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Illegal by K.J. Gillenwater – Review by Vanessa Watts

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IllegalIllegal by K.J. Gillenwater
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is one that will leave you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out who is good and who is bad. It seems in Mexico is where everyone’s skeletons are buried and when they come to light no one knows whose side anyone is on.

Selena Hernandez, who discovers she is an illegal immigrant after her mom is arrested, decides she needs to go back to Mexico to get a Visa to come to the United States legally. However, once she steps foot in Mexico her journey is anything but easy like the lawyer in the US said it would be. After attempting to get her visa at the US embassy Selena’s path is entangled with Wyatt Demko who senses trouble is a foot for Selena. As the secrets of who Selena is and that her real father is a notorious cartel kingpin Selena’s life is more at stake than ever. She seems to be a pawn in everybodies scheme and naturally doesn’t trust anybody. Can Salena uncover all the secrets about her past to ensure she has a future? Can Wyatt prove to not only himself but also Selena that he is a trustworthy guy with no alternative agenda? In this wild game of drugs, secrets, and nefarious plots who will come out on top?

This book has a slow start to the storyline. It takes the author a bit of time to list out the players and bump up the action. Once he does though this is a non stop thrill ride to the end with more twists and turns than a roller coaster. If you like romantic suspense books then this will be right up your alley. The author’s descriptive scenes, especially Tulum and Chichen Izza, take me back to when my husband and I visited the same sites on a trip to Mexico in 2019. That’s how you know this is a good story, when it can take you back in time and help visualize where the characters are at and the interactions taking place!

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Deadly Sommer (Nora Sommer Caribbean Suspense Book 1) by Nicholas Harvey – Review by: Vanessa Watts

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Deadly Sommer (Nora Sommer #1)Deadly Sommer by Nicholas Harvey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a new author to me and I love all things murder mystery but this one was over the top. The storyline is amazing, it’s kind of like a game show that no one wants to be on. The characters are super relatable and at first you hate them but by the end the ones you started out hate you don’t hate quite as much.

Nora, who has not had an easy life up to this point, is persuaded to join the Cayman Island Police force. Just less than a month into the job Nora and her partner stumble across a kidnapping where unbeknownst to Nora the kidnapper has chosen her to participate in his story. Now with a girl’s life on the line Nora has to complete four separate challenges or the Kidnapped victim will face the consequences. As the story unfolds it seems that though they thought they had all the pieces figured out it turns out that they don’t know the full story. Can Nora complete the challenges in time to avoid consequences to the victim? Will the truth about the past ever fully be uncovered?

This is a story as old as time where the past doesn’t always stay in the past and until all the secrets have come to life the whole story cannot be uncovered. This book takes a while for the reader to start putting the pieces together. It is a compelling read that I could not put down. I myself am excited to dive into the other books in this series to see what this author has up his sleeve next for Nora. I will be recommending this book to everyone, definitely give it a try you won’t be disappointed!

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Coyote’s Road Trip by Laura Koerber – Review by Vanessa Watts

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Coyote's Road TripCoyote’s Road Trip by Laura Koerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Set in a dystopian future this book seemed interesting so I decided to give it a fair try. There are a lot of characters in this story so keeping up on who’s who can be challenging. While this story is about a road trip that is exactly how it feels as we read through the thoughts of Coyote. The description feels like you are right there with the characters and can see the trip playing out like a movie in your mind. I found myself reminiscing about road trips taken in the past.

The main character of our book is a coyote shapeshifter named Jim who takes this trip with no destination in mind. After recalling the numerous deaths around him including his beloved planet he needs a new start somewhere to call home. On this road trip he comes across a cast of characters, some good and some not as good but definitely lost and need help to find a good path in life again. Along the way he realizes that what he is searching for may not be a place at all but a purpose for being alive. Can Coyote Jim find a new place to call home? Will he find his purpose in life and is he courageous enough to step into it?

Overall, this was a very quick read. You definitely have to pay close attention because if your mind wanders or gets distracted it is hard to keep up. Especially with the amount of characters in this book and their interaction with Coyote Jim. It is a new take on ancestral spirits and a dystopian world. This book definitely takes you on a trip both figuratively and literally, definitely worth a read if you are looking for something new and a bit different!

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Captivated (Hybrid Lovers Series Book 1) by Toya Richardson – Review by Vanessa Watts

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Captivated (Hybrid Lovers, #1)Captivated by Toya Richardson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a sexy as sin book that I couldn’t put down. The physical scenes were extremely descriptive and downright naughty but in the best way imaginable. It kind of makes other books look tame.

Angelina, a pretty successful artist, is leading her life in the most normal way possible when she is kidnapped at night walking home to her apartment. This is the start of a very long tailspin for her as she comes to the realization that demons are real and her erotic dreams may border reality more than she could envision. Luca and Salvatore, hybrid angels and vampires, never expect to find their mate let alone save her from a demon. As the attraction between them grows and Angelina is thrust more into this world of good vs. evil she faces challenges that seem too big for her to handle. Can they form a powerful trio to stop the one demon hellbent on destroying them? Or will Amgelina have to face the very real death of not only herself but the two mates that she is deeply in love with?

This book had me going through all the feels as I envisioned the scenes playing out like a movie in my head. I cried, literal tears, was angry, and even laughed at the antics of Luca, Salvatorre, and Angelina. If you like super descriptive, heady, adult themed content books with a fantasy aspect and menage tre thrown in then this is a must read book. I will wait with baited breath for a possible sequel to come out to figure out what happens next for this trio and hopefully some cliffhangers get resolved!

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Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse (The Forerunner Saga Book 1) by Jay Veloso Batista – Review By Vanessa Watts

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Thorfinn and the Witch's Curse (The Forerunner Series #1)Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse by Jay Veloso Batista
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love all things involving historical tales and worlds that seem so long ago from what we know today. The author does a brilliant job of depicting the scenery in the villages so much so I can envision walking amongst them myself.

This book starts out with Finn, a boy who does what he should and enjoys listening to the stories and legends of old. His father is preparing an apprenticeship for him and planning a wedding. Everything changes when a relative who has been exiled shows up and seemingly sets off a witch’s curse leaving Finn a normal boy during the day but a ghost at night. This leaves Finn on uneven ground having to deal with his enemies including the witch that cursed him and his fellow clansman who in their fear strike murder plots against him. While also figuring out how to manage his new existence and where he goes from here. Will Finn make it out of this ghastly existence mostly intact? Can Finn find a way to cope with his new existence?

This is a riveting tale that will draw you in right from the start and refuse to let you go. Now that I know there are more books in this series I will definitely hunt them down to find out what happens next. These characters are so engaging and the story keeps you engaged so you want to devour this book in one setting. If you like fantasy mixed with action, adventure, and history then definitely give this book a try. It was one heck of a ride from start to finish!

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Flame and Crystal Thorns (Fae and Crystal Thorns Book 1) by Kay L. Moody – Review by Vanessa Watts

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Flame and Crystal Thorns (Fae and Crystal Thorns, #1)Flame and Crystal Thorns by Kay L. Moody
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love all books about fae and magic, intrigue and mystery. You know it’s a good book when you start pulling on a thread and it unravels into something you didn’t expect or a place you didn’t think you’d wind up. This book has all the components that make a page turner of a book. From an unexpected heroine, a handsome fae, mortals rebelling against magic, to the breadth of new magic.

I absolutely love Chloe as the main heroine of the story. A mere mortal with a half brother that is a fae who has chosen to live in the mortal realm where she feels she belongs. In fact she has finally found her place as an apothecary in her mortal town, healing the residents with poultices mixed together from fae recipes. Her picture perfect life is unexpectedly interrupted by the one fae Chloe never wanted to see again Quintus. It hurts for a fae to need to come beg for help from a mortal especially with one that has so much history with him. But with the mortals having developed iron weapons and holding an entire fae castle hostage which also happens to be where Chloe’s sister is with her husband. Quintus has no choice but to go to Chloe after all it’ll take a mortal with extreme love on the line to combat the revengeful crowd that has descended onto the fairy castle. Can Chloe, a mere mortal not only save her sister and the fae but can she do it while guarding her heart against the one person that has the power to decimate it?

If you like fantasy novels mixed with action and romance in the form of enemies to lovers then this book is perfect for you. Or if you are looking for an engaging new read this is an excellent choice that may get you hooked on a new genre.

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Collateral Damage (Mafia Elite Series Book 6) by Amy McKinley – Review by Vanessa Watts

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Collateral Damage: A Second Chance Mafia Romance (Mafia Elite Book 6)Collateral Damage: A Second Chance Mafia Romance by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I started this series from book one and look forward to each new release with baited breath. Just when you think she has all the characters written into their own story the author writes out more character stories that will leave you breathless. The writing is dynamic and engaging which must be why I just can’t get enough.

This is Trey De La Rosa’s story, who lives a dual life as a doctor and mafia surgeon for the five families. This duality leads to very little time for a personal life not that Trey wants one after what happened to his first love. That is until he is approached by Allen in a frantic state telling Trey that someone has kidnapped Hailey for a ransom. When Trey finds her and realizes that not everything is as it seems the connection they share is undeniable. As more secrets unfold more threats arise from those within and outside of the mafia. Can Trey get over his past so he can have a future with Hailey? Or will the mafia lifestyle be too much for even the courageous Hailey to handle? They always say if you love them let them go and if they love you they’ll always come back!

The romance in this novel is off the charts between the sexual chemistry between Trey and Hailey. It is enjoyable to read a series where the characters from other series still play a large role in each new book. They definitely build on each other and I recommend reading them in order if you can. If you can’t then you still need to read this one it was super hard to put down and may cause some loss of sleep as you just have to find out what happens next!

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Blood & Ravens (The Casket Girls Series Book 1) by A.D. Brazeau – Review by Vanessa Watts

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Blood & Ravens: A dark, paranormal romance (The Casket Girls Book 1)Blood & Ravens: A dark, paranormal romance by A.D. Brazeau
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was definitely not at all what I expected this book to be about just from the title. I was blown away by all the details and thought out plot that the author put into this book.

I love Greer as the main female character, a fierce protector of those who are important to her, kind to a fault, and stronger than people give her credit for. After being uprooted from her life in Paris and placed among the casket girls set to be married to a complete stranger. Greer makes friends with other casket girls and after feeling as though the dark dreams weren’t really dreams she starts realizing that her friends and herself are nothing more than food from a darkness no one can fathom. Theron who has claimed Greer as his own realizes his own feelings have not only put him in danger but Greer as well. Now facing Hades’ wrath , Greer realizes she wants to save Theron but what can she offer to Hades, the god of the underworld? Why is it Theron can’t seem to let go of Greer?

I absolutely loved the mixing of Greek mythology with paranormal beings and how the author flawlessly incorporated them into one delicious story. I could not stop reading this book and now am off to get the second just so I can see what else happens! I am hooked and if you like paranormal romances with action and intrigue I think you will be too. This is definitely a must read!

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