Redlocks and the Three Bears by Claudia Rueda

April 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Redlocks and the Three Bears by Claudia Rueda
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

KNOCK! KNOCK! When the Three Bears answer the door, it’s not Goldilocks they meet, but a stranger from a different story. It’s Little Red Riding Hood—and the Big Bad Wolf is close behind her! Still, much unfolds as expected: porridge is eaten, a chair is broken, and there is a girl asleep in Baby Bear’s bed. Does Little Red fit in this book after all? Perhaps it’s the Wolf who will surprise us. With a bit of courage and much compassion, the Bears and Little Red learn that characters, just like the stories we tell, can change over time.

In this quirky combination of familiar fairy tales, Claudia Rueda tells a new story about what happens when we open our minds, hearts, and homes to the utterly unexpected.

Living happily ever after can look a little different for everyone, especially if you’re a talking bear who simply wants to finish their porridge in peace.

Ms. Rueda had a wonderful imagination that she put to full use in this tale. Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that pushed the boundaries of the children’s and fantasy genres so much that I grinned when I realized where the author was leading everyone. She certainly knew how to keep her audience guessing.

I would have liked to see a little more time spent resolving the conflict between Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. She was so worried about him in the beginning that I was surprised by how quickly that was all sorted out. As much as I loved the references to other fairy tales, it would have made more sense to me as a reader for this to be given extra space to be worked out between those two characters.

With that being said, this was an adorable retelling and mashup of two classic fairy tales. I appreciated the fact that the narrator assumed everyone reading it already knew how those stories traditionally played out and immediately moved on to showing how everything was different in this version. Writing it this way meant that my interest levels remained high, and I was eager to see what happened next. There were plenty of opportunities to pause and explain certain plot twists to little ones who might have questions about certain plot twists, too.

Redlocks and the Three Bears was imaginative and fun.

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

Gambling with Murder by Lida Sideris

April 7, 2022 By 11 Comments


Gambling with Murder by Lida Sideris
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

A late-night call is all it takes for rookie lawyer Corrie Locke to kiss her day job at the movie studio goodbye, and do what she does best: flex her sweet P.I. skills and go undercover to find a senior who’s missing from a posh retirement community. One small stumbling block: skirting past security to gain inside access to the exclusive Villa Sunset. Time to call in the heavy artillery. Besides former security guard turned legal assistant—now wannabe P.I.—Veera, Corrie relies on a secret weapon: her mother, a surprisingly eager addition to Corrie’s team. Armed with enough pepper spray to take down a band of Navy Seals, Mom impersonates a senior to infiltrate the Villa, Corrie, and Veera in tow. Turns out the job’s not as easy as they’d thought. These seniors have tricks tucked up their sleeves and aren’t afraid of using them.

The action gets dicey when the missing senior case turns into attempted murder by a criminal mind who’s always one step ahead. Corrie’s hot on the trail, but finds more than she bargained for…when her mother becomes a target.

This is actually the fifth book in this series and, no worries, it reads very well as a standalone. My only regret is that I didn’t get to know these characters earlier! I will definitely rectify that forthwith by buying the earlier books in the series. As with every series, I’m sure reading the books earlier in the series gives the reader a richer journey as they get to know the characters better with each book and see how their interactions make them grow.

That being said, I absolutely loved the characters – but my favorite, hands down, was the mom. She was a hoot. Corrie is so afraid her mom was going to be upset with Corrie following in her late father’s footsteps and turning more toward private investigations, but instead Mom jumps in feet first to help Corrie and Veera out with the case.

There are many twists and turns to this case. Although it started off with a plea to find a missing resident from a luxury retirement villa (just a note… I’m ready to move in from the descriptions.. wow!), it soons turns into a lot more. These seniors take things seriously.

I highly recommend this book… and now I’m on the way to pick up the earlier four in the series. Thanks, Ms. Sideris!


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

Stormcaller by Christine King

April 6, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Stormcaller by Christine King
The Murmuration #1
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Chamomile

Raised in fear of her elemental power, Seren has spent her life protecting her exiled people and trying to live up to their legends. When that responsibility is brutally taken from her, she and her shapeshifting friend Atomi must enter a divided world where their very existence is treason. Axys is a land of peace and prosperity for those in the Eternal Lady’s favour, but her benevolence comes at a cost that Seren and Atomi are unwilling to bear.

A storm wind stirs the long dormant ashes of rebellion.

Their legend is only just beginning.

It is an intriguing story of shapeshifters and elemental magic weirders. Stormcaller is somewhat more geared toward YA readers, but in an interesting take on magic and how the elements and nature around us affects us.

