Tag: book 1

A Dream of Ashes (Chronicles of the Modern Mystic: Book 1) by Orlando Sanchez

A Dream of Ashes: An Ava James Mystery (Chronicles of the Modern Mystics Book 1) by [Sanchez, Orlando A.]

Publisher: OM Publishing

Date of Publication: April 27th, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Series: Chronicles of the Modern Mystics

The Dark Flame—Book 0.5

A Dream of Ashes—Book 1

Purchase Links: Amazon | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mystics.Magic.Murder.
A Rogue Mystic.A Ruthless Killer. A Dark Secret.
Ava James is a fire mystic with the Mystic Investigative Division. As a branch of the Enclave, a worldwide mystic organization, the MID is feared, respected and reviled.
When the half-charred body of a Mystic is found, the Enclave sends her to investigate the strange death. Ava finds that all the clues point to the killer being a fire mystic, one of her own. Accused by the Enclave of working with the killer she must solve the case before a secret buried in her past is revealed and destroys her world.
Can she save herself? Will she find the murderer?
If you like hardcore, fast-moving action, complex mystical powers and an unstoppable heroine, then you’ll love Orlando A. Sanchez’ thrilling new series: Chronicles of the Modern Mystics.
Buy A Dream of Ashes and join Ava on her adventure today!

This is the first book I have ever read by Orlando Sanchez, and I have got to say it was GOOD.

From the beginning, when I first met Ava kicking some bad guy’s ass, the action was nonstop. I told BK that this would not only make a great fantasy movie, BUT it would also make a great action film. Of course, he didn’t understand but still.

The story was good too. Ava is a fire mystic working for the MID (Mystic Investigative Division). She is sent to a crime scene where a fire mystic is burned up, and fingers start pointing toward her. When the head of the MID is injured in a blast at a bar, she is considered the main suspect, and the chase is on. What a chase it is. Ava is chased all over NYC until she finds temporary asylum with her Sensei. Then she learns some startling facts about her uncle and herself.

The book picks up when she heads to Japan to help her uncle Seb, a Void mystic. The action gets better.

The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger (thanks to Seb’s revelation). I’m not too fond of cliffhangers, but this worked for this book. I can’t wait to read book 2 and see if it is as action-packed as book 1.

I would recommend A Dream of Ashes to anyone over 21. There is no sex, but there are language and violence.

If you enjoyed reading A Dream of Ashes, you will enjoy reading these books:

Her Survivor (Black Eagle Ops: Book 1) by Vonnie Davis

Her Survivor: A Black Eagle Ops Novel by [Davis, Vonnie]

Publisher: Loveswept

Date of publication: July 19th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, War, Military Fiction, Military Romance, Contemporary, Disability, Fiction, Suspense

Series: Black Eagle Ops

Her Survivor—Book 1

Hers to Heal—Book 2 (review here)

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Indigo | Kobo | Apple Books

Goodreads synopsis:

Vonnie Davis welcomes readers to Wounded Warrior Falls! In this sizzling contemporary series, broken heroes meet women worth fighting for—and discover the healing power of love.

Navy SEAL Dustin Frank can handle physical pain; it’s his soul that needs mending. After losing part of his leg in an explosion, the panic triggered by his PTSD nearly drives him over the edge. So Dustin retreats to the Eagle Ridge Ranch, a charming hideaway tucked into the Hill Country of Texas. There he finds solace in the arms of a shy beauty who reawakens desires he thought he’d lost forever—and who makes him want to lose control, just when he needs it most.

Kelcee Todd sees beyond Dustin’s scars to the real man beneath: fiercely protective, strong yet tender. She wants nothing more than to feel his battle-hardened hands on her body. However, Kelcee is not the ordinary small-town girl she appears to be. Her brother is a killer with ties to the Russian mob, and after her testimony put him in prison, he’s out and eager for revenge. Now Dustin is her best defense, even if it could cost him everything. Kelcee could never ask him to make that sacrifice . . . but she can’t stop him, either.

I am guilty of stereotyping a book, and I am sorry. When I first started reading this book, I thought, “Wounded Army vet meets spunky girl, and sparks fly. Yawn.” And I am here to say, “I am wrong” and “Not even close.”

Dustin’s character was well written, and his PTSD symptoms were point on. There were points in the book where I wanted to cry for him. I understand how his mental fog, anxiety, and depression affected his everyday life. So when ZQ offered him a place at the ranch, I wanted to cheer.

When I couldn’t get any more vested in the book, we met Kelcee and the rest of the town. Talk about a town that I would love to live in!!! What eccentric people. I loved it. From ZQ’s mom to Sugar Loaf/Silver Stud, they stick in your mind. I also could see Kelcee being one of my good friends. She was so real, and I giggled at some of her zingers and one-liners.

