There were less background characters making this book a lot easier to follow and stay engaged.

This book hit close to home. My husband is a young veteran and although he never served in war, he saw and heard a lot he shouldn’t have. When he was discharged, he was really depressed and had PTSD. He started drinking heavily, spending all his money. He admitted that he was planning on ending it once the money was gone. At the time we were close friends and not dating yet but it was still very painful to watch him go down that destructive path. Luckily he got some help and is doing a lot better today.

View all my reviews

Break Bone Fever (Finnerty and Liccione Mystery Series) by Wanda Venters, MD and Mary Rae, MD – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Break Bone Fever (A Finnerty and Liccione Mystery, #1)Break Bone Fever by Mary Rae
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Louise is just finishing up her shift at the emergency department at the hospital when the body of one of her dearest friends shows up DOA. Gennifer Drake washed up on shore and was found in the early morning. Louise is instantly devastated and knows she will have to call their other close friend Marnie.

Marnie, still getting over the death of her husband, takes the news of Gens death weirdly okay. She feels like she has to investigate her death and hops on a plane to Texas to help Louise solve this case. Both girls suspect foul play. The question is why? Could it be because Gen was transgender or could it have something to do with her research pertaining to health concerns caused by mosquitoes and global warming?

They team up with Chris, a news reporter (and Marnies potential new love interest) and a detective by the name of Iliana Sudhan to get to the bottom of this mystery. With multiple motives and suspects, they have a hard time narrowing it down. As time goes on, a target is drawn on them next. They will have to figure it out soon before someone else gets hurt.

I really enjoyed the 2 main characters, Louise is calm, sweet and intelligent. Marnie is also intelligent but she is more sassy and excitable comparatively. They balanced each other out nicely. My only issue with the book is the amount of people being introduced. There were a lot of different characters’ background stories plus their families background stories and in my opinion it was unnecessary. It made the book drag on in some places making it hard to keep engaged and to keep track of who’s who.

View all my reviews

Master Oradea (Masters of the Consulate Book 10) by Sylvia Black – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Master Oradea (Masters of the Consulate #10)Master Oradea by Sylvia Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The rogues are still on the run and this time they have entered Master Oradea’s territory. The masters are getting restless. Everytime they think they have the rogues cornered, they always get away. It seems they are always one step ahead of the Masters and their team.

The vampires decide to try to align themselves with the local human mafia but all that does is put a target on their backs, especially the little sister of the group named Natalia. Oradea does not want this beautiful innocent girl in the crossfire so he takes her under his protection. Instantly there is some tension between the two but Oradea is trying not to let it affect the job he has to do or the promise he made to Natalia’s brothers. She is off limits. Too bad she doesn’t care what her brothers say. Natalia just wants to be able to look after herself for once. That includes who she can and cannot have relations with.

They seem to be closing in on the rogues and their leader but once again, they evade the vampires and go into the next masters territory, setting things up for the next book of the series.

After 10 books, you think the author would be running out of storyline and personalities to write about but Sylvia Black still has lots to say. The author hasn’t lulled at all even this far into the series. The love stories are romantic and steamy and the sub plot keeps you hooked to see what happens next! I can’t wait until the next book!

View all my reviews

Hell in a Handbasket (Life is Hell Series Book 3) by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Hell in a Handbasket (Life is Hell #3)Hell in a Handbasket by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is book 3 of the ‘Life is Hell’ series. Although you can read each book as a standalone, you are introduced to the characters in book 1. I recommend reading each book to get a better understanding of everyone’s personality. Plus, Naomi Valkyrie is awesome, as are all their books.

Teivel came to Juniper Lake as a one-time thing to hunt witches. After meeting Oren, he keeps making excuses to go back to the small town. He has no idea why though. He is a demon and Oren is a demon hunter. Their relationship is a big no-no and should be doomed from the start. Regardless, sparks ignite when these two are around each other.

Oren is interested but he thinks Teivel isn’t because he is emotionally distant and honestly kind of a jerk. No one can get through Teivels walls he put up around his heart. As a tracker demon, Teivel is always leaving with no notice which makes things even harder for him to open up. When a defenceless being appears on their doorstep. relationships are tested and the group of friends will have to band together to save the day once again.

When I was first introduced to Teivel, I did not like him much nor did I want him with Oren. Teivel appears to be a selfish and sarcastic jerk while Oren cares about others and seems sweet. They do not seem like a good match. As time went on and I got to know Teivel more and learn more about why he is how he is, I started to warm up to his character.

Naomi Valkyrie always writes their characters with such strong, unique personalities that you can’t help but fall in love with each one. I am excited for the new members of the clan and can’t wait to see where the author brings me next.

View all my reviews

Queen of the Fairies by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Queen of the FairiesQueen of the Fairies by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a cute and simple book about what the narrator thought fairies were like. She wants to write specifically about the Queen of the Fairies but doesn’t want the other fairies to feel left out. The narrator writes about good fairies and bad. She wonders what would happen of the Queen of the fairies got ahold of her book and read it. Would she like it?

I have said it before and I will say it again, I wish Lois Wickstrom was around when my son was younger. He would have loved all of their stories I have read so far.

It is a very simple and easy to read book making it great for kids of a younger age.

View all my reviews

Loris Opens Up His Heart (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Loris Opens Up His HeartLoris Opens Up His Heart by Dagmara Sitek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Inaya and Cam are excited to be getting a new foster brother named Loris. Unfortunately Loris wants nothing to do with them. Being used to the foster system, they realize he may just need time to adjust.

As time goes on, Loris still isn’t opening up to them. That is until Cam gets bullied and Loris stands up to the bully. After that Loris tells his foster siblings his story. He realizes that fear was standing in his way of forming new relationships and it’s time to let those fears go.

This story packed a punch. The illustrations are very nicely done and the story itself is quite powerful. It teaches kids about kindness and emotions. There are little to no kids books about abuse and/or foster care which makes this book a gem.

View all my reviews

Hell Hath No Fury (Life is Hell Series) by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Hell Hath No Fury (Life is Hell #2)Hell Hath No Fury by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book takes place shortly after the first book in the series and although it could be read as a stand alone, you get to know the characters and subplots a lot more in the first book.

Millicent knows that her co-worker and boss are hiding information from her. Two murders and a missing person doesn’t just solve itself but it seems like they know more about the cases then they let on. After a bit, she can’t stand being left out and demands answers. Thus she is introduced to the supernatural world.

Being thrust into a world where the woman you are interested in is actually a demon is crazy enough but then a magical stalker on top of that?! Millicent thinks she’s going insane. She goes to Delilah for help.

Sheridan is not the relationship type, especially since she is a hedonism demon, but there’s something about Millicent that makes her want to try. Once they make their interest for each other known, Millicent’s stalker targets Sheridan as well, giving her an ultimatum.

Would Millicent be better off without Sheridan or will the budding romance conquer all? Including a stalker.

I really enjoyed Sheridan’s bubbly and hyper personality in the first book so when I heard this installment is about her love story, I was super excited. I am happy to announce that I was not disappointed.

I have said it many times before, I love Naomi Valkyrie!

View all my reviews

Sugar & Spice (Spicetopia Series) by Phoebe Alexander – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Sugar & Spice (Spicetopia #1)Sugar & Spice by Phoebe Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cyrus Sweet (Cy for short) is the youngest of the sweet family. He is known to be a party boy who travels the world on mommy and daddys dime. The Sweet family own a medieval themed theme park called ‘Sweetopia’. Cys parents catch wind that one of their employees is holding secret meetings badmouthing the Sweet family and how they treat those who work for them. Mr. Sweet threatens Cy to go undercover and out those employees or he will be cut off from the family and his inheritance. Cy has no other option if he wants to continue his lifestyle.

He is put undercover as a temp working in the bakery by the name of Marcus and he’s British. Cy meets the Red Velvet queen who works down the hall and is instantly attracted to her. She is gorgeous and he decides right then and there he must have her.

Jolie may play the part of the Red Velvet Queen but in real life she is a single mother of 2 kids, one of which is ill. She has a second job as a dominatrix just to make ends meet. When the new young temp Marcus shows an interest in her, she decides to have some fun with him as the queen because no way would he like the real Jolie right?

The chemistry is strong between the two of them. They are both playing a part so no way can this go outside of the workplace. Jolie hates the Sweet family with a passion, no way would she willingly be with one. At least that’s what they keep telling themselves.

This book was steamy without being vulgar. Jolie is caring, sweet, strong, independent and sassy. I love the way she thinks and talks. Since she is 32 years old and a mom, I found her really easy to resonate with. At first I disliked Cys character but after a while and some character growth, I found him adorable and caring. The author did a good job with this trope giving it their own flare.

View all my reviews

Touched: Elemental Passions Book One by Skye Turner, Sloane Nicole, April D. Berry, C.J. Pinard, Danielle Jamie, Darlene Tallman, Julie Morgan, Livell James, Machelle Hanleigh, and Melissa MacKinnon – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Touched (Elemental Passions #1)Touched by Skye Turner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Aeris has always been fascinated by humans. Being Fae meant always being hidden. She spends most of her days in the human world, observing their everyday lives. Keeping her glamour up meant she could walk along the humans without being seen. That is until Callum enters. For some odd reason a very handsome man by the name of Callum was able to see her. Thinking it was a one time thing, Aeris fled.

After that encounter, Aeris couldn’t get the stranger out of her mind. She decided to forget about him and move on. Fate had a different idea when Callum hit her with his car.

At the scene of the accident, Callum was freaking out. He had just hit the woman he has been wondering about since they met. Once he realized no one else was reacting to the accident, he saw that no one could even see this beautiful stranger. Not only that but her wounds are healed?

After that, they could not just forget and move on. Callum wanted to know everything about Aeris and Aeris was willing to risk it all for a human.

Aeris has no idea what has come over her. She will stop at nothing to see Callum again, even if it means betraying her family and home. Her family seem to have something against this particular human in general and Aeris is determined to find out why. Could they be kindred mates?

This book is the first book in the Elemental Passions series written by various authors. It was full of romance and was steamy with enough mystery to keep it intriguing as well. I really enjoyed Aeris as a character. She was headstrong, sassy, confident and passionate. I am rooting for love to conquer all that is thrown towards this unlikely couple.

View all my reviews

Kris & The Pirates (The Adventures of Kris) by Art Blegen – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Kris & The Pirates: The Adventures of KrisKris & The Pirates: The Adventures of Kris by Art Blegen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kris is supposed to go to a costume party later on in the day. She doesn’t want to go therefore she didn’t get a costume ready. She decided to just wear her Halloween costume that is now too small. Her father suggests going as a pirate since that appears to be a quick and easy costume but Kris insists that she hates pirates.

Kris settles into a book where she fully immerses herself into it and finds herself sailing the seas with some sailors. They find an island close by to go swimming. Little did they know that this island was full of pirates ready to capture the crew and steal their ship.

Kris is the only one who got away so it is up to her to rescue her fellow crew mates. Kris has to face her fear of pirates if she wants to return home. She meets some animal friends along the way to help her.

This book was very vividly written. The author went into such beautiful detail about the surrounding areas that it was easy to see myself there with Kris. I also really liked how the author gave the animals personalities close to their actual animal traits, throwing in some information about animals along this adventure.

View all my reviews

Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Timmy, Arthur and Beth are tasked with finding a time capsule that is almost 200 years old by their old favourite teacher, Mrs. Vance. The capsule originally was supposed to be dug up 100 years ago. When the mayor at that time announced it would continue to be buried for another 100 years, Mrs. Vance’s grandmother had it dug up from its original place and buried it elsewhere. Now all they have to go by is an old map and the fading memory of Mrs. Vance. If they find the capsule within a certain time limit, they will get $1000.

Timmy agrees to look after Mrs. Vances dog, Cody, while she is in the hospital. Little did they know that Cody would be a great help to the mission. She can speak in morse code using her tail, she can track, she can even tell you your fortune. This dog can do it all! The trio plus Cody run around town finding clues and codes that seem to bring them around in circles but they are determined. Will the group find the capsule on time?

I have read some of Lois Wickstroms other books geared towards children and every time I find myself wishing they were around when I was a kid. The topics and plots they write are so fun and original and even in my 30s I find myself enjoying most of what Lois writes.

I absolutely loved Cody! She sounded like a giant sweetheart who was too intelligent for her own good. I would have been all for having my fortune told by that cutie!

View all my reviews

Web of Evil (Hani’s Daughter Mysteries) by N.L. Holmes – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Web of Evil (Hani's Daughter Mysteries Book 2)Web of Evil by N.L. Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Neferet and Bener-ib are back with another mystery on their hands. While visiting Neferet’s family home, her father shows up with a corpse found in the water. Upon investigating, the women find the cause of death to be a blow to the head. Not sure if accidental or on purpose, Neferet is assuming murder.

Neferet and Bener-ib head into the town to identify the body. Turns out, everyone knew the victim but also everyone hated him for some reason or another.

Everyone is a suspect and it’s up to Neferet to narrow down the lists. She doesn’t know what are truths and what are lies as they get tangled information along the way.

Neferet has grown a lot from the first book of the series but she is still a fiery, stubborn yet kind woman. She is intelligent and quick to come to conclusions. This time around, it was easier for me to keep track of names. I love how Neferet will fight for what’s right even when no one else will!

View all my reviews

Flowers of Evil (Hani’s Daughter Mysteries) by N.L. Holmes – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Flowers of Evil (Hani's Daughter Mysteries Book 1)Flowers of Evil by N.L. Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Neferet and Bener-ib are two young women who are skilled healers. They opened up their own practice in hopes to help all those who need it. Unfortunately, another healer spread lies and rumors about the duo causing them to not have any patients. It doesn’t help that this book is set in ancient Egypt times, where women are usually seen and not heard.

To make things even more difficult for the women, their first patient is a dying man who cannot be saved. Someone murdered him. Neferet takes it upon herself to follow in her father’s footsteps and find out who did it.

The journey is a hard one. No one will take her seriously without a male present. Even her own father seems against Neferet doing this. She will stop at nothing to find justice for the man and to prove herself to everyone in the process.

I enjoyed this book. The author wrote a strong willed woman, trying to end sexist stereotypes and I was all for it. Neferet is intelligent and caring. She helps anyone without prejudice. She even takes in strays, whether it’s an animal or even orphan children.

Bener-ib mostly just followed Neferet around and acted as a wallflower but it worked for them.

My only downfall for this book is all of the difficult but yet similar names. I found it tough to keep track of names of the secondary characters.

I am excited about what the author is going to do for book 2 in the series!

View all my reviews

The Archcrusade: Tome One (The Archcrusade Series) by K. M. Hogenson – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

The Archcrusade: Tome One: The Archspawn - Pilgrimage & PropheciesThe Archcrusade: Tome One: The Archspawn – Pilgrimage & Prophecies by K.M. Hogenson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

With so many different points of view, it’s hard to really write a good synopsis. It seems that Basil is mostly the main character, since a prophecy of his arrival has been told. His mother was a slave, she begged the mage who was helping her deliver Basil, as a baby, to either kill him or take him away to have a good and safe life. The mage then took him under his wing as an apprentice. Along the way, Basil has to discover who he is and who he is meant to be.

This book was too long and dense in my opinion. With over 1300 pages and like 30 POV’s from very different and complex characters, I found it very difficult to keep track of everything going on. Everyone had their own sub plot and their own personality traits. The author put a lot of detail and effort into each character and their background stories, which is an amazing feat in itself, but also made it hard to immerse myself into the world.

I did enjoy all of the diversity that the author created. Mages, vampires, demons plus many more. The author did a wonderful job with world building and I was fond of that aspect. The book has a lot of potential. It was interesting but would be received better if there were less characters introduced during this debut novel to the series. I am hoping the next installment will be smaller in more ways than one.

View all my reviews

No Rest for the Wicked (Life is Hell Series) by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

No Rest for the Wicked (Life is Hell #1)No Rest for the Wicked by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Delilah is a demon who lives in the city and owns a bar. She also is a killer but a killer with morals. She hunts bad people. Even demons need a break sometime. To get away from it all, Delilah goes to the small town of Juniper lake and rents a cabin. She longs for a mundane vacation.

Unfortunately, life has other plans. After a couple nights of feeling the tug of a summoning spell, Delilah decides to find out who keeps trying to summon her and unexpectedly gets bound to a trio of witches. Her vacation quickly gets turned to work when she is given a list of tasks to do. It also doesn’t help that Delilah seems to be drawn to the towns sheriff, Malakahi. No way could their relationship work… right?

Delilah has to try to break the bonds if she wants to go back to her vacation time but it may be harder than it looks. Especially when Malakahi seems to be everywhere.

I loved the premise of a demon wanting to settle down, it gives them a bit of humanity. Delilah may be a demon but she still seemed like a caring and sassy sweetheart. I really enjoyed her character.

Naomi Valkyrie is such an amazing writer. I literally have added most of their books to my to be read list. They have such a unique and vivid way of writing. It’s never a dull moment no matter which of their books you read. Can’t wait to read the second book of this series!

View all my reviews

Basil (Silver Springs Pets Series) by K. Rose – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Basil (Silver Springs Pets, #7)Basil by K. Rose
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

At the very beginning of this book, Basil wakes up in the hospital not knowing where she is. She claims she feels weird and then the doctor starts panicking, mentioning that her eyes are bleeding. Basil knows she has to get out of there. She super-speeds to her lab (she is a biomedical engineer) to find out what is happening to her. All signs point to vampirism. The catch, she’s a vegan. She creates a serum that mimics blood so she would not have to feed off of anything living.

While Basil is researching her new found life, she comes across a dark web for supernaturals and finds a town called Silver Springs that seem to favour supernatural beings. Basil thinks it’s a great place to start a new life from and finds a place with a store front.

As Basil and her new friend/employee prepare for the grand opening, Basil meets some of the handsome supernatural men she will soon be seeing much more of. She went from having no one to having a family. When vampire hunters track her down, she has to maneuver everything while keeping them safe. She will have to trust those around her and open her heart to love.

I loved how the author wrote this book. It is written in first person and Basil is a blast. She’s sassy, quirky, smart, and relatively calm in tense situations. It comes across well in the writing. Basil was able to take a bad thing that happened to her and turn it into a blessing. I feel like Basil and I could be friends in real life.

This book is technically book 9 of the ‘Silver Springs Pets series’ but can be read as a stand alone. This is my first time reading a book written by K. Rose but after this one, won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this book and feel like I will enjoy more from this author!

View all my reviews

It Comes From Within (House Valdis Series) by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

It Comes From Within (House Valdis #2)It Comes From Within by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After Xenobia and her crew took out Javier and Kade in the first book of this series, she acquired the house that was led by Kade. She thought that things would finally settle down after all the small details were sorted and the members loyal to Kade weeded out. Little did she know that this was just the beginning of something bigger and badder coming their way.

A secret blood den ran by someone calling themselves the White Queen has emerged and is creating new vampires in the process. It’s up to Xen to shut it down if she wants peace within her house. She is also still trying to get a hang of the bond she formed with Matt and Onyx, maintain a relationship with Chi, train the girls who have different powers thanks to Xens blood, while having forgotten memories emerge. One more thing and Xenobia may just fall apart. She has to tap into her mental strength to be able to take all this on, luckily she is not alone this time.

I have said it before and I will say it again… I love love LOVE this author. They have such a weird and unique perspective that reflects in all of their writing. Nothing like reading about a badass female main character who can take on the world and never give up. Not to mention all of the different supernatural beings and elements added in!

I also really like how the author is taking the relationship between Xenobia and the men really slow. It shows the character arc of slowly gaining trust after being abused in the past. It also shows patience and loyalty on the men’s side of things. I am a huge fan of this whole polyamorous thing they have going on.

View all my reviews

Outcast (Her Royal Harem: Ember) by Catherine Banks – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Outcast (Her Royal Harem: Ember Book 1)Outcast by Catherine Banks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ember has a relatively peaceful life. She lives in the woods by herself in a cabin treating wounded animals, shifters and hybrids. Lately more and more hybrids are being dumped at her door for healing. The city that is close to her cabin hates hybrids so she assumes it’s the townspeople hurting the hybrids.

Recently there have been a few male hybrids that have needed her and Ember gets a taste of what it would be like if she wasn’t alone. She’s used to healing and then saying goodbye when they decide to go back to whatever life they had before they got hurt. These guys seem to want to stick around and Ember does not mind it one bit. Actually, she wants them to stay and be with her.

All her life Ember thought she was just a mere mage but recently she finds out that there is more to her than she thought. Her whole life seems to have been a lie. There’s also someone cursing animals and people to try to take Ember out and only her blood seems to be the cure.

The Hybrid Prince shows up to help Ember and instantly they are drawn to each other. Ember is more and more confused. How can she be interested in 4 men all at once? How will it work out? Who is trying to kill her? Who and what is Ember? So many questions that Ember will have to fight to find the answers too.

I really enjoyed Ember’s character growth. She came from an unloving home believing she deserved to be unloved, never to be mated. It takes her awhile to trust people fully but when she does, she would do anything for them. Ember’s parents kept a lot of secrets and finding out some of them really messed with how Ember identified herself so she had to work hard to find herself all over again. She is strong, caring, genuine and not to mention, a badass.

This book wasn’t as steamy as I thought it was going to be, which is okay with me. It is a reverse harem but they all seem to genuinely care about each other without it being about intimacy all the time that in itself is refreshing. The author wrote a wonderful plot and side stories along the way filled with action and twists and turns to keep you engaged at all times. They also did a great job of making each character their own. Each with their own shifter animal, personality, strengths and weaknesses which made it easier to connect with each one.

View all my reviews

The Scottish Play (Polyam Fam Series) by Phoebe Alexander – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

The Scottish Play (PolyAm Fam Book 1)The Scottish Play by Phoebe Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Molly has to stage a play she wrote for her final project for grad school. She wrote a play where the main character is a rugged Scottish man. When all of the people who auditioned didn’t suit the part, Poe, Molly’s girlfriend, suggested Lachlan since he was a handsome Scotsman working in the school. Poe convinces Lachlan to go hear Molly out. He agrees to help her out with the play but has little experience in acting. Lachlan is instantly interested in Molly’s look. She’s bright, colourful, and curvy. When he finds out she has a girlfriend, he is disappointed and tries to be good.

Molly is a bi woman in a polyamorous relationship. Although she has not been with a man since highschool, she can’t help but feel attracted to Lachlan. At first, Molly tries her hardest to maintain a director-actor relationship, but the tension is strong between them plus her polycule keep cheering her on to go for it.

After she gives into her feelings, sparks fly. The couple work well together. Although Molly had some trepidations about being with a man again, he exceeded her expectations in more ways than one.

I loved Molly as a character. She is sweet and her childhood/teenhood actually resembles mine a lot which made me feel connected to her as a person. I have always been on the curvy side while my best friends were skinny. I was bypassed by some boys because of this. I also cannot be myself with a lot of my family members. I found myself rooting for Molly.

To be honest, I didn’t really like Poe that much. It seemed like she wanted a polyamorous relationship that mostly benefited her. When Molly started opening up about her time spent with others, it was like Poe was constantly trying to one up her or something. Then again, it could just be their dynamic. To each its own.

View all my reviews

Divinely Dramatic (Divine Vintage Series) by Sandra L. Young – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Divinely Dramatic (Divine Vintage Series, #2)Divinely Dramatic by Sandra L. Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book of the ‘Divine Vintage series’ but can be read as a stand alone. The first book was mainly about Tess while this one is about Marcy.

Marcy took on a job for her friend to costume a period-era play. Upon arrival, she is met with reluctance from the director, Mike. Marcy has a talent for reading auras and his aura was always red with annoyance around her. On top of that, the first time she enters the area where she will be working, she sees what can only be described as a ghostly aura. She enlists help from Tess, who has the gift of visions from clothing and they set off to try and discover who passed away and how.

The lead role of the play is suddenly open and it’s up to Marcy to fill that role. Being the artist she is, no way can she pass up this opportunity. So now she has three tasks at hand, plus there seems to be some electricity between Mike and Marcy even though they are opposites. Even though he technically has a girlfriend, it doesn’t stop the confusing feelings coming from both ends.

Will Marcy be able to complete her original job, steal the show, help the ghost, AND get the man?

I enjoyed the first book of this series which was actually the debut novel but I found the speech a little stiff in some areas. This book was written much better speech wise. Again the author was able to make vintage fashion exciting and mysterious with a splash or romance. The main characters have unique abilities which makes it much more intriguing to read.

View all my reviews

The Rise of House Valdis (House Valdis Series) by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

The Rise of House Valdis (House Valdis #1)The Rise of House Valdis by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s been seven years since Xenobias best friend, Urd, was murdered right in front of her. In a rage, Xenobia ended up killing everyone involved. She has tried to move on not wanting to be a killer but when she sees women being mistreated, she can’t control her rage. Xenobia is not human. She is an alien from another world. Her true form being blue hair with black hair and black eyes. She also has powers. She can tap into people’s emotions.

When Xenobia witnesses a young woman being abused by two men, Xen loses control and pours guilt into them causing them to end each other’s lives. The woman being in rough shape and unconscious, Xen decides to bring her back home to heal her.

A police officer, named Matthew, shows up with questions for Xenobia. He knows she isn’t what she appears to be and she knows more about the case than she lets on. Xenobia has taken it upon herself to be a healer and mentor to all kinds of different women but only her closest friend knows what she truly is. It may be time that Xenobia shows her true self to save these women once and for all but at what risk?

I loved the prequel that was a novella of Xenobia’s Origin. You do not need to read it to follow along with this book but if you want to know more about Urd and Xenobia’s life, I recommend reading it! Meanwhile, this book was even better. Naomi Valkyrie is an amazing writer. They know how to hook you right from the beginning and keep you hooked throughout the book. This author is quickly raising themselves up to one of my top 3 authors I love!

View all my reviews

Perfect Office Pact (Perfect Romance Series) by Maria Jane – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Perfect Office PactPerfect Office Pact by Maria Jane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mira thinks she is on the track of having everything she ever wanted. A long term boyfriend whom she thinks she loves and wants a future with, and she landed a job in one of the best Realty companies out there. The only issue is her boss.

Mira’s boss is a pompous jerk according to her. He was her professor when she took Real Estate classes and he seemed to get annoyed by every little thing she did so why would he hire her? She doesn’t want to question it but when it seems as if he still dislikes her, she starts questioning his motives. It seems as if Mira can’t get out of her own head and starts self sabotaging her relationship, she questions her boyfriends commitment to her. She blames the fact that she never knew her father as being the culprit of why she feels unlovable.

Declan appears as a narcissist but in reality he is just reserved with strong defenses around him. What Mira saw as hints of annoyance was actually hints of annoyance to his feelings about her. He shouldn’t like Mira that way since she is basically the opposite of him but he can’t help it. He crosses a line out of genuine care but Mira doesn’t see it that way and blackmails him to take her under his wing in the Realty world or else she will tell everyone what he did. Things are very strained and tense between the two. Declan needs to tell her how he feels but will she feel the same?

Honestly, I hated Mira’s character. She is judgemental and childish. Throughout the book she was all over the place. She would say one thing and then change her mind. Her thoughts were so repetitive that I started getting annoyed with her character quite early in the book. Mira mentions 3 guys at the beginning of the book that at first I had no idea who the love interest was actually going to be.

I was interested in Declan, he remained a mystery for the most part. You only receive glimpses of the real Declan as time goes on, but underneath he seems like a sweet guy who just had his broken so hes slow to open up.

View all my reviews

Curse of the Forbidden Island by C.A. King – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Curse of Forbidden IslandCurse of Forbidden Island by C.A. King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Selene is running out of job prospects and is on her way to being homeless and broke. She finds what appears to be an ad for her dream job. A well paying job that is only a couple hours a day/three times a week, free food and housing and on a tropical island?! It has to be too good to be true.

Once Selene arrives, she finds out the Island is owned by six gorgeous men but there are rumours that the island is cursed. Selene is determined to keep this job. She tries her hardest to follow the rules. Even the weird one of all residents on the island have to wear masks, from dusk to dawn, if they are to leave their room.

Selene soon finds out that the nights are full of mystery and passion and she is all for it. But it still isn’t enough for her. She wants to learn more about the supposed curse and about the men who own the island.

C.A. King is one of my favourite authors. Their books are usually short but packed full of detail leaving you with a fast paced adventure or romance depending on the book that leaves you satisfied but also wanting more. I highly recommend anything this author writes and this book is no exception. There’s mystery, intrigue, romance and steam all bundled up with an HEA.

View all my reviews

House Valdis Origins: Xenobia (House Valdis Series) by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

House Valdis Origins: Xenobia (House Valdis, #0.5)House Valdis Origins: Xenobia by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Xenobia is a slave. She lives in a home of women who are sold off to the highest bidder. She knows not to get close to anyone since it’s only a matter of time before one of them goes missing. That is until her new roommate worms her way into Xen’s heart. Urd gets through Xen’s defences and an unbreakable friendship is created.

Xen’s friendship with Urd was going to be her downfall but she didn’t know just how bad it was going to get. Once the masters found out that if they torture Urd it also affects Xenobia, they started abusing Urd on the daily. Xenobia spent her evenings trying to find a way for the two of them to escape this hell. The question is, will they make it?

I love Naomi Valkyrie, their writing is so unique and every story is chalk full of excitement, action, angst and with a paranormal element. I honestly have not read something from this author I disliked. This was the prequel to ‘The Rise of House Valdis’ which I will be sure to read in the very near future!

View all my reviews

Kingdom of the Oceans (Relic Hunters Series) by Martin Ferguson – Review by Santana Hicks

/0 Comments/in /by

Kingdom of the OceansKingdom of the Oceans by Martin Ferguson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is the sixth and final book of the series. This is not a stand alone as there is a lot of build up to this point plus it is a continuation of the previous book.

Adam and Matt are still trying to make their way to Atlantis to find out what happened to their father. They had to do this with little to no help from the others as they were threatened not to help the brothers out. Winterbourne is hot on their trails and even follows them into Atlantis.

The brothers have to band together with the Atlanteans to defeat a common enemy while also finding out what actually happened to their father.

I really enjoyed this conclusion of the series, it was fast paced and full of information. Greek mythology mixed with modern times made it much more exciting to read about. Martin Ferguson did an amazing job with this series!

View all my reviews