Inside the Wong Mind

Daughter of Thieves by Lichelle Slater

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About the Book

Title: Daughter of Thieves
Author: Lichelle Slater
Series: Sands of Wonder #1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: November 13, 2021

A street rat. A magic lamp. An obnoxiously handsome prince.

What should have been an easy-in, easy-out job with my father became a nightmare when he was arrested by the soldiers of Zunbar. As if things couldn’t get any more complicated, my estranged mother has demanded I enter the Desert Trials and find the magic lamp hidden inside the Dragon’s Lair cave.

The Desert Trails: a series of ten tasks to prove a sorceress’s proficiency in the art of magic.

How hard could it be?

Only, I wasn’t blessed with the gift of magic.

Surviving the trials is only part of the problem. I’ve inadvertently partnered with Prince “Abu” and he’s bent on taking the magic lamp from me. I’m not about to let some dashing prince steal my father’s freedom.

But the Dragon’s Lair is more like the Cave of Nightmares, and I can’t escape without Prince Abudar’s help. If we don’t work together, we might not make it out alive, and I am not wasting my only wish in order to escape.

With the chance to make a single wish, can a street rat finally prove her worth? Find out in this adventure-packed, gender-swapped retelling of Aladdin!

Purchase your copy here!

About the Author

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Personal dragon trainer, lover of glitter, writer of fantasy.

Lichelle Slater isa USA Today Bestselling author and was nominated for “Unforgettable Book of the Year” for The Beast Princess and “Mind-Blowing Fantasy of the Year” for The Siren Princess at Penned Con 2020, and as “Best Debut Author” for Step Right Up (now Circus in the Stars: Ringmaster) at UtopiaCon in 2017.

Reading has always been a huge passion, from The Hobbit to Goosebumps. Some of her fondest memories are at the library or being read to, and when she embarked on my journey of becoming an author, she did so with the dream of sharing the worlds in her mind with others.

She currently lives in Salt Lake City, UT with her adorable King Charles, Perseus, and works full-time as a special education preschool teacher.

My Review

Daughter of Thieves
by Lichelle Slater
Book 1 in the Sands of Wonder series
Rating: 4/5

After reading another story from the author, I was excited to join her ARC team for her new series, Sands of Wonder. I am a huge fan of fairytale retellings and this reimagining did not disappoint. The adventurous story is full of action, mystery, and romance. Who doesn’t love a heroine who can succeed without magic when everyone else has magic?

Caspara’s character is feisty and loyal and has no magic. I loved her character and how “unaffected” she was by Prince Abudar. She was some the reader wanted to root for. As the story continued, more and more events kept me reading to early in the morning (lost some sleep) but it was definitely worth it. I thoroughly enjoyed Prince “Abu” too and was thoroughly surprised at the end of chapter 17. The author did a good job and the story is well written and very entertaining. I loved all the characters – with some from her prequel – and need to read more. The book ends with some unresolved occurrences and I will be reading what comes next.

I also loved that the author included a map and some spell translations.

Highly recommend this exciting, adventurous YA fantasy with romance and intrigue.

PG-13 content.

My thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Also Available

The Sultan and the Storyteller (A Villain's Ever After) by [Lichelle Slater] — Prequel to the Sands of Wonder series

Read my review of The Sultan and the Storyteller here!

November 13, 2021 by Kim Book Reviews

Riverbend Gap by Denise Hunter

About the Book

Title: Riverbend Gap
Series: Riverbend Romance #1
Author: Denise Hunter
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: October 19, 2021

She came in search of the family she’d always wanted—and found the kind of love she’d never dared imagine.

When Katelyn Loveland’s car veered off a winding Appalachian Mountain road, she thought she was done for. That is until Cooper Robinson, local sheriff’s deputy, came to her rescue. And though Katie narrowly escaped her brush with death, she still fell. Hard.

She wasn’t the only one. But soon Cooper learns that the woman he’s more attracted to than any he’s ever met is his brother’s new girlfriend—and therefore unquestionably off limits. Yet, despite their best efforts, Cooper and Katie can’t seem to avoid running into each other. Or ignore the undeniable chemistry between them.

As they grow closer, Katie shares secrets from her past and the real reason she moved to their small North Carolina town. She also wins over Cooper’s welcoming and bighearted family. But they don’t know that her feelings for Cooper keep growing—all while she’s dating his brother. Soon the stakes of their emotional connection become higher than either could have imagined.

Katie stands to lose the first family she’s ever had, and a scandal could doom Cooper’s campaign for sheriff. Suddenly they find themselves on the edge of another precipice—and they’re forced to make a decision that could change their lives forever.

“A perfect blend of romance and women’s fiction.” —SHERRYL WOODS, #1 New York Times bestselling author for Summer by the Tides

“I have never read a romance by Denise Hunter that didn’t sweep me away into a happily ever after. Treat yourself!” —Robin Lee Hatcher, bestselling author

“If you like Robyn Carr, you’ll love Denise Hunter.” —Colleen Coble, USA TODAY bestselling author of One Little Lie

Sweet and thoughtful contemporary read
First in the new Riverbend Romance series
Book length: approximately 82,000 words
Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Purchase your copy here!

About the Author

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 25 books, including A December Bride and The Convenient Groom, which have been adapted into original Hallmark Channel movies. She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Carol Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are rapidly approaching an empty nest.

Connect with Denise: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

My Review

Riverbend Gap
by Denise Hunter
Book 1 in the Riverbend series
Rating: 4/5

“All her life she’d been searching for a place to belong, a person to belong to, and she’d finally found him. But she couldn’t have him.”

As someone who enjoys Denise Hunter’s books, I was excited to read the first book in a new series. As dramatic as the beginning of the novel was, the rest of the story was all about the aftermath of what happened. I was immediately drawn into the story at the start – talk about an engaging hook.

The chemistry between the two main characters was palpable. I especially loved the hiking trip part. This new family, the Robinsons, was a lovely family that had its faults but still knew how to come together. I’m hoping that the other books will involve the other siblings. The setting of Riverbend sounds amazing – just look at that gorgeous cover! I’m always excited to visit new places through books and I can’t wait to read more. I also enjoyed how the author was still able to weave her faith into the story in a nonthreatening way.

“Sometimes family isn’t the situation you’re born into but the people who’ve chosen to love you along the way.”

Highly recommend if you enjoy Christian contemporary romance with small town charm and lots of heart.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

November 10, 2021 by Kim Book Reviews

Right Here Waiting by Michelle Sass Aleckson

About the Book

Title: Right Here Waiting
Series: Deep Haven Collection #6
Author: Michelle Sass Aleckson presented by Susan May Warren
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Release Date: November 9, 2021

He lives in a world of winter.

Sled dog musher and outdoor adventurer Nick Dahlquist doesn’t mean to be a loner—he just feels at home in the woods, with his dogs, and also online in his vlogging world, where he’s amassed nearly a million viewers. But he’s just a simple guy, with simple goals—care for his dogs, teach people how to survive the cold, and run the Iditarod. Unfortunately, life turns cold when his lead dog is injured, and he’s low on funds. Good thing he has LadyJHawk to chat with. She’s become an online friend he can turn to, and he’s starting to need her more than he’d like to admit. But the last thing he wants is for some random woman to show up on his doorstep…

She doesn’t belong in his world.

Chopper pilot and Texas gal Jae Lynn Washington has been following Nick’s DogQuest videos and Get Lost in the Woods vlogs since she inherited her deceased boyfriend’s military working dog. Three years later, his encouragement and help as online chat buddies have made her wonder if he could be more than a friend. What if she moved to Deep Haven? Would that be considered stalking, even if she had a bonafide job on the Crisis Response Team?

But she’s determined to try…

When Jae shows up in Deep Haven—and on Nick’s doorstep—he’s not at all the man she met online. The last thing she’ll do is tell him she’s really LadyJHawk. And when Nick is tapped to train the Crisis Response Team, he’s pretty sure that petite, summer-loving Jae won’t last a moment in the brutal cold—a fear he pours out to LadyJHawk. As their training takes a personal turn, their chilly start begins to thaw. But is he ready to shake off his online relationship for the one in real life? And if Jae tells him the truth, will it spook him back into the woods?

When a blizzard strikes, and the CRT is called out into the storm, it might be too late…

Cozy up to this delightful, wintery twist on You’ve Got Mail set in the snowy escape of Deep Haven.

Purchase your copy here!

About the Authors

Susan May Warren is the USA Today best-selling novelist of more than 85 books. With more than 1.5 million books in print, she is beloved by reviewers and readers around the world. Visit Susan at www.susanmaywarren.com.

CONNECT WITH SUSAN: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

After growing upon both the east and west coasts, Michelle Sass Aleckson now lives the country life in central Minnesota with her own hero and their four kids. She loves rocking out to 80’s music on a Saturday night, playing Balderdash with the fam, and getting lost in good stories. Especially stories that shine grace. And if you’re wondering, yes, Sass is her maiden name. Visit her at www.michellealeckson.com.

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Merging the creative energies of best-selling authors Susan May Warren and Lindsay Harrel, Sunrise Publishing is the matchmaker for established authors who want to build on their current success for future growth and aspiring authors looking to break out, build an audience, and hone their writing skills.

CONNECT WITH SUNRISE: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Email

My Review

Right Here Waiting
by Michelle Sass Aleckson, Susan May Warren
Book 6 in the Deep Haven Collection
Rating: 4.5/5

Wow. If you are at all a fan of dogsledding and SAR, you will devour this book! I loved this new story and was so excited to read Nick’s story since he was introduced in a previous book. Who doesn’t love a good romcom like You’ve Got Mail? Who hasn’t felt brokenhearted over a past crush? This story was fun, hilarious, heartwarming and full of action.

As someone who is also Asian-American, I was pleasantly surprised that the heroine was Korean-American and loved how the author included parts of Korean culture and food in the story. I love Korean food and could easily relate to Jae’s fears about sharing her unique (yet delicious) food with her Texas cousins. I have my own Asian comfort foods that not everyone would enjoy but I appreciated such an honest anecdote. I loved the friendship between Jae and Nick that developed before they met. I loved the chemistry between the two of them and was definitely rooting for them to be together. I always appreciate when the author can weave her faith into the story in a such a beautiful and poignant way. Dealing with their past hurts and regrets, the main characters find a way to heal and find acceptance with the help of their trust in God.

“All he knew was kissing Jae was an adventure he hoped would never end.”

As someone who loves a good clean romance, I highly recommend this fun story about finding love, acceptance and family in Deep Haven. You won’t regret it!

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

I loved the book and I purchased my own copy.

Also Available

November 9, 2021 by Kim Book Reviews

Inside the Wong Mind: Reading is my therapy

Hello. This blog is all mine and I will do my best to post what interests me and what books I read with honest reviews. I am a lover of good Christian fiction with a touch of romance, mystery, intrigue, humor, fun, etc. I invite you to join me as I read my way through books and life. I am currently pursuing my residency training as a family medicine physician!!! I have to carefully choose what I want to read for fun. My name is Kim and you are entering the Wong Mind.