The Sparks by Kyle Prue

Get ready for a grand adventure.  Mr. Prue takes you into a world that reminds me of the Roman era and has it's own gladiators, assassins, and emperors.  He's created a full bodied world with characters that will hold you tight in tension as they fight their battles.
 
The author shared a copy of this book with me for review (thank you).  It has been published now.
 
The Vapros, the Taurlum, and the Celerius are three different families of power in the walled city.  They are each scheming about how to make their wealth more extensive and how to get to even for any wrong doing another family might have done against them.
 
Neil is sneaking in on the Taurlum's with the intent to kill the grandfather of the clan to make a statement about not messing with his Vapros family.  He doesn't succeed and even has to be saved by a street girl he's friends with.  His friendship with a commoner is frowned on but she saves his life.  This is the beginning of a fast paced story with lots of action and drama.
 
I'm very impressed with this young man's writing.  It's smooth, flows well, and he's a great story teller.  This is fantasy but it reads as if it's true.  Their supernatural powers are amazing but when everyone has some, it's not such a big deal.
 
The families are there to serve the people and the emperor but not all do.  And when the emperor's guard starts to gather the family members they suddenly realize he's not their friend but their enemy.
 
The only apparent safe place for the children that got away is outside the walls of the city.  But no one knows what's out there.  All they've heard is rumors.  Facing rumors is better than facing death, though.
 
There are some tough losses in this first book and I imagine the others will be just as bloody.  I can see a mystery forming, though.  There may be a lost family outside the walls.  I'm not sure if they will be friendly or an enemy, but it makes me want to read more.
 
Can the feuding family members get along well enough to stay alive?  Only time will tell. 

Every Trick in the Rook: A Birds of a Feather Mystery by Marty Wingate

Julia's life is going well.  She's organizing events and bringing tourists to town and she's living with Michael, a man she loves.  She should have known it was too good to be true.  When they find a dead man in the unused summer house on the castle property, she wonders why he was there but she should be wondering who he was.  It was her ex-husband...

Alibi and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published March 7th.

When the press descend on Julia and Michael, he decides to leave for a while and take a break.  He thinks that will keep the journalists away from Julia.  He's mistaken.  And Juliet is afraid he might not be back.  As it is, as long as the case hasn't been solved, she can't ask him to come back.  Since they are looking at them both as suspects, she decides she better look for the actual killer.

Ms. Wingate always peppers her stories with weird characters.  That makes the story interesting and fun to read.  I mean, how often does the ex-wife to keep the ashes of her long gone husband by his sister?  And who's to guess that the weird journalist might be a new partner with her gay brother?  Or that her ex-husband had such a strange girlfriend?

As you live through events, watch relationships rise and fall, and work out who the killer is, you're well entertained.  I especially loved the rook that was in the story.  He was her protector and she needed one.  This one is the best one I've read in this series.  Ms. Wingate does it right.

The Bride's Deception by Heidi Vanlandingham

Alayna is on the run.  Her mother died, her father was an alcoholic, and he was also friends with Juan Sanchez who was an outlaw.  When Juan indicates he wants Alayna in his bed, her father says OK.  Alayna left and the outlaw is still after her...

The author and instaFreebies allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  You can grab a copy on Amazon now.

The reverend's wife in Santa Fe found her sitting on the church steps and took her in.  She gets cleaned up, has new clothes and is getting regular meals.  She appreciates their help but she knows she has to move on.  She didn't expect to become a mail order bride.

Riddick was a sheriff and didn't expect to get married but when he inherits three children from a dead friend, he can't handle them.  He's willing to do an arranged marriage if she'll care for the house and kids.

This is a very good western romance.  His new wife is half-Mexican, loves the children, and has healing skills.  She's even becoming close to him.  But another woman wants him and she'll do anything to get rid of her.  Even tell Juan Sanchez where she is...

This novella is a fast read with lots of excitement.  Alayna is no spring wallflower.  She can shoot a gun and she's determined to get back home.  Sanchez wasn't expecting her husband to find her so soon. It's an exciting ending!  I highly recommend this one.

Jorie and the Gold Key by A H Richardson

Lord Fodomalk has evil plans.  He's going to drive out the good wizard and take over his protected land.  Then everything will be dark and dreary and he can make servants out of them all.  Only one thing really stands in front of him and could stop him:  Jorie.  So he intends to eliminate her, too.

Book Publicity Services and the author provided me with a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and is available now.

