Sydney Winward

Book Review of Thief of My Heart by Karla Kratovil

My Review

During the day, she’s a fine lady with a large family and a chaotic house filled with dogs. At night, she’s a cat burglar, stealing beautiful jewelry from the unsuspecting wealthy. But her life turns upside down when she robs the wrong house. Or perhaps the right house.

What a ride! Karla Kratovil creates such a unique but loveable heroine in Thief of My Heart. She’s fearless, extraordinary, and she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty if that means creating a better life for her siblings. And of course, the DUKE. Need I say more? I already fell in love with Andrew in Captain of My Heart, and this book has lived up to my expectations and more. I enjoyed seeing the characters in the first book in this series return for another adventure full of danger, secrets, and of course, love.

I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading Caroline’s story next!

My rating: 5 stars

April 6, 2021April 6, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Shadows of Doubt by Patricia McAlexander

My Review

“The child is father of the man.”

Growing up, Jeff Hudson was labeled as a problem child. His parents were on the verge of divorce. He often started fights. And he acted out to get his parents’ attention. However, he quickly finds he cannot outrun his past, even if it means winning over Sandy Harris and her mother. When his past catches up to him, it might put both him and Sandy at risk.

Patricia McAlexander wove together a gripping tale of love, danger, and second chances. The author created a story with so much depth that each character introduced was unique and your heart couldn’t help but go out to them. I loved getting to know the characters, and I found myself rooting for Jeff and Sandy to make their relationship work.

My rating: 5 stars

April 5, 2021March 27, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Happy Book Birthday to the Rock House Grill!

One man’s choices—One woman’s impact
Winner NNLights Book Heaven 1^st place Sweet Romance
Author Shout Out Recommended Read 2020

Aden House, successful but driven chef and TV personality, refuses to slow down. His life implodes one night, damaging him both physically and emotionally. He’s rescued by a woman he thinks of as his angel.

Shay McDowell has rebuilt her life after her divorce. She juggles volunteer EMT duties and her job, while dreaming of becoming a chef. She finds her way to Rock House Grill and back into the life of the man she helped save.

Can love be the ingredient needed to survive the many obstacles they face?

April 5, 2021February 4, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Bone Crier’s Moon by Kathryn Purdie

My Review

“Believe every story you hear.”

I have so many mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, Bone Crier’s Moon was SO GOOD. I loved the characters. The descriptions were incredible. The story idea was super unique and interesting. It was easy to lose myself in the story and the awesome action scenes.

On the other hand, it was SO repetitive. The book could have been cut in half and still come out the same by the end. The book not only ended on a cliffhanger, but it was a frustrating cliffhanger. It would have been nice to have at least some sort of resolution by the end of the story.

The themes of love and friendship were present throughout the entire book. What does love really mean? What does it look like? Is love really predicted by the gods? Or is it only just a game? This book is great for those looking for a unique fantasy romance with a darker edge.

My rating: 4 stars

April 3, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova

My Review

A Deal with the Elf King is a very unique retelling of Hades and Persephone. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Eldas and Luella. Their constant fighting and banter often had me laughing or cheering. They are one of those couples who are so good for each other, but you have to peel back every single rose petal to get to the center of the flower.

I loved all the characters, though Willow and, surprisingly Harrow, both became my favorites. Willow is so down to earth and I loved his sweet and caring personality. As for Harrow, his outer shell is hard to crack, but once you weaken it, you find something much softer beneath. Much like his brother, Eldas. They are more alike than they realize.

The book was a great mix of romance, tension, danger, magic, and humor. The pacing was very slow, but overall, I really enjoyed the story, the unique world building, and the loveable characters.

My rating: 4.5 stars

March 27, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

My review

I really expected to fall in love with this book. I’m disappointed that I didn’t.

First of all, this book should have been written in third person to allow for more than one point of view. Without Cardan’s point of view, I felt like I was missing half the story. I got more of it in How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories, but it didn’t show up in this book. I loved Cardan in that spin-off, especially because I was able to get inside his head. But I wasn’t able to get that in The Cruel Prince.

Second, the book was really hard to get into. The story was interesting. The world-building was intriguing with an Alice in Wonderland type of feel. But I didn’t find myself liking Jude or the way the story often dragged forward. I’m not sure if I want to read the second book in the series, but I might consider it because I liked How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories.

My rating: 3 stars

March 23, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Review of When Hunting a Chimera by J.D.L. Rosell

My Review

A cover of an ominous man in a cloak holding a sword? Yep, that’s right up my alley. Even better was the detailed writing that pulled me into the story and made me long to learn more about this character and the world he lives in. J.D.L Rosell did an incredible job at capturing the essence of Tal in such a short story, not only enthralling his readers with hilarious, cocky behavior, but demonstrating the level of knowledge and skill this character has as he hunts and fights a chimera.

Just this little glimpse into the world of Legend of Tal makes me want to read more, and I’m looking forward to finding out what the next book in the series has to offer.

My rating: 5 stars

March 13, 2021March 12, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of A Song of Sea and Shore by Katherine Macdonald

My Review

I have no words to describe this. Pun intended? Maybe a little. As of yet, A Song of Sea and Shore is my favorite of all of Katherine Macdonald’s works I have read so far, and let me tell you, I loved Kingdom of Thorns like nobody’s business.

The author broke my heart, then patched it up, broke it again, patched it up, and maybe repeated the process a few more times after that. This story was so emotional and so well-crafted, it brought me to tears on several occasions. I loved the characters and the hard choices they had to make throughout the book. I loved the uniqueness of a plot we have heard time and again. I especially loved this different type of hero the author painted (another pun, sorry!), one who is quiet, thoughtful, creative, and emotional. Did I also mention he blushes easily?

The Little Mermaid is one of my favorite fairy tales, and I adored this particular retelling. I absolutely recommend!

My rating: 5+ stars

March 12, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Grace by Contract Book Tour

After her father uproots the family to the northern duchy of Brackenhurst, Grace Eldon and her four younger sisters struggle with a new life of hardship. Desperate to keep a roof over their heads amid mounting debts, she and her youngest sister seek employment in the Duke of Brackenhurst’s household despite fearsome rumors.

Scarred and maimed from a terrible fire Silas Isling, Duke of Brackenhurst, buries himself in his work to avoid the stares of pity and fear. When one of the new maids shows no fear at his appearance, he is intrigued. That is until his meddling steward gives her the task of cleaning Silas’ bookroom. It is a most unwelcome disruption since he prefers to be alone.

While a thief plagues his castle, an old nemesis reappears, and enemies invade in the guise of guests. Amidst the distractions and chaos, Grace brings some unexpected order. Once convinced his scars had stolen all hope for love, Silas finds his life forever changed by the quiet maid. Could she love a scarred Duke?

Inspired by Beauty and the Beast

March 5, 2021February 13, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of The Betrayed by Kiera Cass

My Review

“You will never catch me as a groom.” -Etan Northcott’s famous last words

This book started right where the first ended. After losing everything, Hollis chooses to accompany her family to Isolte, but she can’t help but think she’s walking straight to her death.

After how The Betrothed absolutely shattered my heart, I didn’t have high hopes for The Betrayed. To my pleasant surprise, I found that I liked this book better than the last, and I especially liked Etan as a love interest. Hollis suffered a few growing pains in the last book, and in this, she grew up a little and did what needed to be done, no matter what it was.

Unfortunately, just like in book #1, I feel as if Kiera Cass just didn’t stick the landing. In the last two paragraphs, they find their happily ever after, and then it was just done. Nothing to drag it out, especially after how well the romance was built up until this point. Although the ending wasn’t satisfying for me as a reader, I still enjoyed the rest of the book.

My rating: 3.5 stars

March 4, 2021 by Sydney Winward