River Rising (Carson Chronicles #1)

Weeks after his parents disappear on a hike, engineer Adam Carson, 27, searches for answers. Then he discovers a secret web site and learns his mom and dad are time travelers stuck in the past. Armed with the information he needs to find them, Adam convinces his younger siblings to join him on a rescue mission to the 1880s.

While Greg, the adventurous middle brother, follows leads in the Wild West, Adam, journalist Natalie, and high school seniors Cody and Caitlin do the same in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Like the residents of the bustling steel community, all are unaware of a flood that will destroy the city on May 31, 1889.

In RIVER RISING, the first novel in the Carson Chronicles series, five young adults find love, danger, and adventure as they experience America in the age of bustle dresses, gunslingers, and robber barons.

*May Contain Spoilers*

River Rising begins another time travel series by John A. Heldt, but one that promises a little more action with characters that are constant. I always enjoy time travel novels because they give me history with the facts mixed into the fiction, which I love. This novel is no exception as Heldt takes a family of five back to the 1880s in search of their parents. With five main characters, there's a character for any kind of reader to connect with and plenty of circumstances that demand it. 

Adam is the oldest and the 'leader' of the Carson clan. He's intelligent but haunted by an old wound. His romantic history remains a mystery for most of the novel but is eventually revealed. As he falls in love with a woman from the 1880s, readers will enjoy his triumph over loss and feel connected to him emotionally. 

Natalie was my favorite character as she is witty, smart, and likes to challenge the males around her. It was enjoyable to read her chapters and she even kept me on my toes at times. She also gains a love interest (like most of her siblings) but her story is much sadder than Adam's. Her story will offer a connection through empathy and understanding as well as through her personality. 

Greg is sort of the wild sibling as he is the only one who stirs up trouble in the 1880s. Though he is also quite intelligent and an outdoorsman, the role he plays is mainly doing the actual searching for the Carson parents. He does much more traveling than anyone else and introduces readers to other places in 1880s besides Pennsylvania. 

Caitlin and Cody are the youngest siblings and are also twins. They attend school in the 1880s and provide a younger perspective. Caitlin is kind of a bookworm, which I loved, while Cody tends to slip up and spout off clues to their time traveling status. He is also the youngest to fall in love with another high school senior which causes some teenage angst to enter the novel. 

With something for everyone, this time traveling novel is bound to please. I really enjoyed all of the characters and am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next installment. The series follows the plot of the five siblings looking for their time traveling parents who they thought were dead in different historical settings. Next up: the year 1918. The only thing is, Tim and Caroline Carson are also looking for them as they eventually returned to the future and saw that their children had 'disappeared.' So with more danger and intrigue lurking, the next book in the series already seems to be pulling me in. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

Hannah's Moon (American Journey #5)

After struggling for years to have a child, Claire Rasmussen, 34, turns to adoption, only to find new obstacles on the path to motherhood. Then she gets an unlikely phone call and soon learns that a distant uncle possesses the secrets of time travel.

Within weeks, Claire, husband Ron, and brother David find themselves on a train to Tennessee and 1945, where adoptable infants are plentiful and red tape is short. For a time, they find what they seek. Then a beautiful stranger enters their lives, the Navy calls, and a simple, straightforward mission becomes a race for survival.

*May Contain Spoilers*

The final book in the American Journey series, Hannah's Moon, gives readers both an adventure into the 1945 and the end of WWII and a summary of the time travelling benefactor, Geoffrey Bell. This series, which has taken readers to various points in the 1900s, continuously focuses on the idea of family, adventure, and experiencing history. Hannah's Moon is no different. 

There are three main characters who share the experience of travelling back to 1945 in this series conclusion. However, I believe Claire, Ron, and David are the only travelers who go back in time for a very specific purpose: to adopt a baby. Claire and Ron have been trying to expand their family for years and have been sadly disappointed each time. Adoption becomes their only option and they soon learn that the desire to adopt comes with more hurdles and red tape then they would have ever imagined. Geoffrey Bell, long time time traveler, decides to help his niece and nephew with the chance to make the adoption process easier. In 1945, adoption regulations were less strict and travelling back to the past would expedite the process. Claire and Ron jump at the opportunity, even if time travelling seems impossible. 

Claire and Ron are both fantastic characters. Though readers will probably feel more connected to Claire, as they will have a stronger empathetic connection to her as a woman with fertility issues. Her emotions are presented more often than Ron's and, therefore, reach the reader at a deeper level. For everything that Claire has gone through, she is an extremely strong character. Her perseverance and sunny disposition light up the darkness that experience and loss have created. Claire keeps moving forward with unabashed courage and resolve. These characteristics are amplified in 1945 when trouble ensues. 

Unfortunately, Ron's character brings most of the trouble and a lot of the excitement to the novel. Ron is a loving man who cares for his wife and wants to give her the world. In 2017, he's a coffee shop owner, but in 1945 his protective nature kicks in. It leads him to a back alley fight, in which he saves someone's life, but is also sentenced to enlist in the military. With no other options, Ron serves his country as a time traveler. Things heat up quickly for Ron because, although the war is ending soon, he stumbles into a very dangerous position that threatens his life. Ron's character shines as courageous, level headed, and brave with all that he's put up against.

David Baker is Claire's bachelor brother who travels to 1945 to help his family fulfill their wish of being parents. He's a history teacher in 2017 and also serves as the historian for the 1945 experience. He also offers a love story as a sub-plot, as he meets the beautiful Margaret Doyle (who I believe would have died in 1945 if not for David). This adds a little intrigue to the downtime between Ron and Claire's story while also adding to the main plot. David's loyalty to his family and respectable nature makes him a very likeable character that readers will want a happy ending for. 

Readers who have enjoyed the American Journey series will undoubtedly want to read this last installment. Perhaps it's the plot, or the concrete mission, or the actual involvement that Claire and Ron stumble into, but this final book feels different than the others. It feels like it has more weight in terms of circumstance and even danger. The main issue I had, as I've had with the other installments, was the dialogue. At times it felt stilted and lacked the flow of a conversation. Though that doesn't really interfere with the enjoyment that this book offers. My favorite part of the book was the end, as Geoffrey Bell brings all the time travelers together to meet each other. It was a fitting end to the series, with a possibility of more to come if the author chooses to ever keep going. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Other American Journey series books:

               

What's Next, Wednesday (26)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to...

Lights by Kaye Thornbrugh. I've been waiting very patiently to read this next installment in the Flicker series. Absolutely love these characters and all the fantastical creatures and situations they encounter. In this book, the main characters have been arrested for practicing magic and must serve the Guild or go to prison. And then Lee finds herself in the middle of an ancient feud that threatens everything. 

She Runs Away - Cover Reveal

Today is the cover reveal for She Runs Away by Jessica Calla! It's Book 2 in the Sheridan Hall Series and a follow up story about Ben, whom you may remember from She Laughs In Pink. And stay tuned for a giveaway!!

The Cover

Title: She Runs Away (Sheridan Hall Series, Book 2)

Author: Jessica Calla

Genre: New Adult

Release date: November 15, 2016

Publisher: BookFish Books

Cover Artist: Anita Carroll at Race-Point

Blurb:
After tragedy strikes New Jersey University's Sheridan Hall, freshman quarterback Ben Riley’s stable,normal life is turned upside down. Sidelined from playing the game he loves and on the verge of losing his scholarship, Ben wants nothing more than to escape the chaos of college and return home to rural Pennsylvania and his family.

 Yet, there’s something that keeps him from running. Or someone. A cute blonde he had a chance with but blew off for all the wrong reasons.

 Megan Smith has secrets. Secrets that have burned her in the past. Secrets she’s unwilling to share with anyone at Sheridan Hall—especially Ben, her sexy, rough-around-the-edges floormate whobroke her heart in a matter of days after moving into Sheridan. Meg decided early on that it’s easier to live life on her own than to share her secrets and let people in.

Meg runs, and Ben follows. But sooner or later, the clock on their chance at love will expire. With inner demons dragging them both down, they must find a way to stop running and trust one another or risk losing their perfectly matched love forever.

Preorder She Runs Away!

About the Author:
Jessica Calla is a contemporary romance and women's fiction author who moonlights during the day as an attorney. If she's not writing, lawyering, or parenting, you'll most likely find her at the movies, scrolling through her Twitter feed, or gulping down various forms of caffeine (sometimes all three at once).

 Jessica is a member of Romance Writers of America, involved in the Contemporary, Young Adult, and New Jersey Chapters, and is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. She recently became the oldest marketing intern ever at BookFish Books, and was named a Young Adult mentor for the FicFest writing contest. A Jersey girl through and through, she resides in the central part of the state with her husband, two sons, and dog.

Find Jessica onTwitter (@jess_calla) or at her website (www.jessicacalla.com). She loves to make reader and writer friends.

There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of She Runs Away. 

One person will win a $25 Amazon gift card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now that we've shared this awesome cover, we can't wait to share the book! See you in November (just in time for Christmas--YAY)!

Wind and Fire (Fourborn #1)

In a world where the four elements rule as gods, the Gaias of Wind, Fire, Water and Earth determine the existence and fate of every man and woman. Threatening this seemingly perfect world this the Fourborn – a yet to be identified being born of all four races and the only one who has the power to set mankind free from it's elemental shackles.

Divinely chosen in the pending chaos is a guardian from each race. With the words of an ancient prophesy as their only guide, they must find and protect the Fourborn at all costs or risk losing everything they hold dear.

Kofi, an inexperienced warrior finds himself in a war without end. Fleeing the devastation, bloodshed and terror, he leaves his beloved homeland behind as he sets out on a journey with the promise of finding a cause that is worth fighting for.

Lela, a child of the Wind and the Fire is determined to escape the life she was born into. Faced with a war of her own, she must find an inner balance if she is to claim the life she so desires.

The worlds of Wind and Fire collide when Kofi and Lela find themselves caught up in an adventure of enormous proportions. Setting out on a mission that spans three lands, they must defy not only their Gaias and the prophesy but themselves in order to find the Fourborn while the dangers of an all consuming darkness takes shape around them.

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

A fantastic journey begins with a prophecy that inspires two different citizens to leave everything they've ever known to find and protect a stranger in Megan Futcher's novel, Wind and Fire, the first in the Fourborn series. The world is divided into four lands that align with the elements: Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water. To find the stranger born of all four lands, Kofi and Lela must overcome their fears and trust the Keepers to guide them. 

 

Kofi is a twenty-five year old young man who was born in Zjarr, the land of Fire. He's a brave, courageous man who is full of love for his family and his home. Kofi is just beginning to realize what his purpose in life is and readers will find his story interesting. At first, he pushes away from the prophecy and dedicates his life to being a warrior. He trains hard with absolute focus, but the death of his brother in battle shifts him away from war. Kofi desires a greater purpose, something that aligns with his moral beliefs. Through the journey to find the Fourborn, Kofi's intelligence and protective nature shine.

 

Lela is of mixed races and has been shunned nearly her entire life. As a mix of wind and fire, she's never fit into her Wind homeland. She dreams of escape and acceptance. After the Keepers of the Wind tell her to follow her dreams and find the Fourborn, Lela begins to really discover herself. She begins as a hot-headed character who reacts emotionally instead of logically. As she grows, Lela learns how to control her feelings and focus on the mission, though she remains a bit impulsive. Readers will connect with Lela through her feelings of being misunderstood and her evolution of character.

 

The plot of Wind and Fire is a linear adventure. Kofi leaves home to join the warriors and then meets up with Lela after her escape. After Kofi saves Lela's life from a stampede, they decide to travel together. Eventually they share that they have each been told the exact same prophecy and they know that fate has brought them together. The storyline is interesting with several action filled situations. Futcher does a good job in keeping the adventure across the plains and mountains interesting to the reader. There aren't any unimportant details or situations as each chapter builds upon the journey to find the Fourborn and the budding relationship between Kofi and Lela.

 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

A New Hope (Thunder Point #8)

After losing her child, Ginger Dysart was lost in grief. But since moving to Thunder Point, a small town on the Oregon coast, and with the help of her cousin Ray Anne, Ginger is finally moving forward. Her job at the flower shop is peaceful and fulfilling, and she's excited to start her first big assignment, assisting with the Lacoumette wedding.

In spite of her lasting heartache, Ginger finds herself swept up in the pleasure of the occasion. But the beauty of the Lacoumette farm and the joy of the gregarious family are ruined by an unfortunate encounter with the bride's brother, Matt. Struggling with painful memories of his own recent divorce, Matt makes a drunken spectacle of himself and Ginger when he tries to make a pass at her, forcing Ginger to flee the scene in embarrassment.

But when Matt shows up at the flower shop determined to make amends, what started out as a humiliating first meeting blossoms into something much deeper than either of them expected. Discovering they have a lot in common, they form a solid friendship, though everyone around them worries that Ginger will end up with a broken heart yet again. But if Ginger has the courage to embrace the future, and if Matt can finally learn to let go of the past, there may still be hope for a happy ending.

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

Every once in a while, readers need a book that is just a feel good story. A story that will lighten the mood, bring a smile, maybe even spark a little inspiration. Robyn Carr delivers exactly that in her the eighth installment of the Thunder Point series, A New Hope.

 

Two main characters, two similar stories of heartache, two dreams of moving on to the future. Ginger is the nicest woman you've ever met or will ever meet. She loves helping people whatever it may entail. She made the mistake of marrying the wrong man when she was a bit younger and heartbreakingly lost a baby to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Though she's lived through the darkest of depressions, Ginger is starting to rediscover herself and her hope for the future. Readers will enjoy her honesty, her goodness, and her open-hearted nature. She's a character that is easy to connect to and easy to understand.

 

Matt is a little more difficult to understand but he's still rather relatable. He also married the wrong woman when he was younger. And it was awful. An aspiring model doesn't exactly fit in on the farm and his wife never did, but the main reason he divorced her is a secret. A secret that's eating at him. A secret that he has never told anyone. Matt is a little worse off than Ginger, as she has had a bit more time to let go of her misfortunes. But they both still struggle. They dream of a life full of love and family. A life that seems, at times, unobtainable. Readers will come to care for the brooding farmer as he attempts to sweep Ginger off her feet, but if he can't let go of his anger then there will be no happy future.

 

The story line is a nice and easy tale of falling in love and choosing that love over hate. Matt and Ginger meet at his sister's wedding and when Matt realizes that he made a complete fool out of himself to a beautiful woman, he must track her down and apologize, over dinner. Thus begins a friendship that inspires new hope for the future, together. Readers will certainly be entertained by the couple's banter, decisions to overcome their obstacles, and let go of their darkness. Oh, and a little romance. Wonderful, quick, easy read.

 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups



Reinforcements

The novel is the first of the Ron Tuck series. It is set in 1969 and explores the relationship between two friends whose lives are going in different directions. It is a story that moves the reader from a bowling alley to a college campus and finally to an anti-war demonstration in Washington, D.C. It is a comedy that pokes fun at coming of age sexuality, social mores, and familial relationships. It is a story about self-exploration and the need to learn.

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

Kenneth Hart explores the line dividing childhood and adulthood in his novel, Reinforcements. Ron and Hank are friends, both in their early twenties, forging different paths in an attempt to define themselves. Ron chooses to leave work at IBM and go back to school, though he doesn't know what for, while Hank chooses to take a chance at love.

 

Ronald Tuck is a young man with only one thing on his mind: women. He seems to believe college will allow him to find an endless supply of sexual encounters. Ron is a self-centered character with a sketchy past involving therapy and being misunderstood. Though he is an interesting character with many layers, readers may have a hard time connecting with him. He's not the nicest guy on campus and has a short fuse when he isn't getting what he wants. When he is faced with people who don't share his opinion, Ron becomes quickly frustrated. In his first semester of college, Ron is subjected to an array of situations that are outside of his comfort zone. Soon he finds his place with the student newspaper, creating controversy with his outspoken nature and opinion of the war.

 

Hank is just as naïve as Ron but in a different way. Hank wants to love and be loved. Unfortunately his rose-colored glasses cloud his judgment and he becomes involved with a woman who does nothing but take advantage of him. Hank believes that he can sweep JoLee away from her pig of a husband, turn her life to luxury, and fulfill her every dream. Readers will have hope for Hank though it seems nothing will be enough. After he pretends to marry JoLee, Hank's parents continue to support him. JoLee sees him as weak and soon he begins to believe it. Readers can see that Hank is soon suffering from a debilitating depression that he can't find his way out of. Everything that he thought would make him happy just causes him to sink deeper into his uncertainty. I think empathy and understanding of Hank's circumstances will help readers connect with him better though it's hard to understand how he doesn't see the stem of the problem.

 

The plot of this novel isn't an easy linear projection. Reinforcements is focused on emotional response and situational awareness as well as the growth that comes from each. Defining and discovering oneself isn't an easy undertaking, but it's a universal experience. As Ron explores what college has to offer and Hank focuses on creating a life revolving around love, the characters learn more about themselves, face challenges that disrupt their world views, and encounter new people with different beliefs. Though it may have been the formatting of the Kindle edition of this book, at times the storyline was a bit difficult to understand. The focus between Ron and Hank quickly shift, sometimes without prior clarification. Also, character history is dropped randomly in the middle of important situations. The interesting nature of the story conflicts heavily with the vulgar and blunt writing style. Reinforcements is not a book for the faint of heart or anyone who shies away from the occasional curse word or sexual description. Reinforcements is the first book in the Ron Tuck series and it's unclear where the characters will lead, or find, themselves in this coming of age tale as they search for knowledge and self-truth.

 

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

Dress Rehearsal Rag

Orryn has a room of her own, a part-time job and, for the first time in her adult life, real friends. If not for her sister’s constant attempts to get her to spend time with her newborn nephew and her new roommate William’s unsettlingly pleasant company, she would be quite at peace. When Wardens, officers of the dreaded morality police, arrive in their rural neighborhood for a surprise inspection, the entire group is reminded that their safe haven isn’t as safe as they’d like to believe.

Dress Rehearsal Rag is the sequel to Going Home and continues to tell the story of Orryn and the others’ life at the commune.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Emma Lindhagen opens her main character up to the idea of hope and happiness in her novel, Dress Rehearsal Rag. In the future, where laws are strict and deviant behaviors are looked down upon, Orryn has lived in fear. Now, she has finally found somewhere safe in which to live and come to terms with her past. 

Orryn is a quite complicated character. She's secretive, unsure of herself, scared of being caught and labelled as a deviant, and confused. Orryn's past is scarred with memories of unaccepting parents and being convinced to give up her child. She keeps everyone at arm's length, terrified of anyone knowing her truths. Readers will empathetically and sympathetically connect with Orryn, even if they haven't experienced the same situations. The mental anguish of not being accepted is understandable, as is the heaviness that loss creates. 

This sequel easily continues from the first novella. Orryn is living in the commune with her sister and a few others, hiding their magic, and their different beliefs. But now the new baby has arrived and Orryn cannot go anywhere near him. Her own past interrupts her forming a connection with her nephew. Their fear of wardens becomes validated when they pay an unexpected visit to the commune. As Orryn's sister Thea, her partner Kella, and the father try to decide what is best for their future, Orryn finds herself having feelings for one of her housemates. With an open ending, anything could happen in the next installment. For surely, there must be more. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Days of Blood & Starlight

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Laini Taylor sweeps readers right back into the fantastical world of Angels and Chimera in Days of Blood & Starlight, the sequel to Daughter of Smoke & Bone. After leaving Akiva behind, Karou uses Razgut to take her into Eretz but what she finds is destruction and chaos. Akiva enters his homeland unsure of what to expect: did his brother and sister keep his secret or will he be killed on sight upon passing through the portal. Both characters struggle to find a starting point while the world is being slaughtered around them. 

Karou is found roaming the burned city of Loramendi by Thiago, the last Chimera she would have wished survival upon. And now she's stealing teeth from museums around the world. Because Brimstone only taught resurrection to one other person and that was Karou. So no matter how much the Chimera may hate her based on deeds of a past life, she is a necessity. She can bring back the ones that were killed from the souls that were saved, building them a new body. 

In this novel, readers get a few glimpses of what Karou was like when she was Madrigal. The strength, the confidence. Though overall, readers experience the pain and uncertainty that Karou's life becomes. The girl who was so adamant about reuniting with her Chimera family has returned to nothing but disappointment and resurrection based servitude. The connection she already has with readers will grow as they witness the hardened war-stricken world that Karou must face. 

Akiva, the angel with a broken heart, knows that Karou couldn't possibly forgive him after the role he played in Brimstone's death and the war against her people. No matter if it was out of vengeance, hurt, or heart-brokenness. But that doesn't mean his hope for the world can't continue. Readers, after briefly loving him in Daughter of Smoke & Bone and then subsequently hating him after his actions were revealed, get to know Akiva much better in this book. And the love for him returns. Though perhaps not as strong as it was before. 

Readers learn more about Akiva's past, his relationship with his brother and sister, and, most importantly, about the kind of man Akiva is. Unsurprisingly, he's a really good one. He's brave, intelligent, creative, forgiving, loyal, and has a fresh outlook on the what the world could become. Sharing the novel's point of view with Akiva binds readers to him as he fights for the forgiveness he may never earn. 

The plot of this series installment follows Karou and Akiva as they struggle with their hope to change the world. Karou works as a Resurrectionist for the despicable Thiago, creating new Chimera bodies complete with wings. Akiva works within his battalion to warn the few Chimera groups that remain in Eretz of the angels so that they have a chance to survive. 

But bigger things are boiling just below the surface. Why does Thiago need more and more new soldiers? Is revenge or rescue his top objective for this after-war? And now the Seraphim emperor plans on creating a new war with a rebel group of Angels. Will he ever stop shedding blood? Or will someone have to spill his in order to save the innocents? Days of Blood & Starlight is a nonstop surprising sequel with more of the poetic prose that Taylor revels in. The characters are wonderfully relatable, with scars and bruises, flaws and virtues, even though they're from a different world. Breathtaking, beautiful continuation that will make readers wish to get lost in the words. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Cups

Crystal Cove

Justine Hoffman has made a comfortable life for herself on the island of Friday Harbor. She is the proprietor of a successful boutique hotel, and she has the safe, predictable life she has always wanted. Growing up with her flighty, nomadic mother, Marigold, has instilled in her a deep longing for stability. But in spite of everything Justine has achieved, there is still something missing. Love. And after years of waiting and dreaming, she is willing to do whatever it takes to change her destiny.

What Justine soon discovers is that someone cast a spell on her when she was born, with the result that she will never find her soul mate. Determined to change her fate, Justine finds a way to break the enchantment, never dreaming of the dangerous complications that will follow.

And when Justine meets the mysterious Jason Black, she accidentally unleashes a storm of desire and danger that threaten everything she holds dear . . . because Jason has secrets of his own, and he wants more from her than fate will ever allow.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Lisa Kleypas knows love stories. That's a given. But, when it comes to paranormal, fantasy, magic... not so sure. Crystal Cove is a contemporary paranormal romance that explores the relationship between a soulless man and a cursed woman. 

As a young girl, Justine had a geas (Scottish Gaelic spelling of geis) cast upon her. A word that can mean either a curse or a gift. The geas was placed upon her so she would never have to know how hurtful love can be after the witch's bane strikes. But Justine is a powerful natural witch and she's determined to remove the geas. Unbelievably, she succeeds. And the world goes into an imbalanced upheaval. 

Justine is an interesting character. In the previous series book, Dream Lake, Justine vowed she'd never fall in love, that she didn't need a man, and that she was happy alone. I guess she changed her mind because now she's on a mission to find true love. Justine is blunt, open, honest, and focused. She knows what she wants and that's powerful knowledge to have. Readers will connect with Justine's desire to share her life with someone. 

Jason Black has no soul and he's very much aware of it. Knowing that soulless people only have one chance at life, Jason knows that he must do everything he wants in the moment he wants it. He's an insomniac control freak who has too much money. Jason also knows that Justine's a witch and a certain spell could add years to his life. But falling in love with her wasn't part of his plan and he could end up putting both of them in danger. Readers will understand Jason's wish to live longer but I'm not sure they'll connect with him. Like him? Yes. He's a mysterious romantic man. Of course readers will like him, for the most part. 

The plot of the novel is quite complicated, with lots of tangles. Jason Black wants to build a sort of community center at Dream Lake so he visits Friday Harbor to iron out the details and make an offer. Him and his team stay at the bed and breakfast that Justine owns. This is how Justine and Jason meet, but Jason already knew about Justine before visiting. He actually sought her out because of her abilities as a witch and the grimoire she owns. At the same time, Justine is removing her curse and upsetting the balance of nature, putting her life in mortal danger. They fall in lust at first sight and so mote it be. 

Though the paranormal aspect of the story isn't Lisa's strong suit, I thought the novel overall was fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the two main characters battle back and forth, using mistakes as weapons, all while falling in love and looking for a solution to an unsolvable equation. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Way Walkers: Tangled Paths

Twelve Ways create a thousand tangled paths.

Hatched from an egg but unable to shift into dragon form, Jathen is a Moot among the Tazu. His rightful throne is forbidden him because of his transformative handicap, and neither his culture nor his religion offer acceptance of his perceived flaws.

Driven by wounded anger, Jathen strikes out across the vast world beyond Tazu borders, desperate to find a place where he feels accepted and whole. Though he travels with the most trusted of companions, sabotage and conspiracy soon strike his quest. Jathen and his allies must struggle against man and magic alike, at the mercy of forces beyond their ken.

As Jathen presses on, his questions of belonging are surrounded by more of identity, loyalty, and betrayal. Where will the path of his destiny lead, and will he follow or fall?

*May Contain Spoilers*

J. Leigh creates a new world with her novel, Way Walkers: Tangled Paths. A world with Clan Vampires, Tazu dragons, and Charm Masters. A world where before birth, a life contract is signed that describes what path life will take. 

Jathen, the main character, is the heir of the Tazu Nation. When he's born a moot, with no ability to change into his true Tazu form, he is shunned. With a new baby brother, Jathen is given the chance to travel the world and decide if he'll fight for his rightful place as King or pass it to the younger prince. 

Jathen is a constantly evolving character. The entire novel covers the time span of about a year. In the beginning of the book, he is angry, unsure of himself, and overall miserable. The other members of the Kingdom treat him badly and because of that he is cynical and unable to cultivate his intelligence or ability. Readers will form a connection with him based on his under-dog situation. When Jathen decides to travel with a charm master, Hatori Chann, a world of possibilities open up to him. He forms friendships for the first time and is given the chance to be happy. Though traveling is strenuous and lonely, Jathen sees the world has more to offer than his home kingdom ever did.  

Throughout the course of the trip, Jathen is confronted with both happy and dire situations which allow him to grow. Readers watch as he gains confidence and encounters love, betrayal, and death of loved ones for the first time. Jathen reacts as a ruler should, revealing his natural ability to survive. As the world stacks up against Jathen, the bond between him and the reader will steadily strengthen. 

Leigh's plot of this novel is incredibly intricate and complicated. At times, it can become confusing for the reader with so much detail and description. Jathen's journey began as one of self-discovery, but slowly it shifts to one of secrets, war, and destiny. When Jathen uncovers a devious plot to find a Great Artifact, lost for hundreds of years, he contemplates what it would mean to the world if it would fall into the wrong hands: chaos, destruction, death. Thus he is thrust onto a path fate has planned for him, promising more adventure and adversity. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups