Unbridled Reign by Chelsea Burton Dunn

Ash is a fighter who has been working as a trainer at the gym owned by the Lupo family. Before that, she had been forced into fighting for the Polish mafia when her father was killed while still owing them a great deal of money. Now, she works for the Lupos, suspecting, but not certain, that they are members of the Italian mafia. She is also physically attracted to both Sal Lupo and Adrian LaMartina. And when the man who becomes her new landlord turns out to be the same man that her father once owed a great deal of money to and refuses to renew her lease, her life becomes much more complicated.

I read a review copy of this book and greatly enjoyed it. Chelsea Burton Dunn is a wonderful author, and while this book differs in genre from most of the other books of hers that I have read, it is easily just as enjoyable as her other series are. This book does necessitate some trigger warnings, and with a fair amount of graphic sex in the story, it is clearly not meant for younger readers. Some of the themes that take place in this book include sex trafficking, violence, abuse, domestic abuse, depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, and bisexuality. I found each topic to be handled carefully, but as these topics may be triggering for some, as a reader you do need to be aware that they are an important part of this story. It is a book that is very clearly meant for adult readers, due to the graphic sex and other themes running through this book and series.

Despite needing to include such warnings in my review, I have very much enjoyed reading this series. This was the third book in the series, and as there is at least one more topic that I am very curious about, I hope it is not the final book. And so I will be waiting as patiently as I can to learn whether or not there will be a fourth book (or even more than that) to come in this series. If you enjoy rather dramatic romance stories involving people and topics that seem like they should cause one to not enjoy a book, I would recommend giving this book and series a try. I will admit to being a little concerned when learning it was primarily about two mafia families, but I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I did enjoy this book and this series. As I said above, the difficult and sensitive subjects were handled quite well. And while they were a very necessary part of the tale, they were not the main subject of the story.

The main characters in this story are very well described, and while in some ways they could be considered forced into the life they now lead, they have made the best of it that they can in order to keep those they care about safe, without causing unnecessary harm to those who are innocent. While the mafia is in general often considered the “bad guys” in any story, here, we are shown that it is possible that in the case of the characters in this series, they are not actually the “bad guys.” They may not entirely be the “good guys,” given that they are members of two crime families, but they fall more on the side of good than the side of evil, in my opinion. So if you can give this book and series a try, I would recommend reading them. I know that I enjoyed reading them a great deal, and am hoping that there will be more of this series to come in the future.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher

Wizard Harry Dresden and his allies managed to win the battle that saved the world, though much of Chicago was destroyed in the process. The woman that Harry loved was killed, leaving him heartbroken. Yet, it was still up to him and his friends to defend the people of Chicago from those who would take advantage of the chaos and destruction around them. Mab has arranged his betrothal as her Winter Knight to Lara Raith, a Vampire of the White Court in order to forge an alliance. While it is not something either Harry or Lara truly wants, this alliance is necessary if they want to be able to help the people of Chicago rebuild and survive. Ghouls and others have come, brought by all the death and destruction. And alone, even Harry isn’t enough to save everyone important to him. But in order for this to work, he needs to find a way to overcome his personal heartbreak and pain. The question seems to be, can he manage to overcome the current challenges in front of him? Or will he succumb to the despair that he has been struggling with?

I enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, this story is about Harry’s healing from what seems an insurmountable amount of pain, both physical and emotional. He wants to keep helping his friends, family, and his city, while at the same time, a significant part of him just wants to give in to his despair and pain. He has quite a bit to overcome, and new challenges and problems keep arising that require his attention. But he also has friends who are there to help him, family who care about him, and his new fiancee and her people are there to help too. And more than anything else, he has a daughter who needs him. So he has quite a few reasons to find his way back to the man he once was.

The story itself is at times quite negative and painful. But that is the character’s state of mind at the beginning of the book when he feels he has lost pretty much everything he cares about, yet he must still find a way to not give in to despair. And as the story progresses, we can begin to see him finding his way back from the brink, slowly finding reasons to continue to fight for the good in the world, and to see that there are those who still love him and who are there to help him, if he will let them. And while yes, he hurts and likely will for quite some time, we can see that he is beginning to heal and to both find and see the good things that still exist around him. And that is why I enjoyed reading this book. Because no matter how dark the world may seem at the moment, it won’t always be that way.

When I began reading it, I was, myself, feeling in a somewhat dark place. The world around me has quite a few problems right now, and I was worried that a story with a main character who was in so much pain would make me feel worse. But as the story progressed and he began to heal, it helped me to also see that there is still good in the world. And that as we work to help those around us, things can and will become better for everyone. This book, to me, is saying that no matter how bad things may seem right now, that if you want things to get better and are willing to put in the work to make it happen, that the world around us can improve. It won’t happen overnight, and it will very likely take a lot of time and effort, but nothing is impossible.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Big Little: A Family Morris Story Story Written by Bennet Walker Art by Cal Hobbes

Shelly is a little girl who has both a big sister and a big brother. This story seems to be about what she wants to do one day.

I read a review copy of this story meant for young children. It’s been a very long time since I’ve had any children young enough for a book like this, but the first thing that I want to talk about is the art that shows this story. It was perfect for the book. It was beautiful and clearly showed how little Shelly felt as the day progressed.

The story itself, however, I had a few problems with. I loved that the family was a blended family. But what bothered me was that the entire way through the book, the mother watched every member of the family tell Shelly that she was too little for what she wanted to do. And in each instance there was never any suggestion of what they could do to include Shelly or of something else that the little girl could do instead that would be just as much fun as what her siblings were doing.

I feel that this story could have used a developmental editor. I kept wanting the mother, or any other member of the family, to say or do something to include Shelly rather than just telling her she was too little. The further I got in this story, the sadder I felt for the little girl. (Again, I was impressed that the artist included the sad and disappointed look on Shelly’s face in each instance.)

While I do recognize that older / teenage siblings don’t always go out of their way to include a young sibling in what they are doing, why didn’t the mother notice how sad her daughter was getting after each time she was told she was too little. Maybe I’m reading too much into the story, but if this is a typical day for Shelly, the story seems to be saying that because she’s little, she can’t do anything. And I feel that is the wrong message to send a child.

For me, this book needs something that only Shelly is small enough to do. Turning the tables on her older siblings by having them be too big for something would have made the ending of the story much more meaningful and powerful. But while the ending does bring a big smile to Shelly’s face, it wasn’t something that she was the only one small enough to do. And for me, it didn't make up for all the negative “You’re too small” comments from every family member—including her mother—throughout Shelly’s Day.

I would rate the artwork for this book at four stars, but the story itself, for me, was only a one star because of the way it left me feeling disappointed and sad for Shelly rather than happy about her having something special that no one else could do because they were too big.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Home Shattered by PC Nottingham

Nasilid the Liberator has successfully retaken the city of ZelZaytun back from the Sprouters who had conquered the island two generations before and who had killed all the members of the Grovekeeper religion who lived there. But unlike the previous conquerors, this time, peace between all three religions, Grovekeeper, Sprouter, and Mulcher, is hoped for. A chance for all who seek peace and to spend time with the sacred Gnaverwood tree may do so.

In an effort to let the other kingdoms leaders know that this is what is hoped for, Nasalid sends Jab, Sanu, Sir Brouglas, and a few others across the ocean to meet with the Sprouter King and to bring this message of a sought-after peace between the three religions. Unfortunately, while the message is received, the country is in a bit of a turmoil with a new king and a religious head who is determined to force them into a religious war to retake the city and the sacred tree.

I read a review copy of this book and enjoyed it as much as I did the first one in the series. Both Jab and Sanu grow as individuals and as their own squirrels throughout the book, learning a great deal about not only themselves, but the others they come across. There is much that they need to deal with—treachery, betrayal, worry—but each is stronger than they realized, and each one has their own strengths that they bring to the table when trying to help those around them find solutions to some very large problems.

I enjoyed reading this young adult novel. It was fun and carefully thought out. It shows that sometimes, we don’t always realize that those who may seem very young, might actually have viable solutions to some very large problems that they shouldn’t have to deal with at their age. We just need to be willing to listen and pay attention when they try to help rather than ignoring their suggestions from a mistaken belief that they haven’t the knowledge or experience to truly understand something. Quite often, they know more than we realize they do.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Pentimento Mori: An Art History Mystery by Valeria Corciolani

Edna Silvera is an art historian who appears to prefer her privacy to being in the public eye, even though she is a renowned expert in her field. When sent out by her boss to participate in a public ceremony, she stumbles across a dead body as well as an ancient piece of artwork, and finds herself in the middle of trying to help solve both mysteries.

I read a review copy of this book. It was the author’s first English-translated novel. I did enjoy reading it, though for quite a bit of the book I was confused as to why parts of it were told from the perspective of a chicken. It was quite a while into the story before I realized that said chicken was actually someone who seemed to spend most of his time pretending he was a chicken. (At least I think he was pretending, though it is possible that he actually believed he was a chicken.)

