Tag Archives: 3 star review

Early Review – The Easy Part by Amanda Siegrist @amanda_siegrist

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Release date: 9.21.21, but you can preorder for $3.99 and be in the front of the line.

There is nothing Easy in Amanda Siegrist’s romance novels, so buckle up and let’s go….

The Easy Part (Perfect for You, #3)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Nothing is easy in Amanda Siegrist’s romance novels. They are filled with angst, miscommunication, doubt….and LOVE. Though the books may be part of a series, they can stand alone.

I have been reading some intense, dark, deadly, and dangerous novels, so a happy ever after story from Amanda Siegrist will be a wonderful change of place. Some recurring characters in the Perfect For You series add a little bit of spice, but The Easy Part is Jezebelle and Brick’s story.

They have known each other for some time, but when Jezebelle’s mother comes to town, determined to take her back home with her, she and Brick come up with The Agreement…he will be a fake fiance for five days. Yeah, sure, they can try and fool themselves, but I know what’s coming…and maybe you do too.

He had the look of a bad boy, a bartender with tattoos. I think we can agree that mommy isn’t going to like that at all. Not when she has a hoity toity rich boy she wants her to marry. People may tend to underestimate Brick because of his looks, but he has a surprise in store for them, specifically for Bradley and Jezebelle’s mom.

Sure, she is hurting for money and her acting career is hit and miss, but she loves New York City. Staying with Brick, to back up their Agreement, gives her some breathing space…and she will need it. Brick is going all out to win her over and make their little game a fact. He wants her…permanently.

We don’t hear guns blazing and find dead bodies everywhere, but we do have a black eye or two. No vampires or werewolves, but we do have a wicked mother…in law. Smiles and tears, love and laughter, and family. That’s what makes the world go round.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of The Easy Part by Amanda Siegrist.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From USA Today bestselling author Amanda Siegrist comes a series full of humor, angst, a sassy heroine, and a sexy, sinful hero that will sweep you off your feet.

The Agreement: Pretend to be her fake fiancé to placate her overbearing, selfish mother.
Timeframe: Five days.

Brick likes things carefree and simple, especially after the falling out with his brother. The moment Jezebelle walks into his bar looking sad and troubled, he’s determined to do anything to turn her frown upside down. Even if that requires posing as her fake fiancé to get her bossy mother off her back. Pretending to love her will be the easy part—because he does. Walking away will be futile. But he doesn’t see a way he can keep Jezebelle for real, not when her mother’s diabolical ways prove she can make his life more than just complicated, but downright impossible.

Jezebelle can’t believe her luck when Brick hatches this crazy plan. One, because she’s always had a secret crush on him, and any reason to get closer to him makes her heart stutter with anticipation. Two, because it might actually work to keep her mother at bay. Of course, her mother isn’t a woman who takes no for an answer. She’ll do everything in her power to get her way. The last thing she wants is for Brick to get hurt. The best thing she can do is walk away and forget he ever held her heart. If only it were that easy.

Warning: This is not a full romcom. While it has moments of humor, it also has a twist of angst. Okay, now you can dive in, you’re prepared!

The entire Perfect For You series: (Each book can be read as a standalone.)
The Wrong Brother (Book 1): Dane & Gabriella
The Right Time (Book 2): Jaxson & Mia
The Easy Part (Book 3): Brick & Jezebelle

ABOUT AMANDA SIEGRIST

Amanda Siegrist

Love! Gimme some love and heaps of romance. I have a sappy heart that just loves two people meeting, going through the cycles of a relationship, and ultimately, falling in love. Give me a good book like that and I’m a happy camper:)

I write contemporary and romantic suspense, but I am partial to suspense. I just love a good mystery.

Besides writing, I love baking, crafts, and baseball…oh, and meeting new people. *smiles*

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY AMANDA SIEGRIST REVIEWS

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Special Forces – Saving Eric by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

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Jane Blythe is a must read author and loved the first book, Saving Ryder in the Saving Seals Series, so I was eager to begin another adventure.

Saving Eric (Saving SEALS, #2)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I want to start about by saying, I have never rated a Jane Blythe novel below a four. She is one of my favorite authors, but…

Saving Eric had irritating issues for me. I loved their nicknames, but bouncing back and forth between their given name and the nicknames were, at times, confusing to me.

