Becoming Hook by Mary Mecham

From Goodreads:

A pirate, a pixie, and a plot to foil Peter Pan…

James Hook never meant to become a pirate, and never dreamed that he would turn against best friend, Peter Pan. Every adventure and eternal youth awaited them… until a pixie exposes a shocking revelation. Tinkerbell’s information forces James into acknowledging that, far from being the benevolent hero he painted himself to be, Peter Pan was kidnapping innocent children.

After accepting the traumatic loss of his hand and of the family he can barely remember, James deserts Pan. In the fight to rescue the Lost Boys, Hook will risk everything, even if that means becoming the most notorious villain in Neverland… or losing the fiery pixie who is stealing his heart.

Can the original Lost Boy vanquish Neverland’s greatest threat?

My Take: 

This was a lovely surprise. I enjoyed seeing the story from James Hook's point of view and appreciated all the nuances of a different perspective. Tinker Bell and James made a great team as they tried to rescue the lost boys from Peter Pan's devious clutches. By part three, I ached for poor James. It seemed Peter would always be a step or two ahead. 

Thoroughly enjoyable! I give Becoming Hook a solid 4 because I enjoyed it (and related to it) better than Peter Pan. 

1-5 scale and what it means: 

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad 

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing 

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive 

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love 

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading 

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read 

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Snow White by K M Shea

From Goodreads:

Once upon a time, a princess and her stepmother ruled together with all happiness and joy…until the Queen’s chronic headaches and mood swings escalate to violence, and Princess Snow White is forced to flee for her life. 

Snow White is certain that a dark magic has pushed her once loving stepmother into madness. Shy and bookish as she may be, she will do whatever is necessary to save the Queen, even if it means approaching the infamous Seven Warriors—a group of outspoken fighters who live in the forest—to ask for their help. Unfortunately, six of the men are not convinced the Queen can be redeemed. 

But Fritz, the seventh warrior, is different. 

Hailed as both a deadly fighter and a humble forester, Fritz senses there is more to the Princess than there appears to be. When magical horrors attack, his mind is made up, and the Seven Warriors pledge their loyalty to Snow White. 

With the warriors helping her, Snow White is certain her stepmother can be saved. But just when victory seems near, a poisoned apple changes everything... 

My Take:

Shea is one of my favorite authors for fairy tales. This had enough different elements to be enjoyable. I loved that Snow White wasn't your typical perfect princess being hounded by the big baddie. There is a villain out to get her, but life wasn't perfect before the challenges of good vs evil get started. Here's what I liked (I'll try not to post spoilers!)

1. Snow White had a loving relationship with her stepmother. Queen Faina loved Snow White's father and saw Snow White as her own.

2. Snow White struggled with extreme shyness and anxiety. Over the course of the story, she has to find her own strength to overcome these things, but it doesn't happen overnight. I LOVED that she gets frustrated when she can't speak to the Lords after speaking easily with the Seven Warriors.

3. The Seven Warriors were awesome! The idea that a group of young nobility join up to fight the monsters in their land because the Queen didn't is great. Their interactions are also quite funny.

4. Angel adds another dimension to the story altogether, and I have questions!

All in all, it was a quick and entertaining read. 

I give Snow White by K.M. Shea a solid 4 (only because I found myself skimming at times).

1-5 scale and what it means: 

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad 

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing 

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive 

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love 

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading 

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read 

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

The Delta Family Romances by Cami Checketts

From Amazon:

A family sworn to protect a secret so dangerous it may destroy them all. Don't miss this fast-paced and flirtatious clean romantic suspense series by USA Today Bestselling Author Cami Checketts.

Delta Family Romances
Deceived
Abandoned
Committed
Betrayed
Devoted
Compromised
Endangered
Accepted
Returned
Devastated

My Take:

Cami Checketts is one of my favorite romantic suspense authors because I know there will be a good balance of suspense and danger mixed in with the romance. This review is for the 10-book Delta Family Romances. This is a Christian romantic suspense series. So, romance with Christian values of no sex before marriage (These characters share an intense attraction to each other, but manage to stay in control of their desires), prayers for strength and guidance during the suspense parts, and some good guys fighting bad guys stuff.;

The suspense and mystery of what the Delta weapon was and how that would all play out was really good. I loved getting to know and care for this family over the course of the book, making the last book more emotional than I expected. One of the best things about the characters was that they were not perfect. Each one had real-life issues that they needed to work through with the help of their soulmates. 

