BOOK REVIEW- Pretty Daring (Jaded Series Book 2) by Jenn Hype *

If you ask me, foolishness is like beauty - all about the eye of the beholder.

For instance - I’ve been told the amount of caffeine I consume on a daily basis will eventually kill me, which makes no sense, because that caffeine is essential to living. Then I have doctors telling me that I need to get more sleep if I want to live a happy, healthy life. I can easily refute those claims, because my life is neither happy nor healthy if I don’t utilize every possible second of each day to ensure my life’s goals are met.

Now I’ve got people claiming that hooking up with the sexy bodyguard I hired after someone tried to kill me in broad daylight is a mistake. And, okay, they might be right about that one. Even I can’t argue that it’s not healthy to sleep with someone you can barely stand to be around outside the bedroom.

But you know what? Life is already short enough. If there’s a chance I might die young, then I’m going to go out with a bang - preferably the kind that comes with an orgasm or twelve.
AMAZON LINK
                                         4 STARS
I enjoyed this book for the humor all on it's own.  There was some really funny dialogue especially when  Paige's best friend Clara was involved.  The two of them together made the outrageous level go way up.  But Clara was also really good at knowing where Paige was at emotionally, even without words having to be said. 
It also had great secondary people in it  including Brady, Sebastian’s brother, and Liam who has sparks flying with Clara.   There are other people in the story like Blake who is another outrageous but loving person.  She welcomes Paige with open arms, something that often is uncomfortable for Paige.  Yes, Paige wants love and acceptance but she's not used to getting affection.
The sparks flying off of Sebastian and Paige together makes for some tense situations but also funny too.  They both enjoy riling the other up no matter how juvenile. 
It has a good end with at least one twist and the rest was something that I had already guessed was coming.  There is a H.E.A. though.  

Isaiah 55:11-12: My word will accomplish what I please

 

This information was found elsewhere but mentioned this scripture.  This was also part of it:

Someone needs to hear this today.
Don’t lower or change your faith because of discouragement to meet your circumstances. Stay in ferocious faith. Not only is God bringing to pass what He said He would (Isaiah 55:11-12) but it’s coming with increase. More than you imagined or expected! He is faithful! (Lana Vawser)

BOOK REVIEW- The Sheikh's Stolen Bride-To-Be by Holly Rayner *

 This is a re-release of a book first released in 2017. It features an added epilogue, previously exclusive to subscribers to my newsletter. It is the second book in the All He Desires series

Book Details

Stephanie O’Hanlon is a typical American girl, caught in a very exotic bind. Under pressure from her old-fashioned parents - not to mention, more than a little eager to escape her small-town Vermont existence - she finds herself in the Middle East, on the eve of an arranged marriage to a man she’s never met.

Walking the dusty streets of El Farah, she meets a tall, dark, and devilishly handsome stranger, Mehdi, and in a desperate moment of honesty, she tells him all: her doubts, her fears, and the husband-to-be she’s never met. Hours later, and there’s only one man she can imagine marrying the next day.

On her way to the wedding venue, Steph realizes something isn’t right. She’s been stolen away from a fate she never asked for by Mehdi, the Sheikh of the land! But is he her kidnapper or her savior?

Swept away to paradise, Steph can’t escape reality forever. At some point, she knows she must face her parents’ wrath. And the groom she jilted…

Can this love transcend tradition? Will Steph ever find her way back to the man who broke all the rules to save the girl he met weeping at the fountain?   AMAZON LINK
         3 STARS

This story had potential, it had interesting main characters, and plenty of emotions. 
It also had me shaking my head when it came to Stephanie's mother and father's expectations.  You raise her as an American in America and you expect her to be totally okay with an arranged marriage to a stranger?  And she's expected to move to a foreign country that she knows almost nothing about.  It might be part of her heritage but they have told her practically nothing about that country either?  I found that kind of strange.

So much of the story was like being on a guided tour of El Farah and the surrounding countryside.  While it made for good world building it also began to feel a bit top heavy with it.
The book blurb is what got me interested in the story.  I have to admit that the story didn't exactly go in the direction that I thought it might. But that was an interesting twist.  There is another twist coming towards the end that I didn't see coming. It put a smile on my face though. 
It was sweet, charming story as well as including the challenges that Steph faced becoming her own woman.   She finds love instead of just bowing to tradition for traditions sake.  There is tender moments between Steph and Mehdi before everything gets cleared up.
There is a H.E.A. and a good Epilogue that pulls everything together. I just felt like it could have been deeper.


"I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

BOOK REVIEW- Full Circle (Willow Bend Romances Book 1) by Mona Ingram*

 New Cover April 2019
Single and pregnant, Bella is given a choice. Give up her child for adoption or leave town.
The choice was never in doubt. Bella moves across the country, settling in Santa Monica. Determined to make a life for herself and her child, she and her new friend Sophia sell children’s clothing at the Venice Beach market. When their creative designs are featured on television, their business takes off and they accept an offer from Rafael Vargas to expand their business. Bella fights her attraction to the handsome entrepreneur, but deep in her heart all she really wants is love.  AMAZON LINK
      4 STARS

I enjoyed this book even though it was a bit light on the romance part when it comes to Bella's life in the present.   
 I did like the fact that it was pretty easy to see what Bella hadn't yet.  Well to be honest, it takes her years because she is "all business".  And she is also all about her daughter, Melissa too.  Rafael was one sharp businessman who you could tell that he wanted Bella for more than just friendship.  But he did have her back as a businessman then partner and friend for many years.  I have to admit I really liked the way he was portrayed. 
 Even when Bella does acknowledge her attraction to him she doesn't think she can act on it.  It could endanger everything that she and her other friends have worked so hard for.  Bella is a go-getter when it comes to business .  She knows what she wants and goes after it.  In everything except her personal life that is. She's really left no room for romance. 

Speaking of friends, she develops some solid ones along the way.  These friends do add a lot to the story.  Sofia and Bella develop so well as friends and then business partners.  Carla is a childhood friend who is such a support as they re-enter each other's lives again. 
There is a "oh no"moment when Melissa meets Todd and they click.  There is surprise waiting though that makes this twist come out right. 
The H.E.A. was a good one when Bella and Rafael come together in the end.  
This is the original cover which I really liked too: 
 

BOOK REVIEW- Carriers of the Glory: Becoming a Friend of the Holy Spirit by David Diga Hernandez

 Discover your identity as a carrier of God’s presence, glory and power!Do you sometimes wonder how God can consider you a friend in light of your failures and defeats? Does your own insufficiency cause you to wonder whether the Holy Spirit truly dwells within you? Do you wonder why your own faith experience is so different from that of the heroes in the Bible?
Scripture makes it clear that communion with the Holy Spirit is the key to living the kind of empowered and authentic Christian life we see modeled in Scripture. The Holy Spirit works within us to form hearts that truly worship, minds that understand of the depths of God’s Word, and hands that accomplish the miraculous. This book will acquaint you with the mysterious third Person of the Trinity, helping you to draw closer to Him so that you may become a carrier of God’s Spirit—a chosen friend of God.
 This book provides answers to some popular questions about the Holy Spirit…

• What is the Holy Spirit’s purpose and nature?
• What is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and why is it an unpardonable sin?
• What does the Bible really teach about spiritual gifts?
• What does it mean to be friends with God?

If you desire to know God in a deeper and more intimate way, if you want your soul to be set ablaze with a passionate love for Him, if you want to walk in the fullness of all that He has created you for, then this book is for you!Draw close to His glory.   AMAZON LINK
           4  STARS

This was a good Bible based book, with plenty of opportunities to use it as a study as well.  Not only is there a good amount of scripture but David also adds his personal experiences as well.  Not only his victories through Holy Spirit but also the challenges and questions that he had along the way.  It was presented in an easy to understand way.
I liked that he pointed out that Holy Spirit doesn't play exclusive allegiance to any one denomination.  Nor have only a spiritually elite, if there is such a thing.   Holy Spirit is available to all.  It should be reassuring to some that it isn't disrespectful  to Jesus by wanting to speak with the Holy Spirit.  You are not overlooking Jesus because no single person is more passionate about Jesus than Holy Spirit. 
There is one important thing that I haven't heard mentioned before (anywhere) in Christian books. It's that as we begin to worship we need to focus on the image of Christ.  Allowing Holy Spirit to inspire true worship in your heart.  Like David said he simply follows the leading of the Spirit. Holy Spirit is like a river, just let Him flow the way he wants.  It feels as though a gentle stream is taking me away (David's words).  Having worshiped like this I think this is one of the best ways I have ever heard it explained!
 Just continue to focus on the image of Jesus and worship.
 There is plenty of other nuggets in this book for the new to Jesus and those who have known Him longer.


**************************EXTRAS***

-Your body and your spirit exist in a different realm.  Our body exists in the earthy realm, our spirit in the Heavenly real.  Our soul bridges the two realities. .what a great way of putting it.
-A new take on Acts 5:15-16.  We have misunderstood this.   It wasn't the shadow of Peter that people got healed from..it was the presence of Holy Spirit ON Peter.  It was WHO he carried that changed things around him. It was Holy Spirit on Peter that healed the people, not a shadow. 
- I really enjoyed Chapter Six, The Spirit and You.

 

BOOK REVIEW- Country Star's Bodyguard: Fame and Romance by Marian Wilson & Ruby Hill *

Fiona is a superstar who doesn’t know she needs to be rescued. Rocco is a bodyguard who won’t give up until she’s safe.

Country superstar, Fiona Walsh, sings about heartache and loss to her fans pleasure, but unbeknownst to them, she’s lived every word. She has done a wonderful job of hiding a past relationship and the pain behind it from the world, including those closest to her. But when her new bodyguard, Rocco De Luca enters the picture, the walls she has built up threaten to crumble around her.

Rocco sees a different side of Fiona than the world sees. He knows the weight of responsibility on her shoulders, and he wants to secure more than just her safety. But Fiona, is not interested in anything Rocco has to offer, including his protection.

When Rocco saves her from imminent danger, Fiona is at risk of losing her home, her life, and even her heart. Determined to shield herself from further heartache when she realizes she’s falling for him, Fiona goes on the run. But Rocco won’t give up until she’s secure in the safety of his arms and heart.
AMAZON LINK
                     3 STARS

Although this book had potential and many good descriptive details, it just didn't pull me in like I had hoped. 
It just felt like it was missing something.  Like I just didn't feel the depth to the story.  I wasn't even feeling the attraction or the romance between the two main characters.   
It does have a H.E.A. and Epilogue though and an attractive eBook cover.  

BOOK REVIEW- Slade (The Protectors Series Book #6) by Teresa Gabelman *

Highly trained VC Warrior, Dr. Slade Buchanan’s, role between lifesaver and lifetaker has been a constant battle, but nothing prepared him for half-breed VC Warrior trainee, Jill Nichols. Slade realizes his struggles from the past were nothing compared to the difficulty of resisting the woman who could never belong to a man like him.

Being the only female VC Warrior recruit, Jill Nichols, has an uphill battle. Falling for the sexy doctor, Slade Buchanan, has not made the battle any easier, especially when he constantly reminds her and others there will never be anything between them. Working harder than any male recruit, obstacles are thrown in her path, and with each challenge, it becomes clear that the two things she wants most may never be.   AMAZON LINK
4 STARS       B00RKVCI7U

This book was one that I have wanted to read after having read some of the other stories in the series.  It had good main characters with Jill being one tough little cookie because she has had to be.   I liked her and enjoyed her  sassiness as she fought against the odds.  Slade was fighting his attraction to Jill but that wasn't working so well for him either.  He tried to be harsh around Jill and it only worked on and off which gave a lot of mixed signals.   Jill knew what she wanted but also was pretty sure she wasn't going to get Slade. 
This is a story about warriors so be prepared for a fair amount of the "F" word.
There is plenty of danger to go along with the interesting secondary people in the story.  Plenty of emotion, some angst, guilt , some humor, romance, and some solid couples.  Along with several surprises towards the end of the story.  Jax and Caroline have a story warming up between the two of them which will continue in another book.  One of the things I didn't like was that there is more than one time when Caroline was talking to and getting information from Jax's dead sister.  
Jill and Slade do get their H.E.A. although you know that getting there is going to be work.