Category: Non ARC

Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore by Birgitte Margen

Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore (A Twisted Fairy Tale: A Young Adult Fantasy) by [Märgen, Birgitte]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: January 4th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Where you can find Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore: Amazon

Book Synopsis:

A trailer park Alice. A hole that traps souls. The white rabbit’s a tricky hare. And the world is upside down. This fairy tale just got twisty . . .

Rule One: Don’t eat or drink.
Rule Two: Never, ever tell anyone your name.
If ya do – your soul will be lost there forever.

How do I know? I been there myself. This is my story.

There was a full moon brimmin’ that night, and that meant strange things could happen. As I walked through the woods, I reckon I shoulda known by the way my hair stood up on end like Uncle Red’s toupee —that I shoulda coulda stayed home. I call it the willies, but grandpappy calls it premonition. One thing I can tell ya as a girl from the wrong side of the tracks: If you’re fix’n to wander way over yonder —it’s important to know the right direction.

What direction ya ask? Well, ya have to read the story to find that one out.

* * *

AFTER FALLING INTO a dark hole when she was running through the forest, Evie finds herself trapped in a strange new world that mirrors our own. Her only guide is a compass stick given to her by an angry gnome who lives in an ancient knobby tree. As she travels through the lands of this upside-down world she happens upon creatures that are twisted versions of fairytale folklore. A place where fairies bite, unicorns charge, mermaids are menacing, and nightmares are more than dreams. A world where the souls of those who could not follow the unspoken rules are trapped forever.

As a southern girl born on the wrong side of the tracks, Evie relies on the wisdom passed down by her grandpappy and the haunting memories of her mama to teach her perseverance of the soul. She learns that things are rarely what they seem as her world is turned upside down.

First Line:

It was a peculiarly frigid October night, and a nippy chill was in the air.

Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore

My Review:

Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore is the story about Evie and the journey she takes through the world of Nevermore. Evie was at a bonfire with her best friend and three boys, one which is Evie’s crush. Towards the end of the fire, Evie hears her best friend and crush talking about her in a hurtful way. That upset Evie, and she takes off running through the woods. Tripping on a root, Evie hits her head and wakes up in a small cave. Seeing light, Evie digs until she falls through the hole she made. She ends up in Nevermore, a place where everything good is evil, and everything evil is good. With a compass stick, the warning of a friend, and the wisdom of her Grandpappy to guide her, Evie needs to navigate this dangerous world. Will she escape?

I didn’t know what to think when I started reading Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore. I did see the comparison of Alice and Wonderland from the beginning. But, the deeper I got into the book, the more I started to like it. It was so much like Alice in Wonderland, but at the same time, there were such glaring differences. It was those differences that I loved and made the book for me.

The flow of Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore was alright. I say alright because there were several times where I felt that it was interrupted by Evie’s flashbacks. Evie’s flashback to her Grandpappy’s words of wisdom was essential to the book. I believe that it could have been done a little better.

There are no dropped storylines in Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore. There were several storylines that I wish had more clarification (like the goat boy). Other than that, I was happy with it. Dropped storylines ruin the storyline for me.

The majority of the book takes place in the world of Nevermore. Nevermore was an unusual and scary place to read about. What I loved about it is that things were flipped. People/objects that are considered to be good were evil (the mermaids, the fairies). On the flip side, people/objects that are considered to be evil were good (the dragon, the goat boy). It made for an enjoyable read.

I liked how the world was broken up. To get to the next section, Evie had to go through the first one. She needed to use the compass stick to get through different areas. I loved it. By doing that, the author allowed me, as a reader, to get the full scope of what Nevermore was like.

I liked Evie. She adjusted to being in Nevermore better than I would have. I would have freaked out. Instead, she set out to find her way home. She used her mind to get herself out of situations. I did feel bad for her too. She didn’t have the best life back at home. She was looked down upon for living in a trailer; her father wasn’t around and other things. I wanted to hug her. Mainly for reasons revealed later on in the book.

I didn’t care for Evie’s “friends.” Her best friend was a witch with a b for talking about her like that. And her crush was a tool.

The characters in Nevermore were interesting. The hedgehog that kept showing up was cute. I was also intrigued by the white and black rabbits. I was surprised at what they meant and what they turned into. Talk about interesting!!

Evie and the Upside-Down World of Evermore fit in perfectly in the middle-grade category. I could see my tween and early teenager (12 and 14) reading this book and enjoying it.

My attention was held by the book while reading it. If it could hold a middle-aged woman’s attention, I have no issue believing that it would hold a tween/teen’s attention.

I enjoyed reading Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore. At first, I was afraid that it was too much like Alice in Wonderland. But, as I got into the book, my fears were put to rest.

Evie’s storyline was resolved in the book. I was surprised at how her storyline was resolved. It was magical!!

There are triggers in Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore. There are a cutting scene and talk of suicide.

Evie’s character did evolve throughout the book. Each section of the world she was in showed her exactly what she was capable of and what she can overcome. By the end of the book, she was a strong young woman who knew she was going to be alright. I wish the author had written about the inevitable confrontation she was going to her with her “bestie.” Absolutely. But I am glad that it wasn’t written.

I would give Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore an Older teen rating. There is no sex. There is mild language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Evie and the Upside-Down World of Nevermore. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Death Among Us: An Anthology of Murder Mystery Short Stories by Stephen Bentley, Greg Alldredge, Kelly Artieri, L. Lee Kane, Michael Spinelli, Robbie Cheadle, Kay Castaneda, Justin Bauer, Aly Locatelli @StephenBentley8 @Shalini_G26

Death Among Us: An Anthology of Murder Mystery Short Stories by [Bentley, Stephen, Alldredge, Greg, Artieri, Kelly, Kane, L. Lee, Spinelli, Michael, Cheadle, Robbie, Castaneda, Kay, Bauer, Justin, Locatelli, Aly]

4 Stars

Publisher: Hendry Publishing

Date of publication: July 7th, 2019

Genre: horror, anthology

Where you can find Death Among Us: Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Who knew death could be so eclectic? Relish this mesmerizing murder mystery mash-up of short stories.

The stories include the 2019 SIA Award-Winning Murder Mystery Short Story ‘The Rose Slayer.’

Murder and mystery have been the staple of literature and films for years. This anthology of short stories will thrill and entertain you. Some will also make you laugh out loud. Others will stop and make you think.

Think of this murder mystery short story anthology as a book version of appetizers or starters, hors d’oeuvre, meze, or antipasti. It can be read as fillers between books or, as is the case in some countries, as a bookish meze – in its own right.

These stories come from an international cast of authors; some with bestselling books, others are emerging or new talents. Their roots, cultures, and life experiences are as diverse as their writing styles.

But one thing binds them together: they know how to tell a story.

There’s murder mystery styles and locations to suit all tastes: detective fiction, serial killers, scifi, histfic, LA, England, The Great Lakes, Las Vegas, the Nevada desert and more in an exquisite exposition of the art of short story telling.

The ten authors who have contributed to the anthology are:

Stephen Bentley
Greg Alldredge
Kelly Artieri
Robbie Cheadle
Michael Spinelli
L. Lee Kane
Kay Castaneda
Aly Locatelli
Justin Bauer
& ‘G’ Posthumously

Each author introduces his or her stories and the theme that lies behind them.By the time you finish the book, you will agree the result is a mesmerizing murder mystery mash-up.

Get it now.

First Line (from The Rose Slayer by Stephen Bentley):

Six murders.

Death Among Us: An Anthology of Murder Mystery Short Stories by various authors

My Review:

I usually do not review anthologies. I find it hard to review a book that is made up of short stories. But I like reading them. Whenever I get the request to review an anthology, I have an internal tug of war. 9 out of 10 times, I decline. But in this case, because I like murder mysteries, I accepted. I am glad that I did because this book had some fantastic stories.

I thought it was appropriate that I read Death Among Us a couple of nights before Halloween. I was enthralled with the stories. I loved that I got a thrill when reading them.

Usually, in my other reviews, I give details on what I liked about the plotlines and the characters. But because this is an anthology, I can’t do that. But I will do something a little different. I will give you what I liked about each group of stories.

The Rose Slayer, Eleanor Rigby, Diva:

I enjoy reading these short stories. What I loved is that they were interconnected. I didn’t get that at first. It took me rereading the end of The Rose Slayer and the beginning of Eleanor Rigby to understand that. I loved it!!!

Hello World, Goodbye World:

AI has always freaked me out. Reading these two books got me even more freaked out about them. They were well written, and the author was able to suck me into the stories.

First Comes Lightning, Bad Bones, Red Solo Cup,,That’s What Best Friends Do:

I didn’t like these stories as much as the first five stories. But they were still good. Again, the author was able to interconnect each story. The connections were subtle, but they were there.

Justice is Never Served, An Eye For an Eye, The Murder of the Monk:

This group of stories all takes place in England. What I enjoyed about these is that they were based on actual events. The author, who is new to horror, was able to take these events and add her spin to them. Again, there was a subtle connection with the three stories, which I enjoyed.

No Man’s Land and Monitaur:

These were different stories by the same author. The first story, No Man’s Land, creeped me out. I got the chills reading it. Monitaur, though, terrified me. Mainly because I have had run-ins with a baby monitor making weird noises.

