The Wars Between Us by J.A. Boulet

September 30, 2021 By 6 Comments


The Wars Between Us by J.A. Boulet
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Historical Romance
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

An inner struggle of self destruction, a poignant love story and the terrifying Battle of the Atlantic.

Meet Zachary Olason. You’ll either love him or hate him.

Spanning the years from the Great Depression to WW2, this endearing summer release will capture your heart as Zack, a bad boy struggling on the brink of alcoholism, loses himself and spirals into nights of debauchery, riots and drunkenness. His twin brother, Adam, thinks lowly of him as his entire family struggles to help him.

But Zack is determined to make a mess of his life.

Until he meets a beautiful petite woman, half Cree and part British, who helps him to grow into a better version of himself.
Then just as he thinks life is getting better, he sinks to the bottom of hell. Will he survive from his own self-destruction?
The only way he sees out is to join the Canadian Navy.

The Battle of the Atlantic will either teach him or break him.

THE WARS BETWEEN US

With action packed adrenaline and steamy love scenes, The Wars Between Us will keep you gripped to your seat on a ride of addiction, unwavering love and the fight to stay alive during WWII.

This book is part of the Olason family saga, but it can definitely be read on its own. I loved catching up with this family and I especially loved reading about the relationship between Zach and his twin Adam. I am not huge on war stories, so I hesitated a little about reading this one, but I enjoyed the other books in the series, so I thought I would give it a chance. The wars in the title does deal with WWII and the Canadian Navy (fascinating, by the way), but also refers to the brothers who are very different. Although they love each other, there are definitely times when they don’t like each other very much, and I loved seeing their relationship grow and change.

Zach also wars with himself and the choices he makes. There were times I wanted to pick him up, slap him, and tell him to stop feeling so sorry for himself. But then there were other times when I wanted to comfort him and tell him that everything was going to be alright. When an author can make the reader feel that strongly about a character, that’s a good thing.

Ms. Boulet has, once again, crafted a tale that not only let me learn something, but also allowed me to become a part of this family vicariously. I have to admit, this is my favorite book of the series. I do hope she is planning on taking us into the next generation of the family. I’ll be on the lookout!

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

Finding Happiness In The Dark by Kenneth Liddane

September 17, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Finding Happiness In The Dark by Kenneth Liddane
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Have you ever said
“I WILL BE HAPPY IF…”?

Did you ever achieve that? And if so, what happened next? Are you living happily ever after, or did you set new goals and update your “I will be happy if…” statement?

In this book, I address the fact that the search for happiness is flawed! Happiness is unique to each individual, it is ever-changing and conditional.

By searching for happiness, I am actually just reminding myself that I am not happy now! After all, why would I search for happiness if I am already happy?

I can tell myself that I am fine, but that doesn’t change how I actually feel, and how I actually feel directly impacts how I perceive the world around me, which affects how I think and behave.

So why do I endure this darkness while I try and persuade myself and others that everything is OK?

Finding Happiness In The Dark directly links our thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviours with the same core instincts and drives as every living thing on this planet.

With this insight, you can see how unhelpful thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviours develop as we try to navigate through life’s challenges both internally and externally.

By considering the knowledge, skills and possible supports highlighted in this book, you will see that you no longer need to avoid, suppress or endure any part of your true self.

All aspects of your natural self are valuable, and by learning to realise your full potential, you can utilise all of the resources that are at your disposal, and become better able to face any challenge and life experience that comes your way.

Let Finding Happiness In The Dark help you emerge from the darkness,
so happiness has nowhere to hide!

What are you waiting for?

What would you be willing to do to become a happier person?

My favorite sections were the ones that discussed why it might not be the best idea to make chasing happiness a goal in and of itself. They were filled with examples of how fleeting this emotion can be and how strongly our perceptions of it can be influenced by any number of factors, from the mood one woke up with that day to the opinions of those around them. This wasn’t to say that happiness doesn’t provide useful information at times, only that the author felt there were more accurate and meaningful ways to keep track of how one is doing and what, if anything, they wish to improve upon.

This book would have benefited from another round of editing because of how wordy and repetitive the writing in it could be at times. It could have been edited down tightly to novella length or kept the same size if it had included more details about the mental exercises and psychological terms the author was discussing. I would have been pleased with either option, but my attention did wander while reading certain passages that over-explained the same points more than once even though I was quite interested in the premise in general.

