The Awakening of Magic, Book One of the Wereding Chronicles
by Christian Boustead
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
How to explain this novel without giving away the whole story, that has been my biggest question, because I want to give you enough that you want to read this - because it is definitely worth reading!! So bare with me friends, if this goes a little astray, for some reason, I have started and stopped this so many times, finding that I feel like I am telling too much.
Eloo, is a fae and her lover, Kye is a werewolf. They are out in the forest one day and rescue a human, Rose from an attack by someone they call Kain. Now why Kain is trying to kidnap Rose and take her away is a mystery and even after this book, it is still a mystery. We do get some glimpses into the fact that Rose is more than just a mere human, but what all her role is going to be is unknown. I'm still not sure what role Kain is playing in all of this yet, which is amazing! It just makes me want to read the next book all that much more!
Rose, was hard to like a first. She was a bit of a rich child, told to stay away from magic, and so even though she see's it's use for good, she still fears it as evil. There were times in the story that I just wanted to smack her! Honestly! It was like get it through your head that there is good and evil in everything, its how you use it, stop acting like everything is inherently evil. Ugh! But, at the same time, the fact that the author was able to write a character that evoked that much emotion from me was amazing! I usually do not get that upset at characters.
This book is the beginning of a series, The Awakening of Magic, and we watch the magic begin in this story, we meet the characters that will play the major roles in the rest of the story, and learn a bit of their backstory or history and yet it all works very well into a cohesive and compelling story. It's not just a telling of history. There is a purpose for the story.
At one point, the characters are traveling through a wasteland, area that was destroyed hundreds of years ago in a war, and there are the rusting remains of what used to be cars, but no one really knows what they are because they don't have that technology in the present time of the story, and I found that to be the greatest thing! The fact that the story is being told in the future, but that technology has progressed back and magic is more in use. Makes you wonder about our world now, are we over using our fossil fuels to the p0int that this is what we will become? Just a thought.
I found the story to be compelling, the imagery of the author to be breathtaking at times, and I got lost in the story. Yes, I got annoyed at Rose, but I think she can be redeemed, or at least I hope she can. I found like I liked the interplay between all the other groups. The fact that Eloo is a fae and has a werewolf as a lover, I mean that is perfect. Everyone needs to check this one out!
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When Reality Bites: How Denial Helps and What to Do When It Hurts
by Holly Parker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Fiction is not the only thing that I ever read, in fact I read quite a great deal of non-fiction. I enjoy books that give help and guidance. Now, that being said I might not be the best person to review this book, because at this moment in time I am dealing with a number of things after starting my life over after 21 years of marriage, but then again that might also just make me the best person to review this book.
Denial. Normally when you say the word denial, we think of the bad ways in which we use denial. The alcoholic who refuses or cant see that they are damaging themselves and/or those around them. The person who refuses to take ownership of their actions, and on and on. The thing is, denial is not always a bad thing, it just takes knowing when and how to use denial to your advantage.
Author Holly Parker has a very easy, conversational tone in this book, and it reads more like she is a friend talking to you over dinner, giving you the information from her vast knowledge to help you through things you are dealing with. She doesn't overwhelm you with her knowledge and training, or make you feel that you can't understand what she is saying. She keeps it in a light and easy manner that allows everyone, no matter your educational background, to be able to understand what she is saying and feel comfortable with it. That is probably one of my favorite things, she doesn't talk over your head, or dumb it down too much that you feel like she is making fun of you.
There are a number of exercises and questions that you can work through in this book to help you understand denial, when it is bad, when it is good, how to use it and how to avoid it. Because of all these exercises, this is a book that you can refer to over and over, when different things come up in your life. Of course, for me, it meant that it took me a lot longer than usual to read this book because I couldn't just skip them, I had to do the exercises and answer the questions. Of course, I still have pages marked in my book to work on again later, to go back and redo and to finish.
This is definitely a great book, and I am extremely pleased that I ran across it at this point in my life, because in reality, there are a number of things going on when you begin life over, being a single parent, and responsible for everything yourself that this book will help me address. I do see myself using this book now, and again later in time.
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Dorothy (Fairweather Sisters, book 3)
by Anya Wylde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Dorothy is yet another of the Fairweather sisters. She is in London enjoying another season thanks to her older sisters, Penelope and Celine. Penelope's story was book one and Celine was book two, now we get to follow up with yet another sister.
If you have read books one and/or two you already know that the Fairweather sisters have a few problems with adhering to societies rules and expectations, so you know that this sister is just the same and even moreso.
Dorothy thinks she has found the man she loves, and wants her sister's help in getting him to propose to her, only to have her best friend Kitty, who Dorothy thought was in love with her brother-in-law's next door estate neighbor and sworn enemy, elope with Dorothy's object of affection. Dorothy doesn't know that Kitty has eloped, and so she braves the enemies house to try to find her friend, only to find herself in a situation that necessitates marriage.
Dorothy is some much like Penelope and Celine, she's always rescuing orphans, but she is forthright and outspoken. Which tends to get her in trouble more often than not.
This is yet another wonderful book by the author, that delights and keeps you reading, while being funny and comical, there is still the romance that will have you tearing up at points. +Anya Wylde is a master at weaving humor and romance, and making the stuffy regency era fun and delightful.
If you haven't read her yet, start with Penelope, then Seeking Philbert Woodbeard and continue with Dorothy. You won't regret it!
Anya's Blog
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Amber Dragon: The Dragon Chronicles, book 2
by Adam Boustead
My rating: 4.75 of 5 stars
***Aside: You all know I hate these stars! There is a huge difference in a 4 and a 5....
That being said, consider this book at 4.75******
Although Amber Dragon is titled as the second book in the Dragon Chronicles, as a reader, you will be fine reading it without having read the first book. I have not read the first, and although I want to now, it did not effect the understanding or reading of this book.
Each chapter is its own little vignette or story, with each story having the hidden dragon as it's common theme. Each chapter is different and unique, nothing like anything else, and they are nothing like any story along the lines of a dragon living among the world, hidden in plain view that I have ever read before. I found myself entertained, intrigued and wanting more. They each gave me pause, and made me think.
In between each chapter or short story was a collection of poems, lyrics and such. These gave even more pause then the stories, and left me thinking and wondering, imagining and hoping, pondering and musing. I loved them. I found that there were several that just really spoke to me and I ended up copying them to share with friends, but mostly writing them down so that I could look at them again in different contexts.
The way the two - the chapter stories and the poems and lyrics intertwined and mixed was thought provoking and yet at times I wasn't sure how they went together at first, or even for the longest time. This was definitely one of those books that you find yourself reading over and over again, gleaning more meaning and thought from it each time, and depending on your mood and frame of mind when you are reading, it can take you to completely different places with each reading.
The imagery and sense of wonderment in the stories, along with the prose just made me feel in a completely different place. I could be having a terrible day, yet sitting to read just a bit of this book, put me in a different mood, made me think of other people and situations, and really got my creative and imaginative juices flowing.
This is a great read, but not for the causal reader, only for those willing to think about what they read, and how it effects them and makes them feel. I am now looking for book one, and to see what else is out there by this author.
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Purgatory
by K W Peery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Typically, when I sit down with a book, I read through it quickly and relax. This book is not your typical book, this is a collection of poetry, song lyrics and insights. This being said, it was still something I enjoyed, it just took much longer to read. This is not a fluff, feel good book, this is something that will catch you unaware and make you pause, stop, reflect and really think about the book, the words and life.
Some of the entries are written purely as poems, and others are written as the lyrics to songs, complete with verses, chorus and bridges. The thing about them all is a deep emotion, a feeling of being at a point in life where you are looking back with regret and yet contentment. The need to process and understand your own life and what it has meant, if it is what you wanted to leave as a legacy or if things are missing.
For me, it felt like someone had taken the best parts of Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings and blended them into one person writing out their thoughts and feelings. The lyrics, I could easily hear any one of those guys singing them on an old scratchy radio. They took me to a place where I thought about life and what I had accomplished so far in a different light than I normally do. Instead of judging by today's standards, if I looked back into my grandparents world and their standards, what would they say and think of my life and accomplishments? Would they be proud?
Whether you are into poetry or not, this collection has something that will draw you in and keep you reading. You may only read a few pages at a time, but they will have you thinking and processing what was written before you go back for more, but you will go back for more, and most likely once you have finished the book you will find yourself bookmarking certain poems or lyrics, and referring to them more and more because they struck a cord in you and made you feel something, made you think, made you change the way you did or thought about something.
This is one of those books that you find on the coffee table or night stand, that is looked at and re-read over and over and every time something new is gleaned from it. This is not a read it and put it away for good book, and that is probably the best thing about it. Without ever trying to make you think, by just writing his own emotions, the author has created a piece of lasting literary art.
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Shadows of the Past
Others of Edenton, Book 2
by Brandy L. Rivers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Amethyst Lakes is running from her past. She wants to start over, away from the memories of a crazy stalker ex-boyfriend, so she heads to Edenton. The place that everyone goes to get away and begin again. She has friends there in Fallon and Jess.
As she gets to town, she is pulled over by an officer and taken to the station for speeding, a little bit of overkill on his part, but at least the Sheriff, Hayden Hunter is there to take care of things and get her back on track. Of course the poor sheriff is smitten with Amethyst.
Unfortunately, the ex-boyfriend, even though he is physically dead, is still a problem, since he was a warlock, and he has unleashed a problem that is making life very difficult in Edenton.
We catch up with Jess & Slater and Fallon & Brody. Some other old friends from the first two books are also here again, and some new people are introduced. Edenton is still the place that everyone wants to be, and is the place that you can fall in love with and want to live. This book is almost like returning to a hometown after a couple of years away, it all still feels the same, yet there is some catching up to do.
The whole series is so well connected that each book flows into the next, and you just feel like you are keeping up with friends, and even though each story is about a different couple, you still see and read about the couples and people you already knew about. It's one of those series' that you never want to come to a close because you have come to think of the people in the town as friends and you want to know more and more!
Others of Edenton
New Beginnings My Review Link
In Too Deep My Review Link
Shadows Fall My Review Link
Shadows of the Past My Review Link
Falling Into Place My Review Link
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Shadows Fall
Others of Edenton, Book 1.5
by Brandy L. Rivers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Shadows Fall is a short story that gives us more background into Amethyst Lakes. Amethyst's story is told in the next book, but there is a great deal of background that has to be left out, so this short story was added in to fill in that information.
Amethyst is a nymph, and she has been dating a warlock, Carl, but things aren't going well and she breaks things off. Carl doesn't take the rejection too well and starts to stalk her. She does everything she can to get him to realize that they are over, so he decides to be vindictive and reports her to the Silver Council saying that she bewitched him.
Amethyst is taken into custody, and things look really bad for her, because the guy in charge of the investigation has a history of abusing nymph's when they are brought in, but lucky for her, one of the guys who picks her up recognizes the name and her mother, and calls a family friend, who arrives just in time to prevent anything untold from happening.
This story then tells of the councils findings and Carl's actions, and what finally drives Amethyst to leave and move to Edenton, where her good friend Fallon is living, along with Jess.
Others of Edenton
New Beginnings My Review Link
In Too Deep My Review Link
Shadows Fall My Review Link
Shadows of the Past My Review Link
Falling Into Place My Review Link
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In Too Deep
Others of Edenton, Book One
by Brandy L. Rivers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Fallon's best friend Jess moved to Edenton, and before she went she tried to tell Fallon that they guy she was seeing was cheating on her, but Fallon wasn't listening. Now, after finding out on her own, she is riding her beloved Harley on the road to wherever, which just seems to be leading her to Jess and Edenton. On the road, she crashes into a werwolf, who happens to be being chased by two vampires. Fallon heals the werewolf and helps get rid of the vampires, and he finds himself attracted to her.
Brody has spent the last few years mourning the death of his wife, and hasn't been interested in women or dating, but when he runs into Fallon on the road, something is sparked in him that hasn't been there before. Of course Jess is trying to keep her mouth shut because she has already seen this over two years ago, but she know how Fallon hates for her to interfere with her physic gifts.
