Tag Archives: Young Adult

No Prince /No Romeo by Stevie J Cole & LP Lovell-Review Tour

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No Prince / No Romeo (Dayton 1 & 3) by Stevie J Cole & LP Lovell-Review Tour

NO ROMEO
Dayton #3
Stevie J Cole & LP Lovell
Release Date September 16, 2022
Genre: young adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

To everyone in Dayton, Hendrix Hunt was the tattooed bad boy, the bully, the player. The guys hated and feared him; the girls wanted to tame him. And I just wished I could forget him.

Two years ago, Hendrix was my world. My hero, my savior. Then the taint of Dayton ruined everything, breaking both of us with secrets and lies. I destroyed him and now he wants to destroy me…

They say love is patient, that love is kind, but when a love is broken, it becomes filled with jealousy and revenge. The only question is, who will pay first?

Hendrix Hunt was no Romeo, but just like Juliet, I was in love with my enemy.

•••••

REVIEW: I have been waiting for this one!! Book three in the Dayton series; No Romeo takes us back to our least favorite High School and back to the lovable, but crazy people that go there. Each book can be read as a standalone, but as always, ya girl is a fan of reading a series in order for all the juicy details.

Hendrix and Lola.

Lola is back in Dayton after being away for two years and not everyone is happy that she is. After a hellish two years, all Lola wants to do is get her life in order, protect her sister and at all cost avoid Hendrix. Yes, her Hendrix. The one that thinks she betrayed him, but all she truly did was protect his sorry bum.

Hendrix is a dude, and does what most dudes do when they want to get rid of the feelings they have. They sleep around. This is what he does for the two years Lola is gone. Well it’s more like what doesn’t he do really, because it’s not much. He does everything he can to get Lola out of his head and out of his heart. Too bad nothing is working. When she arrives back at Dayton, the rug is pulled out from under him and now he has to face her again. They have to face each other.

Oh lordy! These two are like children when they fight over the same toy. Lola protects Hendrix from something, and when he finds out it changes everything for them. Secrets are revealed, scary stuff happens that puts more at risk that they could ever imagine, but when it comes down to it, Hendrix and Lola have one another’s backs. To say this was an easy read would be a lie, however, it was one I could not put down. Lola and Hendrix are each other’s person, and that is just how it is meant to be.

Copy supplied for review

Reviews by Sarah

Click HERE for Sarah’s review of book two NO GOOD

____________

NO PRINCE
Dayton #1
Stevie J Cole & LP Lovell
Release Date April 6, 2020
Genre: young adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Zepp Hunt wasn’t the king of Dayton high school. He was the top of the food chain. And I was next in line to be dragged into the lion’s den. At least that’s what he thought…

Good girls wanted to tame him. Bad girls wanted to be tainted by him. Everyone bowed down to him. And me? I hated Zeppelin Hunt with every fiber of my being. Which was why I stayed away from the arrogant bad boy with tattoos and a rap sheet. Until I couldn’t. Until we traded favors, and I owed him three months of my life.

I never thought I would end up in his bed, and when I did, I had to remind myself that he hated me as much as I hated him. Until I didn’t.

Zepp Hunt was no prince, and I absolutely refused to be his damsel in distress…

••••••

REVIEW: Discombobulated. Perfect word to describe my mindset reading this book. Stevie and Lovell play off of one another so well, when they write, you can tell how much they enjoy it, and by it I mean, torturing their readers lol.

No Prince is the first in the Dayton series, a new adult novel. I’m not normally a big fan of this genre, I like my books with a little more fire if you catch my drift, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. No Prince is an enemy to lovers’ bully romance, but Zepp isn’t your typical bully.

Monroe is such a strong person, she gives off bad bee energy, but under all the bravado she is still a girl, vulnerable and hopeful. She wants what all girls want, secretly or not. Love. Her childhood and family life aren’t the white picket fence that others may have, she wants out, and will do anything and everything to make that happen.

Zepp is all alpha bad boy, liquor, smokes, girls, you name it, if he wants it, he gets it. His loyalty is only to those in his circle. When it comes to Monroe however, he’s a different person. He’s more for her. Their chemistry is off the charts, and together they make one hell of a team. When these two get together the world fades and all you can do is focus on them.

This book has one of my new favorite lines in it about trust, it home with me, as did the characters. They are so believable as people, their emotions and struggles so raw, by the end I wasn’t just reading to read, I was reading to see these two find their HEA. This series is gonna be a kicker for sure.

Own a copy

About Stevie J. Cole:

Stevie J. Cole likes to write realistic stories with raw, gritty characters you should hate but can’t help but to love.

 She’s obsessed with rock music, loves sloths, and has an unnatural obsession with British accents. 

Her books are not recommended for the faint of heart. 

 Connect w/Stevie:

Website: https://www.steviejcolebooks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorsteviejcole

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StevieJCole

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/StevieJCole

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7736491.Stevie_J_Cole

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Stevie-J.-Cole/e/B00K9PK3EY

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/stevie-j-cole

•••••••••••••••• 

About LP Lovell:

Lauren Lovell is a ginger from England. 

She suffers from a total lack of brain to mouth filter and is the friend you have to explain before you introduce her to anyone, and apologise for afterwards. 

Lauren loves a mildly…or not so mildly psychopathic hero, and a dark, twisted tale. 

If you like like your boys very very bad, then hop on in.