The author clearly knows quite a bit about ancient art, the techniques involved in creating the paints, and the symbolism used within the artwork itself. It was a rather impressive display of knowledge, and an integral part in solving the secondary mystery as well as the murder itself. There were a number of twists and turns in this story that led up to both the art mystery and the murder, and this was a story that I was not able to solve entirely on my own while reading the story. While all the clues were there, some of them were subtle enough that I missed seeing them. And that makes it much more interesting to me than a mystery that I was able to see what was coming well before the ending.

I will admit that at times, I was a little confused and a bit overwhelmed by the amount of art history knowledge within this story, but overall I did find it to be an interesting book that I did enjoy reading. I think that anyone who enjoys reading about art, art history, art symbolism or murder mysteries involving ancient art, would enjoy reading this book.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Brothers Divided by P.C. Nottingham

Two young squirrel brothers have just buried their parents. On that same day, they encounter a knight who is seeking to warn the townsrodents that he believes their town is in danger from suspected nearby raiders. He has come to offer the villagers safety in shelter in the town of Olihort (still called ZelZaytum by those of the Grovekeeper faith), under the Sapling’s protection. But given that many of the families can remember when their grandparents who lived in the town were slaughtered by the army that invaded to claim the sacred Gnaverwood tree as their own, no one from the town will believe such an offer is meant in peace.

That same day, the army of Nasalid the Liberator sets a trap for the armies who claimed the lands as theirs. As the two forces meet, the brothers believe they each see the other killed, unaware that their family member still lives and has been rescued by the opposing army. In turn, the brothers decide to aid the side that rescued them, hoping to find a way to restore peace to their land. But where religious differences are involved, is such a thing actually possible? Can multiple religions actually coexist peacefully together?

I read a review copy of this book and found it entertaining and thought provoking. And for a short book that is quickly read, it did manage to contain quite a bit of story and action. In some ways, it made me think (very loosely) of some of William Shakespeare’s plotlines. Though not truly the same, I could see vague similarities in several places.

There were both heartwarming and heartbreaking moments in this book, as each brother truly believed the other was killed, and they must cope with a very trying time, with a religious war looming and them being unable to avoid it. Many involved do seem to want peace, but unfortunately, there are also those who are determined to continue to provoke the other side in an attempt to justify a complete destruction of their supposed enemies, including those who are innocents.

I believe this young adult novel would be a good fit for anyone interested in reading fantasy stories that involve religious differences and that attempt to show how often peaceful solutions and coexistence are possible, if only everyone involved is willing to talk out their issues and find a compromise. I enjoyed reading this book, and found the ending hopeful, though clearly the adventures of the two brothers, Jeb and Sanu, are not yet over, as peace between this land and opposing kingdoms cannot be assured unless everyone is willing to accept a peaceful solution. I will be looking forward to seeing what happens next in this series.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

GMC: Goal, Motivation, & Conflict by Debra Dixon

This book was required reading for a class that I am taking. And while parts of the topic seemed to be common sense to me, the book does have some very good ideas on how a writer can more easily not only discover their characters’ goals, motivations, and the conflicts they will face, but how to find ways to show each of those items to the readers as the story progresses.

If the writer doesn’t know what drives a character, or what lengths they are willing to go to in order to achieve those goals, how can they possibly express that to their readers? In order to help the writer with this concept, the author of this book has shown us some simple charts that will help to define both the internal and external things that drive a character, and make each of them unique.

I did appreciate these charts & the ideas behind each of them, as it makes the goals, motivations, and conflicts quite clear to the writer, and allows them to develop their plots accordingly. I also loved the  examples provided to us by Ms. Dixon. I may not have seen each of the movies that she used as an example, but even the ones I was unfamiliar with provided enough of a context for me to understand the intended story of those films.

In addition to these charts and examples, Ms. Dixon talks about the purposes of scenes, what makes for a good and useful scene, and what might be an unnecessary scene. Again, examples are provided for each. And there are exercises throughout the book that should be helpful for most any writer.

Another topic that is discussed involves query letters, and the recommended way to format one to encourage an agent or publisher to want more information about a story, thus decreasing the likelihood of a rejection. (This seems like a helpful topic for most writers.)

Overall, I believe this would be a very helpful book for writers, as well as editors (both copyeditors and developmental editors). The exercises can easily be applied to any book that has been written, whether it is one that has been published or one that is being edited prior to publication or submission for publication.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.