Warrior Queen of Ha-Ran-Fel by Sandra Kopp

Book Description:
Dead. All dead. Her father and mother. Their loyal servants. Her countrymen. Killed by her cousin, Lucius Mordarius, and his ilk, followers of the dark lord Ryadok. Though beaten down in the following years, hatred fuels Merewyn, keeping her alive. And then it comes: an opportunity to escape. Aided by four strangers she doesn't entirely trust, Merewyn directs her steps to Ha-Ran-Fel, land of the savage Horse Lords, where she hopes to gain the strength to come back for her cousin's head. But complications arise. The band of strangers hunt Lord Ryadok's beast, the Baugonril, a monster born of magic, created to be impervious to attack. If successfully bred, the Baugonril would mean the ruin of every nation still fighting Ryadok's yoke. Merewyn's quest must expand beyond revenge to the salvation of her world, but there is little room left in her heart for anything but hate; so she thinks. The longer she remains with the companions, the more her suspicions turn from them to her reactions to their care and protection. Could she weaken so easily? Dogged by the sorcerer's soldiers and her own inner demons, she survives maelstroms, near starvation, and the dangerous crossing of the raging Ashgard River only to arrive at her destination, what she believes to be the end of her quest, to be treated with suspicion and condescension. She must prove her worth and fight for the right to avenge her family and the honor of saving her world as the Warrior Queen of Ha-Ran-Fel.

My Thoughts:
I really got into this book.  There is a bit of everything from war to romance to evil monsters to sorcery.  There are a lot of characters to get to know but once you get into the book, that isn't really an issue.  The point of view does switch fairly frequently but you won't want to miss the action.  Merewyn is a beloved daughter and adores her parents, most especially her father.  When her cousin murders them and makes her a prisoner, she knows she has to escape.
Four friends are traveling and scouting together and I must say, they are an interesting mix!  I'm not certain which of the four was my favorite here but I liked them all.  They each have their own strengths but are loyal to each other to the end.  Merewyn is determined to have her revenge no matter what she has to do to achieve it.  I loved that she was willing to set aside personal comfort to seek justice (revenge).  The story flowed well, there were suspenseful moments, lighthearted moments, and everything in between.  It is a book that once you start, you will be pulled in and not want to end.
It says book 1 in this series so I'm really excited to see what book 2 brings!
4/5 for me, and I have to say that I really enjoy this author's writing style!  

Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Trapped in Wonderland by Dani Hoots

Book Description:
Meredith Alice Hughes has found herself falling through a portal and into Wonderland. There, she finds some of her classmates, who are actually fictional characters from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, and they use a potion to make her forget everything. Everything would have been fine, that is, until the White Rabbit tries to murder her and she finds herself in Wonderland once more. Apparently, according to a prophecy, Alice is the only one who can save Wonderland from the Cirque de Rêves, a group that is trying to destroy and takeover the world. Little does Alice know that not only is Wonderland in danger, but her home world as well, because all the citizens in Wonderland represent the dreams of every living human in the real world, and when they start to disappear, so does the hope of every living thing. Will Alice believe in herself enough to defeat the Cirque de Rêves? Or will she fall victim to the dark thoughts that reside in her heart?

My Thoughts:
I truly enjoyed this book.  Alice isn't her first name, but she is dragged into Wonderland anyway!  This isn't a retelling of Alice in Wonderland, but more a continuation of the story.  Alice meets the characters from the classic story, some of them good and some bad.  Either way, she is the key to the problem they are having and only she can stand up to to Morpheus.  I liked Alice.  She is the reluctant hero that everyone loves to cheer for.  I wasn't sure about the guys at first or which I wanted her to choose.  There are pros and cons to both of her choices.  I've determined that I'm not a fan of the White Rabbit, but his character is very well done.  The darkness and how Morpheus used it was intriguing to me and I wasn't certain how Alice could win on that count but the author did a good job with that as well.  I enjoyed the characters and the story.  There is also a moral to the story that I enjoyed as well.  
Overall, it was a 4/5 for me.  I do look forward to the next in this series!

Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

The Last Shadow Gate by Michael W. Garza

Book Description:
Summer vacation was never supposed to be like this.

It was bad enough Naomi had to be shipped off to her dad's home for the summer and deal with her half-brother Gavin, but when the siblings are forced to spend their break with their great-grandmother in upstate New York, everything changes. An investigation into the strange disappearance of their great-grandfather forces them to retrace his footsteps. They discover a gateway between worlds and encounter extraordinary creatures in a land where the people are desperate to escape the coming of a shade lord. To survive their adventure, Naomi and Gavin must settle their differences and find the elusive shadow gate that will take them home again.

My Thoughts:
This is a really good start to a promising series.  Gavin and Naomi are half-siblings and have to spend the summer together.  Not only that but they are spending it at their great grandmother's house.  There is a mystery around doorways and their great grandfather's disappearance that intrigues the two and they begin a search.  Once they discover the world on the other side of the door, the problems start piling up, not the least of which is, how to get home!
I thought the author did a good job with his characters.  I liked how realistic Naomi and Gavin were as siblings and that they did have issues.  The other world that was created was quite interesting as well.  I now want to actually see some of the inhabitants of that land!  The story flows really well and it isn't one that you want to put down.  The story doesn't 'speed' you through but it pulls you along and you always want to know what is going to happen next.
It was a 4/5 for me and I am really interested to see what happens next.

Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Murder for the Time Being by Joanie Bruce

Book Description:
"You'll pay for this. I'll get you both."