A Deadly Lady and Stop Me If You Can:

Another set of stories that chilled me. I agreed with the main character in this set of stories. Men who beat their wives/girlfriends and men (and women) who traffic people need to be taken care of. What gave me chills was how she did it and what the cop said at the end of the last story.

Something About the Gift of Beauty, Unknown, The Thoughts of Emily Morales in Old Age:

These were interesting stories. I liked that the three stories centered around one main character at different stages of her life.

The Neighbors:

I liked this story. The characters were relatable (even if one of them was unlikable). What happened was interesting.

Sales Meeting, Canceled:

I liked these stories. Talk about getting payback…lol. All I could think after I read the stories was that they deserved it.

White Rose of Rapture and Next:

Both were well-written books. The first story did freak me out. I have a fear of dentists, and well, this story didn’t do anything to erase my fear. The second story amused me (as weird as that sounds). The last line made me giggle.

I would give Death Among Us an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Death Among Us. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove: Regency Romance: An Exciting Tale of Romance and Smuggling in Cornwall by Kate Carteret

The Earl of Smugglers' Cove: Regency Romance: An Exciting Tale of Romance and Smuggling in Regency Cornwall by [Carteret, Kate]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dashing Dandies Publishing

Date of publication: August 30th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Where you can find The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove: Amazon

Book synopsis:

AN EXCITING TALE OF ROMANCE, MYSTERY, AND SMUGGLING IN REGENCY CORNWALL FROM AMAZON BEST-SELLING AUTHOR KATE CARTERET.

When Sir Edmund Tate dies, he leaves his daughter in the care of his old friend, The Earl of Northcott. He is a kindly guardian, one whom Clarissa grows very fond of. But he’s a man with a secret, and that secret sent his youngest son to live in the house on Smuggler’s Cove.

When the Earl hints at the secret in his last days, Clarissa wonders if she will ever discover the truth behind the rift which made father and son strangers for so many years and turned one brother against the other.

Left in the care of Philip Ravenswood, the successor to the Earldom of Northcott, Clarissa finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into a secret friendship with his handsome but unconventional brother, Felix, visiting the beautiful Smugglers’ Cove more and more. She is a little afraid of his reputation, but cannot stop herself falling for him.

When smugglers return to the old cove, dangerous men determined to keep Cornwall’s old tradition alive, can Clarissa find the truth and stop suspicion falling upon Felix. And can she uncover the biggest secret of them all to lift the veil from the lie the Northcott Estate has sheltered beneath for so long?

A tale of love, excitement, and mystery on the rugged, beautiful, and sometimes unforgiving Cornish Coast.

First Line:

Try to take a little water, Lord Northcott, you must.

The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove by Kate Carteret

My Review:

Man, I needed to read this book. I have read a string of middle-grade books, and I was craving something more adult. So when I saw that The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove was up next on my TBR, I couldn’t wait to read it.

The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove was an exciting mix of mystery and romance. The plotline centers around a young girl, Clarissa, who is the ward of Lord Northcutt. Lord Northcutt is dying and wishes to make amends with his son, who he hasn’t seen in years. Clarissa is forced to sneak Felix in the house so he can say his final farewells. On his deathbed, Lord Northcutt reveals that he has been carrying a secret for years but passes before he could tell what it was. Curious, Clarissa starts looking into it, with the help of Felix . She soon realizes that someone is desperate to keep it from coming out and will do anything to keep it buried. At the same time, Clarissa realizes that she is falling in love with Felix. What is the secret? Will Clarissa and Felix be able to discover it and come out unscathed?

The plot for The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove got off to a slow start. I didn’t mind it, though. The author laid the backstories of Clarissa and Felix in those first few chapters. She also did a fantastic job of beginning the mystery. After those chapters, the book took off. It became a quick read for me. I couldn’t put it down because I needed to know what was going on.

I loved the setting for The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove. It takes place in Cornwall, England. I can trace my roots back to that area on my father’s side, so I was fascinated by what I read. Especially the smuggling. I had no idea that it was such a huge thing back then. I loved that the author chose to include the local dialect.

I loved Clarissa. I did feel that she was between a rock and a hard place for the first half of the book. But she dealt with everything with grace. The second half of the book showcased how strong she was. She was living with people who were idiots. She dealt with smarmy men trying to woo her. She dealt with them with grace and class that I found admirable. I did think she was headstrong at times (thinking of a particular scene on the beach).

I loved Felix. He felt awful for holding on to his anger at his father. I mean, it was justifiable, considering what his father did to his mother. But he was able to put it aside and make amends before his father died. I liked how he treated Clarissa too. He didn’t treat her like a proper young lady. He went along with her desire to find out what his father’s secret was. And he was able to protect her at the end of the book.

The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove is a clean romance. Plain and simple, that means that there is no sex. There are some kissing scenes, but that is it. Clarissa and Felix’s romance was sweet. I loved it.

There are two mysteries in The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove. One centered around Felix’s father’s secret. I loved how the author executed that. The clues were spaced out. I did guess at what the secret was but, and stress but, I wasn’t expecting the full scope of the mystery. That took me by surprise.

The other mystery is about the smugglers. Again, the author did a fantastic job of making me wonder if there were smugglers in the cove. I wasn’t surprised by what was revealed. But I was surprised at who was involved. Looking back, it made sense.

The end of The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove was explosive. The author did a great job of revealing what the secret was and if there were smugglers. What I enjoyed is that they were told almost simultaneously. It made for an epic ending. I also loved the epilogue. It made my heart go all fluttery when I read it!!

I would give The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove an older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is no language. There is very mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread The Earl of Smuggler’s Cove. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Devil’s Apprentice (The Great Devil War: Book 1) by Kenneth B. Andersen

The Devil's Apprentice: The Great Devil War I by [Andersen, Kenneth B., Andersen, Kenneth Bøgh]

5 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: October 8th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: The Great Devil War

The Devil’s Apprentice—Book 1

The Die of Death—Book 2

The Wrongful Death—Book 3

The Angel of Evil—Book 4

The Fallen Angel—Book 5 (expected publication date: 2020)

The Fallen Devil—Book 6 (expected publication date: 2020)

Where you can find The Devil’s Apprentice: Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Philip is a good boy, a really good boy, who accidentally gets sent to Hell to become the Devil’s heir. The Devil, Lucifer, is dying and desperately in need of a successor, but there’s been a mistake and Philip is the wrong boy. Philip is terrible at being bad, but Lucifer has no other choice than to begin the difficult task of training him in the ways of evil. Philip gets both friends and enemies in this odd, gloomy underworld—but who can he trust, when he discovers an evil-minded plot against the dark throne?

The Devil’s Apprentice is volume 1 in The Great Devil War-series.

First Line:

Philip heard him.

The Devil’s Apprentice by Kenneth B. Andersen

My Review:

The Devil’s Apprentice is the story about Philip. Philip is a good boy. So Philip was puzzled when he dies after a car accident, and he goes to Hell. It is after meeting Lucifer that they realize a mistake has been made. The wrong boy died. Lucifer is desperate and he needs an heir because he is dying. So, he makes Philip his heir and is determined to teach him how to become evil.

Meanwhile, Philip is busy making friends (and enemies). He also discovers that what is happening to Lucifer is being done on purpose. Will Philip turn evil? Will he be able to find out what is happening to Lucifer?

The Devil’s Apprentice did get off to a slow start. I understand that the author was doing the character and world-building at the time. The slowness lasted only for a couple of chapters. Once Philip was in Hell, the book sped up. There was zero lag in the plotline. That, along with the nicely moving plotline, made The Devil’s Apprentice a good read for me.

I was a little skeptical about a young adult novel set in Hell. But, the author was able to make Hell approachable. There was a town where the demons lived with the main street called Maim Street. I loved that the author took a place that has been associated with evil and made it into something somewhat normal and relatable. Of course, it had its dark side, and that dark side showed up often.

I liked Philip. I did feel bad for him when he first realized he was in Hell. Talk about shock!! He did acclimate as well as a human could. I mean, he was surrounded by all sorts of devils and demons. I know I wouldn’t have acclimated as well as he did!

I wasn’t too sure about Satina for a good part of the book. I thought that she was using Philip right from the beginning. By the middle of the book, I was divided on how I felt about her. It wasn’t until Philip fought Aziel that my opinion of her turned.

The storyline with Philip trying to figure out why Lucifer was dying was interesting. The author did a great job of keeping why and who was trying to kill Lucifer under wraps. I was surprised when it was revealed at the end of the book.

The other main storyline, Philip being in Hell, was fascinating. I did wonder if he was ever going to go back to Earth. That was my thoughts for the first half of the book. My thoughts on the second half were “No freaking way.” Philip changed so much in that part of the book. Now, I am wondering how that is going to affect him in real life.

The end of The Devil’s Apprentice was satisfying. The author wrapped up some storylines but left other storylines open. I can’t wait to read the next book.

I would give The Devil’s Apprentice a Young Teen rating. There is no sex. There is no language. There is very violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 13 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread The Devil’s Apprentice. I am also on the fence if I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Rise of the Dragon (The Legend Series: Book 5) by Kylie Stewart

Rise of the Dragon: Book #5 (The Legend Series) by [Stewart, Kylie]

4 Stars

Publisher: KCS Publishing

Date of publication: June 6th 2019

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Series: The Legend Series

Set in Stone—Book 1 (review here)

The Duke’s Curse—Book 2 (review here)

Resurrection—Book 3 (review here)

Return to Avalon—Book 4

Rise of the Dragon—Book 5

Where you can find Rise of the Dragon: Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Alexandria is now The Duchess of Avalon, Arthur’s wife and rightful queen. Love declared, promised kept, and title won. Her victory, however fleeting, will cost her dearly.