The romances were sweet, and yes, I'd call them soulmate romances. Why? Because all of them were insta-love with intense connections zinging between the couples. We have strong men and women which is a lovely change from the normal romantic suspense. The girls weren't useless and could often best their men in a fight. The feelings of love hit them fast and developed just as fast. 

The books were all quick reads for me. However, I did find myself skimming a lot to get to the action. There was a lot of internal thought that felt repetitive at times. I'd glance through paragraphs at a time to get to the dialogue. These books felt like 30% dialogue and 70% rumination by the characters. 

We are constantly reminded of what the emotional issue was holding the person back from accepting the love being offered. A few times I did get frustrated with that and wish they would hurry up and move on. There were a couple of instances where if the couple had sat down and talked for ten minutes everything would have been fine. However, I did read all ten books, so they must not have been too annoying. :)

All in all, I give the entire series 4 Stars and a Clean rating.

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy

R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

Gratuitous Epilogue by Andrea K Höst

From Goodreads: 

NOT A STAND-ALONE NOVEL. An extra for The Touchstone Trilogy. 

What happens when the plot ends? A relentless barrage of weddings, babies, and planetary colonization! Meandering through the two years following the conclusion of the Touchstone Trilogy, this self-indulgent collection of family reminiscence is more saccharine than dramatic, with the most action to be found in snowball fights. 

For those who truly just want to know what happens next, no matter how mundane, read on for the everyday, ordinary lives of psychic space ninjas playing house.

My Take:

I waited several years before picking up this 4th book in the Touchstone series. Mostly because reviews said it was boring. However, I've read the first three so many times that I was finally ready to know what happened after Cass saved the universe with the help of her psychic ninjas. :)

Even though they are no longer being attacked by Ionoth, there is still enough going on in the story to make it interesting. Plus, I needed to know, you know? I actually think if I could step through to Muina I would be a sight sight talent. Isn't that the one always trying to work things out because of the need to know and understand? Anyway, I enjoyed this story and don't regret giving in and buying it. 

I give it a solid 4 and a Clean rating.

1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:
Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"
PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door
PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door.
PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy
R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

The Dust of Kaku by Julia Huni

From Goodreads:

They say you can never go home. But, you can clean it.

Triana Moore, maintenance bot technician on Station Kelly-Kornienko, prefers life in orbit where the air is purified, the commute is short, and nature doesn’t get all over you. But when a minor infraction gets her sent to remedial training dirtside, she doesn’t complain. Who wouldn’t enjoy a few days of sitting in the sunshine, eating gourmet burgers and drinking too much Jager Hula?

When an unscheduled beach weekend uncovers dangerous squatters in her childhood home, the space janitor decides to clean house. She enlists the help of her roommate, Kara, and security agent Ty O’Neill. As they investigate, old friends resurface in suspicious circumstances, and Triana doesn’t know whom she can trust. She’s scheduled to work on Monday, so she must answer these questions before the weekend is over: Who are these infiltrators? What do they want? And when will that pizza finally be delivered?

This book was previously published as Dirtside Decluttering.

My Take:

This was a good audiobook. The action was fast-paced, the character dialogue humorous, and there was good tension throughout. The narrator also did a great job bringing the story to life. I listened to the first book in the series quite a while ago and the narrator's consistency helped me remember what came before this story. 

 

This story left enough questions that I just might have to get the next book in the series. ;) 

I give the Dust of Kaku a solid 4 and the narrator a 5 for using accents the right way without making me cringe. 

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy

R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

Captive of the Stars by Ellen Russell

From Goodreads:

Taken captive by a rival planet, Carina finds herself caught in the middle of an interplanetary war. Her captor, a fierce Varusian soldier, is as infuriating as he is charming. With dangers on board the enemy ship and little hope for escape, Carina struggles to make her way in a foreign culture.

Ram is used to handling himself on and off the battlefield, so he doesn’t anticipate having much trouble overseeing a lone, Seuturan woman. But coming face to face with the enemy makes him start to question his loyalty. What started out as a mission motivated by revenge has turned into something a lot more complicated.

They come to realize the stakes are even higher than they could have imagined, but find what’s most at risk are their hearts.

A clean, sci-fi adventure romance with some violence and mild profanity. 

My Take:

I have mixed feelings about this one. Perhaps it's because I went in expecting more of a science fiction story (which is there) with a little romance (which is there), but by the end of the story, the only questions answered are the romance ones. Let's jump in and break it down. I'll do my best to avoid spoilers, but no promises on this one. 

First, the world building is really good. We have two alien races that are related somehow (we just never learn that history) and have not had a lot of interaction in the past but are now facing a war with each other. The Varusians come off as the wealthier, smarter, has all the toys, older sibling compared to the Seuturans. We get a good look at their ship and military setup while also learning a little about what their home life is like. What little we see about the Seuturan lifestyle isn't going to sell many vacation packages.

Ram is a Varusian warrior on a raid to Seuturan. The goal is to take captives and demand talks begin between their two peoples. They want a wrong that has been done to them fixed, as much as it can be. Mostly an acknowledgment, apology, and what else is never really clear. We're told that the Varusians are also trying to show a better, kinder way of dealing with the enemy during this mission. During this raid, he gets a glimpse of Carina and is impressed with her grit and fire as she breaks away and runs. So, he has to chase her.

At this point, I don't believe he had any romantic designs on her. He simply connected to the fact she wasn't a lemming that sat and waited to be loaded up. I can appreciate that. Carina continues to show spunk for most of the book, but she has some really screwed-up thought patterns. She has this blind faith in her world government and their ability (and desire) to save her and the other hostages.

In an effort to avoid spoilers, a lot of stuff happens. Carina and Ram become friends of sorts. They enjoy a camaraderie they didn't expect but they never do anything romantic. Ram does question why he wants to make her happy and keep her safe. Carina often thinks she will miss Ram when she goes home to her arranged marriage to get a larger apartment. The things Carina thinks will happen don't, other things do, they are separated for a time and then reunited for a happily ever after. Romance is complete.

The end and the science fiction side is where I have so many mixed feelings. While this was a good story, nothing is resolved. None of the questions were answered. Did the Seuturans do what the Varusians said they did? I have no idea how they could have. They looked like a completely backward, hole-in-the-wall planet compared to the other one. There are MAJOR secrets going on somewhere. But no one questions any of this. Everyone just accepts what happened and moves on like no big deal. That doesn't feel realistic to me.

Maybe this is meant to be the beginning of a series? However, I feel something should have come out in this first book to give a clue about what direction we're moving. But I have no idea if this is a series or stand-alone.

I received an early-reader copy of this book for an honest review. For the most part, I really enjoyed the world-building and story. I'm looking forward to reading the final version to see what changes were made in the final edits. Perhaps some of my questions were addressed.

I give Captive of the Stars 3.75 stars rounded to a 4 and a CLEAN rating.

1-5 scale and what it means: 

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad 

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing 

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive 

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love 

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading 

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read 

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure 

Movie Ratings in relation to my review: 

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen" 

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door 

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door. 

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

An Inconvenient Grand Tour by Lisa H. Catmull

From Goodreads:

She needs to hide. He’s tired of being overlooked. It’s going to be a long two years. 

Eleanor Barrington has one rule: don’t draw attention to yourself. Her father does that far too often. She has one goal: marry a Peer with enough social status to protect her family from embarrassment. When her father decides on a last-minute Grand Tour, Eleanor finds herself spending time with the one man who cannot help her: a younger son who draws attention to himself everywhere they go. Her brother’s best friend. 

 As the younger son of an earl, Percy Hauxton has to fight for everything. A Grand Tour is the perfect opportunity to pursue his ambition to work for the Foreign Office. But traveling with Eleanor and her parents wasn’t part of the plan. 

 When circumstances draw them apart and a secret from the past threatens to unravel everything, Eleanor has to rethink her goals and decide one thing. Can she marry for love, or does she need a marriage of convenience?

My Take:

Historical fiction is another side reading trip for me. Usually, I prefer them filled with death and mystery. So, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this romance. It wasn't full of silliness. The characters were sensible people living a normal life for their day and age. 

Elli thought getting married to a peer was her only hope of safety and a grand tour derailed all her plans. She handled the changes and challenges that came her way with grace and strength. As a younger son, Percy was working past his "moments" of wishing for more and diligently striving to be the best he could be. Neither counted on falling in love. 

