Book #Review ~ Day Dream: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel: (Remarkable Remedies, Book 6) (Haven Hollow, Book 21) by J.R. Rain and H.P. Mallory @HPMallory #PWF

 

ASIN: ‎ B09JMCWV38
Publisher: ‎ Rain Press
Publication Date: ‎ September 16, 2022
Print Length: ‎ 215 pages

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3SoFHLR

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60597452-day-dream-remarkable-remedies-6

About the Book:

I’ve just moved to the legendary Haven Hollow to start the next chapter of my life…

My name is Sydney Blackstone, better known as The Sandman.

After losing my wife two years ago and getting lost in grief ever since, I decided I needed to start over.

So, I find myself in Haven Hollow, where I plan to open my own mattress store, Sandman Syd’s.

Almost as soon as I move to Haven Hollow, though, I realize my work is cut out for me—someone is having not only bad dreams but dangerous ones.

As the Sandman, it’s my responsibility to relieve this sleeper of whatever night terror is after them.

Little do I know the culprit is the infamous Jormungandr, the legendary serpent from Midgard.

With such a powerful predator on the loose, I don’t have much time to ensure the citizens of Haven Hollow are safe and, more pointedly, one citizen in particular: Bailey Bennett.

At the moment Bailey, a psychic from Spook Society, walks through my door, I have a feeling she won’t be walking out anytime soon.

As long as I can keep her safe, that is…

My Review:

Day Dream is Book 6 in the Remarkable Remedies series and Book 21 in the Haven Hollows series. Following newcomer Sydney Blackstone, aka Sandman Syd, Day Dream almost seems like a standalone in both of the forementioned series'. The story focuses on more of the secondary characters as Syd tries to settle into his new life in Haven Hollow. Very different storytelling in Day Dream but yet completely intertwined in the Haven Hollow setting. 

I enjoyed Day Dream, learning about Syd, and following his integration into Haven Hollow. Day Dream is another fantastic and fun novel in the Remarkable Remedies/Haven Hollow series. This writing duo brings interesting stories, intriguing characters, and thought-provoking mysteries to life. The character development provides history and growth, and the world-building creates a fantastic world to watch the characters do their thing.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Rating:

New Release Book #Review ~ Uncommon by Justine Alley Dowsett & Murandy Damodred - Adult, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance @MirrorWorldPub

Mirror World Publishing and Sapphyria's Book Promotions present the 1-Week Book Tour for 

Uncommon 

by Justine Alley Dowsett & Murandy Damodred

About Uncommon:

Rygal Saline has always stood in his sister’s shadow. As heir to the Clan Chief, Rhea has been trained in the art of leadership and warfare. Rygal is just, well, Rygal.

After several years away at a College in Ismera, Rygal returns to Jaram for his father’s funeral only to find a letter from his sister. She’s gone, she’s sorry, and she expects him to take her place as the next clan chief. Never envisioning a place for himself within the clan, let alone taking on the responsibilities of leadership, Rygal finds himself alone and out of his depth.

Desperate for companionship and for someone he can turn to for help, he writes a letter to every eligible maiden on the continent, hoping to find a wife. The letters travel far and wide. Most are rejected until an accident of fate sends Rygal’s letters into the hands of two women for whom they were never intended, setting in motion a plot that threatens to bring Clan Jaram to the brink of war.

My Review:

Told from multiple points-of-view, Uncommon is an intricate tale of intrigue, deception, and determination. The plot is very well defined and exciting. The POVs give the book a sense of real time activity; that what's going on in Jaram is taking place at the same time as Rhea's adventures. 

