The Rules in Rome by A.L. Sowards

A Thrilling World War 2 Historical, with a Dash of Romance I admit, historicals aren’t my favorite reads. But when they’re really, really good, I like them. This one is really good. This is a gripping and deadly story of valiant men and women, battling against the enemy in Nazi-occupied Italy. From sending coded messages back to the allies, to impersonating a German officer, the courage of these characters is amazing and inspiring. What did I think? First, the setting and the history was amazing. […]

February 25, 2016 | 0 Comments

Eleanor and the Iron King by Julie Daines

A Medieval Romance that Feels like a fairy tale! From the description on Amazon, I thought this was going to be a fantasy. While there are some mysterious things happening, this is really a medieval romance. It reads a bit like a fairy tale, and I have no idea if its historically accurate. I’m assuming it is, but if it’s not I don’t really care. It feels very medieval and historic, and I loved it. What did I think? I loved pretty much everything about […]

February 23, 2016 | 0 Comments

Escape to Eden by Rachel McClellan

A Fun, Plot-twisty Young Adult Dystopian Thriller Enhanced DNA can give you awesome superpowers, but it comes with a price—a shortened lifespan. When “Primes” have been genetically designed to the point that they’re no longer altogether human, pure human DNA to extend your life becomes a priceless commodity. If you’re one of the remaining few “Originals,” everyone is hunting you. Escape to Eden takes a few of the tropes from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld (two of […]

February 19, 2016 | 0 Comments

Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt

Although I’m part of a book tour, I bought my own copy of Pimpernel. Leverage. Mission Impossible. Pimpernel. Yep. If you like those first two, you’re going to love Pimpernel! Although Pimpernel is marketed as a romantic suspense—and there is enough romance to make that an accurate description—I was so much more intrigued with the suspense part of the story. There were secret identities, twists and turns, cons within cons, with just a bit of romance. Pimpernel seriously reminded me of some of my favorite […]

February 18, 2016 | 0 Comments

Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram

Fun Female Superpowers! This book has been on my To Read list for several years. I finally got to it—and I really liked it! This is a pretty great read if you like super-powers and teenagers. A good mix of high school angst, young love, and dealing with the sudden onset of powers you can’t control. What did I think? The characters were interesting and funny. I loved the interplay between Jamie and Ryan. I liked the super-powers part of the story. There were some […]

February 16, 2016 | 0 Comments

Nameless by Jennifer Jenkins

A girl. A boy. Clans at war—and things get complicated. In a near primitive society, the four clans are at war. Three of the clans decide to work together against the violent Rams. Zo is a healer and will do anything to stop future violence and killing—including becoming a slave to the Ram clan, a guaranteed death sentence. But… of course, there’s a but. And there’s a boy—a Ram named Gryphon. And things get complicated. What did I think? This is such an awesome story. […]

February 12, 2016 | 0 Comments

Woven by Michael Jensen

A Delightful YA Fantasy! This is a wonderful Young Adult book, but Middle Graders and adults will enjoy it, too. It has classic fantasy elements, as well as lots of original ideas. I loved the magic system—with sorcerors, witches, and even ghosts. Filled with adventure and intrigue, I’d definitely place this in the epic fantasy category, but without the longer passages that sometimes bog down that category in books targeted to adult readers. This is great writing from two debut authors. I look forward to […]

February 11, 2016 | 0 Comments

The Stranger’s Obituary by Jessica L. Randall

A Trip Back to Auburn This is book 2 in the Obituary Society, but it works as a stand-alone. I loved the first book, The Obituary Society, so much that I purchased this one the very second I finished the first one. This is the story of two sisters who couldn’t be more different—and yet, they both have a strength that’s admirable. They interact with various characters in the town, so we get to see some of the ones we loved from book one. What […]

February 9, 2016 | 0 Comments

{Review + Giveaway} Not Always Happenstance by Rachael Anderson

A Magical Romance series by 12 best-selling authors! Not Always Happenstance is part of The Power of the Matchmaker series. While each book is a stand-alone read, they all contain the recurring character of Pearl, the matchmaker. The story of Lani and Easton is takes place against the backdrop of Hawaii. I loved the rich descriptions and culture that weave through the story almost as a counterpoint to the plot. I really felt like I was there. Pearl is back on the job as matchmaker […]

February 5, 2016 | 0 Comments

The Obituary Society by Jessica L. Randall

Part mystery, part romance, part paranormal twists. This is definitely what I’d call a cozy mystery—there’s a mystery to be solved and Lila is an amateur. But it is also strong on romance, a woman finding her place in a new town, and there’s a bit of a paranormal aspect as well. Just the kind of book I love to read! What did I think? Oh. My. Gosh. I loved this. It needed a better proofreading—and the errors pulled me out of the story. It […]

February 2, 2016 | 0 Comments

{Review + Giveaway} Lost King by H.B. Moore

Part Spy Thriller, Part Historical Lost King is book #2 in the Omar Zagouri series. The series includes Finding Sheba (book 1, which I read and liked) and Beneath (a novella, which I have not yet read). Like Finding Sheba, which alternates between the current day adventures of Omar Zaguori and the historical story of Queen of Sheba, Lost King alternates between Zaguori and the Egyptian female pharaoh we now refer to as Hatshepsut. The interplay between story of the lost scrolls which might change […]

January 28, 2016 | 1 Comment

{Review + Giveaway} The Undead Road by David Powers King

A Clever & Not too Freaky Zombie Book! Some zombie books are just too much—too freaky, too scary, too much blood and guts. For example, The Walking Dead. (Yes, I know. It’s a tv show, not a book.) After the first season, I quit watching because it quickly became a weekly bloodfest and I just got tired of it. The Undead Road by David Powers King is NOT like that. It’s a wonderful story of family, courage, friendship and loyalty, set against a backdrop of […]

January 21, 2016 | 0 Comments

{Review} Keeping June by Shannen Crane Camp

A Sweet End to a Wonderful Series This is the last book in the June series. I have read all of them and loved each one. In the first book, Finding June, June is only 16 and starting a career as an actress. It is definitely a Young Adult novel and would be enjoyed by teen readers and adults who like YA fiction. Over the course of the books, Chasing June (book 2) and Catching June (book 3), June grows older, goes to college, and […]

January 14, 2016 | 0 Comments

The Secret Life of Daydreams by Lucinda Whitney

A Sweet, Clean Debut Romance Sometimes “debut” means not quite up to the competition, but that’s not the case with The Secret Life of Daydreams. It’s well-written and kept my interest through the entire story. I look forward to reading more from this author. Sofia and Josh first meet when he is in Portugal on an LDS mission. He taught Sofia about his religion and she joined the church. This story takes place years later, when Sofia and Josh meet again. Because of the issues […]

January 12, 2016 | 0 Comments

{Review + Giveaway} Broken Things to Mend by Karey White

A Magical Romance series by 12 best-selling authors! Broken Things to Mend is part of The Power of the Matchmaker series. While each book is a stand-alone read, they all contain the recurring character of Pearl, the matchmaker. This is the story of Celia and Silas. They both had an extremely difficult childhood that set them up for heartache and distrust. When Celia shows up in Silas’ home town, he wouldn’t have even given her a second thought if she hadn’t been introduced to him […]

January 8, 2016 | 0 Comments