Sisters of Shadow and Light (Sisters of Shadow and Light #1) by Sara B. Larson

"The night my sister was born, the stars died and were reborn in her eyes…".

Zuhra and Inara have grown up in the Citadel of the Paladins, an abandoned fortress where legendary, magical warriors once lived before disappearing from the world―including their Paladin father the night Inara was born.

On that same night, a massive, magical hedge grew and imprisoned them within the citadel. Inara inherited their father’s Paladin power; her eyes glow blue and she is able to make plants grow at unbelievable rates, but she has been trapped in her own mind because of a “roar” that drowns everything else out―leaving Zuhra virtually alone with their emotionally broken human mother.

For fifteen years they have lived, trapped in the citadel, with little contact from the outside world…until the day a stranger passes through the hedge, and everything changes.

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Mystery surrounds Zuhra and Inara.  Secrets whose answers seem just out of reach for Zuhra who so desperately tries to take care of her sister, Inara, and gain the approval of her mother.  Zuhra carries the weight of the world on her shoulders.  I could feel her longing, isolation and her discouragement in the beginning.

After a slow start, this book gained momentum and I was pulled deeper and deeper in.  By the end I was reading so fast, desperate to know what was going to happen next.  It's hard to say much without giving things away but I loved how the story expanded.  It started out small and grew and grew to include more people, places and emotions.  It was really good and very engaging.  

My biggest complaint is where the story ended- on the edge of a cliff with me hanging off.  Seriously, cliff hangers are the worst.  This is a series I would rather read after the whole thing is finished because waiting another year for the next book is crazy!  Ugh.  So far away.

Content:  peril, some mild violence, kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Catch a Falling Star: Hudson Brothers Romance (The Royal Palm Resort Book 4) by Cindy Roland Anderson

She dreams of happily ever after. He doesn’t believe in love. What happens if their hearts belong together?

Londyn Montgomery has had enough of doing what her parents want, especially when they’re determined to marry her to a man who isn’t faithful to her. She decides to run away, hoping to find out who she is and what she wants out of life. In her desire to escape a life of being controlled, she speeds straight past Sheriff Owen Hudson and narrowly avoids a ticket. She vows to stay off his radar, but destiny has other ideas, placing Owen and Londyn on a path that leads straight to a future neither one of them planned for.

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I'm doing the HAPPY, happy dance because YAY!!  Cindy Roland Anderson finally gave me a new book to read!!  I feel like I've been waiting forever.  I haven't really, but it feels that way.  I just love her books and how they fall right in my sweet spot for contemporary romance.

Londyn and Owen have a fun first meet!  Well, maybe not fun for them, but fun for me to read about.  Their second meet might just top the first one!  haha!  From there the attraction grows and they sure fan the flames of that attraction by being in such close proximity to each other!  Londyn is kind and tries so hard to be accepted by those around her.  She absorbs the tenderness, kindness and love she is offered like a sponge.  Owen is determined to keep things from getting serious but he just cannot help himself.  He is drawn to Londyn and cannot look away.  I loved it all.  😍

This book has a fantastic cast of characters and I cannot wait to see them in future books.  The stage is set for the next Hudson brother and I hope I don't have to wait too long to read it!

Content:  kissing

I picked this book up on kindle unlimited.

The Heart of the Rebellion by Sian Ann Bessey + Win This Book!

September 1400King Richard II of England is dead. And after three years in His Majesty’s service, Rhys ap Tudor and his brother Gwilym are finally free to return to their ancestral home in North Wales. Their long- anticipated homecoming is overshadowed, however, by the harsh changes they encounter in their once peaceful land. The new king, Henry IV, rules with an iron fist, and the country is ripe for rebellion. Instantly thrust into the forefront of the conflict, the proud Tudor brothers enter the fight for their freedom.

Lady Catrin Buckley is alert to the unrest swirling around her. As the daughter of an English father and a Welsh mother, she knows too well the trouble her lineage poses. Her own battle, however, is one of the heart: she is to be married to a man she neither knows nor loves. Then an unexpected encounter with the enigmatic Rhys ap Tudor changes everything. Soon, Catrin finds herself swept into a rebellion that could not only change history but also rewrite her own future.

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Can I just say that I LOVE the cover of this book?  I think it might be one of my favorite covers ever.  It represents perfectly what is inside and honestly, I think it is gorgeous.  I got to meet author Sian Ann Bessey at a book signing!  It's always fun to meet authors and get books signed, right?

