Tag: ARC Reviews

Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle

4 Stars

A major misunderstanding

Set in the magical town of Moonville, Ohio we meet our two main characters Romina Tempest and her first love Alex King.  High school sweethearts, they broke up before college.  Now years later Alex is back in Moonville because his mother is marrying Romina’s best friend Trevor Yoon’s father.  Add in a few more characters and plot twists and you have Old Flames and New Fortunes. 

I felt that the book was too long, I was ready for the best parts at about the halfway point-I continued reading but it seemed to take forever to get through to the “meat and potatoes” of this second chance romance.  I did enjoy the book, and the detailed plot, but the MFC Romina did annoy me at times.  By the end all the plot points were dealt with and a satisfying finish happened.  If Sarah Hogle writes more books set in Moonville with the other characters I will read them, her writing is good and her characters interesting. 

I received and ARC through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion. 

Ground Training (Immortal Outcasts Series Book 5) by Mandy M. Roth

5 Stars

More excitement!

This story gives us the story of Ace Hargraves, a Government made shifter, and Charlotte “Charley” Eyres who was stolen from The Corporation while a small child by her father Samuel.  Mandy Roth gives us a backstory for these two that takes place 25 years in the past.  Then on to the present where the two know nothing of each other. 

This book brings in characters from previous books, which really would help someone who hasn’t read them understand a little of what is going on in this shifter heavy world.  It’s an enjoyable read, but only gives just enough progress with the evil going on to make the reader want the next book NOW.  Well written, with good, interesting characters.  Part of a larger series, for the best understanding of the story and characters, read the previous books.

I was given an ARC by the author through Booksprout, and this is my honest opinion.

Endless Skye (Skye Druids #4) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

More twists and turns…

This is the next book in the series, and features Willa Ryan who along with her brother and sister, live on Skye.  Jasper McCabe is not what or who he seems.  Once the two have met, Donna Grant’s story winds around and through both of them and others from both this series, and other books in her Dark Universe.  It’s well written with good characterization and an intricate plot.  The overall plot that weaves through all of the Skye Druids books is not resolved, but the story for Jasper and Willa gives a satisfying finish.  Can’t wait for the next book in the series as they get better and better.

I was given and ARC of this book from the author through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion.

Right on Cue by Falon Ballard

5 Stars

Her first love

The book starts out with our MFC Emmy (Emilia) Harper and her best friend/director Liz attempting to find an actress to play the lead in Emmy’s screenplay of her bestselling book.  She ends up taking the part herself since none who have auditioned do as good of a job as she does when tested with the actors auditioning for the male lead.  Emmy hasn’t acted in over 10 years and is still upset about the circumstances of her first, and only, acting role.  She’s worried, but not about working with the actor who will play opposite her, as they are friends.  But on the day before shooting is to start at a small country inn, she runs into Grayson West, who is the cause of Emmy’s destroyed acting career because of comments he made about her during the filming of their first roles 10 years ago when they were both teenagers.  From this first meeting, anytime they are together on screen everyone can tell neither has moved past that first movie. 

  From this beginning the story moves through hostility, anger, and disrespect until Liz has had enough of the childishness and pulls them both in and gives them an ultimatum- work together or the film won’t get made. From this point on, Falon Ballard does a wonderful job of letting us see how Emmy copes.  The road to the end of the book is not all smooth sailing though, but we get the ending readers deserve.

  I was given an ARC of the book through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron (Supernatural Singles #3) by April Asher

5 Stars

Maxwell sister #3

This third book in the series features Olive Maxwell, a Professor and Bax Donovan, Guardian Angel.  Both have played parts in the other two series books featuring Olive’s sisters.  Olive is looking for a new place to live, when Bax offers the spare room in his apartment to her.  She accepts, and a mostly non-magical story starts.  Olive is nothing like her sisters, which makes sense since they are triplets.  She is the low key one, staying out of the limelight.  Bax’s character is more flashy but has more layers to his makeup.  Of the two characters, Bax is more developed, and because of this, the more interesting one. Olive’s character didn’t generate a lot of interest on my part, and I think because of this, the story dragged in parts for me.  Once I got 2/3’s of the way into the book, the story became more interesting, and all the characters became something “more”. 

