Stick and Stone – Best Friends Forever by Beth Ferry

November 26, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Stick and Stone – Best Friends Forever by Beth Ferry
Publisher: Clarion Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Stick has always wanted to find his family tree. It’s probably big and beautiful! Is it an oak? A maple? What other sticks might he meet?

Stone is happy to accompany his friend on the journey to find the tree he comes from—until it gets dark, and a bit scary in the forest . . .

With bright, engaging illustrations from best-selling creator Tom Lichtenheld, Beth Ferry’s story explores the importance of learning about our roots, as well as the ability of friends and found family to help us grow strong in heart and mind.

Everyone should know where they come from.

I mentioned wanting more plot development in my review of the first book in this series, so I was thrilled to see how much more was happening in this sequel. The characters dealt with multiple conflicts and plot lines at once. They were simple enough for the smallest readers to understand, but it was delightful to have those extra layers of meaning for older readers to think about as well.

With that being said, I wish the adoption subplot had been given more space to grow. Stick had such a strong yearning to know where he came from and what sort of tree he was. There was a lot of space here to explore his origins and how he felt about them. If only he’d had the opportunity to do so! I hope that the author will consider revisiting these themes in the future as I was disappointed by how all of this was resolved.

As always, the friendship between Stick and Stone was wonderful. They both genuinely loved each other and would have done anything to help one another. That’s the sort of friendship everyone should have whether they’re a preschooler or a senior citizen! Ms. Ferry’s best moments were the ones that showed all of the little ways in which friends can make each other’s lives richer and happier.

This is the second instalment of a series. I strongly recommend reading Stick and Stone first in order to fully understand the characters’ backstories.

Stick and Stone: Best Friends Forever was a heartwarming adventure.

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

Daddy’s Little Hellion by Lila Fox

November 26, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Daddy’s Little Hellion by Lila Fox
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

All her life, Jenna has fought just to be seen. She never thought she would find someone to love her the way she is. She knows she can be difficult, but underneath, she’s a scared little girl in need of a daddy.

Trey has been looking for a little. With his dominance and height of six and a half feet, it seems impossible to find a woman strong enough to put up with him. When he sets his eyes on Jenna for the first time, he’s instantly attracted, but she’s so timid, hiding behind other people. He doesn’t think she’ll be able to deal with a man like him.

As he realizes she’s not timid but bruised and in need of help, he steps in to protect her. It takes losing someone close to them to bring them together, but will another act of violence tear them apart again?

Trey had finally finished with his government work overseas and was ready to settle back home in the States with his friends and enter the next chapter in his life. Trey is surprised but pleased so many of his friends have found their perfect woman. The group of women have been harboring a secret and when a number of the Daddies band together to wrangle it out of them Trey is surprised when they learn the secret about Jenna, and he’s even more shocked at the strength of the protective feelings it rouses in him.

I found this to be a very explicit and steamy story. While a lot of the secondary characters clearly have their own stories in the series I felt this book could be read on its own with both Trey and Jenna’s characters well introduced and their relationship established throughout the course of this story. While Trey has been a Dom most of his life he is new to the Daddy/little dynamic and so a lot of information about this kink is explained so readers new to this aspect shouldn’t feel too out of their depth.

I felt like it took me a while to warm up to Jenna’s character. Part of me felt like her aggression and stubbornness pushed the boundary a little past pride and independence and into stupidity. While I totally understood she’d been hurt in the past and she lashed out to protect and defend herself, it seemed pretty silly for her to purposely antagonize one of the few people actually trying to help her. I could see that the author worked hard to explain Jenna’s outrageous rudeness and behavior but it really was a struggle for me to like her for quite a bit of the story.

With an explicit group-sex style of scene and plenty of BDSM (Daddy/little) elements to the numerous relationships readers who are looking for an intense and explicit story should find this story delivers on all that. I was pleased with the plot revolving around Jenna – finding it refreshing and different as she attempts to deal with an ex harassing her with some independence.

