Blunt Force Magic (The Monsters and Men Trilogy: Book 1) by Lawrence Davis

Blunt Force Magic (The Monsters and Men Trilogy, #1)

4 Stars

Publisher: WildBlue Press

Date of publication: January 10th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Suspense

Series: The Monster and Men Trilogy

Blunt Force Magic – Book 1

Where you can find Blunt Force Magic: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

“A modern fantasy with a touch of noir, a dash of detective thriller, and a sprinkling of humor throughout. A really fun debut novel.”

Janzen Robinson is a man lost between two worlds. Five years removed from a life as an apprentice to a group of do-gooding heroes who championed the fight against supernatural evils, the once-promising student is now a package courier going through the daily grind, passing time at a hole-in-the-wall bar and living in a tiny, run-down apartment on the south side of Cleveland, Ohio. 

Then fate (or a case of bad timing) brings him face to face with a door that’s got his old life written all over it. From the ancient recesses of unyielding darkness known as the Abyss, a creature has been summoned: a Stalker, a predator whose real name is forbidden to be spoken aloud. It’s a bastardization of the natural order, a formidable blend of dark magic and primal tenacity. It’s single-minded mission? Ending the life of a fiery, emerging young witch.

Thrust into the role of protector, a role once reserved for those he’d lost years ago, the out-of-practice Artificer not only has to return to a life he’d left behind but must relive that painful past while also facing down the greatest threat to come to our world in a century. Janzen will have to journey through the magical underbelly of the city and stay one step ahead of an unstoppable monster hellbent on destruction while also trying to figure out why it’s been brought to our world. Old wounds are reopened as Janzen looks too old friends, a quiet stranger, and his own questionable wits to see them all to the other side of this nightmare that may cost him his life and, quite possibly, the world itself.

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The First Kiss of Spring (Eternity Springs: Book 14) by Emily March

The First Kiss of Spring (Eternity Springs #14)

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperback

Date of publication: February 27th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: Eternity Springs

A Callahan Carol – Callahan Brothers book 3.5

Angels Rest – Book 1

Hummingbird Lake – Book 2

Heartache Falls – Book 3

Mistletoe Mine – Book 3.5

Lover’s Leap – Book 4

Nightingale Lane – Book 5

Reflection Point – Book 6

Miracle Road – Book 7

Dreamweaver Trail – Book 8

Teardrop Lane – Book 9

Heartsong Cottage – Book 10

Reunion Pass – Book 11

Christmas in Eternity Springs – Book 12

A Stardance Summer – Book 13

The First Kiss of Spring – Book 14

Where you can find The First Kiss of Spring: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Spring has come to Eternity Springs in the newest installment in this New York Times bestselling series by Emily March.

When Josh Tarkington gets stuck on a gondola with the lovely Caitlin Timberlake, he thinks his consistently bad luck might have changed.

After their blossoming romance is interrupted, Caitlin realizes that her encounter with Josh was a sign that she needed to make a major life change. So she packs up her things and moves to Eternity Springs, opens a daycare, and sets her cap for the town’s mechanic—Josh.

But Josh is hiding a well of secrets that would ruin him, and his relationship with everyone in Eternity Springs—especially Caitlin. When tragedy strikes, Josh and Caitlin find themselves, and their relationship tested beyond imagining. Will they be able to find their way back to each other?

Child abuse (physical and sexual), drug addiction, loss of a child, suicide

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Wintersong (Wintersong: Book 1) by S. Jae-Jones

Wintersong (Wintersong, #1)

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, A Thomas Dunne Book for St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: February 7th, 2017

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: Wintersong

Wintersong – Book 1

Shadowsong – Book 2

Where you can find Wintersong: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

Trigger Warning: Kidnapping

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Daughters of the Storm (Blood and Gold: Book 1) by Kim Wilkins

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: March 6th, 2018

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy

Series: Blood and Gold

The Crown of Rowan – Book 0.5

Daughters of the Storm – Book 1

Sisters of the Fire – Book 2

Where you can find Daughters of the Storm: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Five very different sisters team up against their stepbrother to save their kingdom in this Norse-flavored fantasy epic–the start of a new series in the tradition of Naomi Novik, Peter V. Brett, and Robin Hobb.

