Review: Midnight of Ashes by Tessa Hale

Midnight of Ashes by Tessa Hale

Series: Dragons of Ember Hollow #2

Publication date: April 19th, 2024

Pages: 252
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

One moment changed everything. A split-second decision to try to save one of my five dragon mates nearly cost my life. And now nothing is the same.

Knox, Cáel, and Cillian treat me like I'll break at any moment, while Maddox keeps a careful distance. And Easton won't look at me at all.

We're supposed to be fated by the stars, but we're falling apart. Enemies still lurk around every corner, but the guys vow we'll be ready when they come.

But evil has a way of striking when you least expect it. And none of us are ready for who might be pulling the strings...

Available at:

Review:

When I read the first book I was less than impressed the structure of the story. However, there was enough in the cliffhanger that made me want to know what happened next. So, as soon as I finished my review I delved into the second book and I was pleased to see that the second book was a little better than the first but there was still a few things I got a little burnt out on.

The resistance of Easton and Maddox is good for a little bit of antagonistic play within the protagonists. The choice made it so that the bond was not sunshine and rainbows from the start. However, over time it started to become a little redundant. Easton resists Hayden because he saw how his brother reacted after losing his mate and didn't want to risk losing his mind the say way if anything should happened to Hayden. That can be understandable to an extent. I do feel that being in a bond with 4 other men that he could possibly find some solace in the fact that where he may fail to protect her, they could possibly take up the mantle and ease some of his worry. But, Maddox's issues kind of flip flop around to make them inconsistent. At first, Maddox was all for the bond, except that he knew he couldn't touch her until she had graduated since he was a professor. He seemed open to the bond except for that simple reasoning. Then somewhere along the way it feels like the author realized that would not be able to be maintained so suddenly Maddox had this traumatic past of him losing his girlfriend and not wanting the same to befall Hayden. Similar to Easton but to the point where he was becoming a hindrance to the rest of the bonds. That started to be feel very forced and disingenuous. It brought about a feeling that the author was desperate to keep the resistance in place and knew that him simply not wanting to mess around with a student would not be a strong foundation to stand on. Maddox went from my favorite character to my absolute least since he suddenly just seemed like a jerk for jerk's sake.

I did enjoy seeing the author push past whatever awkwardness she may have felt in writing sex scenes to give a little more detail of what was happening. There were still a few details that made it hard to figure out what was going on. Who was doing what? What position were they in? All that with so little foreplay and zero pain? It still felt a little lacking but perhaps that is my own high standards after reading books from the likes of H.D. Carlton, Leigh Rivers, and Tate James who are heavy on the details. I wouldn't say it was a complete negative because I could see the improvement, but more a personal standard I had hoped would be utilized.

I will say that the fact that Hayden is constantly getting injured and needing rescuing is getting very old. She offers little to no resistance and continues to constantly be the victim. I would like to see her have a little more fight in her. There was an instance where she wasn't even fighting off a supernatural being and she still couldn't seem to hold her own well enough to not need saving. She's a supernatural creature, how many times is she going to almost die? I assume it is an attempt to show how fragile she is to make Easton and Maddox's resistance more believable but in those situations I would think those two would be more apt to pull her closer because she almost kicked off rather than intensify their distance. I can see the reasoning for it, but can the woman please not be mortally wounded almost every other chapter?

I saw the improvement of the book. I recognized the effort the author made to try to expand on the first book and make it better for her readers. For that, I have to improve my rating. But there are still areas where I would have liked to see more (or less) to make the book something that I would proudly display on my shelf and suggest to fellow readers while waxing on and on about how amazing it is. It remains middle of the road, but I will reserve harsher judgement for when I reach the end of the series.

Review: Twilight of Embers by Tessa Hale

 

Twilight of Embers by Tessa Hale

Series: Dragons of Ember Hollow #1

Publication date: January 19th, 2024

Pages: 256

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

I'd always wondered what it would be like to have a family. I just never expected to find it with five mysterious strangers who have more secrets than I could ever imagine.

Getting a scholarship to Evergreen University and majoring in premed means I need to keep my head down and focus on my studies. But campus is full of distractions...

The football god with his golden retriever charm. The tortured one with his vicious tongue. The broken boy with his determined protectiveness. The merciless billionaire with a penchant for spoiling me. And the genius professor with his brilliant mind.

They make me feel like I belong for the first time since my parents were murdered. And when they touch me, my whole world sparks to flame.

But they have enemies. Those who would give anything to harm what they hold dear. And while they'll do whatever it takes to keep me safe, sometimes falling in love will put you right in the line of fire...