There were moments I wanted to shake them both because of lack of communication. However, in that day and age, it made sense. You didn't come right out and say what needed to be said. It was easier to misunderstand intentions and desires. Especially when you might say the complete opposite because that's what decorum called for. 

All in all, I found their interactions fun and endearing. There is also plenty of other drama going on around them to keep things interesting and the story moving forward. 

I give An Inconvenient Grand Tour a solid 4 stars and a CLEAN rating.

1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:
Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"
PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door
PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door.
PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy
R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

The Casserole Dish by Amey Zeigler

From Goodreads:

One broken woman. One broken house. One broken neighborhood. And one casserole dish to fix them all. 

After a painful divorce that left her house rehabbing business in shreds, Lisa Bennigan seeks to rebuild her life with her three children. When she inherits a house with lots of sweat equity, she throws herself into the renovation to avoid her pain and loss. 

While she attempts to rehab the house, she discovers the neighborhood also needs a little TLC. Backbiting and gossip have torn their cul-de-sac apart. Lisa hopes she can establish harmony by baking love into slightly magic casserole dishes shared with her neighbors and maybe even save her own heart as well.

My Take: 

This book falls firmly into the women's fiction category, which is not my normal read either. I guess I'm branching out this summer! There is a romance thread, but the main focus of the story is Lisa's journey of healing after her divorce as well as that of the neighborhood. 

This cut-de-sac is more of a mess than the house that needs to be decluttered and fixed up. Everyone is dealing with their own issues and their coping mechanism is to judge and complain about everyone else. Of course, this only makes everything worse. Jackson encourages Lisa to over an olive branch to try and make things better. She decides to take one neighbor a meal and wait to see what happens. 

This was an enjoyable read. I felt extremely lucky that I'd never experienced this kind of neighborhood. It made me appreciate all the great relationships I've enjoyed over my lifetime.

I give The Casserole Dish a solid 4 Stars and a Clean Rating.

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy

R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

 

I Hated You First by Rachel John

From Goodreads: 

Clay… My best friend has held a grudge against his half-sister, Lauren, forever. It’s unjustified and ridiculous, but I have to take his side. Also ridiculous? How bad I have it for her. My Lauren radar goes off the second she steps in the building. Did I mention we work together and her dad’s the boss? Yeah, she’s so off-limits I might as well start running now and never come back. Except, her family is like family to me. So, I’ll do whatever it takes to stick around, even if she hates my guts. 

Lauren… I date guys nothing like Clay on purpose. I will not let my old crush on him get the best of me. It’s going on the list of things I’ve outgrown and will deny ever having, like the Justin Bieber poster I used to keep on the back of my door. It doesn’t matter that I’ve caught Clay looking at me like he’s a jewel thief and I’m a precious gem encased in glass. He’d never choose me over my brother, or his job, or his enjoyment in teasing me. Avoiding Clay is easy, until the day I realize my dad’s asked for Clay’s help in checking up on my dates. No stinking way. 

My Take:
This was a fun and quirky read. The narrator did a great job bringing the characters to life and carrying the story forward. There were lots of cute moments between our characters as they moved from their uneasy “not my brother brother/sister” relationship to friendship and then romance. It was cute all around. 

 
I give I Hated You First a solid 4 stars and a Clean rating. 

 
1-5 scale and what it means: 

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad 

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing 

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive 

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love 

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading 

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read 

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure 

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:
Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"
PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door
PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door.
PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy
R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

Healing Hearts by Samantha Thomas

From Goodreads: Alex Mason is heading to the mountains to sell the family ski resort she inherited from her estranged father. Sell to developers and forget the pain of her past. She was not expecting to face those memories or her very first crush, Olympic skier, Bohdi Vonn.

Bohdi Vonn was the country’s darling. Medalled Olympian and endorsements that provided a life of comfort. He only wants to spend his days running the T-Bar Pub and rebuilding his life at Talisman Mountain.

When the news the resort will be sold to unscrupulous developers surfaces, Bohdi swears he will do anything to stop it. He just wasn't prepared to go to battle with the determined and beautiful Alex Mason. His best friends sister is all grown up, stunning and still hasn’t forgiven him for her brother’s death on the hill years ago.

Knowing he has only one chance to save Talisman, Bohdi sets out on a mission to show Alex the true value of the mountain, forgiveness and his heart.

My Take: 

There was a lot to like about Alex and Bohdi. They felt instant chemistry at their first "reunion" meeting when they didn't know who they were talking to, then things went down hill. Both characters had a lot of issues to deal with surrounding the pain from the past. Alex is stubborn and unwilling to talk about it--a real pro at hiding from her own emotions. Bohdi seems more willing, but he's also a bit clueless. 

These characteristics didn't make them unlikeable, just real. For the most part, I enjoyed the story. There were places where I wished the author had digged a little deeper, given us just a little more than we got. I'm not sure how though. The book just felt like it was brushing the surface and was over too soon. Alex is adamant that she isn't going to give in to Bohdi because it's too late, then they're together and the book is over. It felt like a lot of steps in the relationship were skipped even though they made out in the hot tub. I wanted the deeper emotional connection, not the physical one to take center stage for more of the story. 

I give Healing Hearts by Samantha Thomas a 3.75 rounded to a 4 and a PG to PG-13 rating. The book is technically clean, but the characters are physically aware of each other and want things. There is also the hot tub scene but no smex. I received this book in exchange for an honest review. 

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy

R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

Red Gambit by Luke R Mitchell

From Goodreads:

What do a wayward mercenary and a vexed arcanist have in common? Neither of them signed up for this crap . . .

It's been fifteen years since the raknoth made a smoldering heap of Earth. But for some survivors, the problems are just getting started.

Jarek Slater is a sword-slinging nomad with a powerful exosuit and a mean vigilante streak—or was until his exosuit was stolen. He wants it back.

Rachel Cross is an energy-bending arcanist who wants nothing more than to find her brother and bring him home safely.

When their paths collide, Jarek and Rachel are reluctantly pulled into a race across the nuclear wasteland to reclaim his suit and save her brother. All that stands between them and their goals is a vicious alien warlord, some grating interpersonal tension, and a whole bunch of violent marauders. Oh, and a mysterious alien device that may bring on the second apocalypse.

Together, they might just be strong enough to pull it off. Assuming they don't kill each other first . . .

My Take:

The narrator was great. He really got into the characters, making it easy to feel their personalities and keep them separated.

Great story, full steam ahead action with good story elements woven through the fighting. I really enjoyed the post-apocalyptic feel with the “Tony Stark-like” Jarek’s quest to get his super suit back, the arcanist Rachel’s goal to just protect the last of her family, and the intrigue of the power struggle. And in the midst of it all, there is some love/hate flirting that makes things really fun. Jarek’s willful snarkiness keeps the desolation of it all at arms-length.

The author did note there would be language, and there is a lot of it. It is fitting for the type of story and situation, but if you don’t like reading or hearing a steady stream of heavy swearing, think twice about this one.

I give the story a solid 4, the narrator a 5, and it gets an R rating simply because of the f-bombs. There is no sex or even a kiss. Which, I think Rachel and Jarek could have snuck at least one in. Well, maybe not. It was one thing after another with the surviving bit.

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy

R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

Desperate Forest by Cece Louise

From Goodreads:

Enter a forest full of danger, secrets, and romance . . . 

 For nineteen years, Princess Roselynn's life has been safe and comfortable. Until her father is murdered, and she discovers a plot to end her life. Hoping to find safety in the arms of her betrothed, she flees to the perilous Eternity Forest—only to be captured by a brash outlaw named Jay.

With no choice but to join forces with his group, Roselynn soon discovers everyone there has their own purpose—and secrets. Torn between her disdain for Jay and growing attraction to him, she strives to solve the mystery behind his tough exterior and shadowy past, especially when he tells her she can’t trust the man she promised her hand to.

As the lines between enemy and ally blur, Roselynn must question what she knows and where her heart lies. Can she discover the truth in time to save her kingdom, or will she lose everything to the dark forest?

My Take:

Note: I read the series backwards, so ended with book one. 

This one was the hardest book for me to read since I had already read book three and knew more about Jay and Darius's relationship than if I had read book one first. It made me anxious. I won't say too much because I don't want to give anything away, but it all plays out well enough to set up the story for book three while giving a satisfying ending for our couple here.

It's really quite a complicated tangle of heartache that is beautifully written. Just know that I recommend you read the entire series. We have another great cast of characters with flaws that make them relatable and annoyingly human. They are easy to root for and at times quite slappable. :)

I give Desperate Forest 4 stars and a Clean rating.

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy

R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

Mazarine by Cece Louise

 

From Goodreads:
She's cursed. He's dead. How far will they go to change their fates?

Princess Marilee is cursed. A mermaid by day and a human by night, she made a fateful decision that has left her trapped between two worlds.

Disgraced Prince Darius is dead. At least, that’s what he wants everyone to think when he’s thrown overboard from a prison ship.

When Marilee and Darius meet, they reluctantly make a deal—Darius will help Marilee return to her family in exchange for enough money so he can disappear forever.

A doomed woman and a condemned man. Can they find redemption, or will they be lost to an unforgiving sea?

My Take: 

First, I started this series backwards. Meaning I received an early reader copy of book 4 first. That's where I first had a glimpse of Marilee. I enjoyed book 4 so much, I immediately picked up book 3. Seemed like reading backwards might be a good idea since I was curious about where the lost princess had been that whole time.

Merilee's story is the Little Mermaid meets Pirates of the Caribbean. It's well thought out, well-written, and once again the world is rich enough to get lost in. You forget you're reading a book. I was afraid I might quickly not like Darius because he was so bitter, and the memories of what put him on the prison ship did not paint him as a good person. However, there was just enough pain visible behind his "I don't care" attitude that it never happened. Just like Marilee, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and see who he really was. I'm glad I did. Marilee isn't only kind, she's stronger than she appears on so many levels.

All in all, this was a wonderful read. I give it a solid 4 stars and a Clean rating.

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy

R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

Spring for Best Friends by Eliza Boyd

From Goodreads:

They’ve been best friends since third grade. Can they overcome their fears and truly find love together?

Olivia Sutton, the owner of Blushing Bridal in the small town of True Love, made a bet with her friend. Her friend paid up, so it’s now Olivia’s turn. It’s time for her to confess to Ryan how much she’s loved him since high school. And she has to ask him to the annual Spring Fling party at the inn—as more than just friends. But when a new woman in town beats her to it, she closes her mouth, not wanting to interfere with Ryan’s potential happiness.

Ryan Hedgewick is getting tired of everyone in town asking about his relationship with Olivia. They’ve always been best friends—that’s it. He’s convinced she’ll never see past his dorky high school phase and love him for the man he is today. That ship has sailed. So when the opportunity to date someone else arises, he takes it, hoping it’ll silence the chatter about him and Olivia. However, when he doesn’t immediately fall in love in a town obsessed with it, he begins to wonder if he already did—with his best friend.

With Ryan’s new relationship making her heartache, will Olivia choose to move away from True Love to find it somewhere else? Or will Ryan and Olivia figure out that true love does exist for them in their small mountain town?

My Take:
I just read the book before this one and enjoyed it so I picked this one up from Book Sprout as an early reader copy as well. This means I got to read it before it's release on March 28th!

Eliza Boyd has an easy to read style and she does a good job introducing her characters and making them real and likable. It did take me a moment to ground myself though because I haven't read the first book in the series and Penelope has a couple of nicknames that I had to get used to real quick. But, moving on...

Olivia and Ryan are the perfect couple who just keep getting in their own way. They've both had feelings for each other at various times over the years and pushed them away out of fear of ruining their friendship. Olivia has finally taken a dare to speak up when a new girl in town asks Ryan out. A lot of people will complain about how spineless and too nice Olivia seems. They will say she should have said something right away. They'll say there are multiple times she could have told him how she felt and she was stupid for not speaking up. Even if it's true, the truth is, there are more women in this world who would make the same choice Olivia does. They would want the man they love be happy, even if it's not with them.

Having said that, I did want to throw the book across the room at one point. Mini spoiler maybe? Ryan decides to make a move. He's done all the things right, but Olivia doesn't know it. He goes in to kiss her, she stops it and kicks him out because she thinks he has a girlfriend. Olivia doesn't even let him explain. That was stupid. And didn't make any sense to me.

In the end, it's the new girl in town that finally get them together. This is one of the things I really enjoy about Boyd's stories. The 'other' woman in both of the ones I've read have not been vicious witches. I appreciate that a lot.

I give Spring for Best Friends a 4 with a Clean rating.

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no sex on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, sex is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to sex), more talk about sex, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but sex is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen sex

R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” sex, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the sex and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

Winter of Second Chances by Eliza Boyd

From Goodreads:

Chastity and Chase were high school sweethearts.
Then their marriage crumbled under pressure and Chase left town.
Now that he's engaged again, he returns to True Love with one mission: To finally get a divorce.
But True Love will make sure they get a second chance.

My Take:
This was a cute story about a town with mystical powers that just wouldn't give up on two people when they'd given up on themselves. I enjoyed it and actually read it all in one day. There were a few typos, but that could be because I had an advanced reader copy. Hopefully, they will be fixed once the book is released on February 28th (just 2 days!) on Amazon.

Okay, let's dig in. What I liked about this book:
Ten years have gone by, but Chastity has moved on with her life. Mostly. She's bought her own business and is doing her best to make it succeed. It's a struggle, and she hasn't written that book yet, and she isn't dating, but she doesn't seem to be wallowing in missing Chase. It's obvious she was heartbroken and still thinks of him, but she didn't quit her life. She continued to grow and move on the best she could. When Chase shows back up she's sucker-punched with the surprises that come one after another. I won't tell you so as to avoid the spoilers.

The second thing that I like was that when the time came for Chase to cut the ties with Jessica (his fiance before returning to True Love) it went well. Although she sounds and looks likes she's going to be one of those women, she's not. I appreciated that Boyd didn't completely follow that trope.

I loved that it didn't just fall into place as soon as Chase said goodbye to Jessica. Marjorie is one smart woman! A little bit of time to calm down and think was needed, even if it felt like the end of the world all around. Okay, that is close to being a spoiler.

Here's the nitpicks:
I got tired of all the "I'm feeling something/thinking something that I don't want to right now, so I just won't feel/think it." Several times I just wanted to say, sit down and figure it out already! You know what you want, you know what's going on, just face up to it and own it.

And Chastity was WAY too nice. It all makes sense because that's her personality. However, she only blew up and yelled at him once. I felt she deserved a little more than that, but what we got was satisfying.

I give Winter of Second Chances by Eliza Boyd a solid 4 with a Clean rating.

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no sex on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, sex is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to sex), more talk about sex, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but sex is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen sex

R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” sex, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the sex and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

The Paramedics Second Chance by Elana Johnson

Looks like it might have been renamed Love in Lavender (which makes more sense actually). It is still searchable by The Paramedics Second Chance as well.

From Goodreads:
A widowed florist, her ten-year-old daughter, and the paramedic who delivered the girl a decade earlier... Love's second chance on the beach!

Paramedic Andrew Herrin delivered Gretchen Samuels's daughter on the side of the road when she and her husband couldn't make it to the hospital in time. When their paths cross again in small-town Hawthorn Harbor, she's a widow and the baby is ten-year-old Dixie.

Dixie gets along great with Drew, and Gretchen finds herself falling in love with the man who's rescued her twice now. But when Drew's ex-girlfriend comes back to town, Gretchen's trust issues rear their ugly head. Can she and Drew find their way toward finding love in the lavender?

This is a full-length sweet/clean contemporary beach romance in the vein of your favorite Hallmark movie by USA Today bestselling author Elana Johnson.

My Take:
This is a sweet read filled with lots of emotion as Gretchen tries to figure out what she wants, what she can handle, and how it will affect her daughter. Drew has his own issues to work out which makes this feel like real life.

I did get frustrated with Gretchen. She took not asking for help to the beyond ridiculous level making the grand gesture at the end necessary. In a way, it kind of ruined the real-life feel of the story for me. I wish she had given in more gradually and accepted Drew's love naturally. After all, he let her help him. Thank goodness for Dixie and her wish making!

I give this story something between a 3.5 and a 4. I enjoyed it while reading, finished, moved on and sort of forgot about it.

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no sex on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, sex is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to sex), more talk about sex, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but sex is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen sex

R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” sex, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the sex and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

Teapots & Treachery by Donna K Weaver

From Goodreads:
An Anthology
A SAVAGE GHOST
Lia Savage reluctantly puts her dream of opening a dessert boutique on hold to help her dad remodel a castle he’s inherited in Washington State. Soon, a specter targets her younger sister.

Lia enlists the help of strapping Coop Montgomery, the head gardener and her former crush. As they search together for a way to rid the castle of its ghost, the romance she used to dream about with Coop kindles. But Lia’s gentle giant means to stay in Washington while she’s determined to return to California. She must find the courage to face both the ghost and her future. With Coop. Or without him.

WAVES OF DECEIT
Twenty-six-year-old Shelby Nash wants to break free of her controlling, billionaire father. With the completion of one more project for his company, she can branch out on her own. However, her ex-boyfriend’s been appointed as the new lead architect. She has to find a way to protect her heart from him while avoiding whoever’s making anonymous threats.

Wade Masters did a poor job handling the news about the identity of his girlfriend’s father. Shelby walked out of his life without another word. Finally, four years later, Wade has a chance to win her back. As long as whoever’s targeted her doesn’t get her first.

My Take:
Both of these stories were short and quick reads. They were almost too fast. I liked the characters but didn't have time to connect with them.

The ghost story was cute. I loved all the layers and multiple ghosts--one that needed help, and one that stayed to help. The best part was Lia finding what was the most important to her.

The suspense story was even better. Shelby and Wade fall right back into their attraction but try to fight it. The suspense element is good as are the surprises around Shelby's father.

All in all, good stories I wished were longer.

These get a Clean rating and probably a 3.5-4 range only because they were too short for me. The writing was great though.

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no sex on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, sex is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to sex), more talk about sex, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but sex is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on screen sex

R--swearing (F bomb, on “screen” sex, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the sex and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

Love, Snow, and Mistletoe: Four Sweet Christmas Novellas

Since this is a collection, I'll post the blurb from Goodreads in black, and my comments in red for Christmas!

From Goodreads:

Her Fake Christmas Date BY VICTORINE LIESKE

Jennifer uses an old friend as an excuse for why she can’t go on a blind date. She doesn’t know he’s been secretly in love with her since grade school.

This was fun and cute. Jennifer doesn't know how much she hurt Shane years earlier, all she remembers is the good times they had and how nicely he's grown up.

A Holiday Rescue BY TAMIE DEAREN

Despite her fame as an author, Amy is all alone at Christmas. Stranded in a snowstorm, she's rescued by a handsome stranger. Can shared cocoa lead to love?

There was a lot going on in this short. It all works, but it could have benefited by several thousand more words to wrap up/round out some of the side plots. Enjoyable, but I wanted to know if the photo Amy stared at on her laptop that she paid $35 for was really Max or just someone who looked like him, and why was Damon so nasty crazy then perfectly fine? It's like a lot of drama was built up around him for no reason. And why was the Matt guy from NetShows so set on getting the contracts signed so fast? If he was SPOILER ALERT related to Max, it seemed like he would have been a nicer guy, so was it all Damon? 

Anyway, the romance part was sweet, with both of them fumbling around thinking the other one had a significant other, or no interest, or whatever, but some of the other stuff pulled my attention away from the romance. Cady was awesome though. 

A Second Chance for Christmas BY MICHELLE PENNINGTON

Grace planned to spend December moving into her new apartment and getting ready for Christmas with her daughter, not falling for her neighbor, Sam--whose heart she broke years ago.

I loved that Grace was so stubborn about trying to do things on her own, but also smart enough to realize she couldn't. Sam was a dream come true. Even though he could have turned his back on Grace he didn't. This story probably had the most heart-twisting moments for me. Grace had been through the wringer, making it hard to think there might be a happily ever after available for her. I liked that we could see her struggling with it. 

The Billionaire’s Perfect Match BY ANNIE HOUSTON

Heading up large corporations is tough on your love life. A trip home throws high school friends Aurelia and Lander together and sparks fly. They each have everything, except love.

This was a cute twist on the billionaire trend. We get not one, but two billionaires! I love that Aurelia is successful and rich in her own right and has the same concerns about people dating her money that Lander does. But most of all, I love how after years apart, they fall right back into being best friends with the extra bonus of chemistry. 

This was a fun, fast Christmas read. I enjoyed all the stories and felt the characters were all well-developed. I'd definitely recommend it this season.

I give this collection a solid 4 and Clean rating.

Rating Guide

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:

Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no sex on or off "screen"

PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, sex is all closed door

PG-13--some language (swear words not related to sex), more talk about sex, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but sex is closed door.

PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen sex

R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” sex, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the sex and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always