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Scotland: Stunning, Strange, and Secret: A Guide to Hidden Scotland (The Hidden Gems Series) by Christy Nicholas – Review by Shelly Kittell

Scotland: Stunning, Strange, and Secret: A Guide to Hidden ScotlandScotland: Stunning, Strange, and Secret: A Guide to Hidden Scotland by Christy Nicholas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My family came from Scotland so this was fascinating to read. I enjoyed every minute of it. History, myths, locations, pictures, etc. were so delightful. This book is a treat to read even though I will never get to see Scotland. Thank you so much for sharing this.

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England: Cultured, Classic, and Charming: A Guide to Hidden England (The Hidden Gems Series) by Christy Nicholas – Review by Shelly Kittell

England: Cultured, Classic, and Charming: A Guide to Hidden England (The Hidden Gems Series)England: Cultured, Classic, and Charming: A Guide to Hidden England by Christy Nicholas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a really charming guide to England. The author does a really fascinating job of giving us history along with beautiful pictures and details of England. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to travel to England due to health but her book helps me to feel like I’m there. I really enjoyed reading some of early history of England. I have always been a fan of the early days.

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Secrets of the Moon (Chronicles of the Lost Child Series) by Kristy Centeno – Review by Shelly Kittell

Secrets of the Moon (Chronicles of the Lost Child)Secrets of the Moon by Kristy Centeno
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fascinating story. I loved the story of Marjorie and how crazy life gets for her. It’s a paranormal story with a bit of everything in it. Werewolves, twins, etc. make for some crazy action-filled drama. I was drawn in straight from the beginning and just couldn’t put it down. This is a story that grabs you because of the characters and the story. It’s well-written and holds your attention. I can’t wait for the next book to come out.

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Mermaid Tails by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Shelly Kittell

Mermaid TailsMermaid Tails by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a neat book. It’s very colorful. The information is in short bites. I found the rhyming to be fun and almost songlike. I read this with my grandchildren. They thought it was “supercool.” The different colored tails done to look like sea animals had them mesmerized. I found the fun fact on each page to be pretty cool. The book was set up perfect with 1 page fact and 1 page art. This will definitely be a keeper.

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Charlotte’s Control (The Control Series) by Maggie Sims – Review by Shelly Kittell

Charlotte's Control (The Control Series)Charlotte’s Control by Maggie Sims
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not sure that she’s ready to jump back into the single area (even being a widow), Charlotte winds up with a “rake,” . She’s a bit more contemporary then times allow as it seems her dead husband taught her things to help her provide. The story is good. The characters are fairly well-written. It’s a bit steamy. It you are into historical romance, this may be just right for you.

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Before You Say I Do by Marina Hanna – Review by Shelly Kittell

Before You Say I DoBefore You Say I Do by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a delightfully fun read. Nothing like a fun romp with a great story to get your weekend started. It’s a quick read. The characters are fun and entertaining. I love how this author writes. Her characters are always written to feel so very real. It’s was a story that I would recommend.

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Before I Let You Go by Kellie Wallace – Review by Shelly Kittell

Before I Let You GoBefore I Let You Go by Kellie Wallace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a beautiful story. This story is so well-written that you can feel it in your soul. Your emotions go for a little bit of a roller coaster ride. I really can’t tell you much about the story without giving it away. Elspeth is a strong woman that has tended to feel beaten down by everyone. The opportunity arrives to make a big change in her life. Little does she know there will be some romance, mystery, paranormal suspense. It comes down to good vs evil and justice being served. Fate can intervene to make your life better. My favorite is to just say “no.” It’s okay to tell that to people, including your family. Don’t let them guilt you. I enjoyed the writing. Watching Elspeth mature and come into her own. Seeing her know who she is and what she wants was very nice. Several of the antagonists were getting on my nerves but they seemed to come around toward the end. It’s a wonderful book that will be on my favorites list for this year. I would definitely recommend it.

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The Changed Man Audio Book (The Olympic Peninsula Series, Book 4) by Cat Treadgold – Review by Shelly Kittell

4/5 stars

I am such a fan of this series. The author does such a fantastic job of portraying family dynamics and family relationships. Though this is book 4 and it’s focus is on Jake and his slow burn relationship with Chiara,we see the relationships still developing with the other couples. We also get to see him work on rebuilding his relationship with Joe and his other family members. This book, heck the whole series, hits me in the feelers. I always come away feeling every emotion. These guys feel like they could be part of your family or close friends. They are easy to relate to. Such a strong writing style that pulls you in and you are engaged until the end. Hearing it in audio provides a new level to it in the way of feeling those emotions when it comes to the relationships. Every time Chiara would real to Lorenzo about Miss Bigfoot, I swear I woul loose it and spit what I was drinking out. This might be my favorite among the series. I loved the narration. It was fantastic all around.

Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Shelly Kittell

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fun story! Three children and morse code tapping dog. They are out to solve the mystery of finding the time capsule. I loved the whole premise of the story. The characters are fun and exciting. The story does a great job of grabbing the child’s attention. I found myself even engaged. It’s a fun family story to read together also. I have enjoyed seeing the author branch out into these chapter books. They are fun, family friendly and so entertaining.

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Charming Chapter (Boomer Babes Book Club Romances) by Lori Haas – Review by Shelly Kittell

Charming Chapter : A Later-in-Life Just Kisses Romance (Boomer Babes Book Club Romances 1)Charming Chapter : A Later-in-Life Just Kisses Romance by Lori Haas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of the sweetest second-chance romances that I’ve read in a bit. It hits a little close to home because I’m the oldest in our relationship by a decade. I found Laura and Hugh’s relationship to be sweet and slow in building. Georgina is the one that I didn’t think was needed. I loved Celeste. She had me rolling in the aisles with her surprise trip. It’s an entertaining romance with the American/Brit interactions. It’s a fun read and I’ll be eagerly awaiting book 2.

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The Closer (The Hustlers Trilogy) by Rowan Rossler – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Closer (The Hustlers Series, #3)The Closer by Rowan Rossler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hot mama!!!! I loved this one. The chemistry and sparks could start a forest fire. This story is so good. It’s a great ending to the series. I found the writing strong. The characters were very relatable. The adventures and romance had me wishing I were there myself. What a good time. This was a fantastic read and I highly recommend it.

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The Complete Echo Series: A Heartfelt Romance Collection (The Echo Series) by C.R. Alam – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Complete Echo Series (Echo #1-4)The Complete Echo Series by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the best romantic suspense sets you can get in a box. The Echo series is a fast-paced suspense series that has romance, drama, and usually that second chance you are looking for. Each book has different story yet they are tied together. The women in the stories are strong yet still know that they want the men in their lives. Who wouldn’t need hot, hunky, strong, book boyfriends to rescue them? These men will make your glasses fog and give your sweet dreams. These are wonderful stories that I couldn’t recommend highly enough. Hit that one=click. You won’t be disappointed.

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The Changed Man (The Olympic Peninsula Series, Book 4) by Cat Treadgold – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Changed Man (The Olympic Peninsula series Book 4)The Changed Man by Cat Treadgold
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am such a fan of this series. The author does such a fantastic job of portraying family dynamics and family relationships. Though this is book 4 and it’s focus is on Jake and his slow burn relationship with Chiara,we see the relationships still developing with the other couples. We also get to see him work on rebuilding his relationship with Joe and his other family members. This book, heck the whole series, hits me in the feelers. I always come away feeling every emotion. These guys feel like they could be part of your family or close friends. They are easy to relate to. Such a strong writing style that pulls you in and you are engaged until the end.
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Sugar & Spice (Spicetopia Series) by Phoebe Alexander – Review by Shelly Kittell

Sugar & Spice (Spicetopia Book 1)Sugar & Spice by Phoebe Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cy, the youngest son of the family that runs Sweetopia, goes undercover to discover the mastermind of the employee trouble. Jolie, the Red Velvet Queen, catches his eye and distracts him from his mission. Single mom of 2 just trying to make ends meet, the last thing Jolie needs is a man in her life to make things complicated. Secrets will be found out. There is a mystery within the park that Cy must figure out what is going on. This is a steamy romantic romp through the park. Come along and let’s see what dreams can be fulfilled. It’s a fun series.

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Stars in the City (Stars in the City Series) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Shelly Kittell

Stars in the CityStars in the City by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this story. The author has a way of writing that leaves you feeling the emotions of the story. The writing was strong and very well-done for the age it was targeted at. I’m an old woman but I really enjoy reading this author’s stories because they remind me of the young adult books that used to come out when I was younger. You felt the story. The characters were exciting and intriguing. Overall, this is a terrific story for the YA/NA group. I’m going to read the sequel to it.