All of the characters were interesting, 3-dimensional, and complex. I love how the authors created, set up, and fully developed them in Uncommon. I loved Rhea, Cael, Rygal, Emily, and Micah. I enjoyed the authors' writing style, tone, and pacing. The book pulled me in and kept me engaged, and I read it rather quickly.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Rating:

Visit the Tour Hosts:

https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/2022/09/book-tour-host-schedule-uncommon-by.html

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B0B9V77GQH
Publisher: ‎ Mirror World Publishing; 1st edition
Publication Date: ‎ September 17, 2022
Print Length: ‎ 339 pages

Order Links:

Mirror World Publishing ebook: 

https://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/products/uncommon-ebook

Mirror World Publishing paperback: 

https://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/products/uncommon-paperback

Amazon US: 
https://amzn.to/3QAtse1

Meet the Authors:

Justine Alley Dowsett (right) is the author of more than ten novels and one of the founders of Mirror World Publishing. Her books, which she often co-writes with her sister, Murandy Damodred (left), range from young adult science fiction to dark fantasy/romance. She earned a BA in Drama from the University of Windsor, honed her skills as an entrepreneur by tackling video game production, and now she dedicates her time to writing, publishing, and occasionally roleplaying with her friends.

With a background in Drama and Communications from the University of Windsor, Murandy Damodred enjoys fantasy fiction with strong romantic subplots. She is an avid role-player and is happiest when living vicariously through her characters. Though she'd rather think of herself as the heroine of her next novel, in the real world she is a nurse and a mom of two living in Windsor, Ontario.

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/mirrorworldpublishing

Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/mirrorworldpub

Amazon:
http://amzn.to/2obPWUL

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/28439132-mirror-world

Blog:
http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.wordpress.com/

Publisher Website:
http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-d6tf8fpn4_mjraKjM-hUQ

Book #Review ~ The Girl on the Poster (The Dark Circus Trilogy Book 2) by H.P. Mallory and J.R. Rain #Paranormal @HPMallory

ASIN: ‎ B0B6XT5FY4
Publisher: ‎ Rain Press
Publication date: ‎ August 20, 2022
Print length: ‎ 219 pages

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3L1bgbu
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61433078-the-girl-who-joined-the-circus

About the Book:

Cirque du Noir… the circus of the night, where something wicked is definitely coming.

Even though I’m on my second tour of the US with Cirque Du Noir, I’m no closer to getting answers to the myriad questions that plague me.

And Laurent and Rex are no help, being as tight-lipped as ever.

I realize it’s up to me and me alone to get the answers I’m after, and those answers can only come from The Dark Room within the forbidden, ebony caravan.

With the mysteries mounting and answers unavailable, I search for the truth, but what I discover not only horrifies me but also adds to the enigma that is the Cirque Du Noir, Laurent and Rex.

I only hope that when I eventually uncover the truths behind the circus, it won’t be too late for me…

My Review:

The circus has begun its next circuit through the US and Bindi is the only one left from the previous troupe. Sad and lonely, she still can't grasp why the entire previous band of performers and stagehands had to be completely replaced - all but her. Lacking any real answers from Laurent or Rex, Bindi knows she's going to have to investigate and try to find the answers herself. Bindi's curiosity is only getting stronger as she begins to notice things, overhear conversations not meant for her ears, and realize all is not as it seems in the Cirque du Noir. Discoveries in the Dark Room don't resolve any mysteries, only continuing to fuel the myriad of questions Bindi has about The Dark Circus, Rex, Laurent, and the friends she's lost.

This second book in the trilogy is suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat. So many questions - old and new. Who is the girl on the poster? Why are there feelings of familiarity with Rex and Laurent? What happened to Amelia? The list goes on. I cannot wait to discover all of these answers and more!

This book will draw you in and keep you engaged from the start. The characters are complex, well-written, and interesting. This writing due certainly knows how to keep me on the edge of my seat and, at the end of the book, wanting more. And this cover is amazing!

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Rating:

Book #Review ~ Find Your Way Home (Small Town Dreams #1) by Jackie Ashenden #ContemporaryRomance @JackieAshenden @SourcebooksCasa

About the Book:

He's hell-bent on telling her what to do.

She's determined to make it on her own.
They're both going to learn a thing or two about first impressions.

Brightwater Valley, New Zealand, is beautiful, rugged, and home to those who love adventure. But it's also isolated and on the verge of becoming a ghost town.

When the town puts out a call to its sister city of Deep River, Alaska, hoping to entice people to build homes and businesses in Brightwater, ex paratrooper Chase Kelly is all for it. He sees the benefits of building the economy, but only if those who come to Brightwater are ready for its challenges. Former oil executive Isabella Montgomery and her plan to open an art gallery don't seem up to the test. Now Chase is determined to help her learn the ways of his formidable hometown.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Lwqzsj
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58571309-find-your-way-home

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B097FZV2CK
Publisher: ‎ Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: ‎ April 26, 2022
Print Length: ‎ 314 pages

My Review and Rating:

Isabella Montgomery is a last-minute addition to a trio of women heading to New Zealand to help a small town build more tourism. Her current life in Houston crumbled down around her feet and she really has no reason to stay in Texas. Getting away from everything for a short time just might be what the doctor ordered. Running into a grumpy, know-it-all has Isabella bristling.

Chase Kelly is supportive of the initiative to encourage people from Brightwater Valley, NZ’s sister city, Deep River, AK to come to NZ and settle down, start families, and open businesses. The latest group of women to heed the call doesn’t impress him much. He goes into their meeting already frowning and feeling like the three newcomers won’t be up to the challenge. The non-Alaskan particularly ruffles his feathers. 

Find Your Way Home is a book so good it’s unputdownable. I read the book in two days. When I couldn’t read the book (pesky work and stuff), I thought about Chase and Isabella. I dwelled on their past lives and how the treatment and hurt from people who are supposed to love you molded them into who they are today. I relished in the chemistry and the sparks the author expertly portrayed. I felt their interest, frustration, tension, protective nature, and most of all, their love. Love not just for each other but for everyone around them. For having such tragic pasts, they both embody a giving nature.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

#Book #Review: In Her Sights (Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters, Book #1) by Katie Ruggle #RomanticSuspense #Romance @KatieRuggle @SourcebooksCasa

Book Details:

Print Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: March 26, 2019
ASIN: B07HK4KGRG

Purchase Link: Amazon

About In Her Sights:

Five bounty-hunting sisters
Deep in the heart of the Rockies
Fighting to save each other
...and the men who steal their hearts

Bounty hunter Molly Pax fought hard for everything she has, turning the bail recovery business she shares with her sisters into an unqualified success. So when their sticky-fingered mother jumps bail and puts the childhood home up as collateral, Molly's horrified. To make matters worse, every two-bit criminal in the Rockies now sees her family's misfortune as their next big break.

She needs help, stat.

Enter rival bounty hunter John Carmondy: six feet of pure trouble, with a cocky grin to match. John's the most cheerfully, annoyingly gorgeous frenemy Molly's ever had the pleasure of defeating...and he may be her only hope of making it out of this mess alive.

My Review of In Her Sights:

This new series by Katie Ruggle features bounty hunter sisters, a nice change from male leads to female leads. As a huge fan of the author, I was excited to get my hands on In Her Sights, book one of the Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters series. The story focuses on Molly Pax, the oldest sister in the bounty hunting family.

Molly lives with all of her sisters and their mother in a home the sisters worked hard to pay off. When their irresponsible, sneaky, lying mother is accused of grand larceny, dear old mom bonds out of jail using their home as collateral and then skips town. Now, Molly has to turn to John, another bail bondsman, in order to try and locate her mother before her trial date. One problem - Molly tries to avoid John at all costs due to his attempts to steal her bond jumpers and his smugness and cockiness. Unfortunately for her, and much to John's and her sisters' entertainment, she needs him. She soon discovers she needs him for far more than she knows.

The chemistry between Molly and John doesn't jump off the page at first fut you feel its subtlety. Molly denies it but everyone else sees right through her. The duo reminds me of two kids on the playground teasing each other instead of saying they like each other. I really enjoy their interactions and the tension.

The writing is well-done but there is a bit of suspense lacking. I wasn't on the edge of my seat with this book as I usually am with stories by Katie Ruggle. Of course, I'm chomping at the bit for the next book since book 1 ended without a definite conclusion. There are certain aspects that are tied up, however, others will most likely take the entire series to be fleshed out. That's okay though, I'll just sit here and patiently wait....

My Rating:

#PWF #Review ~ Angora Alchemy (Wanda's Witchery, #6) by J.R. Rain & H.P. Mallory ~ Paranormal Women's Fiction

ASIN: ‎ B0B75N4D5S
Publisher: ‎ Rain Press
Publication Date: ‎ August 26, 2022
Print Length: ‎ 189 pages
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RBNRQ7
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61924408-angora-alchemy-wanda-s-witchery-6

About the Book:

Lookout, Dr. Frankenstein, because here comes Wanda Depraysie…

It’s not as though I meant to create a life.