In the start we meet a pair of best friends, one a magic wielder, the other a shapeshifter, both types of magic commonly found among the Daggi people. It’s set in a unique tribal setting, and I loved the world building and setting in this one!

I do wish the story had been just a little more polished, as the POVs sometimes changed mid-chapter and some of the scenes were a little rushed, it made reading a tad choppier than I’d prefer, but overall wasn’t hard to follow and kept my attention. I’d also have liked it better if the character relationships had been a little deeper and more developed, but Stormcaller makes for an interesting debut, and I’d love to see more of this series and more from this author in the future!

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

Christmas Together by Beth Linton

April 6, 2022 By 1 Comment


Christmas Together by Beth Linton
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Holiday, Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Grace and Dylan are doctors working at the same hospital and they’re best friends—until he kisses her.

Dr. Dylan Gray hopes to move his relationship with Grace from friends to lovers, but after one kiss, she pushes him firmly back into the friend zone and follows an American soldier overseas.

It took Dr. Grace Phillips only a few months to realize that turning Dylan down was the biggest mistake of her life. Now she’s back, single, and hoping he’ll give her a second chance.

After a passionate night, their relationship finally seems to have a future … and then Grace makes a Christmas Eve discovery that will change everything.

Is their romance over before it’s begun, or can they find a way to move forward together?

Second chance romance? Count me in!

I picked up this story because I love a good second chance romance. This one delivered in a big way. I liked the writing and will happily look for more books by the author.

Dylan and Grace have great chemistry. They’re fun together and I liked seeing them work out their issues. She’s flighty for a good reason and he’s desperate to get her back. I loved that they worked together as doctors, too. It added a nice twist to the story.

This one is relatable, too. I won’t give away any spoilers, but the situation between Grace and Dylan is one many readers can relate to. I liked how the author wove the Christmas time of year into the story, too.

If you’re looking for a satisfying quick Christmas read, then this might be the one you’re looking for. I loved it.

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

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

April 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen
Publisher: Yearling
Genre: Contemporary, YA, Childrens (Grades 3-7)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

One day I was 12 years old and broke. Then Grandma gave me Grandpa’s old riding lawnmower. I set out to mow some lawns. More people wanted me to mow their lawns. And more and more. . . . One client was Arnold the stockbroker, who offered to teach me about “the beauty of capitalism. Supply and Demand. Diversify labor. Distribute the wealth.” “Wealth?” I said. “It’s groovy, man,” said Arnold.

If I’d known what was coming, I might have climbed on my mower and putted all the way home to hide in my room. But the lawn business grew and grew. So did my profits, which Arnold invested in many things. And one of them was Joey Pow the prizefighter. That’s when my 12th summer got really interesting.

A lawnmower leading to a fantastical situation? No way!

This is a fun little read. I dearly loved Hatchet by Paulsen, so when I saw this one, I had to pick it up. I’m glad I did. It was cute, funny and relatable.

The young man doesn’t think he’s all that special and he’s surrounded by characters, but when he’s given a lawnmower, he thinks he has no idea what do to with it. Then he decides to use it. His world opens up.

I liked that the young man realizes his power – he can help people and make a little money to get a new inner tube for his bike tire – with the help of the lawnmower. I liked that he came into his own and all because he found something that made him special. Kids do have super powers – they’re ingenious and caring.

The cast of characters around him and the situations he ends up in are fantastical, but sure to appeal to younger readers. How could one kid manage all this? That’s what makes it great.

If you’re looking for a book that features a kid, a lawnmower and even a prize fighter (don’t believe me? You’ll have to read it for yourself!), then this might be the book for you.

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

Daddy Needs A Date by Sean Michael

April 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Daddy Needs A Date by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

With four girls, single dad Ryan Withers has his hands too full to look for romance. He’s not complaining—he loves his daughter and the three nieces he adopted when their parents died, and he would do anything for them. He’s caught off guard when his mother and daughter decide to play matchmaker.

Alex Bernot works in disaster relief, his job taking him all over the world helping others. He’s staying with his aunt while he’s home, and she sets him up on a blind date. Finding a special someone isn’t really on his mind, but he goes to make his aunt happy.

Ryan and Alex enjoy each other’s company more than either of them expected, and they soon make a second date. Their lives are complicated, though, in very different ways, and soon family needs and their jobs conspire to pull them apart. They’ll need to figure out how to work through the things keeping them apart, but first they’ll have to decide if they even want to….

Ryan had never expected to be daddy for four young girls – but he hadn’t hesitated to adopt his three nieces when their parents died and the girls got along so well with his own young daughter he couldn’t imagine not being able to find a way to make this work. When Ryan and Alex are set up on a blind date neither of them expect to enjoy each other’s company as much as they do. But their lives are so very different and everything gets complicated so quickly – can they manage to make this work?

I really enjoyed this full length story. While Ryan and Alex are both interesting characters, I was mostly pleased that this story seems to keep away from many of the tropes so common in the “single dad to young kids finding love” type of stories that are out there. Both Ryan and Alex are up front from their first meeting that their lives are in very different places and they each are open to beginning a relationship but they also have quite different priorities. I found this made for some very interesting – and very honest – types of conflict where the two men needed to decide what they really wanted from their respective lives and relationships.

The author did an excellent job in my opinion in keeping the four girls different enough that the reader wouldn’t get too muddled by them, but equally not letting the kids’ characters take over the entire storyline either. I really feel this story has a plot and set-up different enough it should feel fresh and interesting to many readers. I greatly enjoyed that this doesn’t fall into any of the well-used cliches that make me struggle with so many other “men with an instant family of kids” type of stories.

With interesting characters and a different enough plot I was hooked all the way through the book, this is a great and steamy read.

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

Jimmy by Megan Slayer

April 1, 2022 By 1 Comment


Jimmy by Megan Slayer
Summon a Bad Boy 1
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Dicentra

I call on the fates to bring my love to me. As I will it, so mote it be…

What if those simple words plus a name on a scroll could guarantee true love? Karey’s determined to find out if the spell, Summon a Bad Boy, works, and she knows just who she’s going to ask for. Jimmy McCreadie. The tattooed man makes her weak in the knees — he’s every naughty desire she’s had come to life. She’s nothing like the women he dates, and far too shy for her own good, but she’s not giving up.

Mix a bad boy with some magic and have faith. Anything’s possible. Karey’s desire just might come true.

You say “bad boy”, I say dream date. Karey would likely agree with me.

Although slightly skeptical, Karey agreed to her friend Sarah’s outlandish plan to follow a magic ritual to summon her true love to her. She doesn’t actually expect it to work, but once her drool-worthy crush Jimmy (that’s she’s been pining over for months) talks to her for the first time she’s left questioning everything. After all, he’s only ever dated leggy skinny blondes and she does not fit into that category. And if there was magic involved, does he really love her at all? I don’t want to spoil things, so you’ll have to read the book to find out!

Similar to Ms. Slayer’s other books, there is some established chemistry between Jimmy and Karey that’s been building for a while. Jimmy reminded me a lot of Bite Me for Christmas, in that the female main character is looking for her true love and uses magic to make things happen. Ms. Slayer did a great job with creating her characters, as I found myself quite invested in seeing how Karey and Jimmy’s relationship turned out. I want to give the author props for how well she executes all of the pairings and relationships in her books; large amounts of on-page relationship establishment are never required for such short stories, and I appreciate that she doesn’t need to bother with that.

Overall, another quick and steamy read from Megan Slayer that’s complete with a happily ever after! Readers who enjoy contemporary romances featuring a bad boy/tattooed love interest and a slight paranormal flair should definitely check out the book. If you’ve been looking for the grown-up, steamier version of How To Build a Better Boyfriend or The Perfect Date, then you’ve found it in this book. I’ve absolutely loved all of the Megan Slayer titles that I’ve read so far, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books in the future.

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

Devil To Pay by John Carson

March 31, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Devil To Pay by John Carson
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Deadly loose ends. Homicidal obsession. A mind-boggling crime locked behind lost memories.
Scotland. DCI Harry McNeil feels uneasy about visiting his late father’s dementia-afflicted former colleague. But he’s stunned when the retired policeman’s daughter pulls him aside in the nursing home to offer nervous accusations and shocking photographs. And with the images displaying a murder victim from twenty years ago, McNeil fears the senile detective might be the real serial killer long thought dead and buried.

Unable to pry answers out of the confused senior, McNeil is alarmed to discover fresh bodies in both Glasgow and Edinburgh linked to the decades-old case. And with the slayings so intimately connected to him personally, McNeil believes it’s only a matter of time before he’s caught in the crosshairs… and he doesn’t know why.

Will McNeil expose a murderous hidden agenda before it costs him his life?

DCI Harry McNeil is back again when two fresh bodies – one in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh – are clearly linked and have strong ties back to two closed cases from twenty years ago. With his colleagues and Harry’s father’s retired old friend all helping can Harry and Alex discover what’s really going on and how it links to so far back in the past?

I really feel like John Carson is beginning to hit his stride with this series. I felt that the plot was multi-faceted and really well woven together – complicated enough I could get a good sense of what was happening without actually being able to untangle it all too quickly. I also was ecstatic Robbie and Jimmy were back yet again – they’re seriously becoming two of my other favourite characters outside of Harry and Alex. They add a good counterpart to Harry’s more serious outlook and it’s always a hoot when the four of them get together to solve a crime.

In many ways this book was a solid, very well written police procedural style of Scottish mystery, but that would ignore the fact a really strong world has been created in the last six books in this series. Alex and Harry’s relationship has progressed at a solid but steady pace and really laid some strong foundations. Harry in particular has grown as a character and I’m eager to see more of his deepening relationship with the young man his son, Chance, is becoming. And added into all this other solid writing was a complicated and engrossing set of two murders running concurrently yet clearly still tied together. Some of the “whodunit” aspect was shown right up front but the author did an excellent job in my opinion keeping enough of the how and why under wraps to keep me thinking and guessing and eager to turn the pages.

While this book is clearly in the middle of a series, I feel for the murder mystery readers can certainly pick this up as a stand alone. I do feel that all the intertwining character relationships and friendships would be better served with some of the previous stories having been read to give a bit more depth, but this shouldn’t have readers shy away from cracking this book open by itself and giving it a go. I found it well written, well paced and with an excellent mystery and well worth the time and energy in reading it cover to cover. Recommended.

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

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

March 30, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Publisher: Spiegel and Grau
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Review by Snowdrop

In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?

Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward.

Ta-Nehisi Coates is a widely published author and this book, Between the World and Me, is the first of his works I have read. One of those we are all familiar with that he wrote is the Black Panther series of Marvel comics. Between the World and Me is a letter to his son. A letter to try and prepare him for the world he will grow up in.

This book is well-written, almost poetic at times. It also has an angry tone or at least it did to me. I would never pretend I could understand the trials and tribulations that a Black man in our country has had to live through, still must endure. Some of this is powerful and hurtful. It was difficult for me to admit I live in a society that could be guilty of such things.

On the other hand, I’m a solutions person, a problem solver. While I know we can’t make racism disappear overnight, I guess I was hoping the letter would be a document of Coates instructing his son about how he had the opportunity to change things. This is not that. It does not have an uplifting tone. It is the story of a Black man and what he had to live through. While it might not have been what I was expecting or even what I wanted to hear, I know it was a valuable read.

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

Out of a Jar by Deborah Marcero

March 29, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Out of a Jar by Deborah Marcero
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Llewellyn does not like to feel afraid or sad, angry, lonely, or embarrassed. And so he comes up with a brilliant plan: he tucks each of his feelings into jars and hides them away where they won’t bother him anymore. But when he gets in trouble in class, Llewellyn finds he needs to put away excitement too. And when joy is quickly followed by disappointment, he decides to get rid of joy as well. After a while, Llewellyn walks around not feeling much of anything at all. And what happens when his emotions refuse to be bottled up any longer?

In this richly illustrated and universally relatable picture book, Llewellyn soon discovers that life is more colorful when he sets his emotions free. And only then, by facing and embracing each of his feelings, is he finally able to let them go.

All emotions are valuable.

Once again, I was blown away by Ms. Marcero’s ability to make a complex topic relatable and entertaining for small children. Emotional intelligence is a difficult but critical skill to learn. She managed to make it sound like one of the greatest adventures anyone could experience. It takes smooth writing to accomplish that, so my interest in reading more of her work has only deepened now that I’ve read two of her tales.

The only thing holding this picture book back from receiving a five-star rating from me had to do with how little time it spent explaining what to do with feelings that seem too big or overwhelming to handle. Honestly, this is something that even adults struggle with sometimes, and it can be even tougher for kids. The narrator did such a spectacular job with every other aspect of the topic. I would have happily gone with a perfect rating if they’d gone into the same amount of detail with this one.

Some of my favourite scenes were the ones that carefully wove the fantasy elements of the plot in with the author’s messages about the importance of emotions and how she thinks children should handle them. It wasn’t always easy for me to pick out where one of these themes ended and the other began. They were so well-suited for each other that I was nothing but pleased to see it written that way.

This is the sequel to In a Jar. I recommend reading this series in order because the narrator made some lovely references to previous scenes that can only be understood by readers who have already experienced them.

Out of a Jar was a wonderful starting place for talking about difficult emotions.

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