Saving Eric started out great, a lot of action and it felt real. After all, Seal Teams sneak in, accomplish their mission and get out of dodge as quietly as possible. I watch Seal Team on TV religiously and love it, so to see Jane Blythe start a Seal Team series left me eager to read on. I loved the first book, Saving Ryder, so I had high hopes for Saving Eric.

Lavendar is a runner and she runs from him…to her sister. I get that, but I got bored with the push/pull of the romance. I thought she was a strong character, traveling the world on her own…my kind of woman. Showing no fear, but she ended up doubting everything, being a bit wishy washy.

Saving Eric felt as if someone other the Jane Blythe wrote it. The ending was very abrupt. What saved the book was the beginning chapters. It felt real, like reading about current events. The characters were familiar and I love that about Jane Blythe’s series. Even though the books can stand alone, she brings me up to date on what characters from previous books are up to now. All that being said, I am eager for more of her work and just because one book didn’t work for me doesn’t mean the next one won’t. Write on Jane!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Saving Eric by Jane Blythe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Will guilt and bad choices prevent these two friends from falling in love?


Lavender Vaile barely survived a madman, and the ordeal became the catalyst for re-evaluating her entire life. While working for an aid organization in Afghanistan her worst nightmare comes true when she is taken hostage by insurgents. Rescued by her best friend and his team of SEALs, one moment of passion changes everything, and the new life she was building could come tumbling down around her.


For Eric “Night” McNamara friendship means everything and when Lavender is kidnapped he’ll do anything to save her life and help her heal from the trauma. Anything. Including sleeping with her. But guilt and past mistakes have him tucking tail and running when he realizes that sometimes friendship can blossom into something more. When Lavender disappears a second time he will have to set everything aside and let his heart rule if he wants to get her back alive.

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

Jane has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series, Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.

When she’s not writing Jane loves to read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies. She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears. She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

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Gaslamp Faeries Series by Ren Ryder

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The father had taken Kal in. He had ‘the sight’. But, when he saw monsters from the other side, they saw him.

Kal made contact with a fairy and knew he would need to battle the Ourboros into submission to save his sister, Sammie. Her life weighs on his shoulders and he must save her.

There’s No Such Thing As Monsters by Ren Ryder was not what I expected, but isn’t there always a battle between good and evil when monsters are involved?

It was hard for me to connect to the characters, but I could seen some of the scenes playing out inn a Harry Potter, Supernatural sort of way. Some scenes seemed familiar, but isn’t that usually the case. I have read so many books, it’s hard to come up with a new approach to evil in a monster’s world.

I don’t have Book II, but I do have Book III, The Monster At The End of Its Road. We have a lot of magical monsters in this book, and I’m counting on there being a lot more in the next.

I enjoyed my time in New London and am looking forward to another visit.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Monsters come in all shapes and sizes, and not all of them have sharp teeth and beady red eyes.
New London. A thriving metropolis at the forefront of technological advancement and a shining gem of civilization.
Faeries. Whether they come off cute and cuddly or downright predatory, they all bring misfortune or are heralds of it.

Experience is a harsh taskmistress, but her lessons sink the deepest. Having been taught the lesson at great cost, Kal’s rules for dealing with faeries are simple: don’t talk to them, don’t look at them, don’t give them the time of day.

So when the Other Side comes knocking one fateful, stormy day, Kal, at first, pretends not to notice. Was forgetting this rule his folly?

His way of life is in great danger. His little sister, Sammie, a natural mage, is taken by Ouroboros, a criminal organization made up of raving lunatics that profit off the misery and suffering of others, and have everything to do with all the crimes of magic in New London.

Kal will go to any lengths to save his sister, even to his death. Accompanied by his sylph companion, a mischievous pest, Kal dives deep into the dark underbelly of the city, but are his hands enough to dig his sister out from the muck?

The Monster at the End of its Road (Gaslamp Faeries Series, Book 3)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Well, I missed Book II, but I am happy to say, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of The Monster at the End of Its Road by Ren Ryder. We have magical action from the opening pages, Kal and Bell fighting for their lives against vampires and other magical creatures.

When he came face to face with his sister…well…I wasn’t expecting that and I loved it. He is determined to save her…no matter what.

Some things smack of the real world, like the division between the rich and everyone else. Kal can’t walk away from setting New London free from the Ouroboros, picking up unusual magical creatures along the way. He won’t have to do it alone.

Action! Action! Action!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Monster at the End of Its Road by Ren Ryder.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Kal may be on his way to becoming a monster, but with Bell at his side, at least he’s in good company.

New London circa 1912. A few short months have passed since they stabbed Kal in the back and cast him into the abyss.

Ouroboros. A criminal organization with deep pockets and deeper connections that infest the highest ranks of the nobility. Ouroboros specializes in trafficking, crimes of magic, and deals in all that is immoral or illegal. Dark forces are brewing, and Ouroboros stands in the eye of the storm.

New London is a city that never sleeps… until now. Storefronts are closed, windows are shuttered, and doors are barred while dark entities terrorizing the streets at night bring indiscriminate death to all. And in broad daylight, a serial killer continues to wreak havoc on the magical community.

Kal will take Ouroboros apart brick-by-brick if he has to, while Sammie has so deeply entrenched herself with the enemy that there’s little hope of their relationship returning to its roots.

In a cruel twist of fate, Fin Macool gets his dearest wish granted, and he leaves Kal’s side. Alone, will Kal & Bell be able to defeat the sea of enemies arrayed against them?

ABOUT REN RYDER

Ren Ryder

My name is Ren Ryder. I’m twenty-six years old, sober, a neurodivergent Aquarius-introvert with a ton of anxiety, and my truest passion in life is writing. Since I wrote There’s No Such Thing As Monsters, I rescued six cats, got my first tattoos, and dyed my hair crazy colors. When I was younger, Fantasy gave me as many worlds as I needed to escape to until I could come back to face the world again. Now I hope my own writing shines a light for others, a light carried by my characters and the worlds they live in.

Website

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Carter Island Review – No More Secrets by Cate Beauman @CateBeauman

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NEW RELEASE

I have read the ten books in Cate Beauman”s LA Bodyguard series and loved them, and I am happy to be back on Carter Island.

No More Secrets (Carter Island, #3)

Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have been lovin’ spending time on Carter Island with some of Cate Beauman’s characters, so having a chance to come back in No More Secrets, I had to dive in.

Hit my sad button in the first chapter, but knowing Cate Beauman, I feel better things are coming and smiles will be in our future.

Cade Paxton and Gwenyth Carter are both on Carter Island for a fresh start. Neither expected or were looking for romance. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t an immediate attraction. They both have open wounds, but as their feelings deepen their attraction and slow burning romance turns to FIRE.

I enjoyed my time on Carter Island with Cade and Gwenyth. The story was predictable and there were no book surprises for me, but this is a great pool/beach romance.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of No More Secrets by Cate Beauman.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Aussie billionaire businessman and pilot Cade Paxton has struggled to put his life back together after suffering a tragic loss. With his purchase of Carter Island Air and recent move to the small Massachusetts island, he sees his chance for a fresh start. Cade’s sole focus is on growing his investment and avoiding romantic entanglements at all costs. But then he hires Rebecca Carter Interiors’ new assistant designer to help him update the aging airport. Cade quickly finds himself fascinated by the sassy beauty who often speaks her mind, talking to him in a way most people wouldn’t dare.

Single mother Gwenyth Carter has recently been through hell. She’s starting over after several months of nasty surprises. Newly divorced and nearly broke, she’s rebuilding her life one step at a time. Gwen’s certain she has everything she needs: her sweet baby girl, a supportive family, and her dream career. She’s endlessly grateful when the lucrative airport project falls into her lap. But Gwen soon realizes that her new job comes with unforeseen complications, mainly the amount of time she’s forced to spend with her gorgeous client and his sexy accent.

Their mutual attraction is undeniable, yet Gwen tries her best to keep a professional distance, even when she recognizes how wonderful Cade is with her daughter. But it isn’t long before Gwen is dealt another unexpected blow that she struggles to handle on her own. Gwen will have no choice but to turn to the one man she’s determined not to want or risk losing what she loves most.