Connect w/LP:

Website: http://lplovell.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lplovellauthor

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/308860072628711

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lp_lovell/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Authorlplovell

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7850247.L_P_Lovel

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3b04aBV

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lp-lovell

NL Signup: http://lplovell.co.uk/newsletter

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Wilder Trilogy (Wilder 1-3) by Ali Dean-Review & Excerpt Tour

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Wilder Trilogy (Wilder 1-3) by Ali Dean-Review & Excerpt Tour

Wilder Games
Suspenseful Sports Romance 1
by Ali Dean
Release Date: November 2021
Genre: adult, contemporary, sports,romantic suspense

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

It’s match point in the most important tennis match in my life, and nothing can distract me. Nothing, that is, except the sight of Jude Wilder sitting in the stands with his little sister on his lap. He’s never watched me play. Never even noticed me before. And yet his eyes are on me now. I know what he must be thinking. I’m not just an outcast, I’m a social pariah thanks to my family being the town’s most notorious con artists. Jude is on the opposite side of the spectrum. Not only is he accepted, he’s worshipped. I’m nobody to him, and yet I’ve got this chance to impress him.

As it turns out, he isn’t at all impressed when I win the match, and I’m worse than a nobody to him. Jude thinks I’m a threat to his family. This should alarm me. It should scare me. Jude in protective mode is hot, all right, but I can’t afford to be on his radar. I’ve got one year to secure a college scholarship. It’s hard enough keeping a low profile with my tennis success, and the last thing I need is Jude Wilder of all people drawing more attention my way.

Especially if it’s hostile.
Even if I like it.

••••••

REVIEW:WILDER GAMES is the first instalment in Ali Dean’s contemporary, young adult WILDER romance series, a spin off from the author’s PEPPER JONES’ series. This is high school seniors Jude Wilder, and tennis phenom Karis Jackson’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Jude and Karis) WILDER GAMES follows the enemies to frenemies relationship between high school seniors Jude Wilder, and tennis phenom Karis Jackson. Karis Jackson wants nothing more than to qualify for a tennis scholarship to college but her mother and sister’s reputations have preceded our heroine’s introduction to everything and everyone in the small town of Brockton. Karis has the opportunity to turn pro but our heroine wants to earn her degree before setting off on the professional circuit. Still struggling to get out from under her mother and sister’s schemes that have affected most of the people in the town in which she continues to lives, Karis often finds herself facing off against fellow senior Jude Wilder, a young man whose parents have lived the life of successful and professional sports stars. As a member of the local Brockton Tennis Club, Karis has become an over night success but the reminders of the past refuse to die down, reminders of which Jude continues to expose. What ensues is the building enemies to frenemies relationship between Jude and Karis, and the potential fall-out as high school antics, and the return of her sister Renee, may threaten Karis’s future going forward.

Jude Wilder doesn’t trust Karis having watched his extended family implode as a result of Karis’s mother and sister’s need to destroy. Karis Jackson was never a part of the lifestyle that continues to affect our story line heroine but the past is about to return, and with it, Karis’ path towards college may take a detour, alone.

The relationship between Karis and Jude is acrimonious at best. Jude Wilder despises Karis without justification but her mother and sister’s ongoing deceit and lies has preceded Karis’ arrival and her shot at the future. Jude struggles with his attraction to Karis but quickly realizes that there is more to Karis than the reputation of the family that has left her behind. The lone $ex scene is passionate but mostly implied.

We are introduced to Karis’ coach Maxine Squire; her sister Renee and Renee’s boyfriend Battle; Jude’s parents Jace and Pepper Wilder (Pepper Jones series), as well as Jude’s brother Dash, sister Quinn, and Granny B; Jude’s friends Kwabena and Kofi Jamison, and their younger brother Cole; Karis’ friend Vanna Beaucraft; and basketball captain Nash Carver. There is a large ensemble cast of students, tennis players, parents and agents.

WILDER GAMES is a story of betrayal and vengeance; dysfunctional and tragic family dynamics, loneliness, acceptance, secrets and lies. The premise is emotional and edgy; the characters are heartbreaking yet charismatic-the requisite mean kids and challenging parents and adults are present; the romance struggles in the face of preconceived notions, and teenaged angst. WILDER GAMES end on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

__________

Wilder Match
Suspenseful Sports Romance 2
by Ali Dean
Release Date: January 6, 2022
Genre: adult, contemporary, sports,romantic suspense

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

One second, the future of my tennis career is brighter than ever; the next, nothing is certain. Nothing, that is, except that I won’t be swinging a racket anytime soon. Jude Wilder wants to come to my rescue. I don’t need rescuing, even if it’s offered by the one guy who ignites a fire inside of me like I’ve only ever felt on the tennis court.

I’ve done things on my own my entire life, and I won’t let this setback steal my independence. Only, it’s not so easy to turn Jude away when he’s determined to help me. I want him, but I don’t trust him enough to let him in. Then again, if I can keep his savior complex at bay, he might just be the perfect distraction while I’m sidelined. It’s not like he’s going to stick around for long, and I can always cut him out of my life when I need to. That is, if I don’t fall in love with him first.

••••••

REVIEW:WILDER MATCH is the second instalment in Ali Dean’s contemporary, young adult WILDER romance series-a spin off from the author’s PEPPER JONES series. This is the continuing story of high school seniors Jude Wilder, and tennis phenom Karis Jackson. WILDER MATCH should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately after the events and cliff hanger of boon one WILDER GAMES.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Jude and Karis) WILDER MATCH follows the building relationship between high school seniors Jude Wilder, and tennis phenom Karis Jackson. A accident left our heroine with a possible career ending injury, and in the following weeks Karis found herself the victim of two robberies, a loss of income, facing eviction, and the realization that the previous few years had been predicated upon a series of lies. Karis Jackson has been living alone, a lonely existence, struggling to keep her head above water, hoping to earn a scholarship for post-secondary education but the reappearance of her half-sister meant Karis’ life continued to spiral out of control, and the only bright spot was her blossoming relationship with Jude Wilder. With everything else crumbling around her, Karis and Jude will become the target of an unknown assailant, someone who is determined to keep Jude and Karis apart. What ensues is the building relationship between Karis and Jude, and the potential fall-out as even more devastating news threatens to upend Karis’ embattled world.

The relationship between Karis and Jude continues to build but Karis is keeping many secrets from our story line hero, secrets that are threatening Karis sense of safety, and her already low self esteem. Jude has fallen quickly for the young woman who has stolen his heart but Karis’ secrets are building a wall between our story line couple. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

All of the previous story line characters return with the addition of the requisite mean girls that are slowly tearing our couple apart.

WILDER MATCH is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and obsession, love and loss. The premise remains edgy and emotional; the characters are broken but surviving; the romance is impassioned. WILDER MATCH ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

___________

Wilder Play
Suspenseful Sports Romance 3
by Ali Dean
Release Date: March 10, 2022
Genre: adult, contemporary, sports, romantic suspense

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

he addicting, edge-of-your seat Wilder trilogy concludes with this final instalment filled with
sports, romance, and characters you’ll obsess about. Enjoy this fast-paced binge-read and its
twisty, unpredictable plot!

I’m back on the tennis court, but the rest of my life is a hot mess. My mom stopped paying my bills, and I
just discovered the reason for it: she’s dead. I’m about to get kicked out of my apartment – the same
one that’s been broken into twice – if I don’t pay rent soon. My sister is still lurking about, up to no
good. And someone is leaving messages telling me to break up with Jude.

He’s back from football camp and didn’t forget about me while he was gone. Jude’s seen the reality of
my life, and he isn’t running away. Instead, he’s demanding I open up to him more, even though I’ve
already made myself more vulnerable with him than with anyone else in my life. I keep telling myself it’s
for his own good to keep secrets from him, but I’m starting to wonder if it’s more about protecting my
heart than it is about proving my independence.

We’ve fallen hard and fast, and it’s up to me what happens next.

The man who’s come to deliver the news about my mom is about to tell me who my father is, and I have
a feeling my world is going to get turned upside down. Should I take Jude’s hand and bring him along for
the ride? And if I do, will having Jude beside me make me weaker, or stronger?

•••••••

REVIEW:WILDER PLAY is the third instalment in Ali Dean’s’ contemporary, young adult WILDER romance series focusing on high school seniors Jude Wilder, and Karis Jackson. WILDER PLAY should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately after the events of book two WILDER MATCH.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Jude and Karis) WILDER PLAY follows in the aftermath of the death of Karis’s mother, a woman who has not been a part of Karis’ life for a very long time but with the announcement, Karis’s half-sister Renee is determined to gain guardianship of our story line heroine, a guardianship that will leave Renee in control of our heroine’s life. Meanwhile, a new designer drug has hit the streets of Brockton, Colorado, and Karis believes she knows who is responsible for the supply and delivery but when threats against Karis become personal, Jude moves Karis into his family home, a move they hope would protect Karis from the threats that keep coming. As Karis and Jude’s relationship turns into something more, the jealous mean girls begin a campaign to push Karis out of Jude’s life, a campaign that now involves rumour, innuendo, deception and drugs.

The relationship between Karis and Jude has crossed the proverbial line into love but someone is targeting our story line couple, and Jude is determined to protect our heroine, even if it means, walking away from the woman he loves. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense without the use of over the top,sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and questionable secondary and supporting characters , and as per most young adult story lines, the requisite mean girls, numerous suitors, jealousy, and controversial adults play a significant role behind the scenes.

WILDER PLAY continues to focus on betrayal and vengeance, greed and obsession, jealousy and love. The premise is intriguing and engaging but the conflict resolution needed more detail; the romance is captivating; the characters are energetic, engaging and charismatic.

Copies supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

–>Get your Bookfunnel copy of the extended epilogue WILDER ACE HERE

REVIEW: WILDER ACE  is the contemporary, new adult, extended epilogue in Ali Dean’s WILDER series focusing on Jude Wilder and Karis Jackson Taylor. WILDER ACE quickly covers three years in the life of our story line couple, and should not be read as a stand alone as it makes reference to past events and future dreams but also leaves some open ended possibilities for Jude’s siblings to get their own story.

 

Copyright 2022 Ali Dean“That would have been your first kiss?”
She shrugged. “Yeah.”
“You’re seventeen?”
Her eyes finally met mine, and I could see the relief there. She was glad I hadn’t pushed about the “other stuff” she’d referred to, which only made me more curious about it.
“So? I’m too busy with school and tennis, and now college applications and work, to hang out with people.”
“You really think you led him on? That’s fucked up, Karis. He was the one who kept touching you all territorial-like all night, and you never responded.”
“Should I have pushed him away? Told him to stop? I mean, he wasn’t groping me or anything.”
“Pretty sure you did give him a few shoves at the ping pong table.” I raised my eyebrows and she laughed softly.
“Only because I wanted to win and he kept screwing up.”
“Karis, guys should be able to read women’s signs. Anyone looking at you two would have seen that you weren’t into him like that. But Ferris has it bad, and he’s ignoring it or in denial. Telling himself it’s because you’re inexperienced or something.”
“So I should have told him to back off or pushed him away earlier if you hadn’t shown up? Even though it would have made it awkward when I saw him at BTC, which is practically every day in the summer?”
“You would let a guy kiss you, your first kiss, so you didn’t hurt his feelings?”
Karis laughed again and the rage beating inside me dimmed slightly. “Okay,” she conceded. “You’re right.”
“You didn’t have any trouble pushing me away the other night,” I reminded her. And she’d been turned on, I hadn’t misread that. She’d liked how my body felt crowding hers.
“Yeah well, you were pissing me off. I didn’t have to worry about hurting your feelings.”
“If I tried to kiss you now, what would you do?”
She rolled her eyes like she didn’t think I was serious. “I need to get to bed, Jude. I’ve got to be up at 5:30 in the morning.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes,” she said on a long sigh, moving to the bed. See? She had no problem walking away from me.
I found myself following her as I remembered that look in her eyes as she ran her finger along her lip in the hallway. The way her chest rose and her eyes dilated. The deepening blush. Her husky voice. It hadn’t been for Ferris. She felt this between us. I wanted to be Karis Jackson’s first kiss.


 

About Ali Dean

Ali is a USA Today Bestselling author of girl power sports romance books, with enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. She has always loved to read, especially when there’s a happily ever after, but found that there weren’t enough books out there featuring girl athletes. So, she decided to work on that. Like the heroines in her books, Ali is an athlete, with running and skiing her favorite sports these days. Ali hails from Vermont and now lives in her own happily-ever-after in Colorado with her husband, two sets of twins (yes, you read that correctly) and golden retriever Pancake. When she’s not pursuing an outdoor adventure, Ali’s less healthy passions include ice cream, coffee, and beer.

 

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A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime by Monica Murphy-Review Tour

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A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime by Monica Murphy-Review Tour

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3opBhHg

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 10, 2022

Wren Beaumont is many things.

Beautiful.
Smart.
Sweet.
Innocent.

At Lancaster Prep, the girls love her. They all want to be her friend. Only I see Wren for who she really is.

A repressed little virgin who keeps her feelings locked up so tight she’s probably close to bursting. She thinks she’s above us all.

Even me.

I shouldn’t be drawn to her. She’s not my type.

Until we’re forced to work together in class and realize we might have more things in common than we originally thought. Soon enough I find myself completely obsessed. I will do anything for this girl to make her fall in love with me.

Anything.

••••••

REVIEW:A MILLION KISSES IN YOUR LIFETIME by Monica Murphy is a contemporary, YA/NA stand alone erotic, romance story line set in the author’s THINGS I WANTED TO SAY (BUT NEVER DID) world. This is prep school students Crew Lancaster, and Wren ‘Birdy’ Beaumont’s story line. A MILLION KISSES IN YOUR LIFETIME can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. Crew is Whit Lancaster’s cousin (Things I Wanted To Say); Crew’s brother Grant’s story can be found in the novella- THE WRONG BROTHER.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers. Although the characters are seventeen and eighteen years old, the sexual situations are adult in nature.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Crew and Wren) A MILLION KISSES IN YOUR LIFETIME follows the tempestuous but building relationship between Lancaster Prep Boarding School eighteen year olds Crew Lancaster, and Wren Beaumont. Crew Lancaster is part of the school ‘legacy’, and as such his attitude is that of ownership and power, and something about newcomer Wren Beaumont irks Crew Lancaster like never before, so he makes it his mission to discover everything about our heroine whether she wants him to or not. Forced to work together on a psychology assignment, Wren and Crew slowly unravel the ins and outs of one another’s lives, an unravelling that pulls our couple closer together but all is not well at Lancaster Prep when a teacher is found to be crossing the line. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Wren and Crew, and the potential fall-out when Wren’s over protective father threatens to end the relationship before it gets started.

Crew Lancaster is a bully, and Wren is his current target but the acrimonious back and forth between our story line couple hides a barely veiled attraction that quickly turns into something more. From the outset, Wren’s new girl status made her popular amongst the other girls but slowly, Wren’s likability fell when the mean girls decided it was time to target our story line heroine. Wren is an innocent; naïve to many of the boy/girl nuances but an innocence fueled by the people at home.

The relationship between Crew and Wren is often testy and acerbic but Wren has no idea why Crew took an immediate dislike to our story line heroine. Working together meant a forced proximity, that pushed our couple together towards their own happily ever after. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate.

We are introduced to Crew’s family including his brothers, Finn and Grant, girlfriend Alyssa (THE WRONG BROTHER), their sister Charlotte, and Wren’s parents Harvey and Cecily, whose own relationship is combative and failing; Crews’ friends Malcolm and Ezra; Wren’s friend Maggie Gipson, as well as embattled Honors English teacher Mr. Figueroa, psychology teacher Ms. Skov, and the requisite mean girls. Charlotte’s story will be released in April 2022-The Reluctant Bride.

