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Book Review: A Vampire Wants a Wife ~ Andie M. Long

1:00 pm 9 May 2019

Title: The Vampire Wants a Wife (Supernatural Dating Agency, Book 1)
Author: Andie M. Long; Narrator: Angela Doll
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by: Shakera
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Publisher: Andie M. Long
Date of Release: October 31, 2017, April 4, 2018
Pages: 204 (3 hours and 40 minutes)
Format: Audio Book (Audiobook Obsession); Kindle (Amazon)

Imagine waking up one morning thinking the world was this one way, to only find out it’s completely different than what you could imagine. Shelley woke up one morning believing there was no such thing as the Supernatural until she got to work and started reading one dating application. Theo, a vampire, is looking for a wife he can turn and get back his farmhouse. Not believing Theo, Shelley thought she would humor him. Turns out… Theo really is a vampire. Not only is he not the only vampire in Withernsea, but there are demons and werewolves and seers! As things start to heat up and Theo is a match for Shelley, things take a turn when Shelley finds out she, herself, is different. Can Shelley and Theo actually find love in each other and stop a sinister plot that would potentially tear Shelley’s world apart?

I thought the story was great, there were moments that were laugh out loud funny. The narration, however, left much to be imagined. You wouldn’t know this book takes place in England if it wasn’t for the verbiage. Practically all of the characters had the same voice. There were noises in the background in the beginning and the emotions of each character weren’t conveyed. Halfway through, I gave up on the audiobook and finished reading the book on my kindle. The narration is what keeps this from being a 5-star review, but I truly enjoyed the story and each character. Andie M. Long is new to me and I find this series quite interesting.

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Book Review: Breaking His Rules ~ Aliza Mann

11:42 pm 8 April 2019

Title: Breaking His Rules

Author: Aliza Mann

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewed by: Shakera

Genre: Romance

Publisher: LoveSwept

Date of Release: April 2, 2019

Pages: 241

Format: Kindle (NetGalley)

Ashton lived his dating life by a set of rules: 1.) Never date the prettiest girl in the room. 2.) No dates on Friday or Saturday night. 3.) No discussing family history… you get the gist. His mind is completely blown when he meets Terra, who makes him challenge every one of those rules. Terra has her own set of drama, in the name of an ex-husband. As they get to know each other a little better, the drama unfolds. Can Ashton get past her walls? Can Terra make him forget all of his rules?

I initially wanted to read this because I love interracial romance, and it had a great synopsis. LoveSwept hasn’t produced a book I didn’t like. Upon reading it I will say I was a bit nervous. Could this be the first book that doesn’t live up to my expectation? I have to say, it did live up to my expectations. I did have to get past a chapter or two, but it was totally worth it. While it does start off a bit slow, getting to know the characters, watching them interact with each other, watching the development… it gave the story so much depth and kept me enthralled. I am new to Aliza Mann’s work, but I would enjoy reading more of her work.

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Book Review: Layla's Chance ~ Mika Jolie

11:38 am 4 April 2019

Title: Layla’s Chance
Author: Mika Jolie
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by: Shakera
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Mika Jolie
Date of Release: April 11, 2019
Pages: 130 (approximately)
Format: Kindle (Author)

When you feel lost, the best thing you can do for yourself is to take some time and find yourself. That’s exactly what Layla does. Past up for partner at the law firm she’s been busting her behind for, in favor of someone younger, Layla takes a trip to Martha’s Vineyard to get to know herself and what she really wants to do with her life. With a little intervention from fate, she falls head over heels for Chance Santos, quite literally. Can Layla figure out what she wants in life before the opportunity of a lifetime passes her by? Can Chance get Layla to loosen up and live in the moment, and out of her own head before it’s too late?

Layla is a 40-year-old lawyer is sweet and completely relatable. She’s stuck in a rut and has no idea how to get out of it, or if she CAN get out of it. She did what most people don’t do or would do, and that was taking time for herself, her mental health. Chance is a 27-year-old world-famous musician who completely lives in the moment. He has an interesting family dynamic and outlook on life. When he loves, he loves hard. Layla and Chance balance each other perfectly.

While this is a novella, there was so much depth and meat to this story. The character development was perfect. It was nice to watch Layla, a 40-year-old woman who doesn’t completely have her life together be okay with the fact that she really wasn’t okay, but was getting there. I loved everything about Chance. It took him some effort to get her past the age difference, but he didn’t push her. He was quite perfect for her and Layla was everything he needed. If I had any complaints, it would be that I wished this was longer. I enjoyed reading Layla’s and Chance’s story. I would love a “Where Are They Now?” story for them!

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Release Blitz: The Secrets Between Us ~ Jennifer Ann

5:32 pm 1 April 2019

Release Blitz!!

The Secrets Between Us By Jennifer Ann

Narrated by Troy Duran and Keira Stevens

Audible US

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The Time Traveler's Guide to Modern Romance

8:00 pm 5 March 2019

I thought this was a very endearing story of two different time periods colliding. Elias Caldwell comes from the 19th century where everyone views him as a disappointment. Tyler is from the 21st century and his stepmother is wicked. Elias finds out after a dreadfully embarrassing incident, his grandfather time traveled and now is bequeathing the time travel watch to Elias so he can find his own adventure. I thought this was absolutely adorable. I think Elias may be my favorite character in this story. His personality and curiosity were endearing to read. Traveling from the 19th century where it was frowned upon to be yourself to modern day where it’s basically accepted can be jarring. It was nice to have Tyler there to help Elias adjust. I loved the dual point of views, but I thought the romance aspect was a little lacking. I think it would have been better for Elias and Tyler to be companions. I wouldn’t say the romance felt forced, I could see a relationship developing with a little more time. This was my first story by Madeline J. Reynolds and I’ll be adding her to my list of authors to look for in the future!

Hidden Scars

8:00 pm 10 February 2019

This one was hard... not hard to review, not hard to read, but hard to get over! There are triggers in this book, but I loved every bit of this story. Emma was in an abusive relationship with a guy she thought was THE ONE! Unfortunately, the man of her dreams turned out to be a nightmare. Enter Phoenix! I absolutely loved Nix. He was perfect. He was strong, protective, and most of all... he was patient. At first, I was worried about how charming he would be, but Emma and Nix together were perfect. This book took me through an emotional wringer! I loved every minute of it.

The Harvest Baker: Sweet and Savory Baked Goods Made with Fresh Vegetables and Herbs

8:00 pm 9 February 2019

The recipes seemed interesting and worth a try. What I loved: different sections for all types of bread, entrees, desserts, and sauces. Each recipe was intriguing and had me thinking of trying them.

Deadly Hunt

8:00 pm 6 February 2019

This was a tough one. The synopsis draws you in, but the execution was a bit lacking. I really liked the dual POV, however, sometimes... there's alpha... and then there's a**hole... which Nathan was at times. He was protective and at times, charming... but sometimes I just didn't like how he would speak to Sophia. What I did like was Sophia was tough... and loyal. I would have preferred a little more action, versus being told what happened. I think it would have enhanced the story a bit. Overall, not bad... but not as good as I was expecting.

The Darkest Star

8:00 pm 5 February 2019

I’m not even sure where to start! We finally get Luc’s story! And it all starts with a broken promise…

Evie Dasher is probably one of the best friends you can ever have. Not wanting to let her friend, Heidi, go clubbing alone. What she did not anticipate was the club getting raided and meeting Luc, the club owner. Evie can’t explain it, but she is drawn to Luc, not realizing there was something special about her. She makes all types of assumptions about Luc, some are close, but others are way more than even she can imagine. As she gets closer to Luc, danger lurks and she’s closer to finding out the truth. Is it a truth she can handle?

OMG… I loved this story! You get updates from some of your favorite characters of the Luxen series, kinda like a “Where are they now?” situation. Luc is an awesome character. He’s witty, highly intelligent, literally has the best collection of t-shirts, and has a depth to him you don’t get in previous books. It’s interesting how close to reality some of the actions in this story are. You get to meet some interesting characters and some you will just out and out hate. The story doesn’t end with a cliffhanger, but I can’t wait for book 2!

Clipped

8:00 pm 25 December 2018

Sometimes people don’t realize how much names can hurt. In high school, names can hurt. No one knows that better than “Anal Avery”. That was a name she couldn’t escape when in high school. It was a name given to her by Wes, who had a massive crush on her… because that’s what you do when you really like someone, you tease them. As a result, Avery couldn’t wait to leave her hometown at the first opportunity, which is college!

Unfortunately, an emergency brings Avery home after being away for 8 years. The first person she sees is Wes, and the sparks fly. Wes is a completely different person than Avery remembers. He helps her sister with her 5-year-old son, he’s a successful business owner, and he wants her! Wes is relentless in his pursuit of Avery, but a misunderstanding can completely undo all the damage he caused back in high school.

Where has Remy Blake been all my life?! Her writing was engaging and I felt like I’ve known Avery and Wes my whole life. The story was funny and heartfelt. It’s the first book in the series and if the second book of the series is as good as the first, I’m in for a really good treat!

Southernmost Murder

8:00 pm 14 December 2018

We get Aubrey's story!

We meet Aubrey in the Snow & Winter series. Aubrey is a great friend to Sebastian and is located in the sunny location of Florida, providing a nice backdrop to a well-told and hilarious murder mystery. Aubrey is the property manager of Smith Family Historical Home. He's ready for a bit of downtime with Jun Tanaka, FBI agent, and partner to Aubrey's ex-boyfriend. There's a skeleton in one of the closets and this sets off a series of events. You don't have a "Sebastian" level of interference from Aubrey, but you do get to see the investigation play out... with some instigation from Aubrey.

An interesting aspect of this story was Aubrey's narcolepsy. Like with Sebastian's colorblindness, you get details of the condition and it plays a small part in the storyline. It doesn't overwhelm the story, but it was interesting to get a day-to-day rundown of what it would be like to have narcolepsy. Aubrey and Jun were perfect for each other. They balance each other very well. Aubrey had "in your face" style of humor, whereas Jun's was nice and subtle. While this could be read as a standalone, you can read it along with Sebastian's series. (Read it after "The Mystery of the Curiosities". This takes place directly after book 2). I hope this is the start to a series, it's that good!

Barreled Over

8:00 pm 16 September 2018

Every now and again, you read a book frustrates you… but you love it! That is this book for me!! “Barreled Over” is about Ava Grace, one of country music’s biggest stars, and Jonah Beck (known to friends and family as Beck), son of the family that is synonymous with bourbon. While Ava Grace is battling her record company who wants her top broaden her fan base of just women, with wacky ideas of how to do that, Beck is trying to make a name for himself. Together, they can help each other, and find love at the same time!

Everything about this story is adorable and funny, with great characters. While the two main characters have some not-so-great things in their in past and I understand why they are the way they are, I found myself almost liking the secondary characters more than the main characters. As this is my first book by this author, it felt as though I should already know some of the characters. It didn’t detract from the story, but it did make me wonder if I was missing out.

The chemistry between Ava Grace and Beck is wonderful. They have great banter and the chemistry is instant. What I loved about this book is the bourbon lessons you get! I know it’s not the point of this book, nor is it meant to be the focus, but I thought it was fascinating and a nice addition to the story. With Ava Lucas's narration bringing this story to life, you couldn't go wrong. I am intrigued to see where this series will go, as I enjoyed getting to know Ava Grace and Beck.

Double Take

8:00 pm 19 June 2018

I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and suspense that surrounded "Double Take" on every page. Twist after twist, turn after turn, "Double Take" kept me guessing. Just when I thought, "This is it," another twist came! I really got sucked into this story and it made me want to watch every, and I mean EVERY episode there is of "Law & Order". I look forward to the next installment!

Bring Me Their Hearts

8:00 pm 4 June 2018

When asked to not only do a cover reveal but a read and review, I had to jump at the chance!

One night, a group of bandits killed Zera’s parents and almost killed her until a witch, Nightsinger, saved her life by making her heartless… literally. Being a “heartless” isn’t too much different from being a zombie, except you still look human. Now she is under the control of Nightsinger. Zera was made an offer she couldn’t refuse, bring me the heart of Crown Prince Lucien and I’ll give you your freedom… but fail, and your heart shall be crushed. Decisions, decisions!

I knew immediately I would love Zera! Who doesn’t love a sassy, smart-mouthed, strong young lady?! I appreciated her internal battle for her humanity. The relationship between Zera and Prince Lucien really worked for me. It felt like time was taken for them to get to know each other. The only issue I had with the book was the pacing… it was a bit slow for my liking, but still an enjoyable story. The cover is stunning, great storytelling, and I’m already excited for the next installment. I can’t wait!

Our Dark Stars

8:00 pm 15 May 2018

If only Goodreads had options for half stars... I would give this 3.5 stars. The plot was a little bit predictable and the main characters were likable, and I liked the dual point of view. The cover is stunning! It was a fun read. The world building was really good, but it was a slow start which is what stops this from being a 4 star.

The Girl Without Magic

8:00 pm 14 February 2018

Believing she was dead, Maggie wakes up in a realm of the Sirens. The currency of choice however is magic; which Maggie does not want to give away. While in this realm, Maggie meets Bertrand, who has been there practically forever. He serves as a bit of a mentor for her. Through Bertrand, she learns she can travel to other realms and go on a adventure.

Through her adventures, she meets Tammond, in a realm on the verge of war, and they are in desperate need of her help! The attraction is immediate and I adore this.

The world and character development is great. There are twists and turns and all of this keeps you quite interested. It’s a quick read and a promising start to a new series.