Available at:

Review:

Sometimes operating under the 'luck of the draw' method of book selection can work out and other times it leaves you disappointed. I often go into books blind so I know very little about what they are aside from their genre, which is only because I don't want to be assuming there will be multiple love interests if there is only one when I choose to delve into the romance genre. The only things I knew about "Twilight of Embers" was that it was a why choose paranormal romance book that featured dragons. Being a fan of Game of Thrones I thought, "why not?"

I will admit that the story was a little underdeveloped for me. There was a murder mystery that nobody seemed at all concerned about. There was insta-love that not even the FMC questioned despite knowing nothing about the supernatural world she apparently belonged to. The fact that she watches men shift and it doesn't stop her from immediately falling into bed with one of them. It all felt very... unrealistic. Which I know is odd to say about a book submerged in shifter territory. Everything moved at the speed of light and in only 256 pages too much happened that was just shrugged off in a "what are you gonna do?" manner. It took a lot away from the book for me. Being as the book is a series, I would have liked to see the characters delve in more than just the war between the factions. Maybe delve a bit more into Hayden's background? Maybe share a little more of the details of the men's backgrounds? Let their connections simmer and smolder for a bit before completely letting the fire catch? (See what I did there? Dragons and all?)

While the characters themselves needed more depth so did the sex scenes. There was little to no description and I didn't really think the author should have made her guys minute men (poor Hayden). They were one page scenes that you'd miss even happening if you didn't pay attention. An author can't really straddle the line of smut or non-smut like that. If you're going to have sex, give through detail. Make the scenes radiate heat off the pages. Make them come alive. Have the reader consider reaching for that buzzing friend they have in their bedside table. Embrace it and don't skimp on the details. 

When going over what I found appealing in the book for my review so I could offer at least a smidge of a ray of light through it, it was a bit hard to find something that didn't throw up the neon signs that the book was an indie read. I wanted more all around. However, I am curious about the world and the cliffhanger that I was left on will undoubtedly pull me into the second book in the series. I think there is promise to the story if only the author takes more care with her story plotting and interjects heaps more detail. They're dragons! Bring the heat!

Review: Quicksilver by Callie Hart

Quicksilver by Callie Hart

Series: Fae & Alchemy #1

Publication date: December 3rd, 2024
Pages: 624

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

From global phenomenon Callie Hart comes a highly addictive enemies-to-lovers Romantasy with razor-sharp banter, heart-stopping action, and blistering hot romance that you won't be able to put down!

Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate.

In the land of the unforgiving desert,  there isn't much a girl wouldn't do for a glass of water.

Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange power she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen's reservoir's for as long as she can remember.

But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.

When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently re-opens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myths, of legend, of nightmares... but it turns out they're real, and Saeris has landed herself in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.

The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist's magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him... or her.

Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he's the only way Saeris is going to make it home.

Be careful of the deals you make, dear child. The devil is in the details...

Available at:

Review:

"Quicksilver" by Callie Hart had been resting on my bookshelf for the better part of a year. It was sitting vigil hoping that one day I would choose it over all the hundreds of physical and electronic books I had waiting to be read. The amount of books I have on my TBR is something I may need to gift my grandchildren in hopes of ever completing. My indecisive nature had my asking for someone else to pick a book off my shelf for me to read. I was both delighted and nervous when "Quicksilver" was selected. It was a 600+ page book that had been presented to me with a crass, "Faerie Porn" description. It had really been a while since I had read anything fae related and I have never been deterred by smut. However, what I got when I started reading was far from the simplistic description I had been given. 

I decided to read the book along with the audiobook that was narrated by Stella Bloom and Anthony Palmini. I am very particular about my audiobooks, often finding myself only tolerant of them when they are read duet style, instead of male or female narrators having to put on the voices of the opposite sex taking me firmly out of the headspace I want to be in to enjoy the book. The right character voice brings them alive in my head. I feel Stella and Anthony did an amazing job. Anthony made Kingfisher dark and growly and everything that his book description made him, while Stella had Saeris feisty and sometimes even comically delightful in her delivery. They were good choices and the style for the audiobook made it all the better.

The story itself was unlike any I had read before. That is often a hard thing to accomplish being as I have read so many books. Saeris was spunky and determined to the point of fault while Kingfisher was brooding and feral. The two of them separate were dangerous, but together they were a force to be reckoned with. I found myself completely overtaken by the word and how it was connected. The twists and turns were things I could only have thought of in passing and dismissed as an impossibility. Of course, that only made the author go exactly that direction to throw off her readers completely. The language, vocabulary, and presentation of how the story was presented made me start to adopt an air of romanticism in the way I spoke for a moment. I was so engrossed in the world Hart created that I felt a part of it. Like I was there watching it all unfold. And that is the mark of a truly amazing storyteller.

"Quicksilver" was a truly amazing read that was even better with the audiobook actors bringing their characters to life. I cannot wait to get my hands on "Brimstone" and see what happens next.

Book Blitz with Excerpt + Giveaway: The Christmas Wish: in Twinkle Falls by Freda Ann @FredaAnn1663599 @XpressoTours

The Christmas Wish: in Twinkle Falls by Freda Ann

Series: A Twinkle Falls Novel #6

Publication date: November 21st, 2025

Synopsis:

After my husband died overseas in an ambush, our kids became my world. He was my one and only--I could never meet anyone who makes me feel the way he did.

(Rochelle)

Needing a fresh start last year, I took my kids to Twinkle Falls for Christmas, but meeting Jesse was never part of my plan. When my best friend introduced us, this retired police officer's charm and infectious smile started breaking down my walls.

Me and the kids agreed to make Twinkle Falls our forever home at the end of our three month break--but something went horribly wrong after returning home to pack up our things.

(Jesse)

After losing touch with Rochelle once she stopped all communication with me, I knew I'd been ghosted. Roe was the one person I could imagine a future with when my ex left me once I became an amputee. 

With my buddies trying to fix me up, I decide it's time to move on from the past.

(Rochelle)

Nine months after our planned move, me and the kids arrive in Twinkle Falls with everything we own after purchasing a home. Feeling horrible the way I left things with Jesse, our friends agree to let me be the one to tell him we're here once me and the kids get settled.

Now ready to share the news, I texted Jesse asking if we can talk, but days go by with no response.

While having lunch with my friends I glance around the restaurant and my jaw drops. I see why Jesse didn't respond to my message--he's found another woman--the one whose hands are all over him.

Can a Christmas wish intervene and seal this couple's fate?

This is a feel good, clean, faith-based Christmas romance featuring the charm of small town life, insta-love, and a Christmas miracle with a happily ever after.

It's book 6 of an ongoing holiday themed sweet romance series, Hallmark style.

Available at:

Excerpt

When I open the back door to the parking lot, I practically walk into someone. "Sorry about--"

With my mouth still hanging open, my dog whines as I search the beautiful woman's eyes before me saying, "Rochelle, hey! Did uh, did you get my text last night?"

"Excuse me, can we get by?" An elderly man asks.

"Yes, of course. Sorry about that." I state while Beau and I step to the side, holding the door for him and a woman close to his age before moving so we don't block anyone else.

"Hello, Jesse." Rochelle locks eyes with me, appearing a bit nervous. "Uh, sorry, but I didn't notice your message until I dropped the kids off at school." She glances at my dog.

"It's okay. This here is Beau. Can uh, can you sit with me for a few minutes?" I ask raising a brow.

Rustling my dog's ears, she looks around and says, "I guess so."

As we go back inside, Bridgette cuts her eyes at us from behind the coffee bar. Smiling at Roe, she says, "I think there's a table open by the fireplace, if that works?"

My eyes lock with Rochelle's as she concedes, "Sure that'll work."

Bridgette smirks at her and leads the way to our table. "Here we go. Would you like some coffee?" She asks while I point to the floor near the wall for Beau to lay down out of the way.

"Yes, please," We answer at the same time grinning.

Following a few minutes of silence as we stare out the front window facing the park, I turn and say, "Thanks for agreeing to sit with me. I um, wanted to apologize for not responding to your message. It took me by surprise since I hadn't heard from you for so long and--"

"No, you don't need to do that. If anyone apologizes, it should be me. There's something I have to tell you so please bear with me."

She starts blinking as if she has something in her eye, but I see a tear making its way over her perfect cheekbone. Why is she crying?

"Hey, what's wrong? Are the kids okay?" I lay my hand on top of hers gently squeezing it.

Nodding, she explains. "It's my Mom. She was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. She had to have a double mastectomy and go through chemo."

Scooting my chair next to hers I tuck Rochelle under my arm holding her for what seemed like hours. When I feel her relaxing against me, I kiss the top of her head.

"I can't begin to express how sorry I am for your mom and for what your family has been through. If only I had known, I would have been there for you."

It was then when she lost all composure and slowly melted into me. At that moment two became one and the crowd around us disappeared and nothing else mattered.

FREDA ANN is fondly known for her sweet/clean, HEA RomComs. Her loyal fans and reviewers have compared several of her books to Hallmark movies. Many have hit #1 in multiple categories after release.

She writes relatable, faith and family based love stories which include kids and adorable dogs. Her writing style appeals to people of all ages. Her books will take you on an emotional journey with likable characters, and dreamy settings you'll wish you could visit.

After retiring from a career in the law enforcement field, Freda feels blessed to be able to write and self-publish her stories for everyone to read. She adores her large family, 5 children and 9 grandchildren, and hosts monthly family gatherings.

To hear about new releases, please follow her on Amazon and also on Goodreads.

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