Cakespell by Gaby Triana

Posted on by lynndellwatson

39784553

Cakespell by Gaby Triana tells a story about Rose. Rose loves baking and has aspirations of becoming a famous baker and opening her own shop someday. Her mother hates the idea of Rose baking or working and she wants Rose to only focus on her schoolwork so she can eventually support herself, be self-sufficient and independent. Rose decides to spend her time baking at her grandpa’s house and keeps it a secret from her mother. Her grandpa, who she calls Papa, is more than happy to have Rose at his home. Papa gives Rose all of her deceased grandma’s baking utensils and her special apron that Rose has wonderful memories of. Papa believes that Rose has special baking skills like her grandmother and he teaches her a special Cakespell that makes her baked goods help people fall in love. Rose’s creations are delicious and she begins to gain customers by the dozens. Cakespell is a cute, fun story that also deals with the heavier issues of self-image, losing a loved one, friendship struggles, setting and working toward goals, sportsmanship and lack of parental support. An enjoyable young adult read with crushes, humor and love that round out this adorable tale of baking with a bit of mischief, 4 stars!

Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Posted on by lynndellwatson

15768191

Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins opens with a story from Rome in the 1700’s where two Nephilim are punished for loving each other. Six months have passed since book one and since Anna and Kaidan have seen each other. Kaidan and Anna know they need to stay apart for their own safety as well as the safety of the rebelling Nephilim and supporting demons. Anna has been given a mission and she’s going to be working with Kope. Their mission is to save a young woman in a part of the world where women are devalued, degraded and abused. Her name is Zania. Kope and Anna meet with two Nephilim and then their emotions get in the way, so they decide traveling together is too difficult. Anna then travels alone and she is finally able to have a conversation with Kaidan and they are finally honest with each other and learn how to make their relationship work. Unexpectedly, Kope and Kaidan work together, by wearing Arabic disguises and saving Zania by pretending to purchase her for slavery. Blake, Kaidan, Anna, Kope and Zania are forced to hide in the cold ocean water because the Dukes come to the island they are staying on. While shivering in the water, they are witnesses to a Nephilim murder by the Neph’s own father. The group works with Anna’s father, continually strategizing to build the rebellion up. Sweet Peril is just as exciting as the first book, Sweet Evil, in this supernatural series by Wendy Higgins. 5 stars!

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Posted on by lynndellwatson

34728667

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi! Females, young and old, train together to learn to be strong, independent and to gain self-defense skills. This training is hidden from the rest of the kingdom because they would be in trouble and danger if anyone else found out they are more than timid servants. These women lost loved ones in a horrific act of violence against their community and have been training ever since. Zelie is a part of this group and when she was five she watched her mother being dragged away and then hung. Amari is an unhappy princess who escapes and inadvertently ends up with Zelie and her family. They run from Prince Inan, Amari’s brother, as he struggles with his internal conflict of whether or not magic is good or evil. During this time, Zelie’s magic grows and she works at controlling her powers. As Zelie, her brother Tzain and Amari learn to trust each other and work together, they encounter horrific dangers as they continue their quest for the artifacts-the scroll, sunstone and the bone dagger. With these artifacts, magic can be restored. Some romance and humor lighten the dark world that Zelie lives in and both of these help her conquer the evil and pain that drags her under. The impressive storyline, immaculate world building and strong, dynamic characters make Children of Blood and Bone an intense fantasy read worth 5 stars!

 

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Posted on by lynndellwatson

11808950

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins is an intense ride with demons and angels. The opening reveals Anna’s beginnings as she’s born and blessed with the angelic spirit of her dying mother while her father looks on with a broken heart. Police break in and arrest her father, John LaGray, for international drug trafficking and his only remark to her is, “Just say no to drugs, will ya kid?” Fast forward to teen Anna attending a concert with her best friend, Jay. They’re enjoying the music when Anna notices the drummer. She sees others’ emotions as colors and the drummer hardly is showing any, only a small amount of red. She also notices how attractive he is. Kaidan, the drummer, keeps running into Anna after they meet backstage after the concert. He seems to know what she is and after Kaidan confronts Anna at a party, she talks to her adoptive mother, Patti and learns all the secrets that she knows about Anna’s past. Patti also warns Anna to distance herself, as far as possible, from Kaidan. Anna and Kaidan have difficulty keeping distance from each other and, due to lack of money, Patti is unable to take Anna on the trip to gather more information from her past by speaking to her imprisoned father and to Sister Ruth, the nun who was present at Anna’s birth, Kaidan offers to take Anna there. The meeting with Anna’s father goes well and she gains love and respect for him as he tells the story of his life-from living in Heaven to becoming a fallen angel, to loving Anna’s mother and to his time in prison. He gives her valuable advice and information and she leaves him feeling loved. Anna receives a call from a nun letting her know that Sister Ruth passed away but left all of her belongings to Anna. Kaidan and Anna decide to keep their distance from one another and when they do see each other it causes confusion. Anna’s learning to “work” to keep the demons at bay but she has to deal with the guilt afterward, each time she persuades someone to make an unwise choice. The intensity of Kaidan’s and Anna’s relationship is intoxicating and the pull between them is undeniable. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series, Sweet Peril. Supernatural deception and integrity all in one!

