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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Jun 22, 2022  
Author Amanda M. Thrasher visits my blog today with an interview about her children's fantasy adventure THE MISCHIEF SERIES. There's also a giveaway for a chance to win signed copies of all the books in the series, a copy of Amanda's young adult adventure novel Captain Fin, and a $50 Starbucks gift card.

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2022/06/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-mischief.html

**THE MISCHIEF SERIES, BOOK 1 SYNOPSIS**
Where do fairies get their magical fairy dust?

After leaving the mushroom patch without permission, two mischievous fairies find themselves in more trouble than they can handle. Boris, with a broken ankle and a bent wing, is unable to walk or fly, and Lilly must devise a plan to escort him safely back to the mushroom patch. As with all actions, there are consequences! Lilly and Boris have broken colony rules and wasted precious fairy dust. Sentenced to work in the dust factory, the two learn a valuable lesson about the production of fairy dust, but can they survive the foreman?
     
Silent Victim (DCI Matilda Darke #10)
Silent Victim (DCI Matilda Darke #10)
Michael Wood | 2022 | Crime, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
... aaaannnnd breathe!!!!

What can I say ... wow ... another absolute belter to add to this truly excellent series with the only complaint I have is that we have to wait until March for the next instalment ... March?!? ... I have to wait until March?!?!? Oh Mr Wood you are wicked 😀

I don't even know where to begin on just how good this book, and the rest of series, is but once again, we are treated to outstanding characters, a dark and gritty storyline all wrapped up in an tense plot with twists and turns that had me swiping my Kindle so fast I got friction burns!

Highly recommended book to read as a standalone but, to get the best out of it, I would suggest you read the whole series; you won't be disappointed and DCI Darke, her friends and colleagues will become like old friends you will laugh and cry with.

A huge thanks must go to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of the excellent Silent Victim.
  
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ClareR (5779 KP) rated Queen B in Books

Jul 25, 2024  
Queen B
Queen B
Juno Dawson | 2024 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I really can’t get enough of this series. I did think that this was going to be a sequel to The Shadow Cabinet (a resurrected Anne Boleyn seemed like a very good idea to me!), but it’s a prequel to the series as a whole. The story of the one who started the idea of the HMRC. Although, it’s a slightly different story to the one we may know of Anne Boleyn.

We all know what happened to Anne Boleyn, and this book doesn’t change that OR the reasons. In fact she was called a witch in her own time. The HMRC series takes that one step further though, and Anne Boleyn really IS a witch. Her coven supports her, and after Henry VIII does his worst, they carry on her work.

This is a truly fabulous read - a reworking of history that gives women more muscle and autonomy.

And magic!

If I have any complaint, it’s that it was over far too quickly!

And now I must wait for the next book

  
Lost Energy (Energy Series #2)
Lost Energy (Energy Series #2)
Lynn Vroman | 2015 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Book 2 continues where Book 1 stopped - Tarek is still Warden of Arcus and Lena is still on Earth. He can talk to her every night but she can't respond. What a heartbreaking way to start the book!

This book is building up to so much more than 'just' a romance. It is full of action, humour, double-crossing, rivalry and even loss. Lena has grown up a lot since the first book but still has some to do, and Wilma is more than happy to help set her straight. The pace of the book is fast although not frantic. There are events that need to happen, and they do. It is not all sweetness and light though.

I love the characters in these books as they all have depth and their own personalities. Farren's relationship with Lena is simply fantastic and they have the unconditional love and support of each other that nothing can break (I hope!). The emotional range in this book will draw you in before it tears you apart. I don't like talking too much about the story as you have the synopsis for that - but one that that I really need to say is that you NEED to read this series. I was in tears by the end of the book, totally side-swiped by an event that I just never saw coming because I was too wrapped up in the story. What happens after said event is even worse and I really, really need the next book, like now, just to ensure that all will be well.

If you like fantasy then get your grubby mitts on this series because, trust me, it's a brilliant one! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
 
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
 
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
September 2, 2016
  
Blue Moon Rising (Moonlight Prophecies #2) by Amanda Meuwissen
Blue Moon Rising (Moonlight Prophecies #2) by Amanda Meuwissen
Amanda Meuwissen | 2022 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
BLUE MOON RISING is the second book in the Moonlight Prophecies series and we continue where book two left off, so I HIGHLY RECOMMEND reading book one first or you may get lost.

Bari and Jay are returning to Jay's Pack to let them know of all the changes that have happened. Bari makes his attraction to Jay known from the beginning. Jay is feeling a little sore from book one, even though he admits Bari is more his type that Bash ever was.

I'm going to say right here that this book didn't quite hit the mark that book one did for me BUT it was still a fantastic read. For me, it was better than a 4-star but not quite a 5. I've rounded it up as I do believe this is a brilliant book!

Jay has always been the easy-going one, the one to let things slide, but sometimes he needs to take a stand. And Bari is the one to give him the inner strength to do so. I'm not kidding here. Jay's Pack is a mess! I really did not like reading about them. So when the Big Bad was revealed - or rather, her minions - I can't say as I was surprised.

This book definitely doesn't end the story, and I can't wait to see what happens next and with whom. Bari and Jay are a perfect match for each other, especially when Jay lets out his Alpha - which he should do more often IMO!

A great addition to the series and absolutely recommended by me. Bring on book three!

