BOOK REVIEW- The Duke Gets Desperate (Sirens in Silk #1))by Diana Quincy

   

General Fiction (Adult) | Multicultural Interest | Romance 

Diana Quincy returns with a steamy affair between an Arab-American woman who inherits a run-down castle in the English countryside and the duke who asserts the castle is his, in the first book in a brand-new Victorian historical romance series.

Anthony Cary, Duke of Strickland, inherits his spendthrift father’s title and can finally restore the family castle to its former glory. But at the reading of the will, Strick is stunned to learn that his father has secretly disentailed him, leaving the family manor—home to twelve generations of dukes—to Strick’s American stepmother. Everyone knows Strick detests the dowager duchess, and when she dies mysteriously, damning rumors start to surface. 

When Raya Darwish unexpectedly inherits her glamorous late cousin’s castle in the English countryside, she clashes with the charismatic young duke who insists the castle is rightfully his. The estate is practically bankrupt, so she must find a way to work with the duke in order to save both of their futures.

The two cannot stand each other, but mutual disdain soon gives way to desire. When questions arise about how her cousin died, Raya cannot help wondering if Strick’s sudden unbridled passion for her is part of a scheme to get his castle back...  

AMAZON LINK 

3.5 STARS

 The beautiful picture on the book cover and the plot information caught my attention and I was hoping for a really good story.  Unfortunately I ended up with mixed feeling about it.  I didn't feel like it lived up to all the promise.  But I did give a better rating because of the parts I really liked. First off I REALLY liked Raya even though she had some foolish moments as well.  But she was an intelligent woman who fought to be who she was even though so many people disapproved of that. In the beginning Anthony was one of those people but as time goes on he begins to appreciate her spunk and her enterprising ways.  Not so much her stubbornness but they both find they really enjoy the verbal sparring. But in the beginning they are both annoyed at  that fierce passion that keeps flaring up between them.

 Raya's Auntie Majida was quite the colorful, bold woman who was quite the chaperone of her niece's reputation.  She had quite the personality. 

On the downside, I found some of it kind of silly at times and also filled with a lot more of their sexual antics and language that I would have liked.
The twist and the ending was something that I did like though.  So that helped nudge up the way I rated this book.

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

 

BOOK REVIEW- Warrior's Hope(Dark Protectors, #16)by Rebecca Zanetti

   

Romance

Description

This thrilling novel in the New York Times bestselling author’s popular Dark Protectors series takes readers on a wild ride as the only female vampire ever born brings a love triangle to its explosive conclusion—deciding the fate of battling factions as the forces of good and evil gather for the ultimate showdown.

As the only female vampire ever born, and the heir to two powerful immortal families, Hope Kayrs-Kyllwood has always felt the weight of fate and destiny. Now her heart is torn between two men and two different futures. It’s a choice between duty and love, peace and war, with the fate of everyone she loves balance.

As the leader of the Kurjan nation, Drake has always known that mating Hope is the best path to avoiding war. He’s counting on her to know the same. . . . Paxton has been Hope’s best friend and protector since they were children. He would kill and die for her without a second thought. In fact, he’s always known that would be his path . . .

With deadly factions at her heels, Hope must decide whom to trust and where her loyalty lies—before the choice is taken away from her . . . 

 

With deadly factions at her heels, Hope must decide whom to trust and where her loyalty lies—before the choice is taken away from her . . .

AMAZON LINK 

5 STARS

I've been waiting too! For this end of the story in the series.  I've been waiting for answers to so many questions just like Hope has been.  

I've got to say that this story DIDN'T disappoint. And yes it is totally INTENSE and TOTALLY unpredictable.  It's got more twists and turns than a car racing through curvy mountain roads. Loved that!  Be prepared for plenty of emotions as well.

I also loved Hope and her brilliant mind when it came to strategies.  BUT I also wanted to slap her at times for being so naive at times when it came to people.  

Yes, both Paxton and Drake both want Hope but what are their true motives?  You'll have to read the story to find that out.

There are plenty of other great characters in the story, which keeps things interesting.  Right alongside plenty of battles

The biggest twist comes towards the ending in a way I never saw coming.  I do enjoy being surprised like that.  

 

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

-NETGALLEY-

+BOUGHT/ BOOK REVIEW- Living in Dependency and Wonder by Graham Cooke

   

In this book Graham Cooke takes us on a journey to discover the depths of God's love for every one of us and teaches that it is possible to give thanks to God for every circumstance that we face-whether joyous or difficult- because God's commitment to us never wavers. 