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron is well written with the storyline giving readers more depth into the world April Asher has created.  I felt the story was a strong 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars.  I will continue to read other books in the series if Ms. Asher continues to write them.

I was given an ARC of the book through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

The Duke is Wicked (League of Lords #3) by Tracy Sumner

5 Stars

Is he really wicked?

In this book, our two main characters are an American named Delaney Temple who has a reputation, and the ability to read and absorb the information in books quickly.  Our main male character is Sebastian Tremont, the Duke of Ashcroft of the English aristocracy and who can manifest fire.  Our Duke has been in the other books in the series but in this one we get a better picture of who and what has shaped him.  Our American heroine is considered a Hellion, but you’ll have to make up your own mind it that is true, the same with the Duke being wicked.  I enjoyed this book, and the continuation of the series.  Fun and easy to read with no grammatical errors and the main characters are well developed.  Hopefully we’ll see Delaney’s twin in an upcoming book.

I was given this book as an ARC through BookSirens, and this is my honest opinion.

Dragon Kiss: A Dragon Kings Novella by Donna Grant

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 Stars

Well, I am not sure….

This short story is supposed to be a good introduction to the Dragon Kings series of books.  I’m not sure that is an accurate description of the book if you haven’t already read the previous books.  Both of the two main characters, Alisdair and Lotti, were introduced in the previous Dragon King book Dragon Arisen along with 2 others from the first book in this series.  I would consider this more of an arc between the last book and the next one which is why I rated this at 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.  The plot drags a little but does have action involving the 2 couples against the danger that is stalking them.  As the book ends, the main plot lines are still unresolved, but for fans of Donna Grant and her Dragon Kings, this only keeps us wanting more.  Well written with no grammatical errors the characters are also well developed and the story will make you want to keep reading this series.  I am looking forward to the next book.

I received an ARC of the book from the author through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion.

Dragon Frost: A Dragon Kings Novella (Dragon Kings #6.5) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

The Fae Realm

This short novella from Donna Grant revisits Constantine and Rhiannon.  They are still on Zora, and on Earth, Winter is approaching.  Rhiannon is a Fae and feels her emotions deeply.  She missis Earth and the turning of the seasons.  Constantine knows this, and this is the story of how he shows his love and appreciation of her.

This is a well written novella, which showcases two of the main characters of Donna Grant’s Dark Universe.  The characters are true to their written personalities which makes this an enjoyable read. 

I was given an ARC of the novella by Donna Grant through BookFunnel and this is my honest opinion. 

Inheritance (The Lost Bride Trilogy #1) by Nora Roberts

5 Stars

Another great trilogy starter!

If you’ve read any other series by Nora Roberts, you won’t be disappointed with Inheritance. She can write an interesting, suspenseful book with great characters and spectacular locations.  This book is a contemporary paranormal fantasy from the very start.  With two great main characters of Sonya McTavish and Trey (Oliver Doyle III) the lawyer son of Sonya’s lawyer Oliver Doyle II.  Add in additional secondary characters and you find that you are reading an intricate and well-developed story.  The ending of this book is a cliff hanger, quite a surprising one, but it will only make you want the second book RIGHT NOW!  I can’t wait to read book 2. 

I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.

Reign (Kindred: The Fated, Book 3) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

Finally!

Donna Grant has finally gotten to Malene and Armir’s story.  This is a continuation from book Everspell (Kindred series by Donna Grant) which gave us questions about whether she was killed or if something else happened to her.  In Reign Armir has not given up his search for her after the battle that finished Everspell.  But it’s been a year, and he is starting to doubt he’ll find her….and Donna starts an interesting, suspenseful, and surprising story.  I did think that the start was a bit slow, but it did pick up at about a quarter in.  Well worth reading, with no grammatical or plotting errors.  The two main characters are well developed and give us a good understanding of their minds.   It can be read as a stand-alone but will make better sense in the story if read from book 1 in this series, Rage.  An exceptional series, the Kindred starts the entire storyline, and is an enjoyable set of books that will give the reader the best experience.

  I was given an ARC from the author, through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion.