Book Reviews

Sky of Fire and Ash
by Julie Hall & Audrey Grey
Novella in Empires of Shadow and Ash: A Limited Edition Collection
Rating: 4/5

I absolutely loved the story and completed it within a couple hours. Recently, I became a huge fan of Julie Hall and her Life After series and when I saw she had another book coming out, I had to read it. Now, I’m going to have to read more Audrey Grey too. It’s that good.

Now to the story…DRAGONS! Who doesn’t love dragons? I admit I haven’t had a chance to read much regarding dragons but the story swept me up and I was so sad to see it end. Novellas have a way of taking you on a journey that you don’t want to end. The story does not rush to conclusions though at the end which is usually a consequence of length.

This is a beautiful story about self-discovery. Fallon is a Firewalker who has never fit in but she tries to do the job she was created for — kill scorchers in the war against the drakoni. However, when a mission goes “horribly wrong” (on her birthday no less) the truth about who she is and what she’s fighting for is just beginning. Will she be able to save her people? Will she accept her true destiny?

I highly recommend this book. I took off one star because I haven’t read the rest of the stories yet but honestly, paying $0.99 for this one story is so worth it. Anything else is just extra icing!

Molly
by Julie Jarnagin
Rating: 4/5
Book 3 of the Perfect Match series
Amazon – Romance | Short Reads

Summary:
As a relationship columnist for a national women’s magazine, Molly McShea is granted the opportunity of her entire career — free trip to paradise to meet her perfect match. All she has to do is write about her experience, document her trip via social media, and she’ll be promoted! What she doesn’t expect to find is a surf instructor who doesn’t want anything to do with social media and the spotlight. Sean Logan has his younger brother to protect and a secret that he desperately wants to keep private. Can these two people really be each other’s “perfect match”?  Will Sean and Molly risk it all for a chance at love?

Review:
This story was short and sweet. I loved how Molly was able to do her job while still trying to protect Sean. I loved how Sean and Molly really tried to make things work despite the difficulties and complications. Sean and Molly’s characters were decently thought out and very relatable.

Fun, flirty, clean romance for the summer! Can’t wait to read the rest in the series. I did not read the others in the series, and since they’re by different authors and about different characters, you can definitely read them as standalone stories. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a summer read!

Keep Holding On
by Melissa Tagg
Rating: 5/5
Book 3 of the Walker Family series
Larkspur Press – Fiction | Contemporary Romance

Best friends look out for each other. Best friends have each other’s back. Best friends know how to make each other smile or relax after a trying day. Best friends give each other a second chance?

Beckett Walker has come home to Maple Valley. He has a chance at a new career start since corporate law isn’t as fulfilling as he’d hoped. He’s come back to make things right with the law. What he doesn’t expect is to see his former best friend, Kit Danby, at his cousin’s wedding. What he doesn’t expect is to get arrested by Kit’s ex-fiancé, who is now the police chief. Will his dreams of becoming joining the JAG Corps be derailed by this mishap?

Kit is just as surprised to see Beckett as he was to see her. She’s back from Europe to see why her brother hasn’t been answering any of her calls, texts, or emails. She’s desperate to save her family’s legacy, Valley Orchard. What she finds at home is a mysterious missing brother and an orchard in disrepair. Can she convince her father not to sell her precious orchard filled with so many memories? Will her background and education in horticulture along with her hope to revitalize her grandparents’ dreams be enough to sustain her?

As Beckett starts working off his community service hours at Kit’s orchard, can they put aside the past, forgive one another and build a future together?

I was awake late into the night trying to finish this book. I finally finished it this morning! Talk about swoon-worthy. Talk about the feels! I definitely shed a few tears of joy and sadness. Melissa Tagg really knows how to craft genuine characters that the reader cares about. I’ve read the other two books in the series and am hoping for more. There’s humor and faith intricately woven throughout.

What struck me the most was the book’s message of hope and trust. I’ve been dealing with my own trust issues, but God has been faithful. I recently was accepted into medical school after having taken the MCAT five times. I’ve struggled and will struggle again, but I know God is on my side and I can trust His plan for me.

[W]hen God calls us to something, it doesn’t mean we’re never going to have setbacks. And if we go doubting his direction every time we face a challenge, we’ll end up stagnant and frustrated, tied up in knots.

Sometimes God whispers. Sometimes he shouts. He doesn’t always communicate the same way twice, and frankly, sometimes we’re going to get it wrong. But part of faith is embracing the mystery–all the while knowing that even when we’re confused, God is faithful. He’s trustworthy.

He doesn’t ask for perfect hearing or a life free of missteps, Kit. Just your trust.

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