The questions left at the end of each chapter for readers to quietly ponder were helpful. I appreciated how open-ended they were. Not only did their lack of assumptions about how a reader might answer them make them easy to answer, they also revealed parts of me to myself that I’d never really spent much time exploring before. It was rewarding to have the opportunity to get to know myself a little better there.

Finding Happiness In The Dark was a thought-provoking read.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Masters of Appearance by Montgomery Raye

September 10, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Masters of Appearance by Montgomery Raye
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 2 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Kingpin of Kansas City’s underworld, Eddie, has just gotten two bullets to the back of his head. As his estranged daughter begins to unravel what kind of man her father was, she finds more than just his empire was on the verge of crumbling.

Beneath the steel armor of a cocksure crime lord of passion and power that made women quiver and men quake in his stormy path, a kingpin’s myth dissolves in “Masters of Appearance”.

He’s got a history and he’s a pistol, but now that he’s dead, someone has to unravel his past.

I wanted a short story and this one fit the bill. It’s nice and short, so good for a lunch time read. The story clipped along all right and I read it in one sitting. The characters are different and have promise.

This book would be even better with one more once-over with an editor. There were words missing and I never really got a sense of the POV of the character. It felt more like stitched together bits of a story, rather than a gripping tale. I wanted to feel like I was in Eddie’s point of view, but it was more like watching from the outside. There is resolution of sorts in this story, but it’s not what I expected. That doesn’t make it bad, just different.

If you’re interested in a story that teeters between erotic and erotica and will singe the ereader during your lunch break, then this might be the book for you.

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

Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day by Tonya Duncan Ellis

September 8, 2021 By 4 Comments


Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day by Tonya Duncan Ellis
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

When Life Gives You Lemons…Make Lemonade Sixth-grader Sophie Washington and friends learn lessons about entrepreneurship and team work when they sign up for a city-wide, Lemonade Day event. Sophie wants to buy her mother something special for her birthday, but she’s short on cash. Her bestie, Chloe, comes up with the perfect solution. Build their own lemonade stand to raise money at Lemonade Day! The girls add friends Carly and Nathan, and Sophie’s little brother, Cole, to their team, and decide to donate some of their earnings to a local animal shelter to help save stray animals. Things are going great, until the family dog destroys their supplies. They get worse when Sophie tries to impress another boy in their class and upsets Nathan. Can they save their business in time for the event?

What a wonderful new addition to the Sophie Washington series. It’s great fun revisiting the characters from previous books and getting to see them in new adventures. This book featured lessons on learning to get along with each other as well as learning about working together for charity and to earn money for themselves.  This reader was also very interested in learning about Lemonade Day – I had not heard of it before and love the idea!

The book is written in such a way that kids of all ages would enjoy it. The characters come alive and there is enough action and tension from problems that occur to keep everyone’s interest!  It also shows kids how important it is to be careful about what you say and how to choose friends wisely.

Thanks for another great episode, Ms. Ellis!

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

More Than I Bargained For by Kelli A. Wilkins

September 7, 2021 By Leave a Comment


More Than I Bargained For by Kelli A. Wilkins
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Katie doesn’t like going to estate sales. Why? Because she sees dead people.

When Katie reluctantly attends an estate sale with her friend Diane, she gets more than she bargained for. The deceased former owner of the house, Grace, realizes that Katie can communicate with her, and she has a lot to say.

As Katie pretends to shop, Grace tells her the story of how she was murdered—and reveals that her killer is still in the house.

It’s up to Katie to uncover the murder weapon and get it to the police… before time runs out.

There’s plenty of unfinished business happening at this estate sale.

The character development was fantastic, especially when it came to Grace who was the deceased woman who wanted Katie’s help. I had a strong impression of what all three of the characters were like as individuals, but Grace’s personality was so well-formed that it was easy to forget she was fictional. It was delightful to get to know all both of these women as the estate sale went on.

I would have preferred to see a bit more time spent on the mystery elements of the plot. Most of the hints regarding it were shared almost immediately, so the audience wasn’t expected to do much thinking about what had really happened to Grace. If the narrator had expected more of us, I would have easily chosen a full five-star rating.

The ending was satisfying. I appreciated the way the narrator wrapped up all of the most important details of it while still leaving a little wiggle room for a possible sequel. If the author ever decides to revisit this world, I’d love to find out what Katie and her best friend, Diane, get up to at their next estate sale. They were such a good team that they could communicate with each other in all sorts of subtle ways that other people might not notice. This was exactly the sort of skill that comes in handy when spirits and strangers are milling about.

More Than I Bargained For was a wholesome and heartwarming read.

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

Night Class by Hannah Crow

September 3, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Night Class by Hannah Crow
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

All Rachel wants is to pass Professor Thane’s class and keep her scholarship. When the handsome head of the History Department calls her to his office long after everyone else has gone home, she fears the worst, but what Thane has in store is a surprise beyond her wildest fantasies and darkest nightmares.

Thane knows his history because he’s lived through most of it. He’s an ancient vampire, an immortal blood drinker whose supernatural allure has drawn Rachel like a moth to the flame. But Thane sees a ghost of his own distant past in Rachel, and soon he reveals his attraction for her.

With her life – and perhaps her soul – in the balance, will Rachel surrender to his unholy lusts?

She needs to pass and he needs her…will things work out?

This is a short story, but it’s got hot moments. He’s a vampire, she’s a student and they’re playing with fire. I liked the premise of this story, teacher-student relations. It’s hot.

This is a short story, though, so it’s a tad short on details and a little thin on story. Rachel goes to the professor because she’s not doing so hot and he’s happy she’s there because she’s hot. For sheer erotic reading, it’s got the heat.

That said, there are some quirks. It’s short, so there isn’t much to the story. It’s also a bit muddled. The story feels like it’s being told from Rachel’s point of view, but then seems to slip into omniscient pov. It jarred me, but might be fine for other readers. This story also straddles between erotic and hot. It would be fine if the author went right for hot or right for erotica, but the straddling might leave some readers wanting more.

If you’re interested in a hot read that will singe the screen for a half an hour’s worth of reading, then this is the one for you.

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

She’s the One Who Doesn’t Say Much by S. R. Cronin

August 30, 2021 By 3 Comments


She’s the One Who Doesn’t Say Much by S. R. Cronin
Publisher: Self
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

Olivine, the fourth of seven sisters, has been hiding a secret as she travels to K’ba to meet her artist friends. Others assume she has fallen in love with another artist, and it’s not a match Mother would consider suitable. But it’s much worse that. For on the way to K’ba is the dirt poor nichna of Scrud, a place scorned by all other Ilarians. And in Scrud is the one man who understands her.

However, Bohdan is also is a realist, and a man who recognizes the dangers posed by an impending Mongol invasion. When he learns of Olivine’s unusual visual powers, he convinces her to pick up her bow and arrow and start practicing.

She does, though she’s more concerned with producing enough art to raise the funds to run away from home and live in K’ba, where she can paint all day and see Bohdan as often as she wants. If only her sister Ryalgar hadn’t learned of what she can do and decided Olivine and her fellow long-eyes held one of the keys to defending the realm.

Then, as if life wasn’t complicated enough, Olivine learns the artist community she yearns to be part of has developed a different take on the invasion. They feel certain the only way to survive is to capitulate completely to the Mongols demands. Artists who feel otherwise are no longer welcome.

Where does her future lie? The supposed invasion is coming soon and Olivine doesn’t have much time to decide.

The newest book in the Seven Sisters series is probably my favorite to date. And l loved the other books I’ve read!

This sister, Olivine, is an artist and doesn’t share a lot about her life with her parents and sisters. Her parents assume she wants to stay in K’ba because she has found someone special that she’s afraid they wouldn’t approve of – a starving artist. Her mom, especially, wants all her girls to make good marriages (she really hopes for a royal marriage for them all!). Olivine just wants to be free to create her art. And, it doesn’t hurt that on the way back and forth to K’ba she passes Scrud (the armpit on the face of the earth according to most of the Illarians) and has met someone who really gets her.

Each book in the series gets better and better, and the reader gets a more complete picture of this land, the people, and their interactions. I especially loved how Olivine and Bohdan slowly fall in love as they get to know each other and how they are both willing to put the other’s needs ahead of their own.

It was fascinating to find out more about the far-sight that this sister has and how it was used in the preparations for defending their country as well as how she used it in her artistic life.

I’m really looking forward to meeting in more detail the rest of the sisters and how they fit into the plans. Each book ramps up my interest in finding out how all these plans are going to come together. I can hardly wait.

I really recommend this entire series!

