Posts

Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn (Ariadne Winter Mystery Series) by Ellen Butler – Review by Shelly Kittell

Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree InnInk and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn by Ellen Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this story. Being written during a time when women weren’t exactly at the forefront career wise made this a really intriguing mystery. I found the premise to be strong. The mystery was entertaining to figure out. I had to work to solve it and I enjoyed the twists in the story. It was a very well written story with a strong FMC.

View all my reviews

I’ll Find My Way And That’s Okay: Axel’s Story (Axel’s Story Series) by Shermaine Perry-Knights – Review by Shelly Kittell

I'll Find My Way And That's Okay: Axel's StoryI’ll Find My Way And That’s Okay: Axel’s Story by Shermaine Perry-Knights
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kody gets left on the plane and goes on a mighty adventure. He shares how you can have an adventure also. I love this little story. It’s entertaining and teaches a really fun lesson. I loved the little lesson on counting to 10 in Italian at the end. Always dream. It has bright pictures and a story that will keep the kids engaged. It was a winner in my house.

View all my reviews

I Miss My Friend And That’s Okay: Axel’s Story by Shermaine Perry-Knights – Review by Shelly Kittell

I Miss My Friend And That's Okay: Axel's StoryI Miss My Friend And That’s Okay: Axel’s Story by Shermaine Perry-Knights
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A beautiful story about friendship. The back and forth of letters shares the love of friends. Beautiful and colorful illustrations that will keep children engaged. A fun and entertaining story that shows them that change is okay. This is a wonderful book that was a hit in our house. Having grown up as a military kid myself, I wish we had had books like this back then.

View all my reviews

I Move A Lot And That’s Okay: Axel’s Story by Shermaine Perry-Knights – Review by Shelly Kittell

I Move A Lot and That's Okay: Axel's StoryI Move A Lot and That’s Okay: Axel’s Story by Shermaine Perry-Knights
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is another book that I sure wish we had had when I was younger. Having grown up as a military kid, this would have helped with transitions. It’s a wonderful story that helps explain transitions and how they go. There are bright illustrations that will hold onto the child’s attention. This is really a neat series of books that helps kids understand a little about being a military family and having to move around a lot. A winner in our house.

View all my reviews

Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn (Ariadne Winter Mystery Series) by Ellen Butler – Review by Shelly Kittell

Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree InnInk and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn by Ellen Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this story. Being written during a time when women weren’t exactly at the forefront career wise made this a really intriguing mystery. I found the premise to be strong. The mystery was entertaining to figure out. I had to work to solve it and I enjoyed the twists in the story. It was a very well written story with a strong FMC.

View all my reviews

The Waydowns (The Cool Thing Sci-Fi Series) by Robert Rife – Review by Shelly Kittell

THE WAYDOWNS (THE COOL THING SCIENCE FICTION SERIES)THE WAYDOWNS by Robert Rife
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, Robert Rife, again, you have written a book that had me spitting coffee (my grandson wasn’t so appreciative of that). I so enjoyed this book. It’s weird, unique, original and just as good as the first two. I have waited so long for another book from you. Your science fiction is wonderful and I just started my husband on the first book. These are books that make you go hmm, and laugh. The characters are weird, that’s for sure. I enjoyed the flow of the story. Let’s just say that I will never buy house with a UFO under it, LOL. And watch out for the ladies in lab coats. (You have to read it to understand that one. I’ll be eagerly awaiting more.

View all my reviews

Dragon Bond by Lilliana Rose – Review by Shelly Kittell

Dragon Bond: A Monster Brides RomanceDragon Bond: A Monster Brides Romance by Lilliana Rose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this story. It was a quick read. Amazing characters that really brought this story together. A dragon shifter fell for a human. It comes down to a choice: human or dragons. It does end with a cliffhanger. The story has a wonderful flow to it. It’s fast paced with strong characters and detail. I found myself diving into the story. I really enjoyed it.