FIVE ROYAL SISTERS. ONE CROWN.

They are the daughters of a king. Though they share the same royal blood, they could not be more different. Bluebell is a proud warrior, stronger than any man and with an ironclad heart to match. Rose’s heart is all too passionate: She is the queen of a neighboring kingdom, who is risking everything for a forbidden love. The twins: vain Ivy, who lives for admiration, and zealous Willow, who lives for the gods. And Ash, who is discovering a dangerous talent for magic that might be a gift–or a curse.

But when their father is stricken by a mysterious ailment, they must come together on a desperate journey to save him and prevent their treacherous stepbrother from seizing the throne. Their mission: find the powerful witch who can cure the king. But to succeed on their quest, they must overcome their differences and hope that the secrets they hide from one another and the world are never brought to light. Because if this royal family breaks, it could destroy the kingdom.

Trigger Warning: None

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A Dream of Redemption (The Disgraced Lords: Book 8) by Bronwen Evans

A Dream of Redemption (The Disgraced Lords, #8)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: February 20th, 2018

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Series: The Disgraced Lords

A Kiss of Lies – Book 1

A Promise of More – Book 2

A Touch of Passion – Book 3

A Whisper of Desire – Book 4

A Taste of Seduction – Book 5

A Night of Forever – Book 6 (review here)

A Love to Remember – Book 7 (review here)

A Dream of Redemption – Book 8

Where you can find A Dream of Redemption: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A forbidden love and a chilling mystery tease the senses in this sensuous historical romance from the USA Today bestselling author of A Kiss of Lies and A Love to Remember.

Bookish and independent Lady Helen Hawkestone is expected to marry well. But, having grown up with warring parents, the institution holds little appeal. The trick, she realizes, is to marry for love—a task that’s easier said than done. Only while Helen is raising funds for her do-gooder sister’s orphanage does she meet a man who arouses her curiosity. Lowborn and yet so dignified that Helen can’t help but try to elicit a response, Clary Homeward is an enigma—a heart-stopping, body-stirring, forget-her-social-upbringing enigma.

A single offense against a noblewoman such as Lady Helen would ruin a man like Clary. Her sister, Marisa, rescued him from hellish poverty and employs him with her charity work. Try as he might to push her away, Helen tempts him to want things he could never have. But when girls from the orphanage start disappearing, destined for a grim fate Clary knows all too well, Helen insists on helping. And soon Clary wonders whether something more were not just possible but inevitable—even right.

Trigger Warning: talk of past sexual abuse, child trafficking

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Ghosts (The Accidental Turn: Book 0.5) by J.M. Frey

Ghosts (The Accidental Turn, #0.5)

5 Stars

Publisher: REUTS Publication

Date of Publication: April 4th, 2016

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Accidental Turn

Ghosts – Book 0.5

The Untold Tale – Book 1-review here

The Forgotten Tale – Book 2-review here

Arrivals – Book 2.5

The Silenced Tale – Book 3

Where you can find Ghosts: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

For seventeen years, Bevel Dom has been the author of his own story. Or, rather, he’s been the author of The Tales of Kintyre Turn, the illustrated scrolls chronicling his adventures as first the squire, then the colleague, and then finally the friend of legendary hero Kintyre Turn. But there are some stories that Bevel doesn’t write down, doesn’t tell to eager audiences of bright-eyed boys and sighing bar wenches in taverns. Some he simply folds into his heart and keeps. This is one of those tales.

In this prequel novella, fans of The Accidental Turn Series are offered a glimpse into the lives of Bevel Dom and Kintyre Turn shortly before their arrival at Turn Hall and the events that follow, further expanding upon the world and characters seen in The Untold Tale and the the upcoming sequel, The Forgotten Tale, coming Summer 2016.

Trigger Warning: None

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Long Shot (Last Shot: Book 3) by Kelly Jamieson

Long Shot (Last Shot, #3)

3.5 Stars (rounded up to 4 for Amazon, Barnes and Noble, NetGalley and Goodreads)

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: February 27th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Series: Last Shot

Body Shot – Book 1

Hot Shot – Book 2 (review here)

Long Shot – Book 3

Where you can find Long Shot: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A haunted beauty inspires a Navy SEAL turned playboy bar owner to change his ways in this tender and sensual novel from the bestselling author of Hot Shot and the Heller Brothers series.

Waitressing at a tequila bar on the beach in sunny San Diego may not be what Reece Kirkwell wants to do forever, but for now it’s perfect—other than the flashbacks to the tragedy she caused in Boston. And the fact that one of her bosses is a domineering, first-class manwhore who’s as stubborn as he is sexy. If he’d just listen to her, she could double his business. But it would also mean getting close to someone, and that’s a risk she can’t afford.
 
Cade Hardy’s partners at Conquistadors are like his brothers, but he’s the money man trying to keep them all afloat. To blow off steam, he’s been sleeping around a little. The last thing he needs is business advice from their crazy-hot new waitress. Cade can’t figure Reece out. She’s smarter than she lets on, and she doesn’t hide her disgust for his active sex life. But after he recognizes her PTSD symptoms, Cade is determined to save her . . . unless she saves him first.

Trigger Warning: references to a mass shooting, PTSD

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Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

Tess of the Road

2 Stars

Publisher: Random House Children’s, Random House Books for Young Readers

Date of publication: February 27th, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Where you can find Tess of the Road: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can’t make a scene at your sister’s wedding and break a relative’s nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences. As her family plans to send her to a nunnery, Tess yanks on her boots and sets out on a journey across the Southlands, alone and pretending to be a boy.

Where Tess is headed is a mystery, even to her. So when she runs into an old friend, it’s a stroke of luck. This friend is a quigutl–a subspecies of dragon–who gives her both a purpose and protection on the road. But Tess is guarding a troubling secret. Her tumultuous past is a heavy burden to carry, and the memories she’s tried to forget threaten to expose her to the world in more ways than one.

Trigger Warning: death of a child, child abuse, talk of rape

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Boys Keep Swinging: A Memoir by Jake Shears

Boys Keep Swinging: A Memoir

4 Stars

Publisher: Atria Books

Date of publication: February 20th, 2018

Genre: Biography, Memoirs, LGBTQIA

Where you can find Boys Keep Swinging: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

In the bestselling tradition of Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run, Patti Smith’s Just Kids, and Carrie Brownstein’s Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl, the lead singer of the multiplatinum-selling band Scissor Sisters explores his evolution as a young artist: coming of age in the Pacific Northwest and Arizona, his entry into New York City’s electrifying, ever-changing music scene, and the Scissor Sisters’ rise as they reached international fame in the early 2000s.

Before hitting the stage as the lead singer of the iconic glam rock band Scissor Sisters, Jake Shears was Jason Sellards, a teenage boy in Arizona living a double life and unable to hide it any longer, resulting in a confusing and confining time in high school as his classmates bullied him and teachers showed little sympathy.

It wasn’t until years later, during a trip to visit a childhood friend in New York City, that Jake met a talented musician nicknamed Babydaddy—the stage name of Scott Hoffman. Jake had found a kindred spirit, someone thirsting for stardom and freedom. Their instant bond led them to form Scissor Sisters. First performing in the smoky gay nightclubs of New York City, then finding massive success in the United Kingdom, Scissor Sisters would become revered by the LGBTQ community, reach platinum status, and also win multiple accolades with hits like “Take Your Mama” and “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’,” as well as their cult-favorite cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb.”

Candid and courageous, Shears’s writing sings with the same powerful, spirited presence that he brings to his live performances. Following his development from a misfit boy who grew to a dazzling rock star, this entertaining and evocative memoir will be an inspiration to anyone with determination and a dream.

Trigger Warning: Drug use

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The One by John Marrs

The One

4 Stars

Publisher: Harlequin (U.S. & Canada), Hanover Square

Date of publication: February 20th, 2018

Genre: Adult Fiction, mystery, thriller

Where you can find The One: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book Synopsis (from Goodreads):

How far would you go to find The One?

A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner—the one you’re genetically made for.

That’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance, and love.

Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.” They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after” isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others…

A word-of-mouth hit in the United Kingdom, The One is a fascinating novel that shows how even the simplest discoveries can have complicated consequences.

Trigger Warning: stalking 

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