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 30, 2022
  
Embracing the Outcast (Crowns Legacy #2)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the second time I have had the pleasure of reading a book by Nadine C. Keels. It is book two in her Crowns Legacy series titled Embracing the Outcast; it can be read as a standalone, although I still recommend reading the first book. After reading the first book in the series I was not quite sure what to expect of the second book (as just how many follow up books are as good as the first?). I had high hopes for this second book when I started reading and it ended up being so much more than I imagined it would be.

In this story, Nadine C. Keels has such a way with putting words to emotions and feelings that I’ve rarely seen, and she does it subtlety as you get sucked into the character’s lives. I Loved learning about something I was totally unfamiliar with, it was a good learning experience for me. Nadine covers it in a very no-nonsense way and tries to help her characters understand why God does this sometimes. Which I truly found interesting. My favorite quote I think gives a glimpse as to the depth of Nadine’s characters:

“Perhaps it is not given or preferable for everyone to see. They may not all notice or rightly recognize what’s in front of them, but beauty is experienced by those with the capacity to perceive and behold it. Those without the capacity or the will to behold beauty are the ones who miss out, and they’re the poorer for it.” -Pg. 115

Nadine C. Keels created characters that had such vivid emotions, and she covered some very difficult topics. Which in the end gave a beautifully written story about how everyone is special and is used by God for His glory. I give this story 5 out of 5 stars for the creativity and research put into making this such a well-crafted story, for the characters I could relate to, and for helping me see things from a different perspective. I highly recommend this book/series and I am so excited to see where Nadine C. Keels goes next with this series.

*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
  
Duty, Honor, Sacrifice (Toronto's Elite #2)
Duty, Honor, Sacrifice (Toronto's Elite #2)
Angela S. Stone | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Duty, Honor, Sacrifice (Toronto's Elite #2) by Angela S. Stone
Duty, Honor, Sacrifice is the second book in the Toronto's Elite series, and whilst we focus on a different pair, the characters from book one also play a big part in it. It is for this reason that I would recommend that you read this as a series, rather than standalones.

Chris and Logan have had an on-again/off-again relationship for approximately three years, and both of them want more, but neither of them are prepared to say anything. Mixed up with this is the job that they do, with Logan currently searching for someone involved with child porn/kidnapping. They get pulled onto another case though, with Jaden appearing to be targeted by a media leak within the department. This means that they work more closely with Jaden and Cam than they have previously, learning more about those two and themselves at the same time.

Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be a brilliant carry on from book one, there were parts where I was a bit confused. This was simply because the story is told from both the main males' perspectives, and sometimes it wasn't clear just who was talking. It was "he said, he moved, he thought," whereas a name might have been a bit more helpful at times. I must point out that I received an ARC of this, so I'm sure that this will be picked up and sorted before the book is released.

On the whole, this is an exciting, action-packed book that I can highly recommend. Looking forward to book three now.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Kings Falling (The Book of the Wars, #2)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the second book in Ronie Kendig's The Book of the War's series, I read and reviewed Storm Rising! when it released last year, and boy was it captivating. I think that it is important to read the books in order as Ronie Kendig builds the characters in the first book and you get to know them and their situations. You may be slightly confused if you read them out of order.

The characters in Kings Falling build upon what was established in Storm Rising. I loved getting to know the characters better and how the different subplots are working together. That is one reason I love reading Ronie Kendig's books, they always have a great depth of character. Aside from the main characters, the secondary characters caught my interest in this book, and I am not sure how we will get their full stories before the series ends (Uhm, Hint for more books about them?). I loved all the character's playful banter, the dangerous situations, and the real-life problems that they faced together as a team.

The storyline is very intriguing and keeps me guessing, especially how this book ended. I am very much anticipating the release of Soul Raging coming out in November. The storyline reminds me of stories along the lines of Lord of the Rings, or The Chronicles of Narnia albeit with more fast-paced adrenaline run than either of those stories.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the second book being just as good (if not better than) the first, for the great characters, and for keeping me up till midnight reading to see the ending only to get the shock of a lifetime. I highly recommend this book!

*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
  
The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events #8
10
8.7 (20 Ratings)
Book Rating
They end up volunteering in the library of records in the library which has files on everything, including The Snicket Fire. But of course, as always, EsmĂ© and Olaf aren’t far behind.

The Horrible Hospital is one of the most exciting books in the series. It’s so close to unveiling all of the secrets throughout the book and it’s so full of suspense. It’s actually one of the most unpredictable books in the series, and the twists were shocking.

It’s probably the most terrifying as well, especially with the position Olaf and his troupe have managed to get themselves into.

Olaf is at his most terrifying, and so is EsmĂ©. They have reached a new height where I’m starting to question whether this is actually a children’s series at all.
  
Murder Girl (Lilah Love #2)
Murder Girl (Lilah Love #2)
Lisa Renee Jones | 2018 | Thriller
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Loving this series so far and can't wait to see where we end up next!
Second book in this series and I can't say enough how thrilled I am that we'll be in for more of Lilah Love! Her tough attitude and fierce independence make her one bad a$$ FBI Profiler and a character that I can't help but love and admire. This story is a perfect blend of suspense, action, and romance and Kane's patience and understanding of Lilah and her habits is heartwarming. As dark as his life and experiences may be, he goes out of his way to create a safe place for her, even when she feels like there is no else she can fully trust. Loving this series so far and can't wait to see where we end up next!