Master Catteneo by Sylvia Black
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a fun, quick read. I do enjoy this genre a great deal. The chemistry between Alessia and Catteneo is good. The storyline/plot was interesting and provided a hook with the missing mates. I am looking forward to the final war.
Breathe Underwater by Anise Storm
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I am not a fan of mafia romance but I enjoyed this. There were great scenes (especially the staircase) as well as a good flow. The characters were well developed. I am glad that I picked this up. I really like this author a lot and look forward to reading more.
Yesterday’s Over by Becky Flade
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I really liked the forensic anthropology angle of this. Trudy and Bend were great characters (Ben having a cat was an added bonus for me.) I liked the plot and would like to know some of the supporting characters a little more. I liked the feel of this book best of the ones that I read. I would definitely read more by this author.
Fall to Pieces by Becky Flade
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a good read. Definitely felt Lexi’s pain over Robert. This book was character driven and had good interpersonal relationships. It had a different feel to it than the other one. I liked the mix of genres.
A Love Restrained by Becky Flade
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a quick and sexy read. I liked that they met at her lingerie store. Definitely an empowering concept in that. Also, super hot telling his expectations of her and their chemistry was well designed. I enjoyed it overall.
Just One More Egg: A Science Folktale by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Super cute read! I could see using this in my classroom. I like the classic feel of the story particularly the illustrations. I could see this as a resource in a science unit about food chains. I really enjoy books by this author and find them useful and enjoyable.
An Inheritance To Die For by Judy Moore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a good story with a good plot. It was a true cozy mystery book! I’m not sure Beck and Devon work for me overall. I love coastal settings and this one reminded me a little of Murder She Wrote. I would read others in the series.
Defying Ella by Morgana Bevan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a good, quick read. There were several connectable elements in the story. Ella’s relationship with her sister and history with Jared were well thought. It was also good to have mental health topics addressed in the book. I would read others by this author.
Hate You Later by Ciara Blume
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book. I really liked Hudson and his relationship with Georgia. I loved the focus on pets too- animals put a good perspective in stories. You learn a lot about characters when animals are a part of it. I enjoyed the frenemies plot and thought overall the story was good. I would read more by this author.
Moby Plays the Flute by Eeha Bhatt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The was a really beautiful story. I love the music aspect as well. The relationship between the father and daughter were beautiful. The is something I would read in my classroom. The father being called away was touching in a heartfelt way.
Dinosaur Friends: 2 books in 1: A Present for the Volcano and Saving Conifer’s Eggs by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed these books! I am an elementary reading intervention teacher and found that these would be engaging for the kids that I work with. The story was engaging and I feel like my students would like them. I look forward to reading other ones by this author. I also would like to use this in the classroom.
Felines and Fatalities by Ruth J. Hartman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a good follow up to book 1. I really enjoy the cute nature of the story and the plot is enjoyable. Anything with cats in it is a winner for me. It is a cozy mystery novel that keeps you engaged. I really enjoyed the cat show that Ellie hosted.
The Prisoner of Paradise by Rob Samborn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The history in this book was beautifully written. I am a big fan of mixed timelines and past lives. This book hit the mark! Some very beautiful love notes and quotes in this story which kept it captivating. The ending left enough for the reader to wonder and need to know what happens next!
Necrosis by C.L. Schneider
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I am always fascinated by books like this. It was a quick read and had a lot of good action in it. I usually do not like zombies but I didn’t mind the idea of them in this read. The female lead was good and I found the story enjoyable.
The Girl Who Escaped by Mark Nolan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book. I definitely was interested in the development of what happened that night. This psychological thriller really had some good points and brought interesting perspective to some hard topics like human trafficking. The dog was a great addition to the story. I definitely would read more by this author.
Tropical Date by R.S. Jonesee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a good book. I had a hard time with Marissa. While I understood the reason she was the way she was, I just couldn’t really connect to her. I liked Weston a lot and thought it was great that he came in to help his mom. I would read more by this author.
I Loved You Yesterday: Book One in the Trading Heartbeats Trilogy by Julie Navickas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this love story between Josh and Mavis. Love is really complicated sometimes and feelings get messy. Trying to sort out the feelings from the past for her navigate the present was very challenging for her. Knowing what to let go of and what to hold onto. I also liked Josh and thought his character was well done. I look forward to the next installment!
My Darling Rogue by April Moran
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book. Cecilia and Gabriel have great chemistry. I really liked the vibe that Gabriel gave as the leading man and he said some really swoon worthy things. Cecilia had the right amount of feisty energy and I enjoyed the dialogue between them. I look forward to reading more.
Fairly Royal by Grace Grahme
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a good read. I enjoy this genre and this book did not disappoint. I liked the character development of Phillip and Anna. The way they were able to accomodate both of their backgrounds into their togetherness was good. I would read more by this author.
Scandalously Yours by Anise Storm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Book 5 of the series! I really enjoyed this book a lot. The chemistry between Kris and Alessia was well developed. It had a good balance of romantic points, tragedy and healing in the plot arc. I thought that this was a great addition to the series and can be read without reading the others.
This Time Around by Jane Suen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the characters and the build of the plot. Katie and Chase had good chemistry and kept me engaged. I could definitely identify with Katie and connect. I would recommend this book.
The Letter Carrier by Laurie L.C. Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is one of my favorite genres of books to read. I thought that this book was engaging. It gave a well written take on what life was like during this time for the family. I appreciated that the family was from France as this is not always the perspective given in the genre. I would read more from this author.
The Secret Cure by J.D. Spero
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this story about revenge. It was a quick read for me. There were some intense points in this book that I honestly wasn’t expecting. It definitely holds your interest and holds merit as a psychological thriller. I’m not usually a fan of multiple character woven throughout but this was well done.
Fighting for Us by Bella Emy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book and it kept me engaged. I really liked Carissa and rooted for her in the story. I find that if I don’t connect in some way with the main female of the story, the book drags for me. There was the right mix of elements for books of this genre. I would definitely read more by the author.
Between Darkness & Light by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is the third in the series. While I like the series, something about Julie is making each installment a little harder for me. The author is a great storyteller and I like her take on the vampire genre. I do look forward to seeing what is next. I am definitely invested in the plot and seeing where it is leading to!
One In A Billion by Belinda Williams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was an ok read for me. I enjoyed the others in the series a little better than this one. I had a hard time getting on board with Seth and Victoria. Their chemistry didn’t work for me. I really had a difficult time liking both of them so it made it hard for me to root for them. That is definitely personal choice.
Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This second book continues to be an interesting take on the vampire lore. The characters are well developed and the plot makes sense. I read the first one so I appreciated the continuation. I look forward to seeing where it goes next. The author does a good job keeping you hooked in.
Love in the Roses by T.L. Clark
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I haven’t read a book in this time period in a while. I enjoyed it. Isabel was a pretty good character with a good balance of qualities. I am always partial to food mentions during historical fiction books and really enjoyed reading about some of the treats in this book. Her connection with William was very authentic and they had good chemistry.
The Lie That Binds by Amy Argent
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a good read. It was an engaging YA with a good balance of love, angst as well as heartache. Nathan was a good character and some of the tones were relatable. It connects from a teen perspective in my opinion. I would definitely recommend this book.
Victoriously Yours by Anise Storm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was definitely darker than the other ones in the series for me. Jonas and Kenzie have such a heartbreaking connection. The woven stories in this series are very complex at times. I did enjoy the set up for Kristopher. It is hard to not go deeper because I do not want to spoil it!