Avalon now faces the full force of what Mordred has planned for him and his knights. But what he doesn’t know is that one among them has a secret.

Will the person in hiding prove to be friend, enemy, or something else entirely?

And what happens when a ghost from the past resurfaces not as a friend, but as mortal enemy?

Rise of the Dragon is book five of The Legend Series based off of the Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

First Line:

Cold wind sent violent shivers down my spine as I climbed the craggy rocks.

Rise of the Dragon by Kylie C. Stewart

My Review:

I was disappointed when I saw that I had missed a book in this series. The Legend series needs to be read in order. Stress needs. Even missing one book will confuse someone. And in this case, I was left wondering what the heck happened in book 4.

Even though I missed a book in the series; it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of reading Rise of the Dragon. This book was fantastic to read.

The plotline for Rise of the Dragon was fast-moving. There were times where I had to reread parts of chapters because I felt I missed something. There was also a little lag towards the end of the book. But it was nothing that took away from the story.

I loved Alexandria in this book. She was the perfect Queen for Arthur. She also didn’t put up with anything from anyone. I loved how when Arthur went missing; she took over. And her connection with Guinevere was terrific. It wasn’t what I was expecting!!

I also loved Arthur in this book. He went to battle with Mordred knowing that he could be held captive or killed. He was a husband and a father above everything else, and it showed. Even when Mordred captured Arthur and was torturing him, Arthur still tried to reach him.

I did feel bad for Mordred, which is weird because I spent much of this series not liking him. But, there was a massive twist in his story that I didn’t see coming. Looking back, it made sense. It also made me a little mad. Even thinking about it gets me angry.

There was a twist in the story that I didn’t see coming. I thought it was great because it tied another famous work to this story. I can’t wait to read the next book and see where the author is going to take it.

The end of Rise of the Dragon was exciting. There was the twist that I mentioned. There was also another twist that took me by surprise. I can’t wait to see what will happen with that.

I would give Rise of the Dragon an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Rise of the Dragon. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Merlin’s Shakespeare (Merlin’s Shakespeare: Book 1) by Carol Anne Douglas

This is my stop during the blog tour for the Merlin’s Shakespeare series by Carol Anne Douglas. This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 3 till 16 September. See the tour schedule here: http://www.lolasblogtours.net/blog-tour-merlins-shakespeare-by-carol-anne-douglas

Stars

Book and Author Details:

Merlin’s Shakespeare (Merlin’s Shakespeare #1)
By Carol Anne Douglas
Genre: Fantasy/ Time Travel

Age category: Young Adult

Add to Goodreads

Book Synopsis:

Beth loves Shakespeare’s plays, but does she want risk her life for them?

The immortal wizard Merlin transports high school actor Beth Owens to Shakespeare’s London and the worlds of Shakespeare’s characters in search of a missing play about King Arthur. Mercutio guides her and flirts with her, but Richard III threatens her sanity, her friends’ lives, and the integrity of Shakespeare’s plays.

Giveaway:

The prizes are:

One set of paperback copies of both Merlin’s Shakespeare and The Mercuito Problem (US only)

Two winners will each win a set of e-book copies of both Merlin’s Shakespeare and The Mercuito Problem (International).

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1000e4f1323/

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

Author Bio:

Carol Anne Douglas has loved Shakespeare since she watched A Midsummer Night’s Dream when she was a child. She identifies with the character Nick Bottom because she wants to play every part, which only a writer can do. She is an avid reader of Arthurian and Shakespearean literature. Her previous fantasy novels, Lancelot: Her Story and Lancelot and Guinevere, feature Lancelot as a woman in disguise. When Douglas isn’t reading or writing,
she spends as much time as she can in the national parks, hiking and watching wildlife. She lives in Washington, D.C.

Author Links:

Website

Goodreads

Amazon

Twitter

First Line:

Beth Owens put herself in the mood for playing Puck at Not Your Mama’s Ingenue Summer Theater Camp.

Merlin’s Shakespeare by Carol Anne Douglas

My Review:

When I was in high school, I was a huge Shakespeare nerd. I read and reread his plays. I watched everything and anything that even mentioned Shakespeare. My enjoyment of his work hasn’t faded as I have gotten older. I am also a massive fan of Canterlot. So when I read the blurb and saw that Merlin’s Shakespeare contained both, I knew that I had to read this book.

I felt divided about this book. I loved that the author was able to bring Shakespeare, Oberon, Titiana, Richard III, Lady Macbeth, Mercutio, and other characters to life. Each character was how I pictured them to be, and it made that aspect of the book enjoyable to read. But there were parts that I didn’t like about the book. I felt that the non-Shakespearean characters lacked depth. I didn’t like how Merlin was portrayed. And the ending didn’t jive with me (even knowing that there was going to be a book two).

I did like Beth and felt for her. She was picked to do something that other people couldn’t. But I had questions about her. I wanted to know how she got her magic. Was it inherited? Did her unnamed father have it? I would have loved to see more focus on that. I also wanted to see more of her out of non-Shakespeare relationships. It bothered me that they were shoved to the back burner for almost the whole book.

I did not like Merlin. He rubbed me the wrong way the entire book. He appeared whenever he felt like it. He came across as surly and grumpy for the whole book. I didn’t like him.

I did like how the author entwined Shakespeare and the legend of Camelot together in the book. To have King Richard III be based on Mordred was fascinating. There were similarities there.

Speaking of King Richard III, I loved his character. Go figure, liking a villain. He was sneaky, charming, and ruthless. He was the perfect villain.

There were some wanna be romances in the book. Romeo trying to woo Lady Macbeth was hilarious. The attraction that Beth had for Mercutio was cute. But nothing took off, which made what happened at the end of the book interesting.

The end of Merlin’s Shakespeare was exciting. I can’t get into it because of spoilers, but a whole lot of craziness went down. Individual storylines were ended, and certain storylines were left open. I am interested to see where book 2 goes.

I would give Merlin’s Shakespeare a Young Teen rating. There is no sex. There is no language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 13 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread Merlin’s Shakespeare. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Dirty Cooking by Carley Mercedes

Dirty Cooking by [Mercedes, Carley]

4 Stars

Publisher: Literary Wanderlust

Date of Publication: July 1st, 2019

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Dirty Cooking: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Trigger Warning: Talk of past physical and sexual abuse

Book synopsis:

Melanie is a broken-hearted chef who has a passion for fine food, but without any other job prospects, she’s stuck at the Jivin’ Diner, where grease is the main ingredient on the menu. She’s desperate to get a new job so she can start cooking the food of her dreams, and when her best friend calls her about an opportunity as a live-in chef, Melanie jumps at the chance. Not once did she consider that her boss would be hotter than her oven.

Growing up in foster care, Erik had a rough start. He escaped to Arizona to save himself and his foster brother from their abusive foster father. Now the owner of a successful app development company, Erik has more money than he knows what to do with. He has a huge home, fast cars, and even faster relationships. His life seemed perfect, but something was missing. That is…until he hires Melanie. This little chef makes Erik’s blood sizzle more than the oil in her frying pan.

The fire between them burns hot, and though they try to resist the delicious temptation, the attraction proves to be too much. Emotions flare up, but the past hangs around like the smell of burnt popcorn, and neither can fully trust the other. Will Melanie and Erik overcome their past fears and embrace what is bubbling up between them? Or will their romance flop like a ruined soufflé?

First Line:

“Did you find me a job that looks good?” Melanie asked her friend, Shelia, over the phone.

Dirty Cooking by Carley Mercedes

My Review:

When I read the blurb for Dirty Cooking, I was intrigued. Dirty Cooking is the second book that featured a live-in chef turned lover that I have read. I wanted to see if the book lived up to the promising blurb. It did.

Dirty Cooking’s plotline was straightforward. Melanie wants to do more than work at a greasy diner. Her best friend tells her about a live-in chef position and she interviews for it. Sparks fly between Eric and Melanie. They try to keep their relationship professional, but it spirals into a sexual relationship. But Eric has secrets. These secrets have the power to tear their relationship apart.

I didn’t like Melanie, but I understood why she acted the way she did. Her ex hurt her bad. She was afraid even to try dating again. Her attraction to Eric scared her, and she used food and sarcasm to cover it up. I did think that Melanie was immature at times. Like when she found out about Eric’s past. I understood that there was a “no secrets” part of the relationship but seriously? They were dating for two weeks!!! He didn’t know her enough to trust her.

I did like Eric, and I did feel bad for him. I couldn’t imagine growing up as a foster child and not having a permanent home. He did the absolute right thing in taking Hunter and running. I did think he was a little over the top during Melanie’s interview. I also believe that he was in the right for not telling Melanie about his past. Like I said above, they had been dating for two weeks. That is nowhere enough time to get into that stuff.

My mouth watered while reading this book. I wanted to eat Melanie’s cooking for myself. Everything she made sounded so good.

The sexual tension was through the roof. The author did a great job of keeping that sexual tension at such a high level. Same with the sexual attraction. When Melanie and Eric finally did have sex, it was one of the hottest scenes I have read to date.

