Papa the Shoemaker by Kyra Kalweit and Dayán Mantecón Roldán

June 23, 2022 By 1 Comment


Papa the Shoemaker by Kyra Kalweit and Dayán Mantecón Roldán
Publisher: Tellwell Talent
Genre: Children’s
Rated: 4
Review by Rose

Hi there, my name is William and I have a question for you!

Would you like to know how your shoes are made?

I invite you to come inside my papa’s workshop and learn all the secrets of the ancient art of shoemaking and more.

Let’s embark on a creative adventure of fun challenges and life lessons along the way.

This is a very interesting look at how custom shoes are made along with a life lesson. Papa is very good at explaining things to his son in a clear and concise way. I do wish it had been a little clearer about what the shoe lasts were — I had to look that up, and I think it would have been interesting to know about that aspect of the process too…just where the last comes from. But, that did not take away my enjoyment from the book. The lesson was not as subtle as in the previous book I read from this couple, but still a book I would choose for my classroom or for my grandchildren.

A good book for the early reader.

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

Point Of No Return by John Carson

June 22, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Point Of No Return by John Carson
Publisher: Vellum
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

An old mystery solved after thirty-five years. And a new one just beginning…Millionaire Murdo Wolf took off in a small plane from the island where he lived, and neither he nor the plane was ever seen again. Until now. The Wolf family have gathered on the island they used to call home. They’re celebrating the life of their father, Oliver Wolf, who died six months ago. Now, one of Oliver’s sons has been murdered. And when his body is discovered, so is the body of his grandfather. Did the son know where his grandfather was hidden? Did he die because of it? DCI Harry McNeil is sent to the island to investigate the cold case and track down a killer who may or may not still be there. Helping with the investigation are two detectives from Glasgow, DCI Jimmy Dunbar and DS Robbie Evans. This isn’t an open-and-shut case and they discover the killer is still lurking on the island, and the body count is increasing. But with no clear motive and no direct links to the patriarch going missing all those years ago, this is going to be one of the hardest cases Harry has ever worked on.

I found this to be an excellent addition to the DCI Harry McNeil Scottish mystery series. With a small cast of long-standing characters and an interesting murder mystery plot this book was a solid addition. Best of all while I do feel readers who have read some of the previous installments will get a deeper understanding from the book, the characters and setting is well-laid and explained fully enough that readers should feel comfortable picking this up and reading it as a stand-alone.

I greatly enjoyed the “closed room” aspect to the mystery plot. The murder occurs on a small Scottish island – off the Isle of Mull – with a limited number of local inhabitants and the members of a wealthy family who have gathered for the patriarch’s funeral service. This lent the whole book the air of an older style who-did-it sort of mystery with a limited number of people who could possibly have committed the crime – with the rich family members right at the top of the list.

Indeed, I strongly feel the characters and their interactions are what make this story so wonderful to read. The author does a really good job to my mind of writing the Scottish police characters in a realistic and relatable manner, without being too cliched or over-the-top. I found the main characters to be particularly vivid and enjoyable, their camaraderie and clearly solid relationships were really well handled and made the reading quick and pleasurable for me. While the other characters and suspects were also very well drawn I was pleased a large part of the story focused on the police investigation and interactions. This might make the plot feel a little slow moving for some readers – those used to high-octane and strongly action orientated novels – but personally I enjoyed the deeper characterizations and slightly slower pace.

Readers who enjoy closed room murder mysteries – or smaller town settings like, say Agatha Christie or more plot and character centric novels with a little less action and adrenaline, should find this book really fits the bill. I found the mystery to be interesting and well handled, though admit there is an equal – if not slightly greater – focus on the main characters and their interactions and investigation. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to the next in the series. Recommended.

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

The Layover by Gale Stanley

June 20, 2022 By 1 Comment


The Layover by Gale Stanley
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Inside the cockpit, Captain Paul Miller is always in control. But on the ground, he constantly feels adrift. His marriage is crumbling, and life has become much too complicated.

