Cherry Red by Darlene Fredette

September 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Cherry Red by Darlene Fredette
One Scoop or Two series
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

This summer, ice cream entrepreneur Carly Redd’s only focus is expanding her business—until she’s coerced into attending her ex’s engagement party. Showing up without a date is unthinkable. She reluctantly agrees to be escorted by her brother’s co-worker, although doing so breaks her rule of not dating firefighters.

The daughter of the town’s fire chief should wear a Do Not Touch sign, but firefighter Noah Harding’s interest blazed the moment he saw Carly. Agreeing to be her fake boyfriend is a no-brainer, but convincing Carly to trust him with her heart is harder than extinguishing a fire.

Overstepping the platonic-only rule is as dangerous as fire and ice swirling into a tempting combustion.

Romance isn’t strictly necessary for a good life, but it can certainly make everything sweeter!

Carly was a well-rounded and fascinating protagonist. I was thrilled by the fact that she’d created such a fulfilling life for herself. She was a content, happy human being long before her love interest showed up which is always something I love seeing in romance novels. There’s nothing like meeting a main character who already has plenty going on for herself and knows exactly what she wants.

I did notice a few inconsistencies in Carly and Noah’s communication skills. They did a much better job sharing their thoughts and expressing their needs in the beginning than they did later on in the storyline. As much as I enjoyed the storyline in general, I was a little puzzled by why the communication between them weakened at such a pivotal part of the plot. It seemed like something they could have sorted out much earlier. With that being said, this was a minor criticism of something I’d otherwise heartily recommend.

The romance was handled beautifully. I appreciated the fact that Carly and Noah were given so much time to get to know each other before anything romantic happened between them. That was an excellent choice due to their personalities and backstories that showed why both of them needed to move slowly with any new love interest. It also gave this reader ample opportunity to imagine what it might be like when they crossed the line between a platonic relationship and a romantic one.

This is part of the One Scoop or Two series. It can be read as a standalone work.

Cherry Red was a satisfying and enjoyable read.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

To The Center Of The Earth by Grieg Beck

September 22, 2021 By Leave a Comment


To The Center Of The Earth by Grieg Beck
Publisher: Severed Press
Genre: Contemporary, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

An old woman locked away in a Russian asylum has a secret—knowledge of a 500-year-old manuscript written by a long-dead alchemist that will show a passage to the mythical center of the Earth.

She knows it’s real because 50 years ago, she and a team traveled there. And only she made it back.

Today, caving specialist Mike Monroe leads a crew into the world’s deepest cave in the former Soviet Union. He’s following the path of a mad woman, and the words of an ancient Russian alchemist, that were the basis of the fantastical tale by Jules Verne.

But what horrifying things he finds will tear at his sanity and change everything we know about evolution and the world, forever.

In the tradition of Primordia, Greig Beck delivers another epic retelling of a classic story in an electrifying and terrifying adventure that transcends the imagination.

“Down there, beyond the deepest caves, below the crust and the mantle, there is another world.”

When a million dollar prize – as well as some serious bragging rights – are put up for grabs for the caving team who can travel the deepest under the earth the race is on. Two separate teams decide independently to try their luck with a long closed down cave in Russia, one that’s rumored not only the be the deepest anywhere on earth, but also possibly far more than anyone realizes. What the two teams discover is a whole new world – equal parts paradise and hell.

I really enjoyed this new adventure story from Mr Beck. His stories are always really really well balanced with both thriller, monsters, discovery of the unknown and adventure and this one certainly delivers in spades. I was quickly drawn in both by the characters, but also the caving adventure itself. Readers who enjoy a good “let’s discover something new” story should certainly find this suits their tastes, and readers who also enjoy “monsters eat most of the party” will find this book ticks a lot of those sorts of boxes as well. I’d hesitate to label this story as horror though – while there are certainly “monsters come and eat the characters” moments and there’s absolutely a few chilling scenes with alien creatures found deep deep under the earth – I’m not sure it really fits the “horror” genre in the sense of gore or serial killers or a more typical sense of a horror novel. Readers who are squeamish or not interested in monsters going bump in the dark style of books probably should shy away or be prepared to skim a few scenes – but I feel aside from that it’s not really horror at all but more adventure/thriller in style.