MY REVIEWS FOR CATE BEAUMAN

The Bodyguards of LA County Series (all the books can stand alone)

The Carter Island Trilogy

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Review – Extinction 2038 by P R Garcia #PRGarcia

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Extinction 2038

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

P R Garcia writes some fabulous tales, so I am always eager to get my hands on another one of her books. Extinction 2038 was exactly what I expected and I enjoyed every minute of it.

A find that would change paleontology forever…and also…the world. I do wonder if something like this is possible, considering global warming is melting the glaciers and who knows what is hidden under all that ice.

As I read of the characters who were putting their life on the line, it made me thing of the Covid essential workers. When you read it, I think you may feel the same way.

Twinkles…I love Twinkles. Just like a child, annoying yet so lovable. Even in bad times, a human needs a laugh.

P R Garcia’s books stick with me long after reading. She adds those moments of ecological enlightenment…if we weren’t so into ourselves, maybe we would think of the world we live in and remember Mother Nature has her limits.

As the Antarctic ice thaws, what secrets hidden in its frozen tundra will be exposed? Definitely something to think about. Most of P R Garcia’s work that I have read, like Extinction 2038, hints at the destruction of climate change and I like that. Adds a realistic element.

Extinction 2038 is 242 pages of action and adventure. There were some surprises that I loved and I enjoyed my time spent reading Extinction 2038. My only complaint, I didn’t get lost in it. I would have loved for it to be longer, more intense. I didn’t feel the sense of urgency I wanted.

Never fear, I know we have another book coming from P R Garcia and I will not hesitate to pick it up and read it. I highly recommend her work and, even though, Extinction 2038 is not one of my favorites, I enjoyed my time spent in the Antarctic.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Extinction 2038 by P R Garcia.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Imagine a world with no electricity, no internet, no communications, no transportation. This is what three scientists face when they are trapped in Antarctica, their rescuers killed by an ancient virus their colleague unleashed. Despite the best attempts, the virus has spread across the globe, killing animal life indiscriminately. Within weeks, more than half of humanity is gone. The streets are littered with the rotting corpses of animals and people. Not even rats or flies are left to help clean up the mess.
If they can make it to the Australian Research Station, they might survive the forthcoming winter. If not, they will freeze to death within days. But even if they can reach the Station, it can only keep them alive until spring. Somehow they have to find a way off Antarctica, but how? And a more compelling question – why hasn’t the virus affected them? Why are they still alive?

ABOUT P R GARCIA

P.R. Garcia

P.R. Garcia grew up in rural Michigan and is the youngest of three. She became a lover of Science Fiction at an early age when her parents took her to the movies. She was hooked the moment she heard Patricia Neal tell the robot Gort in The Day the Earth Stood Still “Klaatu barada nikto”. Inspired by what was possible, she and her dog spent many days in the fields behind her home fighting aliens and investigating unexplored planets. Her love continued to grow, and while in high school, the series Star Trek hit television, boosting her fascination with what might be out there. Her friends still comment on how she skipped the football games to stay home and watch each episode. When in her thirties, she became an award-winning basket weaver and continued in this craft for three decades. Upon retiring from her job of thirty years, she moved to San Diego, California. She volunteered for five years as a guide on the Whale Watching Boats, teaching people from around the world about the Pacific Ocean’s aquatic life.

At sixty-two, Ms. Garcia began to write her Europa Saga, a tantalizing, ten-part sci-fi series of intrigue, suspense, and mystery. Her saga is a fresh retelling of the story of Atlantis and its inhabitants. The books span six thousand years and four generations. Her story launched her into the world of a best-selling author.

Global warming, deforestation, pollution of our air and water, species loss, and the devastation of Earth itself are all subjects dear to Ms. Garcia’s heart. She has incorporated those themes into her later books, including books seven through nine of the Europa Saga and Extinction 2038. Her upcoming book Guardians of Earth and the sequel Guardians of Earth II, which should be released in early 2021, also deals with these subjects. If you’d like information on ways you can help stop global warming and other green topics, sign up for her newsletter.