The attack by the vampires is something that needs looking into, and so Slater and the pack are working on what it going on. Turns out that someone is looking for Fallon too. Can Brody get over his wife? Can Fallon give in and let her desires for Brody take over? And can they figure out what is going on, and take care of it without getting hurt?
This is the second book in the Others of Edenton series, and you get some background into both Fallon and Brody. You also learn more about the people living in the town. Again it really makes you want to be in this town, to wish there was actually some place like this in real life.
Others of Edenton
New Beginnings My Review Link
In Too Deep My Review Link
Shadows Fall My Review Link
Shadows of the Past My Review Link
Falling Into Place My Review Link
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New Beginnings
Others of Edenton, Prequel
by Brandy L. Rivers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Normally alcohol doesn't effect Jess, but when someone brings homemade moonshine to the party, Jess ends up drunk at in bed with her pack Alpha, Gregory. This is the granddaddy of all mistakes! She wakes up and runs to her friend Gabe, she has to leave town and soon. Greg is a jerk, and once she has slept with him he is going to expect it all the time and won't take no for an answer. So Gabe gives her a lead on a bar for sale in Edenton, now she just has to buy it and get the pack alpha there, Slater to give her permission to move.
Slater is the pack alpha in Edenton, his second Liam is an old guy who is walking on shaky ground and the pack knows it, but they don't want to let him go without a good reason. Then there is the newest wolf, Brody, who Slater is good friends with and made an enforcer, which didn't set well with Liam at all. Slater and Brody are ready for Jess, who is not a wolf but a psychic and gets visions of the future to move to Edenton.
Edenton is a town of mostly others, the werewolf pack, some other shifters, a fae sheriff and a vampire. There might be a few humans in town too, but for the most part, it's a great place to be if you are on that other side of the realm. Jess is sure that this will be a great place to start a new beginning, but she is immediately attracted to Slater. She refuses to go there, she has sworn off wolves and alphas even more after the Gregory incident. Now she just wants to run her bar and have a good life.
Liam, and a need to avenge some wrong he feels was done will create havoc and chaos in town and within the pack. Will Jess's visions of this place come true? And what about her relationships with Brody and Slater?
This is a great start to a series on a town filled with others. Love the werewolves, but even more love that there are other people of other talents mixed into the town and they all work together and interact. There is a balance and a friendship that really makes you want to live in a place like Edenton. It sounds like and feels like a real hometown community.
No matter what you preference, shifters, fae, mage's, you will find them in Edenton and in this series and it is a great deal of fun. Each book plays off the other, so I really recommend that you read them in order, but you could go out of order. It just would introduce new people to town without the details if you did.
Others of Edenton
New Beginnings My Review Link
In Too Deep My Review Link
Shadows Fall My Review Link
Shadows of the Past My Review Link
Falling Into Place My Review Link
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Wolf's Haven
Caedmon Wolves, Book One
by Ambrielle Kirk
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Tamara's dreams of a happy life and future have gone down the drain and she has finally decided that tonight she will make her move. After years of lies and abuse at the hands of her fiance' Brad, she is breaking free. Brad and his gang have a break-in planned for tonight, and she is planning to call the cops and run. Of course, even the best of plans can go astray. Brad ends up asking her to help on one of the floors instead of standing at the door like normal, which makes it harder for her to escape. When she hears the sirens, she makes a rash decision and jumps to safety, away from Brad and the gang and heads into the woods. Problem? She has twisted her ankle badly in the fall, and she is looking into the eyes of a wolf. All the sudden the wolf seems to understand and takes care of Tamara and takes her to safety.
Devin is the bastard son of the former pack alpha of the Caedmon Wolves. He has left on his own for the last five years, while his half-brother has ran the pack after his father's death. Now his brother is dead, and his no good cousin is trying to lead the pack. He must protect the pack, so he heads back to vote. He never expects to run into a damsel in distress in the woods on his way home, especially one this beautiful and fragile.
Can Devin be the one to heal the wounds that Brad has inflected on Tamara's soul? Can Devin really give up what he does and take over the pack?