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Planting Seeds: Growing Mindful Children Though Yoga by Janice Pratt and Lenora Degen – Review by Shelly Kittell

Planting Seeds: Growing Mindful Children Through YogaPlanting Seeds: Growing Mindful Children Through Yoga by Janice Pratt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a homeschooling grandmother, I found this to be an engaging and insightful resource to use with my grandson. For obvious reasons I can’t do yoga anymore but we have used videos to work on it with him. The activities and information in the book really help to get that mindset on the right track to be happy and healthy for an anxious child. We wilol be adding this as a fun activity to our daily curriculum.

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The Glow in Loretta’s Garden (Loretta’s Insects) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Glow in Loretta's Garden (Loretta's Insects)The Glow in Loretta’s Garden by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a cool story about firefly’s. I had no idea there were even armadillo bugs. It’s a nice introduction to the life cycle of the insect. Loretta stories are always interesting and full of fun science facts. Being an explorer makes Loretta cool to any child. Another fun science story to add to our family/homeschool library for story time.What a cool story about firefly’s. I had no idea there were even armadillo bugs. It’s a nice introduction to the life cycle of the insect. Loretta stories are always interesting and full of fun science facts. Being an explorer makes Loretta cool to any child. Another fun science story to add to our family/homeschool library for story time.

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Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by Shelly Kittell

Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid's Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series)Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A really neat story that teaches about the responsibility that comes with taking care of dogs. I like how the author sets her story up and the kids are telling their parents what they learned in their research. The pictures are attention-grabbing. My grandson wants a dog so we have really enjoyed reading this series to him, especially this one. A really neat story that teaches about the responsibility that comes with taking care of dogs. I like how the author sets her story up and the kids are telling their parents what they learned in their research. The pictures are attention-grabbing. My grandson wants a dog so we have really enjoyed reading this series to him, especially this one.
up and the kids are telling their parents what they learned in their research.
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Mistaken Identity (London Detective Agency Series) by Stephanie R. Caffrey – Review by Shelly Kittell

Mistaken Identity (London Detective Agency Book 1)Mistaken Identity by Stephanie R. Caffrey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fast-paced suspense book. Right off the bat, I was sucked right in. The two girls bounced off each other and there our mystery starts. There’s lots of action, intrigue, mystery and a little bit of romance. I loved how spunky and feisty she is. This is a really great novel for a debut. She’s new to me and I can’t wait to read book 2. Fantastic writing that keeps you engaged the whole way through. The characters felt totally relatable. Father and son interactions, who hasn’t been there. I’ll be eagerly awaiting.

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Hood of Sedna (Stevie Capot Chronicles) by Mina Skye – Review by Shelly Kittell

Hood of SednaHood of Sedna by Mina Skye
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story was uniquely fascinating. The story of her coming into existence was unique and nothing I had read before. The story was well written. I sat down and spent a whole afternoon reading. I started at 1 and didn’t put it down until 8. I just wanted to finish it that night. Those characters are so intriguingly described. It’s a really cool story. Relatable due to the characters and entertaining because its written very well. That cliffhanger, don’t even get me started. Here I sit waiting eagerly for book 2.

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Outcast (Her Royal Harem: Ember) by Catherine Banks – Review by Shelly Kittell

Outcast (Her Royal Harem: Ember Book 1)Outcast by Catherine Banks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh my, this book makes having exotic animals look fun. I loved the story. Magic and shifters with a reverse harem made for a winning story in my book. The characters were entertaining, sexy and absolutely wonderful. She’s a new author to me and I hope to read more if they are like this. What a fun concept and a great book. I sure enjoyed the smile it brought to my face as I read.

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Managing Mischief (Shattered Embrace Series) by Alyndra Quinn – Review by Shelly Kittell

Managing Mischief (Shattered Embrace #2)Managing Mischief by Alyndra Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ooh, I loved this book. It continues the romance of Zachary and Ashton. Life brought some challenges but they got through it. This couple is so hot as a Dom/Sub pair. Ashton is still a strong woman and they make this work. I liked reading more of their relationship. They had challenges yet make it work. This author does such a wonderful job writing that she really has you feeling the story as you go along. I can’t wait to read the next book.

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The Hidden Present (Invisible Magic Wand) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Hidden Present (Invisible Magic Wand)The Hidden Present by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is such a cute book. His unbirthday present is to be found and he gets to use a compass. Oh, what fun he has with grandpa. An entertaining story with bright, fun illustrations that will keep any child glued to the story. We love reading this series. Another welcome addition to our family library. It will also go well in the classroom.

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Make Me Burn (North Fork Series) by Alicia Street – Review by Shelly Kittell

Make Me Burn (North Fork Series Book 9)Make Me Burn by Alicia Street
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an excellent read. I am such a fan of this series. They are hot, sexy and entertaining. The chemistry in this book is off the chart. No bro land is where we go this time. You shouldn’t go for your enemy’s little sister, but hey, do it anyway. The story is well-done. You can feel the heat. The characters have excellent chemistry. I love the spark factor. I couldn’t put the book down. This is one I highly recommend for romance lovers.

It Comes From Within (House Valdis Series) by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Shelly Kittell

It Comes From Within (House Valdis #2)It Comes From Within by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This continues the story from The Rise of Valdis. I would suggest you read the prequel and Book 1. The story is very good. The characters will hold your interest through the whole story. I find it interesting that they can enchant themselves to loook like normal people. I really enjoyed the story. It’s action, romance, a bit of everything.

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A Girl, Stuck (Found Families Series) by Kelly Elizabeth Huston – Review by Shelly Kittell

A Girl, StuckA Girl, Stuck by Kelly Elizabeth Huston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an excellent read. an exciting, suspenseful read that brings back “Harry” who meets Trey. She wants in and he wants out. I found the characters to have a terrific chemistry. Though there was danger around and in, the humor was also in the story. I laughed through a lot of it. It was a funny story with suspense and romance that I would definitely recommend. I will be going back to read the previous two.

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Detective Dylan and the Hunt for Home Plate (A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book) by MJ Murray – Review by Shelly Kittell

Detective Dylan and the Hunt for Home Plate (A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book Series, #2)Detective Dylan and the Hunt for Home Plate by M.J. Murray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The latest installment of the Detective Dylan series has Dylan, Emilie and their dog searching for the bases to their baseball field. This is a cute story that has children using their creative skills to figure out where they can be. The birthday party? The toddler pirates? Who might the culprit be? My grandson and I giggled through this story. He enjoyed the mystery. I enjoy the fact that he is able to work on his language and reading skills as we read the story together. In searching for clues, kids will also be able to learn some basic math. It’s really a fun story that has some educational value that they don’t realize because the story is so entertaining. Our favorite part was the toddlers asleep on the equipment. We will be eagerly awaiting the next book.

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The Mating Chance (Long Claw Pride Series Book 3 and LumberCats Series Book 2) by Brooke May – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Mating ChanceThe Mating Chance by Brooke May
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This has been one of my favorite series to read. The concept of getting another mate after the one you were lifemated with was really interesting. Cricket is a fiercely independent single momma that was settled into her thinking she would be alone forever now, then BAM, here comes the pull. Boone is trying to avoid his cousin, Sheridan, the bikini-clad wildcat that always needs her jeeps repaired when his pull comes. He takes his leave and follows his pull. I find that amazing because they take such faith and go (yes, it’s just fiction but still). When these two meet up, the chemistry and sparks are there, he just has to get her to accept. I loved reading this story. These prides are full of personality. The elders that the characters talk to are wonderful and wise. When Cricket takes her little one out for a run, I couldn’t help but think of a certain movie. It’s a bittersweet romance that comes with a happy ending that has beautiful characters and always brings a smile and chuckle. I’ll be eagerly awaiting Afton’s turn.

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The Missing Red Envelopes by Yobe Qiu – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Missing Red EnvelopesThe Missing Red Envelopes by Yobe Qiu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a neat children’s story. It tells about the custom of the Red Envelopes that is part of the Lunar New Year. The illustrations are pretty. I found it was a neat way to teach a child about other cultures. I read this to my granddaughter and she really enjoyed it. She loved the story so much that I’ll be getting a paper copy for our family library.

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Family Ties Family Lies by Jacqueline Boulden – Review by Shelly Kittell

Family Ties Family LiesFamily Ties Family Lies by Jacqueline Boulden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was one of those emotional stories that made you want to have tissue nearby. Rose heads home to help care for her mom after an injury takes her out of work for a bit. While taking care of her mom, she finds some family secrets. Though her mom and Aunt discourage her to leave it alone, Rose in an investigative journalist. She has to find the truth. This is a beautiful story, even if the truth brought pain. I found the characters to feel so real that my hurt truly hurt for them. I would get so mad, yet could understand the pain her brother felt. Rose just had her own surgery yet came down and was doing care for her mom. She had a lot on her plate. So many emotions with this story. You’ll really have to read it to understand. It’s up there at the top of my list of favorites for 2024. The writing pulls you in. You feel it.

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