Book Review – Page 11 – 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

Book Review of An Agent for Liana

My Review

Now this was something different that I haven’t read quite like it before. Very entertaining and had me laughing throughout the story. I love the interactions between Liana and Dale. They are sweet and playful. The cover is gorgeous, the characters entertaining. Although I have only read this book in the series, I think the other books would be a lot of fun!

My rating: 3.5 stars

April 16, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of The Lady’s Arrangement by Colleen L. Donnelly

My Review

What a way to start a book! I was engrossed in every detail of the fire, and then later of the landscape. Flat. Dirt. Farmland. The author has an amazing way of describing it all and putting me right there in the story.

I loved the beginning quotes of each chapter, as it gave me a greater insight to what the characters were thinking and feeling. I like Rex’s fixation on the color red, which is mentioned throughout the book. His love of red starts with dirt, and then it transitions to his love of Regina’s red hair.

The book is beautifully written with descriptive imagery. The mystery is intriguing, and I can’t help but love Rex throughout the story. I’ll definitely be looking for more from this author!

My rating: 4.5 stars

April 12, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward

5-Star-Review of Root Brew Float From Readers’ Favorite!

I’m so excited to have gotten a 5-star-review from Readers’ Favorite! Check out the review below, and pre-order your copy here!

Reviewed By Rabia Tanveer for Readers’ Favorite

Root Brew Float: One Scoop or Two by Sydney Winward is the story of a witch as she faces the dilemma of a lifetime. Josephine Brevil is not your run of the mill witch. She was there when the Salem Witch Trials happened; she survived it all and lived to tell the tale. Regardless to say, she is very careful about her magic and who she shares her powers with. She doesn’t like to share her private information with anyone and she would like to keep it that way. However, when she is tasked to go to Massachusetts to handle a paranormal activity, she wasn’t expecting this place to change her life. She meets the charming and devilishly handsome Clarence and he makes her question everything. She starts falling in love with a human and she cannot afford to do that. Loving a human comes with a choice: love or her magic. Which will she choose?

Oh boy, was this a fun story to read. Quick, incredibly detailed and well-paced, I loved Josephine’s story and her reactions. She is such a fun character; she is fiery and feisty, she isn’t afraid to speak her mind and that is awesome. I loved her responses, her dialogues were incredibly fun, and the way she interacted with Clarence was so smooth. Sydney Winward set the right pace to keep Root Brew Float moving without rushing anything. She gave Josephine and Clarence enough time to experience their feelings, enjoy their relationship and grow as characters that added to the story instead of taking away from it. I really enjoyed this entertaining and fun story and hope there is more because Josephine has the potential to become a great protagonist for supernatural/mystery stories.

April 9, 2020April 9, 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

Book Review of For This Knight Only by Barbara Bettis

I loved the way the author opened the book with Chauvere getting attacked. I was immediately drawn into the story, and itching to learn more. Alyss’s character intrigued me from the beginning. She has a strong mind, and even when everything is falling apart around her, literally, she remains strong and takes charge.

The interactions between Sir Roark and Alyss were entertaining, especially in the beginning when they first met. The book was well-written with beautiful and descriptive imagery. I recommend this read!

My rating: 4 stars

March 17, 2020June 3, 2020 by Sydney Winward