A MILLION KISSES IN YOUR LIFETIME is a story of power, control, money, and trust; family and friendships, relationships and love. The character driven premise is edgy and dramatic; the romance is tender and seductive; the characters are animated and intense.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and Harper Collins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she’s not writing, she’s reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She’s a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

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Sting of the Scorpion by Evelyn Puerto-a review

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Sting of the Scorpion (The Outlawed Myth 3) by Evelyn Puerto-a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /Amazon.uk / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 8, 2022

An orphaned girl, powerless and destitute. An Endless War, that threatens to consume everyone in its path. Magic amulets, that hold the promise of victory.

After Damira witnesses the brutal slaughter of nearly her entire clan by a roving warband, she resolves never to feel helpless again. With nowhere to go, she, her brother and a friend surrender to a warlord, resigned to becoming little more than pawns in the Endless War.

But when Wei Fang, a warlord wielding magic amulets threatens to destroy anyone who stands against her, Damira must choose. Will she seek to master the power of the amulets and make a stand against the brutal Wei Fang? Or will the power behind the amulets destroy her first?

••••••

REVIEW:This is the third book in this series, and although I’ve not read any of the other books, I didn’t feel like I’ve missed anything. (Each book has a new Main Character) but at some point I will go back and read the other two books as I throughly enjoyed it.

Damira is such a great character, full of confidence one moment, and then filled with doubt the next.

After escaping death that takes her village, Damira, her brother Syzyan and friend Shagonar set out in the hopes of finding a new home. They make alliances (not all are successful) and have a few battles.

The magic part is when she finds out that there are amulets that can imbue the wearer with powers, and Damira decides that to defeat their enemies she needs to learn how to use that power. But the power is hard to wield, and we read where the power almost over takes the wearer!

I have to admit I throughly enjoyed that. It’s a fast paced book that could easy be made into a movie or series.The words just flow with no effort, and before you know it, your drawn into this world that’s full of magic and mystery.

The end left me wondering what is in store for Damira as a lot goes on with her, you have to wonder if she’s made the right choices, and will she be strong enough to see it through to the bitter end?!

I’d recommend this book to anyone that likes a good action/adventure read, it’s got just a small amount of romance, so if your looking for grand gestures and lots of kisses and romance, then you might be disappointed, but for everyone else, buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie ?

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Making Her Mine (The Callahans 6) by Monica Murphy-Review Tour

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Making Her Mine (The Callahans 6) by Monica Murphy-Review Tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3pWXqgq

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 13, 2022

Beck Callahan.

Star defensive Lineman.

Most popular boy on campus.

One of my best friends.

He’s always been off limits because I know a relationship with him could never work. Like, ever. He’s too perfect, too sweet, too good looking. Taking what we have a step further has the potential to ruin everything, and his friendship is too important to me.

So I keep it friendly, always with my feelings locked up tight. We talk. We date other people.

Until the beginning of senior year, one night at a party. When lines are blurred and eventually crossed. It was the best night of my life. A night I will never forget. Or regret. It’s all I can think about. He’s all I can think about.

But I’m also a little spooked. Beck says all the right things, and his sweet words make me feel…everything. He’s determined to make me his.

Should I let him? Or do I risk losing him as my boyfriend and my best friend?

•••••••

REVIEW:MAKING HER MINE is the sixth instalment in Monica Murphy’s contemporary, young adult THE CALLAHANS romance series. This is seventeen year olds, high school seniors Beck Callahan, and Addison ‘Addie’ Douglas’ storyline. MAKING HER MINE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines. Addie Douglas is Jocelyn Douglas’ sister (Fighting For You 5). MAKING HER MINE advances the series several years.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Addie and Beck) MAKING HER MINE follows the friends to lovers relationship between seventeen year olds, high school seniors Beck Callahan, and Addison ‘Addie’ Douglas. Addie and Beck have been friends for most of their lives but high school saw each going in another direction-Beck with aspirations of professional football, and Addie exceling with the volleyball team. Neither far from one another’s mind, Beck and Addie remained friends, in the same social circles, watching from the sidelines as each went out with someone else. With Beck’s long time girlfriend heading to college, Addie refused to cross the line, a line made less difficult when Beck broke it off to pursue our story line heroine. As Beck and Addie’s relationship becomes more personal and close, someone else begins to push at our heroine, forcing Beck to step in before things went too far. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Addie and Beck, and the potential fall-out as the numerous high school dramas begin to affect the close knit group of friends.

The relationship between Addie and Beck is a friends to lovers in which Beck and Addie have pined after one another for a very long time but Addie always thought she was out of Beck’s league, and Beck had waited before making his move. When our couple profess their mutual attraction, desire and love for one another, their circle of friends make things more difficult as the mean girls, and competition begins to eat away at their barely veiled self-control. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Most of the previous storyline couples have moved on with their lives as the current time line advances the series several years but they do make several cameo appearances. We are introduced to Addie and Beck’s friends: Tori, Emma, Monique; Dominic, Marcus, Liam; and the return of Drew and Fable Callahan. Here’s hoping the author has plans for the younger generation of Beck and his friends.

MAKING HER MINE is a story of family, friendships,relationships and love. The requisite mean girls, competition, love triangle type romances, and teenage angst and gossip are present and accounted for. The fast paced, character driven premise is moving and heart warming-the conflict is limited to the angst of teenaged love ; the characters are spirited and real; the romance is tender and captivating.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Close To Me
Falling for Her
Addicted to Him
Meant to Be
Fighting For You

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and Harper Collins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she’s not writing, she’s reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She’s a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

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House of Shadows (Royal Houses 2) by KA Linde-Review Tour

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House of Shadows (Royal Houses 2) by KA Linde-Review Tour

 

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 19, 2021.

Kerrigan Argon, a half-human, half-Fae, has joined the Dragon Society against almost everyone’s wishes.

A year of training is required with her dragon.

But first she must travel with the dark Fae prince, Fordham Ollivier, back to his home in the House of Shadows. Nothing but slavery and death has ever awaited a half-Fae in their halls.

Yet something is wrong within their wicked world. A thousand year old spell is weakening. Cracks forming in the foundation. And Kerrigan may just be their ruin or their salvation.

••••••••

 

REVIEW:After reading book one, I waiting eagerly for the second book, and this one didn’t disappoint.

We start where House of Dragons (book one) ends…..

So without giving too much away from book one, which you definitely need to read before reading book two. Let’s review book two…..

This book was just as good as the last book. We get more of the plot unwinding and drawing you in. Kerrigan is a half fae half human that shouldn’t be going to be trained as a dragon rider. But she is, and the society needs to accept it. Fordham has to take Kerrigan back to his home to train her as a dragon rider. But people who come to train at the House of Shadows don’t last long! But the society aren’t happy with the outcome, so both Kerrigan and Fordham could be in real danger.

We have a budding romance between the main characters which was really sweet. Kerrigan is fearless in her pursuit of become a dragon rider. It means she will finally be accepted in her world. Fordham is wealthy and arrogant. But he sees something in Kerrigan that melts the ice around his heart.Kerrigan’s group of friends are great, really supportive of her and her endeavours. Always there to cheer her on.

And the world in which they live in, written so descriptively that you could close your eyes and see it all. It reminds me so much of the Mortal Instrument books, a little on the YA but tiptoeing into the Adult read. Also a smattering of How to Train your dragon , the trials and tribulations as Kerrigan tries to bond with the dragon she’s trying to ride! Young love with danger lurking in every corner! Red Masks are the group who want to eliminate humans and half fae and the biggest threat to Kerrigan. There is also other things going on in the background that I can’t possibility talk about ?

I will say it is just a little hectic! It needed to be slowed down just a little, I did get whiplash with the amount of information and action that was thrown at us!

Oh and it ends on a little bit of a cliffhanger!!

But I’d recommend this book and book one for a fun filled action packed adventure, with just a touch of romance.

Click HERE for Julie’s review of book one HOUSE OF DRAGONS

Copy supplied for review

? by Julie B

 

 

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K.A. Linde is the USA Today bestselling author of the Avoiding Series, Wrights, and more than thirty other novels. She has a Masters degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as the head coach of the Duke University dance team. She loves reading fantasy novels, binge-watching Supernatural, traveling, and dancing in her spare time.

She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband and two super-adorable puppies.

 

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The Lethal List (Katelyn Elms 1) by Fred Tippett II -a review

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The Lethal List (Katelyn Elms 1) by Fred Tippett II -a review

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 24, 2021.

MURDER BY SUICIDE?

Seventeen-year-old aspiring reporter Katelyn Elms is saddened and shocked by the sudden suicide of her friend Marnie Overton in her Santa Barbara home. But after the initial police investigation, Katelyn notices multiple inconsistencies that the cops overlooked—and begins to believe that Marnie was actually killed by a clever and elusive murderer.

Prompted by the insistence of Marnie’s young daughter, Katelyn launches her own investigation and quickly uncovers a disturbing number of buried secrets and lies surrounding Marnie’s final days, including mysterious relationships with a shady district attorney and a womanizing and temperamental boss. Stonewalled by a police force determined to look no deeper into Marnie’s case and unwilling to let a child relitigate the matter, Katelyn presses on with the covert assistance of the Police Chief’s son—who also happens to be the one boy whose affections she has silently pursued for the past three years.

But when her efforts turn up a second questionable suicide, a book of suspects, and a motive to kill with dark ties to a massive underground conspiracy, Katelyn finds that she herself is fast becoming a target for premature death.

••••••••••

REVIEW: THE LETHAL LIST is the first instalment in Fred Tippett’s contemporary, young adult KATELYN ELMS murder/mystery/suspense series focusing on seventeen year old high school student and wannabe investigative journalist Katelyn Elms.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise there may be triggers for more sensitive readers including murder, prostitution and suspected suicide.

Told from third person perspective (Katelyn) THE LETHAL LIST follows in the aftermath of the apparent suicide of a well loved professor and Katelyn’s friend Marnie Overton. With the insistence of Marnie’s twelve year old daughter Lane, seventeen year old, Katelyn takes up the slack of the local police department and begins an investigation of her own when all clues point to murder but all is not well in Santa Barbara when Katelyn uncovers a possible conspiracy linked to a missing ledger, a high end prostitution ring, and a local businessman with a lecherous reputation. As Katelyn, and the Santa Barbara police chief’s son Sean uncover the clues, the bodies begin to amass with a direct connection to the original ‘murder’.

FRED TIPPETT II pulls the reader into an intriguing and suspenseful Nancy Drew™ style whodunit with a heroine who is able to outwit the local police, and has been granted a free-pass to an ongoing murder investigation, and access to all of the crime scenes within hours of each discovery. For most readers, the suspension of reality will be necessary but for younger teens, placing themselves into the leading roles will result in a more visceral and tangible read.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Fred Tippett, II, is the author of the Young Adult Mystery novels The Women in White and The Lethal List. Fred currently lives in Alabama, though he is a Washington-DC-barred attorney. He holds a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Pennsylvania—and primarily uses his legal education to bolster the credibility of police procedural elements for his novels.

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Seeder Shadow Wars by J. Houser-Review, Interview & Giveaway

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Seeder Shadow Wars (Seeder Wars 1) by J. Houser-Review, Interview & Giveaway

Seeder Shadow Wars
(Seeder Wars 1)
by J. House
Release Date: September 17, 2021
Genre: Young Adult, paranormal

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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DATING AND HIGH SCHOOL: HARD ENOUGH. NOW ADD ASSASSINS.

Avoiding assassination wasn’t on Mel’s to-do list for her junior year. Learning she wasn’t human hadn’t made the list, either.

An only child with overprotective parents, Melody Walters just wants a drama-free year—and to be able to date. She gains the interest of more than one suitor, but doesn’t realize any one of them could be an enemy on the hunt. For her, the dating scene could prove deadly.

Mel discovers she’s a member of a botanical race, forced to hide their daughters in the human world until they mature enough for their powers to bloom. Something goes wrong with her blooming process, breaking her cover and jeopardizing the lives of her protectors and the large family she’d never known about.

With the enemy threat ever-looming, in a rush to master her new powers before she’s stranded in the human world forever, Mel struggles to decide who she can trust and if the sacrifice being asked of her is too great.

••••••

REVIEW: Mel is just your typical high school student. The usual dramas that come with being that age…..A possible new love interest and the fact her best friend is in love with her! See totally normal stuff.So when she finds out that she’s not human! Well, that throws up a lot of questions, and she needs answers, like now!

Finding out those answers (will make sense of the prologue) only make her life more complicated!Oh and her bitter enemy The Ivies) want her dead! Wait! She has enemies that want her dead! Could her life get anymore complicated? Well yes it can, she can also wield magic!And her parents decide to foster a child, but not a little one! No he had to be an annoying senior in her school!!

So where does her best friend Zach and her new love interest come in?Can they be trusted?Mel begins to look at everyone as a potential enemy!

Wow! That was totally different from anything I’ve read so far.What a great story.Very detailed, very meticulous and well thought out. Lots of background story (which will also make the prologue make sense)Seeders are supernaturals who give life to seeds that will eventually grow into the next generation.The bad guys are the Ivies, they want to annihilate the seeder population from existence, and by separating the next generation and hiding them from the Ivies, the Seeders can try to guarantee that it doesn’t happen.

So will Mel ignore her growing power’s? Or will she go home to Green Lands and learn more about her heritage and help in the fight to win against the enemy? But if she does that she’s going to have to leave all and everyone she knows and loves…..

And now I’m anxious to read what happens next.
It doesn’t hang on a cliffhanger, but it does leave it open to another book (which I’m hoping will be soon) ?

I’d highly recommended this book to lovers of the paranormal and the readers who like something a little different.

? Reviewed by Julie B

Copy supplied for review

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

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J. Houser: I’m a debut indie author, but I aspire to be a multi-genre hybrid author. From adult sci-fi post-apocalyptic romance to young adult dystopian romance, to sweet contemporary romance… Apparently, I have a hard time not writing romance… But, I’m not good at limiting myself to just one kind of story.

TRC:Who or what influenced your career in writing?

J. Houser: I have a hard time answering this because I honestly have never been a huge reader. Perhaps it’s the ADHD, but I have a hard time just focusing on one thing. Once I get into it, I binge-read, but I have a hard time allowing myself to invest that much of myself most of the time. I wasn’t the stereotypical writer that knew as a kid they wanted to do this and constantly wrote stories and begged people to read them. My first novel was written after I turned 35. Once I realized it could be fun to write a journey that I could share with others, something clicked.

TRC:What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing this story?

J. Houser: It’s been a TON of learning as a debut indie author. From endless revisions to losing my mind trying to work with the printer … there’s been a lot of learning along the way! I’m hoping that means future releases will go much smoother as I’ve grown so much in this process!

TRC:Would you please tell us something about the premise of SEEDER SHADOW WARS?

J. Houser: SEEDER SHADOW WARS started from a snippet of a dream I had. I had been interested in writing fantasy but wanted something different from the usual tropes. Botanical beings became a thing! Immediately, I knew it involved hidden identities and assassins, and in the mix of it all were clueless humans in their own world.

TRC:What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning SEEDER SHADOW WARS?

J. Houser: I’m very much a discovery writer. I don’t plot much and I had no idea what was going to happen until I wrote it. I find it fun to join the journey with the characters. That said, I wrote the entire trilogy before moving to final edits on book 1 because I had to go back and add a lot more foreshadowing or editing of the magic system to ensure it all made sense.

TRC:How many books do you have planned for the series? Will Melody Walters be the lead heroine in each of the stories?

J. Houser: It all started out as a standalone. Then I found I needed to know more about the world and people involved. It then turned into a trilogy. And then a fourth and fifth book were written… And I have at least 2 more books planned. I might have an addiction. But my beta readers love the couples and so do I, so the series will continue as long as there’s a new unique story worth sharing. Melody Walters is still very present as a POV character in the other books of the main trilogy, but in book 2 we meet another heroine that is a little more front and center in books 2 & 3. One of the other drafted books is the love story and behind-the-scenes of Mel’s parents.

TRC:Believability is an important factor in writing and reading paranormal/fantasy story lines. How do you keep the story line believable in a genre that often crosses the line between reality and fantasy?

J. Houser: Because our heroine grew up thinking she was human, it’s easy for me to get into her head. I try my best to not have overpowered, unrealistic characters. How many teenage girls do you know that are prepared to take on assassins? I really focus on the interiority of the characters for their arcs, making the story character-driven instead of plot-driven. I try to address (throughout the series) a variety of themes like mental health and discrimination. I feel like doing so in a fantasy setting makes more serious conversations accessible. Another thing that helps with believability for me is hard magic—there have to be rules, consequences, limitations.

TRC:Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

J. Houser: Absolutely. We all know ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ is a saying about people and not actually books. We shop with our eyes first.

TRC:When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

J. Houser: There’s some give and take, but as a discovery writer, they often tell me along the way who they are and what they’re going to do. I sometimes sit back and question a scene, asking if it’s really true to what they’d do. There have definitely been revisions along the way. In the end, when I question if their choice is the right one, I’ve been known to say ‘At some point, you have to let the characters be who they are.’

TRC:The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writers fail in this endeavor?

J. Houser: We need moments of introspection now and then. If we don’t understand the reasoning behind their actions, then we don’t care or relate. I’ve learned that a lot from beta readers. When I haven’t done a good job at showing the character’s emotions and inner thoughts, they can easily come off as careless, stupid, weak, or rude. But once we see their perspective—even if we don’t agree with their choices—we can understand it. In books from other authors that I’ve failed to enjoy, we lack that interiority, that understanding of what makes the characters tick. I feel disconnected and tend to judge the characters more harshly. Awkward prose that makes me stumble (like excessive or weird metaphors every other paragraph when describing how their heart is beating) really makes them feel more distant.

TRC:Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

J. Houser: Very rarely. I have sometimes listened to ‘study music’ to drown out other noises, but I could never write with lyrics on. I get too distracted and it takes me out of the place I need to be.

TRC:What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

J. Houser: As an indie author, I feel like there’s such a nasty stigma about self-publishing. Which is completely understandable, because I’ve read those poorly edited books out there, too… But as someone that’s utilized beta readers, critique partners, editors, etc, I’d like to believe that people could give us more of a chance to see if we’ve made the investment. We don’t all just jot down some thoughts, doodle a cover, and slap it on Kindle.

TRC: What is something that few, if anyone, knows about you?

J. Houser: That I’m absolutely terrified to be focusing so much on my publishing career, lol. I’ve quit my day job. I know that’s not the ‘smart’ thing to do. I’ve been told I’m brave. But really, it’s a combo of self-acceptance of where I’m at in my life, and absolute desperation in wanting a fulfilling, creative career. I’ve always been a good employee, but my personality and mental health don’t fair all that well in a traditional workplace. I’ve always had the drive, but not the courage, to be an entrepreneur. Creating and sharing are a major part of who I am.

TRC:Who or what influenced your path towards a young adult, paranormal story line?

J. Houser: I’m often drawn to writing YA books because I like the themes (i.e. self-discovery, navigating big changes in life) and because I tend to like things a bit ‘tamer.’ No on-page sex or tons of swearing. They say to write what you want to read. And as crazy as it sounds, as a woman in my mid-thirties—I feel like I relate to these teens after having gone through a divorce. I find myself back at square one asking, like them, ‘where to now?’ As for fantasy or paranormal… I grew up watching Star Trek and Stargate with my dad. Yeah, those are sci-fi, but it’s in the same arena. There’s a fun escapism involved.

TRC:On what are you currently working?

J. Houser: Everything and nothing? As a writer with ADHD, I’m often working on multiple manuscripts at a time. Though lately, I’ve been so occupied with learning things like formatting and marketing that I haven’t had time to just sit and write all of the stories mentally plotted in my head. Next, I’ll probably rewrite the short story that takes place between books 1 & 2 in this series that will be a preorder bonus for readers.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Pizza

Favorite Dessert
Chewy brownies

Favorite TV Show
I don’t actually watch TV much. I mostly binge Youtube.

Last Movie You Saw
One of the newer Disney ones… can’t remember the name.

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Depends on the mood and what it’s paired with.

Secret Celebrity Crush
I’m weird. Don’t really have one.

Last Vacation Destination
Utah to visit family for Christmas

Do you have any pets?
My mini poodle/bichon frise pup, Mia. We’re each other’s emotional support creature.

Last book you read
Book 2 in my series as I edited? lol. I think it was The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson.

TRC:Thank you J. Houser for the great interview answers. Congratulations on the release of your first novel SEEDER SHADOW WARS

J. Houser is graciously offering an ebook copy of SEEDER SHADOW WARS to two (2) commenters at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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9. Giveaway open INTERNATIONALLY

10. Giveaway runs from September 17-22, 2021

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