Hello again and welcome back! We’re here for day two, stop number two of four, for the Harlequin Holiday Romance Blog Tours I’m participating in. This book is definitely my favorite so far, and I can’t wait to tell you more about it. Let’s dive right in and find out about Meet Me in London by Georgia Toffolo.

Can I just say, how adorable is this cover and Georgia?! She wrote the cutest story I’ve read in a long time. Let’s find out more about it!

MEET ME IN LONDON

Author: Georgia Toffolo

ISBN: 9781335459978

Publication Date: September 28, 2021

Publisher: HQN Books

Buy Links: 

BookShop.org

Harlequin 

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Books-A-Million

Powell’s 

Social Links:

Author Website

Facebook: @ToffTalks

Twitter: @ToffTalks

TikTok: @georgiatoffolo

Instagram: @georgiatoffolo

Goodreads

Author Bio: 

Georgia Toffolo is a broadcaster and TV personality. She has been a firm favourite with the public right from the start of her TV debut, Made in Chelsea, all the way to winning over the hearts of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2018.

Georgia turned her eye to fashion and has curated two sell out collections with fashion retailer Shein. An ambassador for many British brands, both large and small, Georgia has also collaborated with Dyson, Baileys, Emma Bridgewater, Great British Racing, Foreo and Malibu amongst many more.

Most recently, Georgia has dived into the world of fiction by publishing her debut novel Meet Me in London with publishing house Mills and Boon. This is the first of an original series of four books following a group of lifelong friends and bringing personal anecdotes to life with humour and charm.

Book Summary:

What do you do when your fake engagement starts to feel too real?

Aspiring clothes designer Victoria Scott spends her days working in a bar in Chelsea and her evenings designing vintage clothes, dreaming of one day opening her own boutique. But these aspirations are under threat from the new department store opening at the end of her road. She needs a Christmas miracle, but one is not forthcoming.

Oliver Russell’s Christmas is not looking very festive right now. His family’s new London department store opening is behind schedule, and on top of that his interfering, if well-meaning, mother is pressing him to bring his girlfriend home for a visit. A girlfriend who does not exist. He needs a diversion. Something to keep his mother from interfering while he focuses on the business.

When Oliver meets Victoria, he offers a proposition: pretend to be his girlfriend at the opening of his store and he will provide an opportunity for Victoria to showcase her designs. But what starts as a business arrangement soon becomes something more tempting, as the fake relationship starts to feel very real. But when secrets in Victoria’s past are exposed, will Oliver walk away, or will they both follow their hearts and find what neither knew they were looking for?

Have you ever read a book with the fake romance trope? They usually end up being a hilarious adventure, but this one was done so tenderly. Now for my review, I hope you enjoy!

My Review –

This is an adorable, heartwarming, feel good story of two strangers who bump in to each other on the street, leading to an agreement for a fake engagement. The characters are well rounded and show growth throughout the story. While we see the trope of a fake relationship, this story is so much more than that. A story of hope, of making the best of hard situations, and of fighting for what you love. It is set in the winter, with the ending around Christmas, which made it a perfect December read to cozy up with. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more books from this author, her writing style is beautiful.

Please let me know if you read Meet Me In London, or any other of the books from my tour stops. I’d love to hear your thoughts on them! Two more stops coming up, so I’ll see you again real soon. Have a wonderful weekend friends!

Positive Vibes & Happy Reading!

Hello friends, and Happy December! Can you believe we’re in the final month of 2021 already? I’m having trouble wrapping my head around it. Well, regardless it’s the holiday season and that means cheesy Hallmark movies and Harlequin Christmas romance novels. Hooray! I’m very excited to share my first of four Holiday Romance tour stops. We begin with A Little Christmas Spirit by Sheila Roberts.

This was my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not sharing my full review yet, that comes at the end of the post, but I would definitely recommend this book to fans of A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. One of the main characters is a curmudgeonly old man who definitely makes an impression on his neighbors. It was just a delightful read! But first, let me share some info about the book and author.

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A LITTLE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Author: Sheila Roberts

ISBN: 9780778311287

Publication Date: September 28, 2021

Publisher: MIRA Books

Buy Links: 

BookShop.org

Harlequin 

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Books-A-Million

Powell’s 

Book Summary:

The best Christmas gifts—family, friendship, and second chances—are all waiting to be unwrapped in this sparkling new novel from USA Today bestselling author Sheila Roberts.

