The Mark by Steven Evans

In the first book of the series, our protagonist is drowning in grief after the loss of his wife and daughter. He attempts to commit suicide in a long and drawn out way - alcoholism. He attracts a demon to him, and even when he decides to sober up and live his life, she follows and torments him. He is saved by his daughter and thinks that he can move on with his life.
After moving to a new town, which is serene and picturesque, he begins to realize that his life is not going to be getting back to normal. The townspeople are unfriendly at best, and their behavior is puzzling. He does a little research into the town's history and discovers some fascinating information. He befriends a man who tells him to stop digging. Meanwhile, the demon has returned and is haunting him again. Will he ever be rid of her? Will the townspeople ever welcome him as one of their own?

I loved the first book in the series because it was very bold and emotional. The choices that the main character made to deal with his grief were very tragic, and the supernatural elements were delightfully disturbing. He is definitely a character you can sympathize with and root for.
This book was EVEN better than the first. There is an air of mystery about the town and even the demon woman, Weeping Willow. The man's snarky behavior and witty comebacks are hilarious, and the rise and fall of the plot of this book literally had me shouting and laughing. I am so thrilled that I had the opportunity to edit this book. I can't wait for the third in the series!
Great job, Mr. Evans! 

Book available for purchase soon.
Check out Steven Evans on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StevenEvansAuthor/

Crown's Shield by Frost Kay

Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5

Sage has been discovered by Tehl and Sam. Despite escaping the castle, she isn't free, and she must continue to make sacrifices to ensure the safety of her family and her country. In this installment, Sage is named liaison between the rebellion and the crown. She fulfills her role as best she can until the rebellion makes a demand that changes everything...

This series has a way of drawing you in. At this point, I am totally invested in the characters and the storyline. In the first book, Sage proves herself to be a strong and independent yet reasonably kind and vulnerable person. At times, her recklessness and stubbornness are a bit irritating. In this book, we get just a few glimpses of her inner self again, and she is truly fascinating. She has a strong sense of duty, which compels her to do things - that she abhors - for the greater good. And she has talents and charisma that others are attracted to. However, in reality she is totally broken. She does not know where she belongs, and (like Sam - which is why they understand each other so well) she has been playing a role for so long that she does not even know who she really is, other than that she loves her family and her country and would do almost anything to protect them.
Some of the elements of this series are a little hard to swallow - they feel a little artificial. Sage is sort of a larger-than-life heroine who can scale buildings, manipulate people with feminine wiles, win any sword fight, and still look like a Victoria's Secret model (ok that last one might be an exaggeration). The bottom line is that she isn't a particularly nice person (not that you would expect her to be after all she's been through), yet everyone seems enamored of her. Her temper is a little too hot - she throws daggers at people with little to no provocation. I will be interested to see her character growth throughout this series. She's clearly trapped and not really handing it well.

(viewspoiler)SPOILER The major twist of this story does feel a little forced. The rebels demand that Sage marry Tehl in order to sign a peace treaty and avoid a civil war. The rebels' treatment of Sage is really just mind-boggling to me. On the one hand, they all seem to adore her. But on the other hand, they have a tendency to just exclude and use her. I am not certain why they would have thought that a marriage would be the best way to secure peace. Although, for the sake of the plot, it makes for a really great story. And the fact that Serge/Rhys suggested it and then abducted Sage at the end of the story might mean that it will be explained better later on.
I can understand why Sage would not like Tehl, although so often throughout the series I have just been saying, "Come on, girl, just give him a chance!" My prediction is that they will become good friends. They seem to actually have a little bit of fun with their charade of a marriage throughout the book, even though both would be loath to admit it. END SPOILER 

I was glad to see more of Rafe in this book, as well as Sam. I am wondering where Sam's story is going to lead. Some of the revelations about him were a little shocking. Marc's presence was missed, as was Gav's to some extent. I'd love to see more of them.
I LOVED the addition of Lilja and Hayjen, though, and I am looking forward to Siren's Lure so much.

Overall, a good read. Despite the semi-questionable plot devices, the book is written really well. I am looking forward to the next one :-)  

Purchase the books in the series by following the links below: 

Book 1: Rebel's Blade
Book 2: Crown's Shield
Siren's Lure (A part of the Fire and Fantasy UF set)

Dark Experiments by Lana Campbell

Genre: Paranormal romance/mystery
Rating: 4.5/5

Tiffany Peebles has just gotten a job as an IT tech at a small OBGYN vampire clinic. Her dear friend, Christian is one of the doctors there. Their chemistry has been off the charts for many years, and they both know that eventually they will have to figure out how to define their relationship, especially since they will be working closely together. As if their relationship issues were not stressful enough, a series of miscarriages occur at the clinic, and the doctors scramble to figure out what is causing them before more deaths occur...

I accidentally read this one before the first book (Forever and a Night), but it ended up not being a problem. I was able to follow along well, and I had no problem feeling an investment and a love for the characters.
I really LOVED this book. It's quite long, but it was written well (despite the fact that the editing/proofreading could have been better) so I didn't become fatigued with reading it: I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened! I was truly fascinated in particular by the addition of faith into this book. Christian, Tiffany, and her family members talk about God, salvation, prayers, and faith in general throughout the book. This is something totally unique - I have never encountered a vampire book like this. Generally, vampires are treated as abominations in literature. In some places (like Buffy) they are actually demons that have inhabited the bodies of dead people. I love it when authors do unexpected things!
There were other things in the book also gave a fresh take on the genre - vampires are actually able to have children, they mate for life, and blood bonding between mates unlocks a few notable powers.
This story had romance, mystery, and intrigue! I was really on the edge of my seat as the book progressed. I kept second guessing myself, and I was surprised with how things turned out. The single aspect of this book that I didn't enjoy as much was the sex scenes. I really liked Christian and Tiffany's relationship in general, though! 
I have the first book, so I will definitely be reading that one asap.
AWESOME job, Lana Campbell! <3

Purchase the series here:
Book 1: Forever and a Night
Book 2: Dark Experiments
Book 3: Deadly Secrets (coming September 2017)

The Vrai Domicile by Courtney Ruggles

Genre: Dystopian

Rating: 5/5

Q wakes up in a dark room. She remembers going into the muerte. People had taken their masks off and she was going to be a martyr. It turns out, they decided to keep her alive in order to use her influence to bring the people back into submission. She and B are allowed to be together, but the cost is high. She must decide if she can live with manipulating the people back into blindly following the elders or if she is willing to sacrifice it all to free them.

