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February 5, 2019

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Review – Becoming Mr. Bingley

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Becoming Mr. Bingley

by Samantha Whitman

Series: Ditching Mr. Darcy, Book 2
Genres: Classical Re-write, Historical Fiction
Release Date: July 20, 2018
Pages: 402
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Letting the man of her dreams go would have been much harder had he been a real person. Living happily ever after with her soul mate would be much easier if reality was as uncomplicated as her dreams. And for Elizabeth Baker, the future would be much clearer if the lines between dreams and reality were not blurring yet again.

January 29, 2019

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FanFiction Review – A Little Wave

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A Little Wave, A Big Change

by loverofeevee

Genre: Harry Potter
Word Count: 19,937
My Rating: ★★☆

The usual story. Manipulative Dumbles, Harry gaining his independence. This takes place after Harry’s third year. It was a perfectly normal day in Privet Drive. The birds are singing, the bees are buzzing, and the Dursleys were their usual cheerful selves. Then suddenly… Now, what on earth is going on this time!

January 25, 2019

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FanFiction Review – Old Soldiers Never Die

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Old Soldiers Never Die

by Rorschach’s Blot

Genre: Harry Potter
Word Count: 94,234
My Rating: ★★★

A gift from his uncle Vernon gives Harry a new way to fight the Dark Lord.

January 22, 2019

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FanFiction Review – Make a Wish

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Make a Wish

by Rorschach’s Blot

Genre: Harry Potter
Word Count: 187,589
My Rating: ★★★

Harry has learned the prophecy and he does not believe that a schoolboy can defeat Voldemort, so he decides that if he is going to die then he is first going to live.

January 18, 2019

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Fan Fiction Reviews Coming

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Sorry I’ve been MIA recently. The government shutdown has hit me hard (mostly emotionally). I’m going to try to get back to posting more often.

Now then, I’ve been feeling the urge to re-read some of my favorite fan fiction (FF) lately. And since I have all this free time right now *insert eye roll here* I’ve gotten the chance to do so.

For those unfamiliar with FF, it’s fiction about characters or settings from an original work of fiction, created by fans of that work rather than by its creator. Fans may maintain the creator’s characters and settings or add their own. (Thank you Wikipedia) Specifically, FF denotes free work. The plethora of Pride and Prejudice re-writes would not be considered FF to most.

You can find all sorts of FF on fanfiction.net — they even have an official app (Apple | Android) — and on An Archive of our Own, and many others (just Google ‘fan fiction site’). There is some overlap between the sites, but most have exclusive stories.

January 8, 2019

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Review – Ditching Mr. Darcy

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Ditching Mr. Darcy

by Samantha Whitman

Series: Ditching Mr. Darcy, Book 1
Genres: Classical Re-write, Historical Fiction
Release Date: December 7, 2017
Pages: 357
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★★

What would you do if you crashed your car into a ditch and woke up as the main character of your favorite book? What if nothing happened the way it was supposed to? What if you met the dreamiest romantic hero in literary history and yet you fell in love with someone else instead? What would happen if you never woke up again? What would happen if you did? Elizabeth Baker is about to find out.

January 3, 2019

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Review – My Lady Jane

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My Lady Jane

by Cynthia Hand Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton

Series: The Lady Janies, Book 1
Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Retelling
Release Date: June 7, 2016
Pages: 512
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Edward (long live the king) is the King of England. He’s also dying, which is inconvenient, as he’s only sixteen and he’d much rather be planning for his first kiss than considering who will inherit his crown…

Jane (reads too many books) is Edward’s cousin, and far more interested in books than romance. Unfortunately for Jane, Edward has arranged to marry her off to secure the line of succession. And there’s something a little odd about her intended…

Gifford (call him G) is a horse. That is, he’s an Eðian (eth-y-un, for the uninitiated). Every day at dawn he becomes a noble chestnut steed—but then he wakes at dusk with a mouthful of hay. It’s all very undignified.

The plot thickens as Edward, Jane, and G are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy. With the fate of the kingdom at stake, our heroes will have to engage in some conspiring of their own. But can they pull off their plan before it’s off with their heads?

December 28, 2018

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Review – My Plain Jane

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My Plain Jane

by Cynthia Hand Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton

Series: The Lady Janies, Book 2
Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Retelling, Classic Rewrites
Release Date: June 26, 2018
Pages: 464
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Rating: ★★★★★

You may think you know the story. Penniless orphan Jane Eyre begins a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester—and, Reader, she marries him. Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Bronte, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.

December 18, 2018

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Review – Hunting Prince Dracula

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Hunting Prince Dracula

by Kerri Maniscalco

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper, Book 2
Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Horror, Romance
Release Date: September 19, 2017
Pages: 480
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper’s true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories. Together with the arrogant yet charming Thomas Cresswell, she journeys to the dark heart of Romania, home to one of Europe’s best schools of forensic medicine…and to another notorious killer, Vlad the Impaler, whose thirst for blood became legend.

But her life’s dream is soon tainted by blood-soaked discoveries in the halls of the school’s forbidding castle, and Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate the strangely familiar murders. What she finds brings all her terrifying fears to life once again.

December 11, 2018

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Review – Stalking Jack the Ripper

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Stalking Jack the Ripper

by Kerri Maniscalco

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper, Book 1
Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Horror, Romance
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Pages: 352
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

December 1, 2018

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Book Blitz – Crossroads in the Dark IV: Ghosts

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Crossroads in the Dark IV: Ghosts

Series: Crossroads in the Dark Anthology, Volume 4
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Suspense
Release Date: December 1, 2018
Publisher: Burning Willow Press
Purchase from: Amazon

You attend a funeral of a friend, one who decided that living was no longer an option. That night, you feel a slight tickle on the back of your neck. Shrugging it off as an overactive imagination, you try to ignore it, yet it persists. You turn to look for the menacing thing bothering you, and nothing is there. Not even a shadow. In the far reaches of your sight, you start to make out a familiar figure ascending from the darkest corner of your room. You reach for the lamp beside you, but hit it, knocking it to the floor. Your fear begins to rise, as do the hair on your neck. A familiar voice pleads with you… “Why didn’t you hear me…?

Welcome back to the Crossroads.

Crossroads in the Dark IV: GHOSTS is a collection of short stories developed in hopes of bringing awareness to suicide prevention around the world. While the stories do not tell of suicide, they do speak of GHOSTS. Who are the ghosts that haunt us daily? What are the remains of an otherwise perfect life ended far too soon? Which are the people who we find hardest to move forward from when we lose them? The easy answer is, the ones we failed to save.

November 8, 2018

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Review – Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession

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Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession

by Alison Weir

Series: Six Tudor Queens, Book 2
Genres: Historical Fiction, Tudor England, Royalty
Release Date: May 16, 2017
Pages: 572
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Born into a noble English family, Anne is barely a teenager when she is sent from her family’s Hever Castle to serve at the royal court of the Netherlands. This strategic move on the part of her opportunistic father also becomes a chance for the girl to grow and discover herself. There, and later in France, Anne thrives, preferring to absorb the works of progressive writers rather than participate in courtly flirtations. She also begins to understand the inequalities and indignities suffered by her gender.

Anne isn’t completely inured to the longings of the heart, but her powerful family has ambitious plans for her future that override any wishes of her own. When the King of England himself, Henry VIII, asks Anne to be his mistress, she spurns his advances—reminding him that he is a married man who has already conducted an affair with her sister, Mary. Anne’s rejection only intensifies Henry’s pursuit, but in the absence of a male heir—and given an aging Queen Katherine—the opportunity to elevate and protect the Boleyn family, and to exact vengeance on her envious detractors, is too tempting for Anne to resist, even as it proves to be her undoing.

While history tells of how Anne Boleyn died, this compelling new novel reveals how fully she lived.

November 6, 2018

Review – Shifters and Glyphs

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Shifters and Glyphs

by Christina Bauer

Series: Fairy Tales of the Magicorum, Book 2
Genres: Paranormal, Fairy Tale, Romance
Release Date: October 30th 2018
Pages: 334
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | Kobo | iBooks
My Rating: ★★★★☆

After being raised by the meanest fairies in the history of ever, Bryar Rose is now free to live her own life. For the first time, she’s attending West Lake Prep, a regular high school. Well, mostly regular. Some students are actually hidden members of the Magicorum. In other words, they’re really wizards, fairies, or shifters. Bry doesn’t mind, though. She’s thrilled to enjoy all the new experiences of being around normal kids her age, from locker pranks to lunchtime mystery meat. Everything is going along great, except for one thing.

Bry’s dreams about the pyramids of Egypt have gotten darker and more sinister. Every night, she sees her new man Knox and her best friend Elle in danger.

With no other choice, Bry plans to leave school to explore the pyramids on her own. But her new man Knox discovers the scheme and is having none of it. He wants to stay by her side, no matter what. It’s a good thing too, because Bry must solve the mystery of her attraction to the pyramids and soon. Otherwise, it could cost the lives of those she loves most.

And that means not only Knox, but also her best friend Elle.

November 1, 2018

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Review – Moonlight and Midtown

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Moonlight and Midtown

by Christina Bauer

Series: Fairy Tales of the Magicorum, Book 1.5
Genres: Paranormal, Fairy Tale, Romance
Release Date: May 27, 2018
Pages: 112
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | Kobo | iBooks
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

After battling werewolves and evil aunties, Bryar Rose is ready to enjoy her new life. No more crazy aunties. Her curse is toast. And Bry’s new man, Knox, is literally a dream come true. Best of all, Bry will soon attend a regular high school. Forget those sketchy tutors! To get ready, Bry is dedicating the rest of her summer to some serious back-to-school shopping with her best friend, Elle. It’s a blast, except for one thing:

Mysterious strangers are following Bry across Manhattan.

All these stalkers have oddly familiar scents and an uncanny ability to slip into the shadows whenever Bry tries to confront them. Even worse, their presence is making Knox act crazy with a capital C.

But Bry’s having none of it. Enough of her life has already been ruined by secrets. With Elle’s help, Bry plans to confront these strangers, find out what they want, and send them packing. Trouble is, the truth about their identity won’t be so easy to manage, especially when Bry finds out how these stalkers could change her future with Knox…and not for the better.

October 30, 2018

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Review – Wolves And Roses

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Wolves And Roses

by Christina Bauer

Series: Fairy Tales of the Magicorum, Book 1
Genres: Paranormal, Fairy Tale, Romance
Release Date: October 31, 2017
Pages: 331
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | Kobo | iBooks
My Rating: ★★★★★

Seventeen-year-old Bryar Rose has a problem. She’s descended from one of the three magical races―shifters, fairies, or witches. That makes her one of the Magicorum, and Magicorum always follow a fairy tale life template. In Bryar’s case, that template should be Sleeping Beauty.

Should being the key word.

Trouble is, Bryar is nowhere near the sleeping beauty life template. Not even close. She doesn’t like birds or woodland creatures. She can’t sing. And she certainly can’t stand Prince Philpot, the so-called “His Highness of Hedge Funds” that her aunties want her to marry. Even worse, Bryar’s having recurring dreams of a bad boy hottie and is obsessed with finding papyri from ancient Egypt. What’s up with that?

All Bryar wants is to attend a regular high school with normal humans and forget all about shifters, fairies, witches, and the curse that Colonel Mallory the Magnificent placed on her. And she might be able to do just that–if only she can just keep her head down until her eighteenth birthday when the spell that’s ruined her life goes buh-bye.

But that plan gets turned upside down when Bryar Rose meets Knox, the bad boy who’s literally from her dreams. Knox is a powerful werewolf, and his presence in her life changes everything, and not just because he makes her knees turn into Jell-O. If Bryar can’t figure out who―or what―she really is, it might cost both her and Knox their lives… as well as jeopardize the very nature of magic itself.

October 25, 2018

Review – The Scythian Trials

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The Scythian Trials

by Elizabeth Isaacs

Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction
Release Date: October 16th 2018
Pages: 374
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Descendants of the Amazons, the Scythians work alongside prominent governments but answer to no one. Warriors living on the fringe of civilization, they live by one credo: Strength through Equality. Power through Knowledge.

Nya Thalestris is the brightest Scythian of her generation. Strong, capable, ruthless, she is sure to earn a spot in the Trials, a time-honored mating ritual responsible for the evolution of her species.

Abducted by their sworn enemy, the Drahzda, Nya is forever altered and spirals out of control. The Society sends in Jax Nickius. Infamous psychologist and one of the most brutal warriors of their kind, he discovers triggers planted in Nya’s mind. As Nya solidifies her spot in the Trials, Jax develops a plan to help her heal—while pursuing her as a mate. But, Nya’s attraction to Jax is at war with her instinct to never let anyone get too close.

During the Trials, Nya’s repressed memories surface, revealing a new enemy—one from inside the consulate walls—and a traitorous alliance on the horizon that could irrevocably change the course of history.

Since before the Bronze Age, the Society has managed to safeguard humanity from itself … until now.

October 23, 2018

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Series Review – The Six Lives of Henry VIII

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The Six Lives of Henry VIII Series

by Leigh Jenkins
Genres: Tudor England, Historical Fiction, Royalty, Alternative History

I had fond memories of reading the first three books of this series a few years ago, so I decided to reread them and finish out the series while I was on vacation. In general, the ideas are clever and many of them are supported by history. It’s always interesting to read “what if” and alternate universe stories.

Unfortunately, the series has its ups and downs, with fabulous entries and horrendous ones. However, the individual books in the series play off of real history, so you don’t need to read them all, nor do you need to read them in order.

The books are all rather short, coming in at an average of 200 pages. Also, I found enough errors throughout the books that I’m knocking off a star. So, the series as a whole earns 3 stars.

October 16, 2018

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Review – Too Gentlemanly

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Too Gentlemanly: An Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy Story

by Timothy Underwood

Genres: Historical Romance, Regency, Classical Re-write
Release Date: November 29, 2017
Pages: 288
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Fitzwilliam Darcy had grown unused to female society during his five years of seclusion since Georgiana had her illegitimate child. That was why he accidentally insulted Mrs. Bingley’s sister. And why he kept thinking about her.

When Georgiana became pregnant with Wickham’s child, Darcy had not made her marry the man Colonel Fitzwilliam found to preserve her reputation. She had begged him not to, and Darcy would do anything for his sister. He would even attend the Hertfordshire assembly with Mr. Bingley, because Georgiana wanted him to enjoy society. Bingley’s neighbors had refused to let a fallen woman like Georgiana amongst them. Darcy would not pretend to be pleased to meet them.

Elizabeth thought Mr. Darcy was a grand philanthropist: His rudeness provided everyone with a handsome and rich man to hate. But why, if he was actively determined to sneer at all the company, had he bothered to attend their assembly? Still, he was a very handsome man.

Darcy needed to overcome his bad first impression if he wanted Elizabeth. But he was rich, handsome and clever.

October 9, 2018

Review – Three Mages and a Margarita

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Three Mages and a Margarita

by Annette Marie

Series: The Guild Codex: Spellbound, Book 1
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy, Magic
Release Date: September 14th 2018
Pages: 312
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★★

Broke, almost homeless, and recently fired. Those are my official reasons for answering a wanted ad for a skeevy-looking bartender gig.

It went downhill the moment they asked me to do a trial shift instead of an interview—to see if I’d mesh with their “special” clientele. I think that part went great. Their customers were complete dickheads, and I was an asshole right back. That’s the definition of fitting in, right?

I expected to get thrown out on my ass. Instead, they…offered me the job?

It turns out this place isn’t a bar. It’s aguild. And the three cocky guys I drenched with a margarita during my trial? Yeah, they were mages. Either I’m exactly the kind of takes-no-shit bartender this guild needs, or there’s a good reason no one else wants to work here.

So what’s a broke girl to do? Take the job, of course—with a pay raise.

Note: The three mages are definitely sexy, but this series isn’t a reverse harem. It’s 100% fun, sassy, fast-paced urban fantasy.

October 4, 2018

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Review – The Warrior’s Bride Prize

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The Warrior’s Bride Prize

by Jenni Fletcher

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Roman, Ancient World
Release Date: October 1, 2018
Pages: 288
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | WHSmith
My Rating: ★★★★★

Daughter of a slave…

…wedded to the warrior!

Livia Valeria is furious when she’s ruthlessly gambled away by her intended bridegroom. Luckily, it’s tall, muscled and darkly handsome Roman centurion Marius Varro who wins her as his bride! She must hide her Caledonian roots, but when Marius faces a barbarian rebellion at Hadrian’s Wall, Livia must make a choice: her heritage or the husband she’s falling for…