While this story has extremely strong willed characters and a solid plotline, it also has a fair bit of Daddy/little kink and I feel this book won’t suit all readers’ tastes. But for those who enjoy this element of BDSM, or those looking for an edgier, stronger style of erotic romance story this should be a refreshing change of pace.

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

Hero’s Quilt by Cooper McKenzie

November 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Hero’s Quilt by Cooper McKenzie
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Injured in Afghanistan, Michael Alan Carlyle III ends up at Fort Hood, Texas where he receives a quilt with a letter tucked into a hidden pocket. Once discharged, he goes in search of Jordan Potter, the quiltmaker.

Jordan Potter’s shyness has grown so severe he lives with his grandmother and makes quilt art in his attic studio. When Mac arrives, Jordan finds himself intrigued and wanting to push beyond his self-imposed boundaries in order to become a man Mac might be able to love.

Will Mac return to Texas? Will Jordan be able to overcome his shyness to grow into a man Mac can be proud of? Will Mac be able to admit he feels more than friendly feelings toward Jordan?

Wounded vet Mac’s life had been turned upside down with the loss of his lower leg, but even with his newly broken body Mac knew he wouldn’t be returning to Chicago to work in his father’s company. While recovering in hospital Mac is gifted a hand-sewn quilt, one with a note from the creator, Jordan, offering Mac a meal and their personal thanks should Mac ever be nearby. Not knowing the new direction he wanted for his life, Mac decides to take Jordan up on his offer, an exchange which will change both men’s lives forever.

I really enjoyed this slower paced, steamy romance story. I found Mac and Jordan’s characters to be interesting and not overly cookie-cutter, which each loosely fit a stereotype (the wounded vet and the small-town country guy) I loved how the author made their characters deeper and more complex than simply what they first appeared to be. I also liked how Mac and Jordan initially began their friendship by writing to each other. I definitely thought this helped solidify a solid foundation for Mac and Jordan together and considering both their personal circumstances at the time this felt like an interesting and well suited way for them to both get closer and learn more about each other while they were each in their own difficult circumstance. It also lent the story an air of old-fashioned-ness which I personally really enjoyed.

Different but still absolutely modern, I thought the slower pace of the romance along with the exchange of letters through the first part of the story gave this book a refreshing outlook. Readers who enjoy modern but slightly different stories should really find this suits their tastes. While the romance blossomed slowly between Mac and Jordan I thought it was extremely emotional as both Mac and Jordan each overcame their own obstacles. Readers looking for a strongly sexual and explicit story probably won’t find this suits what they’re wanting – though there are a small number of intimate scenes towards the end.

This strongly emotional and slower paced story is a delightful read that I enjoyed. With very strong characters and a lot of emotional and vulnerability I feel this is a good story a wide range of readers should find satisfying.

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

Devour Me by Amma Cerise

November 19, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Devour Me by Amma Cerise
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Eighteen-year-old Mandy dreams of graduating from high school and getting as far away from home as possible. Then a chance encounter leaves her deeply drawn to her gorgeous and mysterious neighbor. But Antek is no boy next door. He’s a man with too many scars and self-destructive tendencies.

Their age difference alone makes them an unlikely pair, yet Mandy quickly finds herself pulled in to his world of hot nights and gourmet food. Can a high school senior really find love with a jaded restauranteur? And when Antek’s past catches up with him and takes aim at Mandy, will either of them decide that falling in love is worth the risk?

Sometimes, what you want is the hardest thing to get.

Mandy finds this out when she becomes friends with Lena and her brother, Antek. She starts off being envious of Lena and her clothing/life/you name it, but her attention quickly moves onto Antek. He is twice her age and has baggage, more so than some people. Mandy is happy with the way he is and wants him in her life.

Told from the first perspective, this allows you an insight into what Mandy was thinking and feeling. However, I would have liked to have heard from Antek and his past, as it has direct relevance to who he is today. They went through so much together and yet he was voiceless. I was left with questions about this once I had finished, although I did enjoy the story. There was also the relationship with the mother that I needed more about as that was odd from the beginning.

There is on-page rape in this story, so please take notice of the trigger warning.

If you are after a not-to-deep, dark romance with an age gap then this may be the one for you.

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

Caprice by Linda Palmer

November 12, 2021 By 2 Comments


Caprice by Linda Palmer
Psy Squad #9
Publisher: Uncial Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

LilyAn Kerry, librarian at the prestigious Rutledge Institute for psychics, couldn’t be happier. Not only does she get to work with amazing young people at the school, she gets to do it in a castle in the wilds of Wyoming. LilyAn’s Jackson apartment is miles away from Texas where her bossy dad and three older brothers live. At twenty-four, she’s independent and loving it, the reason she avoids long-term boyfriends who might make demands or get serious.

Etan Trahan, a tough-as-nails Special Agent for the World Security League, believes he will know when he first lays eyes on the one woman meant to be his. This romantic notion infuriates the sensible grandmother who raised him. She wants Etan to settle down with any of the eligible young women she magically produces every time he visits. Is it any wonder he chooses to stay with friends when he’s recouping from wounds received during his latest mission?

LilyAn and Etan meet at a charity carnival the WSL sponsors every year to kick off Aspen Days, an autumn festival. LilyAn’s job this year is to dress as a gypsy and tell children their fortunes. It’s quite a shock when a man the size of Etan enters her tent and asks to hear his. Etan is flirty and funny. She instantly responds to him but is sure it will all be okay. He’s only in town to recover from an explosion that wrecked his body. He will move on as soon as he is better.

But Caprice, the mysterious voice in LilyAn’s head that nudges her impulsivity, seems to have a plan of her own this time. It begins with two deadly gunshots and the valiant instincts of a true hero. Can it possibly end in true love?

Psychics don’t get days off.

I thought the dialogue was well done. Each character had their own unique voice that I was quickly able to figure out. Their conversations with each other flowed naturally as well. Sometimes it felt as though I were overhearing friends talk about their days because of how well everything fit together. That’s always a nice thing to find in a book!

The romantic storyline seemed rushed to me. It was never clear to this reader why the characters involved in it had decided so quickly that they were romantically interested in each other. Even having excellent chemistry doesn’t mean two people are actually a good match for a long term relationship, after all. There were so many details that could have been filled in here to explain their reactions to each other and show why they should be together.

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that developed LilyAn’s relationships with her friends as well as Etan’s humorous relationship with his Nonna. You can learn so much about someone by taking note of the platonic connections in their life. Luckily, there were plenty of opportunities to do just that in this novella. Both of these characters were lucky enough to have loved ones who would do anything for them. It was delightful to see the strength of those bonds.

This is the ninth instalment in a series. It can be read out of order or as a standalone work.

Anyone who likes mixing fantasy and romance should give Caprice a try.

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

Death at Little Mound by Eileen Charbonneau

November 11, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Death at Little Mound by Eileen Charbonneau
Linda Tassel Mysteries Book 1
Publisher: BWL Publishing Inc.
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Young archeology dig site supervisor Linda Tassel and assistant Tad Gist explore the artifacts of ancient people of Linda’s Eastern Cherokee homeland. But soon the body of a team member is found, ritually murdered.

A dam building mogul, Cherokee Nation activists, and the owner of a nearby gold panning attraction are suspects.

Linda and Tad uncover another layer — that of the Spanish conquistadors and the timeless greed for gold. Will they become two more victims?

Every speck of dirt must be accounted for in order to solve this mystery.

My favorite portions of this book were the ones that explored the history, traditions, and beliefs of the Cherokee tribe. The author went into detail on these topics as often as the plot allowed her to do so. I didn’t know much about Cherokee culture, so I was grateful for all of the knowledge she shared. It helped me to understand the main character’s perspective in life and gave logical reasons for why Linda made certain decisions.

The limited amount of character development was my only reason for giving this a three star rating. I liked the characters quite a bit, but I didn’t see much personal growth in them at all. My hope is that the later installments in this series will explore these issues in depth. There is certainly a lot of space to do so, and it would make me even more excited to read a sequel if I had reason to believe that the characters were evolving as a result of their earlier experiences.

Archaeology is a topic I’ve been interested in for years. I loved the scenes that described how meticulously Linda and all of the other workers were exploring the dig site and cataloguing everything they found. This is also something that happens to come in handy in a murder investigation, so combining these two things was an excellent idea.

I’d recommend Death at Little Mound to anyone who is interested in mysteries, archeology, or learning more about Cherokee culture.

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

Silent Sentinel – A Mini Thriller by Kelli A. Wilkins

November 10, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Silent Sentinel – A Mini Thriller by Kelli A. Wilkins
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

One afternoon, Valerie visits a flea market and meets a peculiar man who tries to sell her an ancient statue of Anubis—the Egyptian god of the dead. Despite her protests, the man insists that she must have the statue. Valerie gives in and brings her new “guardian” home.

Later that night, Valerie awakens to discover an intruder has broken into her house. She’s forced to fight for her life and relies on Anubis to save her.

When the police investigate, they make a shocking discovery about her attacker and his motive. Only then does Valerie realize how lucky she was— the statue was the last thing she wanted, but exactly what she needed.

Sometimes the right home décor can make all the difference in the world in an emergency.

Valerie was an interesting main character. She had strong opinions about certain topics, especially when it came to home décor. I liked the fact that the audience was mostly left to our own devices when it came to figuring out why she was so invested in this topic and a few similar ones. There were enough hints in the storyline to confirm my guess, but they also left room for other interpretations as well.

I would have liked to see more time spent explaining the motive of the person who wanted Valerie to die. The attempt on her life was such a violent one that I was surprised to see the narrator gloss over the reasons for it. She didn’t seem to be the sort of person who had many enemies at all, so this portion of the storyline never quite made sense to me. I would have happily gone with a much higher rating if it had been explained better.

Some of the best scenes were the ones that played around with the various ways in which the Anubis statue could protect Valerie during the most dangerous moments of her entire life. The author did an excellent job of acknowledging the assumptions readers might have made about how this would all work out while also gently pushing the plot forwards. I chuckled as I read these scenes. They were as clever as they were beautifully logical.

Silent Sentinel – a Mini Thriller was an exciting read.

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

Autumn Breeze – A Tale from Halloween Night by Michael Ahmadi

November 10, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Autumn Breeze – A Tale from Halloween Night by Michael Ahmadi
Publisher: raubdruck
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Once a year, evil is allowed to return to the earthly world.
And if it is on the prowl for a victim, there is no escape.
It will lurk in the dark. Year after year.
Every Halloween night.

Trick-or-treating has never been so dangerous or so rewarding.

The horror elements were subtle at first but grew much stronger later on in the plot. I appreciated the hints about what was to come that were included in the beginning, especially when they were included in the quotes that were sandwiched between each scene. It was a wonderful way to build anticipation and keep me guessing about how each hint would build on the ones that came before it. Once I’d finished the final scene, I was also impressed with how gradually these moments became slightly more violent or scary over time. They were never gratuitous, but they definitely made this something I’d only recommend to fellow fans of the horror genre.

This story would have benefited from another round of editing. Some sentences were written vaguely, while others switched between the present and past tense. While I understood what most of them were trying to say, I was confused at times and sometimes needed to read them multiple times to figure out what the narrator was communicating. If not for these issues, I would have chosen a much higher rating.

I must admit that it took me a while to figure out the antagonist’s motivation for his actions. There were clues sprinkled along the way, though, and I was pleased when I finally put them all together. This was the sort of tale that does require some effort from the audience, especially since the most important elements of it were not necessarily spelled out directly. Figuring it all out was rewarding, however, and I was pleased with

Autumn Breeze – A Tale from Halloween Night was a deliciously spooky read.

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

Carey: Gambled Away by Ella Grey

November 5, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Carey: Gambled Away by Ella Grey
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Gambled away to a man she doesn’t know…

All Carey Murphy wanted to do was keep her head down. She counted down the days hoping her father would drink himself into an early grave. All she worried about was when the next beating would come—until the day her father bet her on a game of chance and lost.

After losing his wife years ago, John O’Grady never thought he’d find himself in another relationship, let alone married to a blue-eyed girl with a bruise on her cheek. She was given to him as the spoils of a poker game, and he had no intention of keeping her.

When heated looks give way to passionate kisses, neither of them notices the danger which looms around the corner.

Carey was eighteen and trying hard to help her alcoholic mother and abusive, drunk, gambling-addicted father, but she knew sooner or later the debts would be too great. When her father sells her into a marriage with a complete stranger to pay off his debts, Carey still doesn’t run, hoping this might be a way out of her difficult family situation. Can Carey survived being gambled away?

I found this to be an interesting read. The author was careful to explain the thoughts and situation behind why Carey allowed herself to be trapped in an abusive and clearly unhealthy situation and relationship with both her parents, but I was pleased when the focus quickly became Carey and her new husband, John. Despite the explanations, I really struggled to understand why Carey didn’t strike out on her own. I didn’t feel it was very realistic that she had stayed in such an unhealthy family dynamic when she was already working and could have easily transitioned into being independent and moved out of home. Neither did I really feel the marriage between Carey and John was very plausible in the beginning. I feel it would have been more believable had Carey at least met the man and have wanted to be with him to some degree – but John was literally a stranger and so it didn’t make a lot of sense to me how she came to agree to marry him.

That said, I really enjoyed the emotional complexity of the relationship that blossomed between Carey and John. While John was a mob boss – feared and powerful – he was not a one-dimensional character. There were layers and complexities and yes even a heart beneath the ruthless and powerful façade. I thoroughly enjoyed how Carey slowly became curious about her newly minted husband and how she learned more about him, even as he tried to give her space and get to know her in return. I was thoroughly appreciative how they didn’t jump into bed too quickly after the wedding and this just added more layers and interest in the storyline for me.

While the beginning of this short story was a bit rocky and unbelievable for me, personally, I was pleased I stuck with it and ended up finding this a really appealing and complex read. I enjoyed getting to know the different sides to John’s character and was pleased Carey showed herself to be a strong and capable enough woman to stand by his side. I enjoyed watching them learn about each other and fall in love and found this to be a really good, strong quick read.

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

Cookie Collision by Darlene Deluca

November 4, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Cookie Collision by Darlene Deluca
Christmas Cookies
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Holiday
Rating: 3 Stars
Review by: Astilbe

Before she can let up and enjoy some holiday cheer, real estate agent Alana Drake has work to do. With Christmas moving in fast, she has clients to meet with, houses to show, and cookies to bake. Every open house deserves her special touch—homemade and hand-decorated sugar cookies for a warm welcome. And she needs several dozen for upcoming holiday events and open houses.

But a poorly timed stop at the grocery store could upend more than her bag of groceries.

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When all she wanted was to bake some cookies…

Even the unluckiest accident can have a silver lining.

Some of the most interesting scenes in my opinion were the ones that showed how Alana juggled everything that was going on in her life. She had a rewarding career, a fun hobby, and a loving circle of friends and relatives to keep up with. I always enjoy reading about characters in romance novels who have already built happy and well-rounded lives for themselves long before they meet someone special. Alana definitely fits the bill here!

I would have liked to see more attention paid to a subplot involving conflict between Alana and another realtor. There was so much time spent building tension between them early on in the storyline that I was caught off-guard by how quickly the author tied everything up later on. The resolution made that early foreshadowing feel overdone to me. It would have been helpful if their mutual grudge had either not been given so much attention in the beginning or if they’d had more opportunities to address the problem later on.

The chemistry between Alana and Justin was perfect. I loved their lighthearted banter and how it revealed the many similarities they shared. They were both kind and loving people who often expressed their feelings for the people they cared about through the food they made for them. Many of their hobbies were compatible with each other as well which can also be a good sign when looking for a long term partner. The more I learned about both of them, the stronger I hoped they’d live happily ever after together.

Cookie Collision was a sweet and heartwarming read.

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