Reading Fanatic Reviews
Jamie's FavoritesIrish Aisles are Smiling by Laura Dunham
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Mondadori, Angus & Robinson
Irish Aisles are Smiling*
Fun Murder Mystery in Ireland
Wedding Belles, the wedding planning agency, is taking the show on the road to Ireland! This book had just the right amount of humor without being over the top. I visited Ireland some time ago, so I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of driving on the other side of the road. The author describes the settings well, enough that you can visualize the interesting places that the characters are at but not so much that you feel dragged it down by too much description. I quite enjoyed this book because the writer had the right balance of suspense, quirky characters, and humor.
Black Hollow: It’s the Little Things by Robbie Cox
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Scribd, 24Symbols, Mondadori, and Angus & Ferguson
Black Hollow: It's the Little Things*
Magically Delicious!
Kerry has come to Black Hollow to find her sister. We first meet Kerry when she’s checking into the only inn in town. She believes the proprietor, Mr. Sandman, is pulling her leg about the rules of the establishment that have to do with the likes of banshees, brownies, sprites, and dragons! So you might imagine that she lets out a scream when she meets a leprechaun who can change from being three-feet tall—a leprechaun’s average height—to being a size that’s more normal in the outside world. The two team up to both find her sister and work on the mystery of who is stealing from the leprechaun bank, which is what her sister came there to help figure out.
Oh, my gosh! What an incredibly fun and magically delicious read (oh, yeah, I went there!). While I understand that Black Hollow is a series, this is the first installment that I’ve read, and seriously, it is a delight. The book is written with great humor, which is what makes it so much fun. In setting up the magical aspects of this world, the author employs dry, tongue-in-cheek humor that is just a pleasure to read. To the inhabitants of the town, their abnormal existence is entirely normal; the author plays this up well but then contrasts it with Kerry’s reaction to it.
As I said, this is the first book of the Black Hollow series that I’ve read, but it certainly will not be the last.
Dear Time, Are You on My Side? by Ky-Lee Hanson
Available at Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, Angus & Robertson, and Indigo (Chapters).
Dear Time, Are You on My Side?*
Gets You Thinking Differently about Time
This amazing book will have you examining the concept of time from a variety of perspectives that will help give you clarity on your own relationship with time, how you can make it more fluid, and how the passage of time is immaterial to your wants and needs as you grow and mature within your own self, in your relationships, in what you choose to do, and in your purpose in life. The book creator has brought together 19 women with unique relationships and insights into time based on their own life experience. The book is divided into five sections: What is Time?, Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number, Fear is a Time Robber, Heartbeat to Heartbeat, and Change the Course of Time. The end of each section has a place for you to reflect on all the concepts of the part as well as free journal; at the end of the book, you’re given space to rewrite your life from a new perspective on time.
Each of the authors shares a part of their own story, reflecting on time and what it has meant, means, and will mean to them. They talk about shifts in perspective and knowledge gained. Some of these are dense reads, while others are very straightforward to get through. I found all to be valuable, and each got me thinking. The exercises at the end of each section help anchor the concepts that have been discussed and give clarity on what they can mean to help you live your best life.
Here are some topics in the book: Living Timelessly–Ego and Time are Not our Enemies; Managing the Me in Time; But When is the Timing in Life Ever Right?; Life, Not According to Plan; The Wait is Over… Your Time is Now; and A Premature Lesson in the Value of Time.
If you find yourself grappling with issues of time, from time management to greater concepts like feeling like you’re running out of time because of your age, this book will give you a more in-depth perspective and a way to reframe the concept of time is so that we end the struggle with it and instead work with as we evolve on our road to becoming the best person we can be.
Your Rebel Plans by Tikiri Herath
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Indigo (Chapters)
Your Rebel Plans*
Part Two of Living Your Best Life
I was lucky enough to have reviewed the first book of this three book series, Your Rebel Dreams, which I loved for how it gets you focused on your values and vision. The author continues the Rebel Diva series with another exceptional book to help you figure out how to bring your dreams into fruition with goals and a solid plan. As in the other book, the author is teacher and cheerleader. She gives solid guidelines to help you figure out your goals and action plans, and she truly comes across as someone who cares whether or not you’re able to do what this book lays out.
The book is structured thus: a long introductory section on a variety of topics meant to get you ready for the process, the core of the book split into weeks with concrete goals for each week, and a wrap-up section. The first portion is meant to knock down barriers and build confidence through structured exercises. The weekly part that follows is broken down into making smart goals, making an action plan to achieve those goals, checking in to see how you are doing, and how to get it done. At the end of each week, there is a little check-in section to see how you’re feeling about the process. The final section is something I think has great power even though it is short. I love the ideas of making a pledge to yourself and having long-term check-ins and reevaluations.
The author is so supportive that I think this series is worthwhile for any woman who wants to coalesce what her dreams are and bring them to fruition so she can have the life that she wants. It is a beautiful process that has been outlined by a caring person who has clearly walked the talk. She adds fantastic freebies that enhance the book, like a printable PDF that you can use as you follow along as well as a free book about busting your fears. The author means to empower women to live openly and joyously aligned with their values, and I think she has created a series that can do just that.
Goddess of Marriage by Fallyn Briggs
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Goddess of Marriage*
Not Easy Being the Host of Hera
We first meet Zach and Helen when they are teenagers learning about Zeus and Hera in Greek history class; they believe themselves to be genuinely in love. It flashes forward to 10 years later when they are married and are parents to a little girl named Cassandra. She is two, and Helen is ready to go back to work, so they’re looking for a nanny but without much success until they interview Sebastian. He has experience taking care of his siblings as well as working as a nanny for three different couples. He’s hired. In his personal life, he’s engaged to Kat and has only recently moved to Elysium.
If you aren’t familiar with this series, characters in it become essentially possessed by the spirits of the ancient Greek gods and goddesses. This inhabitation is typically familial, as it is here for Helen and for the heroine in the previous book of the series. So she and Zach aren’t just Helen and Zach; they also hold within themselves the spirits of Hera and Zeus. These Olympians can make themselves heard in their hosts’ minds as well as make them act out; the hosts pass out and don’t know what has happened. If you’re familiar with the legends and myths of Hera and Zeus, you will understand that Helen and Zack are not having the best relationship.
Along with following Zach and Helen’s relationship, we also follow up Sebastian and Kat’s. He’s quite content to be a nanny, though he has other dreams as well. She is really pushing him to go back to school to learn about business.
I enjoyed the first book of this series, and I enjoyed this one as well. My goodness, Hera and Zeus really put Helen and Zach through so much. Those love-struck teens didn’t stand a chance once the Olympians possessed them. Hera is not happy that Helen is considering divorce. She is the goddess of marriage after all, and she cannot inhabit a divorced woman’s body, and her host must be married to the man who is possessed by Zeus. The drama on all sides made for a good read. The very end of the book was a total shocker that I didn’t see coming. Oh, my gosh! I won’t give it away, but it completely follows from what we know even though it is a surprise.
If you enjoy ancient Greek mythology, you might enjoy this series’ modern spin on it. I quite enjoy watching the gods and goddesses torment these poor humans; it’s cool to see the myths come to life.
Someone Else’s Fairytale by Cassandra Moore
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Someone Else's Fairytale*
Fantastic Tale of Intrigue, Romance, and the Paranormal
We meet Hanna just as she is having her #MeToo moment in her position as a nanny. Now out of a job, she crashes with a friend in her haunted house. Soon, they see a strange want ad that could be the solution to Hanna’s problems. Someone is looking for a governess at an English manor. (And, yes, this is a contemporary story!) Though it is strange, the money is good, so she goes to the interview. The elderly grandmother of the owner of the manor house has dementia, and according to the grandson, she believes her dead child is alive but suffering for want of a governess. So to help ease the old lady, the grandson wants to hire a governess for the ghost!
Are there ghosts at this English manor house? What other secrets will be exposed within its walls?
Oh, my! This book had some fantastic twists and turns that I’ll let you discover for yourself. There are subplots galore, and the way they interweave with each other and the main plot is satisfying and surprising at times. The author is a very skilled writer, creating this complex world in such a seamless way that it pulls you in and makes you want to keep reading… no matter what else you need to do in your real life. 🙂 With the opening scene, she made Hanna such a sympathetic character, and she was able to maintain that through the entire text. Greg, the grandson, is a complex but exceedingly kind man, the type to indulge a sweet old lady as her mind slips away. He’s a great hero! And he and Hanna have good chemistry, and I love the way that they look out for each other. The paranormal aspect of the ghosts added a fascinating otherworldly layer to the book.
If you enjoy stories with intrigue, romance, the bad guys getting their due, and the paranormal, you will most likely find this to be a compelling read.
One Night for Seduction by Erica Ridley
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Google Play, Kobo, Scribd, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Indigo (Chapters)
One Night for Seduction*
How to Win a Wager and a Wife
The Duke of Colehaven is not one to pass up a wager, and he hasn’t lost one in 10 years. For this wager, he has to find a husband for the ward of one of his good friends. She has been called unmarriageable. Diana is a contented bluestocking spinster who wants nothing to do with marriage, as she doesn’t want to be controlled by any man. She has a great appreciation of numbers and lives a double life acting as if she were a government inspector. She goes to businesses and makes sure that they are using proper weights and measures so they don’t cheat the customers…or themselves!
Will the Duke be able to find a man willing to marry this woman? Will he be able to convince Diana that she should marry?
I found this to be a delightfully written book. There is a lot of humor, a lot of intelligence (and some interesting chess games!), and a lot of witty or telling banter between characters. The characters in this book are three dimensional–both the leads and the secondary characters. Diana is a fantastic heroine. She’s very smart, surprisingly funny, and knows her own mind. To hear her go on about mathematics and weights and measures was more amusing than it sounds. She’s very independent and believes in reciprocity between men and women in all things. Cole’s a great character as well. He, too, is not interested in marrying; he has very specific ideas about what his proper duchess should be like, and he hasn’t met her yet. He never expected to be the duke, so he treats people better than most others of his station. As Diana says, he is nice. I loved watching his relationship with his sister, Felicity. She is an excellent character in her own right, and brother and sister interacted well in a way that seemed natural between loving siblings.
If you enjoy well-written Regency with a little bit of humor and a bluestocking heroine, you might enjoy this book.
The Going Back Portal by Connie Lacy
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
The Going Back Portal*
Time Portal to Dark Time in American History
Kathryn, an investigative TV journalist, loves her grandmother, but thinks she is not quite in her right mind when she starts talking about seeing a Cherokee woman at a farm nearby. The problem is, there is no farm close to them. After investigating with Grandma, Kathryn changes her mind when she is transported back to the 1840s. Forest Water is a woman from that time who was left behind on the trail of tears and trapped on what used to be her family’s farmstead by a brutal white man. Kathryn keeps going back in time, wanting to help the young woman. Soon, she finds that more is at stake than the woman’s freedom and her life.
Will Kathryn be able to help the Cherokee woman? Can she keep the dangers at bay? Will Forest Water be free of the man harming her?
This book was well written. There’s a good mix of dialogue and narrative prose; she doesn’t hit you over the head with a lot of backstory all at once. The story unfolds naturally, as we learn along with Kathryn. It’s clear that Kathryn and her grandmother have a good relationship, even when Kathryn doesn’t believe her. It’s always lovely to see warm, intergenerational relationships. Oh, my goodness, poor Forest Water! What she had to go through! Even though this is fiction, it brings home the atrocities that happened at that time.
This book is a real page-turner. The author made the time travel aspect seem plausible. You can’t help but feel for these two women as they struggle against forces that are so strong. Yet, the fight is important. I loved how the author interwove romance relationships for both of the women into the plot. Something for them both to have hope for.
If you enjoy time travel and romance steeped in one of the dark times in America’s past, you might enjoy this very different take on time travel romance.
Three Last First Dates by Kate O’Keefe
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Three Last First Dates*
A Last First Date for a Commitment Phobe?
Marissa is quite willing to admit that she is a commitment-phobe. Despite this, some time ago she made a pact with some girlfriends that their next date would be their last first date. In the previous two books of this series, two of her friends found their true loves. Marissa decides to ratchet the idea up a notch, and she plans three first dates for one day, figuring that her odds will be better if she can choose one last date from three of them! The book really picks up when she goes on these dates. She even starts to get a little self-awareness about the way she self-sabotages herself and relationships.
Will one of these men be her last first date? Or will an old boyfriend turn out to be her best choice? Will she make other insights into herself and her past?
Marissa was at times a comical character involved in funny situations (loved the dog slobber kiss!). The three very different dates and her reactions to them were a hoot to read. The author details them thoroughly. Oh, my gosh! Loved the first date with the mortician and his pride-and-joy project! She could be a bit shallow, like comparing all of the men she might be interested in to movie stars. I enjoyed reading her thoughts, actions, and reactions to all that happens to her as she tries to sort herself out and truly figure out what she wants. In her interactions with her chosen man, it is clear that she wrestles with her commitment phobia. I like it when even in a romance a character becomes more self-aware and grows and changes in a positive way. The end was simply awesome, as Marissa overcomes two, not one, fears.
I’ve enjoyed the three books in this series so far, though I think book two about Paige is still my favorite. I love that the author writes sexy and romantic stories that aren’t tawdry or laced with gratuitous sex and profanity. She writes fantastic, classy love stories with heroes and heroines that you can relate to easily and root for. Marissa’s story was fun yet insightful about the strange ways that we protect ourselves in ways that aren’t always in our best interest. That this was done with humor is a testament to the author’s skill.
Fianna’s Awakening by Ron C. Nieto
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Indigo (Chapters)
Fianna's Reawakening*
Is the Spear of Lugh Real in Modern Times?
Aisling is a modern-day fiann warrior. She protects a territory in Dublin, Ireland. An item has turned up that is to be auctioned off that may be the mythical Spear of Lugh. If it is, she needs to get her hands on it before anybody else does. Ronan is a professor of ancient history and is an expert in Celtic studies at Trinity College, and Aisling wants him to consult with her on this to determine the spear’s authenticity. Ronan, the professor, has his own desire and need for the spear if it is authentic.
Is the item the mythical Spear of Lugh? If it is, who will succeed in obtaining it, Aisling or Ronan? Why does Ronan need this spear?
What an incredibly action-packed, fun read! The book starts with a bang, where Aisling finds herself stalked and attacked on a dark Dublin street. The girl has got some mad fighting skills! It’s not easy to write a realistic and imaginable action scene, but this author pulled it off. While the book did slow down after the initial scene, at times it revved up again. Aisling is a fascinating protagonist. Even though she has strength, speed, and skill, she is not well regarded within her warrior group buy some. But still, she persists. She can be fearsome when she wants to be. I love the interaction between her and Ronan, first when they are trying to feel each other out and then as they work together.
I loved how this story was grounded deeply in the mythology of Ireland, bringing it into the present day. I also appreciated that this book was well edited. I’ve read some books lately that have had more than the usual amount of problems with grammar, punctuation, and usage. What a delight to read a book that correctly used commas and had no significant grammatical errors. It allowed me to simply enjoy the story.
If you like the fast-paced contemporary urban fantasy that’s based in mythology and heroic tales, you might enjoy this book.
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