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.
A 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.
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.
The 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.
The 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.
Family 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.
Basil by K. Rose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this story. She joins a dating app, has a bad date and wakes up a vamp…but she’s a vegan. I found this quite entertaining and funny. I loved the supernatural town. Basil has such a contemporary feel to her. She could be your best friend, other than the blood lust. The characters she interacted with fit in so well. I loved how she worked out a solution to being a vegan vamp. The romance had good chemistry and brought a sweet touch to the story. I definitely recommend this to fans of the supernatural/paranormal romance world.
Web of Evil by N.L. Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a fascinating read. I quite enjoy this author’s books as she is quite the researcher on the subject of Egypt and it’s history. Her timelines are fairly accurate. She puts maps, glossary’s and lists of characters in her stories to help you define and get through the reading. I first became acquainted with the MC in Flowers of Evil (book 1). I found the mystery in this story to be just as intriguing. Both the characters and the details are so well-thought out. This is a very interesting story that I would definitely recommend.
5/5
A fun Viking tale that you will enjoy listening to as you follow Thorinn on his adventure. He and his family have somehow irritated a witch who cast a curse on them. Talk about craziness. I read this on ebook. I really enjoyed it in audio. the soundtrack and narration really make it nice to lay down or sit back and just close your eyes and picture as you listen. The author does a fascinating job with details in his story and really brings out the details. I hope to see the rest of the series come out in audio.
The Archcrusade: Tome One: The Archspawn – Pilgrimage & Prophecies by K.M. Hogenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a very interesting read. As the author states in their review, it is beefy. The complexity of the story actually helps keep it pulled together. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to stay with it but the more I got into the story, the more the characters pulled me. The details and the characters wove this story together in a way that is intriguing and kind of fascinating. By the time I was finished, I found that I had actually kind of enjoyed the book. Well done for a debut novel.
Critical Care by R.L. Dunn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have loved this series from the start. Having worked in the healthcare field for over 20 years, this series never fails to suck me in with the drama, suspense, romance, and action that can be found within the story. This story did not disappoint me. Tim and Willow’s story will take you on an emotional ride. These two met on an assignment in Maine and they decide to take a chance on a relationship. We all know how life can go. Toss in working for Chase Care and you have a combination ready to combust. There are a couple little subplots but they all tie back in together. I found myself tearing up, smiling, getting mad and running the whole gamut. These two and the Chase Care/Chase Security gang come together in a time of crisis to support and figure out what’s going on. I absolutely loved the writing. The characters are so wonderfully developed. The best part is that the author pulled in the gang from all the books. We had visits from Hunter, Flynn, Troy, Pete and others. It’s a fantastic story that will have you on the edge-of-your-seat. It can be read as a standalone. I recommend that you read the others, it gives you some knowledge into the other characters.
Fearless Love by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Let me begin by saying that you can read this as a standalone or in order of the series. I recommend reading it in order because knowing the back story of the Bennett family will help a lot. Now let’s get started with this review. Fearless Love is the final installment to the most beautiful and touching romance series I have ever read. This is James and Sara’s story. The best way to sum it all up is two broken hearts brought together by whatever you want to call it. He’s a tender spirit that knows what he wants and is so loving and compassionate. He shows Sara what life can be like with the right man to love her and her son, Noah. Sara is independent and protective of her son. She learns that its okay to let someone in again. She learns to heal in many ways. Watching these two heal and come together and become a family, small and large, left me feeling so many emotions. Sara’s job as a traveling nurse brought her to the farm to help Ray recover from his health crisis in a previous book, I prefer to think fate brought them together for her own purpose. This author is one of my favorites. Her writing is tender, compassionate, romantic, and realistic. The Bennetts have always felt like they could be part of my community. This author has done a fantastic job of tying up the series. This author has done a wonderful job of making her readers feel that the Bennetts have been part of your family. Happy tears flowed as the family returned for a surprise. Thank you sharing this beautiful series with us.
Shadowed Deception: A Psychological Suspense Thriller by Mavery Ellscott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Excellent story. Once I was pulled into Drake and Findlay’s story, I was all in. It’s full of action, romance, suspense, and drama. I could not put it down. I loved the breath-holding moments that had you waiting to see what was coming. The topic of human trafficking has made for some amazing stories and this author did a fantastic job with it. I really hope we get a story about Seb and Alexis. I think there could be something there, just saying. This is a book that will have you so sucked in that you’ll feel you are part of the story. The cast of characters is so well0developed. They feel so relatable and just real. I highly recommend this.
The Earl’s Match by Holly Bush
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I found this to be an interesting read. Historical romance is not usually my genre. I chose this one because I thought the story sounded promising. It lived up to my expectations. Payden and Robbie returned from a troubling stint abroad. Payden was basically dealing with what we in the modern times call PTSD. He had a tough time adjusting to his home life again. Clarice brought some hope to his life again. Reading about their romance and how they adjusted and worked things out was heartwarming and good to read. This a wonderful romance and I’d recommend it anyone to give it a shot. I really enjoyed the characters, they made the story.
Nessie and the Celtic Maze by Lois June Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
We loved this story. There is always a fantastic adventure. The maze satisfied our feel for adventure. Reading Nessie’s stories has brought out so many fun questions and opened the mind to more adventures. In the beginning the view of the castle got my grandson thinking about knights also. It’s an entertaining story that brought us joy to read. It will be a neat addition to our family library.
The Reluctant Spy by Lois June Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An entertaining story of a rat turned spy. There are so many fun characters in the story that make this fun. My grandson really enjoyed this when we read it at bedtime. He chuckled at the adventures. He thought the German Rat Training lady was funny. A neat addition to the family or classroom libraries.
Out of Bounds by Tam DeRudder Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
One of my favorite authors to read. She writes such fantastic stories in a way that always has relatable characters. We get tog see that with Piper and Bax in this fun story. They have really great chemistry and we get to watch that grow in the story. That’s always been my soft spot. I love stories with characters that grown their relationship. They show the kinks and chips that can happen. It’s a really cool story that I enjoyed from the start. I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend it.
The Rise of House Valdis by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What an interesting starter to this series. I enjoyed the story and multiple POV’s. Xen makes the story quite interesting. The author did a really good job of keeping the writing creative and interesting. Once I was in, I was all in until the end. I’m looking forward to reading the next story.
Dark Sky at Dawn by Laurie L.C. Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a way to start a new series. I thoroughly enjoyed this series. Based on our countries founding, the author looked into her research and you can tell that she used it in her story. The details are there. The characters all felt so real and relatable. Jed and Hannah go through so much. This is a story that you’ll dive in from the start and not come up until the end. It’s quite a roller coaster of adventure as the country is set up for war. I can’t recommend this book enough. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Bailey and the CEO: A Corporate Love Story by Amy Q. Barker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It’s always pleasant to find a story that is about more mature older people. Doing what I do, I tend to read too many YA books, so this was a sweet threat. Watching the relationship develop between Bailey and Fox was kind of a hidden treasure. She noticed him (and his looks) but was shocked that he knew her name. I was tickled how it all changed when they bumped into each other on the plane ride to Detroit. From their the adventure began. it’s sweeto women’s fiction that is enjoyable and a bit of a page turner as they try to keep it secret so they don’t get into trouble. Might be breaking HR rules? You’ll have to read to find out. This author does such a wonderful job of writing so that it feels real and relatable. Give it a shot.
Hay Goes Home by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a cute story about courage. Hay is trying to get home for her mom’s birthday and faces some challenges. With some help from her friends, she is able to overcome them and make it. The illustrations are fun and colorful. The story is happy and full of rhymes. A cool addition to a child’s library. Educational fun.
Treasure Hunt by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Carrie has found a new tool in Grandma’s closet this time. In the box marked Dowels she finds some rods and goes on a treasure hunt. I found this story to be a bit of fun when reading because my grandson had all kinds of questions about them. He wanted to have his own hunt. He also wants to know if I’ll make a closet of treasures. It’s a neat story of exploration and sparks a child’s curiosity. Carrie teaches kids about imagination and learning. The author always gives us a spark to light the learning. Another neat book to add to the family library.
The Scottish Play by Phoebe Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Interesting story. The writing is done well. I like the fact that it’s done around a polycule and focuses on just being you. A lot of people just don’t get that point. This author does some amazing writing with her characters as she makes them feel like they could be people you know, people in your community. It’s a wonderful story that’s worth reading.
Perfect Office Pact by Maria Jane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A wonderful read. I felt that these two were totally misunderstood and mismatched at first. They kind of grew on you as they story went along It’s a quick read and a sweet story overall. I loved the writing and the characters. The contemporary feel and POV was refreshing. Cade is a total cad. I enjoy this author’s books and she writes books that feel so real and very modern.
Murder At Music Hall by A. J. Ullman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a really good start to a new mystery series. This author does it again. He writes some amazing mysteries that have a dark feel to them. This is a story that has that feel of suspense and mystery. I sat down to start it and finished it fairly quick with a few interruptions from life. I didn’t want to put it down. The bit interruptions in this story are the rich high and mighty. It’s funny how they always insert themselves in the way. This is a story that will grab you right from the get go and you won’t be able to put it down until you are done.
Dancing Butterfly by Debra Parmley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This author does such a fantastic job with her writing. I can always tell that she does her research. This was the 20’s and the time of Capone. Suki is a showgirl and pretty independent. Unfortunately, a raid comes and she is forced to pretend to be a moll. Her struggle is real and she can get through this. It’s an interesting read full of drama, intrigue, and romance. I enjoyed this. It’s an exciting read and an entertaining series.
Magic Wanda by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
We are such fans of this series. I love Grandma’s Closet. Being a grandma myself makes this such a fun series. In this story, grandma tells her about the magic wandas, which look like flowers, but they have magicand can talk. They can look like anything. The story allows for creative thinking aand allows for the imagination to roam. We enjoyed reading this one and plan to add it to our story library.
Dirty Heartbreaker by Ac Sheppard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was quite the enjoyable lovers to enemies to lovers. A hot one-nighter to lovers after being best people at their friends wedding. I loved the flirty snark in this relationship. Being a snarky one myself, it is so much fun to watch people hide their attraction behind it. You can feel their chemistry as they try to hid the way they feel. I loved the interactions with the teammates and how they had to deal with their friends wedding. Drama, action, steamy romance make for a fun read. It’s definitely a sport romance. I love some of these hockey romances. They are really qyite entertaining. I definitely recommend this one.
Murder She Meowed by Ruth J. Hartman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a fun read. Who took out the ex? So many characters to choose fun. A fun cozy with some cool cats and an entertaining murder to solve. The wedding was my absolute favorite. This was a quick read that doesn’t give a way the murderer to quick. The characters fit perfectly in this town. I love the backstory where they have history. It’s a delightful read that I recommend, especially if you love your cozy with humor and charm.
Deceptively Yours by Anise Storm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is an intense story. I loved every minute of it. Harper is just trying to set things right after her life goes to hell when her parents die and she is sent to live with her uncle. 10 years later, she is back to try and tell Gabriel, the love that she never gave up on, that he’s in danger. There is so much going on. The action, drama, steam, romance, and so much more makes this a fantastic beginning to the Titans of Chicago series. I couldn’t put this down once I started. I’m looking forward to more from this batch of titans.
