I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

I COULD NOT sit By a Charm & a Curse by Jaime Questell down! I loved the setting and the mystery surround the curse. I ached for Emma and fell in love with Ben. If you enjoy YA urban fantasy, carnivals, and curses, I highly recommend it!

When the book opens, Emma is struggling. She’s been sent away by her mother to live with her father and brothers in rural Oklahoma. That in itself isn’t so bad. It’s the being away from her mother for over a year that Emma struggles with. Emma comes full circle in this book, seeing the error in her thinking almost immediately. She misses her family, and yet she’s can’t return. It’s heartbreaking!

Ben is ready to run at the open. He’s spent most of his life with the carnival, and he’s ready to leave and find a place to call home. He’s tired of the traveling, nomadic life. BUT his mom is there, and they are there because she wants to keep him safe. The charm tied to the carnival protects them from accidents, makes their shows magical, and even stops their aging. Despite all of this, Ben wants a normal life until the new Girl in the Box arrives.

So the premise of the book is in the title. There is a curse on the person in the box and that curse is directly related to the charm protecting everyone in the carnival. The story opens with Sidney, the Boy in the Box. I picture something like those old fortune teller boxes that you drop a coin in and the mannequin gives them a card of their future. This is exactly what it is except Sidney is alive. Then he tricks Emma into the Box and she takes his place, forced to travel with the carnival, unable to go home and unable to apologize to the family she is leaving behind.

I think this is where the book lost me a bit. I loved Emma and Ben. I even liked their budding relationship. But the curse and charm, those confused me, which is why the book gets four instead of five stars. It’s well thought-out and is explained some, but I still had a hard time understanding how the curse is passed on and why no one has thought to break it before now. Granted that is also explained.

Overall I really enjoyed By a Charm & a Curse, even if some of it was predictable. I found myself engrossed in Emma and Ben’s story, their relationship and how they overcome the odds. I loved Duncan and Whiskey and the other side characters, and I hurt for Sidney and Audrey. I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys the whimsy of carnival life, the charms of first love, and a seemingly unbreakable curse.

Note: This book contains strong language, underage drinking, and some violence. While it is written for YA, I would recommend it for 16+ or the mature teen.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

I don’t know about you, but I love, LOVE modern adaptations of Jane Austen classics. Is it just me? Seriously, I’m obsessed with them. I can’t get enough! It always astounds me how Austen’s thoughts on women, relationships, romance, and politics can be transferred to today. This is a woman who lived in the 18th century and yet her work lives on today, over two hundred years later AND it is still relevant. By the Book by Julia Sonneborn is a testament to that!

Following the story of a college professor, By the Book is a loose, modern retelling of Austen’s classic Persuasion. Anne Corey thinks she has it all figured out. She’s finally landed a job in Fairfax, a small liberal arts college, and is living her dream, teaching the books she loves. Her own book is finished and sent off to publishers, awaiting replies and hopefully a book deal. She thinks she doesn’t need a man and only occasionally does she think about and miss her college sweetheart and ex-fiancé Adam. Then he shows up as the new President of her college and she becomes consumed with “what ifs.”

Adam is a hard character to read. At one moment, it seems as if he has spent his time pining away for Anne. At others, he’s distant and aloof as though they never shared intimate moments together. Despite all of this, I rooted for him. I found his quiet steadiness refreshing.

While Anne tries to avoid Adam (because even though it’s been years since their breakup the hurt is still fresh), she meets and falls for the college’s new writer in residence Richard Chasen. I honestly couldn’t stand this guy. I wanted to reach through the pages and smack the smug smile from his face. He is SO full of himself, and yet somehow Anne falls for him. As I was reading, it was easy to see why. He’s a smooth talker, and with a few words he was able to persuade Anne to believe in him. Smug *insert bad word here*!

In addition to this main plot, there are several subplots that made the book feel true to life: Anne’s best friend falling for a firmly in-the-closet actor, her father’s failing health, her pursuit for tenure, and her book deal. These added to the story, but in all honesty I would have liked more about Anne and Adam. 75% of the book is about everything but them. The other 20% is their past relationship (which I loved how the author explored Anne’s past through present circumstances), and only 5% actually dealt with the main love interest. Rather disappointing for a contemporary romance.

Overall By the Book exceeded my expectations and is a refreshing adaptation! I highly recommend it for anyone that enjoys Austen and second-chance romances.

I'm proud to be human. We're ever so flawed. We're frail, confused, violent, and we struggle with so many issues. But all in all, I'm proud to be a Daughter of Man.

For two years I have seen this book on my recommended list on Amazon and for two years I have passed it up. Do NOT make the same mistake I did! This book is amazing! Words cannot begin to describe the emotions I felt while reading this book. I was hooked from the very first line......

Ironically, since the attacks, the sunsets have been glorious.

Angelfall begins six weeks after Angels attacked (with tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes) all the major cities of Earth. Humankind is on the brink of extinction. Our main character is Penryn Young, a petite 17 year old with attitude who lives with her paranoid schizophrenic mother and wheelchair bound little sister. It is up to Penryn to take care of the family (i.e. finding shelter, food, and providing protection). One night while looking for new shelter, Penryn's life is altered dramatically. An angel named Raffe fights with four other angels and his wings are cut off. Unfortunately for Penryn and her family they are witness. Her sister is kidnapped, her mother runs off into the night, and Penryn is left with a wingless angel as an ally.

I personally love these characters. Our MC Penryn is what all teenage girls want to be....a force to be reckoned with! She is strong, caring, beautiful, and doesn't care what anyone thinks of her. Raffe is.....well an angel. He is a protector and it comes very naturally to him. With their unlikely alliance, Penryn finds herself falling for Raffe and finds that it is too easy to forget he is not human....

A sense of humor is one...thing I don't think angels should have. The fact that his sense of humor is corny makes it even more wrong.

Together Penryn and Raffe make a trek across Northern California in search of her sister and his wings. Throughout the book they face many obstacles from other human beings to angels to low demons. Full of action and suspense I could not sit this book down and finished it and its sequel in less than 24 hours.
Ms. Ee paints pictures with her words. The imagery of the world our MC lives in is so vividly described I was there experiencing what she did and feeling what she felt. Cannot wait for the rest of this series!

I received a copy of this book as a part of a Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

The Christmas Eve Kiss by [a:Taylor Hart|7872820|Taylor Hart|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1413778290p2/7872820.jpg] is one of six stories that can be found in the [b:Christmas in Snow Valley|23262242|Christmas in Snow Valley (A Christmas Romance Anthology)|Cindy Roland Anderson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1411407054s/23262242.jpg|42803783] bundle and is a story about forgiveness. Molly O'Hare escaped to Colorado after her long-term boyfriend ended things and she found a letter in her attic written by her father. Here she works hard to forget the life she had and is told by her boss that she now has enough money to buy into the company and own her own store. On the heels of this she receives a frantic call from her mother. Her father has had a heart attack. Dropping her life in Colorado, she rushes home to Snow Valley, but awaiting her are all the things she ran from.

Sweet Characters

Molly is a very relatable character. She was raised in church, loved Christmas, and her best friend was also the man she loved. She seemingly had everything then it was all ripped out from under her. So she did what any sensible woman would do, she ran away, starting a new life else where and cutting those she loved out as much as she could. Hurt and angry even two years later, Molly's never gone home. Then the call about her father comes and she has no choice. I like her and I feel sorry for her. She's put up walls around her emotions and the only thing left is bitterness. She's hurt by her father's letter and angry at her best friend. I loved reading her progression as she slowly realizes that it's time to confront the past so she can have a future. It's very real!