This series is just so heartbreaking, partly because (as with most dystopian novels) the people in it almost seem familiar. They have been making the choice for so long to trade their freedom for safety/a roof over their heads/free meals, and those in power are more than willing to manipulate them because of that. On the surface, their lives are ok. Money isn't exchanged, their every need is provided for, they get enough food, they aren't subjected to hard physical labor. In the last book, Q was married off to a Guerrier and started experiencing some abuse, which was unfortunately sanctioned by the elders. But because of her grandmother, she understood that just because the elders said it was acceptable, that didn't mean it was. Because of her grandmother - one of the only remaining people living who had experienced the outside - she had dangerous ideas about individuality, fresh air, and love. The man she loved had taken her outside to feel the sun on her face, and they had taken off their masks together. She was willing to sacrifice her own life in order to show the people of the sixth domicile just a tiny bit of that freedom. She thought she had succeeded.

Throughout the book, she is emotionally and mentally tortured by a system (elders) who know just what strings to pull to make her compliant. This book is very disturbing, and the ending isn't a happy one. I am eager that there are going to be more books because I want to see this resolved.
I do think it is important for people to read books like these. Freedom is important, but it does come with consequences. All of us have to ultimately make the choice to be free or to be compliant. We have to be watchful that those freedoms are not eroded by those in power who know how to manipulate us.

Purchase the books in this series by following the links below:
The Sixth Domicile
The Vrai Domicile
The Sauvage Domicile

VRES: Digital Quest by Zoe Adams

Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5

Felix and Erica are beta testers for a new virtual reality game. As hard-core gamers, they have been training for this for years. They know what to do, how to level up, and how to create a fun gaming atmosphere. They plug in and begin the experience, meeting friend and foe - and each other. Their relationship gets off to a rocky start. Soon they have to decide whether or not to trust one another. Not all is as it seems in this virtual reality world...
This book is a really great exploration of what gamers have been dreaming of for years - virtual reality! The imagery was really well done. I loved how the author added the details about gameplay - the feel of the weapons, the difficulty of the quests, and the interaction with both real and computerized characters. I play World of Warcraft, and my husband and I have often talked about how much of an amazing experience VR would be. One of the first things that really struck me was that Erica was able to immerse herself in the game and just wail on some creepy, awful guys who were harassing her. It was really fun to watch her be someone else (at times, kind of a jerk to Felix) because it was clear that the game was her escape. Her life, as readers come to find out, was a not pleasant one.
The evolution of Felix and Erica's relationship was awesome to watch.
Thank you for this fun VR book, Zoe Adams!

Purchase this book here:
VRES: Digital Quest

Waiting for Gideon by Kristy Nicolle

Genre: Fantasy/Romance (Short story)
Rating: 5/5
Patience is a recently graduated art student working at Dairy Queen. During one particularly crummy shift, a handsome stranger comes in and orders a Blizzard. After some shenanigans ensue with a couple of creepy villains, Patience and Gideon leave Dairy Queen in his Mustang. Patience quickly learns that Gideon is not a normal person... They spend an exciting evening together, and the rest is history.  

Kristy Nicolle is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors ever. I absolutely adored "Something Blue," a dystopian romance, so I joined her group and started following her on Facebook. It turns out that Something Blue was sort of an anomaly for her, and she has this whole other mermaid universe going on!
I have the first three books of the Tidal Kiss Trilogy, but I have been bogged down with so many other things that I have not had time to sit down and read them. When she released this prequel, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get an introduction to the series.
I was not disappointed! Kristy has such an amazing talent with words. Gideon and Patience are very likable, and you immediately find yourself drawn in and rooting for them. I don't know anything about how their story turns out apart from the "present day" scenes, but the promise of the heartbreak, adventures, and struggles to come is really wonderful. I am even more eager than ever to begin reading the main series. I know Kristy has put a lot of thought into the universe, and I am excited about "diving in." :-)

Purchase the series by following the links below:
Waiting for Gideon
The Kiss that Killed Me
The Kiss that Saved Me
The Kiss that Changed Me

Transient Echoes by J.N. Cheney

Genre: Dystopian Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5

Mae and John thought Terry died when the Ortego building was destroyed. Mae gets the opportunity to go back to the site a few years later, having convinced the brass that she wants to recover some of the technology. She really wants to find out what happened to Terry. John, who is in the military, comes to join her where she and her team are camping. Will they be able to find out what happened to Terry before the project gets shut down?
Meanwhile, on an unknown planet, Terry is struggling daily to survive. He is in an alien place with alien food, plants, and wildlife. He discovers the ruins of some sort of civilization, but no people. He wonders if variant killed this planet as well. Will he be able to survive this place? Will he ever have any hope of getting home?

The sections in this book about Terry's adventures on the unknown world were what made this book phenomenal. The author did a great job of creating an alien world with its own unique elements.
I was less impressed with the sections about Mae and John. In particular, they are supposed to be dating, but we don't get to see any romance or much of anything between them. They are almost the same as in the first book. Mae just has more authority and training. Their tireless efforts to get to the anomaly in the basement of the Ortego building are important, but they are not as exciting as what is going on with Terry. It's still an excellent book!

Purchase the series using the links below:
Book 1: The Amber Project
Book 2: Transient Echoes
Book 3: Hope Everlasting
Book 4: The Vernal Memory

The Turning by Phil Price

Genre: Paranormal Thriller
Rating: 5/5

Jake and Katherine are living in a new home and have a new baby girl. Jake's parents have moved closer to him, and they are all hoping to live their lives in peace. The danger and adventures from Lickey Hills and Amatoll Forest are just memories now- or so they think. Unfortunately, Elias is not done with them yet. He comes back to wreak havoc and stir up their lives. Jake has more to lose now than ever, and he is thrust back into the mayhem.

Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that this book was a ride! I felt like the beginning of this story was a bit more stable than that of the first book (Not as much jumping around with characters and time periods.) It's not a mystery - it's a thriller. Since the characters are established, we get a more in depth look at them. The interactions with Jake and his family were just great. We also get to see a few different kinds of people in Amatoll (the Cravens and the evil evil people on an island that even Elias wants to stay away from). The forests have continued to mutate and are now filled with ghosts and wraiths. Jake is more knowledgeable about what needs to be done with the vampires now, but they also know what he is capable of. It's not about Korgan anymore, it's about revenge.

I loved this book, and I can't wait for the last in the series!

Purchase the books in the series here:

Book 1: Unknown
Book 2: The Turning
Book 3: (Coming Soon!)

The World Between the Trees by C Freeland

Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5/5

Jake and Ryan have visited their special spot in the forest often as children. They know that it's a unique and wonderful place, but they don't know how special it is. Years later, it's been forgotten by Ryan, even though Jake has asked his brother to return with him. When Jake goes missing, the family is beside themselves with grief, thinking that they will never see him again. One day, someone shows up at their doorstep, claiming that Jake has sent him to find Ryan. Ryan and Shiloh, the boys' Jake and Ryan have visited their special spot in the forest often as children. They know that it's a unique and wonderful place, but they don't know how special it is. Years later, it's been forgotten by Ryan, even though Jake has asked his brother to return with him. When Jake goes missing, the family is beside themselves with grief, thinking that they will never see him again. One day, someone shows up at their doorstep, claiming that Jake has sent him to find Ryan. Ryan and Shiloh, the boys' best friend, decide to follow the strange tall man into the forest, thinking that the risk is worth a shot if they can find Jake. Where has Jake gone? Is this strange ethereal place they visited as children real or just part of Jake's and Ryan's imagination? When Ryan and Shiloh pass over to the other world, they are immediately thrown into a thrilling adventure with witches, shape-shifters, giants, and more. They must be careful who they trust, and they must do all they can to fight the evil that is spreading throughout this new world. First of all, this book is incredibly well written! It really drew me in from page one. I read a lot of books, and I will just say that this author is very talented. There are wonderful descriptions throughout the book that help paint a beautiful picture. The characters are genuine. The universe is well thought out. I can see this author really going places - I was so super impressed! This is an awesome piece of literature. I would highly recommend it to anyone! There is a lot more that could be done with this universe (I am hoping to see more books after this, but even if it's not turned into a series, this is an author to watch. I might just be one-clicking all of her books!) (

Unknown by Phil Price

Genre: Paranormal/Mystery
Rating: 5/5

Around the world, in different time periods, people are going missing. Jake Stevenson, who has just lost his wife and child, becomes involved in an investigation concerning several of the missing people - most notably a man named Guzman whose fingerprints have been found at the scene of a violent murder. The only problem is, Guzman would be over 80 years old now. As Jake delves more into the mystery, he is transported to another world with creatures he never knew existed. There is a lot that goe Around the world, in different time periods, people are going missing. Jake Stevenson, who has just lost his wife and child, becomes involved in an investigation concerning several of the missing people - most notably a man named Guzman whose fingerprints have been found at the scene of a violent murder. The only problem is, Guzman would be over 80 years old now. As Jake delves more into the mystery, he is transported to another world with creatures he never knew existed. There is a lot that goes on in this book, especially in the beginning. It is a little confusing and hard to piece together until you get a few chapters in. At that point, it becomes clear that there are many seemingly unrelated things that tie together. There are lots of characters and lots of points of view, but the character development is still great. The supernatural elements are well thought out, and there is plenty of intrigue, suspense, and horror. Despite the fact that my time is so limited, I found myself thinking about this book a lot and wanting to sit down and read it. I actually read it semi-simultaneously with the second book, The Turning, and it ended up being ok! (Some spoilers but not anything too bad). Great job, Mr. Price! Purchase the series by clicking on the links below: Book 1: Unknown Book 2: The Turning Book 3: (Coming Soon!)

Host by Erin Lee

At the end of Alters, Lola is out of Rosewood, thinking that her alters have merged into one personality. She misses them, but she is in the process of trying to move on with her life outside of the mental institution. In Host, she wakes up one day with foggy memories of one of her alters (Clare) having resurfaced. They only tricked her into believing that they merged. They now want to experience life outside Rosewood to the fullest...
In this installment, Lola and her alters have a larger variety of experiences. She gets reacquainted with her family, and she learns about the Internet and all it has to offer. Her experience is so disjointed because all of the alters are eager to get their turn in the real world. Lola is more confident, but she is also confused and fearful that her family and her doctors will discover that her alters did not merge and send her back to Rosewood.
The experiences of the alters when they take turns controlling Lola's body are quite heartbreaking. Since two of the alters are male, this causes some nasty name-calling and even some physical abuse at one point. Other people whom she or the alters confide in treat her like a "freak" in some instances. She does have several people who are truly kind and supportive, which is really wonderful. There are some revelations about her family in this book that put things in an entirely different perspective as well.
In this book, where Lola is "free" for the first time in 30 years, we see more how people with mental illnesses are received, and it is truly heartbreaking. This is a wonderful series, and I look forward to the next installment!

Purchase the books in this series by following the links below:
Book 1: Alters
Book 2: Host (Coming August 26)
Book 3: Merge (Coming September 9)

Alters by Erin Lee

Lola has 7 other people sharing her body. As a woman living with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder), Lola's alters take turns controlling her (the Host's) body. She has been in a mental health facility for around thirty years, and she remembers only bits and pieces. These personalities are not figments of her imagination; they are real people trapped inside of her with their own memories, thought processes, desires, and ideas. The personalities have meetings and eventually decide that they have to get Lola out of Rosewood at any cost...

