Category: Reviews

Untamed Devil by Melissa Ivers

I received an arc of Untamed Devil for free from the author to review. All thoughts and opinions that follow are honest and my own.

I really enjoyed Untamed Devil by Melissa Ivers. It is the second in the Nashville Devils series but you can read it as a stand-alone and still understand everything going on in this book.

I’ve always been a fan of hockey and was delighted to be able to read a copy of this one. It didn’t disappoint and I can’t wait for more in the series!

This one is a family-centered drama mixed with romance of the in-denial type and sprinkled with familial duty and southern charm. The characters are great and I felt like they were people I could be friends with. I loved the single-dad aspect of the story. Being a single parent myself, this aspect of the story really touched my heart. 

I was confused about Chloe’s age. In some scenes she’s made to sound older (teenish) and in other scenes she seems younger (young child). It doesn’t impact the story, but I just found it confusing. One thing I didn’t care for was that Tag, one of our main characters, seemed very “poor me.” Even though he kept trying to act the opposite way, I felt like it was repetitive in that way. 

There were many steamy scenes, so definitely keep that in mind. There is a bit of language as well. 

Overall I enjoyed this one and would read it again. I definitely recommend this one, especially if you like hockey, small town romances, southern romances, or the whole in-denial romance trope.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer

I received a free copy of Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche thanks to Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own. 

I’ve never read any of the Enola Holmes books before, but when the publicist reached out and asked if I’d like to be part of the Blog Tour for the newest Enola Holmes book, I agreed. From what I had previously seen of the newest book, it sounded like a fun read and I’m always up for a good mystery. Luckily, you didn’t need to have read the previous books to enjoy this one. 

In Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche, we follow Enola as she helps Letitia “Tish” Glover find out the truth of what happened to her twin sister, Felicity “Flossie” Glover Rudcliff. Tish has just received a short letter saying Flossie died. Tish doesn’t believe Flossie has really died and has come to the Holmes’s for help. Working with her older and famous brother Sherlock Holmes, they gather clues and hatch a scheme hoping to solve the case.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche: Read it or Leave it?

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick but entertaining read. It’s set in 1800s London, and you have to remember that, because the viewpoints are of those during that era. I love our headstrong main character Enola, who goes against what’s proper and travels alone, doesn’t stick to societal norms of domesticity, etc. but instead focuses on writing and solving cases. The interaction between her and Sherlock was a great addition to the book. I love that her strong personality challenged his and also made him rethink some of his pre-conceived notions about women and society. They made a great team in this story and I look forward to reading more about them.

This book has humor, mystery, and a great cast of characters. I kept thinking about them long after putting the book down. I will definitely be picking up the previous books in the Enola Holmes series. Thank you once again to Wednesday Books and Nancy Springer for my review copy and inviting me on this book tour!

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche releases August 31st, so be sure to pick up your copy! 

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer

Mistletoe and Mischief by Melissa Ivers

I received a free ARC of Mistletoe and Mischief thanks to the author. I am giving my honest review, which I am under no obligation to provide. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever reiterated that Christmas is my favorite holiday or how much I love it. But it is, and I love it a ton. So when I saw Melissa Ivers had a Christmas Novella available for ARC readers, I jumped at the chance to sign up.

In Mistletoe and Mischief, we follow Jules and Nash as they get through the Christmas season and try their best to be civil with one another while staying under the same roof. Jules is a small town baker and owner of Sweet Pies. She’s unfortunately stuck with her brother’s best friend and her own personal nemesis, Nash, staying at her house over the holidays. Nash is a big-shot lawyer, a playboy with devilishy good looks, and a holiday mission to make Jules’s life miserable. But what happens when a bit of Christmas magic plus close proximity does a little bit of messing with these two and their sworn hatred for each other?

Mistletoe and Mischief: The Breakdown

I love a good enemies-to-lovers book, and boy did this deliver. There’s romance, steam, Christmas, and descriptions of yummy food. 