The sexual tension and sexual chemistry between Kelcee and Dustin were off the wall. The tension was there from the minute they met, even though they did not want it. And when they finally ended up in bed, it was so bittersweet that I wanted to cry.

The subplot about Kelcee being in the Witness Protection Program was kept under wrap. Translated: I didn’t pay attention to the blurb (was too busy staring at the cover and drooling). When it was revealed, it was surprising to me. The only thing I didn’t like about this was that Kelcee took forever to tell Dustin. Which, in my mind, was stupid because he could have ended that whole thing for her when she got hurt.

The ending was hilarious, in a way. Not giving anything away, but when Junebug freaks out, I laughed until I had tears running down my cheeks. It was that funny.

3 Things I liked about Her Survivor:

  1. Dustin and Kelcee’s romance
  2. Junebug (OMG, loved her)
  3. Nance

3 Things I disliked about Her Survivor:

  1. Kelcee’s brother
  2. Dustin’s PTSD
  3. Instalove

I would recommend Her Survivor to anyone over 21. There are graphic sex scenes, language, and violence.

If you enjoyed reading Her Survivor, you will enjoy reading these books:

The Last Time She Saw Him (Julia Gooden Mystery: Book 1) by Jane Haseldine

The Last Time She Saw Him (A Julia Gooden Mystery Book 1) by [Haseldine, Jane]

Publisher: Kensington

Date of Publication: June 28, 2016

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Psychological Thriller, Adult Fiction, Contemporary,

Series: Julia Gooden Mystery

The Last Time She Saw Him—Book 1

Duplicity—Book 2 (review here)

Worth Killing For—Book 3

You Fit the Pattern—Book 4

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

In Jane Haseldine’s gripping and brilliantly crafted debut, a reporter searching for her kidnapped son must untangle the connection to her brother’s long-ago disappearance.

Julia Gooden remembers nothing about the worst night of her life. Thirty years ago, her nine-year-old brother Ben—the person who promised he would always protect her—was abducted from the room they shared. Try as she might to recall any clue or detail, there is a black hole where Julia’s memories of that terrible event should be.

Now a crime reporter at a Detroit newspaper, Julia tries to give others the closure she’s never found. But guilt and grief over Ben’s disappearance have left her fearful that whoever took her brother is going to come back. Nowhere seems safe—not the city, not the suburbs, not even the secluded lake town where she plans to raise her children. And then, on the anniversary of Ben’s disappearance, Julia’s worst fears are realized when her two-year-old son, Will, is snatched from his bed.

Convinced that the crimes are related, Julia tries to piece together memories from her final day with Ben. Are the sudden reminders of her brother clues that will lead her to her son’s abductor, or merely coincidence? Julia knows she has hours at best to find Will alive, but the deeper she digs, the more personal and terrifying the battle becomes, and an undying promise may be her only hope of saving herself and her son.

My review:

If you are looking for a book that showcases the best and worst of people and has a dash of the supernatural in it, read this book.

Julia was not a character that was likable, and I love that the author wrote her that way. She suffers survivor’s guilt after her older brother was kidnapped out of their room when she was 7. That one event shaped her entire life. Julia tortures herself over his disappearance. This has affected all areas of her life, from her job and marriage to how she parents her children.

The story got going when her 2-year-old was kidnapped out of his room. The author did a great job writing that part of the book too. She captured Julia’s terror and her fight to get her child away from the kidnappers.

The book then became a mishmash of the present and past.  It was discovered that the same Indian head arrow was left under Will’s crib. Which was a connection to her brother’s disappearance.

But all is not what it seems. Clues were given by a pedophile pastor. A police detective was halfway in love with her. I didn’t know what direction the book was going in. And that was the best thing about it!!!

I didn’t know who the kidnappers were until the very end of the book. The author did a fantastic job of keeping that hidden. She threw out red herrings and created a couple of false leads that, when it was revealed, I  went, “Whaaaat??“

I would recommend The Last Time She Saw Him to anyone over 21. There is violence, language, and no sex. There are also graphic descriptions of sexually abused children.

If you enjoyed reading The Last Time She Saw Him; you will enjoy reading these books:

Granted (Granted: Book 1) by Michelle Merrill

Granted by [Merrill, Michelle]

Publisher: Future House Publishing

Date Published: June 30th, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: Granted

Trapped—Book 0.5

Granted—Book 1

Summoned—Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads synopsis:

The existence of genies may be the best-kept secret in the history of the world.

After being trapped in the Sahara Desert for her whole life, sixteen-year-old genie Brielle finally gets her first assignment in Tri-Cities, Washington. She eagerly heads out into the human world to grant her first wish so that she can gain her magic. Unfortunately, her assigned human, Addie, stopped believing in wishes years ago and would much rather that everyone just leave her alone.