Before I read this book, I knew almost nothing about DID. I knew the disorder only by the old name: Multiple Personality Disorder. This book was truly educational for me because (and I am ashamed to admit this) before this book, if someone were to have told me that they had multiple people living inside of them, or they said they were someone else one day, I would immediately have written them off as insane and not taken them seriously at all. It blows my mind that this actually happens to people. The psychology behind it makes sense - a new personality can be born during a traumatic time to help the host cope.
The detail of this book is one of the things that makes it so great. The personalities literally talk about how much physical space inside of Lola's body that they have to move around in. They theorize about why they are there (reincarnation?) and they wonder about what will happen if they merge into one personality. They keep secrets from one another. They interact in such a believable and organic way. There's not just a whole lot of actual action that happens - it's mostly conversations within Lola's mind. But it's truly fascinating. They are real!
This book will stretch your mind!
As others have pointed out, it's not a particularly short book, but it feels short because it really draws you in. Well worth the read for anyone of almost any age! Well done, Erin Lee!

Purchase this book (and the other two in the series) by clicking on these links: (Not an affiliate link :-) )

Book 2 - Host (Coming August 26)_
Book 3 - Merge (Coming September 9)

The Aurora Stone by Alana Greig

Genre: YA Epic Fantasy/Coming of Age 
Rating: 4.75/5

Evangeline is an elf who has just come of age. An elder gives her a stone and tells her of a prophecy that she is destined to fulfill. She sets off on her quest, stopping in the realm of the witches first. There, she meets Caleb. As Caleb and Eva travel to the various realms gathering allies, they discover a strength within themselves that they did not know existed. Evangeline learns more about her past, some of it heartbreaking. Defeating the great evil that has invaded the land will be costly, but Eva and Caleb are determined to do whatever it takes.

There is just that little "something" about this book that made it really stick with me. I don't read a whole lot of epic fantasy (although, I do enjoy Terry Brooks and JRR Tolkien on occasion), but this book was really refreshing and exciting to read. I loved the setup - there are multiple realms in this world: witches, vampires, elves, etc. - and it is a really rich setting. There are multitudinous ways that the author could go with the stories in this universe, and I find that to be incredibly exciting.

The characters were well done, and the lessons learned were important. Great job, Alana Greig! I look forward to reading more of your work! (I am definitely planning on making this series a part of my children's library when they are older!) This book just made me happy! :-)

Other ratings (potential spoilers):

Violence: Medium - There was some violence in this book in the forms of magic and other paranormal types of things happening. It's not extremely graphic, but some of the things that happen could be considered disturbing to some young people. There is mind control, and the main villain kills quite a few people.

Profanity: None - Hardly any course language.

Sexuality: None - There was only sweet and innocent interactions between the two main characters. They are clearly romantically interested in each other, but there was no sexuality in this book.

Purchase this book using the affiliate link below:
NOTE: I helped edit/proofread this book.

Midnight Moss by Carissa Ann Lynch

Genre: YA Paranormal/Mystery
Rating: 4.5/5
Dorothea has moved into her grandmother's old mansion in a town called Black Cat Springs. As soon as she arrives, she begins to have strange and cryptic dreams. In her explorations around her neighborhood, she discovers a strange fence that has an almost magnetic pull on her. Behind the fence is a thick forest and a lake. As she begins to meet the townspeople and learn more about the history of the lake, she slowly discovers that she is a part of a world of magic, mystery, and danger.
I enjoyed this book because it is a well paced mystery with lots of little interesting twists and turns.

All the characters are quite well written, and the paranormal elements were well thought out. There are some great bits of foreshadowing that indicate that the author put care into crafting the story. Since this is an introductory book, things were introduced slowly. We get to discover the magical elements of the world as Dorothea does. The point of view shifts from her to another character about midway, and this adds another layer to the book.

My single complaint was that the end felt a bit rushed, and I wished we would have delved more into the magical and paranormal aspects (but I suspect that subsequent books will have plenty of that).
I enjoyed this book immensely! The writing was really excellent.

Other ratings (potential spoilers):

Violence: Mild - There is very little violence in the book. At one point, someone describes killing am monster, but it isn't graphic. There is very little that could be potentially disturbing. There is some "grave robbing" mentioned at one point, but that is more creepy than anything. There is only one "jump scare" type moment, but it's fairly anomalous.

Profanity: Mild - Almost no course language.

Sexuality: Mild - Sex is only referred to or insinuated. There are no graphic scenes.

Purchase the book using the affiliate link below:
NOTE: I helped edit this book.

Chrysalis by Maria Macdonald

Genre: YA Paranormal/Coming of Age/Romance
Rating: 4.5/5

Emery has grown up in the foster system thinking that she has no family and no loved ones to care for her. One day, her life changes when she fights back against some bullies in an alley. She discovers that she has powers, and she also finds out that she has a brother: Elijah. He takes her to a safe house where there are others like her and starts to answer some of her questions about who she is and what she can do (although, he cannot answer her questions fast enough to satisfy her intense curiosity for what is happening to her). She meets a gorgeous man named Kade, who has strange shifting eyes and learns that she has a powerful and unique connection to him. As she learns more about herself and this world of magic and light and dark houses, her powers grow and she is continually thrust into a fight for her life.

I enjoyed this book so much because it is full of constant twists and turns. The way the book is structured is brilliant because it gives you almost a feeling like you can't catch your breath - which is exactly how the main character is feeling throughout the book. She is confused and disoriented at first, and she constantly asks questions. This parallels what the reader experiences. More things are revealed little by little, shocking things happen, and the story becomes more and more interesting and immersive. This is one of the most action packed books I have read this year.

I loved the character development in this book. Each character was realistically written and had lots of great character traits as well as flaws that made the book enjoyable. In particular, her evolving relationship with Kade was really frustrating (in a good way).
My only complaint was that it was so action packed that it was hard to pinpoint the actual rise and fall of a true plot. It really worked for this book, however. I am truly looking forward to the next installment. There are some huge and heartbreaking things that happened in this book that I am hoping get resolved.