Kevin is the best friend, the man we should all hate because of Molly's anger towards him. He just "needed space" two years ago, now he's every where: helping with chores on her parents' ranch, at the hospital, and even waiting on her outside. I like Kevin. He is sweet to Molly and it is so obvious from his first introduction into the story that he is head over heels in love with her. He knows he made a big mistake and he plans to stop at nothing until she's taken him back.

Molly's parents I just adore! They are this sweet older couple who love Molly with all their hearts. Her father is a strong, stoic man who has a strong Christian background. Her mother "flutters" (I love that description!). They are hurt by Molly's sudden departure in their lives and are so happy to have her home despite the circumstances. They want to keep her there. And her father has only one question. Why did she leave in the first place?

Swoon-worthy Romance

This story was super sweet. I don't really know another way to describe it. I mean it was the kind of romance story that makes you go "Awe!" a hundred times and then even has you dabbing your eyes a bit. The plot revolves around Molly's problems: her ex and the letter. Ultimately Molly has a decision to make: she can confront her past and forgive or run away again.

There was a strong Christian theme that ran through out the story with her hatred of the Christmas holidays and then her return to Snow Valley and everything that points her home. It's a prodigal return. One that definitely left tears in my eyes!

My Conclusion

Overall the story was a sweet romance that left me with such a contented, warm-hearted (literally, my chest felt light and warm) after finishing it. The strong Christian influence was a plus as was the story being a true clean-read. It's always a relief to read without all the profanity and sexual situations that tend to be in books nowadays. If you enjoy romance, Christmas, and just a really good read I highly suggest you pick it up for your holiday reading pleasure.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

When I picked up The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory, I was expecting a sweet, contemporary romance set over the course of a whirlwind weekend. I based that assumption off the title, having skimmed the blurb. Imagine my disappointment when the wedding date was only the first 20% of the book. Despite this disappointment, there were other factors that detracted from my ability to like the story. But before I get into those, here are the things I really liked about the book:

• Interracial couple: Alexa is black and Drew is white (hence the cover 😉)
• Meet during a power outage on an elevator – seriously this was a cute, flirty scene.
• The texting – cue goofy grin while reading
• Drew needs a date to his ex’s wedding and takes the girl he just met in an elevator.
• Body image and beauty standards discussed at length – Alexa is a big girl so doesn’t fit into the norm.
• Both MCs have jobs that they enjoy (Drew is a pediatric surgeon, Alexa works at the mayor’s office.)
• Dual POVs

Other reviewers are describing this book as “cute” and “charming,” and I guess that fits. Alexa is visiting her sister in her hotel room when she gets stuck in an elevator with Drew. The two strike up a conversation, and by the time the elevator begins moving again, she has a date with Drew to his ex’s wedding. Thinking she will never see this guy again, she throws caution to the wind and does things she wouldn’t normally do, like actually go to the wedding and pretend to be Drew’s girlfriend.

I liked and disliked Alexa. She’s a strong, independent woman who is living her dream working for the mayor. But she has a lot of self-esteem issues. She doesn’t think someone like Drew would like her or think her beautiful. She’s a big, curvy girl, but so am I and I know that while I don’t see myself as beautiful, my husband does. Instead of trusting Drew, she really lets her insecurities take over and I found that annoying.

Drew is not the ideal main love interest in my opinion. About the only thing I found swoon-worthy was his interactions with his patients (remember he’s a pediatric surgeon). There is just something sexy about a man who gets on a child’s level and brightens that child’s day. But I digress, Drew is the epitome of playboys. He “doesn’t date” and likes to keep things casual. He’s so hung up on keeping things casual and worrying about ruining a good thing that he plays into Alexa’s insecurities.

This story really revolves around how Drew and Alexa handle a long-distance relationship/fling and if it will continue. I really struggled to enjoy this book after the initial wedding date. I thought they both acted immaturely (remember these are characters that are my age – late twenties, early thirties). It felt repetitive and I really struggled during the last half of the book to finish it.

Overall The Wedding Date is a cute story bordering on corny at times. I thought it was an okay read. I liked aspects and disliked others equally making it hard to decide how I should rate it. The sex scenes were plentiful but for the most part faded to black without crossing over into erotica. If you enjoy contemporary romance, you may like this one. It just wasn’t for me.

Geekerella by Ashley Poston is a sweet, fun contemporary YA romance centered around fandoms. Elle is a girl obsessed with the cult-classic show Starfield. When the show gets a movie reboot, she is all kinds of excited until she learns that the soap star Darien Freeman is playing the lead. What Elle doesn’t realize though is that Darien is just as big a fan as she is.

I really liked Elle. She’s a quiet, nerdy girl that reminds me a little of myself at that age. At 17, she’s an orphan being raised by her stepmom (or as she calls her the “stepmonster”) and lives with her two stepsisters. When the book opens, Elle is lost or at least she feels lost to me. She is going through the motions of her life, living for others instead of for herself, and missing her dad as the 7th anniversary of his death approaches. When she watches the morning news show that announces the soap star playing her beloved Federation Prince, she takes to her blog and becomes viral overnight.

Darien is a misunderstood guy. He plays a teen heart throb on a CW soap that he describes as the next “OC.” However he is really nerdy and a little shy. He plays a persona when he is in the public eye that doesn’t match who he really is. Like Elle he seems lost and overwhelmed. During the morning show, he is surprised to learn that he will be attending ExcelsiCon with his costars, participating on the Starfield panel and signing afterwards. Because of a bad experience/memories, he hasn’t attended the con in years, especially not since becoming an actor. So he looks up the number to the head of the con and calls it. Instead he gets a wrong number and a girl at the other end.

The plot of this story really revolves around Elle and Darien attending the ExcelsiCon. Elle wants to attend because it was created by her dad and it’s where he met her mother. She also wants to attend to remind herself where she comes from and who she is. Darien wants out of the con but resigns himself to attending. After the wrong number, he begins texting back and forth with Elle, never learning who she really is (the blogger who hates him), and she doesn’t learn his real name. I liked the sweet build up of how they begin to know one another and fall for each other. It makes the love-at-first-sight thing more believable.

I loved the parallels the author makes to the original Cinderella. It’s written well for modern-times, yet Elle is still our Cinder and Darien the prince. There’s even a ball 😀 However the story reminded me ALOT of one of my favorite author’s books [b:Cinder & Ella|35001687|Cinder & Ella (Cinder & Ella, #1)|Kelly Oram|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493341478s/35001687.jpg|42254560]. So much so that I had to wonder if this author read it. Now there is NO plagiarism. It’s not that at all. But maybe more like it inspired this one. I had a hard time relating and liking these two characters as I compared them to Brian and Ella. Probably just me though 😉

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I listened to it on Audible, really more like I binged it in one day. Eileen Stevens is fantastic. I’ve listened to some books just because of her. She really brings Elle to life with the inflections and nuances that place her as a southern girl. Tristan Morris narrates Darien’s chapters and I got distracted by his pronunciation of “dalek.” I know it’s a little thing but it’s dah-leck not day-leck. Aside from that he brought Darien to life for me too. If you enjoy sweet, contemporary YA romance that is clean, I highly recommend it. Also if you are in a fandom, you will appreciate the fictional fandom Poston has created.

I was so excited to start Lake Silence by Anne Bishop. I loved the first part of The Others, and I was curious to see where the author would take us next. I wasn’t disappointed 😀

Welcome to a small town in the middle of Wild Country off the coast of one of the Finger Lakes, Lake Silence. Vicki DeVine is a recently divorced woman trying to make a go of the property she inherited in the divorce, The Jumble. What Vicki doesn’t realize is that the Jumble is actually a terra indigene community. This makes for quite the surprise when the book opens with one of her residents warming up an eyeball in the microwave.

Vicki is not all that different from Meg. She isn’t a “sweet blood,” but she is damaged mentally and emotionally thanks to her ex. However she is trying to make a life for herself and I have to give her props for that. Vicki is a fairly independent woman and is embarrassed that she allowed her ex to control her like he did. I think fans of the series will enjoy Vicki and her interactions with the terra indigene.

Like the previous books, this one is told from multiple POVs with Vicki being the main focus. Grimshaw works highway patrol and is sent to investigate the eyeball and dead body found near the Jumble’s property. I like Grimshaw, he reminds me a little of Lieutenant Montgomery in that he is very aware of the terra indigene, enough so that he knows when to fear them and when to back down. What I didn’t care for with Grimshaw is that he was standoffish at times and didn’t seem to want to develop a working relationship with the terra indigene beyond keeping humans (even bad ones) safe. The other two main POVs (there are more but I’ll only touch on these) were Ilya Sanguinati and Aggie Crowgard. Aggie is young, even for a Crow, and I like her devotion to Vicki. She is the resident that warms up the eyeball but she is also a kind, inquisitive teen in her mannerisms and interactions with humans.

Personally I was excited to have a Sanguinati as the lead terra indigene in this book. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Simon and the Wolfgard. BUT there is something mysterious about this race of terra indigene that intrigues me. Maybe it’s because of how relatable they are to humans. Maybe it is Vicki’s reaction to this particular Sanguinati and his reaction to her. Who knows! I really enjoyed this character!

The plot unfortunately was very predictable and very slow. I had a really hard time completing the book. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, because I did. It was just really long. I think some of that is due to the fact that the author is introducing new characters and new setting. Also if you are someone who hasn’t read the previous books of the series, you can read this one without going back to the previous books. I think that is a plus, though I did get excited when a character from the previous books was mentioned.

Overall I enjoyed Lake Silence. I didn’t love it, because it was just so slow and I missed Meg, Simon, and the rest of the gang. I do like Vicki and the Jumble. I’m curious to see what is in store as the terra indigene return to the community. If you enjoy dry humor, a little horror, paranormal urban fantasy, I highly recommend this one.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

The Defiance never gets old! This is my third time reading A.G. Henley‘s zombie-esque dystopian and first time listening to the audiobook. I love Peree and Fenn, their world, and the fight for a better life. In this installment of the Brilliant Darkness series, Fenn and Peree are back in their villages and must convince their people to return with them to Koolkuna and their protected waters.

Fenn is a different person than who we met in the first book. She is more independent now and not afraid to speak her mind. I liked seeing this version of Fenn as she grieves the loss of Aloe and tries to come to terms with her decision to leave her village.

Peree is still just as swoon-worthy as he was when we first met him. He is protective of Fenn and defiant of the elders’ decision to keep them apart. They are promised and it will cause a whole heap of trouble for them.

The plot of this one is fast moving and yet not much happens until the end. The majority of the book Fenn and Peree are kept apart, trying to convince their villages to go with them to Koolkuna. Fenn struggles though. She is the water bearer and she wonders how her people will survive without her. It’s this conflict within her (her sense of duty vs. her sense of self-preservation) that drives the novel. I loved seeing how the long confinement in the caves affected her people. Even Moray who I hated in the first book, gets a little redemption in this one.

Emily Zeller is the narrator and she is fantastic! She reads quickly (this audiobook is around 7 hours) and since I listen on double speed I was able to finish this book in one afternoon. Her tone and inflection also reflects differently for each character. I found myself loving it! I’ll be looking for more of her narrations soon.

Overall The Defiance is one of my favorite books. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audio this time as I prepare to FINALLY read [b:The Fire Sisters|23126188|The Fire Sisters (Brilliant Darkness, #3)|A.G. Henley|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422614887s/23126188.jpg|42674558], the conclusion to the series. Fenn and Peree are one of my favorite OTP and I cannot wait to see their ship sail into the lands of HEA in the next book. If you enjoy dystopia, science fiction, and young adult, I highly recommend it!