#BookReview: Heir of Stardust and Secrets (Mystic Spark, #1) by CC Hartly

In the shadow of war, love may be her greatest enemy...

Nyleeria has always lived in the shadow of loss, with only her childhood friend to bring light to her days. But when an ancient power is discovered within her, everything changes. Her family is torn apart by tragedy, and she is thrust into a conflict that has smoldered between humans and fae for centuries.

King Thaddeus, a human ruler hardened by the endless war against the fae, seeks to protect his kingdom at any cost. When he discovers Nyleeria’s dormant magic, he knows it could be the key to his people's survival. But the closer Nyleeria gets to the King, the more she realizes that her greatest danger may not be the Spark or the fae—but the feelings he stirs within her.

As the veil between realms grows thinner, Nyleeria must navigate a path filled with peril, where trust is a luxury and love could be the most dangerous weapon of all. Torn between duty and desire, she must decide what they are willing to sacrifice—for her people, for him, and for a future that hangs in the balance.

#BookReview: Curse of the Soul Collector by Cara Blaine

Synopsis: When a prince appears on a witch's doorstep, lost and injured, she lets him into her home...

But she is determined that her heart will remain tightly locked, and he will never have the key.

In a kingdom where magic evokes both awe and fear, Alma’s rare magical affinity causes the witch hunters to descend on her family, forcing her to abandon all she knows. For a decade, Alma conceals herself, estranged from a world that misconstrues her powers.

Prince Lorenzo grapples with the duties and expectations of his position, including the expectation that he marry a princess. In an attempt to appease his royal parents, he embarks on a rescue that strands him in haunted woods, injured and alone.

Fate or misfortune guides Lorenzo to Alma's sanctuary, where a fragile bond blooms between the prince and the wary witch. Yet, societal strictures and Alma's self-imposed barriers threaten to sunder them. Their hearts yearn to travel a forbidden path, but it is not to be. Lorenzo's inevitable departure and Alma's subsequent capture shatter their tentative hopes, as well as Alma’s heart.

While Alma grapples with her grief as well as her magic, she also must face her long held guilt about the death of her parents. Amid deceit and disloyalty, Lorenzo confronts the ultimate dilemma: duty versus true love.



Content Warning Note: This book is for the intended audience of NA (New Adult). It does contain:
explicit s3x
overtly threatened S/A
knife torture
bound prisoner

#BookReview: My Brutal Beast by Melissa Cummins

Synopsis: I've been captured by a monster...and I just might let him keep me.

One night out, one innocent conversation, and now I'm lying on the ground fighting for my life. No one realizes I'm missing. No one's coming to save me.

Until a brutal winged beast eviscerates my attackers, saving me in a spray of blood.

In one night I go from my mundane, unfulfilling life, to living in a castle with a monster who vows to claim me as his own.

I know I should resist him his forbidden embrace. But I'm irresistibly drawn to his darkness, and dangerously close to falling for this brutal beast. 

I'm playing with fire, on the brink of burning, but for him? I'm willing to be destroyed.


Dark monster romance, beauty & the beast retelling

#BookSirens: Forbidden Healing (Chronicles of the God-Sage #1) by Rachael Watson

Synopsis: A mysterious deity, power-hungry priests and two young people fighting to stay alive.

Kyla Tarthwen longs to join the ranks of the religious elite, the God-Sage’s Sacred Core. But Kyla has a secret that could kill her. When an acolyte is murdered during Kyla’s initiation, Kyla wonders if she is next. Can she do what it takes to secure her place in the Sacred Core, before the religious elite turn their watchful eye on her?

Marlowe Tide is grieving the deaths of his parents, executed as traitors to the God-Sage. He is desperate to keep his sister safe. But Valora is a healer, and healing is a crime. She ought to be dead already. When Kyla Tarthwen arrives at Marlowe’s door on a mission for the God-Sage, can Marlowe save his sister?

When Marlowe and Kyla meet, events take place that will change the course of both their lives, if they don’t kill each other first…

#BookReview: Kill Code by Clive Fleury

Synopsis: WHEN THE OCEANS RISE...THE TRUTH DROWNS

It's the year 2031. Our future. Their present. A world decimated by climate catastrophe, where the sun's heat is deadly and the ocean rises higher every day. A world ruled by the rich, powerful, and corrupt. A world where a good man can't survive for long.
Hogan Duran was a good man once. He was a cop, forced to resign in disgrace when he couldn't save his partner from a bullet. Now Hogan lives on the fraying edges of society, serving cruel masters and scavenging trash dumps just to survive.
But after four years of living in poverty, Hogan finally gets a chance to get back on his feet. He's invited to join the National Security Council, the powerful paramilitary organization responsible for protecting the rich and powerful from the more unsavory elements of society. All he needs to do is pass their deadly entrance exam, and he'll be rewarded with wealth and opportunity beyond his wildest dreams. 
But this ex-cop's path to redemption won't be easy. The NSC are hiding something, and as Hogan descends deeper and deeper into their world, he starts to uncover the terrible truth of how the powerful in this new world maintain their power...and just how far they will go to protect their secrets. 
In a world gone wrong, can one man actually make a difference, or will he die trying?
Kill Code is the first novel in an exciting new dystopian science fiction series from the mind of the award-winning author, screenwriter, and director Clive Fleury. 
Fans of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, and Divergent by Veronica Roth will be captivated by Kill Code. 
You'll also love this book if you enjoy:


Dystopian novels and stories
Stories about futuristic societies
Stories about disgraced cops
Stories about unlikely heroes
Stories about conspiracies
Stories about injustice

#BookReview: Weeds in Nana's Garden Kathryn Harrison

Synopsis: A young girl and her Nana hold a special bond that blooms in the surroundings of Nana's magical garden.

Then one day, the girl finds many weeds in the garden. She soon discovers that her beloved Nana has Alzheimer's Disease; an illness that affects an adult brain with tangles that get in the way of thoughts, kind of like how weeds get in the way of flowers. As time passes, the weeds grow thicker and her Nana declines, but the girl accepts the difficult changes with love, and learns to take-over as the magical garden's caregiver.

Extending from the experience of caring for her mother, artist Kathryn Harrison has created this poignant story with rich illustrations to candidly explore dementia diseases, while demonstrating the power of love. It is a journey that will cultivate understanding and touch your heart.

After the story, a Question and Answer section about Alzheimer's Disease and other dementia is included.

$1 from the purchase of this book will be donated to the Alzheimer Society of Canada. The Alzheimer Society is Canada's leading health charity for people living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Thank-you for making a difference!

#BookReview: Diary of a Roblox Noob: Bee Swarm Simulator by Robloxia Kid

Synopsis:  Over 3,500 positive ratings on Goodreads for RKID series!

Beekeeping is easy! Said no one ever.

Poor old Roblox Noob is failing miserably at his latest obsession – beekeeping. And it doesn’t take long for him to get frustrated with his bad luck and to chase away his bumblebee Nate. But once Noob realizes his mistake, he goes on an exciting adventure to get Nate back. Along the way he will need the help of his nervous bee Kaz, the successful beekeeper Mario and an unlikely ally… Might they stumble upon a legendary item that could turn Noob’s fortune around? Read Noob's diary to find out!

With almost 4,000 positive ratings on Goodreads, Robloxia Kid books have taken the Roblox gaming phenomenon and extended it to create a bridge to the important skill of reading. Parents and middle school teachers are on board with RKID books because in addition to being superbly entertaining, they provide educational value. In the RKID series, metaphors, idioms, historical facts, and moral lessons are introduced and explained within the Roblox world. Kids love Roblox and its characters, so even reluctant readers are motivated to learn more about their adventures in Robloxia Kid books.

Noob's Diary is perfect for fans of video game books like the Trapped in a Video Game series and Cube Kid books.

#BookReview: Pirate Bear by Sonya Annita Song

Synopsis: A swashbuckling tale about Pirate Bear and his tyrannical encounters until one fateful day...

O Pirate Bear, the baddest bear 
And ruler of the seas, 
He took the things he wanted 
And not once did he say please. 

Sailors trembled when they saw him 
For they really had no clue 
If he'd make them swab the poop deck 
Or he'd turn them into stew.

#BookReview: Mike the Monster (Story-Galley Book 2) by Tom Story, Lauren Galley

Synopsis: Introducing the brilliantly heartwarming tale of Mike the Monster. Sophie is sad. She has lost the most important thing from her favourite person. Can an unlikely hero help Sophie find her smile again? Meet Mike and find out in this wonderful story of loss and found?Discover the magic of Mike the Monster and Look into your imagination and find...tomstorytime.com

#BookReview: The Day I Died (Apocalypse Cycle) by @AyaKnight

Synopsis: She had to die, to find the truth.

Oshin Fletcher lives by three rules: obey authority, don’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself, and above all else, never leave the city walls.

Some say that rules are meant to be broken. For Oshin, her world shattered on the day she was betrayed. A secret meeting leads her beyond the safety of her city. Lured by the ignorance that comes with being lonely and hopeful, Oshin was about to discover just how severe consequences could be. Lost and alone, she waited; no one came. But they did. The infected, the decaying, the undead.

Oshin wakes to find herself in an abandoned house, deep within the forest. Her body was changing, her desire to feed, uncontrollable. She was a marionette—her hunger, the puppeteer. She pivots on a line between life and death. They say the undead are mindless, but Oshin was very much aware. She sets out in an unknown world where the worst evils aren’t the undead, but humanity itself. With only days before the effects of the disease take hold and decay sets in, Oshin must race to find a way back home for a cure. She soon discovers that home is not everything she thought it to be. Dark secrets have been in play since the moment she was born.

An emotionally intense zombie survival story.

Reader Guide:
Young Adult Sci-fi - graphic violence, gore, strong language (Recommended 16+)