Thank you, Maria Macdonald, for an excellent piece of Paranormal literature!

Other Ratings:

Violence: Mild - Although there are some people who are killed in this book, there is nothing too graphic or disturbing.

Profanity: Mild - No excessive use of curse words.

Sexuality: Mild - Sex is merely discussed. There are no sex scenes, and there really isn't anything other than passionate kissing.

Purchase this book using the affiliate link below:
(NOTE: I helped edit this book!)

Sweet Nightmares by Zizi Cole

Genre: Paranormal/Mystery/Romance
Rating: 4.25/5

Alexandrea has returned home after a tragic occurrence - her parents have been murdered. Her grief is multiplied when she is haunted by nightmares - she begins to wonder if she is a monster. Did she kill her parents? If not, who did? Why? She reconnects with her old boyfriend, Jake, who helps her through this difficult time in her life. Along with her clairvoyant cousin, Mia, Alexandrea tries to get to the bottom of what is going on.

This book is a bit mystery, a bit thriller, and a bit romance. Alexandrea has a very warm and supportive group of people around her to help her through this difficult time. It is exciting to see her discover things about her heritage throughout the book. There is a lot of suspense, and I was constantly guessing as to who the murderer might be. Things got really interesting when we learned about some of the supernatural forces at play.
I loved the scenes about the Book of Shadows and the discussions about the sigil. I really hope we get to see more of the supernatural aspects in the next book.

My only complaint was that it felt a little light on the paranormal elements!

A well crafted, thrilling, and (at times) creepy book. I am looking forward to the next installment!

Other ratings:

Violence: Heavy - There are some reasonably graphic scenes in this book. Throat slashing, hearts beating outside of a body, eyeballs dangling, blood dripping, shooting, and stabbing. It is sometimes disturbing, and it described thoroughly.

Profanity: Medium- There is profanity, but it is not used excessively. A word, F bomb, S word, etc. These were not overused.

Sexuality: Mild - There is almost no sexuality in this book apart from one scene. There is nothing explicit, only implied.

Purchase this book using the affiliate link below:

NOTE: I helped edit this book!

Francine's New Name by Caitlin McCulloch

Genre: Children's
Rating 5/5
This is a delightful book by a brand new author - Caitlin McCulloch - and illustrator Rayan Turner.
The story is cute and has a great message: We are all unique and special individuals, and our names have meaning.
In the story, Francine tells her mommy that she wants a new name because she does not like hers. After some thought, Francine decides to keep her name.
Her mommy tells her at the end of the story why she is named "Francine."
The book has awesome illustrations and is adorable! It has just enough silliness to appeal to small children, but will touch the hearts of the parents who read it as well.
Great book, Caitlin and Rayan!

I know that the author has plans to create a whole Francine series and I am SO EXCITED to get my hands on the rest of them!

Purchase the kindle version ($4.99) or the paperback ($9.99) by using one of the affiliate links below:

Daddy's Angel (Weeping Willow 1) by Steven Evans

Genre: Horror/Paranormal
Rating 4.5/5
I am glad that I had a chance to read this book because it is not my usual genre, but I found it to be quite delightfully creepy and emotional. It is pretty dark and depressing at times, but as I have thought about the book since reading it initially, I realized that it has stuck with me. Readers will want to keep in mind that there are MORE books in this series. The main character goes through some rough stuff, but the next book answers some of the questions and is a little lighter.
A man loses his wife and child and spirals into an abyss of grief, trying to kill himself slowly because he wants to torture himself for not being there to save his loved ones. His grief is so powerful that it attracts a demon to him. She visits him and causes him even more grief, despite him trying to escape the nightmares of his life. She will not leave him alone, and he must figure out a way to get rid of this strange and seductive demon woman.
As noted, it's pretty dark, but there IS light at the end of the tunnel and this is an AWESOME series!
Great job, Mr. Evans!

Other ratings:

Violence: Mild - There is very little actual violence. There are things implied, such as a woman being burned at the stake, and the man's family dies in a car accident. This is disturbing, but nothing is too graphic.

Profanity: Mild - Very mild language is used. Nothing excessive.

Sexuality: Medium- There are a few sex scenes in the book that are described in moderate detail. Nowhere near the level of erotica.

Purchase this book using the affiliate link below:
(Also check out the next book in the series, "The Mark" (an AWESOME book as well)
*NOTE - I helped edit this series!

Just Things by Erin Lee

Genre: Horror/Psychological Thriller
Rating 5/5

This book is superbly written - Erin Lee is very adept at storytelling, and this book kept me interested throughout. It's not my normal genre, but I enjoyed it immensely. I also learned a lot about sociopaths and serial killers. There was a lot of great information that came along with this chilling and disturbing story.
Jimmie Putnam is a Momma's boy. He views the world a little differently. When he encounters certain women, he finds himself wanting to add them to his collection of "Things." He has favorite things just like he has favorite flavors of ice cream. They are all - the Things and the ice cream - kept in freezers. He fancies himself a good master; he buys them nice things to wear and takes them out to keep them company.
Detective Florel, a women who lost her sister years ago, is working on the case of the "Ice Cream Killer." She keeps detailed records and is close to catching him.
This book starts at the beginning, with Thing one, and takes us all the way  to Jimmie's most recent Thing. We see how Florel interprets each murder/disappearance. The most interesting thing about this book was to see the parallels between Jimmie and Florel. I am looking forward to seeing them meet face to face at some point in a future book.
Chilling and fascinating! Great job, Erin Lee!

Other ratings:

Violence: Medium - Although this book is about a serial killer, there is little actual violence. I rated this a medium since it is quite disturbing material.

Profanity: Medium - There is some language in this book, but it is not used excessively.

Sexuality: Medium - Again, like with the violence, there is no explicit sexuality in the book. There are a few things that are implied: incent and necrophilia, but nothing is described in detail.

Purchase this book using the affiliate link below:
Check out the next book in the series while you are at it, Jimmie's Ice Cream!
*NOTE: I helped edit this book!

The Enchantress by R.L. Weeks

Genre: Erotic Fantasy
Rating: 4/5
This was a beautifully written short prequel to the Haunting Fairytales series.
When we hear the story of Beauty and the Beast, we don't generally think about the Enchantress who cursed the Beast, other than as a plot device. But in this story, we meet Felicity, a girl betrothed to man she has never met. She moves into the palace and meets him, only to discover that he has strange sexual desires and just wants to control her. But then she meets the prince and starts to think that her time as the castle doesn't have to be so bad...

My only complaint about this story was that it was TOO SHORT! I really got into the story and the characters. RL Weeks did a great job of painting a beautiful picture and telling a heartbreaking story of a woman who was tossed around in an unforgiving and cruel political ocean. I have the next book on my kindle and I am quite eager to read it because I just want MORE! :-)

Ratings - (May contain spoilers)
Grammar and editing was really pretty good.
Violence - not much to speak of. A man gets tossed out a window and people die in a fire.
Profanity - Nothing extreme. The word "arse" is thrown around a bit, but other than that, there is not much.
Sexuality - There was a bit of sex in this book. The scenes were not too graphic, though. There was some M/M action, as well as a strange orgy-like scene. Definitely not for those under 18.

Purchase this short story by using the affiliate links below. It can be purchased alone or as part of the Haunting Fairytales boxed set:

The Elimination by Stormy Corrin Russell

Genre: YA Dystopian
Rating: 5/5
(This is the second book in a series. Click HERE to read my review of the first book.)


This book picks up right after Eroyn has come back to Genesis. She is imprisoned because the leaders of her city believe that she is partially responsible for the bombs that fell and decimated the city. She is essentially an exile. She, Luna, and Archer leave the city and finally travel to the male side of Compound A. When they arrive, no one is there, leading them to believe that Ryker Stroud has harmed the men like he has harmed the women. As the trio tries to figure out what has happened and what needs to be done, they meet a group of men who have survived. They don't want to trust Eroyn, but they want answers and justice just like she does. Will they be able to look past their differences and work together to stop Ryker? Will Eroyn ever be able to go back to Genesis? Will she and Archer ever admit how they feel about each other?
This book was even better than the first installment. Eroyn is a very strong and likeable character. She has overcome a lot of adversity and continues to do what she feels is right in this book. Her friendship with Luna is so wonderful,and I love how she is with Archer as well. If you have read any of my other reviews, you will know that I don't really tend to enjoy a lot of mushy-gushy unrealistic romance. With that said, I love how their relationship progresses in this series. They go from being enemies to allies, and then they realize that they love each other. But there aren't any long monologues about it - they just show each other that they are there for one another and demonstrate loyalty, care, and consideration for each other.
SPOILERS -
I really love her relationship with her brother Blaze. He is a character that you cannot help but love, even though he's supposed to be a bit of a "loser" (and see, I hate even saying that because I just enjoy him so much!). He is wonderfully sarcastic and entertaining. I am glad that Eroyn has him, especially after losing Wes.
There are some really special moments in this book. The Festival near the end was really refreshing and I also LOVE how the females in the compound came together to strengthen themselves and the community. They didn't roll over and become victims, they stepped up and did what needed to be done. Overall, the character development was fantastic. The only thing that made me a little sad was what happened with Eroyn and her mother. I understand that everyone went through a lot, but I felt like Eroyn was a little cruel. (But that just makes her character all the more real.)
There is a lot that happens in this book - more information is revealed about what is happening outside of Compound A. The Epilogue reveals some truly shocking and interesting information that really makes me eager to read the last book in the series.
Awesome book! Very immersive and well written!   

Ratings -

Grammar/Editing - Excellent

Profanity - None

Violence - Mild

Sexuality - Mild



Purchase books 1 and 2 by using the affiliate links below:

Royal Lies by K. L Roth

Genre: Historical Fantasy
Rating: 3.5

James is about to become king. Although betrothed to the lovely Alice, he beds many women throughout the castle. Alice is marrying him for power. His step-mother, Mary is not looking forward to his coronation and is at work to undermine him. Somewhere else in the kingdom, a girl named Elle is inducted into a coven of witches. They have great plans for her, involving seducing James... 

Let me start off by saying that this was a very interesting and enjoyable book. It would have received a higher rating from me were it not for two things, the poor editing and the overcomplicated-ness of the plots and characters.

There were a few really unique sex scenes in this that made it quite interesting - not your typical vanilla stuff. I thought it was a good representation of this class of society during this time period (at least from what I have seen on shows like the Tudors and Reign). It reminded me of those televisions shows a lot, so I was able to paint a good picture in my head of the events. I do think that there were too many characters introduced at once, and their names were all very similar so that made things confusing at times. I was also unsure of whether or not this was intended to be historical fiction. There were a lot of names I recognized but the events seemed different than what I have seen/heard before.

What really sticks out to me about this book is the Pagan scenes. The ceremonies and the potion brewing that the witches did was really QUITE fascinating and I do think I will be interested in reading the rest of the series if only for those sections. The rest of the book seemed a bit rushed and not quite put together. As mentioned, the editing was not great. There was a multitude of grammar errors - tense shifts, misspellings, word misusages, etc. With better editing, this book could be really great.

I do think I will read the next one - this one left off at a bit of a cliffhanger! 

Grammar/Editing: Poor

Violence: Medium - There was not a lot of violence in this book. One man is murdered with a sword for political reasons.

Profanity: Heavy - Lots of F-bombs, A words, and more. Fits in with the content of the book, which is highly sexual!

Sexuality: Extreme - There were three graphic sex scenes in this book, and multiple references to it. Characters were often thinking about sex and talking about sex.

Purchase this book using the affiliate link below:

Autumn's Calling by Michelle Weese

Genre: Zombie Post Apocalyptic
Rating: 3.5

Autumn returns home after a long shift at the hospital to find her finance, Luke, acting strangely. He becomes violent, causing her to flee in a panic. She decides to get out of town with her loveable dog, Daisy, and stops the first evening at a quaint Bed and Breakfast a few towns away. She meets some lovely people there, including a gorgeous man named Leland. Shortly after her arrival, sickly looking people come shuffling toward the B&B and one of them bites the owner of the place. It soon becomes a fight for survival as Autumn, Leland, and Daisy head back to Autumn's family.
I will admit that this is the first actual zombie book I have read besides I Am Legend (crazy, right?). I am a HUGE fan of The Walking Dead and movies like Daybreakers, though. This book was different to me in that we got to see what happens at the very beginning. It is always interesting to explore how different people react to a zombie apocalypse. Will they be too scared to shoot the zombies? Will they be able to find shelter or enough food? Autumn was lucky in the fact that her family had a place to hole up. I found it interesting that the power stayed on for so long. Cell phones worked much longer than expected. We didn't get an ACTUAL origin for the virus except for a fascinating and chilling epilogue that makes me really want to read more to find out what happens.
The characters were fairly well done - we got a few really emotional scenes. I think, this being the beginning of the apocalypse, that the action hasn't really started much. I am sure things will get pretty sticky in the next book as more and more people are turned into zombies.
I appreciated a lot of little things in this book. Autumn remarked about the smell of the zombies a few times - I always thought that the zombie apocalypse would just be ridiculously rank. I know that survivors would get used to it at some point. There were a few great visuals - the scenes at the B&B were quite idyllic.
Some of the dialogue was a little cheesy (I always have to remark that I don't read a lot of romance so I tend to not really like the mushy gushy romance parts. Sometimes the way things were worded seemed a little unrealistic.)

Interesting take on the zombie apocalypse! I am glad I have book 2 waiting for me in my kindle!

Grammar/Editing: Needs Work - There were a lot of issues with this book. The wording in many sentences was off (like subject/verb disagreement, fragments, etc.) There were tons of tense shifts throughout the book. There were a lot of punctuation errors. "Him and I" was used when "Him and me" was needed in some cases, etc. Cleaned up, this book would be much better!

Profanity: Mild - This book was really clean. (No F-bombs or things of that nature)

Violence: Heavy - I mean, you HAVE to have violence in a zombie book, but does it really count as violence? People got bitten, and zombies got shot and axed in the head. Other than one violent scene with Luke in the beginning, that was about it.

Sexuality: Mild - There was some passionate kissing, but no sex scenes. Autumn mentioned "indecent thoughts" but nothing ever happened, even though she and Leland were clearly sexually attracted to each other. 

Purchase books one and two of this series using the affiliate links below:

The Haunting of Tinley Hall by Tania Hagan

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Rating: 5/5

Tinley Hall is a fairly typical 17 year old girl, with two parents who love her, an attitudinal younger sister, a dog, and a best friend with a cute older brother. One day, her life is turned upside down when she has an accident and falls down the stairs. She finds herself alone in her house and things feel awfully strange. She can't pick up objects or leave the house, but she can still interact with her dog. Then she meets Gus. He tells her that he has been dead for over seventy years and that she is probably dead as well. They spend time trying to make sense of this haunting business and Tinley comes to rely on his companionship. But is she really dead? Is this all just a dream? This book will keep you guessing and have you crying your eyes out.

I bought a copy of this book at an event because I just don't get enough ghost lore in my life. It was completely engrossing from the very start. Tinley is full of sarcasm and the other characters were really well written also. I thought that the theories about ghosts were quite fascinating - and totally believable as well. It was easy to imagine what it was like for Tinley and really very interesting to think about all the facets of being a ghost. Tinley's relationship with Gus was just wonderful from the beginning and it became more and more beautiful as the book progressed. Without spoiling anything, I was crying by the end of the book (and despite my last review about the second Outlander book, that is pretty rare for me).

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who finds ghost lore interesting as well as anyone who enjoys sweet romance stories. It is a YA novel, so it can be enjoyed by readers young and old!

Grammar/Editing: Abysmal/Poor/Needs Work/Good/Excellent - There were very few grammatical and punctuation errors in this book - definitely nothing that distracted from the story.

Profanity: None/Mild/Medium/Heavy/Extreme - As a YA book, there was pretty much NO foul language! 

Violence: None/Mild/Medium/Heavy/Extreme - There was no real violence per se. Tinley falls down the stairs and Gus talks about being hit by a car. Nothing truly violent happens other than accidents.

Sexuality: None/Mild/Medium/Heavy/Extreme - Sex was never mentioned by name, only implied in a few conversations. Tinley's boyfriend planned something at one point but was turned down, and it was referred to in another conversation, but again, never actually done. There are some very mild makeout scenes.

*Spirituality: I'm adding a note in here about the spiritual nature of this book because sometimes this can really bother me. I usually avoid dark spiritual movies and books because they are just too disturbing. This book though, is clearly lighter in nature, and so I decided to give it a shot. It isn't disturbing at all - only interesting.
There is one section of the book where some kids are using a Ouija board and that could be a little too much for some people. I will note that the dire and dark consequences of using the board were mentioned in the book. It wasn't presented as a fun game - it was definitely a serious thing that caused something bad to happen.

Purchase this awesome book by using the affiliate link below:

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy/Time Travel (This series is kind of a genre of its own)
Rating: 5/5

Claire is back in modern times with her daughter Brianna. They go to revisit the house of her historian friend, who has died, in Scotland. Claire begins some research into the history of the clans, particularly what happened at Culloden. She is finally ready to find out what happened to Jamie. She had to return to the present time and leave him behind. She reminisces about how she and Jamie travelled to France in an attempt to stop the Jacobite uprising. They hoped to succeed in stopping Bonnie Prince Charles from leading the Scottish clans into a death trap at Culloden. There was quite a lot of action, as well as politics, murder, and intrigue along the way. If she and Jamie could not succeed in stopping the uprising completely, could they at least save the ones they love?

This review will most definitely contain spoilers, especially if you have not read the first book.

In the beginning of this book, I was devastated to find out that Claire had returned to the present without Jamie and that she had lived without him for 20 years with Frank while raising Brianna (clearly Jamie's daughter). I kept thinking it was surely some kind of mistake. The first part of the book is set in 1968 and Rodger, Brianna, and Claire discuss the history of the clans while Claire remembers the events that lead her back to the modern time. She and Jamie did all they could to stop Charles from attempting an uprising, going to France and meeting the King himself. They were involved in a lot of complicated political drama. The look into French society at this period in time was quite fascinating. We get to see more of Jack Randall (unfortunately) and we also meet his brother Alex. This book paints a beautiful picture of several different types of settings. Not only did Claire and Jamie spend a few years in France, they also returned to Scotland and became involved in the uprising. We get to see the spirited highland armies and experience the death, hunger, and desperation as the uprising comes to it's conclusion. There emerges a bigger villain than Jack Randall.
This series is so successful because Diana Abandon is able to weave together an amazing story full of action, sorrow, joy, and mystery. The pace can be slow, but this makes the story seem even more real. Claire and Jamie become like loved ones to the reader. You can imagine yourself there with them and even begin to predict how they will respond to certain situations.

I have this enjoyed this series solely though audiobook. I started Outlander three years ago and just finished Dragonfly in Amber today. I have loved savoring these books. It is a true journey.

I think this is one of my favorite series of all time. It comes down to the way the books make me feel. Yes, the story is interesting, but I just feel so happy and immersed when I listen to these books. The narrator, Davina Porter, is amazing!

If you have not already read this series, do so as soon as you can! You won't regret it!

Onto my other ratings -
The grammar and editing was fantastic.

Profanity: None/Mild/Medium/Heavy/Extreme -  There is a bit of swearing in this book. Of course, it's mostly old slang and the use of the Lord's name in vain but it's quite frequent. I think the author did a good job of keeping it fairly clean, it could have been a lot worse.

Violence: None/Mild/Medium/Heavy/Extreme - Lots and lots of different types of violence. Stabbings, beatings, hangings, rape. People getting shot, people getting burned, people bleeding and dying.  But although it was a lot and fairly constant, it wasn't too graphic. There are many things in this series that are quite disturbing, though.

Sexuality: None/Mild/Medium/Heavy/Extreme - There are many sex scenes in this series. I feel that they are done beautifully, but they can be a little explicit.

As mentioned, I listened to these on Audible. If you don't have an audible account, you can get your first book FREE when you sign up! (Outlander is a great choice). It's around $15 a month after that and you can pick any of the books that you want with your credit that you get each month. You can also cancel at any time.

You can also get the books on Amazon using the affiliate links below:
1. Outlander
2. Dragonfly in Amber
3. Voyager
4. Drums of Autumn
5. The Fiery Cross
6. A Breath of Snow and Ashes
7. An Echo in the Bone
8. Written in My Own Heart's Blood



  

The Sixth Domicile by Courtney Ruggles

Genre: Dystopian/Coming of Age
Rating: 5/5

Q (Formally known as Q467B) is a member of the sixth domicile, located somewhere in what used to be known as the United States of America. She, and the other thousand members of the domicile are all equally submissive to the Elders by wearing white masks and all black clothing. Their mates, jobs, and meals are all chosen for them. The Elders keep control by telling everyone that the earth is barren and toxic outside the Domicile walls and that murderous transients roam the landscape. They have limited choices, but at least they are alive and safe. However, Q and her friend B1116A know differently. The sky is clean and the sun shines brightly. The grass and trees are healthy and beautiful. They know this truth but must act like they do not. They don't have the means to leave the domicile and so they stay, controlled and oppressed by the lying Elders. But they are soon to be married - to other people. They will not be allowed to remain friends. Will Q and B be able to adjust to their new lives? Will they continue to break the rules to spend time together? How much do the Elders actually watch them? How much will be enough to get them sent to the Muerte?

This book was absolutely riveting! After suspending my disbelief in the impracticality of everyone wearing masks and gloves ALL the time, this book really came together well. The story and the world were really well crafted. It's really very disturbing how the domicile inhabitant's identities were squelched by the wearing of masks. This would make quite a beautiful and chilling movie. It isn't a typical "chosen one" dynamic, either, which I appreciated. The main character, Q, is different because of her grandmother's influence (one of the only people to have lived outside the domicile). But the others don't blindly follow, as we see on several occasions throughout the book. Instead of a savior, we see Q as a spark that ignites a new rebellion. It was very thrilling and inspirational!
Q's character growth was fantastic as well. She initially wanted freedom simply to be with the man she loved. But she soon realized that there WAS more to life and her influence was worth a lot. She began to realize that she needed freedom in genera,l and she became bolder and bolder about trying to achieve that.

This book ended in a MONSTEROUS cliffhanger, so I will be heading off to the kindle store to get the next one.
Awesome book! With better editing, I think this book could be just phenomenal.

Grammar/Editing: Abysmal/Poor/Needs Work/Good/Excellent - There were few misspellings or punctuation errors. The grammatical errors were strange -almost like this book had been translated from another language. Words were sometimes missing entirely and the sentence structure was odd. Several times, the verb tenses got mixed up. The errors did lessen as the book progressed, however. *I was originally going to rate 4/5 stars for poor editing but it did get much better.

Profanity: None/Mild/Medium/Heavy/Extreme - No curse words to speak of. The society was highly controlled so this makes some sense.

Violence: None/Mild/Medium/Heavy/Extreme - There was quite a lot of violence in this book - different types as well as frequent violent scenes. Citizens who disobey are gotten rid of and never seen again by going to the Muerte. Citizens are beaten with whips. Q is beaten by her husband and assaulted on more than one occasion and the worst part is that this domestic abuse is allowed by the domicile. It is mentioned that patients are intentionally killed while in the hospital, and (Spoilers) the entire domicile comes under attack. Many citizens are shot and killed mercilessly.

Sexuality: None/Mild/Medium/Heavy/Extreme - There are multiple scenes throughout the book of Q and B together. They are moderately explicit.


Purchase the series using the affiliate links below