Zombie Abbey by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Posted on by lynndellwatson

34921591

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Zombie Abbey by Lauren Baratz-Logsted. The story opens with the three daughters, their family owns the Abbey, getting ready for a party that evening. The eldest daughter, Kate, is meant to marry and bear a male child as heir to the Abbey. The party will introduce possible suitors for her to choose from or for them to choose her. The lovely British setting begins with tongue in cheek humor and the calmness of a classic but eventually, horror ensues when a woman is forced to shoot her already dead husband! No one but her nephew believes that her husband came home after she had already verified his death. She claimed that his eyes were unusual and he was no longer her husband, but a monster. Little by little, the Abbey community and surrounding village is overtaken by zombies and the survivors must defend themselves or fall victim also. The gutsy Fanny, a kitchen maid, builds up bravery throughout the Abbey and helps fight to save the residents, along with the three daughters. Zombie Abbey is a fun horror story, which seems oxymoronic, but the author pulls it off quite well! 4 stars for this adventurous dystopian!

Risen by Cole Gibsen

Posted on by lynndellwatson

34921584

Thanks to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Risen by Cole Gibsen! Charlie lives with her Aunt Rachel in a secluded wood in a three-room, rundown cabin. All Charlie wants to do is escape from the boredom and limited stimulation of seeing and doing the same things everyday. She gets what she wants, a change, but not in the way she was thinking of. Charlie’s world is turned upside down when dangerous visitors break into the cabin and kidnap Aunt Rachel. The strangers are vampires and one of them, Sebastian, stays behind with Charlie, deciding to help her find her Aunt Rachel. Questions surrounding Charlie’s parents open up a mystery that twists and turns until Sebastian even seems to be involved somehow. As they run from danger and try to rescue Aunt Rachel, Charlie and Sebastian encounter violent vampires and a clan of vampires that have made a peaceful community with humans. Charlie and Sebastian are innately protective of each other and they finally make it to a safe house. The abrupt ending surprised me and I was disappointed but I’m sure there’s a sequel in the future. The bonus content shows Sebastian’s point of view during the opening of the story. 4 stars for this supernatural mystery and the endearing characters!

About Risen:

Fans of Vampire Diaries and Twilight will be thirsting for this latest vampire addiction…

My aunt has been kidnapped by vampires, and it’s up to me to save her. Only…I had no idea vampires existed. None. Nada. I’m more of a reader than a fighter, and even though I’d been wishing to escape my boring existence in the middle of nowhere, I’d give anything to have it back now if it meant my aunt was safe.

Then there’s the vampire Sebastian, who seems slightly nicer than most of the bloodsuckers I’ve run into so far. Yes, he’s the hottest being I’ve ever come across, but there’s no way I can trust him. He swears he’s helping me get answers, but there’s more to his story. Now I’m a key pawn in a raging vampire war, and I need to pick the right ally.

But my chances of surviving this war are slim at best, when the side I choose might be the one that wants me dead the most.

 

Buylinks: https://entangledpublishing.com/risen.html

About Cole Gibsen:
Growing up, Cole Gibsen couldn’t decide what she loved more—dogs or books. Rather than choose, she decided to devote her life to both! Dog trainer (wrangler) by day and author by night, she’s the author of more than ten books with more on the way. www.colegibsen.com

Author Links:

Author Website: http://www.ColeGibsen.com

Author Twitter: Twitter.com/colegibsen

Author Facebook: Facebook.com/colegibsen

Author Goodreads: goodreads.com/colegibsen

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colegibsen/

Blog Tour Link (If you use a WordPress hosted site):

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1cb554951239/

 

Excerpt from Risen:

“Don’t say it like that, Charlie. I wanted to protect you.” She tugs on the edge of my cardigan, pulling me toward her. “I love you. You’re the most important thing in my life, do you understand?”

There’s a desperation in her eyes that tightens my throat. Swallowing hard, I nod.

She lets go of me with a sigh. “Maybe I took it too far.” She sweeps her dreadlocks over her shoulder and twists them tightly. “All I’ve ever wanted was to keep you safe.”

Safe. The world spirals, cold and slippery, down my spine. “What are you so afraid of?”

She opens her mouth only to shut it again.

Jax growls.

We turn as he claws at the door.

“The only thing there is to be afraid of,” she whispers. “The monsters.”

