Book Review – Page 10 – Sydney Winward

Book Review of Soldier Under the Mistletoe

My Review

I really like the premise of this book. Mallory wants to take over the ranch. Her brother’s best friend, Sam (Maverick), yearns for a life of freedom in the military. How can they overcome their desire and compromise enough to make it work with each other? Not to mention the brother… Will he let his best friend and sister have a future together?

It’s kind of like a Hallmark movie, except one of the good ones. I do feel like it ended way too abruptly, though the author continued it in a second rendition, which I did not like quite as much. And the mistletoe seems like it should have played a big part in the story, but there was no mistletoe. Rather, Mallory kept playfully insinuating that they should kiss under one. But as far as short stories go, I enjoyed reading it. Although I feel like Mallory was more one-dimensional, Sam was written very well, a fleshed-out character with believable motives spurred by a horrific past.

I love that this is a clean, wholesome romance, with a cute love story and great romance scenes. The author definitely left a mystery in regards to the brother, Cash, and his mystery woman. I am interested in reading more of this author’s work.

My rating: 3 Stars

May 5, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of The Eidola Project

My Review

I can’t say a book has ever given me some weird dreams before. The Eidola Project has a chilling mix of supernatural, paranormal, and mysterious elements to the story. The characters were interesting, being introduced one by one and coming together to form a group that exposed the supernatural, whether real or fake.

The ending was completely unexpected, but satisfying all the same. The author certainly has a way with words, as the book is very well-written with suspense glued to each page.

My rating: 4 stars

May 3, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Flight of the Raven

My Review

Emma’s family curse has transcended generations, killing the woman in childbirth if the child had been conceived without love. Not a single one of her ancestors had survived childbirth, not even her own mother. Despite marrying William, Emma is determined to keep herself alive by avoiding intimacy with him.

The storyline is intriguing, with a bit of mystery weaved throughout the book. I enjoyed the small bits of magic, and I’m especially curious about Wulfstan and where his own story is headed. Great ending! Plenty of action and exciting twists.

My rating: 4 stars

April 29, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Devil’s Food Ripple with a Cherry on Top

My Review

Oh wow, what a fun read! I couldn’t stop turning the pages, eager as I was for more Fenady and Seb. The banter between them was so fun, I couldn’t help but be swept up in the story as it unfolded and the chemistry sizzling on each and every page. Devil’s Food Ripple with a Cherry on Top is hilarious and entertaining. I highly recommend this fun novella!

My rating: 5 stars

April 23, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Lord of Time by Michele Amitrani

“Time’s a trickster. Reign over it, or be reigned over by it.”

I expected this to be a book full of awesome action and epic time lording with sci-fi or fantasy elements, but I’m surprised it turned out to be more philosophical than anything. Lots of deep questions to ponder. Plenty of self-searching and understanding ourselves in the world we live in. Interesting concept. Thought-provoking. It takes me back to my philosophy classes in college.

The author puts his thoughts about the concept of time in fiction form. This was well-written with interesting characters and a twist at the end I didn’t see coming.

Although I was disappointed that this book turned out to be something I was not expecting, and I kept waiting for something awesome to happen, it was still pretty good.

My rating: 3.5 stars

April 21, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Pirate’s Prey by Colleen O’Connell

My Review

He took what he pleased and he pleased what he took.

Who doesn’t love a good pirate story? I enjoyed Shane’s confidence and fierceness. I loved Maura’s stubborn spirit. Being on the wrong side of the law never seemed so good. That ending! Wow! My heart was in my stomach the entire time. It was so intense and detailed. I couldn’t help but love Shane.

The cover is gorgeous. The characters enjoyable. I never knew what was going to happen next, especially as Mansbry and Shane kept trying to best each other. I definitely recommend this book if you love a good pirate romance.

My rating: 5 stars

April 18, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward

Review of Lord of Druemarwin by Helen C. Johannes

My Review

Did I lose a lot of sleep reading this book? I absolutely did! And I don’t regret it for a second. Lord of Druemarwin is full of action, love, and secrets, and I couldn’t help but keep my eyes glued to the book, turning page after page well into the night.

I absolutely loved all the characters, though Toth quickly became my favorite, a hot-headed Tolemak with a good head on his shoulders. One of my favorite scenes of his was when he and Naed got in a fist fight. The whole fight and the interaction afterward had me busting a gut!

Lord of Druemarwin has a stunning, eye-catching cover, with flowing words and incredible details that captivated me from beginning to end. I could highlight the entire book with my favorite parts. This was well-written, with fleshed-out and likeable characters. I didn’t want the story to end.

My rating: 5 stars

April 7, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Curse of the Blacknoc Witch by Tori V. Rainn

My Review

Bad children being forced to run from evil creatures every night against their will? Monsters eating children alive and spitting them out into monsters? How dark and gruesome! This book captivated me from beginning to end. The world building in the forest is phenomenal, with small bits of humor thrown in there that made me chuckle. I loved Samuel’s determination to save children from an inescapable doom and Layla’s bravery as she fights off monsters and tries to break the curse.

This book has a dark Grimm’s fairy tales type of feel to it with fun little riddles along the way. Every scene in the forest, my heart was in my throat as I wondered what would happen next. The cover is stunning, the story gripping. This was a wonderful read and I really enjoyed it! I highly recommend.

My rating: 5 stars

April 3, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Wild Rose Pass by Karen Hulene Bartell

My Review

Ben Williams has always been an outsider, and never had somewhere he truly belonged. Cadence McShane has always longed for something more than life at the fort, a life filled with adventure and purpose. When their desires are tugging them in different directions, will they be able to overcome and compromise in the name of love?

I just adored our hero, Ben. He’s compassionate, from sparing the life of a threatening rattlesnake to providing food and shelter for a desperate family in need, he is the perfect example of humility and kindness. He knows his way around the wilderness, and there is no better person to feel safer with.

The book is well-written and filled with such incredible details that made me feel like I was right there in the story. I loved learning that allowing a horse to breathe your breath helps them get acquainted with your scent. I also love the recipes included at the end of the book. It’s so fun to read about food in a story, and then to see the actual recipe for it. I think I’m up to the challenge of making old-fashioned molasses taffy!

This was such a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it to those looking for a great historical romance with a swoon-worthy hero.

My rating: 5 stars

April 2, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Enchanting the Beast by Maggie Dallen

My Review

I am pleasantly surprised that I really ended up liking this book. In the beginning, there was a lot of info dumping and unnecessary repetition that took me out of the book time and again. But by the middle, it ended up picking up. More repetition near the end, with a few unanswered questions and loose ties.

However, the characters were enjoyable, and I found myself rooting for them to end up together. I really liked Spencer and being inside his head. The relationship between him and his father was really interesting and believable. Holly and Spencer were really cute together, and I found myself smiling and laughing throughout the story. By the last page, I was thoroughly engrossed in the book.

This was a fun read that didn’t take too long to get through. I recommend to anyone looking for a fun contemporary romance.

My rating: 4 stars

March 27, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward