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Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR22 – #ThrowbackReview – Rules of Protection (Tangled in Texas Book 1) by Alison Bliss

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Rules of Protection (Tangled in Texas, #1)

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Oh holy hell! I am going to try and put into words, ever so graciously, what this book did to me. This story had me giving an eye roll at the beginning to the slimy freak that was hitting on Emily, to fanning myself and laughing at the kiss and arrogance of Jake who is trying to help Emily out with the slimeball, then squirming in my seat yelling “RUN!” to Emily when she witnesses a brutal murder. THIS ALL HAPPENED AT THE VERY BEGINNING! What a way to start a story! I was stuck at this point. Very invested and couldn’t put this book down. Turns out Jake works for the FBI and is trying to take this murderer down but now has to save Emily and put her in witness protection for her safety. These two are both hawt and absolutely attracted to each other but no matter what, things go from bad to worse. There is a leak and the safe house has been compromised. Jake goes “rogue” and takes Emily to stay with his family in the boonies in Texas. The angst between these two is INTENSE! Jake has morals and the job comes first but Emily is slowly wearing him down. As with most stories our two main characters carry a ton of baggage. Emily has her reasons and is very stubborn and always a live in the moment type of person. She goes for what she wants and when she wants it. And if it doesn’t pan out she moves on. This personality really bumps heads with Jake who is very rule oriented and very by the book trying to protect her. As with most relationships when we argue things are said that we don’t necessarily mean but these two are under so much stress with all the craziness that is going on that things get crazy between the two. She is super stubborn and just wants to go back to the way things were before the murder but Jake is realistic and has to push her back to make her see reason. These two are constantly going back and forth getting under each other skins and trying to get into bed with one another. And all of the supporting characters from Emily’s friends Dale and Gina to Jake’s aunt and uncle and all of his childhood friends makes for an super funny and super eventful story. I absolutely recommend Tangled in Texas to everyone and am looking forward to reading the second. Alison Bliss is a new author to me and I am tangled up this story!

Alison Bliss

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AuthorAlisonBliss

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AlisonBliss2

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/AlisonBliss

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/AlisonBliss2

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AlisonBliss2/

Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR22 – #ThrowbackReview – Order of Fear (The Order Series, Book 1) by Lisa Caviness

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Order of Fear

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

5 very suspenseful stars! Oh. My. Wow! I don’t know why it took me so long to read this but holy hell I got hooked! This story is an incredible web woven with deceit, lies, loyalty, and passion. This is one of those books that starts out with a bang and and never stops until the very, very end. An absolute page turner!

First, Marissa….she is about to get married and is gone on a business trip. She is planning to call off her wedding to David when she returns because she found out he has been unfaithful to her. Things go awry and she is late coming home but when she does she finds David’s dead body in their home.

Second, Justin….the best man is super agitated with David as he hasn’t been able to reach him for days. He goes to the house to find Marissa cradling David’s dead body.

From here the story gets twisted!!!!! The two are being followed, an explosion happens and people are dying all around them. A coincidence? NOOOOOOO! Just keep going….Not everyone is who they seem but can you figure out who doesn’t belong? Nope! Not ‘til the end! This roller coaster of a story keeps you rooting for Marissa and Justin but then….do you? I was so back and forth with the idea of them and exactly how this was all going to pan out that I just couldn’t stop reading. And let me tell you about the bad guys. I don’t know what was going on in the author’s mind at the time of writing the antagonists but daaaaang are they bad! Written so good but soooo bad! The story is full of heightened emotions and ends up being very evil. Full of danger with the exact right amount of passion and love. An absolute must read!

Lisa Caviness

Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR22 – #Throwback Review – How to Spell Disaster by Jennifer Laslie

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How to Spell Disaster (Unfortunate Spells Book 1)

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

OMG, if you want something that is funny with a ton of crazy shenanigans, then I absolutely recommend How to Spell Disaster!

Who’d a thunk that a crazy old book would turn into such a disaster?! Tucker attempts a love spell and it blows up in his face. Women are throwing themselves at him left and right. At first, he thinks this will end his dry spell and decides to go on a date. But as he continues, the women get crazier. This poor guy has to watch out for his well being too! He goes back to the occult shop to get some advice or possibly another spell to break this one but is told that sometimes magic won’t work and the only way to break this spell, or curse, is to find true love’s first kiss. Ok, so cliche’, right? Well, when the women start going crazier he has to find something to fix this and the book just sits there….staring at him…. flips to another page… shocks people….the book just taunts him. When he thinks he finds a “nice” girl they end up being some sort of psycho. This story had me dying laughing all the way to the end. Love is always found in the most unlikely of places and poor Tucker has hellish luck. This was a super fun story and rooting for Tucker was the best part! I look forward to continuing this series.

Jennifer Laslie

Paranormal, Part of a Series, Review, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR22 – #ThrowbackReview – Quantum Engtanglement: Part One (Legion of Supernatural Academy Series Book 1) by S.R. Watson and Ryan Stacks

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Quantum Entanglement: Part One (Legion of Supernatural Academy)

There are no such things as witches, warlocks, vampires, and shapeshifters … or so we thought! Before everything changed three days ago, we would have agreed with you.

Three days ago, we didn’t have supernatural abilities we couldn’t explain.

Three days ago, we weren’t being hunted for these abilities.

Three days ago, we weren’t being rescued and recruited into a supernatural academy.

We were two strangers. Only two of our kind. What happens when other supernatural beings find out that we exist?

Genesis and Elysian are quantum entangled for a singular purpose. Their recruitment to the Legion of Supernatural Academy is unexpected but vital to the future of humanity. This unique series takes the world of supernatural academies to new heights with twisted tales, suspense-driven fantasy, and self-discovery.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

A unique twist on the supernatural! It can be difficult to shake things up a bit when it comes to the supernatural community…but yay! These two did it! There are vampires, werewolves, witches, oh my! But when Elysian and Genesis, seemingly normal random college students start having weird things happen around them out of the blue, things start to get crazy! There is a lot of self-discoveries for both of them. They are strangers but connected. How exactly does that happen? Fate? What they find is very mind boggling but what happens to each one as a result is downright scary, but exciting. As they are learning about themselves, each other, and making new friends….the crazy starts to come out. These two have a very intense pull because of this unknown connection, but what they don’t know is if it is predesigned or not. This causes a lot of hesitation for them. The romance portion of this starts as a slow burn but then the fireworks happen….and get ready to fan yourself because it gets HAWT!!! In the midst of all of this, they have become targets because of their powers. This erupts in a hellacious fight. But wait, there’s more! About the time that you think things may calm down, the authors add in a lovely, twisted ploy at the end that keeps you needing more. There are some typos that threw me off some and I wish the big fight scene had more detail or was drawn out more, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the story. Overall, this was a great book and I look forward to reading about Imogen and Rhys and seeing what shenanigans they bring!

About S.R. Watson

About Ryan Stacks

Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR22 – #Review – #Re-read – Tin Man (Silver Cyborg Series, Book 1) by Ava Cuvay

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Tin Man (Silver Cyborg Series Book 1)

Officer Adam “Lemon” Lehmann volunteered for experimental cybernetic upgrades to save his life, but the decision killed his career. Now working as a bar bouncer in a society which both fears and loathes cyborgs, Adam wants to lay low until either his aging human parts, or his glitching cyborg parts end his lonely life.

Eve Myer has critical information about her employer’s corporate corruption which is killing cyborgs. But when the internet whistleblower she meets at a bar takes a fatal shot meant for her, she clings to the sexy yet reticent bouncer’s offer of safety. She finds both protection and passion in his arms even as an unknown adversary is determined to destroy her information, and her.

Adam and Eve struggle to keep their own secrets in the face of their escalating feelings and the mounting threat on their lives, even when that threat comes from each other.

Book One of the Silver Cyborg Series trilogy. This story has a romantic happy ending and a storyline continuing to book two.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Time, choices, mistakes, regrets, fate…and MadDog2020!

When Adam was dying he made a choice to accept cybernetic prosthetics to save his life, but now being a cyborg means he is existing in between worlds. Happy to be alive but nothing to live for. He was shunned for his choice and lives a solitary life for fear that he will glitch and hurt someone. Eve is a smart and strong woman who found out the company she works for is killing cyborgs. Her objective is to get this information to the right people and ultimately save the cyborgs. When these two meet you can feel the connection right away. They have a slow burn type of chemistry. One absolutely worth waiting for. He knows something is off with her but can’t put his finger on it. One thing leads to another and BAM! Their lives have been slammed together and now both of them are in danger.

In true Ava fashion there is quite a bit of snark and sass with some seriously hawt scenes. Believe me, you don’t want to miss any of that. One of the things I loved most about the story is that it wasn’t predictable. It consumes you because the conspiracies are crazy and when you see how things change at the drop of a dime it keeps you turning the pages. Add a little MadDog2020 and the mention of toilet paper hoarding and you’ve got yourself an awesome story! No, seriously. These are mentioned and were perfect additions (so now you totally have to read it because you have to know if it’s true!) but the love story that occurs is breathtaking. A sort of Beauty and the Beast scenario, if you will, with a wonderful happily ever after. However, the real zinger is near the end. There are a few characters that are going to become big players in this trilogy and I can’t wait for the next. Bring it on!

Ava Cuvay

Apocalyptic, Coming of Age, Review

#Review – Nuclear Dawn: The Post Apocalyptic Box Set by Kyla Stone (Kindle and Audible)

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Nuclear Dawn: The Post-Apocalyptic Box Set: The Complete Apocalyptic Survival Thriller Series by [Kyla Stone]

A nuclear terrorist attack. American cities devastated. Chaos erupts as the fallout descends…
Dakota Sloane, a tough-as-nails former foster kid, has spent her life running from the past. A man haunted by secrets, Logan Garcia has only one goal: to drink himself into oblivion.

They’re two strangers in a bar, until the news reports nuclear detonations in New York City and D.C. Before they can escape Miami, everything explodes.

As buildings collapse, anarchy erupts. Dakota knows of a place to ride out the storm: a safe house deep in the Everglades.

But her little sister is still trapped in the radioactive ruins of the city. Dakota needs Logan’s help, but can she trust him? And how far is she willing to go to save the only family she has left?

The radiation isn’t the only threat. At every turn, deadly foes are determined to stop them. And in the background, a formidable enemy rears its head…

Featuring high-octane action and compelling characters, the acclaimed Nuclear Dawn apocalyptic survival series follows the struggle of ordinary people desperate to survive after a coordinated nuclear attack on the United States.

Perfect for fans of Bobby Akart, Harley Tate, Jack Hunt, and Boyd Craven. Grab all five full-length thrillers at 70% off and start binge reading the series reviewers are calling “Masterful,” “Thrilling,” and the “Best apocalyptic series I’ve ever read!”

The complete series is also available on audiobook! Get started with the three-book bundle here: amazon.com/dp/B081S78LTX

*Rated PG-13 for mild language and moderate violence.*

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

I am so happy I had the entire box set! Kyla Stone is a first-time author for me and now has a fan for life! I had this series on Audible and Kindle which worked out perfectly because I never missed a beat with the story. The narrator was awesome and kept you engaged, but at the same time, while reading the story you were still right in the middle of it all. This series had me on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE time. I was completely engrossed. This story has everything. It has action, craziness, insanity, and anarchy. BUT, it has an intense show of loyalty and love. It even has crazies in a cult! The most exciting part of this story is that it could actually happen. The entire story keeps you engaged from start to finish. You won’t be able to help yourself and will have to continue to turn the pages. It is so real that you can actually picture yourself in the middle of the chaos and it will have you thinking about how you would react in the same situation. On top of it, the action never stops. The story is told in a very vivid way that puts you right in the middle. And as the story escalates, it never falls flat. Very well done and I look forward to reading more by Kyla Stone.

Kyla Stone

Novella, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR22 – #Review – My Road Trip Romance by Jennifer Daniels

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My Road Trip Romance

Author, Cassidy Nixon hides in her stories. It’s much easier than feeling anything real for anyone other than her family.

Interested in attending the Harvest Pick and Read writer’s convention, Cassidy, her brother Darren, and his wife Sam set out on the long drive to the event.

The first stop starts off with a bang, when Cassidy runs headfirst into a handsome stranger. And for the first time in a long while, Cassidy is taken with this hardheaded stranger that she will never see again. Or will she?

She runs into this handsome man a second time and thinks its just coincidence.

When he shows up at the same event in the room next door, Cassidy thinks he’s a stalker. But he convinces her he isn’t.

All Cassidy had to worry about was the safety of her raccoons while she was gone.

Now will she have to worry about her heart?

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Super cute, quick read! If you are one who frequents author events as a read or an author, this is a great read. Ms. Daniels puts a sweet spin on Cassidy, an author getting ready for an event to meet readers, having a road trip with her brother and sister-in-law but also finding a bit of love on the way. Cassidy is one of those types of people that I would call an extroverted introvert. They tend to keep to themselves unless they really know you. However, the pull that Cassidy has to Jack makes her a bit more adventurous. Oh, and the raccoons, they have a special place in my heart. I would have liked the story to be a bit longer as some of it felt a bit rushed but overall, I recommend this if you are looking for a cute and quick read.

NA, Paranormal, Part of a Series, Review, Teen & Young Adult Contemporary, Witches, YA

#Review – 13 Ways to Midnight (The Midnight Saga Book #1) by Rue Volley

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13 Ways to Midnight : (The Midnight Saga, Book #1) by [Rue Volley]



TWILIGHT meets PRACTICAL MAGIC with a dash of SUPERNATURAL.

You’ll never miss the sunlight until it’s gone.

Sixteen-year-old Echo Navarri, daughter of world-famous archaeologists, Alice and Peter Navarri, has spent her life traveling from one expedition to the next as her parents unearthed lost civilizations. On their thirteenth dig, Midnight, Echo’s twin sister, disappears without a trace. This prompts a year-long search that leaves the family nearly broken. In an attempt to find some closure they reluctantly host a mock funeral for Midnight without ever recovering her remains. Nearing the one-year anniversary of Midnight’s assumed death, Echo is sent to live with her eccentric Aunt Luna who is the caretaker of the centuries-old Navarri Estate in Port Royal, Maine. Echo attempts to settle into her new life in Port Royal, but soon finds that she’s destined for adventure as the mystery of her family’s history, the sunless town, and its oddly intriguing people teeter on the supernatural.



Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

First and foremost, I LOVE THIS COVER! Second, I have no idea why it took me so long to read this book!

“Curiosity is for the devil and fairytales.”

 I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love the world that this author has built. It is intriguing, compelling and truly captivating. A beautiful story of loss, love, and some crazy, sprinkled with the perfect amount of humor and teenage angst.

“You’ll be okay. Embrace the journey, little one.”

The fresh take on the paranormal world was amazing. It teetered on paranormal for a good part of the book, so it really kept you guessing and turning the page to figure out what is happening.

“Then I closed my eyes. I could feel a dark presence behind me. Something ancient and evil. Something that hunted without mercy. I turned to face it, and my mouth lay open.”

I sort of started to roll my eyes when it started to go in the direction of Twilight, but the author stopped almost as sudden as it started and went in a completely different direction. This again had me turning to the next page. This is the type of story that kept me saying, “just one more chapter”, well into the early hours of the morning. I truly love Echo’s Aunt Luna. You can always sense that something is a bit off with her but she is an amazing character in the story. The same can be said about Echo’s new friends. There are still so many secrets to unravel that I can’t wait to continue Echo’s journey. Bravo, Rue Volley! You have yourself another fan!

 

Rue Volley

Connect with Rue:

Website: http://www.ruevolley.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruevolley/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rue-volley

Twitter: @RueVolley

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Rue-Volley-146299465525490/?fref=ts



Part of a Series, Writers on the River Attending Author, Zombie

#WOTR22 #Review – Broken Undead (Stay Dead Book #3) by L.C. Mortimer aka Sophie Stern

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Broken Undead (Stay Dead Book 3) by [L.C. Mortimer]

Zombies never stay dead.

It’s been a month since the zombie infection took hold of humans everywhere. One month and six days and still we don’t know what started the infection or how far it’s spread. All we know is that we’ve got to take this thing one day at a time if we want to stay alive.

And trust me: we want to stay alive.

Our little group has found ourselves in the heart of an undead city. Trying to make our way around the city didn’t work so well. We finally decided to just try to make our way through. We’re searching for other survivors. We’re searching for food. We’re searching for anything that can help us get Greta home to her family.

None of it is going to matter if the zombies claim us before we make our next move, though.

None of it’s going to matter if we can’t make it home.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Being plagued with the biggest nightmare of the emptiness looming in the future while searching for something that you aren’t going to find is sometimes what keeps you surviving. This group of survivors is one of my absolute favorites in the Zombie world. Everything from them surviving a sinking ship, a short adventure on a tiny island and the journey back to the mainland has brought them closer together…and is incredibly realistic. I swear that the journey this group is could absolutely happen. Darkness and death are literally everywhere. They holed up in a place to take a break and regroup. When they decide that it is time to go to try and get Greta home, they run into more twists and turns that they will have to navigate carefully through this madhouse that is the zombie apocalypse. This is a fast paced, very well written, page turner that you won’t be able to put down. I am on pins and needs for book four ‘Fear the Undead’!

L. C. Mortimer

L.C. Mortimer likes zombies, shifters, and things that go bump in the night. When she’s not busy dreaming up her next story, Mortimer can be found dancing, traveling, or curled up with a cozy mystery.

Coming of Age, Fantasy, NA, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR22 #Review – Analissa, Guardians of the Origin by Miranda Shanklin

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Analissa: Guardians of the Origin by [Miranda Shanklin]

Everybody always knew that Analissa would be the new Leader of the Guardians of the Origin. She took it for granted that she would take over for her mother with her best friends by her side. It didn’t exactly work out the way that she thought it would. Now, she has to take on the new responsibility while her best friends moved on to something else, without her, while she tries to deal with her insecurities. When she finally meets her soul mate those insecurities are doubled. She knew she was not good enough for him. Ozias knew that he was not the type to find one person and settle down with her. He had yet to meet a woman that could hold his attention for even a first date. When he first saw Analissa all of his beliefs were put into question. Now, he is expected to walk away from his realm and take on responsibilities he didn’t ask for while trying to decide if he has been wrong about himself and what he believes. He is certain she would never want to be with him if she knew how he had treated women in the past. This is a new adult spin off the Soul Series and is intended for an older reader. This does contain some adult content and is not intended for young adult.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

This is an intriguing read full of emotion but most of all it is about overcoming the crazy obstacles life gives us. Analissa and her family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins, all live in the same home near the origin. The Origin has tasked the adults as the Guardians of the Origin. She always knew that she would become the leader but wasn’t ready for what was in store for her. Having your life determined for you before you were even born makes you question a lot about life. She found here soul mate, from another realm no less. Other species have not been together in the past and this tosses a curveball into the already crazy mess of emotions that she is going through. She is often questioning whether she actually wants to be with Ozias or if she is just supposed to be with him. On the other hand, he questions the same thing. They both go through what I call “normal” relationship issues with insecurities and what not but they do make it through. And it is a sweet love story.

“You were meant to help each other and be there for each other. Neither one of you is stuck with the other. Your souls were created to complete each other. You’re a part of each other.”

I really enjoyed the story. However, I was hoping for a bit more information regarding the Origin itself and possibly more action. They are the Guardians of the Origin, so I assumed that there were be some crazy fight that ensues. There is one, but it was more of a skirmish. I do look forward to reading the rest of these because I feel like there is so much more to unfold.

 

Miranda Shanklin