Complicating everything is Rock, Brielle’s childhood friend turned enemy. Brielle doesn’t need him ruining her first trip out into the human world. Too bad she can’t keep her mind—or her eyes—off him and his annoyingly cute dimples.

To make matters worse, genies in the Tri-Cities area are suspiciously dying. One broken lamp could be an accident, but after three deaths occur, Brielle suspects someone has uncovered the genies’ secret and is slowly killing them off one by one. 

With the Genie Council ignoring the threat, Brielle desperately needs to gain her magic so she can stop the murderer before she—or Rock—is the next genie to die.

I wouldn’t say I liked Brielle’s character in the beginning. But if I was expecting my lamp to be rubbed and told, sorry, it’s in storage, and you have to wait, I’d have acted the same way. Throughout the book, her character did grow on me, though. I loved her interactions with Addie and with Rock. She showed through her friendship with Addie how much she grew in maturity while she was there.

While we are on Rock, he made me want to scream. I didn’t have him figured out during the book. What was his deal? Was he a good djinn, or did he get caught up in something he had no control over? Also, the twist with him in the book was great!!! I didn’t expect what happened to happen.

Now onto Addie. I felt so bad for her. Parts of the book made me want to reach through and hug her. And for the record, I am glad that she and Brielle met. They were good for each other.

The whole storyline of Addie’s parents disappearing made me want to puke. Not going to get into it, but I disliked them. If you want to know more, read the book.

The mystery that Brielle and Rock get involved with did catch my attention. I thought it was very imaginative to have the genies die when their lamps break. It only makes sense because their life force is connected to the lamps. The way the book ended also made a great intro for a 2nd book!!!

3 Things I liked about Granted:

  1. The storyline
  2. Rock
  3. Addie

3 Things I disliked about Granted:

  1. Brielle, at the beginning of the book
  2. Vicky (she rubbed me the wrong way)
  3. The triplets

I would recommend Granted to anyone over 16. There is no sex, minimal violence, and non-graphic language.

If you enjoyed reading Granted, you will enjoy reading these books:

Of Fear and Faith (Death and Destiny: Book 1) by N.D. Jones

Publisher: Kuumba Publishing

Date of publication: December 7th,2019

Series: Death and Destiny

Of Fear and Faith—Book 1

Of Beasts and Bonds—Book 2

Of Deception and Divinity—Book 3

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Witches, Mythology, Adult, Magic, Shapeshifters

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | IndieBound | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a world where nothing is ever as it seems, the seeds of love take root on the precipice of chaos, danger, and a great destiny.

In the shadow of an ancient prophecy, two individuals will be drawn together to meet a dangerous calling–or die trying. For legends tell of a powerful Fire Witch and a legendary shapeshifter who will one day rid the world of the wrath of the Water Witch of Legend, and restore the world to peace and balance.

However, for Sanura Williams and FBI Special Agent Assefa Berber, their destinies will not be so easily won, as fear and faith will ultimately determine their fates. In the heat of battle and the chill of prophecy, Sanura and Assefa will weather the dual storms of lust and love. Are they prepared for the intoxicating swirl of danger and attraction? Can they overcome their fears of such a powerful prophecy? In the face of their foes, these legendary warriors must embrace their roles as heroes, side-by-side, and defend humanity against the coming doom.

3 Things I Liked About Of Fear and Faith

The characters.
I genuinely loved all of them, but Assefa and Sanura were my favorites. I really appreciated that the author didn’t reveal everything about Assefa right away. The little hints sprinkled throughout kept me guessing—and when the truth finally came out? It was HUGE.

The paranormal monsters.
For some reason, this completely thrilled me (yes, I know—no life). Instead of the usual rogue vampires or animal shifters, we get sirens, Raven Mockers, and Adze. It felt fresh, unexpected, and honestly exciting.

The sex scenes.
Hot. Hot. Hot. The chemistry between Sanura and Assefa was off the charts, and it translated into some seriously epic scenes that added to the story instead of distracting from it.

3 Things I Didn’t Like About Of Fear and Faith

Sanura’s ex.
He was a total creep and deeply unpleasant. I won’t say much more—you really need to read the book to fully appreciate how awful he is.

Mike.
I found him incredibly unlikable at the beginning of the story, to the point where it was hard for me to warm up to him at all.

Sanura’s reaction to Assefa’s big secret.
Without giving anything away, her reaction felt a little over the top to me. I understood why she reacted the way she did, but it still grated.

I would recommend Of Fear and Faith to readers 21 and over. It contains graphic sex scenes, strong language, and violence, and is best suited for adults who enjoy paranormal romance with heat and high stakes.

The Ones (The Ones: Book 1) by Daniel Sweren-Becker

The Ones by [Sweren-Becker, Daniel]

Publisher: Imprint

Date of publication: September 6, 2016

Series: The Ones

The Ones—Book 1

The Equals—Book 2

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | Indigo

Goodreads Synopsis:

Cody has always been proud of being a One. She and her boyfriend James were two of the lucky babies from the 1% of the U.S. population that were randomly selected to benefit from genetic engineering. Now, she and the rest of The Ones are excelling. They are healthy, beautiful, and talented. They aren’t otherworldly, just perfect. And to some, that’s not fair. The Equality Movement, capitalizing on the growing fear and jealousy, gains political traction and actually outlaws their existence. Society shows its darker side as The Ones are marginalized. The line between right and wrong blurs in the face of injustice and Cody becomes closer to a group of radical Ones intent on fighting back. James begins to fear just how far she is willing to go for the cause.

3 Things I Liked About The Ones

Cody and James’s romance.
I loved how sweet and innocent their relationship was. The author took the time to let it unfold naturally, and amid a world that’s completely falling apart, their connection felt normal. That contrast made it even more special.

How realistic the plot felt—for the most part.
If you take out the genetically modified kids and drop in current events instead, the story becomes even more unsettling. That realism made the book feel a little too close to home at times.

The family relationships.
The difference between James’s relationship with his family and Cody’s relationship with her mother is stark—and sad. Honestly, I’d rather have a parent who isn’t physically present than one who’s there but emotionally absent.

The Equality Movement.
They genuinely reminded me of Nazis. Their solution to what they believe is a problem is deeply disturbing—and you’ll need to read the book to understand just how far they go. Everything they stand for feels wrong, and what makes it even scarier is how much power they gain.

Kai’s group of friends.
Kai and Taryn rubbed me the wrong way from the moment they appeared. The way they operate didn’t sit right with me at all, and I didn’t believe Kai for a second about specific events. Watching Cody get pulled deeper into their mess just turned into a complete cluster.

The Ones is for readers who enjoy dystopian stories grounded in realism, slow-burn young love, complicated family dynamics, and themes that feel uncomfortably close to our current world.

Deception Island (The Legionnaires: Book 1) by Brynn Kelly

Publisher: HQN Books

Date of publication: May 31st, 2016

Genre: Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Mystery

Series: The Legionnaires

Deception Island—Book 1

Edge of Truth—Book 2

Forbidden River—Book 2.5

A Risk Worth Taking—Book 3

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | IndieBound | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

A stolen boy 

A haunted soldier 

A cornered con woman… 

Rafe Angelito thought he was done with the demons from his past—until his son is kidnapped. Blackmailed into abducting an American heiress, the legionnaire soon finds himself trapped in paradise with a fiery, daring beauty who’s nothing he expects…and everything he desires. But when he uncovers her own dark secret, Rafe realizes he’s made a critical mistake—one that could cost him everything. 

Playing body double for a spoiled socialite was supposed to be Holly Ryan’s ticket to freedom. But when she’s snatched off her yacht by a tall, dark and dangerous stranger, the not-quite-reformed con artist will make a desperate play to turn her captor from enemy to ally, by any means necessary. 

Yet as scorching days melt into sultry nights, Holly is drawn to the mysterious capitaine, with his unexpected sense of honor and his searing touch. When they’re double-crossed, they’ll have to risk trusting each other in ways they never imagined…because in this deadly game of deception, it’s their lives—and hearts—on the line.

Oh my lord, this book was good. Everything about it felt like gold. From Rafe’s background as a child soldier, to Holly’s time in prison, to the circumstances that led to Rafe kidnapping her—I was completely hooked. I finished this book in one sitting because I genuinely could not stop reading.

Going into a Harlequin novel, I usually expect a pretty specific formula: an overconfident hero, a heroine who can’t see past her own issues, lukewarm sex scenes, and a plot that doesn’t dig too deep. That was not the case here. The twists and turns kept me guessing, the story never settled into something predictable, and the sex scenes were HOT, HOT, HOT—without ever taking away from the plot.

At its core, this story pulls you in emotionally. If you’re a parent, you already know—you’d do anything to get your child back. That’s exactly what Rafe does after discovering his son has been kidnapped by someone from his past. As more of his history is revealed, it’s impossible not to feel for him. His story is heartbreaking.

Holly’s story is just as tragic, though it unfolds more slowly. At first, all we know is that she’s an ex-con who’s been approached by a U.S. senator to impersonate his daughter on a sailing trip around the world. What the author reveals along the way explains so much about who Holly is and why—and it’s devastating in the best, most emotionally effective way.

I also appreciated the inclusion of child soldiers and human sex trafficking as subplots. Both are deeply disturbing realities, and the author handles them in a way that adds weight to the story without feeling exploitative. There are links at the end of the book for readers who want to learn more or help make a difference.

And then there’s the twist. A huge one. The kind that makes you put the book down and just say, “Whoa.” There wasn’t even a hint—it completely blindsided me, in the best way.

The ending was perfect. Honestly, if it had ended any other way, I would’ve been disappointed.