Jamey Conley has worked hard to make his café in the Frisco airport a successful venture. He loves his work – and especially the airport scenery. He goes gaga over guys in uniform, but when he meets Paul, sparks really fly. Too bad his ideal man is married — and straight.

A bit of taboo, a dash of romance and a layover…this will be hot.

When there’s a story with a pilot involved, I’m there. I love a good flight romance. Now, this one takes place mostly on the ground, but hey, it’s still hot. I love the work of Gale Stanley and I knew I needed to read this book from the moment I picked it up. I’m glad I did.

This story is hot, but’s it’s also sweet. Paul isn’t sure he’s happy in his life. Sure, he’s a hotshot pilot, but he’s in a rocky marriage and knows things aren’t right. I’m not usually one for cheating stories, but the way Paul and James get together is cute. I liked James, in particular, because he’s patient with Paul, even when they’re heating the sheets.

Paul goes on a journey in this story and it has nothing to do with the plane. I liked the way he evolved and hope to see more of him. I want to see him with James, too. Can I have another story with these two? Please? I’m ready! The chemistry was off the charts.

If you’re looking for a hot story that’s got a little bit of taboo in the cheating aspect, then this might be the one for you.

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

Arcane Island by Angela Knight

June 17, 2022 By 2 Comments


Arcane Island by Angela Knight
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Dave Frost died in combat five years ago, but his soul survives, magically bonded to the body of his partner — a six-hundred pound tiger. Dave can conjure a human manifestation, but nobody treats him as a man anymore. Especially not women. Until he meets Ariel — his costar — while shooting a reality TV competition in the Bahamas. The show’s producers have assigned him to the beautiful witch for an onscreen showmance.

Ariel Piper’s talent is strong enough to turn the competition in their favor. Unfortunately, she also has a condition that makes using her magic agonizing. When they discover Dave’s touch kills the pain, he’s driven to help.

Their showmance soon becomes the real thing, though Dave fears she’ll dump him when the show wraps. Can Ariel convince this heroic, wounded man to trust her love — before the show comes to a lethal climax that’s not in the script?

A new world to me from a favourite author.

Angela Knight is a known author to me. I love her worlds that are always so clear and descriptive, making it easy to understand ‘the rules’. This world though was a new one to me. It is the third book in the series but is billed as a standalone. I have read it as such but am now left with a need to read the first two books in the series!

This story is based in a world where magic exists. There are witches, familiars, and Ferals. These are humans who bond with an animal, drawing on their strength. Dave is paired with Smiley when one of his teammates loses control. Dave dies of a broken neck but Smiley is not prepared to let him go. Instead, Dave’s spirit/soul/whatever you want to call it shares Smiley’s body. It usually happens the other way around as the animals don’t live as long as humans usually. This way isn’t unknown but it is rare, which leads to misunderstandings and ill-conceived notions.

Set on an island where a reality TV show is being filmed, you meet the team Dave and Ariel are on together, getting an in-depth understanding of his teammates and why they are competing. The bond between Dave and Ariel is real but Dave won’t put his weight behind it, fearing it is only short-term. Ariel has her hands full with trying to convince him her feelings won’t change and also keeping herself and her teammates alive.

This is another fantastic read by this author and one I have no hesitation in recommending.

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

Wolf Meets His Fate by N.J. Walters

June 15, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Wolf Meets His Fate by N.J. Walters
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Orphaned at birth, Jesse is raised in the Louisiana swamp by powerful witch Lottie Broussard. Hated by her father and shunned by the pack that should be hers, she is forced to run for her life after Lottie’s death.

Searching for his life’s purpose, Aaron LaForge has left his pack and is living on a farm in West Virginia.

When their paths cross in a local bar, he sees it as fate. At first, he only wants to help but quickly realizes she’s his mate. Jesse isn’t ready or willing to trust anyone—let alone a male wolf. But Aaron is as stubborn as he is convincing. As their relationship heats up, the dangers around them mount. Can their love survive their fight to stay alive?

There’s no denying the Mate-Bond!

Jesse is on the run – not only from her father who wants to kill her but also from a group of human hunters. She has lived with a witch for the past twenty-five years, but now the witch is dead and Jesse must survive on her own. She has been on the run for a few months when she meets Aaron, who has bought Bailey’s farm and is living there to find himself. Well, the himself he was looking for was actually Jesse.

As with most paranormal books, the insta-love/mate-bond is there, for Aaron at least. Jesse has a (momentary) harder time accepting it, simply because she doesn’t trust easily! Aaron has to pull back his protective instincts once he realizes that Jesse is an independent wolf who is used to taking care of her own problems. Somehow, they manage to meet in the middle and get their HEA but not without plenty of action and drama as her father and the hunters get closer.

For a while, it did feel as though Aaron is the one doing all the chasing and changing. I knew by that point that Jesse hadn’t had it easy, but it takes two to make a relationship work. She did catch up eventually, after leaning heavily on her martyr complex, so it was all good in the end, but I felt as though I’d worked for it!

A great addition to the series and I’m happy to have read Aaron’s story and also see a small follow-up into Nicholas and Bailey. Recommended by me.

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

The Stolen Sex Bot by James Cox

June 14, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Stolen Sex Bot by James Cox
Big Balls and Brass Knuckles Book 3
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Death by plastic pussy…

When a prominent businessman is found murdered, it’s up to Detective Brett Knucks and his inventor partner, Genius, to find the killer. Things get complicated when evidence of a sex bot is found on scene. As theories dissolve, they are left scrambling for suspects. Meanwhile, Genius and Brett are trying to keep their new relationship hidden. If only they can keep their hands off each other.

Genius and Knucks are on the case!

I love this series. It’s quirky, funny and hot. James Cox writes a great little story with plenty of twists and turns, but also heart. I couldn’t put this one down. I’m also eagerly hunting for the rest in this series.

Genius is not only a hunky guy, but he’s a dad. I liked reading about a nerdy single father and his troubles with accepting he wants a romantic partner. I loved his connection to Brett. They’re so cute while trying not to paw each other. They kept me interested in the mystery aspect, for sure.

I love the connection between the characters and the mystery kept my attention, too. Great series and I can’t wait for more.

If you’re looking for a story with mystery, a building relationship and heat, then this one is for you.

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

A Woman of Endurance by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa

June 13, 2022 By Leave a Comment


A Woman of Endurance by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa
Publisher: Amistad
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

A Woman of Endurance, set in nineteenth-century Puerto Rican plantation society, follows Pola, a deeply spiritual African woman who is captured and later sold for the purpose of breeding future slaves. The resulting babies are taken from her as soon as they are born. Pola loses the faith that has guided her and becomes embittered and defensive. The dehumanizing violence of her life almost destroys her. But this is not a novel of defeat but rather one of survival, regeneration, and reclamation of common humanity.

Readers are invited to join Pola in her journey to healing. From the sadistic barbarity of her first experiences, she moves on to receive compassion and support from a revitalizing new community. Along the way, she learns to recognize and embrace the many faces of love—a mother’s love, a daughter’s love, a sister’s love, a love of community, and the self-love that she must recover before she can offer herself to another. It is ultimately, a novel of the triumph of the human spirit even under the most brutal of conditions.

“When are you going to see that the only way we can carry our burdens is to share them?”

Pola, the woman once called Keera, has many reasons to be closed off emotionally, and definitely reason to be bitter and angry at everyone. In the beginning the author disclosed Lola’s broken spirit. The reader gets to see Lola at a point where she had given up and commits herself to the sea. The hurt and damage due to inhumane conditions and treatment, along with the deplorable brutality in the cold hearts of many men that surely can break a person physically, mentally and emotionally. I am glad that I kept reading and now understand that the details were important to knowing her full journey.

The author’s writing is impeccable. The content matter is one that can be hard to read but the author’s words were full of grace and shared so poetically. The untranslated Spanish phrases and words made me feel closer to the story. The purposeful word choice painted a picture that fit and flowed very well. Reading Pola’s story I felt an emotional pull. Reading about the social structure within slavery acknowledged that there’s some freedom only our mind can give us.

I loved seeing Pola’s strength and how the events became clearer and everything fell into place for her.

It has been a long journey, a journey that has taught Pola the greatest lesson of all, how to endure. What a treat for readers to see the damaged and broken Pola evolve to find security, to being loved and mostly she come to terms with those she lost or that were taken from her while on her journey.

Being enslaved it’s often that families are formed outside of blood ties. So this story is not only about Pola but those that accepted Pola, those that were patience while she healed. Those that offered her a family, and support , and that helped fill the emptiness that use to consume her. Pola has dwelt in the darkness for long enough and now she only needs to make a little space for others to enter and grow.

My takeaway from this book is we can get stuck in grief and loss, we have to face and address our hurts and we need the community of others to survive. This story is well worth reading.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Wolf Claims His Pack by N.J. Walters

June 13, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Wolf Claims His Pack by N.J. Walters
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Half-breed wolf and blacksmith, Bailey Smith’s life is complicated. She’s alpha of a small pack consisting of her teenage brother and three other kids. Her grandfather—a pure-blood wolf—wants her and her brother dead. And now a confrontation with two human males has brought Child Protective Services to her door. If that wasn’t enough, she’s caught the attention of an unknown, sexy-as-hell, male wolf.

Nicholas LaForge has found his mate and purpose. Being a full-blooded wolf is a strike against him, but she marries him to protect her kids. He’ll use whatever sneaky methods necessary—including sex—to convince her they belong together. First, he has to deal with the threats to his new pack. That’s the easy part. Winning her love and trust might be impossible.

Even an Alpha’s shoulders can bow under constant pressure!

And that is what Bailey Smith has been under – constant pressure. Not only is her grandfather trying to kill her and her brother, but she’s also collected three other ‘strays’ who have had hard lives. She lives under the radar, constantly watching her back. It will take a strong wolf to prove to her that he is the real deal. And maybe Nicholas is just the wolf to do it.

All of the characters were well-rounded and had their own quirks and foibles, which just made me like them even more. I really want to learn more about Henry! You feel the tension throughout all the writing, the feeling of something is going to happen, you just don’t know when. This made it a great read that kept me turning the pages.

A great addition to the series and one I’m glad to have read. I have no hesitation in recommending it to all Paranormal Romance fans.

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

Do It for Chappie: The Ray Chapman Tragedy by Rick Swaine

June 10, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Do It for Chappie: The Ray Chapman Tragedy by Rick Swaine
Publisher: Tucker Bay Publishing
Genre: Fiction, Historical, Historical Re-Telling
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

“Do It for Chappie: The Ray Chapman Tragedy” is an authentic account of the Cleveland Indians’ 1920 season and the incredible obstacles they overcame to beat out Babe Ruth’s destiny-favored New York Yankees and Shoeless Joe Jackson’s ill-fated Chicago White Sox for the American League pennant – most notably the devastating loss of their popular team captain and star shortstop, Ray Chapman.

Chapman, one of the most popular players in the game, was fatally beaned by the New York Yankees’ Carl Mays, a reputed head-hunter and one of the league’s most reviled characters, late in the season. Tied with the Yankees for the league lead at the time of the incident, the Indians all but fell out of the pennant race before taking up the battle cry “Do It for Chappie” and storming back to win the American League pennant – and subsequently the World Series.

Ironically, the 1920 season was supposed to be Chapman’s last as a player. The son of a poor miner, he’d married the daughter of a wealthy Cleveland family less than a year earlier following a storybook romance. Though still in his prime, he intended to retire from baseball when it came time to raise a family. He had found out his new bride was pregnant just weeks before he was killed.

No account of the 1920 season would be complete without the story of the infamous “Black Sox Scandal” in which the Chicago White Sox were accused of fixing the previous year’s World Series. The scandal’s exposure during the 1920 season had a direct bearing on the pennant race in which the Sox battled the Indians and Yankees down to the wire.