One of the things I loved about this story is that it transported me to another time and place.  I could feel the weather, see the landscape and I could ALMOST hear that beautiful welsh language.  Almost.  I wish I could have the author read this book to me- then all the names and places would sound just right instead of my very inadequate attempts.  In this story, Lady Catrin speaks Welsh and it is the only thing that calms her very spirited horse.  He seems to know and understand her every word.  I love that the language played a large role in the story as a whole.

Lady Catrin is the perfect heroine.  She is trying so hard to become who she believes she is meant to be which is hard given her split heritage of Welsh and English and the conflicts between them.  Lady Catrin shows great strength of character along with empathy and kindness, making her someone you root for the whole way through.  

Medieval history is one of my favorite time periods to read about.  This author excels at portraying it.  I really loved this story, the gentle but growing intensity and the fantastic characters that kept me invested from beginning to end.

Content:  some mild violence, personal peril, kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

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Olive by Michelle E Wilson, Angie Penrose

 

Meet Olive. She's optimistic and well-intentioned . . . and a magnet for mishaps. When Olive's day goes from bad to worse, she wonders if her family and friends can love her in spite of her flaws.

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I just love children's book that promote positive learning for children.  Learning is more than just listening, it's talking too.  That's why this book is fantastic- it gives the story of sweet Olive Ewe (who makes mistakes!) and then gives several pages of pictures and prompts so adults can talk with children about feelings, mistakes, forgiving and love.  This is so needed in a world of electronics and distraction.  Adults and children need ways to express, feel and talk together about important things.

"If you're like Olive, you've had some thumps and bumps and lumps along your way.  Some thumps can be fixed fast.  Some bumps take longer.  And some lumps can't be fixed at all.  But we can always do our best to make it better.  You can follow Olive's example and fix yours, too."

Not only is the story fun, the pictures are fun too.  They express emotion and engage interest.  It's a very sweet book and I just love it.  

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Michelle lives in the Northwest with her family, three indoor dogs, and a totally stuck-up cat. And somehow, they all get along. She writes inspirational nonfiction and women’s fiction. Olive is her first children’s book and the most fun to write. Olive came to life in a poem Michelle wrote for her adoptive daughter as a way to express unconditional love for her. Family, faith, and fun are important to Michelle. She loves watching movies, playing Guitar Hero, and taking long walks to the fridge. You can find her at www.michellewilsonwrites.com

Instagram:  @authormwilson

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authormwilson/ 

 

Angie is a married mom of three spicy boys. She is an artist at heart, with interests spanning from drawing to painting, crafts, and photography. She runs a successful photography business. Olive is her first illustrated book. She loves watching movies and reading books. She has a collection of crayons her children aren’t allowed to touch and loves everything Disney. Like, a crazy amount of love. You can find her at www.angiepenrose.com

Publisher Website: pinkumbrellabooks.com

Heart Thief (Love Under Wraps Book 1) by Taylor Dean

I was warned about him. I should've listened. But I didn't.
Of course, I also thought Ryker Martel was about to propose.

He didn't.

I was ready to say yes.

He was ready to wait a little longer.

Now he's out of the country on an extended business trip and I'm staying in his penthouse apartment with seeds of disillusionment taking over my soul.

Ryker reminded me that his estranged brother might show up out of the blue at his penthouse. He told me to let him know right away if he did. He'd take care of it.

His brother is bad news. The rebel, the black sheep of the family.

"Don't trust him," Ryker said. "Stay as far away from him as possible. He's a thief, a snake."

Warning duly noted.

And ignored.

I considered myself equipped to handle whatever was thrown my way. I was wrong.

Nothing prepared me for Zane and the havoc he would wreak in my life--and in my heart. He turned me upside down and knocked me sideways.

Falling for the other brother is never a good idea. Keeping it a secret, even worse.

Especially when he proves to be the thief he was purported to be.

My heart will never be mine again and I want it back.

But it has been stolen and I'll never be the same.

Never.

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This book is yet another reason I adore Taylor Dean.  Honestly, I just LOVE her books.  They make me feel things and that is ALWAYS what I'm looking for as a reader.  The characters feel real- like they could be me or someone I know.  It's that familiarity that Taylor Dean excels at.  I will tell anyone who will listen that Taylor Dean is one of my favorites.  I was hooked from my very first book, years ago, (I Have People) and from there I binged on every book she had written.  Then I stalked her, I mean followed her, and I've never looked back.

Do you know that song, Stolen by Dashboard Confessional?  🎵 You have stolen my heart🎶 ?  That was the song playing through my head for half of this book.  Mila's heart is definitely put through the ringer in this book because life is not easy.  Bad things happen to good people.  Life can get overwhelming and sometimes, sad.  Mila feels the high of highs and the low of lows.  See?  Real.

There are so many things I loved about this book. The San Francisco setting!  Mila's love for music and piano playing.  Sparks!!  (vs. no sparks and the very real distinction in this book)  I loved the conclusion and the epilogue.  It made me utterly happy and content.

Oh!  And one more comment about this book cover.  I loved it before I read the book but then, after reading this book,  oh my perfection.  This cover is an absolute PERFECT snapshot of a scene from this book.  😍💙!!

No matter what kind of day you are having today- good or bad- my advice is to pick up this book and enjoy the journey it will take you on.  You won't be sorry.  This book is on KU if you have that!  Happy reading!

Content:  kissing, depression

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

North by Northanger by Rebecca H. Jamison

While Eva Morland waits for her first-ever blind date to arrive, she meets Grant Tilney. Not only does flirting come easily with Grant, he also shares her appreciation for black-and-white movies and vintage diners. After he leaves, she notices that he left his phone behind. Setting out to find his office and return the phone, she knocks on a warehouse door. The man who answers mistakes Eva for a government spy, who’s come to investigate his crime ring. He and his partner force Eva into a car and drive her to a secluded trailer in the country.

Eva’s kidnapping sets her down a path of suspense and romance, as she uses all her wits to escape from the bad guys and prove her true identity. Grant comes to her rescue, hiding her in the cab of his semi-truck, but it seems that the criminals are always a step ahead.

Grant is the only one who believes Eva, but as they journey North, Eva starts to question Grant’s identity and motives. She must discover for herself if Grant is one of the good guys or bad guys. Only then will she know whether he’s worth the risk of her own life.

 * Amazon * Goodreads * 

This really is just what it is labeled to be.  A lighthearted romantic suspense.  It was probably more mystery than actual suspense and it really was lighthearted even when crazy things were happening. 

Eva is a bit of a character.  She is super smart one minute and then a bit clueless the next.  She is curious and has definite tastes and ideas about things.  I didn't get a ton of personality from Grant but I could give you a description of him.  The connection and emotion was lacking for me in this book- no goosebumps, heart pounding or tummy tingling-  but the story was interesting and sweet and I enjoyed reading it.

I really love this cover.  It's perfect for the book and so cute!

3.5 stars

Content:  mild peril, kissing 

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

Among Sand and Sunrise (An American Heiress #3) by Stacy Henrie

--1909--
After three failed seasons, American heiress Syble Rinecroft is more than ready to move forward in a life of independence and adventure. And what better way to begin than by taking a trip to Egypt with her grandmother and her band of widowed friends to find a hidden tomb? There’s only one catch. The archaeologist the widows insist on employing is none other than the irritating Marcus Brandt whom Syble met years ago on another trip to Egypt. If Syble has any hope of finding the tomb and being known for something other than too vivacious to make anyone a suitable wife, she’ll have to learn to work with Marcus.

British archaeologist Marcus Brandt has only ever wanted one thing—a discovery in Egypt that will bring him the acclaim that has eluded his career. Such a thing will surely be found in the tomb he is presently clearing. So when his wealthy patroness and her friends, including Marcus’s grandmother, seek his help in finding a hidden tomb, he’s reluctant to agree to the new dig. Especially when it involves daily interaction with Syble Rinecroft, the annoying adolescent he met eight years ago.

Compelled to do the dig for different reasons, Syble and Marcus finally agree to work together, in spite of their opposite approaches to life. As the days pass, though, they discover there may be more to each other and their growing friendship than either expected to find. And yet, opening their hearts might just cost them their dreams.

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This is the third book in this American Heiress series by Stacy Henrie.  Each book can stand alone easily so don't worry if you haven't read the others but do add them to your read list as they are both great stories!

I loved the setting for this story.  Egypt is so foreign to me and the excitement of the 1900's when people were discovering all the ancient ruins and tombs makes this book so fascinating.  Can you imagine finding and walking into an undiscovered tomb full of treasures and history?  Wow.  How amazing that would be?  I felt some of that amazement through the eyes and thoughts of the characters in this book and I loved it!

This story is slow and gentle.  There isn't anything heart pounding or climactic about it.  It follows Syble and Marcus as they learn about each other while working together on a dig.  They are both just outside the "norms" of their time which made them even more interesting to me as a reader.  I really enjoyed my time spent with this book.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.