Nora is determined to save Mitchell Allen and his team from a trap, and to do that she has to translate the symbols on the door. M. Pax’s writing is always so vivid and Translations is more vivid yet. It had a poetic quality to it.

The Fall of Shaylar starts with the promising birth of Narmek’s heir, a son. Instead of one, though, he is given two. I liked how River Fairchild showed us Narmek’s nerves while Meelate (his wife) gave birth. It was reminiscent of all expectant fathers. But an oracle has a vision of the end of Shaylar after the twins’ births, predicting their hatred for each other would lead to ruin.

Fairchild’s words pull you into the story. It’s impossible not to get sucked in and feel like you are in Shaylar during these dark times. There’s romance and heartbreak in this story, as well as doom and despair. Fairchild writes a great story about a Kingdom going to ruin and two brothers who would do anything to stop the other from having an ounce of happiness.

I liked following each brother—one wanting nothing but to rule and the other wanting love. However, I would have liked to see Servin’s plan to free the Queen, Lamisha, play out. I think that would’ve been exciting to read. But the end still had my jaw dropping several times at the unexpected events.

Overall, The Fall of Shaylar is an enjoyable read and it is a nice prequel to a promising series.

Little Orchid’s Sea Monster Trouble is about Lee (Little) Orchid, a nine-year-old girl in Singapore in 1965, who can’t swim and is afraid of sea monsters. Her siblings tease her constantly about her fear and when rumors of a giant monster circulate, she believes the Giant Cuttlefish is the culprit flinging small fish to shore. And she’s determined to prove to everyone that she’s right. The story takes a big turn at chapter seven that I wasn’t expecting. Little Orchid transforms into a "monster" and runs away from home, taking us on an adventure.

I like how Claudine Gueh Yanting gave life to the sea creatures and created a world under the sea complete with lobster royalty. She gave the sea creature’s voices and feelings, and even fear for seaweed monsters (fishermen). I also enjoyed reading about the Singapore culture.

This is a very cute story with a message of family, love, and self-worth woven into its charming plot. I had tears in my eyes while reading the climax. Children and adults alike would enjoy this story as I did.

“Cuffed” starts when Eve is pulled over by a good-looking cop for driving fifty-five miles an hour in a thirty-five zone. Eve’s actions to flirt with the cop are ridiculous, but quite funny. I don’t have a problem with erotica, but when things immediately turned sexual, I became uncomfortable with the “strange” cop and helpless female scenario, but the end has a twist that eased my mind.

Those who love erotica may get a thrill with this free, sixteen page read.

When I found out this would be another Ari and Mason story, I knew I’d have to have it! I just loved these characters from “Despite the Fangs.” And if that wasn’t enough, this story is set in Ireland, which is my dream vacation spot.

Ari and Mason are having their long-awaited honeymoon in Ireland away from their twins during Christmas, and also hoping to sanctify their marriage. When they land they find out thirty-three children from a local pack of werewolves has vanished, led away by the sound of a pipe.

There is a bit of romance, a lot of mystery, nail-biting suspense including an exciting werewolf chase and dangerous rock cliffs, and action that held me captive all the way to the end. If you like werewolves, Christmas stories, and Ireland, Piper’s Piping is your holiday treat.

Piper’s Piping is book 11 in The Wild Rose Press’s Twelve Brides of Christmas series, and how fitting that is when you think about the Twelve Days of Christmas...eleven pipers piping. *wink*

Eden is at a pub in York with her friends when Declan waltzes in, ruining Eden’s night. Declan had made Eden’s teenage years a nightmare with his constant bullying and he’s the last one she wants to see during her night out with friends before Christmas. I enjoyed Eden’s personality and thoughts that were often sarcastic and frank but always funny. When Eden realizes Declan has changed and isn't as “douchey” as he used to be they go from enemies to friends to much more after a dare forced them to share a kiss.

There were a couple of minor errors (formatting, spelling, and a missing word here or there) but it didn’t bother me in the least.

There’s humor, romance, and heartbreak in this short Christmas story. I enjoyed it!

I read this book as a kid and adored it. It's the reason why I fell in love with dragonflies. :) I recently purchased it and reread it, and it was better than I remembered. There's real-life instances in this story with the threat of the grandfather being sent to a retirement home, and also fanciful elements with the fairy. I recommend this book to parents and children!

This World Bites is the first book by Loni Townsend that I’ve read (although I have Thanmir War waiting for me) and I was blown away by her story telling. She’s so creative with her world building from the citizens to the food, and the languages and terms, that it’s easy to get sucked into the story and setting. Reading was fascinating because of that.

The characters in This World Bites are also unique. There are zombies, vampires, werewolves, and guardians. It’s like a potpourri of supernatural creatures! And then there’s Cera, the main character. She’s tough and has amazing powers. She is now my new favorite heroine!

When Cera and her group of guardians arrive in an unknown world, while trying to find a cure for her father, they soon realize the citizens of this planet will take a bite out of them. Michael, one of her guardians, is bitten and Cera has to race to find a way to stop him from turning into a zombie. With every twist and turn, I fell more and more in love with this story.

I enjoyed the humor that Loni threw in here and there, even during exciting moments. This just made reading even more fun. There’s also a lovely dose of romance mixed in with the action and suspense when Cera falls for a handsome vampire named Duke. I adored Duke to no end.

If you’re a fan of the supernatural, you MUST read this story!

4.5 Stars “Sing a Mournful Melody” begins with the heart-breaking sorrow of a woman named Maribelle. She lost her husband in a horrifying manner and finds strange books about devilry in her husband’s library and elixirs that could bring death. Maribelle has a plan to die too, but a strange voice interrupts her in the act.

From the first couple of pages, the stories dark tones and Maribelle’s thoughts promise an eerie story. Juli. D. Revezzo brings Maribelle’s grief to life and conjures a haunting story with her exquisite details and storytelling. At the end, I wanted more! This could easily be a prequel for a longer story.

Roland Yeoman is an amazing writer, and that is evident from just the first sentence. He has a beautiful way with words that is poetic. His descriptions are vivid and artistic. Adding to Yeoman’s writing style is the stunning artwork at the beginning and the insightful quotes at the start of each chapter.

Before this story begins, Drew August (or Wolf Howl), was found in a park as a baby and was once wanted by the government for his mind, but when he refused to be bought, they wanted him dead. Now there are no governments... After the Mayan Prophesy of 2012, the world is coming to an end. Drew escaped by going sideways, an ability to bend pace he’s had from birth. Now Earth is in a different part of space where new rules apply and strange creatures exist.

With a woman named Shadow and a wizard named Nikola Tesla, Drew rescues an orphan girl named Abby, who was trained to be a killer. I liked Abby right way; her darkness, vulnerability, and strength. Her dialogue is perfect. I really enjoyed her sarcasm.

The four of them embark on a journey to save the world. An Egyptian god even makes an appearance, which I found quite fun. Suspense and moments of humor make up this unique story.

Note: There’s quite a bit of philosophical talk and thoughts in this story. I mention this only for the people who may not like that.