I want to mention the storyline with Eric and his past. My heart broke for him. He was only seven years old!!! All I have to say about that.

The end of Dirty Cooking was your typical romance HEA. Everything ended with no dropped storylines. There was no lag in the plotline, and all the characters stayed in the book. No one went poof.

I would give Dirty Cooking an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Dirty Cooking. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Look for Me Under the Rainbow by Bernard Jan

Look for Me Under the Rainbow: A Novella by [Jan, Bernard]

5 Stars

Publisher: Self Published

Date of publication: April 15th, 2018

Genre: Middle Grade

Where you can find Look For Me Under the Rainbow: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Sometimes all you need is a big heart and burning desire.

Danny, a curious harp seal pup, has soft white fur and black innocent eyes. Helen is an environmentalist and member of a young activist crew of the Rainbow Warriors. Their mission is to save animals.

As winter turns into spring, a new generation of seal pups comes to life. A few weeks later, the killing begins. Against a spectacular backdrop of ice and snow, Helen prepares to look horrific human cruelty in the face.

I do not doubt I have a big heart and burning desire, but is that enough for a person to become a Rainbow Warrior, or is there something better? Something only some of us manage to turn into what we have long missed—humanity.

In the race against time and clubs, will Helen save Danny before the hunt begins and the ice turns red?

Though written for younger readers, Look for Me Under the Rainbow will appeal to anyone who cherishes our beautiful planet and wishes to protect its treasures.

Buy this book by Bernard Jan, the author of A World Without Color, and experience another emotional journey.

First Line:

What is man, Mom?

Look for Me Under the Rainbow by Bernard Jan

My Review:

When I read the blurb for Look for Me Under the Rainbow, it caught my interest. I wasn’t expecting the feelings that this book evoked. I felt everything from joy to horror to sadness.

I will admit, I went into Look for Me Under the Rainbow with a certain mindset. I thought that it was going to be a children’s book about a young seal pup named Danny and his adventures. Well, that isn’t the case. Instead, I got a book that showed exactly how hard a harp seal’s life is and the dangers they face.

Danny was a great main character. His curiosity and innocence were what I expected from a harp seal pup. The questions he asked were what I expected a child to ask. But, like all children, Danny disobeys his mother, and there are consequences.

The harp seal pups slaughter was horrifying. I had thought that clubbing them to death had ended. The other horrors that the author described (being skinned alive and left to die) made me sick to my stomach. I kept thinking to myself, “How is that humane??? They are babies!!!” I cannot believe that this is allowed. That is when my horror turned to outrage.

The author also showed what the seals went through if they survived the slaughter. Everything from natural enemies (killer whales and polar bears) to human-made hazards (oil spills to nets left floating in the ocean). It was heartbreaking.

I liked that the author showed that people are trying to do the right thing. The Rainbow Warriors and Helen tried to stop the slaughter. How they did it was smart. I wouldn’t have thought to do that!! But those activists are only a small handful of people. More people need to help.

Look for Me Under the Rainbow is a short book, actually a novella. Marketed towards children, I was a little iffy about the age range on this. I decided on Tween because I felt that the younger kids could be traumatized by the descriptions of the seal pup slaughter.

The end of Look for Me Under the Rainbow wasn’t a happy one. But it wasn’t a sad one either. It was an eye opening one.

I would give Look for Me Under the Rainbow a Tween rating. There is no sex. There is no language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 10 read this book.

I would reread Look for Me Under the Rainbow. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Song for a Lost Kingdom (Book 1) by Steve Moretti @morettisteve @Shalini_G26

Song for a Lost Kingdom: Book I by [Moretti, Steve]

4 Stars

Publisher: DWA Media

Date of publication: July 16th 2018

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Time Travel

Series: Song for a Lost Kingdom

Song for a Lost Kingdom—Book 1

Song for a Lost Kingdom—Book 2

Where you can find Song for a Lost Kingdom: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

It would take two women separated by time to complete music with the power to change history. But will it be enough to save the man they care about most? 

Adeena Stuart and Katharine Carnegie were born nearly three centuries apart. Yet their music and an ancient cello connect them to each other and to a man doomed by the Battle of Culloden. 

In Book I of the Song for A Lost Kingdom series, Adeena receives an untitled musical score from her dying grandmother in Scotland. The music was hidden away for over two hundred and seventy years, as part of a violent family battle between siblings on different sides of the Jacobite rising of 1745. 

When the score is played on the oldest surviving cello ever made in the UK, the music connects Adeena directly to the past as Katharine, struggling to find words to complete her symphonic tour-de-force in the midst of 18th Century political rebellion that is threatening to tear apart Scotland and England. 

But Adeena is not a scientist or historian. What she wants more than anything is to compose music and to join the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. Just as she is about to realize her wish, she’s lifted away, out of her control, and immersed in her ancient family history. As she is buffeted back and forth between the worlds, she grows to want more of the past, even though the promise of her most yearned-for musician dreams is coming true. 

Not even her passionate boyfriend can keep her rooted in the present, especially when another man from the past falls for her and her music. Although unsure whether her time travel is a hallucination, she’s willing to steal a five million dollar cello to get back to the 1700’s. 

With a clear voice that sets us in modern day Ottawa and old world Scotland, Song for a Lost Kingdom, Book I, begins a journey of discovery between two women who share the same musical soul and love for the same doomed man.

First Line:

Adeena Stuart tried to adjust her eyes against the blinding spotlights.

Song for a Lost Kingdom (Book One) by Steve Moretti

My Review:

When I read the blurb for Song for a Lost Kingdom, I knew that I had to read this book. Not only was this book set in 18th century Scotland, but it was a time travel/love story. So, I dove right in. I am glad that I read the book, but I wish that Adeena was more likable. I will explain in my review why I said that.

Song for a Lost Kingdom starts slowly. The author chose to focus on building the backstories of the main characters. After establishing those backstories, then the main storyline (well the dual main storylines) took off. I loved it!!

There were times in the book where I wanted to throttle Adeena. Yes, I liked, and yes, I thought she was a strong, capable woman. But she was also self-centered and selfish. She put her obsession with the cello ahead of everything else. If someone other than Lang had noticed that the cello on display wasn’t the real one, Tara would have lost her job. I couldn’t connect to her after that.

I did like the time travel angle of the book. It was different having Adeena go back in time while playing the cello. Her physical body stayed in Ottawa. I liked that the author showed what was happening while she was gone. I liked the contrast. I also liked that it took more effort to pull her back to the present day.

The author was very knowledgeable about the musical angle of the book. There was never a time where I was doubting that he knew what he was talking about.

The 18th-century angle of the book was amazing to read. The research that the author did about Bonnie Prince Charlie, and the events leading up to the battle of Culloden was terrific. Like with the musical angle of the book, I didn’t doubt anything that happened. I also had no problem placing Katharine/Adeena at that time.

The romance between Adeena and Phillipe didn’t give me goosebumps. I could tell, even at the beginning of the book, that they weren’t going to last. I also foretold who Phillipe was going to end up with. Now, the romance between Katharine/Adeena and James gave me goosebumps. Not often that a book can do that to me.

The end of Song for a Lost Kingdom drove me nuts. It ended on a cliffhanger. I had so many questions that went unanswered. Guess I’ll have to read book 2!!

I would give Song for a Lost Kingdom an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Song for a Lost Kingdom. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Aelia by Jonathan Soler

Aelia by [Soler, Jonathan]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: May 28th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Where you can find Aelia: Amazon

Book Synopsis:

When the mysterious Aelia arrives in the Kingdom of Namos, she cons her way into the nobility and quickly finds herself caught up in the court’s violent and ruthless intrigue. Her recklessness will lead her to confront the most powerful characters of the kingdom. But will her cunning be enough to survive their murderous plots?

First Line:

After a harsh and merciless winter in which the weakest and most destitute didn’t survive, fine weather finally returned to the Kingdom of Namos.

Aelia by Jonathan Soler

My Review:

I am a huge fan of fantasy. I am also a massive fan of books that have strong woman figures carving out a name for themselves. So when I read the blurb for Aelia, my attention was caught. A fantasy with a strong woman? Count me in!! Aelia lived up to the blurb and then some. It was a fantastic read.

Aelia’s plotline was fast-paced. The author was able to keep the pace of the plotline for the entire book. There was zero lag, which was fantastic because I was expecting it. In a book with a fast-paced plotline like Aelia’s, there is some lag. Not here!!

There was a lot of violence in Aelia. I am not squeamish when it comes to violence in books. So the violence in Aelia didn’t bother me. But it might bother some readers.

There was also one scene where Aelia was sexually assaulted in a field. There were also scenes where Aelia used attempted rape as a reason why she killed people, even if they didn’t touch her. I wasn’t bothered by either. But there might be readers who will be triggered by that.

Aelia was amazing. I was a little suspicious of her at the beginning of the book. But, as the book went on, I started to admire her. She planned each of her endeavors meticulously. She didn’t hold back either. She did whatever it took to get to the next step in her plan. By the end of the book, I couldn’t even predict what she was going to do next.

The end of the book was wild but at the same time a bit anticlimactic. The final battle scene was epic. I did wonder if the author was setting up for a sequel with the way the book ended.

I would give Aelia an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Aelia. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**