Single mom Lexie Bell hopes to make this first Christmas in their new home special for her six-year-old son, Brock. Festive lights and homemade fudge, check. Friendly neighbors? Uh, no. The reclusive widower next door is more grinchy than nice. But maybe he just needs a reminder of what matters most. At least sharing some holiday cheer with him will distract her from her own lack of romance…

Stanley Mann lost his Christmas spirit when he lost his wife and he sees no point in looking for it. Until she shows up in his dreams and informs him it’s time to ditch his Scroogey attitude. Stanley digs in his heels but she’s determined to haunt him until he wakes up and rediscovers the joys of the season. He can start by being a little more neighborly to the single mom next door. In spite of his protests he’s soon making snowmen and decorating Christmas trees. How will it all end?

Merrily, of course. A certain Christmas ghost is going to make sure of that

Author Bio: 

Sheila Roberts lives on a lake in Washington State, where most of her novels are set. Her books have been published in several languages. On Strike for Christmas, was made into a movie for the Lifetime Movie Network and her novel, The Nine Lives of Christmas, was made into a movie for Hallmark.

Social Links:

Author Website

Facebook: @funwithsheila

Twitter: @_Sheila_Roberts

Instagram: @sheilarobertswriter

Goodreads

My Review –

I’ll keep this short and sweet, because this book really speaks for itself. I am a sucker for the Scrooge, crotchety old man character. Stanley reminded me a bit of Ove from A Man called Ove, and that just cracked the ice from my heart. This was a cute, heartwarming story about grief, living life because you only have one to live, and enjoying those around you. One of my absolute favorite tropes is found family, and this book has a great one!! I laughed, a shed a few tears, and I smiled a ton. Recipe for a great read!!

I hope you enjoyed this tour stop, please give this book a read! It was such a fun holiday literary adventure. Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you again soon for my next couple tours and other fun bookish posts. Stay safe and healthy everyone!

Positive Vibes & Happy Reading!

Welcome back everyone, and welcome to my stop on the tour for The Keeper of Night by debut author Kylie Lee Baker. I am very excited to be a stop on the tour for this dark and emotional fantasy story about what one will do to be accepted and belong. I adore stories steeped in Japanese folklore, and this book definitely delivers. So let’s get started!

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The Keeper of Night
Kylie Lee Baker
On Sale Date: October 12, 2021
9781335405661
Hardcover
Inkyard Press
$18.99 USD
Ages 13 And Up
400 pages

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Julie Kagawa meets Scythe in this captivating and evocative journey into Death’s domain as one soul collector seeks her place in the underworld of 1890s Japan. Book 1 of a planned
duology.

Death is her destiny. Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough yearns for the acceptance she
has never found among the Reapers who raised her. When the Shinigami powers she can no longer hide force her to flee for her life, Ren and her younger brother—the only being on earth
to care for her—travel to Japan and the dark underworld of Yomi, where Ren hopes to claim her place among the Shinigami and finally belong. But the Goddess of Death is no more welcoming than the Reapers who raised her, and Ren
finds herself set on an impossible task—find and kill three yokai demons, and maybe, just maybe, she can earn a place in Death’s service. With only her brother and an untrustworthy new
ally by her side, Ren will learn how far she’ll go to win the acceptance she craves, and whether the cost of belonging is worth any sacrifice.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kylie Lee Baker grew up in Boston and has since lived in Atlanta, Salamanca, and Seoul. Her writing is informed by her heritage (Japanese, Chinese, and Irish), as well as her experiences living abroad as both a student and teacher. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing and Spanish from Emory University and is currently pursuing a Master of Library and Information Science degree at Simmons University. In her free time, she watches horror movies, plays the cello, and bakes too many cookies. The Keeper of Night is her debut novel.

My Review- I was immediately drawn to the description of this book because the main characters are Reapers, beings who collect souls for Death, and because it is richly steeped in Japanese folklore and spirits. Both of which are components that I love in a dark fantasy story. We immediately meet our MC, Ren, who is half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami, and her half brother Neven, who is full Reaper. We quickly learn that Ren doesn’t feel a sense of belonging in England, especially with the bullying she endures from the High Reapers. Under dire circumstances Ren escapes to Japan to find the answers she’s been looking for. The plot was so well written, it kept me invested the entire book. The incorporation of Japanese folklore was incredibly well done, and super creepy (which I loved). There was some incredible character growth, and some twists that I never saw coming. I gave this book four stars and am incredibly excited for the sequel and finale to the duology to release.