View all my reviews

Dead Late (Things Unseen Series) by Anise Eden – Review by Shelly Kittell

Dead Late (Things Unseen, #3)Dead Late by Anise Eden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of my favorite romantic suspense series. This is book 3 and it has to be my favorite yet. Con and Neve go on a big adventure yet. While they are one this adventure, she’s trying to process what’s happening with her health. That’s a lot to go through to be dealing with a mystery and processing your health issues. I find that the details of the story and the characters always bring such life to the story. The story carries on from where it pretty much ended in the previous book. I like how previous characters can make an appearance. The flow is perfect for the story. I highly recommend this series. It’s so very good.

View all my reviews

Master Slobozia (Masters of the Consulate Book 12) by Sylvia Black – Review by Shelly Kittell

Master Slobozia (Masters of the Consulate #12)Master Slobozia by Sylvia Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, the chemistry and sexual tension is hot in this one. You could feel that it might distract them from the mission of taking out Lucas. This story was great. I felt it did a nice job of tying up the series and bringing it an end…or did it? (that ending left me hoping for a spinoff…?) Great twists that you don’t see coming. The romance between our two main characters was a medium build. You felt it, they wanted it but wanted to finish the mission. They were very relatable. Career or love? I’ve followed this series from the beginning and it’s been such an entertaining and fabulous series. Drama, romance and lots of good v. evil made for a very intriguing story.

View all my reviews

Railway to Murder (A Buck Greene, Railroad Special Agent, Mystery) by Danny J. Bradbury – Review by Shelly Kittell

Railway to MurderRailway to Murder by Danny J. Bradbury
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is normally not my genre but the synopsis looked interesting. By the end of Chapter 1, I was intrigued and hooked. I found the writing easy to understand. It had a fairly smooth flow with a couple minor glitches. The characters had personalities that were quite relatable. They felt like they could be people you know. You had from cranky to helpful. There was even a twist or two. It was a really good read that I enjoyed while trying to solve the mystery of who was taking out the railway workers

View all my reviews

The Holey Land by Laura Koerber – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Holey LandThe Holey Land by Laura Koerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fascinating story that I sure enjoyed. This author writes stories that bring magic, fantasy and realism to produce a wonderful story. The characters are absolutely unique and so unforgettable. I can honestly say that this author’s books are my very favorites. I love how that native american is woven into it.

View all my reviews

Knight On Edge (Jorja Knight Mystery Series) by Alice Bienia – Review by Shelly Kittell

Knight On Edge: A female detective mystery (Jorja Knight Mystery Series Book 7)Knight On Edge: A female detective mystery by Alice Bienia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This has been one of the more exciting detective series I’ve read so far. This story has a great story set up. It has a really smooth flow. There is an affair w3ith some deadly consequences. I love watching Jorja try to figure this out. She’s like a bulldog with a bone. She doesn’t give up. There are many secrets to discover I really enjoyed the characters It’s a good book.

View all my reviews

Beefy Goes From Bully To Buddy (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek – Review by Shelly Kittell

Beefy Goes From Bully To Buddy: Children's Book About Bullying (Courage Tales)Beefy Goes From Bully To Buddy: Children’s Book About Bullying by Dagmara Sitek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Helping my child deal with bullying right now made this book so special to us. I have read it to him a couple times and discussed with him how bullying is bad and sometimes they are troubled also. It’s got wonderful illustrations. It’s a cool story with a great flow. I was tickled to see Cam and his friends were in it. They teach great lessons. We are adding this to our library. We are also donating some copies to our Peer Kindness agency and Kinship group.

View all my reviews

The Discovery of Magic (The Intrigue of Magic Series) by L. J. Evias – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Discovery of Magic (The Intrigue of Magic, #1)The Discovery of Magic by L. J. Evias
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an amazing story. I really liked the fast pace to it. The whole premise to the story was well done. It had a nice flow. The switch between times went smooth. I really liked the nice variety of characters and how they fit in. I really couldn’t put this one down. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next in book 2.

View all my reviews

Unexpected Revival (Revived Series) by E.L. Roux – Review by Shelly Kittell

Unexpected Revival (The Revived)Unexpected Revival by E L Roux
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It’s an interesting story with unique characters. The flow is pretty smooth. There are a few parts to be smoothed out in the premise of the story but overall it’s okay.

View all my reviews

Spook Squad by Allan Evans – Review by Shelly Kittell

Spook SquadSpook Squad by Allan Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loving this series. Abbey and her squad have their hands full with this one. I get little goosebumps reading this. I love this author’s writing. It’s wonderfully creative and I think it’s just right for his target audience. Deliciously spooky with wonderful teen characters. Being a GenX, I love the 80’s references. This is another winner in my book. Keep them coming.

View all my reviews

Love and Fate (A Braebeach Rockstar Romance) by Loriana Cappello – Review by Shelly Kittell

Love and Fate (Braebeach Rockstar #2)Love and Fate by Loriana Cappello
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was so well done. Trauma right off the start with drama put in later. Tommy and Angie have to deal with some very realistic problems coming at them from all corners. The story just pulls you in right from the beginning and you won’t want to put it down. Beautifully written characters that feel like they are your friends. They are so easy to relate to. The story has a wonderful flow even with all the drama in it. This has been a beautiful series so far. I hope to read more from this author.

View all my reviews

Strings Attached (A Braebeach Rockstar Romance) by Loriana Cappello – Review by Shelly Kittell

Strings AttachedStrings Attached by Loriana Cappello
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really loved this second-chance romance. What a beautiful love story. It has a little of everything in it. A bit of worry, romance and, yet, they were somehow able to get through it. I found the writing to be very engaging. You felt like you were right there. You were part of the gang. The characters are easy to relate to. There is so much chemistry between those two. It’s a wonderful read.

View all my reviews

Sanctuary by Bree M. Lewandowski – Review by Shelly Kittell

SanctuarySanctuary by Bree M. Lewandowski
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thought the story started out pretty good. I felt it had a lot of potential. Petra was out to find out what truly happened to her brother. The premise of the story is good. It felt like there could have a bit more to it. It almost felt like a novella. This would have been great for the start to a series. I really enjoyed the detail in the story.

View all my reviews

Mommy, Am I Indian Today? by Sheeba Varghese – Review by Shelly Kittell

Mommy, Am I Indian Today?Mommy, Am I Indian Today? by Sheeba Varghese
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. A little boy asked about his heritage and his mom told him. I love how it’s sweet, simple and age appropriate. It also leaves the door open for more questions and sharing about family. I enjoyed the sharing of the outfit that they often wear to celebrations. I believe our society should just share more about each other’s cultures like that. It’s kind of cool to learn about that .

View all my reviews

Betrayal (Choosing Family Series) by Jennifer Raines – Review by Shelly Kittell

Betrayal (Choosing Family Book 3)Betrayal by Jennifer Raines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh, I love stories like this. They can resemble what life can throw at you. Anna promises her coworkers on-site daycare and finds the perfect spot. Life throws Hunter at her like a bad bone to block the door. Boy, do these two have some chemistry. The problem is that they have secrets too. I enjoyed this story sooo much. The back and forth between them, the sparks made the romance so much more fun. The little twists in the story kept you on your toes. The characters were well written and really fit into the story. I found that the story had a nice a flow. Overall, it’s a really entertaining romance.

View all my reviews

Sarge: Going Deep by Stuart Ledwith – Review by Shelly Kittell

Sarge: Going DeepSarge: Going Deep by PhD Ledwith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh, such a very interesting installment in the series. I loved this one. We get a deeper look into Sarge’s past. I loved the writing. The scfi elements really pull things together. The characters are again very fascinating. I found myself pulled right back into the universe of Sarge again and it was such a good read.

View all my reviews

Reunion (The Hellgate Chronicles) by Jocelyn Lindsay – Review by Shelly Kittell

Reunion (The Hellgate Chronicles, #1)Reunion by Jocelyn Lindsay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found this one quite enjoyable. A supernatural with a strong woman over the age of 40, woohoo! Great little bits looking at their younger days of battiling the hellgate for the first time. This is a well done story. I found it had a good flow. I liked the premise. I wish more writers would do stories like this. There’s some reminiscing and action with drama. Loved the characters. This was a great story.

View all my reviews

Quarterback Keeper: A College Sports Romance (Fall Lake Ballers, Book 1) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Shelly Kittell

Quarterback Keeper: A College Sports Romance (Fall Lake Ballers Book 1)Quarterback Keeper: A College Sports Romance by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh man, I loved this story. Kylian has his hands full. The story is full of romance and drama. Waiting to see if Gia could help him drew me in right from the start. My heart was breaking for him because he’s being pulled in so many ways. This is a wonderful series that I can tell is going to be a must have. It’s full of drama, romance, big emotions and lots of “what am i going to do?: The story has a great flow. I love the dual POV. It has well=written characters.

View all my reviews

Productivity is Power: 5 Liberating Practices for College Students by Hillary Rettig – Review by Shelly Kittell

Productivity is Power: Five Liberating Practices for College StudentsProductivity is Power: Five Liberating Practices for College Students by Hillary Rettig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very resourceful book full of good information that can help not only students but others looking for some help in organizing your life. It’s a pretty good read backed up with research. I found some interesting tips that I will be trying in my life. It’s worth reading.

View all my reviews

Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn (Ariadne Winter Mystery Series) by Ellen Butler – Review by Shelly Kittell

Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree InnInk and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn by Ellen Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this story. Being written during a time when women weren’t exactly at the forefront career wise made this a really intriguing mystery. I found the premise to be strong. The mystery was entertaining to figure out. I had to work to solve it and I enjoyed the twists in the story. It was a very well written story with a strong FMC.

View all my reviews

A Safe Place (Philly Heat Series) by Becky Flade – Review by Shelly Kittell

A Safe Place (Philly Heat series, #6)A Safe Place by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve loved this series since the first book. This story got me right in the heart. The perfect balance of romance and suspense. The story just grabs you right from the beginning. You really do not want to put it down. It has a very nice flow. The story runs smooth with very little glitch. The characters work well together into the story. I highly recommend this whole series.

View all my reviews

The Fixer (Fall River Series) by G. K. Brady – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Fixer (Fall River, #2)The Fixer by G.K. Brady
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Chemistry was running wild. The interaction and sparks were cracking me up. These two just needed to realize that they were made for each other. I loved this story. A good handyman/restoration piece romance. Great flow with awesome FC/MC. I couldn’t get enough and read it in a day.

View all my reviews

The South Seas Shenanigans: A Sparky of Bunker Hill Mystery (Sparky of Bunker Hill Mystery Series) by Rosalind Barden – Review by Shelly Kittell

The South Seas Shenanigans: A Sparky of Bunker Hill Mystery (Sparky #4)The South Seas Shenanigans: A Sparky of Bunker Hill Mystery by Rosalind Barden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love these mysteries. This time Sparky is on the wrong ship. I found there is lots of drama, mystery and plenty of adventure. Sparky somehow always finds trouble. There’s a great flow to story. I had such a good time figuring out who did it. The characters, as always, are unique personlities that due to the time period of the story, are a pleasure to find in the story. I loved this story.

View all my reviews

The Trouble With Possibilities by Nancie Abuhaidar – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Trouble with PossibilitiesThe Trouble with Possibilities by Nancie Abuhaidar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A really neat story about second chances. Del’s husband passes away. She decides to go to Africa for a job. What an adventure she has. There are lots of chances for second chances. She has many decisions to make. Can she let go of her insecurities? I found it to be a very entertaining read. It had a wonderful flow. I enjoyed all the characters in the story. It had such a wide variety of personalities. I felt the theme of go for the second chance was a good one.

View all my reviews