This book is written in the historical novel style, which allows the story to be told in the present tense through the eyes of the characters involved, portrayed as they are known to history. No documented facts are knowingly misrepresented or omitted. However, plausible dialogue, musings and minor scenarios are constructed to flesh out the characters and impart the rich flavor of baseball as it was played in the formative years of the modern game, just as the turbulent decade of Roaring Twenties was beginning to unfold.

A post-1920 epilogue and profiles of key characters are included.

A man, baseball and a bad accident…

I picked up this book because I’d watched Ken Burns’ Baseball and learned about Ray Chapman. He was beaned by a pitch in the 1920 baseball season. As a result of being brained by the ball, he died. It fascinated me that someone could be hurt that way–although not surprising–and I wanted to know about the player, not just the incident.

This is a historical re-telling, so some liberties are taken with the characters. I won’t lie, it can be a bit jarring because I expected the story to be more factual, not so much a fictionalization. That said, it’s still interesting and I read it over the course of a couple days.

Ray is a sympathetic character because he’s just gotten married, is happy and his wife is now pregnant, but it’s been suggested by his in-laws that he give up baseball. All he wants to do is get through this season and he’s done. Except this is the era of no batting helmets and dirty baseballs roughed up to make them curve, twist and make them nearly invisible when pitched.

I felt so bad for Ray and his wife. They had big plans, and no one came out unscathed. I felt for his team, too. They were shattered, but at least they rallied for their fallen comrade.

If you like a good baseball story, an underdog story and one that will stick with you after the last page, then this one is for you.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Last Mile by Kat Martin

June 9, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Last Mile by Kat Martin
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

When Abigail Holland awakes to the sound of a nighttime intruder in her rambling Denver Victorian, she knows exactly what the black shrouded figure is after—the map she recently inherited from her grandfather. Whoever he is, the man who grapples with her, then escapes, is willing to kill for the location of a treasure King Farrell hunted for more than ten years. The Devil’s Gold has claimed hundreds of lives, and it was her grandfather’s obsession.

With a killer pursuing her and her own family not to be trusted, Abby decides to take up the search herself. But she’ll need help to do it, and there’s no one better than renowned explorer and treasure hunter Gage Logan. Despite the instant chemistry between them, Gage is reluctant. Innocent people have been hurt on his watch before. But when Abby shows him a genuine gold ingot she found with the map, his curiosity is piqued. Before long they’re heading into the flash floods and brutal winds of the Superstition Mountains, straight into a passionate entanglement—and the dark heart of danger.

What happens when the daughter of a treasure hunter is left clues to her own possible treasure? She hunts for it, of course! But not without help. Before Abby can discover whether the map her grandfather, the great King Farrell, leads to anything, she needs to find the right person to lead the expedition. Enter Gage Logan. And let the adventure begin!

Abby Holland is a strong, intelligent, and determined woman. Dead set on finding the treasure her grandfather knows exists, she sets out to find it, help or not. I can’t lie, I loved the way she put Gage in line from the very first conversation. She was not going to let him push her out or keep her ‘safe’ even when she really was in danger. Granted, she could have exercised a bit more caution a couple of times, but I also understand why she didn’t. There was a need to prove herself, not just to Gage or her grandfather, but to herself as well.

Gage Logan is an adventure seeker of the highest order. There is no quest too risky, too dangerous for him and his crew. While he was a bit of a womanizer in his former life, once he meets Abby, that all changes. It’s rather endearing how one woman can do that to a guy sometimes. He is fiercely protective and always ready to put himself between her and danger, making him great boyfriend material.

This is the second installment in Kat Martin’s Blood Ties series. It has a lot in common with its predecessor – action, alpha male hero, gorgeous heroine, steamy romance – but it also ups the ante where the action is concerned. While I enjoyed the hunt for the killer in the first book, the treasure hunt featured in this blew that out of the water. Makes me excited to see what the next book – and the next brother, Edge – will bring.

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