 BOUGHT PAPERBACK @

AMAZON LINK 

A good point was that- Christendom is called to give the earth a taste of what Heaven will be like.  His thought was that if more Christians would stand up in the goodness of God, acting it out in every facet of their lives, society would be changed immeasurably. 

The church is not confident in the overcoming power of God.  They used to be but they let it be pushed back by man made ideas.

The purity of God is a powerful weapon against darkness.  Innocence is always under attack.  We can remain pure in heart and still be on watchful  for unscrupulous and disrespectful people at the same time.  What a good balance along with plenty of scripture in this book too. 

The author also makes a good case for the fact that children are born with a sense of wonder and the connection to the scripture about us being childlike in OUR wonder.  Also the connection of thanksgiving and thankfulness/gratitude are essential to wonder.  Graham encourages us to plan to upgrade our gratitude and watch and see how much more our wonder grows. 

Most of us are looking at our circumstances rather than at the nature of God.  And God has such an outrageous love for us, something that shocks us. We need revelation and wisdom to get there. 

 After all of this, it stirred the scripture back to me that I had let go of...the joy of the Lord is my strength 

*******************************************************

Dullness is the absence of brightness in our souls, where people have lost their sparkle and their joy. In that context spirituality becomes a duty,not a desire.  When we fail to be possessed of God, we forfeit the capacity to dream. Sin is not just immorality and selfishness. it is living in drab, colorless, dreary, stale, unimaginative lives. The greatest enemy of Christianity may well be people who say they believe in Jesus but who are no longer astonished or amazed by Him.  We are drowning in dullness.  The way we think needs to be an act of worship.  He deserves a people who believe everything that He says.

^HOOPLA/ OCT22/ BOOK REVIEW- The Issue With Bad Boy Roommates (Lake Starlight# 2)by Piper Rayne

   

I was only looking for a roommate… I'm the town widow. Not the only one, but the youngest by far. My husband died one year after our wedding, casting me as the charity case in my small Alaskan town. Since then, everyone-including my big family-try to keep me busy as if that will stop the haunting memories from resurfacing. Do I know it's time to move on? Of course, but that's easier said than done. Then Van Adler rides into town. His bad boy vibe complete with his motorcycle and tattoos causes my body to fill with need for the first time since my husband's death. To make matters worse, he's the one who answered my ad for a roommate. Sharing the close quarters of our two-bedroom apartment means I have to set some ground rules like keeping his rippled abs covered. Soon we become friends, he's making me dinners, and we're binge-watching television shows all night. The more our lives intertwine, the more I start to fall for him. Leaving me wondering, can you find the love of your life twice in one lifetime?

AMAZON LINK 

3.5 STARS

I had mixed feelings on this story.  Even though for the  most part I did like both Brinley and Van. 

Brinley's community really are close and protective of her. Way over the line at times when it comes to that protection.  I guess that's also because of so much of the town is related to her in one way or another.  

There is plenty of awkwardness, humor and tenderness too.  And of course the surprise twist towards the end. But there is also a H.E.A. included.

I read this story through the HOOPLA App. 

BOOK REVIEW- Cold In The Shadows (Cold Justice series#5) by Toni Anderson

 

Working in the shadows, CIA Officer Patrick Killion needs to figure out if feisty frog biologist, Audrey Lockhart, is a deadly assassin or an innocent scapegoat. And the only way to do that is to gain her trust.

Attacked and left for dead, Audrey is forced to put her trust in an enigmatic stranger who saves her from certain death. Then Audrey discovers her rescue was actually an abduction, and the man she thought was her savior is her captor.

Killion is falling hard and fast for his target and suddenly he has his hands full, dealing with a smart, beautiful woman who is furious at his deception. Betrayal is everywhere and Killion doesn't know who to trust. The organization he works for? Or the woman he's falling in love with?

 AMAZON LINK

5 STARS

Outstanding !  This was a very full, edge of my seat story !!  Tense, unpredictable and pulled me in really quickly.  

Audrey was so over her head with no clue to what was going on.  Why was she the target? Who wanted her dead?  Who is Killion and can he be trusted?  That's just the beginning of the mysteries that surround her.  Although Killion was sure she was guilty of murder and more, he saved her life more than once. There is especially one time when he wasn't sure she was going to live at all after being stabbed.  

 Killion is quite the chameleon, charming but also deadly when it came to interrogations. But there is also a different side of Killion that shows up from time to time.  He's more than just an operative but Audrey wasn't always sure which Killion was going to show up.  That doesn't stop them from being attracted to each other making for a dangerous romance of sorts.  They were good together when they allowed themselves to be.  I enjoyed that part, especially when Audrey gave feisty right back to Killion when he messed with her.

The multiple dangers keep things hopping with very little letup of the tension.  Many people are used by the enemies and not all of them come out of it alive.  But Killion also had some help from some people you wouldn't expect, some of them with international ties.  

Great ending after an explosive confrontation.  An unusual H.E.A. but it's headed that way.

 

I read this book through HOOPLA and then found I had a copy of it through Amazon.

BOOK REVIEW- Bad Luck Vampire An Argeneau Novel by Lynsay Sands

  

General Fiction (Adult) | Romance | Sci Fi & Fantasy 

 Description

New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands returns in this latest chapter of the Argeneau series with an immortal who is having a bit of bad luck while trying to woo his life mate…

Alasdair MacKenzie has never once considered himself unlucky in all the centuries he’s been an immortal rogue enforcer. Not until he meets Sophie. Finding the beautiful, smart, and funny woman who is his life mate is great luck, actually. But meeting her at a wedding full of Argeneaus, not to mention his own busybody uncles determined to “help him claim his woman,” is bad luck. And the fact that Sophie is someone else’s date? Well that’s just the next level of unlucky.

From the way her gaze travels over his body like a caress to the electric zing whenever they innocently touch…he wants her for all eternity! He’ll keep his hands off Sophie until her date is over. After that all bets are off and he’ll pull out all the stops to win her. Great plan—until he gets hit by a car. And then he’s poisoned. Is his luck that bad, or is someone out to stop this immortal from claiming Sophie as his life mate? 

AMAZON LINK 

4 STARS

 It was an unusual way that Sophie met Tybo in the opening of the story.  It was also funny too ! But Tybo would also end up being the one that leads her to meeting Alasdair.  Tybo was a bit disappointed about that, he had hoped she might be his life-mate.

Turns out Alasdair is a man of few words which it makes it harder for him to woo Sophie when he decides to. His identical twin brother Colle was the charmer but he's willing to help Alasdair win his life-mate.  But so are Alasdair's wild Scot uncles willing to help although their well meant help didn't always work out well.  Still they were a hoot.  Good thing that Sophie loves all things Scottish.  And the accent that Alasdair had really got Sophie hot.  Well along with some other things too.  When the two of them touched, clothes fell off..if you get my meaning.

Plenty of action when it comes to those around Sophie, being in danger.  I had my thoughts about the who and why of it and I was SO wrong.  A startling reveal happens at the end along with a shocking ending for the person behind it all. 

 

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

-NEGALLEY- 

+BOUGHT/ BOOK REVIEW- What Jesus Likes to Do Through You Paperback – January 1, 1992 by Roberts Liardon

 

   

AMAZON LINK

So often we know all ABOUT Jesus because we have heard sermons and teachings about him for years in church.  But we do not know in a personal way what He likes to do. We need to know what Jesus likes to do and that He wants to be set free IN us to do those things.  Like the author said, "we need to first receive a deep revelation of what He cared about and what He likes to do."  And if we look at our Bibles, it often points out to those very things.  

The first thing that Jesus liked to do was reach out to lost souls. 

Healing is something Jesus likes to do.  He likes to get out where people are hurting, where they really need help, and demonstrate His power to change their lives.

It is Jesus nature to cast out devils and love it ! My copy of this book was published in 1992 but it was a clear picture of what is going on in our current times.  Mental illness has exploded just as the Lord had revealed it would, as the problem of the 90's to Roberts.     Let Jesus be free  to do what He likes through you and He will heal the hurts and cast out demons.

A great reminder was added... Command Change !! 

 You have the right, in Jesus Name to command everything in violation of His Word to move from your life.

 He also tackled tough problems.  He also likes to teach, preach, pray and prophesy. Don't forget that He likes to bless people !!

It ends with a powerful punch at the end.  God pointed out that when people first accepted Him, and He went inside them as the Spirit dwelt in them it was good. BUT now God wanted out, which sounds stunning at first glance.  But the point was that His people didn't seem to know how to let Him out for ministry. Like when God see someone who is sick and He wants to reach out His hand and heal them but they (the believer) withdraws his hand.  A powerful appeal follows to the end.  

 

 Prayer Included:  

Heavenly Father, I thank you for sending your Son, Jesus to the earth and for allowing Him to dwell in my life.  

Today I repent of any fear , lack of knowledge, of any obstacle I have put up that has bound Jesus up in my life.  Today, Lord, it is my desire to cry out, "Jesus be free in me."

I humbly ask Your precious Holy Spirit to anoint my life right now with a new freedom, a holy boldness, a divine anointing to go forth as a spiritual warrior You can use for Your glory.  Lord, I thank you so much for the revelations contained in this book and I ask that You make them living realities in my life.  

I ask these things in the powerful Name of Jesus, Amen.