Ms. Garcia also writes children’s books. A Cat for William is based on an authentic story about how a stray cat helps a man cope with a disabling disease. She is working on two more children’s books: The Story of Sudan: The Last Northern White Male Rhino and The Christmas Crayons, a story about a homeless boy who finds happiness in a box of crayons on Christmas Day. For more information, go to her web page: http://www.prgarcia1.com.

For a free copy of book 1 EUROPA Awakenings, go to: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view…

MY P R GARCIA REVIEWS

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Dark Humor – One Tough Bastard by Adam Howe @Adam_G_Howe

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EARLY REVIEW – One Tough Bastard by Adam Howe will release on 3.1.21

One Tough Bastard

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

As soon as I saw the cover, I thought of Planet of the Apes. Then, as I began reading, I thought of Clint Eastwood in Any Which Way of Loose…but so much more twisted.

Adam Howe does write some in your face, way out there stories and I love spending time in his dark, wacky, perverted worlds.

Shane Moxie is a despicable person, but he does have his moments.

At times, I couldn’t keep myself from laughing out loud.

For all you cinephobes out there, One Tough Bastard by Adam Howe is full of movie and actor references.

I always have difficulty describing Adam Howe’s work. The characters are unique, original, crass, and even seem totally off the wall, at times, but when the ‘chimps’ are down, they are there, dodging bullets and knives.

One Tough Bastard by Adam Howe was not one of my favorite stories by him, but I did enjoy my visit.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of One Tough Bastard by Adam Howe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Shane Moxie: A washed-up 80s action star
who refuses to believe his best days are behind him…

Duke: A hyper-intelligent chimpanzee
and arguably the greatest animal actor of his generation…

Reunited for an anniversary movie screening, when Moxie and Duke are targeted by assassins, the feuding co-stars reluctantly join forces to smash an organized crime syndicate headed by an iconic German action star dealing death from his movie-themed fast food franchise.

One’s a big dumb animal
The other’s a chimpanzee
Shit just got real

From Adam Howe, writer of Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet and Tijuana Donkey Showdown, and the winner of Stephen King’s On Writing contest, comes a ‘buddy’ comedy in the tradition of Lethal Weapon, 48 Hours, and Tango & Cash, and a love letter to the gory glory days of 80s/90s action cinema. One Tough Bastard will turn you into a goddamn sexual tyrannosaurus… just like its author.

ABOUT ADAM HOWE

Adam Howe

Adam Howe writes the twisted fiction your mother warned you about. A British writer of fiction and screenplays, he lives in London with his partner, their daughter, and a hellhound named Gino. Writing as Garrett Addams, his short story Jumper was chosen by Stephen King as the winner of the international On Writing contest, and published in the paperback/Kindle editions of King’s memoir. His fiction has appeared in places like Nightmare Magazine, Thuglit, Mythic Delirium, and Year’s Best Hardcore Horror Volume 1. He is the author of Tijuana Donkey Showdown, and two novella collections, Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet, and Black Cat Mojo. In the pipeline: the occult thriller Scapegoat, co-written with James Newman, a horror/crime collaboration with Adam Cesare, and 80s action throwback, One Tough Bastard.

Stalk him at Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter

MY ADAM HOWE REVIEWS

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A Little Horror For The Holidays – Zombie Santa Claus by Astrid Addams #AstridAddams

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How about a little horror for Christmas?

Zombie Santa Claus

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I don’t buy many books, but when I saw Zombie Santa Claus and the good cause the proceeds from the sale of this short story was for, I had to have it.

I love the great cover for Zombie Santa Claus by Astrid Addams. This short story is horrorlicious and could be taken as a warning. Have all you parents been good this year?

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Zombie Santa Claus: Axe Murderer Edition

It was Christmas Eve and the twins wanted to go and see Santa Claus. Mother wasn’t sure, but they’d been so good lately hadn’t they? After all, what was the worst that could happen?

Have you been naughty or nice?
Be warned because the naughty will be punished and only the weak scream.

Have you said something you shouldn’t have?
Be warned because Snitches get Gifted!

All author proceeds are being donated to Bacchus Residents Rescue.

MY ASTRID ADDAMS REVIEWS

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