Computer expert Lexi Wynn is frightened. Someone is after her, but she doesn't know why. Is it because of her past or because she was thrust into a deadly bank robbery and might identify the ones responsible? Escaping a failed kidnapping attempt and not sure who to trust, she hopes her specialized skills with computers might flush out the name of the killer. When a tall, dark, and handsome stranger rams into her truck with the hearse he's driving and puts his life in danger to save hers, can she ignore the attraction she feels for him to concentrate on the killers? Or is God the only one who can save her now? 

Drew Sheffield is irritated when a cute lady stops abruptly in front of him and he plows into the back of her pickup. After their initial confrontation, flashbacks of honeysuckle and sassy green eyes linger in his thoughts. When Lexi is threatened, he steps in to help the feisty young woman, in spite of agonizing over a past relationsh

My Thoughts:
This was an enjoyable read.  Honestly, it took me a bit to get into this book, but it was worth it.  Lexi's family is horribly hurt when her mother foils a bank robbery and is shot.  Lexi is afraid her past has come back to haunt her and her family.  Drew is the coroner and is less than impressed when he meets Lexi.  The two of them get off to a rocky start and I really liked that.
The fact that it wasn't an instant love was nice.  There is suspense in is it Lexi's past or Drew's that is interfering in their lives.  There is danger for all of Lexi's family and I really liked her little brother.  He had an attitude but it was understandable.  The author does great with her characters and the story line flowed once you got into it. 
It was a 4/5 for me.  I must say that I loved the way the author wrapped it all up.
Thank you tot he author for the review copy of this book (via Celebrate Lit).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

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Make Believe Beau by Keli Gwyn

Book Description:

The Courtship Charade 

As a draftswoman in a man's world, Jessica Sinclair causes a stir as her new male colleagues vie for her attention. And the company manager has an ultimatum: fake a courtship with her boss, Flynt Kavanaugh…or lose her job. But pretending to be smitten with the handsome engineer unleashes a real, complicated attraction—and could reveal the past she hoped to keep hidden. 

Jessica is certainly the best person for the job. But as their make-believe romance escalates, Flynt knows that's not the only reason he wants her on his team. However, with his past shrouded by a shameful secret, Flynt has always focused his ambitions on building a career, not a family. Now he has designs on Jessica's heart, but can they trust each other with the truth?

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this one.  Jessie is used to making her way in a man's world.  She is a draftswoman and is significantly good at what she does.  She lands her dream job with a company and in large part thanks to Flynt.  Flynt and Jessie are thrown together when their employer demands they pose as a couple to keep the office productive.  Each have issues from their past that could affect their relationship.

I really liked Jessie.  Her past was an issue, but not as horrible as she thought it was.  She still has trouble grasping that God does forgive all sins.  Flynt's own past casts a large shadow across his outlook.  He is a good man, hard worker, and all around stand up guy.  I like that while they are forced into the roles, they both enjoy it.  There is instant attraction but not instant love.  Their friendship grows and blossoms into more.  Their issues were a big problem but only if they allow it to be bigger than they believe God can handle.

It was a 5/5 for me.  A good, quick read with a good message.

Angels in the Bible for Little Ones by Allia Zobel Nolan

Book Description

Angels in the Bible for Little Ones gives children a fascinating look into how powerful behind-the-scenes helpers interacted with Bible greats such as Abraham, Daniel, and Mary, acting as messengers, protectors, warriors, and more. This padded cover board book, written by bestselling author Allia Zobel Nolan and illustrated by Alisa Massari, brings eight stories from the Bible to life for little ones.

My Thoughts:

When I got this in the mail, my 2 year old immediately snatched it.  We looked through it and he loved the pictures.  Then we actually sat and read through it.  Not once, but four or five times now!  It has quickly become one of his favorites and I know children older than he is would enjoy it as well.  The pictures captured his attention from the start, but he will also sit and listen to it...that is impressive that it keeps his attention!

It is quite durable and Biblically accurate.  There are stories from both the old and new testament told in here.  Each one is short enough to keep your child's attention but gives them good information.  Overall, we just really loved this book.

It is a 5/5 stars for us!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via BookLook).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Hook's Little Mermaid Audio Release & Review

Official Release! Hear the story of Captain Hook from his own lips in this Audible version of "Hook's Little Mermaid."

“Hook wasn't always a villain. Discover what leads him on the path of destruction and how the love of a mermaid can change his heart.” ~ Hook's Little Mermaid

 
Captain James Hook was once a good man trying to make a somewhat honest living. He is a pirate, after all. However, after getting word that a boy named Peter Pan played a part in the death of a dear loved one, Hook makes it his sole purpose to hunt down and destroy the fiend.

On his journey for vengeance, the captain encounters many new comrades, including a young girl named Red and a fairy called Tinker Bell, and both push him to reconsider his desire for justice.

The accidental rescue of a mermaid leads him on a whirlwind adventure in Neverland. The journey is not a simple one, considering Pan, the Lost Boys, mermaids, and magic all come into play. After several misadventures, Hook must choose between the possibility of a new life with love and his much-desired retaliation against Pan.

Once everything is said and done, will the captain be able to overcome his need for revenge? Will he let compassion steer him toward love? Or will Captain Hook live up to his villainous reputation?

I enjoyed this new look at Captain Hook.  He is a good guy, I mean he is a pirate but he isn't a BAD pirate.  I enjoyed the book from start to finish.  The narrator took some getting used to but did a pretty good job.  It isn't a long book and I listened to it in one day.   Not a book you are going to want to put down to do something and come back to but one you will want to read start to finish as quickly as possible.  The author does a great job with her characters and keeping the story entertaining start to finish.  I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!  Really good book 4/5.  

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