This is a well written beginning to a series on the particular pack of wolves, the Caedmon Wolves. Should be an interesting series, if this is any indication of the rest.
Caedmon Wolves Series
Book One: Wolf's Haven
Book Two: Wolf's Promise
Book Three: Wolf's Touch
Book Four: Wolf's Desire
Book Five: Wolf's Strength
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Taken Into The Wolfpack: Book #1
by Sadie Koenig
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Extremely short story. 16 pages on the Nook app on my iPad.
Sarah daydreams about men, and the woods during class. Then she was to walk through a small wooded area on campus to get home after her night class. She thinks she see's a wolf. She begins to dream about the wolf.
I should stop there or I "spoil" the story. It's a short story with not much of a plot. Not really even enough to make it into a full novel at some point, just 16 pages of daydreams and walking across campus.
This was free on BarnesandNoble.com and that is probably all it is really worth. I certainly wouldn't pay for it as there just isn't enough there to warrant. it
Oh, and it is marked as erotica. There are NO details into the ONE encounter at the end of the story, so I hardly think it comes anywhere close to qualifying as erotica.
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A Lycan's Mate
by Chandler Dee
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Super-short story. 51 pages on the Nook App on my iPad.
Jurisa is the alpha female of her pack, but her mate has passed away awhile ago and there has been a great deal of uproar amoung the community, or the rest of the packs for her to chose another mate. It is always best for an Alpha to rule as a mated pair.
Alphas from all over have come to this area to engage in a run to determine the new mate for Jurisa. She has laid out a path, practiced it many times, set traps and obstacles and done everything she can to make sure that only the strongest and best alphas, and the one she approves of make it to the end. In order to make sure some of the "slimier" alphas don't make it, she has slipped something into the evening meal.
The run begins, but in the end, the outcome in more than she had planned, and Jurisa as more to say in her choice of mate than she thought she would.
It is a cute store, very short, and very fast read. I think it could easily be taken and make into a full novel, just with the information given in this novella. The expanded work could be awesome. For a novella is was cute, and worth the price I got it for.
Free at BarnesandNoble.com, or at least it was when I downloaded it. Not sure if it is still now, but worth checking out, if you are looking for something to add for some quick reads this summer.
Also by Chandler Dee
Lycan's Sacrifice, Book 1
Lycan's Love, Book 2
Lycan's Promise, Book 3
Lycan's Mate
Lycan's Secret
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Okay, so I just posted the four best EROTICA book reviews that I had, and I am NOT going to fill the blog with all kinds of erotica books. I normally don't read them, but I was given a number to review, and I did. Then I was told, you know there are a blue million of them for free on barnesandnoble.com so I got a few to review, but I don't want them to take over. So I am listing them all here!
The full reviews are all listed on the Goodreads site, and I will provide a link to that review with each book. If you click on the book title, that will take you to the Goodreads review. Be warned they are short reviews because there is not much you can say with some of these without telling the whole story.
I'm going to list the title and the author, then the star rating that I gave it.
Let me just say this now, that there are few high star ratings. I was looking for a story, not just simple encounter, but something that has something to back up the encounter. The lower stars the more just single events or encounters. If there is a higher star rating that probably means there was a real story to it and it took a bit to read. If I found a real, true book and long story I will probably review them separately.
Title
Dominating Vanessa by: Audrey Black ***
Office Toy by: Cleo Peitsche ***
Hannah's Choice by: Selena Kitt ***
Bent over Screaming by: Lily Green ***
Forcing Corinne by: Rachel Nixx ***
Football Party, I by: M. L. Patricks **
Football Party, II by: M. L. Patricks **
Well, I Sure Love It by: Reese Cantwell **
Backwoods Bound by: Coyote Rose **
Bad Moon, 1 by: Jackie Sexton ***
Taken as Payment by: Lacey King ***
Breeding for Him by: Layla Bangs ***
Kaitlin Breeds with Daddy by: Sonia Robinson **
Stranger on a Hiking Trail by: Cassandra Zara ***
Wolfman Fantasies by: Sookie Sabre *