I didn’t, but that life is still here, all the same.

And the worst part? I created it with… sigh… my detested cousin, Maverick.

Now, before you think I’m a double-timing, good-for-nothing witch, I’m not.

It was all an accident. Swear.

And the even craziest part? This little mixup isn’t even the worst thing that’s happened to me this week.

No, that award goes to the invitation I receive to my own funeral—a party sponsored by the leader of the vampires, Rupert, featuring me as the guest of honor.

Should be fun.

Review & Rating:

Angora Alchemy (Wanda's Witchery, #6) by J.R. Rain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wanda has had a heck of a week. She brings something else to life (because the ghost and zombie weren’t enough) and it involves not only her magic but Maverick’s, too. Then, she received an invitation to Rupert’s lair and it’s not one she can decline. Looks like Wanda may become a vampire, after all.

Angora Alchemy is another fantastic and fun novel in the Haven Hollow series. I love Wanda and her motley crew. They aren’t your typical coven but that’s what makes them all so incredible. I was fully engaged in Angora Alchemy. I loved the story, characters, setting, and writing.

The Wanda's Witchery series by J.R. Rain and H.P. Mallory is excellent. This writing duo brings interesting stories, intriguing characters, and thought-provoking mysteries to life. The character development provides history and growth, and the world-building creates a fantastic world to watch the characters do their thing.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.  

View all my reviews

Short Story #Review ~ Last Chance Summer: A Short Story (Last Chance, #5.5) by Hope Ramsay

 

ASIN: ‎ B00BL3P5DW
Publisher: ‎ Forever Yours
Publication Date: ‎ August 6, 2013
Print Length: ‎ 56 pages
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Bb2gx8
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18121278-last-chance-summer

About the Book:

It wouldn't be summer without the Watermelon Festival, and single mom Amanda Wright is looking forward to a carefree day eating funnel cakes and sipping sweet tea. But with her inquisitive son and elderly grandmother in tow, she's not in the mood for carnival rides or the kissing booth, until she hears a charming, funny voice over the loudspeaker.

Grant Trumbull is the new DJ at the local radio station, and his deep, booming cadence has all the ladies of the church auxillary atwitter. Even without seeing his face, Amanda can't help but wonder if he's the one for her. When she finally comes face to face with the man behind the mic, summer is about to get a whole lot hotter in little Last Chance, South Carolina.

Last Chance Summer: A Short Story by Hope Ramsay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Last Chance Summer is a thought-provoking short story about loss, family, and the concept of soul mates. Amanda has her hands full as a single mom to a four-and-a-half-year-old son and as a caretaker for her grandmother with slowly developing dementia. When she decides to take both to the annual Watermelon Festival, things go as good as can be expected right up until they don’t.

Grant wakes up one morning and decides he’s no longer happy in Chicago. Sure, he has a distinguished career and access to unlimited dating partners, but it’s no long fulfilling. He chucks it all and takes a chance by buying a small radio station in Last Chance, South Carolina. Little did he know just how much more his life could change by broadcasting live at the town’s Watermelon Festival.

This is a cute short story with plenty of drama, hope, and tough decisions. I didn’t care too much for the abrupt ending. The story builds up the potential romance and I was disappointed in how unfulfilling the ending truly was. Can this really be classified as a romance if the only interaction between the couple is their eyes meeting? They never talked, kissed, or were even close enough to one another to gauge body language. There is no closure and now I sit here wondering if they really liked each other and were able to make a go at it or not.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style (until the end) and loved how she brought Amanda, Ethan, and granny to life. I watched my own grandmother succumb to Alzheimer’s Disease and it’s a slow, agonizing process for everyone involved. I understand how four-year-old children are and how exhausting a public outing can be, and Hope Ramsay did a wonderful job writing Ethan and Amanda’s interactions. I loved the journey the author takes to introduce Amanda to Grant, even though what brings them together was heart-stopping and would terrify any parent or guardian. I just wish we would have gotten more than meeting eyes.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.  

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