Blog Tour Giveaway Widget:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Rogue Crystal by Jordan Elizabeth

Posted on by lynndellwatson

rogue2bcrystal2b-2bcover

Rogue Crystal by Jordan Elizabeth opens with a Scaryan lullaby that tells a tale of a crystal that brought destruction only because of the greedy king’s hunt to find it. The story covers generations of people who protect and hide the crystal at all costs; a crystal that can end the universe and start a new one. Avery visits her cousin at an archeological dig and ends up with a strange ring on her finger after she picks up a sword and then that sword disappears. Eventually, she realizes that the sword was the hidden crystal and it changed shape to remain hidden. Avery also learns that she’s a descendant of a line of crystal protectors and that’s why the ring changed for her. Now she’s on the run from those who want to use the crystal to destroy and restart the universe. A creative storyline with interesting and entertaining characters make Rogue Crystal a must-read sci-fi! 5 stars!

Witchtown by Cory Putnam Oakes

Posted on by lynndellwatson

25487134

Thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity to read and review Witchtown by Cory Putman Oakes which includes a map of Witchtown and the history of Witchtown’s origins. The story begins with introducing a mother and daughter who want to live in Witchtown and their purpose is to rob the town. Aubra, the mother, is also a Natural, which means she was born with her powers. The daughter, Macie, is a Void and doesn’t have powers. Macie is very cynical because of all the moving they have done and her mother is selfish and mean-spirited and she doesn’t care about what’s good for Macie. Anytime Macie makes friends her mother becomes angry and every time they move, Aubra erases the memories of the people that knew them. The longer Macie stays in Witchtown, the more she realizes that her mother is hiding secrets from her. The story is full of suspense and twists! 5 stars for an entertaining supernatural read!

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

Posted on by lynndellwatson

17312156

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read and review Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce. Arram, young and gifted beyond his age, attends Mage Academy with older students. He doesn’t have friends but that soon changes when he causes chaos with magic and has a conference with the Academy masters. They deem him gifted and place him with other students similar to him. Academy life becomes much more enjoyable and entertaining after the new placement. Arram, Varice and Zorne become great friends and when Arram is bullied because of his young age, his two new friends help him cope and discover how much fun their time at the academy can be. Varice is smart, fun and a very good kitchen witch while Zorne is seventh in line to the throne of the current prince. The three friends each have different gifts which grow in strength the longer they attend classes. The main focus of the story is on Arram, his powers, education and relationships but we do get a glimpse of the inner workings of the lives of Varice and Zorne. Arram has to learn to build the stomach for being around horribly injured people and his strength as a healer. Varice deals with being looked down on because she’s female and a lowly kitchen witch. Zorne is continuing to move up higher on the list of heirs to the throne, and is worried about his unhealthy mother and how to deal with his protective guards. The story is strong and the world building is a mix of renaissance and ancient Greece. I thought the whole approach to Arram’s puberty was odd and I understand that it will potentially help male preteens with their own changes. I did enjoy the Tempests and Slaughter. 5 stars for this fantasy and its underlying mystery!

Phoenix Fire by S.D. Grimm

Posted on by lynndellwatson

38492055

https://entangledpublishing.com/phoenix-fire.html

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Phoenix Fire by S.D. Grimm. The story drew me in, during the first chapter, as I read about Ava who lives in a foster home, has memories that aren’t her own and witnesses a car crash involving her foster brother. The second chapter introduces Cade and Nick and an entire world of hunting monsters and I was instantly immersed! Ava’s schoolmate, Wyatt, helped her after the crash and he seems to have a mystery of his own. The chapters alternate through Ava, Cade and Nick, all in first person point of view. Ava and Cade have forgotten about monsters and their Phoenix history, but Nick remembers and reveals the story elements through his narrative. Nick is always the first to remember who he is and what his family’s mission is and he’s alone as he wakes up his memories. He then has to search for his twin siblings, Ava and Cade, and help them remember, as gently as possible, so they don’t fall under harm. Their pasts slowly reveal themselves through each of their experiences as they relive their memories. Transitioning that flows smoothly between characters and memories builds the mythological, paranormal world of Phoenix Fire. Supernatural intensity and characters that are complex and endearing rate 5 stars!

About S.D. Grimm:

S. D. Grimm’s first love in writing is young adult fantasy and science fiction, which is to be expected from someone who looks up to heroes like Captain America and Wonder Woman, has been sorted into Gryffindor, and identifies as rebel scum. Her patronus is a red Voltron lion, her spirit animal is Toothless, and her favorite meal is second breakfast. Her office is anywhere she can curl up with her laptop and at least one large-sized dog.You can learn more about her upcoming novels at http://www.sdgrimm.com/

Author Links:

Author Website: http://www.sdgrimm.com

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/SDGrimmAuthor

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SDGrimm/

Author Street Team/Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/678821245839416/

Author Instagram: http://www.instagram.comS.D.Grimm

Author Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SDGrimmAuthor/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7460109.S_D_Grimm

Newsletter Link: http://sdgrimm.com/newsletter-sign-up.html