I also really appreciated the variation in the characters and how none of them were cartoonish or overdrawn. Even the antagonist was – while still not hero material – practical and willing to work with the team when the chips were down and it was very much an “us verses the monsters” mentality. I really really enjoyed this, partly because it would have been very easy (and far less satisfying I feel) if the antagonist had been an overblown villain character, but I could well believe how tempting that might have been. Indeed I found Mr Beck taking the harder road and notching down the characters arrogance and bravado and having the two teams come together and work in tandem as one merged team really satisfying and I was so pleased about this it really stuck with me.

As a longtime fan of this author I was amused at a few Easter Egg like tidbits where I recognized the author cleverly sneaking in subtle pointers to some of his other books where fans will notice this cheeky nod but others shouldn’t feel anything too amiss by the seemingly casual comments. It gave me a chuckle and flush of pride for each one I caught and it made reading this book all the sweeter to know I’d not only caught the reference but read and own the book as well.

Overall this was an amazing book and one I am pleased to have in print as I definitely expect to enjoy it a number more times in the future. I am also impressed with my own foresight – I have the sequel already purchased and ready to go. I’m thrilled I can move right onto it and not have to wait!

Readers who enjoy adventure stories, caving stories and monsters eating everyone should be as deeply satisfied with this story as I was. Mr Beck is a masterful storyteller and I feel this tale is well balanced, engrossing and sure to have you up reading half the night. A brilliant read and one I shall enjoy again in the near future.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Old Man and the Penguin – A True Story of True Friendship by Julie Abery

September 22, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Old Man and the Penguin – A True Story of True Friendship by Julie Abery
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Told in rhyming verse, this is the touching true story of an oil-soaked penguin, the man who rescues him and an unlikely friendship.João hears “a sorry screech” as he walks along the shore near his home. It’s from a penguin, whose feathers are soaked in oil.Too tired to swim, too weak to stand, he’s barely moving on the sand. João must save this little guy. Without his help, he’ll surely die.João takes the penguin home. He cleans him, feeds him and nurses him slowly back to health — and the pair develop a special bond. When the penguin is fully recovered, João knows it’s time to return him to the wild where he belongs. But the penguin has other ideas …Told in rhyming verse, this heartwarming picture book tells the true story of João Pereira de Souza of Brazil, who cared for a Magellanic penguin that had been caught in an oil spill. When João tried to release him back to the wild, the penguin returned to João’s home and stayed for months. The penguin, named Dindim by João, did eventually leave, but he now returns to visit his friend for five months of every year. A charming read-aloud showcasing a tender relationship between an animal and human, this book also promotes environmental awareness and stewardship, and explains how human activities often threaten wildlife. Author Julie Abery includes information about João and the penguin, how wildlife is affected by oil spills every year, and what to do if you find wildlife in distress. The lively art by award-winning Pierre Pratt brings a touching sweetness and emotional depth to the story. There are character education lessons here on empathy, kindness and caring.

Good deeds are never wasted.
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The friendship between João and Dindim brought a tear to my eye. Normally, I’m a little cautious about stories about wild animals who are captured or tamed by humans, but the narrator made it very clear that this wasn’t exactly what was happening here. João was always incredibly respectful of the fact that Dindim wasn’t a pet and could leave at any time. It was delightful to see the relationship that blossomed between them as the penguin recovered and became strong enough to return to his usual migration patterns.

I would have liked to see more details included in this picture book. For example, what did João’s family and community think of the penguin who lived among them while recovering from his ordeal with the oil spill? There were other moments in the plot that I also thought could have been explained better even though I deeply enjoyed what was shared and am still telling everyone I know who cares about penguins or wildlife rescue in general to check it out.

With that being said, I loved the way this tale shared its messages about compassion and the importance of helping others whenever possible. It trusted its audience to pick up on these themes ourselves which meant that the plot was free to unfold without any unnecessary explanations of what was happening. Writing it this way also meant that the storyline could appeal to a wide range of readers. A small child’s understanding of it might not be identical to how an adult would react to the same information, but there was something meaningful here for children and grown-ups alike.

The Old Man and the Penguin was a heartwarming read for environmentalists and animal-lovers of all ages.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Closed Circles by Viveca Sten

September 20, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Closed Circles by Viveca Sten
(Sandhamn Murders Book 2)
Publisher: Amazon Crossing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

It’s a beautiful day for a regatta—until one of Sandhamn Island’s most prestigious residents is killed aboard his sailing yacht.

Oscar Juliander was a rich lawyer and deputy chairman of the prestigious Royal Swedish Yacht Club. While at first his death seems like a tragic accident, there is evidence of foul play. Police detective Thomas Andreasson teams up with local lawyer Nora Linde to investigate. As they work to uncover clues, they face resistance from an elite world where nothing but appearance matters.

When the rich and powerful inhabitants of Sweden’s idyllic island getaway come under scrutiny, Thomas and Nora must work closely and secretively to seek justice.

When the Vice Chairman of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club is shot on his boat in time with the starting gun of one of the biggest regattas in the height of summer, Police detective Thomas Andreasson and his colleagues have their work cut out for them. An important man and seriously well-connected the victim is also a lawyer and so the list of people who could have born a grudge is daunting. Added in the many rich and powerful inhabitants of Sandhamn Island and the RSYC and even though there are smiles and offers to help abounding it seems as if everyone has secrets to hide. Can Thomas and Nora once again work together and bring justice to bear?

I was eager to read this second book in Viveca Sten’s mystery series. I greatly enjoyed the first (Still Waters) and was pleased to find this story stood excellently alone but retained many of the strong aspects that had me enjoying the first. This is a slower-paced mystery but has a large and very well written set of characters which really had me able to enjoy and picture everything going on. While I admit this large cast of characters slows the pace of the plot and murder investigation – and therefore slows the pace of the book as well – I truly can’t fault the author for this, mainly because it’s the different perspectives and interweaving of the plot and characters that made this book in large part so enjoyable for me.

A lot of the book is split well, I feel, between Nora and Thomas. Nora is unhappily married with two children and Thomas is healing emotionally from his divorce and the devastation resulting from his infant daughter dying from SIDS some time ago. Nora and Thomas are friends, but work well together and have a strong, platonic relationship that I thoroughly enjoy. These two characters are both relatable and believable and I feel are both strong enough to steer the book very well.

What I enjoyed about this book is that while Nora and Thomas’ relationship is mostly straightforward, all the other secondary characters are a nest of interweaving messy emotions which was delightfully complicated. There’s illicit affairs, jostling for position and power – both political and no – within the Royal Yacht Club and assorted business dealings. Keeping all the various connections, friendships, affairs and relations in mind was complicated in an intriguing way and trying to sort out motive verses normal human emotions and reactions kept my attention riveted on the pages as I worked my way through the book.

In some respects this book is deceptively simple – a very believable and realistic mess of human interactions pushed to the limit and so resulting in murder. But as so often in real life, the simple emotions are layered and woven in with others and so it’s a mess trying to sort everything out which is why it’s so interesting to see Thomas and Nora, along with the rest of the police team, try to untangle everything.

Readers looking for a thriller type of story or a fast-paced, action driven mystery probably won’t enjoy this as much as I did, but readers who enjoy complicated and very realistic, emotional and tangled stories should find this delightful Swedish story a great read. I’m eagerly looking forward to more in this series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Taken Hard by Sam Crescent

September 17, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Taken Hard by Sam Crescent
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

With women throwing themselves at him, Caleb Hard never intended to settle down. But he secretly wants to find a woman and have a marriage exactly like what his parents have. The moment Lilly enters his world, he can’t get the woman out of his mind.

Her mother’s reputation follows her everywhere, and Lilly is used to being whispered about. When Caleb offers her friendship, she’s more than happy to take it. What she doesn’t expect is for him to admit he wants a virgin like her. A perfect gentleman, Caleb doesn’t rush.

He’s fallen in love, and this isn’t about sex. He wants forever, but he doesn’t want to scare her off. Is there any chance of them ever truly working?

Lilly’s mother was the town whore and from a young age Lilly had been branded with the same reputation. As such she avoided men in general – and the Hard boys in particular. Caleb Hard was certainly a player, but after being introduced to Lilly something about her struck him as completely different. Intrigued, Caleb desperately wants to learn more. Will Lilly be willing to risk her heart and her reputation on a man like Caleb?

I found this to be a fun and seriously steamy story. While both Lilly and Caleb’s characters were somewhat predictable this didn’t detract too much from my enjoyment of the story. Caleb has a large and rambunctious family which always is a great addition to a story with plenty of antics and interesting secondary characters. I also likely that Lilly had her own set of close friends with Aunty Betty and Eliza. It gave me the strong feeling that even with her personal strength and determination Lilly had her own tribe to help uplift and protect her and Caleb couldn’t take advantage of her emotions and feelings for him.

I was both relieved and impressed that Caleb and Lilly took their time in getting to know each other. While it’s fairly standard for an erotic romance to have the main characters jump into bed and be intimate pretty early on I really enjoyed that Caleb took his time with Lilly and let things progress a little more naturally and slowly. This was wonderful to read and really heightened my enjoyment of the story – seeing Lilly and Caleb form a connection, interact together and it let me see how they could work in the longer term and not just be simply infatuated with each other and have that whither down the track. It was lovely to read and really bumped up the believability for me.

That said there was certainly plenty of steam and passion once Lilly and Caleb made it to the bedroom. Readers looking for an explicit and steamy story should definitely find this aspect of the book meets their expectations.

With a good sized cast of secondary characters, some fun and interesting conflict with other members of the town and a lovely emotional and slow paced romance this is a great book. I enjoyed the small tag towards the end giving the reader a small glimpse of what the next book in the series will be and feel that this is a steamy and lovely story.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Dirtiest Little Secret by Skye Jordan

September 14, 2021 By Leave a Comment


* Dirtiest Little Secret by Skye Jordan
Publisher: Cygnet Books
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

She’s his fantasy…

Ava Jennings has spent her life dedicated to her family’s steel business. So when she catches her fiancé engaging in extracurricular activities under his desk with a coworker, Ava fires him on the spot. With her self-esteem at an all-time low, Ava throws caution to the wind and heads to a well-known, wild biker bar. She’s determined to prove she’s capable of the spontaneous, wicked-hot sex her fiancé was searching for outside their relationship. And she finds all that and more in a rugged, edgy motorcycle mechanic, the one man in the bar who eclipses all the others.

He’s her dirtiest little secret…

Isaac Banks doesn’t talk to members of the Steel Warriors motorcycle club about his painful past. All they know is he’s the best bike mechanic in the state, which is exactly how he likes it. Ava doesn’t recognize him as the awkward kid who used to spend Sunday nights at her dinner table with their families, but she’s sure interested in the man she thinks he is now. She’s from the world he left behind, and he knows he should walk away—but it’s impossible to say no to the woman who starred in all his adolescent fantasies. All he wants is one night to get her out of his system. Because there was no way she could live up to his dreams.

But he’s wrong. One night will never be enough.

Rich girl Katie, meets motorcycle mechanic Issac, in this scorching hot story. Issac and Katie are easy to like and together, they share a lot of passion and fire. Even though Issac and Katie are so different from each other, they fit together and make each other happy. I enjoyed reading Dirtiest Little Secret and easily connected with the characters. This story is short, full of heat and the air combusts whenever Issac and Katie are together.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison

September 13, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Nicola Harrison’s The Show Girl gives a glimpse of the glamorous world of the Ziegfeld Follies, through the eyes of a young midwestern woman who comes to New York City to find her destiny as a Ziegfeld Follies star.

It’s 1927 when Olive McCormick moves from Minneapolis to New York City determined to become a star in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more—even worth all the sacrifices she has had to make along the way.

Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy—the only man she’s ever met who seems to accept her modern ways—her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for the man she loves.

She knows what she wants and she’s not afraid to get it–within reason.

Olive is a complicated girl and she’s living in a fantastical time. Nicola Harrison has written an interesting story. I like tales from the 1920s and I knew I had to snap this one up when I saw it. The writing flowed well and I was swept up in the excitement of the time. There were moments when I really did feel like I was there at the theater with her and could see the world around Olive. I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. It kept me in my seat needing to know about Olive.

I have to admit there were times when I didn’t like Olive. I didn’t like her because of her naivete and some of her choices. That said, there were times she didn’t seem to like herself. That made her more relatable. I wanted to see her succeed and get her dreams.

This story moved along at a great clip and while there were times it wasn’t so much fun–good grief they drank a lot–I liked the struggle within Olive to be the good girl while also following her dreams.

If you’re looking for a fun story that has some heavy spots and will keep you entertained, then this is a great step into the 1920s story. Pick it up!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Leif and the Fall by Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant

September 13, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Leif and the Fall by Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant
Publisher: Dial Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Leif is a leaf. A worried leaf. It is autumn, and Leif is afraid to fall. “All leaves fall in the fall,” say the other leaves. But Leif is determined to find a different way down, and with his friend Laurel, he uses the resources around him to create a net, a kite, a parachute in hopes of softening his landing. The clock is ticking, the wind is blowing. What will happen when a gust of wind pulls Leif from his branch?

In a culture that prizes achievement, kids are often afraid to fail–failing to realize that some of the very ideas that don’t work are steps along the path to ones that will.

Success is never guaranteed.

I was impressed by the wide range of ages this picture book seemed to be written for. Some layers of meaning sure seemed like they were meant for older kids, but the basic storyline about the importance of persistence was straightforward enough to be appreciated by younger readers as well. This isn’t something I see done very often, but it makes me smile every time it happens. It’s delightful to find examples of stories like this one that can speak to kids of all ages.

There were a few times when I wondered why Leif kept throwing away his inventions. It seems wasteful, especially as other leaves began to fall and he had fewer friends to help and fewer materials to work with. Surely he could have found a better use for his inventions or kept trying to improve them! This was a minor criticism of something I otherwise enjoyed a lot, but it is something I’d want to discuss with young readers after finishing this tale.

The ending made me smile. I nodded along as Leif put all of the pieces together and realized what had just happened to him after his time to fall from his tree finally came. This conclusion was as logical as it was downright funny! While I was satisfied with how everything was wrapped up, it also left room for a sequel if the author ever decides to write one.

Leif and the Fall was a humorous take on a serious subject that I was glad to read this autumn.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Wildling by Treva Harte

September 9, 2021 By 1 Comment


The Wildling by Treva Harte
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

In the uncivilized out-country known as Aridzone, Arness is the best at what she does. The wildlings she captures and domesticates worship her. In return she always matches her pets with doting, wealthy mistresses who reward hard work.

This initial primitive form of the internet we know today began by connecting universities, research facilities and educational cialis without prescription cute-n-tiny.com institutions. They may believe they are being ignored wholesale sildenafil or mistreated by those they depend on and attach to, and this justifies their striking out. Apple pies only benefit the restaurants selling brand levitra online them. Then, how diagnose the cheap online levitra causes of this disease is hysterectomy. Arness loves her job… until the uncontrollable Adan enters her life. He insists he is a man, not a pet. Will Adan fall under her spell, or will Arness learn that submission can work both ways?

Arness is good at her job, and loves doing it too! She captures and tames Wildings, making them love being in captivity. She doesn’t understand that not all wildlings want to be caught! When a friend asks for her help with a capture who doesn’t appear to bending to the will, Arness steps in. She sees something unusual in Adan, but before she has chance to work more closely with him, she takes another capture to a different buyer. She falls foul of trouble and a big rescue attempt is undertaken.

There’s a lot to this story. Lots of sex (obviously – it’s erotica) but also love, romance, torture, the old Wild West that feels like it shouldn’t fit in with the Sci-Fi theme but somehow does, in love with the wrong person, you name it.

I loved the difference in characters and the fact that we have not one, not two, but three couples in this story that are all searching for love, four if you count Secondary. The world-building was clear and, although I didn’t quite get on with Mardeath, he and his gang did help move the story along.

This was a quick, hot read that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Witch and the Stag by Victoria Rogers

September 8, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Witch and the Stag by Victoria Rogers
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

As a solitary witch, Maddy McKinley’s job is to ensure her community is safe from paranormal harm. When a routine neighborhood exorcism goes wrong, Maddy finds herself haunted by a poltergeist that has been hounding her family for generations.

With the help of the hunky godling across the street, Maddy must learn to set aside her family traditions and work with another before the poltergeist destroys her.

A witch, a poltergeist, and a godling are all in a park – sounds like the start of a joke. It’s not! What it is, is a great short story about a poltergeist who has haunted the witch’s family for generations, and a godling who may be related to it. As this is a short story, the focus is on them and their sexy times, rather than them getting to know each other.

There is a story to it though, and you stay with Maddy and Cedric as they help heal each other after a bout with the poltergeist, plus how they work together to find more out about him, and figure out what to do with him.

This is an easy read, with plenty of steam. A perfect coffee break book. Definitely recommended by me.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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