Story: This was a really quirky book. I found myself laughing many times. I have to be honest, I kind of wish that I had some talent in the narration department. I’d totally volunteer to narrate this novel. It’s showcases the dreads of working retail with a supernatural twist. I’d love to see this book be turned into a cartoon. Probably one more geared to teens and adults, but still. I’d watch every episode.
Characters: There were too many of them to keep up with names. I really enjoyed all of them. They were all strange and very quirky.
Critiques: None
Final Thoughts: I’m not sure if this is going to be a series or not. I want to say it is, but I just can’t be sure. If it is, I will definitely be grabbing the rest of the series. I’ll probably reread this a few times. Especially when I’m feeling down and need a good laugh. There are some potentially offensive jokes displayed in the book. I wouldn’t recommend it for anybody who are more sensitive to jokes.
I read this book for a book club meeting that I sadly wound up not attending. I would have loved to have discussed this book with them, but at least I get to discuss it in general. There were things I loved about this book, and there were things I found really annoying. I can say that the twist hit me like a freight train. This is one of the few post covid books I’ve read. I really loved how realistic it was talked about. It wasn’t glossed over. It wasn’t glamorized. It was just raw, real, and right there in your face. This author knows how to really drag all your emotions through the ringer. I’ve read other books by her, and they all left me baffled. I also want to say that I fully encourage reading the Author’s Note. It sheds even more light on everything.
I may not have finished that many books, but I still had a very successful reading week in my eyes. Especially considering everything I’ve had going on. I also had a productive week in general. I’ve written a lot of reviews. Going to be posting them in stages. I’m also almost completely caught up on writing reviews! So I’m very happy about that! There’s a lot going on, and a lot more in the works!
This book had a healthy mix of hilarious and serious. Andie has worked hard to transfer to the college that her boyfriend is attending. Not because he’s attending, but because it’s been her dream school for as long as she can remember. She finally gets to the school only to find out that her boyfriend transferred to her old school just for her. Despite the hiccup, she moves forward and winds up fitting in really well to the school. She meets new friends and grows comfortable in her environment. I honestly loved this book so much that I would have read it all in one sitting if I could have. I am now very interested in reading other books by this author. If I’m not mistaken, I think I already own at least one of her other books. I could be wrong on that. I just love the way she writes. I love her sense of humor.
Story: I didn’t really care for the beginning at all. If it wasn’t for that, this book would get a full five stars. It’s a really adorable story other than that. I really enjoyed it. I especially loved the dragons’ way of speaking. It was very unique and yet familiar at the same time. I’m really hoping that this is a series so that I can continue reading. I believe I remember it being referenced at the end. I could be wrong though.
Characters: I’m horrible with names. If the book had been told completely from the first person’s point of view, I would have put this book down. He wasn’t relatable at all. The rest of them were really wonderful Especially the dragons.
Critiques: There were parts I felt were a bit too jumpy. This may be a me thing. I do have ADHD.
Final Thoughts: I’m very thankful that I listened to my gut and kept reading. I didn’t like the beginning of the book at all. He really bothered me and made me feel very uncomfortable. I felt like I connected with the daughter more than anybody. I won’t get to much into that. I don’t want to spoil too much of this book for potential readers. I definitely recommend pushing through the beginning. It seems really frustrating, but it’s worth the wait. I promise.
I can’t remember exactly how I came across Heather Frost. What I can say is that I knew from the moment I saw Royal Decoy that I would absolutely love the book. I managed to get a copy it and Royal Spy for both myself and my mother. I’m so glad I did. I’m also so glad I discovered the author. She’s so very talented. Even if she leaves us infuriated with the intense cliffhangers! I can’t wait to see her upcoming works!
From The Author:
For as long as I can remember, I have always loved stories. I told stories to my younger siblings, I was drawing stories in notebooks before I learned how to write, and I devoured books. By the time I was 12, I’d read just about everything I could in my small town library. I was desperate for something new to read, but it wasn’t even close to my birthday or Christmas, so I knew I wouldn’t be getting anything new anytime soon. Then it hit me; I knew everything I loved in a story, so I could write my own. I found a second-hand crystal necklace sitting in my jewelry box, and it wasn’t long before I had a story idea. There was magic, dragons, a girl with a sword, and a rebel who needs help—even if he doesn’t want to admit it. Betrayal, romance, danger—it was all in there, and I loved every second of writing it. It was all I wanted to do; I’d go to bed thinking about the story, and I’d spend all day longing for the moment when I’d be able to start typing again. When I finished the book, my dad asked if I wanted to print it. He balked a little when he learned it was over 200 single-spaced pages, but I still have that printed copy sitting on a bookshelf in my office. Writing that first book ignited a passion inside me. A passion that had always been there, I think, but now it had been given wings. I moved onto the next story, and then the next. Every birthday wish was that I would be published someday. Every spare moment I had was spent writing. And when I couldn’t write, I was thinking about writing.
By the time I graduated high school I’d finished 7 novels and I’d started about 20 others, with many more ideas in the back of my mind. I got my first rejection letter when I was 18, and I kept writing. I don’t know how many of those early books will ever get fixed up and published, but I learned so much from the act of writing them. In 2010, I had an idea fall into my head. It was all about a girl who can see immortal guardians and demons, and her Irish guardian protector. I was on my summer break, so I wrote almost constantly. And in 2011, SEERS was published. That’s when my birthday wishes changed—now I wished that I could be able to be a full-time author. I couldn’t imagine anything better than being able to make my living from the written word I loved so much. In 2020, I published ROYAL DECOY, the first in my Fate of Eyrinthia series. The story about a kitchen maid forced to become a decoy became so much more than I ever imagined when I started writing, and this series has changed my entire life. In 2021, I started writing full-time. There’s a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson that I have framed on my bedroom wall. “Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.” This quote has inspired me through some hard times. Being an author requires a lot of tenacity and hard work. It means facing rejection, and choosing to go forward anyway. At the risk of sounding like a cheesy inspirational poster, I truly do believe that you can accomplish anything you set your heart on, as long as you’re willing to work for it. So my advice to aspiring authors (or anyone with a goal in mind) is to never give up. If there’s something you want to do, do it. If there’s a dream you have, dare to make it come true. Believe in yourself. You have the power to live the life you’ve dreamed for yourself. All you have to do is dare.
I really wanted to enjoy this book. For the most part, I did. I really loved the story and the idea behind the story. The thing that just didn’t do it for me were the characters. I didn’t care for any of them. The ones I thought I might have been able to connect with weren’t really big parts of the story so I can’t really give a solid answer on that. I may read the next book in the series when it releases, if it hasn’t already. I’m just really not sure at this moment. I also may reread this book just to give it another chance. I just really didn’t love the cruelty that some of the characters represented frequently. Their attitudes were completely unbearable.
This is the cutest book! I really enjoyed it. I also really enjoy that it’s so interactive. Each page has wonderful dance moves that can be performed to go with the story! How amazing is that? I fully recommend this. I think it would be beneficial of all ages.
Disclaimer: None of the work in Reading With Star belongs to me. The author owns all right to the book. They have given me permission to share a bit of their work with you.
Secrets. Betrayal. Murder. It’s all a day in the life of a Blackstone.
Thirty years ago, my father killed my mother in a fit of jealousy—or at least that was what I was led to believe. I heard him crying and calling my name as I hid in the back of a closet. I know he was there and assumed the right man is doing the time.
After an anonymous note questions Jesse Blackstone’s guilt, I find myself pulled back into the past and my hometown where secrets hide, and I try to reconstruct my mother’s life and the events that resulted in her murder.
Now, those who knew my mother back then are turning up dead, and raising more questions than I can answer. And all I know about my life is about to get turned up on its head.
Excerpt:
Nathan opened the car door for me. I slid into the seat. He had a nice SUV. Big. Sturdy. Clean. It wasn’t a new model but was very well cared for. That told me a lot about his character as an adult. He turned to me as he buckled his seatbelt. “You look nice.” “Thanks. So do you.” Awkward small talk was never my thing. This was painful. Da Vinci stood on the chair; his head poked out the curtains watching me leave. He threw his head back. Even though I couldn’t hear him, I knew he howled. Nathan shot me a worried glance. “Is he going to do that all evening?” “I don’t know. He usually isn’t away from me for too long. If I go somewhere that he can go, I take him.” Nathan smiled. “Change of plans.” “What?” Shock moved through me as I watched him get out of the car. By this point, Cal had come to the window to try and get Da Vinci to settle. Nathan knocked and I watched the door open. A moment later, Nathan reappeared with my dog. He carried the leash but didn’t have it fastened to Da Vinci. The dog trotted to the SUV and waited patiently for Nathan to open the back of the truck. Da Vinci jumped into the backseat as if it was part of his normal routine. I turned around and ruffled his ears and jowls. “You look very pleased with yourself.” He licked the side of my face as if in agreement. “Everyone ready?” Nathan’s voice had taken on a cheery tone. “Ready.” And we were off. We drove out to the boardwalk where Gulf met land. Shops and arcades were situated on one side and the surf rolled in on the other. Da Vinci tried to look out both windows at once as we parked. All the lights and people had him excited for the excursion. So many new smells and things to investigate. “You know he’s thinking this is his best date ever.” I opened my door and jumped out before Nathan could come around to the passenger side. The fact he thought to include my distressed puppy had me feeling all kinds of warm thoughts that I probably shouldn’t have. Nathan smiled and looked down at Da Vinci. “I know the feeling, buddy.” I swallowed. No. He didn’t just say that. We walked out onto the boards and joined the crowds of people out for a stroll. Now, this was what I meant about keeping it casual. I might have been nervous, but walking relaxed me. Kept the jitters at bay. Nathan had taken Da Vinci’s lead and the dog walked in front of us like a goodwill ambassador for pet adoption. His flat nose stuck up in the air sniffing as if he’d caught a scent. “He’s a great dog,” Nathan said as Da Vinci stopped and tried to catch a scent on the breeze. He began to whine. “Yeah, he’s the best.” A sense of foreboding went up my back. Da Vinci was acting weird. I put my hands down in my pockets and watched as Da Vinci backed up and went on sudden alert. Then the screaming started.
Note From Star:
I hope you enjoyed a glimpse of Blackstone: Dahlia. Please consider clicking the link above and grabbing a copy of this book.
Have an excerpt you want to share? Contact me at nikkiereads@starsbooksandtea.com so we can discuss it!
This isn’t going to be the week that I start sharing six coloring projects. I was lucky to color the four. Rome wasn’t built in a day right? I hate getting out of routines I set for myself. It takes for ever to Get out of the funk!
What projects or hobbies are you enjoying these days?
Stars Books & Tea 