To understand how Lord Fodomalk came into such a such a powerful position, you should read this first book in this series.  It's a very good series and a fun read despite the danger.

Jorie is just coming back from vacation and Rufus can't wait for her to get home.  He's so very bored.  He only has a couple of days to wait, but he's anxious.  He gets even worse when he hears that another boy will be coming to stay with them this summer.  He's never met him before, really didn't want to meet him now, and he's afraid he'll mess up their plans to go back to the new world they discovered.  When Nigel shows up, he's stuck up and thinks he's smarter than they are.  He'll learn.

Taking a boy without an imagination who says dragons can't be real and he only believes in scientific truth into a new world of fantasy is not a good thing to do.  But he won't stay behind.  Before they even get to the good wizard an old friend shows up in dragon form.  He offers Nigel a ride.  Nigel says no, then he says yes and off he goes.  But it wasn't their old friend.  It was Lord Fodomalk.  And now Nigel is his prisoner...

The story is fraught with danger but no one really gets hurt.  Scared good, yes.  It's great fun to watch Jorie and Rufus try to find a secret weapon (and which one is it?) and then rescue Nigel.

I really enjoy this series.  It has magic, fantastic creatures and good hearted kids.  Even the aunt and uncle are beginning to spark.  What a fun read!

Strangers in Atlantis by Matt Myklusch

Dean was all through with pirate life.  The captain that forced him into service is dead and he's going to go straight now.  The problem is that pirates aren't through with him...

Carolrhoda Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published April 1st.  While you're waiting for this one, you can read the first in the series that will explain about Dean's pirate life and how dangerous it was.

He and his friends are surfing and relaxing on an island that they need to leave before dusk falls.  There are gorillas on the island that don't like to share and they start moving then.  This time, as the girl surfs one more big wave, it gets to be too late.  They have to run.  The other two get away but Dean has to walk out and keep away from the gorillas.  When he finally sees a ship, he thinks he's home free.  Unfortunately, it has English soldiers on it and they pick him up and take him back to jail because he has a pirate tattoo.  They sentence him to death.  All is lost and bleak.  Then an old man gets brought down to the prison cell and he has a plan to get out.  Sounds good, but Dean isn't getting away that easily.  He's captured by pirates again and they have plans for him.

The author is really imaginative and gets Dean into situations where it seems like it's impossible to get out alive.  The stories are exciting, his friends stick with him, and the surprises keep coming.  I can't imagine what the next book will be about...

New Year's Resolution: ONE TO KEEP (River's Sigh B & B) by Ev Bishop

Sophie is looking for a good place to be alone and recover from being jilted at the alter by her fiance.  She's decided men aren't worth it.  She'll just rest, recover and enjoy the snow...

The author graciously shared a copy of her book with me through instaFreebies (thank you).  It has been published and you can grab a copy on Amazon.

The Bed and Breakfast she's chosen is perfect.  She'll be the only guest.  The caretaker will show her around and take care of her breakfasts.  It should be a piece of cake.  She never expected the caretaker to be handsome and on the rebound from a bad marriage.  They meet at the hotel the first night she's in town and almost end up sleeping together.  She's glad she won't have to see him again.  Wrong...

Neither of them are listening to their hearts.  They have a lot baggage in the romance department.  Things are said that are taken wrong.  Another woman wants Jesse and lies to both of them about what they've said to her.  They didn't say it, she's trying to break them apart.

It's a good thing she got snowed in at the B & B.  Now she has to face the fact that she's falling in love with Jesse.

This novella is short and sweet and a nice easy read.  Get a cup of hot chocolate and settle in your favorite chair and read about playing in the snow...

I'll Hug You More by Laura Duksta, Melissa Iwai (Illustrations)

This story is double sided.  You read it one way and then can turn it over and read it the other way.  It's written from the child's and the parent's perspectives and it's all about hugs!

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky shared a copy of this book with me for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can grab a copy now.

Whether it's morning or evening or anytime of the day, it's a good time to have hugs.  Melissa Iwai illustrated this book with sweet heartwarming pictures.  Sharing this book with your little one could be very rewarding.  Look how many hugs you'll get to share! 
 
This book touched my heart.  My Mom was a big hugger.  If you looked at all down or discouraged, she just came over, opened her arms, and said:  "You look like you need a hug."  The author of this book lost all of her hair to alopecia areata at the age of 11.  You can bet she needed hugs.  She believes if you know you're loved, anything is possible.  She's right.  Love makes you stronger and makes you believe in yourself.

Why not share this book and a few hugs with your little one?