This guest review comes from Suzanne! In addition to raising two valkyries and tending a growing menagerie, Suzanne reads and reviews romance and comics in Southern New Hampshire. She’s just launched a site devoted to romance comics and looks forward to sharing it with you all! … Here’s the thing about pain in fiction: the more realistic the writing, the more it hurts to read. Tiffany Reisz is a master of realistic dialogue and her … Continue reading Guest Review: The Night Mark by Tiffany Reisz →
Ben Jackson (a Navy SEAL) and Mary Kuri (a Special Forces sniper) are sent undercover to do reconnaissance by their employer Automatik, a private security company. The company suspects that there is a gun smuggling operation being run out of Morris Flats. The book begins with an intense scene between local police bullying three teens at a convenience store. Ben is new in town (and he is a black man) so jumping into a police … Continue reading One Minute to Midnight by Nico Rosso →
Updated March 2018: Since this review was posted, allegations have been made about Santino Hassell specifically about abuse, manipulation, and the hiding or concealing of the actual identity of the author of the books published under that name. You can read a complete summary of everything at The Salt Miner’s three part series: Part One, Part Two, and Part Three. This guest review as part of the RITA Reader Challenge project, was written and posted more … Continue reading Fast Connection by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell →
The category is Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance, which I interpret as a meaty fictional story with a side of romance. This is the first book of a duology (Empress of the Bright Moon is the second volume) about Empress Wu, the first and only Empress of China who ruled in her own name. She is an exciting historical character and while the basics of her life are known, there is much room for … Continue reading The Moon in the Palace by Weina Dai Randel →
Keeper of the Stars was thoroughly unobjectionable. I want to be able to give it higher praise than that, but I cannot do that and still be honest. The thoughts and actions of the characters, their faith expression, and the plot of the book- there was absolutely nothing about which one could object. While this might sound appealing, it was actually just really bland. Reading the book was like eating a dinner that’s not bad … Continue reading Keeper of the Stars by Robin Lee Hatcher →
An astrology romance, how novel! Summer of Supernovas is a YA romance about astrology-obsessed Wilamena Carlisle trying to abide by what seems written in her stars. The book begins on top of the dilapidated town water tower with nerdy retro chic 17-year-old Wil (or Mena, depending) seeking perspective on her impending search for love. She is determined to follow the star chart that feels like her only lingering connection to her dead mother. By some … Continue reading Summer of Supernovas by Darcy Woods →
Having read numerous RITA guest reviews over the course of these past two years, I was delighted to be able to grab an opportunity to be one of them. Smart Bitches Trashy Books is my go-to blog to know which book is right up my alley and which won’t do at all. Since all the spots of books I had read last year and loved were taken, I decided to go for an unknown author. … Continue reading The Turning Point by Marie Meyer →
I felt a little out of my comfort zone reading this book – I don’t think that I had realized that it was New Adult when I signed up to review it; since I’m a couple of decades older than the characters, it was a little hard for me to relate to them at first. But I’m glad that I read it – it’s good to stretch our comfort zones once in a while, right? … Continue reading The Turning Point by Marie Meyer →
Lone Heart Pass is a sweet book that has too many stories going on and while by the end many of them are resolved, at the end, I felt unsatisfied. This is the first Jodi Thomas that I’ve read and I chose it because I’ve been wanting to read a western romance and she seems to be a reliable author. I don’t think I’d read another. As this book has so many plots in it, I’m … Continue reading Lone Heart Pass by Jodi Thomas →
I selected this book to expand my literary repertoire – I am admittedly not the target audience for a contemporary set on a ranch in Texas. However, the premise seemed interesting, and it stands alone, even as part of a series. But I had so many issues with this book that, despite the interesting set-up, I spent most of my time with this story shaking my head and muttering in irritation. The premise: First we … Continue reading Lone Heart Pass by Jodi Thomas →
I was pretty excited to start reading Wanderlust. Roni Loren is an author I’ve been wanting to check out for a while–I know she has another series about sex therapists that sounds super interesting, and by all accounts H-O-T. I am also a sucker for a rock star book of any kind. Write about a hot guy who expresses his feelings through music, and I am probably going to be here for it. So when … Continue reading Wanderlust by Roni Loren →