Thank you to Inkyard Press for the chance to read and review The Keeper of The Night. If you want to know where you can buy the book or follow the author then click any of the links below.

SOCIAL LINKS:
Author website: https://www.kylieleebaker.com/
Twitter: @KylieYamashiro
Instagram: @kylieleebaker
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56030267-the-keeper-of-night

BUY LINKS:

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/the-keeper-of-night/9781335405661 

Porter Square Books: https://www.portersquarebooks.com/signed/signed-keeper-night-hardcover

Indie Bound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335405661

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-keeper-of-night-kylie-lee-baker/1138317760?ean=9781335405661 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Night-duology/dp/1335405666/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+keeper+of+night&qid=1613326691&sr=8-2

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kylie_Lee_Baker_The_Keeper_of_Night?id=6asJEAAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ph/en/ebook/the-keeper-of-nightApple Books: https://books.apple.com/dk/book/the-keeper-of-night/id1540957269

Positive Vibes & Happy Reading!

Hello friends and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Mara Rutherford’s Luminous. I could not have been more excited to be offered the chance to read Mara’s newest book and be a part of Inkyard Press’s blog tour. I’ve been a fan of Mara’s writing and beautiful stories since her debut book, Crown of Coral and Pearl. So without further ado…. here we go!

LUMINOUS by Mara Rutherford
On sale: October 5, 2021
ISBN: 9781335405654
Inkyard Press
Teen & Young Adult; Epic Fantasy
$19.99 / $24.99 CAN
384 Pages

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the author of Crown of Coral and Pearl comes an immersive new fantasy about a witch who must learn to harness her power—or risk losing her loved ones forever.

Liora has spent her life in hiding, knowing discovery could mean falling prey to the king’s warlock, Darius, who uses mages’ magic to grow his own power. But when her worst nightmare comes to pass, Darius doesn’t take her. Instead, he demands that her younger sister return to the capital with him. To make matters worse, Evran, Liora’s childhood friend and the only one who knows her secret, goes missing following Darius’s visit, leaving her without anyone to turn to.

To find Evran and to save her sister, Liora must embrace the power she has always feared. But the greatest danger she’ll face is yet to come, for Darius has plans in motion that will cause the world to fall into chaos—and Liora and Evran may be the only ones who can stop him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mara Rutherford began her writing career as a journalist but quickly discovered she far preferred fantasy to reality. Originally from California, Mara has since lived all over the world with her marine-turned-diplomat husband. A triplet born on Leap Day, Mara holds a master’s degree in cultural studies from the University of London. When she’s not writing or chasing after her two sons, she can usually be found pushing the boundaries of her comfort zone, whether at a traditional Russian banya or an Incan archaeological site. Mara is a former Pitch Wars mentee and three-time mentor.

So what do you think? I was absolutely enthralled by the description of this story, and it did not disappoint. I love how Mara balances the art of world building and strong character development, blending some of the most magical stories. Here’s my review!

Review – This was an incredible and magical book! Yet again Mara had balanced strong world building and character development to bring an outstanding story of believing in yourself, and never giving up! One of my favorite parts was the bond shared between the Duval sisters. They had such dynamic of personality but shared love for each other. The Magic system was creative with how each witch or mage obtained a different type of magic. It definitely lent to an exciting story! There were a few particularly dark scenes and absolutely had me captivated and on the edge of my seat. Highly, highly recommend Luminous to everyone who loves a good magical story with wholesome characters. I cannot wait for a physical copy to adorn my shelves!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my stop on the tour for Luminous by Mara Rutherford. I highly recommend this and her previous books. Thank you to Mara and Inkyard Press for this opportunity. If you’re intrigued and want to know where you can find her books or follow Mara, check out the links below.

Social Links:

Author website: https://www.mararutherford.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mararaewrites
Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/mararutherfordwrites
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/56030266-luminous

Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Luminous-Mara-Rutherford/dp/1335405658
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/luminous-mara-rutherford/1138317759?ean=9781335405654
Books a Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Luminous/Mara-Rutherford/9781335405654?id=8287773942852
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335405654
BookShop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/luminous-9781335405654/9781335405654
AppleBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/luminous/id1540957165
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Mara_Rutherford_Luminous?id=gK0JEAAAQBAJ

Positive Vibes & Happy Reading!!

Hey hey, friends! I’m back with a fun review of a Stephen King-esque book to review. I’m behind and slacking on all things blog and NetGalley, but I’m trying to get back at it. I’m super excited to tell you about The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig and share my review.

I’m one of those crazies who starts decorating for Fall and Halloween the first of September. I absolutely might have decorated super early this year, but I did wait til September to start reading spooky books. Luckily I have quite a few spookies on my NetGalley backlog, and this was top of my list. I’d read, and loved, Chuck Wendig’s previous book The Wanderers so I was sure I’d love this book.

Description –

Long ago, Nathan lived in a house in the country with his abusive father—and has never told his family what happened there.

Long ago, Maddie was a little girl making dolls in her bedroom when she saw something she shouldn’t have—and is trying to remember that lost trauma by making haunting sculptures.

Long ago, something sinister, something hungry, walked in the tunnels and the mountains and the coal mines of their hometown in rural Pennsylvania.

Now, Nate and Maddie Graves are married, and they have moved back to their hometown with their son, Oliver.

And now what happened long ago is happening again . . . and it is happening to Oliver. He meets a strange boy who becomes his best friend, a boy with secrets of his own and a taste for dark magic.

This dark magic puts them at the heart of a battle of good versus evil and a fight for the soul of the family—and perhaps for all of the world. But the Graves family has a secret weapon in this battle: their love for one another.

My Review – 4/5 stars

There was something about this book that was spellbinding in a way. At first I thought it was just slow to get into, but there was something that kept compelling me to keep reading. Chuck Wendig has a way of craftily leaving the most delicate trail of bread crumbs for his readers to follow. Occasionally rewarding them with something big, and then leading them back to the trail. I am awed with the story he’s woven here, not quite dark fantasy and not quite scifi but the most delicious blend of both. The characters were incredibly well written, and the world(s) he crafted are something out of Lovecraft’s nightmares. I would definitely recommend this to lovers of Stephen King, and of books that really make you think and pay attention to detail. So, If you’re just looking for an easy to follow, scare me book then keep going. This is a story that you have to take your time unwrapping to really get to the sweet stuff. What an insanely wild ride, and I’m so glad I stuck with it!

Thanks for taking the time to read my review! I hope this helps you determine if it’s a book you’ll want to read or not. If you’re a fan of Spooky Season let me know what’s on your TBR! I’ve been letting my mood determine what I read lately and have been successful with that method, so no predetermined TBR for me. I did go through and pull all the witchy, vampire, werewolf, supernatural and horror books from my shelves and filled my TBR cart. This way I can easily browse and pick my next read. I’ll be back soon with more reviews and juicy bits!

Positive Vibes & Happy Reading!!

Hey, heyyyy! I’m back! I never really intended to take such a long hiatus from posting, but I overloaded myself with tours and got burnt out. I’m ready to get back in the game, and have some fun ideas to test out here. I hope you’ve all been doing well, reading lots, and staying safe!

May, June, and July were very slow reading months for me. My social life picked up and I started a new job position at work. All fantastic things, but if you know me then you know I get kind of cranky when I don’t have time to read. I read 8 book in May, 3 in June, and 5 in July. I enjoyed the books I read and thankfully am still on track/ahead on my Goodreads Yearly Goal. I’m definitely looking forward to getting back to normal reading habits, and getting back to sharing my adventures with you!

I’ll be changing up how I was doing my blog posts, set schedule for fun content, and I will be participating in less blog tours, ARC reviews…. or so I say (we all know I can’t resist). I find that I tend to get a little over excited and load my schedule up with them. Then when I want to read the books I own, or reread a favorite, I don’t have the time. I also have an extremely large backlog of NetGalley books that I need to clean up. Yikes!! I’ll get there, and am very eager to read some of the books on that list.

What have I been reading recently? Great question! I actually just finished an amazing book over the weekend The Damned (The Beautiful #2) by Renee Ahdieh. It’s a YA Fantasy novel set in historic New Orleans about a young girl named Celine who travels from Paris, France to escape a terrible event and ends up meeting the town’s infamous and mysterious Sebastien St Germain. There are vampires, werewolves, fey, slow burn romance and lots of witty comments. Basically, it’s everything I love in a good fantasy story. The third book is set to release on December 7th and I am impatiently awaiting that date. 🙂

I’ve been letting my moods pick what I read, instead of preparing a set TBR list each month, and so far it’s working out better for me! I still pick a few books that I’d “like to get to”, but don’t pressure myself to read them. I am trying to knock out the rest of the prompts for the 2021 Read Harder Book Riot challenge, and found a few promising contenders. I’m also trying to finish reading a bunch of series I started but never completed, such as The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare/Outlander by Diana Gabaldon/Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, etc. I’ve got some great books lined up through the Kindle Unlimited service, so stayed tuned for some recs on there as K.U. actually has some amazing books to read!

Okie dokie, I’m sure I’ve chatted enough for now! I’ll be back soon with one of my new content ideas, so hopefully you’ll tune back in on Thursday. Stay safe, read some good books and take care friends!

Positive Vibes & Happy Reading!

Hi friends! It’s been a while, too long actually. I’m super excited to be back and bringing you my stop on the Harlequin Summer 2021 blog tour for Talk Bookish To Me by Kate Bromley. This is Kate’s debut novel, and it was such a fun read! I love to sprinkle in some cute romcoms during the summer, and this one does not disappoint.

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TALK BOOKISH TO ME

Author: Damhnait Monaghan 

ISBN: 9781525806438

Publication Date: May 25, 2021

Publisher: Graydon House Books

Buy Links: 

BookShop.org

Harlequin 

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Books-A-Million

Powell’s

Social Links:

Author Website

Twitter: @kbromleywrites

Instagram: @katebromleywrites

Facebook: @katebromleywrites

Goodreads

Author Bio: 

KATE BROMLEY lives in New York City with her husband, son, and her somewhat excessive collection of romance novels (It’s not hoarding if it’s books, right?). She was a preschool teacher for seven years and is now focusing full-time on combining her two great passions – writing swoon-worthy love stories and making people laugh. Talk Bookish to Me is her first novel.

Book Summary:

TALK BOOKISH TO ME (On-sale: May 25, 2021; Graydon House; Trade Paperback Original; $15.99) is a laugh-out-loud stunner of a story, perfect for fans of Beach Read and The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, that will delight book nerds everywhere! 

Kara Sullivan is definitely not avoiding her deadline. After all, it’s the week of her best friend’s wedding and she’s the maid of honor, so she’s got lots of responsibilities. As a bestselling romance novelist with seven novels under her belt, she’s a pro and looming deadlines and writer’s block (which she definitely doesn’t have) don’t scare her. She’s just eager to support Cristina as she ties the knot with Jason.

But who should show up at Cristina and Jason’s rehearsal dinner but Kara’s college ex-boyfriend, (the gorgeous and infuriating) Ryan? Apparently, he’s one of Jason’s childhood friends, and he’s in the wedding party, too. Considering neither Kara nor Ryan were prepared to see each other again, it’s decidedly a meet-NOT-cute. There is nothing cute about this situation, and a bit of notice to mentally prepare would’ve been nice, Cristina! However, when Kara sits down to write again the next day, her writers’ block is suddenly gone. She has to wonder what’s changed. Are muses real…? And is Kara’s muse…Ryan?

Catch Kate on tour!

The Book Revue virtual launch event at May 25^th @ 7 pm ET

In conversation with Brenda Janowitz

If you’re still with me this far, thank you for sticking with me! So what do you think, sounds like a cute read?! I really enjoyed this book, and read it in 2 nights. I even stayed up until 1am (a weekend night) to finish the second half of the book, and have absolutely no regrets for that decision. This book reminded me a lot of the fun, light-hearted books that I love so much written by Christina Lauren.

I had to give Talk Bookish To Me a five star rating because it was quirky, had substance and realistic relationships, just enough cheesy parts to be cute, and a fun read. I felt the characters were well developed, and had a great balance in dynamics. Ryan’s bulldog was a great addition to the story, however I am always a sucker for a quirky pup in books. I got really emotionally invested in this story, which shows that the main character Kara was easy to relate with. The plot had good flow and I felt that the story resolved really well. I loved that it not only spoke to personal intimate relationships, but family relationships also. Kara and her mom were adorable.

I definitely recommend this book to fans of Christina Lauren, Helena Hunting, and Sophie Kinsella. It truly is the perfect summer/beach read, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it once you’ve read it! Thank you for taking the time to stop by and check out my review post for the Summer 2021 Tour stop for Talk Bookish To Me by Kate Bromley. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for me based on this book, or if you end up reading this book.

Stay tuned for a couple more blog tour posts coming up! I’m also going to do my best about posting on a more consistent basis, at least 2-3 times a month (but we all know life gets crazy sometimes). Stay safe and healthy my friends!!

Positive Vibes & Happy Reading!

Happy Sunday everyone and welcome to a stroll down Once Upon a Lane by Duncan Wilson! Hopefully you’re having a great day, and thanks for stopping by for my stop of the tour. You’ll want to make sure you observe the details, because they made the story. This was a very unique gothic horror novel, quite unlike anything I’ve ever read before in the genre. As you continue on your stroll down the tour lane, don’t forget to stop at the other neighbors and here what they have to say! Here’s a link to their tour addresses.

Tour Schedule: Once Upon a Lane by Duncan Wilson

“There once was a lane, filled with well-tended lawns and well-fostered friendships, of well-appointed houses all neat and tidy and those that live within, of stories and mysteries that manifest for only fleeting moments for the few who pay attention. This is one such tale. A tale about pleasant people, about the lives they live, about their wants and dreams, about their loves and losses, their joys and hates, about their days and nights in the company of cherished companions in the houses they call home. In this tale of the happy little lives of blissful simple folk, there are monsters, to be sure. But this is not the story of monsters, this is not the tale of their evil deeds, this is the tale of those they make suffer. In this tale, the monsters have no names. The monsters do not deserve names.”

A character driven slice-of-life story that follows the humble lives of the residents of a suburban neighborhood as they live and love, and about the house with the dead yard, a vacant lot, that sits among their homes, inert and immobile, yet intimidating and terrifying to any who look at it too long. The children of the lane are not the only ones who are fearful of the anomaly in their midst. Every adult upon the lane wonders why the structure still stands, with no known owner and no reason to be. The lingering question is not who owns the house, but why no one ever goes in or comes out, and why there are such ghastly noises emanating from within. Day by day, the happy people of the lane go about their tasks and trials, and day by day, the house with the dead yard seems a little more ominous, a little more intrusive, and a little less ignorable than before.

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Book Links

• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49080665-once-upon-a-lane
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Lane-Duncan-Wilson-ebook/dp/B081XKL3J6/
• Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/992367
• Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/once-upon-a-lane-duncan-wilson/1135111076
• Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Duncan_Wilson_Once_Upon_A_Lane?id=YPvCDwAAQBAJ
• Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Once-Upon-a-Lane-Audiobook/B082P729TW

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Book Information

Once Upon a Lane by Duncan Wilson
Series: Standalone
Published: November 23, 2019
Genre: Horror, Slice-of-life, Paranormal, Suburban Gothic
Pages: 166 (Print Length)

Author Info

Duncan Wilson has been writing since childhood, having fallen in love with the written word at a very early age. Having spent his formative years in various libraries, he can bore his friends on a variety of subjects. Inspired by the natural world and the splendors of the heavens, he writes primarily science fiction and paranormal stories. He has a novel and two novellas published on Amazon and Smashwords, and an additional novella and several short stories published on Patreon.

• Website: https://hicsuntdeos.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrDuncanWilson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DuncanWilsonAuthor/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duncanwilsonauthor/
• Tumblr: https://herebegods.tumblr.com/
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DuncanWilson
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1169199.Duncan_Wilson
  
  

My Review –

I am a huge fan of the gothic horror genre, especially the slow and descriptive creep that builds as the story progresses. They are the kind of stories that tend to have you looking over your shoulder in doubt. There were definitely a few circumstances during this story that had a bit of the creep factor, but mostly I found a beautifully descriptive story of the buzz of a quiet lane in a suburb buzzing around the mystery of the abandoned house at the end of the lane. As we learn about each of the prominent residents on the lane, you catch a glimpse of their fear of the unknown surrounding the abandoned house. It was glimpses of this fear, and the little creepy scenes that kept me reading to the end. I had hoped for a bit more of the creep factor, as the story left me wanting, but overall a really fantastic suburban gothic story with tiny flairs of the classic gothic horror. I almost felt like I was spying on the neighborhood with how well Duncan Wilson had described their comings and goings. I would highly recommend this book to readers who are looking to get their feet wet in the world of horror, as gothic horror is a great stepping stone to readers who scare easily.

Thank you for walking with me down Once Upon a Lane, and stopping to read my review. I hope the rest of your stroll down the lane is enjoyable and do be cautious of the abandoned house at the end. Make sure to stop at the neighbors for more information, they are really friendly and sociable! 🙂


Until next time…

Positive Vibes & Happy Reading!!

Hi! I hope your Monday is going well, it’s windy and snowy here in Western, NY today! No complaints from me though, love working from home so I can stay snug inside. I’m excited to bring you my review on this cute and different story, Playing Cupid by S.C. Alban. A big thank you to Parliament House and NetGalley for providing me an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Description-

For the past five years, seventeen-year-old Megan Cooper has built a wall around her heart with little room to experience true feelings. Her mother’s passing has left her family fractured, driving a wedge between her and her father that has only gotten deeper with time. The only solution: graduate high school early and get out of Dodge.

With one final standing between her and the rest of her life, Megan is paired with a Home Economics partner who seems destined to dump all the work on her. Constantly bailing at the last minute, with more excuses than she can keep track of, Jay Michaels seems determined to ruin her plan.

That is, until she hits Cupid with her car. With his shooting arm is significantly injured, Megan has no choice but to take his place. As she races to find Cupid’s final three love matches in order to meet his quota by the start of the new year, she comes face to face with the very emotions she’s been pushing away for so long. 

Caught between what her head is saying and what her heart longs for, Megan must face old wounds, find forgiveness, and track down the perfect match for the one boy with all the excuses.

My Review-

A clever, witty story about navigating the many channels of love. Full of real life situations that can be easy to relate to, a dreaded home-ec class (I remember mine), and cute slow burn romance between the MC and the cutest guy in school. The characters were surprising, and I felt the depth of their emotions. The heavy was very well balanced with the humor of Megan and Amadeus, our starring cupid. This was a fun, easy read that was exactly what I needed between my usual fantasy laden reading. Another Parliament House book that makes my list of highly enjoyed reads! I especially enjoyed how this book touches on loss, and coping with family who have a mental health diagnosis and how others view you.

You can grab your own copy of Playing Cupid by S.C. Alban on Feb 23rd, when it releases to stores and online! I hope you take a chance, and fall in love with this quirky, adorable story.

Positive Vibes & Happy Reading!!

Hello friends, hope your Tuesday is going well! I am in shock at how quickly this day is going, but no complaints here. I have to make a stop to the Library to return some books after work, but wanted to get this post done before I forget. I am trying to be better about reading and reviewing my NetGalley ARCs within an acceptable timeframe (and reading through my back list). I was super excited to receive the email from NetGalley letting me know I got approved for The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren, they are one of my all time fav authors. I literally did a happy dance!

Description –

Single mom Jess Davis is a data and statistics wizard, but no amount of number crunching can convince her to step back into the dating world. Raised by her grandparents—who now help raise her seven-year-old daughter, Juno—Jess has been left behind too often to feel comfortable letting anyone in. After all, her father’s never been around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn’t “father material” before Juno was even born. Jess holds her loved ones close, but working constantly to stay afloat is hard…and lonely.

But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that’s predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers:This Jess understands.

At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98% compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly’s founder, Dr. River Peña. This is one number she can’t wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Peña. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition: Get to know him and we’ll pay you. Jess—who is barely making ends meet—is in no position to turn it down, despite her skepticism about the project and her dislike for River. As the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the “Diamond” pairing that could make GeneticAlly a mint in stock prices, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist—and the science behind a soulmate—than she thought.

My Review –

In traditional Christina Lauren style, I was laughing within the first couple pages. The best friend, Fizzy, had me in stitches and the quick whips between Jess and River were hilarious. Great plot line, plenty of humor and cutesy moments but with all of the steaminess that Christina Lauren does so well. These girls can seriously write the best feel good romance stories! I really liked that this was one of the more serious stories that I’ve read by Christina Lauren, and is probably my 2nd favorite of their books so far. I devoured this book in less than a day, almost like it was super-glued to my hand. I really enjoyed the character development in this book, it was so well written and extremely realistic. Definitely recommend to anyone who wants a cute, light and fun read!

Thanks for checking out my review, and if you’ve read this one or any other of Christina Lauren’s books let me know your thoughts in the comments! Stay tuned for a few more blog tours and reviews coming up over the next week or so.

Positive Vibes & Happy Reading!