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Money-Bucket Holes Explained by Kelebogile Mooketsi

August 18, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Money-Bucket Holes Explained by Kelebogile Mooketsi
A Personal Transformation, Self Help Book with Spiritual Guidance and Motivation to Inspire You to Manage Your … Holes. Money Can Say ” Goodbye”
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Contemporary
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Feeling down and out because of financial problems? Well, life happens!

This self-help book is a comprehensive ‘Money Management Guide’ that will inspire, motivate and help you clean up your finances, eliminate debt so you can attract lasting financial freedom, that you are worthy of.

The metaphor of ‘Money-Bucket’ represents your day-to-day quest to achieve financial abundance. ‘Holes’ represent challenges that life throws at you (external factors) and also decisions and actions you take (internal factors) regarding your life and finances. If your Money-Bucket is not full or overflowing? Either it’s a challenge for you to fill it up or it is leaking because of holes that you might not be aware of!

This personal transformation book will help you identify and close holes in your money-bucket, for good!

Do you ever wonder where your money went to? Sometimes we might be surprised to hear the answer. In Money-Bucket Holes Explained, Kelebogile Mooketsi puts out many good, eye-opening situations.

Leadership and worthiness are themes with strong spiritual undertones. There is an inspirational message to follow your life purpose.

This book is a first in a series that help people with their finances. Questions are asked of the reader as well as answered. Readers are encouraged to think about their lives and ponder many things. Some surprising money-bucket holes are identified and addressed throughout these pages. Helpfully, the author provides worksheets upon request to make one’s thought processes about money more organized.

Readers are asked to consider outside and internal forces at work. Things are phrased in ways that a reader may not have seen before, and this allows for more creative contemplation. Wrap-ups at the end of chapters summarize the information in the chapters and help with remembering information.

Money myths are addressed as well. This is an interesting book meant for those of faith. Why not have a look and discover something about yourself you may have overlooked?

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Cliff’s Descent by Dianne Duvall

August 13, 2021 By 4 Comments


Cliff’s Descent by Dianne Duvall (Author), Kirsten Potter (Narrator)
Immortal Guardians Series, Book 11
Publisher: Self-published, Audio publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Every mortal who works at network headquarters knows that vampires reside below them. They were the first to surrender to the powerful Immortal Guardians who hunt them. And they did so, hoping they can be saved, that the doctors and scientists the Immortal Guardians employ can halt the progressive brain damage that robs all vampires of their sanity. Though curious, Emma never thought she would meet any of the vampires who remain under heavy guard several stories beneath her office. Then mercenaries strike, bombarding the building with heavy artillery. The vampires are freed to join the fray… and Cliff saves her life.

From that moment on, she can’t stop thinking about him regardless of the restrictions placed on interactions with vampires. When Emma discovers a way to speak to Cliff at network headquarters, she becomes even more fascinated by him. He’s smart, charming, and honorable to his core despite the darkness that lies ahead. And he seems to crave her company as much as she does his. Aware of the eyes that watch them, they keep their encounters innocent, limiting them to those of mere acquaintances. Nevertheless, their attraction grows and she soon falls in love with him even as the madness begins to claim him.

Cliff realizes his future is dark. As one vampire friend after another succumbs to insanity, hope that network doctors will be able to find a cure in time to keep him from meeting the same fate begins to dwindle, leaving him little to look forward to… until he meets Emma. Just speaking to her brings him a happiness and contentment he hasn’t experienced since before his transformation. And when they finally find a way to be alone together, everything changes. Emma burrows her way right into his heart and quiets the voices. She sparks dreams of a future with her that strengthen his determination to beat back the madness. But as time passes, the voices grow louder and insanity begins to chip away at him until he fears it will eradicate every part of him she fell in love with.

Will the two of them find a way to defy the odds and find their happily-ever-after? Or will Cliff’s descent consume him?

I have the eBook but I listened to Cliff’s Descent in the audio version because I wanted the full effect. I have been waiting for a resolving of Cliff’s situation for good or sad for a very long time. Ms. Duvall has provided this reader with everything I could hope for, and a surprise too. I enjoyed the narration by Kirsten Potter because she has Ms. Duvall’s characters and personalities down pat, from their accents, quirks, and humor, to the oftentimes silly and fun razzing at Sheldon’s expense. The narrator’s vocal range is astounding and a strong plus for any reader who enjoys listening to books in addition to reading print. The character from the Bronx tickled my funny bone. It was the first time I’d heard it the series and I grinned every time he was on stage.

Even though it might be coming from the long side of the series, I truly believe that a reader jumping into the Immortal Guardian’s world could enjoy this story as a starter. I say that because it is told from Cliff’s side. He can only tell us what he heard or experienced from his point of view. Fans of the series will remember well where WE were when certain things happened so in my mind, I filled in the blanks. For a newbie reader, this might whet the appetite to investigate the earlier books and discover a banquet of excitement, thrills and romance. To be meeting Roland, Sarah, Marcus and Ami for the first time …? Wow. As it is, I get to be there when Cliff, Vincent and Joe first met the Immortal Guardians. That was an action packed time. It’s tough being a vampire that is doomed to go crazy violent with no hope of sanity sticking around. Yet, Cliff was the exception to most every vampire I met throughout the series. His sense of honor, stubbornness, strength of character and true grit in his determination to hold out as long as possible, to give Dr. Lipton the chance to find a breakthrough – was an inspiration. Cliff has tugged on my heartstrings for so long, I wanted him to have a future, I wanted Dr. Lipton to find a cure. The big question was, how? The virus didn’t originate from any natural source so it didn’t look good. Aaah, but that’s the best part about a romance story, the hope for a happy ever after.

My hope was realized when the story finally picked up from when I last saw Cliff coming out of the woods, after the big, explosive final showdown with Gershom in Death of Darkness. Cliff complained of feeling off and his ears felt weird. Well, I’ll tell you, it wasn’t what I thought it was. That was the huge surprise. I’m thrilled that Cliff gets his second chance but I am not going to tell you how or why because that’s the BEST part of the happy ever after. I was as surprised as Cliff, and almost just as happy. I say almost because his joy was doubled and tripled because of the woman who stole his heart. What a beautiful romantic ending.

Cliff’s Descent was worth the wait. The novel hit all my happy buttons, tied up a loose end that ached for completion and made the Immortal Guardian’s world that much better. It’s a keeper and one I’ll re-read and re-listen to, just like I have all the books in the series. Thank you, Ms. Duvall, for a much awaited happy ever after that was a sheer joy to read. I’m a delighted fan.

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

Calling Cassie by Kat Mizera

August 6, 2021 By Leave a Comment


*Calling Cassie by Kat Mizera
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Twenty-three-year-old hockey stud Logan Pelletier is having the time of his life as the ultimate bachelor. It’s all about hockey and living it up with his friends. He has no time for love, let alone a relationship. Until a spunky, hockey-playing stripper dances into his life… and his bed.

Miss independent Cassidy Reynolds is already 0-2 in the marriage department. And the twice divorced twenty-four year old isn’t looking for lucky number three. She’s focused on hockey and getting a college degree. Stripping is just a means to an end, but when her friends from the Alaska Blizzard hockey team start hanging out at the club, she knows it won’t be long before they figure out her secret.

As Logan and Cassie blur the lines, will it be game over for their friendship or will it be the start of something more?

I was excited to start reading Kat Mizera’s newest book Calling Cassie. She is one of my favorite authors and I love everything she writes, especially her hockey stories. Calling Cassie is about Logan, who plays for the Alaska Blizzard hockey team and Cassie, a spirited college student. I easily connected with both Logan and Cassie and loved reading their story.

Logan has never met anyone like Cassie; she plays hockey and loves the game as much as he does. She is also smart, hard working and they always have a great time together, both in and out of bed. Cassie enjoys spending time with Logan and likes everything about him, but she worries he will hurt her.

It was easy to like Logan and Cassie. They are both down to earth, nice people and are great together. Their story is realistic, it is not an insta-love story. Logan and Cassie get to know each other first and then slowly fall in love. Even though neither one of them is ready for a relationship, it just happens. It’s impossible to predict when you will meet your soulmate, but when you do, you can’t let them get away. Logan and Cassie are both passionate people and their chemistry is off the charts.

I enjoyed this story, the plot is interesting and kept me wanting to read more. The characters are wonderful and Logan and Cassie were easy to like; I wanted them to end up together but I also enjoyed their story along the way. This story left me with a good feeling and once I started reading it, I found it hard to put down. I enjoyed all the secondary characters in this story, too. They added entertainment and another dimension to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

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