I loved the Christmasy parts of the novella. It put me in such a cozy mood. I also enjoyed the banter between Nash and Jules. I felt like their enemies-to-lovers scenario was believable with the way they went after each other throughout, teasing and poking at each other. 

It was written in dual POVs, which I really enjoyed because we got into the heads of both characters. There is a bit of language to start out the book, which caught me off guard, but it didn’t deter me from continuing.

I definitely recommend this book if you’re into enemies-to-lovers, Christmas romance, steamy-romance, or just some light-hearted fun. This is my first Melissa Ivers’ book but it will not be my last!

Mistletoe and Mischief is out already, so be sure to get your copy today!

CW: language, sexuality

Mistletoe and Mischief by Melissa Ivers

The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur

I received a free e-ARC of The Forest of Stolen Girls thanks to Fierce Reads in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

When I got the email that I’d won an arc, I was so excited. I’m a sucker for historical fiction, but what’s even better is that this is also a mystery-thriller. The synopsis had me hooked.

We follow Hwani, who, as a child, was found unconscious in the forest, with her sister. They don’t remember a thing about the incident except that their captor had a white-painted mask. This event tore their family apart and most fled the hometown. Years later, she travels back to her estranged home to find her father who went missing while investigating the disappearance of 13 missing girls. Reuniting with her sister, Hwani must look to her past in order to discover the truth.

The Forest of Stolen Girls: Why You Should Read It

First, I have to say: Hur can tell a story. I haven’t read her other works but this as an intro to her writing was perfect. The way she crafted this slow burn mystery-thriller was so magnificent. She left her hints and clues all over, but with such subtly that it was almost enough to be disregarded. 

I loved the dynamic between Hwani and Maewol. It was such a realistic interpretation of a sister relationship. They had underlying resentment of each other but also fierce love and loyalty. So representative of a sisterly bond, I think. 

The ending of the book was totally unexpected for me. I was guessing during the story–and not correctly–at what was going to happen. Maybe I’m getting rusty? Or Maybe Hur’s writing is just that good. Either way, the build-up of the book was so worth the shock factor. 

I urge all of you to read this book. It’s a historical fiction book, yes, but you don’t feel like you’re reading a book about history. It’s engaging, it’s interesting, and it keeps you wanting more. You’re not going to want to put it down. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur

The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer

I received a free ARC of The Perfect Daughter thanks to the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I saw this book all over and the description was so enticing. A thriller about a girl who may or may not have multiple personalities and may also be a murderer? Sold. I was lucky enough to be approved to review an advanced copy and let me just say, this was a treat.

We follow Grace as she tries to prove her daughter Penny is innocent regarding the murder of Penny’s biological mom. There was plenty of evidence but no motive and Penny can’t seem to remember what happened. Grace also needs to find a doctor who agrees that Penny has Dissociative Identity Disorder, or they will say Penny is lying about her multiple personas. As Penny spends her time in a psychiatric hospital under the guidance of Dr. Mitch McHugh, new information comes to light. And this new information could change everything Grace thought she knew about Penny.

The Perfect Daughter: Why I Loved It

Y’all, this book was good. It had me staying up until 3AM just to find out what happened. 

I’m a sucker for an unreliable narrator and we got that with Penny. Which persona was telling the truth? Were they real or was she deceiving everyone? Just from the synopsis I knew this was going to be a great element of the novel if executed well, and Palmer pulled it off.

Although I enjoyed the whole book, the parts of the book where we see Dr. Mitch counsel Penny were my favorite. I liked that he used different techniques to appeal to the different personas. I think he was my favorite character. 

And that ending! It shouldn’t have been such a surprise in hindsight, but then again, hindsight is 20/20. It was a shock and I loved it. Basically, y’all need to just read this book.

This was my first D.J. Palmer book but it definitely won’t be my last. Pick up your copy of The Perfect Daughter today!

The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer